(October 6, 2019, Baguio) When my friend Tinette Capistrano asked me to participate in the 5th Tourism Industry Board Foundation, Inc. (TIBFi) Human Resource Congress, I readily agreed, having been part of the first four summits. This biennial event brings together government, industry and academe to discuss how to make our human resources in hospitality and tourism globally competitive, a focus close to my heart.
The Forum, themed “Tourism
and the 4th Industrial Revolution: The Future of Jobs,” took place October 3
and 4 at the Technohub in Camp John Hay, Baguio. The topic assigned to me was “Essential
English Skills for Tourism Jobs
in the 4th Industrial Revolution.”
Aside from discussing how crucial English Language Skills are in
Tourism, I also shared how our English Language Proficiency in the country has
been declining over the years due in part to changes in the medium of
instruction.
In 2016, Hopkins International Partners, where I serve as
chairperson, released the Nation’s English Report Card. Hopkins International Partners is the official Educational
Testing Service (ETS) preferred associate and exclusive representative for TOEIC, TOEFL ITP and TOEFL Jr. in
the Philippines. This showed
alarmingly that the average English Proficiency of Philippine college students
was B1, which is lower than the target set for Thailand and Vietnam high school
graduates. The results were based on a sample of 10,000 Filipino graduating college students
who took the Test of English for International Communication or TOEIC. I dare say there were several in the
audience who were surprised to learn the real state of our English
proficiency.
To stop the decline, the Government Academe Industry Network (GAIN) is
working on a number of initiatives, such as holding annual conferences focusing
on the need to ensure that Filipino talent are equipped with 21st
century skills; crafting a National English Roadmap together with the
Commission on Higher Education; speaking at different fora to draw attention to
the problem; and lobbying for the adoption of international standards in
English Language Proficiency, as well as, a National English Act for Global
Competitiveness of the Workforce. We are ecstatic that Sen. Pia Cayetano has
filed Senate Bill #62: Providing for an Educational Roadmap Towards Global
Competitiveness and Human Capital Development, and we hope that both the lower
and the upper house will see this through into law so that the Philippines can
retain the global advantage of our human resource.
At the Congress, I was
fortunate to meet Ms. Maeve O’Brien who spoke on Training and Development of
Human Capital for Future Tourism. I appreciate
the efforts she has put into setting up a progressive tech-voc school in Laos
that prepares students with hard and soft skills, including Tourism English, so
that they can work in global tourism jobs and break free of poverty. Her subsequent proposal for more Public
Private Partnership to create
not-for-profit, revenue generating TVET in the Philippines is commendable.
The panel discussions were quite interesting,
particularly the one where representatives from industry, academe, and labor
discussed the importance of rationalizing On-the Job Training
and Teacher Immersion Programs for the Tourism
Industry. Ably moderated by Dr. Christina
Aquino, the panel was participated in by Mr. Hessel Larcia, president of the
Peninsula Manila Labor Union; Mr. Ramon Cabrera, General Manager of The Manor
at Camp John Hay; and Ms. Jenelyn M. Magpatoc, CGSP, MHRD, Dean, School of
International Hospitality and Tourism Management of the University of
Baguio. While there are many exemplary
OJT programs being conducted by reputable institutions, I was aghast to learn
that there are some programs that take advantage of the students to use them as
profit generating labor rather than to actually impart knowledge to them.
Indeed, there is still much that we can do to prepare our Filipino talent for global tourism jobs, and I laud the TIBFI Board led by Dr. Christina Aquino as chairperson, and Ms. Anabelle Ochoa-Moreno as Congress Chair and TIBFI vice-chair, for organizing a successful and impactful HR congress to push this initiative forward. Congratulations!
Today marks our 27th year. As I look back, I can’t help but reminisce a bit, seeing this behind-the-scenes ingress video of one of our events in the TeamAsia LinkedIn Page.
We started in 1992 as an event management company organizing the Asian Management Awards for the Asian Institute of Management and the Far Eastern Economic Review in six Asian countries (Malaysia, Singapore, Hongkong, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines). Back then, we were just a team of four: Mike Hamlin, my sister Pinky, Myles and me.
Mike and I would travel to each country, meet with the judges, the AIM board of governors, the AIM alumni association, business management schools, as well as local and regional media to invite companies to enter the Awards. We would print several thousand letters and nomination packets and send them out by snail mail.
Once the entries started coming in, we would pour over each one to ensure completeness of the responses. We would then organize meetings in each country to shortlist and then select winners, and with the media to promote the Awards. Once the winners were known, we would write each one to invite them to a gala awards dinner with the head of state as keynote speaker.
Raising sponsorship money to cover the cost of the project was another nail-biting challenge, as well as coordinating with the venue, caterers, florists, stylists, audio-visual suppliers, photographers and the like to ensure a successful press conference and awarding ceremonies. Why, we would even have to write the script ourselves.
Days before the gala awards in each country, our team would arrive armed with the glass trophies designed by Impy Pilapil and the exhibits that we would then have to physically carry and set-up ourselves. We would coordinate with the local registration team, print out tags, set-up registration, and brief the hired ushers for the event. We would arrange seating for between 500-700 VIP business guests, supervise the setting up of the backdrop and the styling of the venue, then dress up in formal clothes to greet the guests and manage the actual event.
Looking back, I am amazed that we were able to successfully organize the Awards for three years, at a time when there were no mobile phones, no faxes, no emails, no Internet. Truly, we’ve come a long way since then.
When we learned about the importance of sustainability through the League of Corporate Foundations, we decided to practice greening not just in our office, but in our events to reduce waste and impact on the environment. In the early days of event management, we would print thousands of direct mail invitations and send them by snail mail. As new technology was developed, we graduated to fax marketing and email marketing, supported by our team of dedicated telemarketers. Today, we promote our events through digital media, and hold virtual coordination meetings to avoid time-wasting city traffic.
We use event technology as an enabler to make the planning and marketing process easier, to engage guests and enhance their delegate experience, to capture online and onsite registration, share up-to-date event information to guests, collect their feedback, strengthen security, measure ROI, and more. We develop award-winning websites, mobile apps, AVPs, chatbots and audience response systems, and use different technologies for the WOW factor. Speaker presentations are no longer printed and bound in folders, but posted on the website and sent to guests for downloading.
While technology has in many ways made life easier for us, I must say that the secret ingredient to TeamAsia’s success is still the amazing people who create innovative ideas and deliver next-level experiences for brands using integrated marketing strategies.
