New York City: The Christmas Lights in Dyker Heights
We love the festive air in our city during Christmas season. Rockfeller Center and its surrounding areas are so magical in their illuminated glory. But they tend to be too packed with tourists that as locals we tend to shy away. Instead, we head to Dyker Heights, a quiet neighborhood in Brooklyn that comes alive... Read more
Iceland: Glacier Walk on Solheimajokull
After our amazing road trip in Snaefellsnes Peninsula in the West Island, we headed to the South Coast for a fun glacier adventure. We enjoyed the amazing sights of the glaciers in Iceland everywhere we turned and we thought that the best way to enjoy them is to be upclose and personal with one of... Read more
Iceland: The Fall/Winter Wonders of Snaefellsnes Peninsula
We spent our Thanksgiving week in Iceland. Our wish for going around this time was to see the northern lights. But the nights turned out cloudy and rainy, except for one when the sky cleared up briefly and we had a glimpse of the celestial wonder – faintly. We were not disappointed though. Iceland was... Read more
The Tsechu Festival in Wangdue
Women performing a traditional dance at the festival. On our Day 4 in Bhutan, we were once again treated to another colorful religious festival. Like the festival we attended in Thimphu, this one was also not part of our planned itinerary. It happened that the 3-day Tsechu festival was starting as we were passing by... Read more
My Philippines, the Beautiful
MY HEART IS BROKEN in the wake of the incredible devastation in my home country, the Philippines, caused by monstrous typhoon Haiyan. I’m deeply anguished every time I see the news coverage and photos of the devastation on TV, newspaper and the internet. I feel helpless witnessing it from afar, wishing that there’s something I can physically do to help and to ease the victims’ pain. For now all I... Read more
Bhutan: The Temple of the Divine Madman and His Ubiquitous Symbol
On the same day we visited the majestic Punakha Dzong, we also got to visit another highlight in Punakha Valley – the Chimi Lakhang. It is a temple dedicated to one of Bhutan’s revered saint and cultural hero, Drukpa Kunley. It was a fun and interesting visit. Firstly, we got to enjoy a beautiful short hike in the spectacular valley to reach the temple on a hillock. Secondly, we finally got to understand the hype about this legendary figure and the ubiquitous phallic symbols that are associated with... Read more
Bhutan: The Majestic Punakha Dzong
On our Day 3 in Bhutan, we left the capital city of Thimphu after two days of wonderful cultural immersion and headed to the scenic countryside of Punakha Valley. Read more
The Mystic of Prayer Flags and Prayer Wheels
Whenever I travel to the countries in the Himalayas where Tibetan/ Mahayana Buddhism thrives, I’m always enchanted with the ubiquitous sights of fluttering prayer flags and spinning prayer wheels. They’re such blissful and mystical sights to behold, even if you don’t know exactly what they stand for. But just what exactly do they mean to the Buddhists? Read more