Traveling with Girlfriends vs. Traveling with Your Partner

Southeast Asia is the part of the world my husband wants to visit most, but he could not join me on a tour of Malaysia, Laos, Thailand, and Brunei. Fortunately, my girlfriends were ready to go. During this trip, I realized that traveling with your girlfriends (or sisters or daughters) is different from traveling with your partner.

Difference #1: Fast vs. Slow Travel

Fast travel squeezes many stops into one trip, planning to return to the place you could not get enough of later. Slow travel means taking the time to experience the local culture. Bill thinks it’s just insane to do the former. But not me and my girlfriends. We can get our photos taken at a famous landmark. Then, next!

We started with an overnight layover at the Kuala Lumpur Airport Hotel for a much-missed authentic Hainanese chicken dinner. The following day, we arrived in Vientiane, the Laotian capital. A day and a half got us to the top six attractions. We even had time for a Laotian Catholic mass. Then, off to Brunei!

We also had an overnight layover at the Dom Mueang International Airport. Even if there was a Wat just around the corner, we hired a car to see downtown Bangkok. We got awesome night views of the Grand Palace, the iconic Wats, and the home of the father of the King. The next day we were ready for our day and a half in Brunei where we visited eight top attractions.

Difference #2:  Fast vs. Slow Shopping

Women take their time before buying (huge understatement). We scour a shopping area to survey what things are available for women. When we find something we just must have, we bargain for the best value. Men don’t have the patience to do this; they would rather read a newspaper with a favorite cup at a cafe. They go to the specific store where they always like to get an item. Full stop.

At the Malaysian airport, we shopped for souvenir items. In Laos, we squeezed in a trip to a Night Market near our Ibis Vientiane Hotel. We even made it to Chatuchak, the biggest Night Market in downtown Bangkok, to buy $1 scarves. Never mind how much the car ride to get there cost us! In Brunei we got stuck in the mall asrain poured. We were able to get lovely scarves (again) for a “steal.”

Girlfriends invariably find something; then the rest of us would say, “Me, too!” Or there is a real answer when I ask, “Does this look good on me?” Shopping with them is quite synergistic. The only drawback is, Bill’s not there to pay for the item(s). The solution: have an extension of his credit card!

But there are similarities, too.

Similarity #1: Culture, History,, and Landmarks

Both love culture, history, and landmarks. Bill would also have gone to the same attractions with a big difference: it would have taken a couple more days. He would also add a visit to war memorials or play in bodies…of water. He would also not spend any time taking photos except to humor his wife.

Similarity #2: Local Food

We loved the most popular Malaysian Hainanese Chicken Rice chain in the KL International Airport food court. In Laos, we spent big bucks to savor a Laotian meal at a 5-star hotel. In Bangkok, we had a sumptuous seafood dinner at the popular Kuang Seafood Center. Finally, in Brunei, we splurged on a full-course meal at the 6-star Empire Resort. Bill would have loved and paid for them!

You are lucky if you can have both!

TRAVEL AWAITS: 10 Incredible Places in the Philippines, According To A Local

Batad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The original article was published in Travel Awaits on Oct. 4, 2022.

Before I migrated to and retired in the US 20 years ago, I lived in the Philippines from the time I was born, all of 54 years. This archipelago of 7,641 gorgeous islands I really do know by heart. It’s organized into three island groups, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. And has the fifth longest coastline in the world behind Canada, Norway, Indonesia, and Russia. How can all these islands be best covered? Here are my suggestions, including its five UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Luzon, the Northern Island Group

Luzon is in the north, the largest and most populous (ranked 15th in the world by area and fourth by population). It includes six other smaller islands. More than half of the country’s population of an estimated 114 million live here.

1.     Metro Manila

at the center of the Greenbelt Shopping Center in Makati

Get a flavor of Metro Manila, the cosmopolitan capital complex of 16 cities and towns. I lived in its three prime cities: Manila, Quezon City, and Makati. Choose to stay in the latter; it’s nearest to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

It’s a  shopper’s paradise. Global brands, Philippine crafts and designs, cheap Chinese goods, and fakes that are so like the originals (especially in Divisoria) give you the best value for your money. Two of the 10 largest shopping malls in the world are in Manila. It’s also a culinary haven. Think of any cuisine, and you can get it in the entire budget range. Filipino food is also fast gaining popularity with native Malay, Chinese, Spanish and American influences. You will also love the nightlife. Being at the top of the world’s call center industry, Metro Manila buzzes with activity 24x7.

