I miss walking around my neighborhood. When the French government imposed a lockdown starting on the 17th of March requiring every resident to limit their movements outside their homes, following it up with even stricter restrictions on the the 24th, to curb the spread of COVID-19 in the country, I had to stay at home,…
Barcelona of My Dreams
November 2019. It was our dream to go to Spain, so weeks prior to our flight, my friends Allen and Tricia, and I exchanged ideas on the best place and dates for our visit. We considered Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and others, but finally chose Barcelona and the first three (3) days of November 2019 to…
You Are Woman
Happy International Women’s Day! ❤ Sharing with you a poem I penned three years ago today. The softness of the moonlight, The warmth of the early morning sun, The cheery colors of the rainbow, The gurgle of water in the stream, The refreshing coolness of the sea breeze, The welcoming shade of the verdant trees….
When Breath Becomes Air (Paul Kalanithi, 2016)
When I saw the pale blue book with the image of a surgeon’s back as the cover, on one of the shelves in Morawa Bookstore in Vienna, during my visit last weekend, I didn’t pay it special attention. Even after I briefly read the title and the synopsis at the back cover, it didn’t impress…
Weekend Date in the Eternal City
I was in Rome, known as the Eternal City, but for two days in October 2019, but it left an indelible mark on me. Since the time was very short, rushing to the airport wearing my office clothes on a Friday night after work and returning to Paris on Sunday afternoon, I made sure to…
UK Visit: Sweeter the Second Time Around
Part I: England I visited England three months after my April 2019 visit. This time, I was more prepared. I applied for a leave from work longer than the four-day leave (including weekend) that I filed before. Also, I did not need to ride a cab from London to Fleet, Hampshire because my Ate and…
Something Sweet for Valentine’s Day
I have a recent sweet fascination. It offers a sweet surprise. It differs from place to place. Variety is what makes it exciting. Guess what it is? No, I’m not talking about flowers or chocolates or those cute stuffed toys young lovers give each other. I don’t mean chocochip cookies nor blueberry muffins nor cinnamon buns. I…
A 2018 Study on Metro Manila by Sciences Po Urban School Students
Metropolitan Manila or the National Capital Region (NCR) is more than a group of highly-urbanized cities. With Manila as the capital of the Philippines, it is the place in the country that is most covered by mainstream media. Every corner of this collection of cities breathes—from the sky-high buildings of the more affluent neighborhoods, to…
Veules-les-Roses: A village straight from a story book
I had the opportunity to visit this charming French village in the Seine-Maritime Department of Normandy France in May 2019. I booked a day tour leaving Paris by bus in the early morning of Saturday and returning in the evening. Oh my! I loved the place! From where we got off, it was a few-minute…
The First Philippine Food Festival in Paris
During my almost two-year stay here in Paris, I have been asked several times if there are Filipino restaurants in the area. Many times, those who inquired are fellow Filipinos who are visiting Paris for a few days. And my answer? None. Although, I am quick to add that there is one Filipina chef, Erica…
Beyond Routes 