March 17, 2015
At this very moment, I am on a slow ship to Iloilo. It is quarter to eleven in the evening, and surprisingly the Internet connection still looks good. The last real entry on this blog was my narrative on “Whang Od and Her Village” that saw print on Sunstar last month. […]
February 23, 2015
Blog Post Type: Planning a Trip to a CityIf Paris is a movie, undoubtedly it is a love story. You may deny it, but it sometimes crosses your mind that you play the leading role, and Paris is your beautiful partner in everything you long to do.Such romance can be […]
February 12, 2015
A small city like Singapore risks being judged as dull and predictable. Sure, its sleek high rises like Marina Bay Sands can awe people for its architectural delight, especially at night. But what else can a tiny, highly urbanized city offer visitors? Contrary to popular opinion, small cities have charms that big […]
February 5, 2015
You have been warned: Singapore City, unlike its neighboring Asian cities, can cause fatal damage to your travel fund, especially if you are set to travel long-term. It is expected that a city as neat, organized, and safe as Singapore, a complete opposite of its neighbors, comes with a price. […]
April 25, 2014
Ka Bino Guerrero: Profile Essay He wore a fusion of the new and the old: a white barong, jeans, and black shoes. With his cane and native hat, he looked like a gallant sage. When I asked him to find a position he was most comfortable, it did not take […]
April 24, 2014
In Batad, the village shaman can predict the couple’s future using a chicken liver. He can read the liver’s veins and interpret them. Yes, the couple’s love and future are at the mercy of the liver. I met a couple then—an environmentalist Filipina and an Italian cook—who suggested they would […]
April 8, 2014
A Travel Guide to Anawangin Cove and Capones Island, Zambales How to Get There From Pasay or Sampaloc, ride a bus bound for Iba, Zambales. Inform the teller, you are dropping off at San Antonio, Zambales; or else, he/she will charge the full fare for Iba. Via NLEx, time travel […]
November 14, 2013
“Ingon sila silot daw nis Ginoo nato. Pero para nako, grasya ni,” Tatay in his ’50s claimed after taking several gulps from his glass of tuba. “Daghan kaayog grasya naabot human sa linog,” he further shared. The tuba vendor scooped a spoon of lilong doused in native vinegar and spiced […]
June 1, 2013
It is the body that knows first that summer has arrived. Sweat trails the scalp, the spine, the forehead. It is the exposed skin that turns a shade darker. It is the nape that feels the uncomfortableness of of the heat. It is the body that screams for an escape to the […]
August 27, 2012
“Nganong naabot man ka diri, Nong?” (What brought you here, Nong?) “Unsaon ta man, day, diri man nako nakit-an ang akong pikas sa kinabuhi (It can’t be helped, day, I found my other half here),” answered Nong Tony who has lived in Britania for 15 years. The tone he used […]
August 8, 2012
Jeffrey Eugenides’ Middlesex novel is on the mysterious convenience of biology, on Detroit in the 60s, and the doubts, regrets, and triumphs of love. Buy Middlesex here. “What time did you go to bed last night?” asked P, who is always concerned about my crazy sleeping habits, which he thinks […]
August 2, 2012
“I love reading books,” a certain Japanese answered the trivial getting-to-know-each-other question, “what are your hobbies?” though we both know to know was misplaced. I expected another bout of suspense thrillers since most Japanese find Haruki Murakami too baffling. “Do you know Kobo Abe?” The science of coincidence! My eyes […]