From intimate executive briefings, corporate anniversary celebrations, and employee engagement activities to large-scale global conferences, TeamAsia handles each event with the same passion, excitement, and painstaking attention to detail. Armed with excellent organizational and story-telling skills and a creative approach to problem solving, our Experience, Creative, Content and Digital Marketing teams create unique turnkey events that bring next level experiences to brands, helping them connect meaningfully with their audiences.
Happy 27th anniversary, TeamAsia! It’s been an amazing adventure.
September 13, 2018. Somewhere over the Pacific Ocean. For the first time in my life, I visited New Zealand. I attended the APEC Public-Private Dialogue on Structural Reform and Gender as the private sector representative of the Philippines.
Held September 10-11 in Wellington, the forum was a big eye-opener for me. Over two days, I learned how structural reform can help remove many of the barriers to women’s economic participation in the region, and unlock their full potential. Andrew Grant, senior partner of McKinsey & Company, estimates the full potential of women to contribute to the global GDP at $28 trillion per year, which equals the combined economies of China and the US. For a best-in-region scenario of addressing three gender gaps: additional workforce participation, shifting the mix towards full-time work, and improving sector mix and productivity, this could mean an additional $12 trillion per year, equivalent to the combined economies of Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom. Zeroing in further, the Asia-Pacific economies can improve by $4.5 trillion annually, equal to the combined economies of Austria and Germany.
The numbers are staggering, and the potential is great, but many things have to be done to unlock the rewards. Many of the barriers are legislative, regulatory or policy in nature. Addressing low labor force participation in quality jobs, under representation of women in business leadership positions, uneven access to digital technology, and entrenched attitudes about women’s role in society and work are some common themes that call for action. In addition, we need to throw in gender equality in work, provision of essential services to women, legal protection and political voice, and physical security and autonomy.
Dr. Tatyana Teplova, senior counsellor and head of Governance for Gender and Inclusiveness Unit of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), stressed the importance of promoting women’s active participation in the global economy to achieve truly sustainable and inclusive growth. Citing research in OECD economies, she identified several remaining gaps in gender equality, such as an 11% gender employment gap, only 32% share of women in senior management positions in central government, 32% average of women supreme court judges across OECD, 28.7% average of women parliamentarians in OECD, and 20% average of young women studying STEM. Alarmingly, 57% of OECD economies listed violence against women as their most urgent priority. The cost of exclusion is high, and Dr. Teplova summarized the three Es that can unlock sustainable and inclusive economic growth as Employment, Education, and Entrepreneurship. She shared the OECD Toolkit for Mainstreaming & Implementing Gender Equality that economies can adopt to address the barriers.
Speakers from various Asia-Pacific economies related how they are currently mainstreaming gender issues. Ms. Chiu-Chun Lin of Chinese Taipei’s Department of Gender Equality shared real life examples of their ten-year journey in implementing the Gender Impact Assessment (GIA), which is both tool and process in practicing gender mainstreaming to achieve gender equality. Recognizing major challenges such as established social norms and gender stereotypes (i.e., men are breadwinners and women are home makers), glass ceilings, and low labor rate participation of women due to childbirth and having to care for children, Ms. Lin shared Chinese Taipei’s initiatives for mainstreaming. These included building women’s capacity through education and training; promoting family friendly workplace policies like maternity/paternity/parental and family care leaves, once a month menstrual leaves, and twice-a-day breastfeeding time; extending access to capital and capacity building for women-owned start-ups and helping small and medium scale businesses through their Women Entrepreneurship Flying Geese Program; promoting board gender diversity in listed companies; and encouraging women’s participation in the government ministries through their One-Third Gender Ratio Principle.
Mr. Kohei Fukawa of Japan’s Gender Equality Bureau, Cabinet Office, explained Womanomics under the Abe administration. In January 2001, Japan established the Council for Gender Equality directly reporting to the Prime Minister with the aim of creating a society in which all women shine. In December 2015, the Cabinet approved the Fourth Basic Plan for Gender Equality with long-term government policy directions and specific measures, which include reforming labor practices such as the tendency to take long working hours and relocations for granted; recruiting and promoting women, developing women leaders and increasing their participation in all fields of society; creating an environment that supports women in difficult situations; enhancing measures to eliminate violence against women; and more.
Mr. Fukawa reported an increase of over two million women in the workforce in the past five years under the Abe administration. Over the same period, nursing home capacity has increased by over 600 thousand to ease the waiting time for child nursing care facilities, allowing mothers with young children to re-enter the workforce. Realizing that Japanese women work much longer for unpaid work, while men are paid for their work, Japan is making a big push towards improving work-life balance. Work-Style Reform Legislation was enacted in July 2018 calling for equal pay for equal work and setting an upper limit for working hours. As a reward, “Eruboshi” Certification is granted to companies that engage in good practices, with additional points in the evaluation of public procurement for those promoting work-life balance.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha shared Vietnam’s national strategy for gender equality, hinged on the following objectives: strengthening women’s representation in leadership and management positions; narrowing the gender gap in the economy especially in the rural areas; improving human resources through education and training; ensuring gender equality in accessing and receiving health care services, in culture and information, and in family life; eliminating gender-based violence and enhancing the capacity of state management on gender equality. Results of Vietnam’s initiatives are seen in political leadership where a woman serves as the current chairperson of the national assembly and three women serve in the politburo. Literacy levels for women is up 92%. Social insurance laws are in place, providing parental leaves for female and male laborers, establishing a safe working environment for women, and setting up kindergartens in industrial zones. With the help of central and local radio and TV stations, there is better public awareness of gender equality, encouraging men to share the housework and women to share the family’s economic burden.
The head of the Equality Unit of Iceland’s Ministry of Welfare Ms. Rosa Guorun Erlingsdottir shared why Iceland continues to rank first in the gender equality index. It was not always like this though, as she shared how the women of Iceland fought for women’s equality. Although women in Iceland won the right to vote in 1915, behind New Zealand and Finland, women’s uptake in leadership positions in government was slow. Compared to 16% to 23% in other Nordic countries, Icelandic women comprised only 5% of parliament seats in 1975. Naturally, this was frustrating for Icelandic women.
Ms. Erlingsdottir shared how Affirmative Action can make change happen. On October 24, 1975, now known as Women’s Day Off, Icelandic women decided it was time they were taken seriously by the men. On that fateful day, instead of going to work, doing housework, or taking care of their children, women decided to go on strike, taking to the streets and demanding for equal rights. Work came to a standstill. Services stopped. Suddenly, men realized the importance of women as they had to take care of the children, with many not knowing how to go about it. Since then, women have enjoyed great strides to gender equality.