2.     Corregidor Island

Corregidor Island

One of the first places where I took my husband was Corregidor Island at the mouth of Manila Bay. Only one and a half hours by fast hydrofoil from Metro Manila’s reclaimed area, Americans made it an “impregnable fortress” and played a significant role in the invasion and later liberation of the Philippines from Japanese forces in WWII.

It's the best place to relive the Pacific Front. Skeletons of the Mile-long Barracks (the longest single military barracks in the world housing 8,000 soldiers) and the cross-shaped hospital destroyed by the Japanese despite war treaties remind the visitor of the gruesome five-month battle. The Malinta Tunnel, the headquarters of Gen. MacArthur and the seat of the Philippine government at the time, is now an important museum. Many memorials salute the heroism of the American and Filipino soldiers who fought together.

3.     The City of Vigan in Ilocos Sur

North of Manila in the province of Ilocos Sur is the one place in the country, in fact, Asia, where the 300 years of Spanish rule remains painted in the 17th-century homes preserved as a Heritage Village, undamaged even by war. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, there is St. Paul’s Cathedral, built in 1641, and the Crisologo Museum, the ancestral home of the town patriarchs, depicting life during the Spanish colonial rule. In fact, “kalesas” or horse-drawn carriages still ferry tourists on the narrow-cobbled roads.

4.     Baroque Churches of the Philippines 

A group of churches in the Philippines, together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Three of them are in Luzon: San Agustin Church in Manila, Santa Maria Church in Bulacan, and Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte just after Vigan. The fourth, Miagao Church, is in the Visayan province of Iloilo.  I have not seen Miagao but am amazed and proud that we have these historic these comparable to some of those in Europe. In serving as the political backbone of the Spanish colonial rule, churches were subject to attacks by local revolts. Thus, Philippine baroque architecture appear like fortresses, with large imposing buttresses at the sides. It is also a unique interpretation by Chinese and Filipino craftsmen.

5.     Rice Terraces of the Mountain Province (headline photo)

Farther up north in the mountains of northern Luzon, there are five clusters of rice terraces in four municipalities of the Mountain Province. Together they are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the most intact of those created by the Ifugaos, a minority ethnic group that has lived in the Philippine Cordillera Mountains for more than two thousand years. They are a sight to behold—especially since they reach a higher altitude and are on steeper slopes than the other rice terraces around the world. Made of stone and mud walls, the elaborate old farming system is still maintained cooperatively by the mountain villagers of today.

6.     Mayon Volcano

The most beautiful volcano in the Philippines is also its most active; it last erupted in 2019. Mayon Volcano, in the province of Albay in the southeastern part of Luzon, is endowed with a symmetric conical shape that makes it “the most perfect volcanic cone in the world.” Sacred in Philippine mythology, it became the Philippines’ first national park. A UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, its designation as a World Heritage Site is pending.

Visayas, the Island Group in the Middle

Between the northern and southern island groups, the Visayas is composed of nine islands on the Visayan Sea. In the east are Leyte and Samar; center: Bohol, Panay, Negros, and Cebu; and west: Palawan, Romblon, and Masbate. Considered the capital of the Visayas, Cebu City has its own international airport.

7.     Palawan

I couldn’t wait to show my husband Palawan. The fifth largest in the archipelago, it juts out such that it has the westernmost point of the country.  It has two UNESCO World Heritage Sites and has consistently stayed on lists of Top 10 Best Islands in the World. Even the Iwahig Penal Colony, a “Prison without Walls” fascinates visitors and, of course, the world-class beaches and resorts like El NIdo and enchanting islands like Coron and those in Honda Bay.

The first of the World Heritage Sites is the Tubbataha Reef, one of the world’s best dive spots just 150 kilometers off Puerto Princesa, the capital. It’s an atoll reef with a very high density of marine life, featuring a 100-m perpendicular wall and two lagoons. The other is the world’s longest (8.2 km.) navigable Underground River only two and a half hours from Puerto Princesa. A short walk through a green forest inhabited by monkeys and monitor lizards will take you to the phenomenon of the river pouring straight into the sea, set amid the lovely limestone karst mountain landscape outside and the stunning formations inside its deep chambers.  

