Adios, La Isla Guahan
I leave Guam today. Guam, where nearly every restaurant maintains healthy stocks of Tabasco, ketchup, and soy sauce on tables (yes, that includes breakfast places…any combination of the three goes on even… Continue reading
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Which Way?
In my youth, I wanted to be a lot of things – CNN news anchor, recording artist, MTV VJ, professional dancer, lawyer, Broadway star, Disney voiceover, novelist. As time went on, I lost sight… Continue reading
Defining “Home”
They say home is where the heart is. And although I agree, I also have to ask: What makes a home? When I’m in California, I tell people that “I’m going home [to… Continue reading
Music and Memories
My mind rummages its archives for music once familiar. It’s been years since I’ve properly sat down at a piano. But on this quiet afternoon in my childhood home, I plunk away on… Continue reading
Mile-High Style, Part II
I’ve lucked out with another upgrade. This time, it’s on a newer plane that has individual compartments for Business Class passengers. And large TV screens that pop out perpendicular to the panels they… Continue reading
Barrio Fiesta
The barrio (neighborhood) is having a little fiesta (party and/or festival) this evening. A part of the street has been closed off for this event, and the long table of food slowly grows… Continue reading
Sagada Sunrise
Fog clouds linger in the valleys below as the sun rises leisurely over the mountain range. We spectators huddle together, shrugging off the cold. I’m waiting for the sunrise in Sagada today. With… Continue reading
Terraces and Clouds
Up the mountainside and along a winding road, we make our way up to Banaue. By now, I should no longer be shocked that some of the houses we pass are the size… Continue reading
Meandering in Macau
Macau’s tourism front is eerily reminiscent of Las Vegas – you’ll see The Venetian, MGM, and Wynn, to name a few of the countless hotels you’ll see. Did I mention the casinos and… Continue reading
Hair Grows
It’s gone! My hair…it’s all gone! Well, not all of it. Just 12 inches. Just one foot. Just 30.48 centimeters. Surprisingly, the sudden snip-snip-snip wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be.… Continue reading
The Gift of Christmas
Namamasko – the act of visiting someone so that he or she may share his or her “blessings” or “fortune” A grandchild might go to his grandfather on Christmas Day and receive a… Continue reading
One Sweet Holiday
The familiar scent of freshly baked, coconut-topped bibinka wafts toward me as I wend my way to the overly laden dessert table. My lusty sweet tooth kicks into overdrive, and suddenly, all I… Continue reading
Volcano Venture: Taal
Steam rises from the rocks as we pass the halfway point to the top of Taal Volcano. The sun beats down on us from high overhead, making the gradual uphill climb feel… Continue reading
Rain Clouds
Rain. It’s light, and quick, and frequent here. It’s sporadic, unexpectedly sprinkling in the middle of a sunny afternoon and ceasing just as quickly. Despite the rain, the sun is often still shining… Continue reading
Welcome to Guam
Shopping with my mother, I notice several stores have boots on display. Boots. For sale. On Guam. There isn’t much variety (this is an island near the earth’s equator, after all), but there… Continue reading
Fresh Air
It’s 12:25 am on Guam and the air feels heavy with humidity as I walk through the jetway between the plane and the island’s sole commercial airport. I begin to strip off layers… Continue reading
The Start of Something New
Every exit is an entry somewhere else.” – Tom Stoppard “Finding myself” isn’t quite an appropriate term for what I’m embarking on. Last week was my final week at the office, at least… Continue reading
Home for the Holidays (and Perhaps an Epiphany)
I’ve been remiss in blogging. Since my last post, I’ve decided to take a career break. I’ve been considering it for some time now, and the timing just seemed right. I left home… Continue reading
The Travel Bug
When did I fall in love with travel? My first European tour is probably the most accurate answer…but hopping on a plane was never a foreign concept to me, having grown up on… Continue reading
Believe
I’m a firm believer in, well, believing! I believe in dreams, in joy, in love, in happy endings, in taking leaps of faith. I believe in spreading cheer, in lending a helping hand… Continue reading
The Inaugural Ramble
As children, we’re ingrained with the morals and ideals we learn from fairy tales. As children who grow up with Disney fairy tales, we’re trained to be idealists. If you sing a song,… Continue reading