At present, Ms. Erlingsdottir reported that 79% of women are actively employed, with 34% working part time. There are gender quotas on public committees and company boards, and laws in place requiring certification of equal pay. There is an all-women political party, paving the way for women to hold 38% of parliament seats in 2017, and 44% of local governments seats in 2018. Women make up 2/3 of university students. Ninety percent of children aged one to five years are in day care centers, with municipalities footing 85% of the cost. Parental leave legislation allows equal rights for men and women, with three months each for males and females, and three months shared rights for parents. Because of this legislation, over 90% of fathers have taken their paternity leave, drastically changing ideas about masculinity. And I dare say, they actually enjoy it from the photos she showed of fathers with their young children.
The economic benefits are clear. The increase in the number of women employed has raised per capita Nordic GDP by 10-20% over the past 50 years. Closing gender gaps in the next 20 years are predicted to boost Nordic GDP growth by another 15-30%.
Interestingly enough, the RTS Senior VP of McKinsey & Company Australia Jovita Gartlan believes that in some cases it is the women who hold themselves back. Sharing her personal experience while attending a meeting where the participants were asked if they wanted to take on the top post of the company, most said they did not want to. They were happy with their current situation, and felt that they had too much on their plate already and did not want the additional stress.
Citing McKinsey research on women in the workplace, Ms. Gartlan said that while women are just as interested in advancing as men, they progress more slowly through the corporate pipeline. And while women ask for promotions as often as men, men move up faster without having to ask. She noted that less women aspire to and believe they will become a top executive, and that fewer women than men enjoy the support of their managers in their quest for advancement. The studies are clear: gender greatly impacts women’s opportunities, especially since women have to do most of the housework (which is unpaid) after a full day’s paid work at the office. Given the double work shift of home and office, and having to care for children and the elderly, no wonder women hold back.
For organizations that wish to change the game and move more women into positions of leadership, Ms. Gartlan recommends building a strong business case for change, redesigning roles to enable more flexible arrangements, actively sponsoring potential women leaders, providing reinforcement mechanisms that support women through life transitions and challenge traditional views or merit in recruitment and evaluation, investing in training to build leadership capabilities and giving them experience in key leadership roles. She urged women to actively ask their managers not just to mentor them, but to sponsor them for promotion. And for those who feel happy where they are, to embrace the feelings of “being enough” and not feel pressured.
The forum also gathered indigenous women holding leadership positions in the public and private sectors. Linda Paru of Papua New Guinea talked about the challenges women entrepreneurs, especially those from MSMEs, faced such as lack of access to credit and the high cost of internet and ICT. While there are many challenges, she cited telecoms and financial reforms that contribute to MSME’s participation in online services, digital finance, e-health and e-education. Senior Adviser for the Status of Women in Canada, Anne Fontaine spoke of indigenous women’s issues, rights and interests in Canada. Ms. Rangimarie Hunia, director of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Maia Ltd., spoke of the leadership role of Maori women, being a prime example herself of a strong Maori woman leader intent on securing the future of her mokopuna or the next generation.
Ms. Josephine Cashman, Founder, Executive Director and Managing Director of Big River Consulting Pty. Ltd., spoke of her experiences with legislation and regulation implementation and enforcement. It is one thing to come up with laws against domestic violence and gender discrimination, and another to implement it. She recounted the experience of an elected female MP who resigned because of bullying from her male colleagues; they were more interested in her hair and attire than her policy work. The statistics in New Zealand are harrowing: one in three women have suffered physical or sexual abuse; one in five were harassed at work and one woman per week is killed by a former partner. The statistics are even more alarming for Maori women. Strengthening enforcement is thus crucial.
To combat this, New Zealand has embarked on a national campaign against domestic violence and gender discrimination. New Zealand has passed legislation granting victims of domestic violence 10 days paid leave to allow them to get away from their abusive partners, relocate and protect themselves and their children. The only other country that has passed a similar law on a national level is the Philippines under the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004, granting up to 10 days special leave for victims and stiff penalties for employers who try to impede such leave.
Gender Pay Equity was another hot topic. And here, Ms. Rosa Guorun Erlingsdottir of Iceland shared the inroads they are doing to reduce the estimated 20% difference in pay between men and women. Iceland has made it a legal requirement for employers with 25 people and more to get an Equal Pay Certification which must be renewed yearly. This means Equal Pay for the same Work or Work of Equal Value. To ensure there is no discrimination, an audit is done of jobs of equal value, separating the job from the person doing it. Employers are asked to rank jobs, which are then paired with jobs of equal value. Companies that get the certification are also allowed to use the Equal Pay Symbol in their corporate promotions. Companies that do not follow the law are fined.
Participants were fully engaged in two workshops. First was a practical group exercise on Gender Impact Assessment where each table was asked to weigh in on a country-wide issue that affects women and to recommend how to handle the situation. Our group was presented with a Public Sector Scenario of a drastic slump in the economy causing businesses to close and government wanting to reduce its overhead. The department mandate is to limit government jobs to only one person per family. With approximately 40% women in government positions, of which 39% have frontline service positions while 27% have back office positions, 21% in middle management positions, 13%in senior leadership positions and 29% working part time, it was obvious that women would be the first to lose their jobs.
Our animated discussion revolved around how to consult the public and women in particular on the proposal and what changes in the draft resolution we recommended. We looked at how families will want to keep the full time, higher-paid member on government payroll to ensure continued family income, and how the government can assist families that are affected such as stepping up skills training, giving higher separation pay, providing priority access to funds and markets, giving plus points in government procurement for those let go, and ensuring gender neutral criteria in the selection of those to let go. The group discussion highlighted the disparity in economies of Chile and New Zealand where the unemployed enjoy six months insurance versus that of Mexico and the Philippines, where no work means no pay and no food on the table.
To cap the two-day dialogue, Mr. Phil O’Reilly, New Zealand APEC Business Advisory Council Member, facilitated a whole group discussion on next steps that APEC can take to push the agenda of structural reform and gender. The group came up with a long list of recommendations, such as collecting data and best practices for gender plus lens across APEC economies and sharing this in a digital portal for easy access, conducting and making available research on gender pay standards and how to close the gender pay gap, studying the OECD Toolkit to determine its adaptability in the region, and establishing a pathfinder initiative that looks at how gender is incorporated into all free trade agreements, to name a few.