8.     Boracay Island Off Panay Province

Boracay is dubbed the “Party Island.” With an area of only 4 square miles, it’s famously known for wide, white powdery sand beaches, relaxation options, and a bustling nightlife. Just off the northwest coast of Panay in the Western Visayas, it is a favorite venue for corporate celebrations and personal vacations. Just like Palawan, it has stayed in the lists of the Top 10 Best Islands in the World.

9.      Bohol

Bohol in the Central Visayas and nearest Cebu should be, too. It includes 75 minor surrounding islands like Panglao, routinely listed as one of the top ten diving locations in the world. Bohol is also proud of its Chocolate Hills, numerous mounds of brown-colored limestone formations, and the Philippine tarsier, the world's smallest primate.

Mindanao, the Southern Island Group

Mindanao is the second-largest island after Luzon and the seventh-most populous in the world. It’s the country’s major breadbasket, producing eight of the top ten agricultural exports from the Philippines. It includes the Sulu archipelago which looks like a land bridge to Borneo, Indonesia.

For my first marriage, our honeymoon was at a Tree House in the Zamboanga peninsula adjacent to Sulu. I also took my children to Dakak, a beach resort and pearl farm there. Today, however, both of these provinces are Muslim-controlled and are no longer considered tourist-friendly.

        10. Bukidnon

The safest place to visit is the province of Bukidnon. When I was the managing director of a software company, I visited our software installation at the Del Monte Corporation facilities in Camp Philips, one of the world’s largest pineapple plantations. I loved the golf course amid the vast pineapple fields and will not forget the taste of pineapple-fed steaks at the country club. Move over, wagyu!

Occupying a wide plateau in north-central Mindanao, Bukidnon means "highlander" or "mountain dweller." The major producer of rice, corn, pineapples, bananas and sugarcane, it’s the fifth richest province in the Philippines. Mount Dulang-Dulang, the second highest mountain in the country, offers many adventures and the Monastery of Transfiguration is the best for quiet retreats.

If you want to experience world-class diving and beaches, land at the Cebu International Airport and visit the Visayan islands. If you want to explore the rich heritage, culture, and history of the Philippines, go to Luzon. If you want to backpack the whole country, there is a Roll-on/Roll-off integrated network of highways and ferry routes.

Wherever you go, you will be treated by the warmth and hospitality of the Filipino people. Everyone in the customer service chain speaks English or Taglish, an understandable blend of Tagalog and English. So it will be easy. You will not be disappointed. You will see that “It’s more fun in the Philippines.” 

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TRAVEL AWAITS: My 6 Favorite Islands To Visit In The World

The original article was published in Travel Awaits on Sept. 11, 2022

The Philippine archipelago is composed of 7,641 islands. I was born on one of them, so I am familiar with life on the beach. But I am highlighting these islands that I found on four different continents, not only because of beach life. These six are unforgettable because of one other thing or two—a natural formation, a place in history, a unique creation, or even something completely different.

Marietas Islands: The Hidden Beach and the Mexican Galapagos

The Marietas Islands are on southern Mexico’s Bay of Banderas, off the popular Puerto Vallarta. There are two, 900 meters apart. Both uninhabited, together they form a National Marine Park and UNESCO MAB (Man and Biosphere) Reserve. It’s is said that an innocent Facebook photo of its Hidden Beach went viral and brought droves of tourists to the islands, damaging the area.

Strict new rules have since been implemented. We could only snorkel outside the string of yellow buoys that demarcated Isla Redonda, the smaller of the two,  because that is where Hidden Beach is located. Only 116 people per day can enter (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays) so you have to go early. But you must swim through a 50-foot-long narrow water tunnel through the volcanic rock that leads to the beach below the crater hole. I cannot swim, and my husband didn’t want to go without me, so we just had to be satisfied with the fantasy in the pictures.

At Isla Larga, the larger island, we had to go barefoot to explore its own “hidden beaches” and a thousand-foot interpretive path. It was good enough, we comforted ourselves. The islands’ underwater life teems with rare fish species, sea turtles, dolphins, and manta rays. They are also a protected bird reserve with 92 species, including the world-famous blue-footed booby and large frigate birds, earning them the nickname “Mexican Galapagos.” We took many photos including those of Lion Head, Deadman’s Cave, Blowhole, and Stone Arch.

