Your trip to Macau will not be complete without visiting the different Temples.  When it comes to preserving religion, Macau was able to splendidly preserve the classic architectural designs of traditional temples.  By doing so, future generations are given the opportunity to take a peek into old beliefs, traditions, and practices of diverse religions that have been passed on from one generation to another.  In one swift tour, visitors are presented with temples that have been built to pay homage to the gods of Buddhism, Taoism, among others.

A-MA TEMPLE (Barra Point) – This particular temple has been playing an important role in the way of life of seafarers’ as early as the 16th century.  As a matter of fact, the name “Macau” was based on the name “A-Ma-Gau.”  According to the famous legend, a little girl name A-Ma was taken onboard a boat by a fisherman who took pity on her when all the other rich boat owners refused to accept her.  A storm tore the boats at sea except for the boat of the kind-hearted fisherman who welcomed A-Ma.  When their boat arrived in Macau, A-Ma suddenly vanished then came back as a goddess.  The fishermen then decided to build a temple on the exact spot where the goddess reappeared.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Macau, Things to do |

Palawan is commonly referred as the Philippine’s last frontier. Lush vegetation, scenic jungle terrain, a multitude of beaches and islands, and the resplendent blue-green waters are barely compromised by commercial establishments and overreaching human population. This region northwest of the country has plenty of attractions to explore, from an international animal sanctuary to not one but two UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

You can start your Palawan journey in El Nido Marine Reserve, one of the best dive spots in the Philippines, with 96,000 hectares of protected ecosystems and 50 nearby islands providing numerous opportunities for beach-hopping, snorkeling and diving. The rainforest, mangroves, coral reefs, and limestone cliffs all make El Nido a sight-filled spot for you to use up your camera’s memory card. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Attractions, Philippines |

The beach front paradise of Goa is located on the Western coast of India. Goa is the smallest state India and the coastal state has a natural border in the form of the Arabian Sea. Goa has long 105 km coastline that is made up of many simmering sand beaches and quaint villages which are surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. The state is often referred to as India’s  Sunshine state as the Goan people who live here are generally  happy laid back folk  who believe in enjoying life while following a philosophy of ‘Sosegad’ . The word ‘Sosegad’ is derived from the Portuguese word ‘Socegado’ meaning tranquility. It is fitting that the Goans should follow this policy as Goa was a Portuguese colony for nearly four centuries.

Goa became a haunt of the hippies and the flower children in the 1960’s as they reveled in the tranquil atmosphere of this congenial state where the sun always shone and the beach sands glistened in the cool sea breeze. These hippies with their liberal care-free lives and their ideals of free love often scandalized the locals but over time they got accustomed to them so much so that some old hippies in fact settled down  in Goa.  They can now sometimes be seen at Goa’s famed Anjuna flea market which is held every Wednesday at the beach town of Anjuna. The flea market   is a major tourist attraction as it attracts traders from all over India who congregate at the flea market to sell their wares which include mirror work embellished apparel, brass ware, glassware, silver jewelry and much more.
Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in India, Things to do |

It was quite foggy the moment we went out of the Holiday Inn Golden Mile Hotel Hong Kong.  It had been raining for a few days and it was obvious that the weather was not cooperating.  I looked at my travel buddy and shrugged my shoulders as if asking if he was still in the mood to push through with our plans for that afternoon and visit the Ngong Ping Village.  He just laughed and ran past me and challenged me to a race to the nearest MTR station.

We rode the MTR from the Tsim Sha Tsui Station and got off the Central Station to transfer to the Tung Chung Line.  It took us close to one hour to get to the MTR Tung Chung Station.  It’s a good thing that we were able to get seats from the Central Station or we would have been left with no choice but stand in the train for a good 30 minutes or so.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Attractions, Hong Kong, Things to do |

Forget modern medicines for now. The diverse and ancient cultures of Asia have grappled with the needs of romance for as long as they have existed, and have come up with plenty of traditional remedies, aids and supplements to increase vigor and verve. Even if you eco-conscious types remove the options that threaten the endangered species list like rhino horns, deer antlers, bird’s nest soup, and tiger genitalia, there are still plenty of alternative aphrodisiacs that can improve your love life.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in China, Food, India, Philippines, Thailand |

Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta, is a city known for its interesting blends of opposites. On the one hand you’ll find wealth and creative beauty while on the other you’ll be faced with political unrest and the cries of the destitute.

Once the home of Mother Teresa the city of Kolkata played a vital role in the development of India as it stands today. The capital of West Bengal, Kolkata is full of vibrant, intellectual, and friendly people. Kolkata’s citizens have been the backbone of the city for hundreds of years - a city that continues to grow with each passing day.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in India |

Indonesia is not one to be left behind when it comes to the number of appetizing food items that it can offer.  There are Indonesian cuisines to experience and there is an endless list of snacks that you can sample in between your main meals.  You can also munch on these snacks whenever you are in a hurry.  Snacks can come in the form of appetizers, finger foods, small versions of the main meals, desserts, or tasty liquid concoctions.  Snacks can serve as full meals especially when  served all at the same time buffet style.

Given that Indonesia is the world’s biggest archipelago having over 17, 000 islands and populated by more than 200 million people, it is easy to assume that there will be infinite possibilities when it comes to food.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Food, Indonesia |

It is a complex twice as large as the Forbidden City, for the Chinese emperors themselves feared to construct their residence to be bigger than the residence of heaven. It is a place where the rulers of China go to make sacrifices to assure that the coming year is blessed with prosperity and good harvest. It is TianTan, the Temple of Heaven.

TianTan was built in 1420 at the same time as the Forbidden City, with an area of 2.7 million square meters. This Taoist temple, located in the southeastern part of Beijing,  is surrounded with a long wall, with the northern side shaped like a semi-circle to represent the heavens, while the lower southern side is square to symbolize the earth. The buildings are also round in shape while the foundations and axes are square. This architectural theme is present throughout the complex and is in line with the Chinese belief that “heaven is round while the lowly earth is square”. The blue color of the tiled roofs on important structures also symbolize the color of heaven.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Attractions, China |

My partner always makes fun of my travel itineraries.  Whenever we travel together, I am the official “itinerary maker.” I do my research and I put everything in table form.  I definitely make sure to include notable landmarks, museums, modes of transportation to try, shopping areas like malls, etc.  But more often than not, the funny thing is that my itinerary is peppered by different restaurants and delicacies that we must try.  In short, there will be a lot of entries on FOOD!  Food tripping makes up about seventy five percent of our itinerary.

It was no different when we planned a Christmas holiday trip to Macau.  I had enough time to prepare our travel itinerary as we were able to book about six months in advance because of a special airline promotion.  With so much time in my hands, I had a field day doing my research on the things which should not miss doing in that wonderful destination.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Food, Macau |

Universal Studios, the Hollywood movie production company and home to such beloved films as E.T., Back to the Future, and Terminator, is also known for building theme parks based on their popular movies. In fact, their third theme park is located right in Osaka, Japan, and is called Universal Studios Japan. Since 2001, USJ is one of the most attended attractions in Asia, a place where cinema buffs, imaginative kids, and excited parents can go to live out their favorite Hollywood movies and meet their beloved characters.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Attractions, Japan |