I look forward to finding out what APEC will adopt as its next steps given this first foray into a dialogue on structural reform and gender. Definitely, there is a lot that needs to be done to remove barriers to women’s economic participation in the region, and unlock their full potential. What is clear to me from this two-day dialogue is the urgent need to measure and know disaggregated gender data using the Gender Plus lens. Unless we establish a base line, we won’t know what needs to be done and how we are progressing. As New Zealand’s Acting Policy Director for Economic Independence of the Ministry of Women, Ms. Riripeti Reedy said, “You only treasure what you measure.” We have to start now.
May 10, 2018. Bangkok. As I donned my simple terno for the awarding ceremonies of the Outstanding ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs, all I could think of was that I hope it would fit. Still in a bit of a haze realizing I was in Bangkok, Thailand, I relived the past few hectic days.
On May 4, I was elected as the incoming president of the Women’s Business Council of the Philippines (WomenbizPH). At that same meeting, I also learned that I was to receive an award along with nine other Filipinas: Cherrie Atilano of AGREA, Natividad Cheng of Uratex, Imelda Ahalul-Dagus of Dennis Coffee Garden in Zamboanga City, Octavia Hizon of Hizon’s Restaurant & Catering Services, Jeannie Javelosa of Great Women Philippines and ECHOstore, Edilee Omoyon of Milea Organics, Olive Puentespina of Malagos Cheese in Davao City, and Carlota Manalo-Tan of Wendy’s Philippines.
AWEN established the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Award to honor outstanding entrepreneurs who have made an impact in society through their commitment, vision, and leadership, and through gender-sensitive and fair labor practices for women.
It all seemed too much to take in, especially since our company was in the final stages of organizing the 29th East Asian Insurance Congress (EAIC) May 6-9 at the Marriott Grand Ballroom. International delegates had already started to arrive, and the EAIC Banquet and Closing Ceremonies were to be held the evening of May 8. There was no way I could leave the event to go to Bangkok, or so I thought.
But my friends Chit Juan, Boots Garcia and Jeannie Javelosa insisted I join them in Bangkok. So did my daughter Bea. And my client at EAIC agreed for me to miss the closing of the Congress so I could catch the last flight to BKK on the 9th. After all, my seasoned team could handle the event. The week whirled by quickly managing the EAIC.
And so here I was in Bangkok, putting on my pink terno and wondering what challenges lie ahead for me. I trust that whatever they are, I make my family, friends, colleagues and country proud.
January 28, 2018. Andre and I have just discovered the most amazing Italian Trattoria in Silang. With red bricks, yellow stucco walls, and windows lined with green wooden shutters, the interiors of Trattoria Mario Mio reminded me of our family trip to Italy. The rust-colored ceiling with wooden beams was lit by hexagonal beveled glass lamps. Pretty Machuca black and white tiles gave life to the otherwise charcoal tiled floor.
We were late for our 1pm reservation because of gnarled Alfonso traffic due to road repairs, and we were worried they would be closed. Happily, they were open from 11am to 10pm, and we were ushered to a table by the window, overlooking a vegetable garden. Kim, our amiable waiter, explained that their salad veggies are harvested from their garden. Truly farm to table freshness!
Toasting with Kalamancello
Andre noticed the bottle of Kalamancello on the table and asked about it. Kim explained that it was homemade, adding that it was delicious. We made a mental note to end the meal with a sip of Kalamancello.
The chefs, originally from L’Opera, did not disappoint. It was an authentic Italian experience, starting with the funghi tripolati, or assorted mushroom sautéed in garlic and olio extra virgin di olive on a bed of lettuce and spinach with balsamic on the side. We had zuppa di fagioli which was not on the menu. It was a hearty version of minestroni but with beans.
For his entree, Andre had the scallopini di vitello al marsala or dutch veal tenderloin in homemade marsala sauce. He nodded approvingly as he had his first bite of the veal. It was really tender, he vouched. And the marsala sauce was delicious.
I opted for the rotolini di bronzolo con zucchini, or rolled seabass in zucchini and shrimps with sautéed fresh vegetables in olio extra virgen di oliva. This dish immediately reminded me of Cara as we would search for restaurants serving rotolini while we were in Italy.
The tiramisu was too good to miss and so I broke my diet. We capped the lunch with Mario Mio’s homemade ice-cold kalamancello. It was definitely the perfect meal for a rainy Saturday afternoon. We loved it, and decided this is one place we can keep coming back to.
April 30, 2017. Today we decided to get out of Rome and explore Naples and the Amalfi Coast. We rented a car for the day. Our itinerary: Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, Positano and Amalfi. Our objective: to eat the world’s best pizza and to see one of the world’s famous coastlines.
Our driver, Jun was a bit of a spoilsport. He kept trying to dissuade us from going to Naples, saying it was a terrible and unsafe place, and that our lives would be in danger. I was beginning to get creeped out. But, Cara, having visited Naples on her own years ago, said it was alright. Besides, the quest for the world’s best pizza is not something to dismiss that easily. Naples is known for its pizza, and Niccolo was already researching the best pizza place in Naples.
A port, Naples is a run down city. Another place lost in time. Somewhat like busy Divisoria, what with carts selling a variety of goods clogging the streets, and a mass of people weaving in and out. Clothes hung out to dry from apartment buildings. The streets were dirty, littered with refuse. Cars looked unwashed and beat up. A motorcyclist without a helmet zoomed by an uncaring cop. Yes, there was a hint of lawlessness about the city.
Our driver was so scared of Naples, he even hinted that we should take a cab into the city. But, hey, it was midday. The sun was up! And his passengers grew up in Quiapo, familiar and at ease with the hustle and bustle of the metropolis. Hello? Recto?
Niccolo chose Pizzeria Trianon, but alas, it was still closed. Cara did a quick Google search and came up with Antica Pizzeria da Michelle which was just around the corner. I must say it was the best pizza we’ve tasted, bar none. They only had two flavors to choose from: Margherita and Marinara, and they’ve been serving this up since 1870. The Pizzeria was busy, but we were lucky to find a table. We sat across the warm oven, a welcome treat from the nippy air outside.
Next on the itinerary was Pompeii. Again, Jun tried to talk us out of it saying it would take long. He asked us to drop one of our destinations as we would not have time to see everything we wanted. But visiting Pompeii has long been a childhood dream of mine. A bucket list to tick off.
The line for buying tickets was very long and snaked up the hillside. My children hesitated, asking me if I could handle the rolling terrain. We lined up nevertheless. The streets of Pompeii are cobbled and difficult to traverse, especially with a sprained foot and a walking stick, but I soldiered on, adamant to see the ruins of Pompeii.