Pro-Tip: The boat ride from Puerto Vallarta is long so an alternative is to take a car, taxi, or bus from Puerto Vallarta to Punta de Mita, the closest point to the islands. The cost of the boat trip is cheap and you spot whales en route!

Palawan: Longest Navigable Subterranean River & A Prison Without Walls

I took my husband to only one other island in the Philippines aside from Luzon where I was born. Palawan is the fifth largest. Long and narrow, it juts out such that the westernmost point of the country is on its shore. It has consistently been named as one of the Top 10 Islands of the World because of its fine beaches like El Nido and Coron and the Tubbataha Reef, one of the world’s best dive spots. But what I am highlighting here is what made it win a spot in National Geographic’s “7 New Wonders of the World.”   

A two-hour van ride from the capital Puerto Princesa will take you to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walking on wooden planks placed on the floor of a green forest inhabited by monkeys and monitor lizards, we reached the Underground River where small paddle boats were waiting for us. The world’s longest (8.2 km.) navigable subterranean river, it flows directly into the sea as a natural phenomenon subject to tidal influences. A thing of beauty with the striking limestone karst mountain landscape outside, stunning cave formations followed inside its deep chambers. The light at the end of the tunnel was not welcome because it meant the tour’s end. 

Another reason we cannot forget the island was our tour of the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm. It’s a “prison without walls,” housing about three thousand inmates on about 45,000 hectares (originally) of land. The only real barriers were in the maximum-security section. Minimum and medium-security prisoners were provided with some land and farm animals to build a livelihood. Some practiced crafts, and we bought some of their products at the gift store. Nobody attempts to escape because it was certain death in the mountains.

Pro-Tip: There is a lot more to see in Puerto Princesa: caves, mangroves, wildlife refuge centers, refugee camps, and island hopping so a few days may not be enough.

Shetland Islands: The Broch And The World’s Smallest Pony  

After Iceland, our cruise ship docked at Lerwick (population 7,500), the capital of the northernmost islands of Scotland called the Shetlands (population 23,000). A city walking tour showed us stone buildings whose foundations were on the water. We toured Fort Charlotte, the Lerwick Town Hall, the Shetland Museum and Archives, and the Old Town Center.

There was time left before we had to go back to the ship. We had a choice of a site where humans had lived since the Mesolithic period, accessible by bus, or join a Shetland pony tour. We dared ride the bus to get to the Broch of Clickimin. Constructed in the first century BC, it’s a very dramatic Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure found only in Scotland.

With unbelievable luck, a Shetland pony was grazing on the bright green grass around the Broch! Originating in the Shetlands, the world’s smallest ponies stand only up to 42 inches, sport a heavy coat, and have short legs. Still, they are used for riding, driving, and packing because they are very strong for their size.

Gozo: Older Than the Pyramids of Giza And The Stonehenge

Once I took time off with my BFF to visit the Maltese archipelago. We heard that many movies were filmed on Gozo Island, the other island of about 26 square miles. So we took the 25-minute ferry ride from Malta, the bigger island, through the Gozo Channel.  But instead of movie sets, we saw something else.

We were quite lucky we saw the Azure Window, a rock bridge arch on the beach because two years later, it collapsed. We were also fascinated by the Fungus Rock which hosts a promising medicinal fungus plant, the artifacts of miracles at Ta’ Pinu National Shrine, and the statue of the Virgin Mary in the middle of the beach on Ramla Bay.  

But what impressed us the most was a huge pile of old blackened rocks propped together in some parts by support structures. It was the Ġgantija Temple Complex, older than either the Pyramids of Giza or the prehistoric Stonehenge and the second oldest only to Göbekli Tepe in Turkey.  Together with the other temples in Malta, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the earliest of the series, erected during the Neolithic Age (3600–2500 BC).

Pro-Tip:  We took one of the 'Hop-On Hop-Off' buses to these stops. A taxi would have allowed us to stay longer at the Temple.

Ile St. Marguerite: The Man In The Iron Mask In The French Riviera

During an anniversary, my husband and I chose to be on the French Riviera, visiting Antibes, Cannes, Nice, Grasse, Eze, St. Paul de Vence, and Monte Carlo from a base in Mougins. While in Cannes, we found out about the Lerins Islands, a group of four small Mediterranean islands off the coast. The two largest and inhabited are Ile Saint Honorat with a historic Cistercian monastery and Ile Sainte Marguerite where a fortress has the cell occupied by the Man in the Iron Mask.

