liliram
liliram Joined: November 15th 2008
Logged in: February 15th 2012
Logged in: February 15th 2012
I love traveling because I always come back with less cobwebs in my mind. It is as if I empty my mind of all clutter upon departure, and fill it with many happy memories upon arrival. I also like the idea that life is so focused on the present, and my senses are all playing to listen, feel , see, smell and taste everything novel or not so new. The fact that I only have to choose from a limited wardrobe, or use the same pair of shoes throughout my holiday , or work and survive on a single budget make life so much simpler. Sure, you sometimes get a raw deal in a few trips, or feel hassled by flight delays and cancellations, but the joys and simplicity of the present far outweigh the negatives. Oh, btw, I always end up gaining more friends after each trip. Many I kept......
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Travel Blog Posts
Authors' Lounge @Oriental Hotel
A trip to Bangkok is always made more pleasurable with a visit to Oriental Hotel by the banks of the lovely Chao Phraya River. I have not stayed in this hotel even for a night, but I have definitely visited it , dined in it, enjoyed quite a few high teas many times in the past. There are 2 spots in this hotel which I so love. The Authors' Lounge in the Authors' Wing, the original part of this century-old hotel. And the Riverside Terrace. But it has been years since my last visit. And I do remember being driven there by my friend in the past. This time around, we hailed a cab and asked to be taken to Oriental Hotel. The taxi driver asked us many times, and each time felt frustrated failing to ... read more
A Favorite Saint. A Favorite Phallus?
Spending a week in Bhutan yielded 3 blog posts here and I feel I'm not done yet. Not until I write about this. Of all the cultures I have experienced, theirs is markedly different in a way I feel compelled to explain. After all, it is not everyday that you find houses with hanging phalluses and the same subject painted on their walls. Some in full color, even beribboned, with matching pubic background. Excuse me, did you say THAT is the phallus of one of your favorite saints? Yes, this requires some good explaining. Our tour guide Sonam Norbu gave us a glimpse of Bhutanese culture as he narrated the story of the "Thunderbolt of Flaming Wisdom" which is how they referred to THAT. He narrated it so matter-of-factly that one begins to believe how seriously ... read more
Yeah, that's me. Why not?
I have been looking at photos and videos. Been reading travelers' accounts about their trek up the Taktshang Monastery.This is Bhutan's most famoust monastery perched on a cliff overlooking the valley of Paro. My mind was set that I would at least hike up to the Halfway Station where the Cafeteria is, and where one is able to look at the pilgrims' site at eye level, but for the deep abyss separating the Cafeteria site and the cliff-hugging Monastery on the other side. From the base up to the Halfway Station, the trail crossing a pine forest is basically a copper-colored dirt path following a stream for some time , then winding up the mountain. After that it's stone steps down the side of a hill and back up to the temple. About 900 meters above ... read more
A Newfound Tranquility
I would have thought I stepped into my own imagination. My own dream. This trip to Bhutan is so markedly off the usual, beaten paths. Not being melodramatic, but Bhutan is truly one fairyland. Men and women in local costumes, dogs blending in with the locals like they are members of the small Bhutanese populace (they are still under 1 Million as of this writing), mountain views and bubbling streams, a culture so unique, a very strong national identity. Dzongs as Fortresses and Monasteries White monoliths dominate the landscape. Like castles. Some on dry, dead mountains. Others at the junction of flowing rivers. We have been to three dzongs, but managed to explore only 2. We regret having missed exploring the interiors of the Paro Dzong (Rinpung Dzong) as we were dead tired after that climb ... read more
Flying Into Bhutan
The Himalayas. Shangrila. Gross National Happiness. The Mystique of Tibetan Buddhism in Bhutan. Young and Newly-Married Monarch... A young King at 27. Prime Minister Thinley looking more like a Dalai Lama to me, speaking of a country's collective pursuit of HAPPINESS. Monasteries which also house state offices and serving as fortresses, called Dzongs. Church and State ruling under one roof. Houses painted with phalluses, in memory of the Divine Madman, one of its revered saints. The same phallic symbols turned into hanging ornaments decorating both village houses and urban buildings. Mini-monks, bald chanting nuns and local folks --- so pious, so polite and so amazingly trusting. Where and how do I begin my story about my week in Bhutan?<br style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969);" /... read more
Cruising Without Breaking The Bank
This is not a travel blog. More like a Christmas e-blog sent out to friends, many I haven't seen in years. Much has happened (will still happen) this 2011 and here's a chronicle of what has kept us busy. Just a month more and the year 2011 ends. Merry Christmas, everyone! Having started the year with a family cruise calling on the ports of Singapore and Malacca , I managed quite a number of trips around the country. Certainly tons cheaper than traveling out of the country, but not one bit less enjoyable or lacking in excitement. Besides, I was able to do more local des... read more
Good Morning, Vietnam!
Once in a while, one should travel not for the sites but for the company. Not that Ho Chi Minh (formerly Saigon) has none to offer by way of attractions and things to do. But the prospect of traveling with 4 ex-colleagues from the bank where I used to work is simply hard to resist. That career spanning all of my first 17 years since graduation from college marked a period teeming with many fond memories and friendships. I have earlier visited Ho Chi Minh ( ) with my niece some 3 years ago. What was most significant about that earlier trip was the bucket of sweat oozing out of our pores while traversing the Cu Chi Tunnel in the heat of summer. Oh, how our sweat-drenched shirts nearly dripped! We are not doing that again. ... read more
Taal Volcano Viewed From Tagaytay
Many tourists "drop by" Manila on their way to any one or a couple of islands for some sun, sand and island ambience. Those "stuck in Manila" for a night or a couple of nights may either visit some of those Manila sites I cited in my earlier blog, or try any of these day trips. You can enjoy some adventures outside of Manila, with plenty of time to head back to your city lodgings to check out the lively nightlife in the city. More one-day itineraries coming. This is the first installment. Day Trip#1: Tagaytay One of my fondest childhood memories is a day trip to Tagaytay where one views the world's smallest active volcano. My earlier blog on Tagaytay will tell you exactly what to expect w... read more
Taken at Fort Santiago, Intramuros, Manila
It's not paradise. It's not everyone's cup of tea. Or (good, undiluted) coffee. It's dirty here and there. But there are pockets of interesting sites you may wish to have a look at before entirely skipping Manila to check out the beaches of Boracay, breathing the mountain air of Baguio, scaling the rice terraces of Banaue, taking a boat ride in the Underground River in Palawan, swimming in the big and small lagoons of El Nido, imagining the unspoilt islands of Batanes, marveling at the Chocolate Hills and tarsiers in Bohol, or diving somewhere off Anilao in Batangas. This year, I concentrated on domestic destinations and had a wonderful time rediscovering my own country. Each to his own taste. And mine is still lusting for more. In between trips to swim with the whale sharks of ... read more
Barong Tagalog
The Filipino men dress up in Barong Tagalog especially for formal occasions. The translucent fabric used is either Jusi which is our local silk equivalent or pina cloth from handloomed pineapple leaf fibers. It has a front opening with some embroidery, and was originally colourless. Of late, modern barong tagalogs come in different hues. As worn, the barong tagalog is never tucked into one's pants. It is a light dress shirt typically worn to weddings, funerals and other formal affairs. A slightly less formal Filipino attire is the Polo Barong which is usually short-sleeved and made of cotton, linen or ramie materials. Many offices in the Philippines have prescribed the Polo Barong as uniforms for its male employees. The barong tagalog preceded the advent of Spanish colonization. Tagalog is actually a dialect from a reg... read more
