June 13, 2026
Paris, like to many of us, first came to me as an idea. Its images conjured in my head were the ones fed by the literatis who lived in this city, from Victor Hugo to Simone de Beauvoir. Hmm, okay, I majored in literature. Before there is Emily in Paris, […]
June 13, 2026
You’ve probably heard the saying: “You can take the person out of the island, but you can’t take the island out of the person.” For me, born and raised in the tropics, this rings especially true. Since relocating to Munich, Germany, one of my greatest challenges as an island creature […]
June 13, 2026
Venice isn’t my ultimate European love story (Vienna already swept me off my feet), but it’s hard not to respect a city that wears age like a velvet cloak. Aside from a quick coastal flirtation with Trieste, Venice is the only Italian city I’ve spent real time in—so no, I […]
June 13, 2026
Vienna in winter is like stepping into a snow globe someone gave a good, loving shake—buildings dusted with powdered sugar, streets glowing like they’re lit from the inside out. For someone raised in the tropical hug of the Philippines like me, winter always sounded like a heavy coat I didn’t […]
June 13, 2026
Let’s not dance around it – my three-night fling with Vienna as a solo female traveler was pure magic. Even in winter, when the city wraps itself in extra scarves and the trees look like they’re wearing sheer gowns stitched from breath and frost. Honestly, Vienna in winter is just […]
June 12, 2026
I personally believe Joan Didion, Jennifer Egan, Mia Alvar, Eula Biss, and Ada Limon capture the essence of New York. These writers embody the city’s literary spirit, and its independent bookstores are a testament to this legacy. New York City’s independent bookstores are hidden gems offering an intimate dive into […]
June 12, 2026
Often, Siargao Island is described as a tear drop-shaped island. But, meh, I don’t buy it. It is more like a rough diamond cut, which was really the case some years ago. Siargao Island, although many locals will say otherwise, is gradually taking the route most popular destinations take. In […]
June 12, 2026
I wrote a short story set in Malapascua. It failed as a story. Malapascua, located in northern Cebu, some four hours away from the city, was one of my favorite destinations in Cebu. Almost every month, I found myself aboard the Ceres bus bound to Maya. I made some good […]
June 12, 2026
I surely love Venetian architecture and the endless and labyrinthine waterways, but personally I can barely stand the crowd. We visited in early September, and the crowd was maddening. Even the locals mumbled under their breath, “Fottuti turisti.” 😳 But despite the crowd, there is no doubt that Venice is indeed […]
June 10, 2026
I’ve lived in Munich for the past four years, and Europe still feels like a gem you could spend a lifetime polishing. For someone with a curious mind and eager feet, the beauty is how easy it is to slip across borders, trading one set of church bells for another […]
June 10, 2026
If I want to avoid as many Hanoi faces as possible, I either go to Quy Nhon and Tuy Hoa for an affordable escape. This part of Vietnam is not too popular yet among expats, but most likely it is going to replace Da Nang and Hoi An for a […]
June 9, 2026
When I first thought of Slovenia, embarrassingly, the only thing that floated to mind was Lake Bled—just that one glossy, over-filtered image of the island with a church, like a screensaver come to life. Still, I gave in and carved out one day in Bled Lake on the very last day of […]