We chose the latter. From the ferry dock, we hiked to the top of the hill to what is called the Musee de la Mer. My husband loved the Man in the Iron Mask’s dark cell where he was held captive for 11 years. But I loved more that we were able to bring home photos of an entirely different view of the Cote d’Azur, Cannes harbor, and Palais des Festivals.

Waiheke: World-Class Wines

Waiheke Island is the second largest and most populated island off Auckland, New Zealand. It was ranked fourth/fifth best island destination in the world for a few years. From the ferry dock, we rented a car and proceeded to the southernmost part of Orapiu Bay. After some photos, we drove east through rough coastal roads, unfarmed fields, idyllic scenes with flocks of sheep, and rich olive groves.

At the easternmost part, we lingered at the Man O' War Bay, where we photographed the lovely event sections and sampled the best sellers of this only world-class waterfront winery on the island. Satisfied, we resumed our trek up north and then west where most of the 9,000 islanders’ beachfront residences are. Farther west on Ocean View Road, we found the enviable holiday homes of 3,000 affluent Aucklanders, visiting one owned by a friend.

Back to the ferry side, where most of the art galleries, shops, restaurants, etc. were located, we chose to have late lunch at the prestigious Mudbrick Winery and Restaurant. The Chef paired world-class wines with our meal and explained each dish we ordered. We chose to sit at the beautiful open garden on a hill rather than the extended balcony or the second-floor deck. From each, there was a mystical view of Auckland and Rangitoto Island. For dessert, we moved to the nearby Cable Bay Winery to sample after-dinner wines and to get another view of Auckland from the wide expanse of greenery rolling down to the waters below.    

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Feeling Isolated in China

Guangzhou International Airport

China is the world’s most populous country, with 1.4 billion people. With the world’s population of 7.6 billion people, that means nearly one in every five individuals is Chinese. It is second only to the US as the world’s largest economy and just behind Russia and Canada in size. No traveler should overlook visiting this vast landscape of grassland, desert, mountains, lakes, rivers, and even a long coastline. Beijing is a magnet for history buffs with the imposing Forbidden City and the infamous Tiananmen Square. Shanghai, a modern global financial center with steep skyscrapers alongside its old sections, makes it the country’s largest city. Running majestically east-west across the country's north is the iconic Great Wall. And the third longest river in the world, the Yangtze, romantically connects inland cities and frontiers, including the home of the Great Panda and the site of the unparalleled Terracotta Warriors.

My first glimpses of China were of Hongkong, Macau, and Shanghai during my jet-setting business days. Last year, as a great bargain, China Southern Airlines offered Guangzhou as a layover city from Melbourne to Manila (7 hours) and Manila to Phoenix (12 hours). But it was in this city, that has recently overtaken Beijing as China’s second largest, that I felt a strange isolation from the world.

irregular flight service area

    

Chinese meal

 First Layover from Melbourne to Manila

I was going to use the first layover to figure out how I could take a short tour of the city on the second. There was little information I could get because of the language barrier, however, so I decided to hunker down and just get lost in my social media world. Sadly, with my laptop charge down to zero, I spent most of my time finding out how I could power it up with the gadgets thrown into my computer bag by my loving husband Bill. But, with a mechanical aptitude also near zero, I was ultimately unsuccessful.

Luckily, I did have a portable battery for my phone. Signs indicated that there was supposed to be free airport WiFi, but no luck, I could not get my phone to connect. A couple of millennials finally took pity and rescued me from my dire situation. With about half of my layover time already wasted, I sat down to another unwelcome shock. Facebook is banned in China! I turned to surfing but the last shock floored me: every search pointed me to sites totally foreign, totally unfamiliar, and totally Chinese!

My isolation was complete. With just two and a half hours to go before my flight departure to Manila, I consoled myself with a mouth-watering Chinese meal and musing about life. Only when I had to give a presentation on Social Media to the Viewpoint Technology Club in Phoenix did I learn why I could not get into my familiar world of social media. Of the top 10 websites in the world in 2017, 4 are Chinese! They have a Google equivalent, Baidu, Facebook/ Messenger equivalents, QQ, QZone and WeChat, and even an Amazon equivalent, Alibaba.

