TravelswithCharie

There is no simple meal in the Philippines. Any invitation to lunch or dinner entails fasting at least 24 hours beforehand. Every meal is a feast. Among the variety of dishes served are the staple lechon, prawns, fresh fish, crabs, assorted noodle dishes including spaghetti (the local version has a sweet taste), pork barbeque, and my favorite, scallops in a shell. Who needs dessert after such a feast? Iloilo Emilion - at the Grande Dame Hotel offers Japanese buffet nightly except Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays when they serve an international buffet. So much to eat for an incredibly low price. Smallville - is a row of restaurants, bars and cybercafes. We love the Thai restaurant for great food and ambience. Breakthrough and Tatoys - Getting rave reviews. Breakthrough is on the beach and offers seafood. Tatoys is famous for its tasty grilled chicken. Cebu Cafe Laguna at Ayala Center. Their lumpia ubud is as good as it looks and the sotanghon is excellent. Minimalist decor and spaci

I'm happy to see the 5 papaya trees in my garden growing fast but I have not yet enjoyed a single papaya. In time I'm sure there will be plenty to eat. These last few months I've been interested in a different kind of papaya. This is the papaya dance that I've seen on local television. It's in the game show, Game ka na ba ? It seems that when a contestant makes it to the final round, he/she must first do the papaya. I've followed this show religiously just to see the papaya dance. But to date I can't seem to get the movements down. It starts with rolling both hands above the right knee, then the left. The next move is to raise both hands and roll them above the head and then down to the waist level. The next step is to wave both hands upward while the hips sway in the direction of the hands. This is where I get lost. But I'll work on it. When I've got it, the show's host can finally say, "Yeah, Baby!". * * *

Growing up in the Philippines, I've never really traveled much around the country. I've only visited Manila, Baguio, Mindoro and Iloilo until recently. Last year I went to the beautiful island of Boracay, one of 7,600 islands (when it's low tide) that dot the Pacific. Last week with cousins visiting from the U.S., we went to the bustling city of Cebu and rustic Bohol. In Cebu we traced the historical rediscovery of the Philippines by Ferdinand Magellan. In Fort San Pedro, I was reminded of Puerto Rico's fortifications. All colonies of Spain bear similarities like churces adorned with centuries old retablos. We enjoyed best Cebu's delectable cuisine at Cafe Laguna in the Ayala Center and Tides at Shangri-la. The fat lumpia ubud look every bit as good as it tasted and the sotanghan , according to my cousin, was incomparable. We loved Bohol, as yet unspoiled, with its 1,268 Chocolate Hills, its man-made mahogany forest and mangrove marshes. The beach at Panglao was pe

Don’t say you’re not even tempted to shop when you’re traveling. I saw you looking at postcards in the souvenir stalls near the Notre Dame in Paris and buying designer look-alike handbags from street vendors in Florence and Venice. Yes, you brought the world to your home. There is a Greek vase with its familiar scroll on the side table in your living room, a Japanese kimono hangs from a bamboo pole on your dining room wall, African masks adorn the hallway, and Eiffel Tower base lamps in your bedroom, a bright reminder of the City of Light. Who can miss the lace fan from Spain, painted with flamenco dancers, that sits right above the mantle, next to the castanets? How exotic you look in that colorful sarong from Bali you always wear when the temperature outside matches the tropics. The upscale flip flops from Hawaii go well with your outfit. Now I know you’ve been everywhere. Even the soap in the bathroom is pure English lavender and the chocolates in the fridge are Belgian, no less. Ho

Guidelines for a Happy New Year: Dance as though no one is watching you Love as though you have never been hurt before Sing as though no one is listening to you Live as though Heaven is here on earth. /Souza * * *

Frommers, The New York Times and Lonely Planet have come out with their list of top destinations in 2008. The NY Times has selected 53 destinations, one too many if you spend a week at each destination. Three places mentioned by both Frommers and The NY Times are Quito in Ecuador, Essaouira in Morocco and St. Lucia in the Caribbean. Colorado is on the radar screens of both Lonely Planet-Region and Frommers. Read why. http://www.frommers.com/articles/4811.html http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/09/travel/09where.html http://www.lonelyplanet.com/bluelist/ Where do you plan to go in 2008? Let me know by participating in my informal poll (side margin) and please send me a comment why you've chosen a particular destination. Happy travels in 2008! * * *

Your narrow seat and small legroom is your personal space for several hours (sometimes up to 12 or 15 excruciating hours). It does not help that your neighbor hogs all the space underneath the seat in front of you with his or her bag, shoes, discarded newspapers, blanket and what not. He/She has also taken the entire luggage compartment for wheeled luggage, laptop, coat, and gift bags with the logo of a famous store which all come down right after take-off and spread out on the seat between you and the fold out trays. But never mind that. That's a small inconvenience compared to the guy behind you who can't seem to decide what movie or video he wants to watch and keeps punching that screen which is right behind your headrest. Or you can be unlucky enough to sit in front of a kid who keeps kicking your seat or that man who has his knees locked to your seatback so you cannot recline your seat. Don't even mention the smell when someone can't wait to go to the lavatory and