Pompeii lies in the foothills of Mount Vesuvius. It was a bustling city, with many fine houses, a rich culture, and a booming economic economy. All these came to a halting stop when Mount Vesuvius erupted and covered the city in lava and ash. Most of the city’s 15,000 inhabitants perished, and today you can still see calcified corpses of people fleeing the destructive volcanic violence. There was a man in a sleeping position, another one hunched as if to pray. My heart sank when I saw the body of a small child and a dog. The volcano’s wrath spared none.
Pompeii lay hidden and forgotten for centuries until it was rediscovered by some diggings. And little by little, the beauty that lay beneath was unearthed and revealed, giving us today a glimpse of Roman life 800 years ago. Giant sculptures dotted the ruins, dwarfing us. What grandeur Pompeii must have had! If I could come back in time, I would like to visit Pompeii, avoiding he volcanic eruption, of course,
I wish that I was in better shape to explore Pompeii and that we had more time, but the rest of the trip beckoned and so we left. Perhaps some day I will be able to revisit this jewel from ancient times.
Soon, I saw glimpses of the startling blue sea as we zigzagged along the mountainside on our way to Sorrento. At times, the sun would be blocked as we entered a tunnel carved out of the mountain, and then the scape of sea and sun would once more be revealed.
Sorrento is a seaside town, very pretty. The apartments look airy with wrought iron balconies and colorful awnings to shield against the sun. The streets were narrow and twisting, with many a harrowing close calls as cars and buses met each other on the street. We drove down to the busy port where yachts were docked then back up again.
Just about everyone in Sorrento must have decided to come out and enjoy the sun. There were people in sleeveless tops and shorts, and here we were bundled up in our jackets. Hankering for some gelato and coffee we asked to be dropped off, and entered a hip gelatteria. I had a dark chocolate and cheese and figs ice cream while Cara had a Limon. Bea had a Nutella coffee while Niccolo had pistachio. We all loved it! Sorrento is known for its lemons, and so before we boarded the car, we bought a limoncello to bring home.
Our next stop was Positano. Once again, we found ourselves driving along the mountainside with a magnificent view of the sea on the other side. Italians drive extremely fast, and many a times we were overtaken by zooming motorbikes and cars. How they manage to escape harm bewilders me, given the sharp twists and turns of the narrow road, and the number of oncoming vehicles.
We stopped at a convenient point to take photos of Positano’s houses clinging to the cliff side. Positano is smaller than Sorrento but just as quaint. Our driver wanted to drive down to shoreside to show us the town and then head back to Rome, but we asked him to proceed to Amalfi instead so that we could catch it before sunset.
And catch it we did, just as the sun was beginning to wane. The driver dropped us off at the square and we walked to the church. The steps were steep, but it looked like such a beautiful church that we wanted to see it. Besides, the church had a relic of St. Mark. A mass was going on when we finally reached the church.
We then looked for a place to eat dinner. Amalfi is known for its seafood, and so we capped our tour with a fantastic seafood dinner at La Piazzetta. We had spaghetti con alici di cetara, pangrattato e noci (spaghetti with salted anchovies and walnuts), scialatelli amafitani con frutti di mare (homemade pasta with seafood), ravioli al pomodoro ripieni di ricotta di agerola, melanzane e provola (tomato ravioli with smoked mozzarella and eggplant), frittura mista del golfo (mixed local deep fried fish), lemon cake, pistachio cake, washed down with vino blanco de la casa and limoncello to end the meal. It was an amazing meal! And to think they had just been open a week!
It was the witching hour by the time we reached Rome, tired but happy. It was definitely a memorable tour of Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, Positano, and the Amalfi Coast. And one, I would be eager to repeat but allotting two days instead of one.
This year, I celebrate my 60th birthday and the 25th year of TeamAsia. Instead of a birthday party, we agreed to go on a family trip to Italy. Why Italy? Because we love it!
Bea, Cara and I have been to Italy before while it will be Niccolo’s first trip to Italy. When I was 25, I went on a five day Italian tour with my Tio Mariano and Tia Conchi. It was beautiful and I vowed to return one day. I’ve been back twice visiting my sister Pinky and her husband Ken, and now this fam trip.
Cara lived in Sicily for three months on an internship at Gran Hotel Piazza Borsa, and I visited her there. The two of us traipsed through an unforgettable trip to Taormina in 2013. Bea went to Italy solo in 2014.
From Italy, Niccolo will proceed solo to Spain to meet our Spanish relatives. It’s an Iturralde tradition that each child and grandchild of Dada has to go to Spain to discover our Iberian roots.
Incidentally, this two week trip is being planned by the children. They decide where to go, where to stay, what to see, where to eat, what to do. Niccolo checks out reviews on restaurants and finds the best places. Being the most traveled of all of us, Cara booked all of our tickets and searched for the best places to stay given our budget. Bea and Cara decide on where to stay, and so far we’ve hit gold. Bea decides on the wine selection, Cara on the food to cook. I must say Google has been an amazing travel tool, and so has Waze. It’s nice to just sit back, enjoy the trip, and be a follower for once.
Our first stop was Rome for a night’s rest from the long flight from Manila via Doha. We stayed at Ecce, close to the train station. The next morning we headed to Florence where we stayed for four nights.
Cara booked us in an old, rustic but comfy Airbnb in San Niccolo, outside the city center. The neighborhood was quaint, peppered with little family-run shops and cafes. A lush green door opened up to an old, cold, dark and narrow staircase. Our apartment was three flights up, a challenge for the girls and Niccolo who carried up our suitcases. I was not allowed to carry anything heavy because of my bad back.
The high-ceilinged apartment sported two bedrooms with comfortable double beds, a tiny living/dining room, a kitchenette and a minuscule bathroom. The kitchen was surprisingly well stocked with olive oil, Balsamic vinegar and spices. After settling in, we decided to go out and explore Florence. We walked the cobbled streets, and entered a leather shop. I tried on an attractive reversible black and red jacket, but balked at its price, thinking I may be able to get a more reasonable one in the market.
Our first day in Florence was eventful until I accidentally sprained my ankle because of a missing cobblestone. (See https://monettehamlin.com) This cut short our foray in the city center, and we returned to the apartment. The children bought dinner from one of the nearby restaurants. To give my foot time to heal, I stayed in all of the next day. Cara whipped up a hearty breakfast of Florentine eggs and cold cuts. After making sure I was comfortable, the children went off to the city center. Alone in the apartment, I read, rested, and cleaned my email.
