“Your city is really colorful,” she says. It’s around 3:30 in the afternoon, and we -- she, Joseph, Gina, and I -- are in Roxas Boulevard, strolling around Baywalk. A calesa waits idly by and she climbs the carriage to pose for a picture with the driver – a reminder of her last day in the Philippines. I’ve never really seen how “colorful” Manila is, in large part because I have grown used to it. The chaos usually appeals to adventurous tourists, but to me it had become annoying routines as I went to school and eventually to work. But acting as a guide around the city for two days lends a different perspective to a place I’ve already taken for granted. And her unabashed optimism and contagious sweetness make it easy to forget the faults ... read more

Rolf Dunder’s stories about the Aetas started in his van, cruising through the relatively new Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). Dawn rains had just poured in Metro Manila and there was apprehension that foul weather might dampen what would be a long hike to the Aetas’ village in a mountain in Tarlac. But the sun was nicely shining as soon as we left the capital and the general ambiance inside the vehicle – Rolf, Pri, Björn Borchers, his wife Ute, and me – was pure excitement. We were on this trip with the Rotary Clubs in Paco and Capas, Tarlac, for the second annual visit to Peter Borchers School in Bilad village up in the mountains near Mt. Pinatubo. Peter was Björn's cousin and Rolf’s friend. Together with Rolf, Peter dreamed up the school to provide education for ... read more

So it's not a promising title for a fun day but I had so much wurst at the festival I have already broken many times over my vow to be a vegetarian while taking medication for hyperacidity. I even had beer again (but just one glass)! The German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (GPCCII) is holding the 3rd German expo at the Bonifacio High Street, Taguig, east of Makati in Metro Manila. This year's event, which ends today, is dubbed "Mabuhay Germany!" "Mabuhay" is a Filipino term roughly meaning "long live" or "welcome," although it doesn't really get much verbal mileage except for welcoming foreigners or in tourism slogans. Usually we just say "welcome." Anyway, I went there with Pri -- one of my classmates in Goethe-Institut -- his German boyfriend Matthias, and their labrador ... read more

June 19-24, 2010. Our stop in Spain personally is a bittersweet one. On one hand, it feels sad that the trip has reached its end, although we will have to return for a few hours in London and a couple more days again in the US before flying back to the Philippines. On the other hand, few places could have made a greater ending than this country with its lively atmosphere (except during siesta hours) and great food. Spain has long released its hold on its once vast empire but that hasn't stopped the country from capturing the world's imagination. Whether it be passionate bailaors performing the flamenco, bullfighters teetering on the brink of fatal dangers while taunting toros, or a round of sangria while soaking up the Mediterranean sun, the Spaniards grab the romantic fancies ... read more

June 16, 2010. Appearing in countless postcards and glossy editorials, Santorini lives up to the hype and manages to take away the breath of first-time visitors and returning travelers alike. The island provides an otherworldly spectacle, with cobalt-blue waters coming face-to-face with the caldera's black sand, and whitewashed houses contrasting with the azure sky. It's a charismatic piece of paradise on earth, epitomizing the hedonism associated with the Greek island life. An enormous volcanic explosion more than three millenia ago authored this spectacular caldera, which is believed to have been a single island perched in the Aegean among countless others that form the Cyclades group of islands. Such cataclysmic event, legend says, helped in destroying a powerful ancient civilization; but it ironically paved the way for the creation of paradise. Santorini today draws people by ... read more