TravelswithCharie

  Yes, I heard it through the grapevine that there's a winery in Capiz. But it slipped my mind because so much was going on, what with the holidays.  Then suddenly my PA sent me a short post about it and off we went to see the fruit associated with  Bacchus thriving in tropical shores.  We got there on the last hour of the last day. Actually, the person in charge of the mini vineyard was about to close for the day and for the season but saw us coming and let us in. He also gave us a tour and talked about the grapes grown in the vineyard.  The red grapes are of the Baikonur variety. These are seeded grapes. The grape vines are trellised using bamboo poles. The entire vineyard is protected by a greenhouse plastic roof to protect the vines from the elements. A bamboo fence surrounds the area and a mesh net hangs down the sides to keep birds and animals from eating the fruits and taking aim at the young, fragile vines. This an organic vineyard, totally fertilizer free.  Life is good if

San Francisco, California  Condé Nast Traveler   https://www.cntraveler.com/story/best-places-to-go-in-2023 Fodors Go List 2023 https://www.fodors.com/go-list/2023 Fodors No List 2023 https://www.fodors.com/news/news/fodors-no-list-2023 Frommer's Best Places to go in 2023 https://www.frommers.com/slideshows/848547-frommer-s-best-places-to-go-in-2023 Lonely Planet Where to go in 2023 https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/where-to-go-when New York Times 52 Places to go in 2023 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/travel/52-places-travel-2023.html Travel and Leisure Best Places to go in 2023 https://www.travelandleisure.com/best-places-to-go-2023 ***** Image by TravelswithCharie  

Lourdes Ricasa with Capizeños, Peewee Roldan, Mike Ignacio, Dr Munich Conlu There are fewer than 300 people who have visited all 193 United Nations recognized sovereign countries. Odette Aquitania Ricasa is one of them and is the first Filipino to have done so. The last country on her "road to 193" was Iraq, which she visited in August of this year. Ricasa's travels have been authenticated by NomadMania, a non profit organization that validates the countries and regions visited by its community of travelers through a rigorous verification process. Ricasa is also a member of the Travelers Century Club (TCC) having visited 304 of 325 countries, islands and territories on the TCC list. Ricasa is the author of six books (she's currently working on her seventh book), is an accomplished painter, a motivational speaker and a pianist.  Ricasa has received numerous awards including First Prize in an International Speech Contest sponsored by Toastmasters Club and several Best

Kuris Kuris (to doodle) officially opened on December 5th at Ang Panublion Museum. The four featured artists, Lucille Manuel, Nubbin Beldia, Julien Tan and Angie Boluso Viterbo, were classmates at St. Mary's Academy. What started as doodling in grade school for these friends turned into passion projects they embraced through adulthood. Their paintings are rich narratives of their growing up years in Roxas City.  Kuris Kuris exhibition ends December 30. Ophelia in Summer, Oil on Canvas Ophelia in Summer by Lucille Manuel is representative of her style of painting using blue hues and a female subject. The tragic story of Ophelia is not lost to the viewer. This is a bittersweet work which Lucille dedicated to friends and classmates who have left this world. Happy Days, Mixed Media Julien Tan's fascination with pop art manifests itself in this painting, Happy Days. Tan took his interest a step further by adding his personal childhood experiences and recollections to his canvases li

"Moving the mountains closer to the seas" is a Shri Vishayas exhibition at Ang Panublion Museum in Roxas City. It celebrates the culture of the Suludnon or the Panay Bukidnon indigenous communities through installations and mixed media that highlight their stories, music and traditions.  The birha is lattice work in bamboo, a material abundant in the hinterlands of Panay. The design allows for ventilation and a modicum of privacy. On a social note, the use of bamboo latticework draws the line between haves and have nots with the former using Capiz shell windows. Peter James Fantinalgo created this birha in collaboration with his grandfather, Tito Reyes Flamiano, a master bamboo craftsman from Cuartero, Capiz. The patadyong or wrap-around skirt is typical clothing worn by women in barrios or rural areas. The artist, Norberto Roldan, embossed an epic story on the skirt and decorated the previously worn fabric with demonetized coins. This series of textiles is entitled, "

Baybay Beach We arrived in the Philippines just before typhoon Paeng struck. We were able to make it to our island home before the heavy rains and thunderstorms. As soon as we got off the plane, I decided we'd first eat lunch at the beach. It was a good decision because halfway through our lunch, the rain and wind drove diners from the sand to cover indoors.  Post typhoon, we drove around the city and found this quiet beach.  We went to various schools to give school supplies through my foundation, BalayniCharie. This elementary school in Panitan was inundated and the floodwaters peaked just below the window.  The books were destroyed and swept away by the flood. In my neighborhood, we organized a distribution of school supplies for the kids and donated pre-owned clothes, shoes and slippers for the adults. The kids also had some hot chicken soup.  An hour and a half away in Pilar, we gave school supplies to 306 children at San Esteban Elementary School. It's been a busy week. M

St. Mary’s Basilica The current Basilica was built in the 14th century on the foundation of an older church from the 13th century. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site which includes the entire Stare Miasto (Old Town) of Krakow. Jan Matejko, the foremost painter of Poland designed the polychrome murals of the Basilica and the wooden altarpiece behind the main altar was carved by Veit Stoss in the 15th century. It depicts the life of Jesus and Mary. The altarpiece was dismantled and hidden in various locations across Poland just before World War II broke out but was found by the Nazis and taken to Germany. It was recovered in 1946 and had to undergo major restoration before its reinstallation at the Basilica in 1957. There is a guided tour of the St. Mary’s and tickets can be purchased at their office which is on the side of the main portal overlooking Main Square. St. Mary’s Basilica I wondered why the people were gathering in front of the Basilica. It turns out that a trumpete