This is one time when I was grateful for the heat in Manila. What???!! Yes, readers, because if Manila was hot during the Holy Week, Bangkok was near-scorching. And yet, I had an incredibly satisfying time in the land of tuktuk and traffic (I think, Bangkok traffic was even worse than Manila, or maybe “patas lang”). No wonder… Read More »
These were the words that made me burst out laughing as a bunch of sassy, indefatigable, empowered ladies in their post golden years, got together one balmy, breezy night at a lovely Santorini-inspired seaside summer home at the Terrazas de Punta Fuego in Batangas. It was the gorgeous 2nd home of Mr. and Mrs. Rafael (Babes) Simpao (Babes… Read More »
“Oh Wind. If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?”, Percy Bysshe Shelley, one of the major English Romantic poets, echoes everyone’s hopes as winter comes to a much-awaited end in his famous line. It certainly resonates with many of us as the month of March comes around. Shelley was considered radical in his poetry as well as… Read More »
Valentine’s Day should have been a rallying point for love and peace in the world –that is what many of us hope. Admittedly, Va-Day, in the commercial world, refers, more often than not, to personal love or relationships. But within the global, geopolitical context, I sincerely wish that the spirit of Va-Day had a more inclusive tenor to… Read More »
“Salamat naman” that the chaotic Year of the Tiger (2022) is over. From January 22 to February 9, the Chinese New Year is celebrated. Or maybe for 2 weeks, more or less. This year, we welcome the Year of the Water Rabbit – the symbol of longevity, peace and prosperity in Chinese culture. One of the best calming… Read More »
Yes. This is a deliberate click bait heading. But a joyful one though. For once again, as we start 2023, the earth has made a complete revolution around the sun – a process which takes approximately 365 days to accomplish. And we are thankful that the process continues, since life as we know it, could not exist here… Read More »
This time, one of the best news I just picked up online recently is the open letter released by 5 global media organizations, namely, The New York Times, The Guardian (UK), Le Monde (France), Der Spiegel (Germany) and El Pais (Spain) strongly urging the United States under the Biden administration to end its prosecution of Julian Assange, the… Read More »
As the festive air of the Christmas holidays thickens, I am reminded of the heart and soul of Christmas – generosity. True – Christmas was meant to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ by Christians. But it is also a time for giving, of togetherness, of thinking of others, and a time to let go of negative feelings… Read More »
As millions of Filipinos celebrate November 1, All Saints Day, by honoring and remembering their loved ones who have passed on, I am reminded, in a moving and heartfelt way, of how a loving mother’s deep and boundless love for her daughter, who has passed on (in the prime of her life). She has kept her memory and… Read More »
As I write this piece on my trusty computer, the first order of the day today, the 2nd Monday of October, is to celebrate Thanksgiving. It is for us to be thankful for what one has and the blessings received the previous year. I feel that it is also a celebration of the gathering of members of the… Read More »