Tattooed images of India

Coming from Manila, the first layover was in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

For a few hours, we waited at the elegant business lounge of the KL International Airport before boarding the flight to Chennai Madras, the next point to our final destination in Bangalore, India.

The airport at Chennai Madras was a bit disorganized, disheveled even, and airport security was lax. The queue to the x-ray machine was so unsystematic, that some passengers were able to skip the x-ray altogether and simply proceeded to the boarding gates. Some massive bags and luggage are moved haphazardly after being tugged away from the conveyor belt.

I even spotted a huge trolley bag reeking with some fluid on its side, probably liquor. Adding to the chaos is the incessant chatter of security officers and airport personnel, passengers, and porters.

I was not squeamish at all, but I distinctly remember comparing the airport to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and the KL International Airport and making mental notes.

We spent a night in simple hotel Chennai Madras, before taking a short flight to Bangalore early the next morning.

Me and some colleagues were there on assignment.

We were visiting Bangalore, touted as the next Silicon Valley of Asia. If it was not for the lack of time and resources, I would have wanted to visit the Taj Majal.

The roads in Bangalore are not very different from any other found in developing countries. The most glaring differences you will see are the cows freely roaming the streets and main thoroughfares and the tuk tuk or rickshaws buzzing around urban centers like noisy gnats.The massive billboards of India’s famed Bollywood movies dot every major road.

The number of people on the streets, commercial and tourist spots and downtown areas is also an intriguing sight. For me, the sight was a small reminder of India’s more than 900 million people.The population of the Philippines and other Asian countries stand puny next to India.

It is not very often that one can taste real Indian food, get a henna tattoo done by a real Indian artist, and watch a real, live Indian folk dance.

I got myself a henna tattoo of a cobra which the nice Indian lady doing the tattoo said was nice design. It was a symbol of strength, she said.

Overall, the stay was pleasant, save for a few hiccups.

We visited India in 1998 and much have probably changed, but the experience I won’t probably forget for a very long time.

The streets of Shinjuku

I saw the city lights of Tokyo as the airplane began its final descent to Narita Airport.

Me and a colleague were invited to a press conference in Japan arriving very late on a balmy night. We were told that our hotel is in the Shinjuku district in downtown Tokyo, and is about half-an-hour away from the airport.

I had the chance to doze off a bit, after a boarding a chartered coaster to take us directly to the hotel.

Arriving in the hotel, the first thing I noticed are the neon lights, exactly as they appear on postcards and pictures. These neon lights are probably one of the most recognized and most iconic symbols of Japan.

After the press conference, there was very little time to go around downtown.

At the first opportunity, me and my colleague headed out of the hotel to try to enjoy the street sights, deciding to find our way to the nearest bookstore. It was a bit of a struggle though, because most street signs and road directions are written in Japanese.

We had to go to a convenience store to ask for directions.
A smiling store saleslady tried to help, and after a few exchanges through improvised sign language, we finally got our bearing.

The streets of Shinjuku display a mix of vibrant and lively colors, as people go about their business. It was a thrill to see first-hand the world-famous, and quite unique fashion sense that the Japanese have.

During the night, we had the good fortune of having a Japanese executive bring us to some nice restaurant slash bar in Shinjuku.

It was a five-minute walk to a rather lively street where rows and rows of restaurants are found.We finally found one. Our gracious Japanese host told us that he frequents the place.

The elevator opens directly to the modest restaurant. The interior was rather simple, with wooden tables and wooden chairs. But the place is bustling with activity, and was almost full of mostly Japanese office workers.

My hunch was these are the so-called Japanese ‘salary men’ enjoying an after-office drink or two, their white sleeves rolled up and their neckties untied.

We had peas in a pod for starters, and some deep-fried eel as appetizers.

As customary in Japan, we shared a few rounds of the famous Asahi beer and an accompanying bottle of warm sake.

One lesson I learned is that it is not polite to nurse your beer or chug it directly, because beer served on the table is meant to be shared.

From time to time, our gracious Japanese host had to check his laptop and use a Japanese-English translator as continued our nice chat about Japan and a bit about the Philippines.

