TravelswithCharie

There are so many exceptional beaches and swimming holes in and around Panay Island but I had never been to Malumpati Cold Spring in Antique. After checking out the attractions of Jawili in Aklan, we drove to Pandan which is a short distance from the border of Aklan province. Everyone had the same idea as we did. Malumpati was insanely crowded. Summer break was well on its way and families were in the know where to cool down. Who can resist turquoise waters on a sweltering day? I was naive to expect tranquil surroundings. I did find a little piece of heaven on the other side of the bridge that is enveloped by overgrown trees with hints of caves and my mind's idea of an idyllic day by the water. But it is not accessible to the public. Summer is not the best time to visit Malumpati nor weekends. I'll go back another day. Make that a weekday. There's a minimal entrance fee to Malumpati Cold Spring. We paid 50 pesos for parking. There are people at the parking l

St. Henry's Ecumenical Art Chapel Nothing can truly describe the wonder of seeing the Art Chapel for the first time. I was at once drawn to the blinding light at the end of the proverbial tunnel as soon as I entered the chapel. But rather than walk up to the altar, I opted to sit awhile on one of the plain pine pews to slowly take it all in and savor the peace and beauty of my surroundings. I enjoyed precious few minutes of blissful contemplation (as I was the only visitor then) until a couple arrived and the missus asked me to remove my handbag from the bench so she could take a perfect photo of the Chapel. :(  The architect, Matti Sanaksenaho, wanted to incorporate three symbols in his design. One of them is light, in this case, the idea of "the path from darkness to light". The visitor emerges from the shadows at the entrance and is led toward the light at the altar under exquisitely arched Finnish timber. Art Chapel exterior The model for the design of

Kamppi Chapel The Kamppi Chapel or the Chapel of Silence is a non-denominational space for calm and reflection. The Chapel maintains a staff who can help anyone unload the cares that infest the mind and body and provides information about the services offered by the Helsinki Parish Union and the Social Services Department of the city. They're open daily. This beautiful wooden structure was designed by K2S Architects Ltd. The curved exterior wall is made from treated spruce wood planks and oiled alder planks line the interior walls. Light pours down the chapel from a skylight above the ceiling. The unadorned chapel is exactly the place to find peace and quiet.  "Silence is the only voice of our God." Herman Melville Temppeliaukio Church Natural light streams into Temppeliaukio or Rock Church through concrete beams anchored on rock and crowned by a copper dome. Temppeliaukio is a Lutheran Church. It is also a venue for concerts. There is a 3 euro entrance fe

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

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

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.

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