Oubon

Second Layover from Manila to Phoenix

On the way home from Manila to Phoenix, I dreaded the 12-hour layover in Guangzhou. You won’t believe my complete surprise when the immigration officer told me that I qualified for a complimentary shuttle and hotel in Guangzhou if I could find the counter that processed such things. I was on extremely high alert and found it. There they told me that I could get my vouchers at another counter if I could find it. Being of a certain level of travel intelligence, I found that, too! The only problem was that the hotels that were familiar to me were all out of rooms and I was left with one called the Oubon International Hotel. Feeling happily adventurous, I again took the challenge and soon I was off to my one lucky day.

just outside the airport

The road out of the airport was strewn with glitzy modern sculpture, and I prepared to be wowed. What followed was a disappointment with a capital D. The hotel was a two-star facility in an almost rundown suburb of Guangzhou far from the city. By the time maintenance staff was found to fix my room’s air conditioning unit, I had already lost a lot of time. They even had to get the Manager because no other staff spoke English. I decided not to take a chance on a short city tour and opted to get a feel for the hotel facilities. There were the standard restaurant and a fitness center. But I was surprised to find a red-themed mahjong room! But the hotel was mostly empty; I guess it is just really used as a rest stop for transients. I ventured out to the small shopping mall nearby. There I consoled myself with another flavorful Chinese meal and peeked and poked around the small department store.

small shopping mall

My twelve hours easily frittered away.  I truly felt isolated in China, but I also got to see why she has become a great power. About eleven years ago I was asked which, between China and India, did I feel would become the superpower. I hesitated to say China back then because I wrongly thought India had the advantage of being an English-speaking country. The language barrier is only real for us who are outside of China trying to look/get in. Internally, China has used her masses of people, her vast natural resources, and her long and rich heritage to develop technologies that rival ours. The policy of isolation, of attempting to make one’s economy self-reliant, and of seeking to devote its entire efforts to its own advancement has served China well throughout the years. She may be nowhere in the Top 50 of the Happiness Index of countries around the world, but she has risen to #21 in quality of life (#8 for the US).

department store

You can bet I was happy to be on the way back to my comfort zone; but I also resolved, on the plane to Phoenix, that China deserves to be visited properly.  Beijing, the Yangtze, and the Great Wall await me.

Why "It's More Fun in the Philippines"

A flower on a rainy day at Sonya's Garden, Tagaytay City, Philippines

Seven thousand-one hundred-seven beautiful tropical islands make up the Philippine archipelago. Think of endless pink and white beaches in the 5^th longest coastline in the world, just behind giants like Canada, Indonesia, Greenland, and Russia. The islands have topped the world best islands’ list: Palawan #1 for three years in a row and even Boracay #3. Some of the most exotic diving destinations available are all over the Philippine map. And in the north, the biggest island Luzon is famous for dramatic rice terraces amid mountainous regions that bespeak simple rustic temperate life. It is also the home of Mayon, the most perfect volcanic cone on the planet. In the south, on the second biggest island Mindanao, colorful Muslim vintas sail on in a different world of sea-going life. 

the chapel in Greenbelt Park, Makati, Philippines

In 2004, I migrated to the United States from this amazing diversity of nature concentrated in such a small geographical area. I felt sad when I left behind this Pearl of the Orient Seas.  I have gone back to visit seven times. But no matter how often I do, it seems never enough.

the view from my condo

I realized why on my last visit in August 2017. It isn’t about the abundance of natural beauty. As avid travelers, we know many other countries can claim that. Neither is it because it’s so affordable to stay. Other Southeast Asian, Eastern European, Central and South American, and African countries can say the same. And it’s definitely not only because it is my homeland. I believe another reason “It’s More Fun in the Philippines,” which is the country’s pitch for its tourism program, is its people. There is something about my countrymen that’s different. Perhaps it’s because of our Spanish colonial heritage of three hundred years and the American influence during their stay of fifty years.

part of my huge family

Consider this: I stayed for thirty-five days and ended up having a meeting over coffee, a lunch, a dinner, or a party every single day. They were with different groups: family; elementary, high school, or college classmates; colleagues in the nine different organizations I worked for; and friends from the various associations I had joined. They simply reached out to me on Facebook or other means. Or sometimes I reached to those whose names were mentioned in one gathering or another. But there was always warmth in their invitation or response.

