March 25, 2013 in Culinary, Cultural Experiences, Cultural Exploration, Israel
My mother always said that you should clean the house once a year whether it needs it or not. I’m not quite that bad (neither was she), though I do consider a dust-free home to be a sign of misplaced priorities. When I do engage in a major bout of housekeeping, I always remember the [...]
March 12, 2013 in Asia, China, Culinary, Cultural Experiences
He wielded the pot as if it was a sword. Standing two meters away from the table, he would take aim and the tea would continue it’s trajectory after leaving the spout, traveling in an apparent straight line through space and landing magically in our tiny cups.
January 28, 2013 in China, Culinary, Cultural Exploration, Sightseeing
It’s not that often that you go to one place so you can have a look at another, but that’s what we did. I had been in China for two hectic months, trying to get the hang of my teaching job, demystify the culture and figure out how to cross the street. I had befriended [...]
December 30, 2012 in Culinary, Cultural Experiences, Spain
Good Grapes I got an email from a friend wishing me “good grapes”. She and I had spent New Years together once and were each served a wide-rimmed glass of champagne with twelve grapes floating in it. “It’s a tradition from Spain,” they told us. “Think of a wish for each grape. Then eat them [...]
October 1, 2012 in China, Culinary, Cultural Experiences
If you spend any serious amount of time in China, you will most likely be wined and dined by Chinese friends who want to impress (and show off) their foreign guests. This is what happens if you’re lucky. If you’re unlucky, they will try to accomplish this by taking you to karaoke. In that case, [...]
by Elmer Cruz
August 30, 2012 in Culinary, Philippines, Scuba & Snorkel
641 kilometers (398 miles) south of Metro Manila in the Philippines lies, what’s been dubbed as,The City of Gentle People – Dumaguete (doo-mah-get-eh), the capital of the province of Negros Oriental. A captivating hodgepodge of sun, sand, sea, food and endless supply of good vibes. Legend says Dumaguete was coined from the Visayan word “daggit,” [...]
by Elmer Cruz
August 16, 2012 in Asia, Culinary, Cultural Experiences, Italy
I’ve been wanting to test my new underwater camera setup for quite some time now, but it’s been taken over by other things since I bought it last June. Meanwhile I have a dive trip to Dumaguete later this month and it would be a pity not to be able to use and have fun [...]
by Tiffany
August 8, 2012 in Culinary, Cultural Experiences
Ramadan Kareem to all my Allah lovers! Today marks Day 19 of Ramadan, aka the holy month to all Islam followers. To me, these past 19 days have pretty much been a reoccurring Thanksgiving. We prepare food all day, invite over family, visit others, eat a TON and then do it all again the next day [...]
by Elmer Cruz
June 6, 2012 in Adventure Travel, Culinary, Thailand
I just concluded a 5-day trip to Bangkok, back in Manila now and I’m missing the flavors of Thailand. Thai food is one of my all time favorites. The flavors just explode in your mouth with the right balance of spicy, sweet, salty, sour and bitter…oh and did I say spicy? These flavors dance in [...]
May 23, 2012 in China, Culinary, Cultural Experiences, Cultural Exploration
Thank you, James Michener! I’ve learned a lot from your books over the years and the thousand pages of Iberia I just finished was no exception, an enlightening tour of Spanish history and culture. However, I can say without a doubt, that the most important part of the book (and for me, probably the most [...]
{ My Keens have been treating me great! Me and my brother both went on a couple day hike and we both bought new shoes for... } – May 22, 9:05 AM
{ At the moment I'm busy complaining about the two different-sized shoe. Do you have a shoe you recommend? } – May 22, 8:52 AM
{ The suggestions are all just nonsense. You can use an anti-microbial surface that all but eliminates any bacterial growth and then you don't have to... } – May 22, 12:30 AM
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