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The Hidden Charms of Aklan

Lambingan Beach Aklan has many attractions that tourists miss when they head straightaway to Boracay from the Kalibo International Airport. Lambingan Beach is just a few minutes down the road from the airport and the perfect spot to celebrate the blue hour. Or meet locals frolicking on the beach. Tinago Lake Tinago Lake in Batan is aptly named. Tinago means hidden and this lake is well hidden except to those who seek off the grid paths. We met two other visitors when we were in Tinago. It was easy to appreciate the expanse of lake and sky and harness the #bluemind in tranquil surroundings. Bayangan Village, Lezo I enjoy shopping for pottery in this village because the prices are reasonable and the stall owners are open to bargaining and will even give an extra planter or two if you purchase a lot of pottery. Bayangan means "potter's wheel" and Lezo is the pottery capital of Aklan. St. Isidore the Farmer Church St. Isidore the Farmer Church is right

Alberobello - Trulli Unique

The main reason for my trip to Puglia in early January was to see the strange, cone-shaped roofs of trulli dwellings. There are over a thousand trulli in Alberobello and to my delight, I saw many rural trulli along the way to this Unesco World Heritage Site. A trullo is built of dry stone which is an age old construction technique practiced in the Mediterranean region. It is an example of "vernacular" architecture, where materials are sourced locally and traditional building methods are used. The conical roof is made from limestone slabs and many are marked in white ash with religious or mythological symbols. A pinnacolo sits atop the cone, like a chess piece. This could be a cross or a ball or a disk or some other design and are supposed to ward off evil spirits. It was interesting to see many doors hidden behind a mesh curtain. The Church of Saint Anthony of Padua blends in with its surroundings. Red and white cyclamen brighten the whitewashed walls of

The Enchanting Islands of Concepcion

Bulobadiangan Island The Concepcion group of islands is located east of Panay Island in the Visayan Sea. These 17 islands are part of the Municipality of Concepcion in the province of Iloilo.  The sandbar on Bulobadiangan Island stretches across the sea toward Igbon Island. These islands have so far escaped the throng of sun worshippers. It was our only stop during our visit because Agho Island which is known for its white sand beach, was closed to visitors at the time and no one at the Tourism office knew when it would reopen. There is a P25 entrance fee per person to get off at Bulobadiangan and we had to bring our own food which one of the residents prepared for us for a P150 cooking fee. Cold drinks are available on the island. Danao Island Danao Island with its white sand beach looks inviting from the shores of Bulobadiangan.  Pan de Azucar The peak of Mount Manaphag or Sugarloaf Mountain towers over Pan de Azucar Island and can be seen from the mainland.

Volare and Polignano a Mare

Cala Porto Before Polignano a Mare became a popular hashtag on Instagram, there was Nel blu dipinto di blu , the Italian song that became a huge international hit in the late 1950s. Dean Martin crooned in his cover version: "Volare oh oh  Cantare oh oh oh   No wonder my happy heart sings Your love has given me wings Nel blu, dipinto di blu Felice di stare lassu." Cala Porto is a small, pebbly beach surrounded by limestone cliffs and cliffhanging homes. It would make anyone's heart sing when viewed from the Roman bridge. The beach, also known as Lama Monachile, gets crowded during the summer months and the sea is dotted with bobbing yachts. This shopping and dining street looks empty. Its mid afternoon in late January and the whole town is taking a break. Piazza dell'Orologio Piazza dell'Orologio is so called because of the prominent 19th century mechanical clock on the façade of one of the buildings on the square. This building the home

8 Heritage Houses of Iloilo

Lizares Mansion The province of Iloilo on the island of Panay has a rich trove of heritage houses, left over from the sugar industry boom in the 19th century. Iloilo also had the largest port in the Philippines at that time which facilitated the export of sugar to foreign shores and deposited money in the hands of the sugar barons. The barons dropped their earnings into the acquisition of properties in Negros and the construction of beautiful homes in Iloilo, many of which are located in the vicinity of the Jaro Cathedral. The Lizares Mansion was built in 1937 by Don Emiliano Lizares for his wife, Concepcion Gamboa and five children. The family fled to safety when World War II broke out and the house was occupied by the Japanese military. The family returned to the house after the war but left once again after the demise of Don Emiliano. It was sold to the Dominican order in the 1960s and was converted in 1978 to a private school, Angelicum School. The mansion now houses the

Matera, 2019 European Capital of Culture

"T he Sassi and Park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera represent an outstanding example of a rock-cut settlement, adapted perfectly to its geomorphological setting and ecosystem and exhibiting continuity over more than two millenia." UNESCO World Heritage Site Criterion (iii) Sassi Barisano Matera was once called "the shame of Italy". This city in the Basilicata region in Southern Italy is one of the oldest inhabited settlements in the world. It was depopulated in the 1950s due to the wretched and unhealthy living conditions of its residents. It continues to be rehabilitated today and has been named one of two European Capital of Culture for 2019, an honor it received over other finalists like Perugia, Ravenna and Siena.  San Pietro Barisano San Pietro Barisano is the largest rupestrian church in Matera. It's possible to see the 12-13th century rupestrian structure under the church floor where the extensive passageways are extremely narr

Paris in Winter

Tour Eiffel If winter is about grey skies, showers and chilling temperatures, then there's all that in Paris in January. So why go at such an inhospitable time? Because Paris in winter is moody (great for photo ops), less frantic, the bi-annual store sales are irresistible, and you don't have to fight with the swarm of selfie indulgent tourists. There is no absence of color beneath the threatening cloud cover. Rue Cremieux These pastel painted houses were my neighbors during my stay in Paris. I counted five visitors here, myself included.  Cathedral of Notre Dame I was at once elated, captivated and saddened to see Notre-Dame de Paris again. Elated that I could behold her in festive finery, captivated by her timeless beauty but saddened by the reality of the threat of terrorism.  For a moment I felt fear when I saw policemen dressed in combat gear with high powered rifles patrolling the cathedral. We shouldn't have to accept this as the new norm. But

Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

"My past, O Lord, to Your mercy; my present, to Your love; my future, to Your providence."  Padre Pio Sanctuary of Saint Pio at twilight* Padre Pio entered the Capuchin Order in 1903 and was ordained in 1910. He was assigned to San Giovanni Rotondo in 1916 where he remained until his death in 1968 when he was 81 years of age. In 1918, Padre Pio received the grace of the stigmata (wounds of Christ) which remained with him for fifty years. His bleeding hands were kept bandaged and covered with mittens. Pope John Paul II canonized Padre Pio in 2002.  Padre Pio initiated the construction of the hospital, Home for the Relief of Suffering, in San Giovanni Rotondo. The hospital has over 1,000 inpatient beds and is widely respected in Italy and around the world for its modern and state-of-the-art facility, medical services and clinical research in genetics and hereditary and familial diseases. *The Sanctuary was designed by Renzo Piano, the foremost Italian architect. It se