inspiring the current batch of scholars in International School Manila where I was in the first batch

Psychologists explain that the core value of the Filipino is Kapwa; loosely translated, the shared inner self. It has two categories, Ibang Tao and Hindi Ibang Tao, “Outsider” and “One of Us.”  I belong to the latter, while a visitor belongs to the former. It is interesting to note that the range of interactions can start so differently with each group: simple civility or pakikitungo for the Ibang Tao (Outsider), and pakikipagpalagayang loob or mutual trust with the Hindi Ibang Tao (One of Us). But the highest level of interaction available for both groups is almost the same! It is called pakikisama,  being united with the group for the Ibang Tao (Outsider); while the one for Hindi Ibang Tao (One of Us) is pakikipagkaisa, or being one. 

college friends from the University of the Philippines

Visit the Philippines and, when you do, engage a local. It will be worth your time because it will, more often than not, develop to the wonderful level of pakikisama. This is what happened when we met some tourists as I was showing my country to Bill for the first time in 2009. See it here.

high school classmates

Salmon Soup from Enderun Colleges,
 an upscale culinary institute in Bonifacio Global City

Just look at the first paragraph of our national anthem:

Bayang magiliw                                                  

Perlas ng Silanganan                                          

Alab ng puso                                                         

Sa dibdib mo'y buhay.                                        

This is the official English version:                   

Land of the morning

Child of the sun returning

With fervor burning

Thee do our souls adore.    

Something was lost in the translation because a more literal one reads like this:

Land of friendly people

Pearl of the Orient Seas

With fervor burning

Thee do our souls adore.

That is the Philippines. It is bayang magiliw, a land of friendly people. When you get to experience Filipino pakikisama, you will understand why “It’s more fun in the Philippines.”

friends from the Philippine computer industry

6 Cities in 7 Weeks, on the Way Home from Melbourne to Phoenix

rainbow trees in the Ayala Triangle

My three months in Melbourne have been covered in about ten posts, my few days in New Zealand in two, and my five-day tour of KL, Vientiane, Bangkok, and Brunei in another two. In this article, let me take you on a sweep of six cities that I visited over the seven weeks between leaving Melbourne and Auckland and finally being home in Phoenix, USA.                                                                                                                                   
Manila, Philippines

The thing that drew me to Manila, other than to visit my BFF Jingjing, was to sell my Makati condo. My daughter April had migrated to Australia so I no longer have a daughter who can take care of my properties there. I accomplished that mission the day I left for Guangzhou. Before I left, I still got to enjoy the condo’s “comforts”, especially since my BFF Ann brought me pillows, linens, and towels for me to use. It is sad that I didn't get to visit many places.

Sonya's Garden in Tagaytay, Philippines

Except for these four. Ayala Triangle. I had looked for rainbow trees all over the world after I saw a picture in a glossy mag and I was pleasantly surprised to find them right at the heart of Makati, the financial district where I used to work! Sonya's Garden in cool Tagaytay, the city on the ridge of a volcano crater in the middle of whose lake sits the world's smallest.volcano. It was just under an hour from Metro Manila. Enderun Colleges, the upscale culinary and hotel management school in the newest urban center, Bonifacio Global City where Lydia, another BFF, is Chairman of its Technology Management Department. International School Manila where I was given a tour before I gave an informal talk to the current Filipino scholars there (I was part of the very first batch, 50 years ago.

Enderun Colleges in Metro Manila, Philippines

Which brings me to the real reason “it’s more fun in the Philippines!”  Metro Manila is the world’s most densely populated city with about 12 M people. If we include surrounding towns, the number swells to 21 M. I had a total of 35 meet-ups while I was there, an average of one a day! You see the Filipino, like his half ancestor Spaniard, is a warm, clannish, and social animal. People just think of all reasons to meet, have coffee, discover a new restaurant, check out a new shop, watch the latest movie, or go out of town. I miss all the people and all the fun!!

International School of Manila in the Philippines

Guangzhou, China

The cheapest flight I found for the Phoenix-Melbourne-Manila-Phoenix trip featured long layovers, including in Guangzhou, population 15 M, a Chinese city I had not seen. The layover on the way home was long, made longer by the fact that there is no Facebook in China! I had already booked the flight when I found out that the city proper is two hours from the airport. I dropped the idea of touring the city and suffered silently on the way to Melbourne.