When the children came back, they surprised me by singing happy birthday and asking me to open a brown package. Lo and behold, inside was the reversible red and black leather jacket! The heartwarming note that came with it said it all. I feel so blessed to be loved by my children! Somehow, I think I’ve done a good job raising them.
Once again, Cara prepared a delicious Florentine dinner of rocket salad with raspberries and buffalo scamorza, mezzi rigatoni with a choice of chinghiale or pomodoro with Salsiccia sauce, washed down with La Pliuna Montepulciano D’Abruzzo, and ending with Cannolli and a Nutella tart.
The next morning, we decided to hear mass at the Duomo at noon. With my right foot bound, I hobbled alongside my children, slowing down their pace. The sun was out, showing off the beauty of Florence, making it gleam like a jewel. The Duomo was magnificent, the rich white and rose marble glistening. Throngs of tourists milled round the square. We entered the church and I was struck by the solemn silence inside. Not too many faithful inside the church. The mass was in Italian, but we followed, grateful for the mass leaflet translated to different languages.
After mass, we went to the market in search of Bondi. Frequented by locals, Bondi is a small restaurant selling a variety of foccacine. It was packed when we arrived but we stayed on and lined up at the counter, knowing the food is excellent. I had speck and mozzarella, while the others had prosciutto and mozzarella. We ended with biscotti e Vin Santo.
We then walked over to the Museo Casa di Dante, the birthplace of Dante Alighieri, one of the finest poets of Italy and author of The Divine Comedy, a classical masterpiece. It was interesting to see how life was in Florence during the late Middle Ages and what the landscape was then. Now, I know why there are many towers in Florence, as the prominent families tried to outdo each other in having taller and better looking towers that served not just as living quarters but also as fortresses in times of war. In fact, there were two warring factions which split Italy: the Ghibellines and the Guelf families, whose extreme rivalry and hatred for each other served as fodder for Shakespeare’s Capulet and Montague families in the Romeo and Juliet love story. It was also heartbreaking to learn of Dante’s unrequited love for his childhood friend Beatrice for whom he wrote haunting poems of love.
We made our way back to the apartment to rest, before going up to Michelangelo’s Gardens nearby to catch the sunset on Florence from its highest point. It was difficult climbing the many steps up to Michelangelo’s Gardens but I felt it important since Niccolo was not able to enjoy the sunset from Ponte Vecchio because of my accident. The view was magnificent, but the place was packed with tourists, and so it was a bit difficult to get a vantage point to watch the sunset.
That night, the children were craving for Florentine steak. However, all the restaurants nearby in San Niccolo were full so we had to walk to Ponte Vecchio to Trattoria Bordino. The long walk was definitely worth it! We feasted on Florentine crostini topped with warm chicken liver, steak carved table-side, mushroom risotto and fresh pasta vongole. For dessert, we had gelato at an artisanal gelateria at the Ponte Vecchio. Too full for dinner and too tired to walk, we took a cab home.
Early the next morning, Bea and Niccolo went to the Uffizzi museum, while Cara and I bought a walking stick and an ankle sock at a pharmacy to make it easier to walk. We met up with Bea and Cara and proceeded to the market to look for tomato seeds and limoncello, and bought some leather goods as pasalubong.
Niccolo wanted to see the Boboli Gardens and the Pitti Palace, but when we got there, we found them closed because of a holiday. The tourists who had planned to do the same thing were sunning themselves, seated on the sloping pavement, and eating gelato. Tired, we opted to return to our apartment, pack, then have happy hour drinks at the Bevi Vino Enoteca Bar downstairs. I tried Spritz for the first time. Sitting outside the bar in the waning daylight, I savored the moment. Here I was, with my beloved children, enjoying each other’s company, laughing, kidding each other, and just living! Oh, what joy!
It’s been a wonderful trip thus far. Florence never fails in delighting the visitor, and I hope to visit it again one day. Tomorrow, we move to Verona, Bea’s choice. None of us have been there before, so we don’t know what to expect. Time for a new adventure!
We spent the afternoon resting at home and getting ready for the flight out. Andrè and I took the 10pm red eye flight to Miami, had an hour and half wait at the Atlanta airport, and arrived in Miami at 9:30am. We didn’t sleep at all on the plane, and so were bleary-eyed when we arrived. We took a taxi to the home of Douglas Kamm by the Coral Gables, where we met his friend Angela Younger from New Zealand who was visiting and was just about to leave for the airport. Douglas was delighted that his Australian contact had finally met his Filipino contact after all these years.
Andre in Douglas’ kitchen
Douglas, Andrè’s best friend from his college days, lives in a nice, antiquated house. Feeling grungy from the long trip, I freshened up at his restroom, and was immediately brought back to my childhood days. It seemed that I was back in my grandmother’s house in San Sebastian as the furnishings were so similar. Douglas’ classic sense of style was evident in the blue and white ceramic collection he had in his kitchen, his paintings and his ivory pieces.
Douglas invited us out to his garden. A bit wild at the moment, his garden was the toast of the city back in its heyday, and was featured a number of times in magazines. You could still see what made it famous back then from the variety of foliage planted. Why, it even had a mango tree, which Andrè avers produces the sweetest mangoes. I hurried back to the house when I learned that a few days ago a crocodile had snatched a pet dog away from its master who was walking it by the creek, and that this had happened a few houses away from where we were. I certainly did not want to be croc breakfast.
Douglas driving us around Miami
Douglas gave us a grand tour of the city in his car, driving up to South Beach lined with art deco hotels and restaurants on one side and on the other, Sunday strollers on the beach. He had worked in hotels in the strip, and gave a running commentary that was entertaining. He even pointed out the exact spot where celebrated designer Versace was gunned down by a Filipino named Cunanan. After that, we did a quick spin of Coral Gables, Miami’s version of Forbes Park where the wealthy live. I loved seeing the massive banyan trees. What character they had and what tales they could share if only they could talk, I wondered.
For lunch, we went to Bangkok City for their famous crispy duck. There were several options on the menu but we settled for the basil version, along with tom kha (i.e., chicken soup cooked in lemongrass and coconut milk.) and pad thai. Andrè and Douglas have been going to that Thai restaurant for well over 30 years. We then went to Gilbert’s Bakery to get key lime pie to bring to Cachito’s home, and we ended up getting pecan pie, Grand Marnier and tocino del cielo as well.