It was only a very small ‘taste’ of Japan because my visit was very short, but Shinjuku will be always be one of the most memorable places I have ever been to.

A weekend drive and a barbecue at Pranjetto Hills

You don’t need to go far if you need to recharge your batteries after a long week of working. You can hie off to nearby Tanay, Rizal and go to Pranjetto Hills.

A mere one hour away from bustling Metro Manila, Tanay is becoming a favorite weekend getaway for denizens of the city.The trip is well-worth it.

We went there early one morning for an overnight stay. We were in a convoy of three vehicles.

After passing by the Antipolo Road, the landscape began to change from cityscape to rolling hills and winding roads.

We had a nice view of mountains and Laguna de Bay, as we passed by quaint houses and small farms along the way.

Nestled on the hills of Tanay is Pranjetto Hills.

The place is unpretentious. The courteous caretakers led us to a few bungalow-type rooms, arranged neatly into rows. There is a swimming pool, and a playground.

From our room, it took us about five minutes to reach the azure pool glistening under the sun. One good thing is that the pool was not crowded.

Developers followed the natural contours of the land, thus, we literally had to go up and down to reach the pool or explore the nearby lush greens surrounding Pranjetto Hills.

The bungalows have ample space for an outdoor barbecue. After soaking all day long in the pool, we had dinner outdoors against a backdrop of hills and trees as the sun sets. Perfect.

A trampoline in the middle of a lagoon

A few years back, I was with members of the local media invited to Grande Island.

Grande Islands is one of a few islands located along the mouth of Subic Bay.

Grande Island, we were told, has a colorful history. It was previously an outpost for American soldiers during the time that Subic is still a major US base. Later on, Grande Island became a retreat for high-ranking officers.

The island was eventually turned over to private developers and was developed to complement Subic Bay as a major tourist spot.

Getting to Grande Island itself is a nice, but rather short adventure.

After getting to Subic Bay by land, we boarded a yacht (yes, a real one) to bring us to Grande Island. We had a blast and made most of the 20 minutes or so ferry, exploring the yacht.

Grande Island is a nice, picturesque resort hotel and the rooms have a view of the sea.

At the center of island is a man-made lagoon, complete with an artificial wave-maker. What is interesting is that the water from the lagoon is sourced directly from the sea making sure that visitors will get have a genuine experience of dipping in seawater, within the confines and safety of the lagoon.

The wide lagoon has ample space for kayaking.

What I distinctly remember however were the two trampolines in the middle of the lagoon.

The trampolines are quite huge, and can accommodate a few adults.

By accommodate, I mean adults can go back to their childhood and jump, prance, and play on the trampoline like kids.

It was quite a unique experience.

Enjoying the waves at 8 Waves

Summer is a time when families and friends troop to the beach or to some favorite hideaway.

The choices for vacationers have become much wider with vacation packages now becoming more popular than ever.

But if you are pressed for time, and you do not want to burn a big hole in your pocket, then a trip by car might be your best option.

There is a nice place in nearby Bulacan that we had the chance to visit a few summers ago.

Called 8 Waves, it is a family-oriented resort hotel and is a little more than a 1-hour drive from Manila.


8 Waves has water slides, numerous swimming pools, water fountains and a huge wave pool at the center of the sprawling complex.

The kids had a blast, and one day was not enough for them to enjoy the wave pool, the slides, and the wading pools. The kids spent an hour in one pool, another hour in the wading pool, another hour playing the fountains, and finally a few hours on the wave pool.

Good thing there is a nice hotel inside the resort as well as a restaurant.

Located in San Rafael, Bulacan the trip to 8 Waves was a cinch, because we left early and took the North Luzon Expressway.

The only downside of the resort that I can remember is its proximity to farms. I am not talking about a few meters, but a few kilometers. There was a few seconds that the air became funky smelling.

It was not at all bothersome, and overall, 8 Waves is a place worthy of a return visit.

The sari-sari store in the middle of an island

We boarded the RO-RO (roll on, roll off) ferry to Camiguin from Cebu. It was my first time to ride the so-called nautical highway.

