Think of places tourists most want to see and the Great Wall of China comes to mind, as do the Eiffel Tower and the Egyptian pyramids. But the one place that has them all beat is, surprisingly, a basilica in Barcelona – the Sagrada Familia. This basilica is architect Antoni Gaudi’s piece de resistance and […]
I recently joined a FaceBook group called Buhay Zero-Waste, where members share how they try not to waste, or if unavoidable, waste as little as possible. Members there are on different stages of their journey, so the support for those starting out on the movement is quite awe-inspiring. As I read through the posts, I […]
Eat meat sparingly – maybe as seldom as twice in a week. This health advice can be taken in two ways. First, there are people who eat so much meat that this puts them at risk for heart disease, obesity and stroke. Second, there are some people who are strict vegetarians and thus may lack […]
My husband and I had a plan: take a family trip abroad when our little one turned one. We were confident we could handle a 1-year-old baby on board a plane. I researched extensively about babies and planes. There are many horror stories about screaming babies on planes. A family friend shared that one time, […]
The Chinese mestizo culture in the Philippines is a rich and colorful blending of the Malay and Chinese culture. The unique religious syncretism practiced here, the fascinating mixture of traditions, customs and beliefs on life rituals from marriage, birth and death are living testaments to this. This hybridization and indigenization of Chinese and Malay culture […]
The Ming Dynasty imperial eunuch Cheng Ho (Zheng He in pinyin 鄭和 1371-1433), with his mighty fleet of 300 ships, sailed seven times to the Western Ocean from China from 1405 to 1433. The fleet visited countries in Southeast Asia, Indian Ocean, Middle East and all the way to Africa. His ships were so big, […]
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the disease that results from damage to one’s immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The disease begins as HIV infection, wherein the person still feels healthy. However, as symptoms occur, the disease may be called AIDS. HIV virus can be transmitted through sexual contact, blood […]
Lisbon’s historical ties with Macau pays off with influx of Chinese tourists to the European country. LISBON, Portugal – The Belem Tower stands guard along the north bank of the Tagus River, part of an elaborate 16th-century fortification plan to protect the city. At four floors high, it would have been impressive when it was […]
For many years I lived in North America, where tropical produce are priced at a premium, if they are sold at all in the neighborhood supermarket. Imagine my delight when we moved to the desert state of Arizona, and found singkamas in a grocery store. Its crisp white flesh, sweet and juicy, was a welcome change […]
Little was written in ancient Chinese books about the Philippines and Philippine-Chinese ties during the Song (960-1279)and Yuan (1279-1368) dynasties. Most often quoted were the following: Zhu Fan Zhi (諸蕃誌 Record of Foreigners) and Dao Yi Zhi Lue (島夷志略 Record of Foreign Islands), both describing places in the Philippines; Wen Xian Tong Kao (文獻通考 Review […]