Guangzhou, China

But, on the way back, when I was going through the transit officer, she asked if I wanted to see Guangzhou. Of course, I said, in utmost joy! She said if I can find the specific immigration section, I will be able to get a free 23-hour visa. Of course, I did! There they directed me to another place, where, if I could find it, I could get free transportation and free lodging. Of course, I found both and off I went to the Oubon International Hotel on a free shuttle van ride!

It was a frustrating side trip. Nobody spoke English, except for the Hotel Manager who finally had to be called. As a result, I frittered my hours away. Afraid I would only get lost and not make my flight, I gave up the notion of going to the heart of Guangzhou. I settled on just walking around the stores of the small mall around the hotel and inspecting the hotel’s unusual amenities like the Mahjong room. Then it was time for the free authentic Chinese dinner. It was good and it was free! 

 Santa Monica, California

LA/Santa Monica, California

I used the long layover in Los Angeles, a large spread-out city of about 19 million, to visit my First Apo (first grandkid), Krishna. She had just transferred to a new flat in Santa Monica, just 20minutes from the airport. It was in a neat 1920s landmark building just two blocks from the Bombshell Salon where she works as a hairstylist. The next day, walking to her Salon, I got fascinated with the trees that lined Main Street. Krishna treated me to a haircut so I treated her to Jinya Ramen across the street. Then I took an Uber to the airport.

Albuquerque, New Mexico and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Two days after I landed in Phoenix but it didn't feel like going home. Bill and I put our brand new Hyundai Elantra to good use. We embarked on a road trip to go to his 55^th HS Reunion in Pittsburg, Kansas. On the way there and back, our two stops were Albuquerque, New Mexico and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. While Phoenix has a population of 6 M, Albuquerque and Oklahoma City are both just over 600,000. It was quite a shift from the three chaotic megacities I had just been through.

Musical Road, Sky City, and Enchanted Mesa, Albuquerque, New Mexico

We stayed longer in Albuquerque to do a bit of sightseeing. On the way to Kansas, we visited the Sky City in Acoma, standing atop a 350-foot-high sandstone mesa which had been inhabited since AD 1150. The views out across the plains are unforgettable, especially toward Enchanted Mesa which is just under half the size of Uluru in Australia's Outback. On the way back, we drove on the Musical Road, on Old Historic Route 66. One of five musical roads in the world. This one plays America the Beautiful if you drive at 45mph! Two years ago, we had visited the one in Lancaster, California which plays the William Tell Overture. 

the Will Rogers statue that is inside the travel center built over the Will Rogers Turnpike

We didn't have much time in Oklahoma City. From Phoenix, we were hurrying to get to Pittsburg. On the way back to Phoenix, we even took the Oklahoma turnpike which reduces the time by an hour. This brought us back to the travel mega plaza built over and across the Will Rogers Turnpike which we visited six years ago. A statue of Will Rogers, the famous Oklahoma son who was a stage and motion picture actor, vaudeville performer, American cowboy, humorist, newspaper columnist, and social commentator.  

Pittsburg, Kansas

From megacities of 21, 15, and 19 M to those that don’t even reach 1 M, we finally found ourselves in Pittsburg, Kansas whose population is just over 20,000. This is the town where Bill was born and grew up. You can visit the whole town in a day and you will surely bump into someone you know while going around. And we felt right at home at his sister Rosemary and brother-in-law Jack’s home.

Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg, Kansas

Sadly, Bill was not able to attend most of his Reunion. The day after the Welcome Dinner at Jim’s Steak House for early arrivals, Bill played golf with some of the men. That was when his Phoenix cardiologist called me and said: “Check him into a hospital right away!” The online heart monitor he had to wear after he reported passing out in Auckland, had been recording stoppages and irregularities in his heartbeat. At first, Bill was hesitant to have this procedure done in such a small town. But he had no choice. As it turned out, Pittsburg’s Via Christi Hospital did the job well.

These five cities in a span of 7 weeks were very disparate destinations, not just in terms of population, layout, and facilities. If I had stayed in each of them as much as I stayed in Manila, I would have also found the disparity in culture and the way people lived. Undoubtedly, I would also have discovered the unique beauty of each one. But now we need some rest from traveling!.

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