The two men enjoyed ribbing each other over lunch, recalling capers over the years. After lunch, we headed to West Palm Beach. Just before Exit 35, the car’s left rear tire blew out, and we had to wait for AAA to come help us. Just that morning, I learned that Douglas didn’t know how to use a mobile phone, much less owned one, and so it was interesting to observe him using Andrè’s mobile phone to call AAA’s customer service. We were told it would take 90 minutes for AAA to arrive. So I began writing this blog while we awaited our knight in shining armor. I kept hoping the aircon wouldn’t conk out before the rescue vehicle arrived, as it was sweltering hot outside.
After much anticipation, the AAA rescue vehicle arrives!
Waiting for Uber
When AAA’s rescue vehicle arrived though, we learned that they could not change the tire as the spare tire was riddled with holes. The only solution was for a tow truck to come and pick up the car. This would take another 90 minutes, we were told, but since only one person could ride in the car being towed, that meant Andrè and I needed to find some other way to get to West Palm Beach. And that’s when I called Uber to the rescue. I accessed my Uber app from the Philippines, and in 12 minutes an UberX came to pick us up. There we were, perspiring from the heat of the sun with our suitcases lined up on the shoulder, when a new Hyundai Sonata driven by a lovely Cuban young woman stopped to help us.
Zuy to the rescue!
Zuy Alejo, our Uber driver, was making frijoles (black beans) at home when the Uber call came in, and when she saw that we were on the turnpike, she figured that we had an accident. Kind-hearted Zuy decided to get in her car and drive to us. She was truly heaven-sent! Zuy drove us from the Turnpike all the way to West Palms Beach.
Charming Zuy shared her interesting story with us. At five years old, she and her family came to America from Cuba on a 21-footer boat with 22 other people. They were nine days at sea, without food or water. She said they had no choice but to drink their urine. What a life changing experience that must have been for her family! Now happily married and leading the parents-teachers association in her child’s school, she works at a restaurant, and started on Uber in the past two months.
And then Andrè popped the question: “Where can we get the best key lime pie in Miami?” And Zuy said, Key West of course! But the really good ones can be found in the airport, she added. Well, this we must try on the way to Seattle.
We arrived at the home of Cachito, Andrè’s younger brother, and were welcomed warmly. That night, Cachito and his wife Rocio hosted dinner at Hoes Asian Cuisine. It was a big group, and I was a bit overwhelmed at first. I met Andrè’s mom, Tita Dolly, his cousin Margie, his sister-in-law Margarita, and his nieces Stephanie and Angeline, and their partners Andrèw and Chris. The food was nourishing after that long day of travel, but we were so tired as we had hardly slept the night before on the plane.
October 17, 2016
Outside the Cracker Barrel with Andre, Dolly and Gerry
The next morning, we went to the 8am mass at St. Augustine Catholic Church with Tita Dolly and Gerry Humphries, who drove us. It was a beautiful mass, and I felt at peace with the world. We then had a hearty breakfast at Cracker Barrel, a quaint shop selling country items alongside a cafe. We enjoyed sunny side up farm fresh eggs, sausage links, grits with sawmill gravy, freshly baked homemade buttermilk biscuits, fluffy pancakes with old-fashioned maple syrup, jam and coffee. We didn’t know what to do with the grits, but after Gerry told us to mix it with butter, salt and pepper and gravy, the grits turned out delicious! I couldn’t help but explore the store and picked up some shirts. Just outside the store were some pretty rocking chairs, and so had some photos snapped there.
Enjoying a meal at The White Elephant
We then went to a mall to check the Apple Store if they had the iPhone 7 Plus available. No luck. We went back home to rest, and went out to dinner that night at The White Elephant, on the invitation of Andrè’s Uncle Jess and his wife Benguet. There we met Jess’s children, Chris, a lawyer, and Michelle, a public prosecutor.
Michelle and her Great Dane.
Beautiful Michelle had her Great Dane with here. What a stately dog it was, and extremely well behaved! The pizza was just right and the shrimp curry delicious, though a chutney would have made it amazing. For dessert, we shared a key lime pie. The search for the best key lime pie was still on, but this was more like a vanilla cream pie. Again, we were told that the best key lime pie could be had at Key West.
Jess then toured us around his Wellington Mall, pointing out the five schools that were there, as well as the Post Office. The mall seemed more like a museum than a mall as it had beautiful sculptures around. There were statues of game fish and horses of different kinds, including carousel horses and a unicorn, live fish in aquariums, grandfather clocks, and brass sculptures of children playing and having fun. I was happy to see the Philippine flag together with the American flag hanging in the activity area.
Andre and his Uncle Jess
An accomplished gentleman, Jess Santamaria was elected as County Commissioner three times. He believes in sharing his blessings and has two foundations that help provide education to children as well as help for less privileged families.
We stopped to look at a poster he had of Desiderata, and I was amazed when Jess and Andrè started to recite the poem from memory. Andrè’s favorite was: “Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.”
October 18, 2016
The next morning, we had breakfast together with Cachito and Tita Dolly. The night before, Rocio had prepared a Filipino breakfast of longganiza and fried rice. I fried the eggs and prepared the tomato and onion salad to go with it. Rocio’s longganiza was to die for. She said she got them at Kabayan, the Filipino store in West Palm Beach. That night, I asked her the secret for cooking it the way she did. I was happy she taught me how to do it properly.
Margarita then picked us up to bring us sightseeing at Worth Avenue, one of the most exclusive shopping streets in the United States. It is the equivalent of Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles, where all the most expensive brands have stores: Jimmy Choo, Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Kate Spade, and more. I wasn’t paying much attention to the stores, instead enjoying the stroll and talking to Margarita.
With Andre, Mike, Techie and Margarita.
Lo and behold, who do we see at the corner of Worth Avenue, sitting down by the shaded bench but Mike Bilbao, hubby of Techie Ysmael. Turns out he was waiting for Tetchie who was meeting someone at one of the shops. Soon, Techie showed up with a copy of the book she had written on her famous mother, Chona Kasten.
After bidding goodbye to Mike and Techie, we continued to look for Pizza Al Fresco, a little restaurant tucked away inside one of the garden alcoves. We had a most delightful meal of Andrè’s favorite, shrimp cocktail, a Portobello mushroom salad, and their famous pizza alfresco, washed down with a Peregrino with gas.
Over lunch, we shared our life experiences, how sad and lonely we were when our beloved spouses passed on, how we needed to get a grip on our emotions and decide to accept fate and move on, how we adjusted to the difficulties of senior dating, and how fortunate we were to discover second chances at love, along with the complexities that come with it. After all, there is so much more life to be lived and happiness to be enjoyed.
