Walking in the morning, especially on weekends, has become one my favorite activities. Taking a walk not only aids one’s physical and mental well-being but there are also many beautiful things in the early morning that we don’t see during the rest of the day. Walking allows me to see a place as it wakes…
Poetry Reading for the First Time
I did something for the first time — poetry reading. I did declamation, extemporaneous speaking, and public speaking when I was student, and I have delivered speeches, hosted, danced, and even sang onstage (despite my being tone deaf) but I have never read poetry in front of an audience. Never. Ever. Until a couple of…
Bali: Short & Sweet
When I decided to accept a job in Indonesia, I told myself that I would visit Bali within two years, then I would be heading back home. Sixteen-plus years and five Bali visits later, I hopped on the midnight plane for my sixth trip to the Island of the Gods. This trip was my shortest…
My First Big Bad Wolf Experience
For someone, like me, who loves books and reading, a roomful of books and a book sale are a huge come-on. So, when the Big Bad Wolf book sale came to town, I made sure to allot time to visit the book sale. Fortunately, I have a friend who shares the same pastime (and enthusiasm),…
10 Favorite Filipino Food of a Non-Pinoy
‘Tis the season to be chubby fa la la la la la la… And that’s true whenever I go home to the Philippines especially during the holidays — Christmas and new year. The Filipinos are noted to celebrate Christmas the longest and every celebration involves food, lots of food. So, it is the season to…
Walking Through Jakarta’s Chinatown
There is one building I saw that hosts a tea house in the Glodok district of Jakarta that caught my interest. I see the building every time I go to Kota Tua (Old City) in Indonesia’s capital. I planned to visit the place for quite some time until I finally decided last Tuesday to give it a…
Finding Space at Savoy Hotel Manila
On the last leg of our Manila trip, we decided to book a hotel with a higher ranking – or more stars – than the budget accommodations we previously stayed in. Through Trip.com, we came across the Savoy Hotel Manila. It sounded alien to me when Andreas asked me about it, I said I am…
Cafe Cruising 7: Tagaytay and Mega Manila
Metro Manila and major urban centers in the Philippines host a big number of cafes and coffee shops and they are sprouting like mushrooms during the wet season. There were so many of them, yet we only had limited time. We went to a number of them and three stood out and impressed us —…
Mangrove Forest Walk
My brother dropped by for a visit 6-day visit during the Lebaran holidays in June. On the day he arrived, my best friend and I picked him up from the airport and went directly to Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK), in North Jakarta, for lunch. We had some Acehnese and Singapore-style noodles in PIK Market and…
Tangerang Trip and Treats: Sale Ristorante and Kakolait
Last weekend, my friends and I hied off to Tangerang for another quick get-away. And when I am with them, there seem to be an endless discovery of places to dine and to haunt. This time, our gracious hosts — Joe and Eli –brought us to two of the most remarkable places in the city…
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