Foot and Fire

  In memory of the lost bracelets along the way and  in honor of these surviving ones, I have to write a story for you my dear readers about these finds I got from my travels outside the country. While trinkets abound, one has to look closely and feel affinity with the item before buying the same. Sometimes choices are overwhelming that one ends up not buying anything. It can be a visual overload actually at the flea market aside from the noise of haggling. So here is my stories... These bracelets are made of candle wicks. I can feel the candle texture on each strand actually. I lost one of this, the one with blue-green, green and blue color combination. One can buy stones of value but I found some art and soul in these candle wicker bracelets. It spoke to me like the wind, inaudible yet felt. I bought this in the night market of Siem Reap, Cambodia which is located just a walking distance from where we stayed, a hotel called, No Problem Hotel. From that hotel we woul...

  It has been in my mind for quite some time now the fact that one day, I will be telling my readers about my travels through the necklaces and braceles I bought along the way. Here, I quickly run down some favorites. I divide the story into two, Philippines and outside the Philippines. This is the first of the two-part story.  In 2015, I had a chance to observe four ordinary days of the Panay Bukidnon of Calinog, Iloilo. It was an immersion of sort. Nothing is extraordinary at face value unless one looks closely with one's heart. The community struggles to survive amidst the challenges of modernization. But I am happy that the tribe still try hard to preserve the culture like the Panubok or embroidery and it is still hand-made as opposed to all things made by machines and the easy entries of ukay-ukay. I bought a set of sash, bracelet, choker and arm band which at that time I am thinking of wearing as accent to my office clothes. And I am happy I did. Found a remar...

  I was treated by a friend to a tour of Guimaras last May 2018 when the Manggahan Festival was going on. We went to Roca Engcantada  which was declared as National heritage last 14 August 2002. Outside the pretty white mansion with ornate details is a ground planted with coconut trees and the native Bangkiling or the sour gooseberry tree which I often miss. Too bad, there were no fruits when we were there. We toured the place and took our selfies and poses in all of the nooks and crannies and I had two favorite photos below aside from the one above where I enjoyed the sun and the coconut midrib casting its shadows on my face.   ****   Do the island hopping from morning till noon and trek, swim, collect stones, sip coconut water and have several jump shots in between. The waters are clear and if you ae lucky, you can observe marine life at the SEAFDEC where turtles a nd and saltwater milkfish or bangus and other fishes swim. *** ...

  In-house made wines and cheeses are the cups of tea of La Vie Parisienne but the place offers varied food favorites from pasta, sausages and pizza. The place is cozy and a dinner in the place is highly recommended because the al fresco dining experience offers a beautifully-lit garden and nice cozy roof decks. It drizzled when I got there last July 2018 with a friend whom I shared with the book-hunting experience at the Big Bad Wolf in Cebu City. I bought Syrah wine some standard wines and some cheeses.   ***   ***   ***   *** \ I love this door! *** I'm not a fan but since we headed to Sirao Garden , we just passed by the Temple of Leah since they are located on the same way. I really don't like the concept which is a trying-hard copycat of some Greek Temple f gods and goddesses, and the gold image of Leah, and even the fact of calling it a temple. But then, it is admittedly, a pretty instagrammable place....

  Just living is not enough... one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. Hans Christian Andersen Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/flower         "Just living is not enough," said the Butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower," is one of the popular quotes from The Complete Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen. When I see flowers, I feel that either I am the butterfly in the story or I am the storyteller Andersen's reincarnation. And I think, I am not alone in that kind of feeling. No wonder that the hillside flower garden of Sirao, Cebu now mushroomed as tourists flock the picturesque hillside after the first flower garden called "Little Amsterdam" became popular. Who does not love flowers, anyway?              What I love about the gardens of Sirao is the growing of native flowers like that scarlet red candle flame-like plant and the colorful...