From Places

Lisbon

When I look back on our Euro trip last year, I find myself in Lisbon. I don’t know why. We didn’t tour much. We didn’t see much. And it was our second-to-last stop, so we were pretty exhausted at that point. We chose to just chill and take it slow. But over the years I…

Barcelona

BARCELONA was not part of our original itinerary either. Because of visa issues, we could not go further into the Balkans so we had to look for alternatives. From Dubrovnik, the cheapest flights we found were to Barcelona.

Dachau

This statue of an unknown prisoner stands in a quiet corner inside the Dachau Concentration Camp. Nazi Germany’s first concentration camp, it was established in 1933, shortly after Hitler became chancellor. Although not the biggest, it was said to be the “most important” because it served as the prototype for other concentration camps throughout Europe.…

Top 13 Travel Moments of 2019

2019 is one of my most travel-packed years ever. This year, I set foot in 15 countries and 11 Japanese prefectures. I also got to return to some of my favorite Philippine destinations. But here are 13 of my most memorable moments on the road.

Top 13 Travel Moments of 2018

“Why do you love Japan so much?” she asked right after the food arrived. My conversation with Saori, my new friend, started with the places I have visited over 15 trips to her country. I have made several Japanese friends, but she was the first to throw me that question. It took me a moment…

First Tokyo Blossoms

TOKYO, 2017. When my sister moved to Tokyo for work 5 years ago, it was as though I won the lottery. Suddenly, I had another reason to travel to Japan and a place to stay for free. True enough, I found myself on a plane to Tokyo twice a year, exhausting all the days that…

One Thing at a Time

FUKUOKA, 2018. In Japan, there is a saying that goes, “ikkai ichi dousa,” which translates to “one thing at a time.” I learned about this when I mentioned to a Japanese friend that I could count in one hand the locals I had seen eating while walking. “We take food seriously,” he said. When asked…