I distinctly remember being a bit anxious that day though, because I needed to access my email and do a bit of work. Despite the assurance that there is an internet café somewhere on the island, I was a bit bothered.

Thinking back, I probably could have enjoyed the trip more have I not preoccupied myself thinking about the daily chores I needed to do.

The RO-RO trip was pretty amazing, although it was a bit long. It took us 3 hours from the jump-off point to reach the small port in Camiguin.

‘Enchanting’ would be an apt word to describe Camiguin. The island typifies rural living. I would not call the island ‘unspoiled,’ as the island is steadily becoming another destination of choice for local and foreign tourists.

The quaint port is near a market, and the resort we stayed in was a good 20 minutes away.

We stayed in a nice bahay kubo inspired cottage with a nice veranda.

I consider the island hopping the next day as the highlight of the trip. We went to a nice island, which looked more like a sandbar. After a few hours wading in the crystal-clear blue water, we had a few rounds of ice-cold beer which we got from a nice makeshift sari-sari store standing in the sandbar.

You can say the store was misplaced, but hey, nobody complained.

We talked and had a few rounds until dusk enjoying the breeze and the picturesque sunset.

I clearly remember though that despite the gaily atmosphere, there was this nagging thought that I might not be able to access my email, file my stories, and do my website editing chores.

The next day, my worries all but disappeared because, yes, there was indeed an internet café and everything worked out just fine.


Postscripts: Interesting facts

A dear friend told me that SEAIR, one of the most popular airline carriers for local tourists, has just celebrated its 15th year in service. Here are a few interesting facts about SEAIR.

• South East Asian Airlines (SEAIR) was set up in 1995 with two nine-seater airplanes. Aside from flying passengers then, the airline also transported light cargo such as chicken and fish.
• SEAIR remains committed to Mindanao (whereas other airlines have abandoned operations in that region), offering flights to remote Tawi-Tawi, Jolo and Zamboanga to help boost commerce and trade operations.
• SEAIR has invested over six years in its Mindanao operations and deployment of planes -- with or without full passenger load.
• In 2004, SEAIR reached the 1 million passenger mark.
• In 2005, SEAIR introduced the state-of-the-art Dornier 328.The Dornier 328 can fly to Caticlan (Boracay) in 35 minutes.
• SEAIR is still headquartered in Clark and is the only airline to do so. It is the second oldest airline in the Philippines.
• SEAIR offered flights to the most destinations in Palawan: Busuanga, El Nido, Taytay, Puerto Princesa and Cuyo.
• SEAIR currently flies to 12 local destinations -- Clark, Caticlan (Boracay), Cebu, Manila, Basco (Batanes), El Nido, Tablas (Romblon), Marinduque, San Fernando (La Union), Zamboanga, Jolo and Tawi-tawi.

The cabana at the Shangri-la

Back in 1996, I was with a group of journalists attending an event in Shangri-la Mactan in Cebu. It was my first time to visit the high-end resort hotel and nothing really fascinating caught my eye.

It did not help that the resort was still being developed during that year. I clearly remember that one wing of the hotel was still being constructed.

My second time to visit, after a few years, however totally changed my view of Shangri-la. The resort has become picture-perfect, with a really huge swimming pool, a sprawling grass-covered lawn, and a white-sand beach that is very similar to Boracay. Rumor has it that the sand came directly from Boracay, shipped to the island by the tons.

The rooms all have a view. The resort has a world-class spa, and numerous restaurants. Entertainment facilities abound, and children have several activities to choose from.

What I like the most however is the small cabana located far out from from one of the restaurants. The cabana is a few minutes walk, and is perfect for a nice night cap.

The walk way leading up to the cabana is made of gleaming and polished logs, with short lamp posts from each side.

The small group I was had a nice time exchanging stories amid a background of city lights from afar and the soothing sound of ocean waves.

It is pretty easy for me to dig from memory some of the most unforgettable and beautiful places all across the Philippines. Shangri-la Mactan is one of these places.

The high-end resort, which may seem to cater to affluent local tourists and foreigners, continues to be on my top list of places to visit with my family.

And I hope we can make that visit very soon.