We then visited the Palm Beach Outlet Mall where we visited various shops, and chanced upon GH Bass, which had the most comfortable shoes, which Margarita and I bought. We all ended up buying various items. A sudden downpour cut short our shopping spree, and we headed home, as we still had a dinner to attend. Angeline and Chris Gross were hosting dinner at Aglioli for the family. Margarita and I laughed when we realized we both had worn our new shoes to the dinner.
At Aglioli with Andre’s family
Aglioli is a family restaurant that allows its guests to design their own pizza and pasta using various types of noodles, sauces, meats and veggies. After sharing the fresh house salad, which came in huge bowls, with lots of black olives and crunchy baguettes, we had fun designing our own pasta. Andrè ended up with angel hair pasta with rich pomodoro sauce and a side dish of meatballs. On Angeline’s recommendation, I got a shrimp pesto angel hair with artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms and grilled garlic. It was sublime! When dessert time came, we were too full to order a key lime pie.
There was much banter and lively conversation over dinner. I learned that Angeline, despite her 5’2” tiny frame, is an accomplished industrial engineer, a wind blade specialist at New Era, which used to be the Florida Power and Light Company. She climbs wind towers that are hundreds of feet high to check on the blades. Cachito says that when she sent him photos of how high she was on her first climb, that he was so nervous he had to take a drink. Kudos to her, as she excels in a man’s world.
When Rocio learned that we were on a quest to discover the best key lime pie, she offered to bake us one for the next day when Margarita was hosting dinner.
October 19
Reliving breakfasts of before at Gabrielle’s
Early the next day, Andrè and I together with Tita Dolly and Gerry went to Gabrielle’s Café and Grille, voted 12 years running as the best breakfast place in town. Andrè recounted that this was a Sunday tradition for him and his brother Raymond, their uncle Tony and cousin JJ and a few other friends. He said it looked exactly the same, except the round table where they usually sat was now nearer the entrance.
After breakfast, we went home to Tita Dolly’s where we had dance lessons from Gerry. Gerry Humphries learned how to dance from the Fred Astaire Dance Studio, and eventually put up his own dance studio. His school produced several dance champions of the US. It was interesting how Gerry explained the science of dance so simply that we got it immediately. He made sure we learned the basic “box” and showed us how that box was applicable to various types of dance, how high our hands held should be (level with the woman’s eyes, he admonished Andrè), where to put my hand on Andrè’s shoulder, how to turn gracefully, and so on. I took a video of Gerry dancing with Andrè, and then with Dolly. A few more lessons, and I believe Andrè and I could conquer the dance floor!
Beautiful Dolly
I enjoyed talking to Andrè’s mom. At 92, she still exudes the special beauty that captivated the heart of Rene Kahn, Andrè’s father. Not only that, she was charming and sharp as sharp can be. She relayed stories of her youth, of their courtship, of being mother to 13 children, of being asked to be a blue lady but declining, of how she and her husband were so in love with each other, and how he would not let her dance with anyone else at parties.
She had met him when she was only 12, acting as chaperone to her older sister. Because she was tall for her age, her sister’s suitors would vie for her attention and start to court her instead. Her parents advised her to dance with other boys, but when she met Rene, she was smitten and all she wanted was to be with him. He would wait for her outside at parties, and she would escape to see and talk to him.
He got a job in Cebu, but after just three months, he could no longer bear to be separated from her that he left to marry her. She conceived on their honeymoon, and nine months later she had her firstborn, Butch. She said Rene vowed he would have just one child after he saw the pain of childbirth she went through. But it was not to be as the children came one after the other. Love was not to be denied.
Dolly and Rene were inseparable, and he would bring her with him on trips domestically and overseas, even living for a year in Hong Kong while he set up the San Miguel Brewery there. As I listened to her, I wondered how she was able to cope with social responsibilities as the wife of the Coca-Cola Corporation CEO, and as mother to all her children – four girls and eight boys. But cope she did, marvelously, as her children turned out wonderfully, with solid values.
When Rene died, she moved to the US. There, she gave in to her love for dancing, and would dance for hours. She told me that once her doctor asked if she did any exercise. She said none, but that she would dance for four hours a day. The doctor was floored! No wonder Tita Dolly has kept her slim figure all these years.
Silver Wedding Anniversary
Tita Dolly showed me her treasured albums, especially that of her Silver Wedding Anniversary. It was a beautiful album with black and white photos. Rene and Dolly looked so happy together, and they had a beautiful family! I eagerly looked for photos of Andre as a young man. He was quite handsome!
Andre and his mom’s portrait. He was in her womb when this painting was made.
In her living room, she showed me a painting of her as a young mother, and she told me that she was pregnant with Andrè at the time the painting was done. She looked absolutely gorgeous! No wonder Rene loved her so much, and as Andrè said, put her on a pedestal, teaching his children that this was the way a man should treat his wife. I asked Andrè to stand beside the painting so I could take a photo of him with her.
After the dance lessons, we went to BJ to see what they had on sale. BJ is like Costco, and also has food samples in each lane. We were tired, so we went back home. For lunch, Cachito, Andrè and I made a quick run to Jon Smith Subs for some sandwiches. Andrè and I shared an 18-inch meatball bomb sub. A poster boasted that Jon Smith Subs was voted the favorite French Fries. There was also a cute poster of a forlorn dog with long ears that said “I hate Jon Smith. No leftovers.” Poor doggie, the fries were so good there was none left for the doggie bag.
That night, we went to Margarita’s home and met her Colombian family and friends. There was her sister Beatriz and her hubby, Andrès Gutierrez; Jon Duque, the husband of her best friend Vicky; and the Kahn family. Margarita prepared a delicious roast of prime rib, served the Kahn way with horseradish, creamy mashed potatoes, grilled Portobello mushrooms, and a green salad with avocado dressing.
For dessert, Margarita made a flaky jackfruit (langka) and plantain pie. She told us her jackfruit tree from the Philippines planted by Raymond bore a lot of fruits and she had been wondering what to do with it, so she froze the fruit and made pie. It was heavenly! But, dinner wasn’t over yet, because Rocio arrived with the promised key lime pie she had specially prepared for us. I loved it so much I had seconds! Andrè was naughty and gave me a whole slice rather than the sliver I had asked for. What a wonderful time we had at Margarita’s! Andrè and I agreed that the Colombians were a fun group.
October 20
The next morning, Cachito prepared breakfast for us: toasted Thomas English muffins with melted butter and honey, sunny side up eggs, ham, and Starbucks coffee. It was delicious! Earlier, Tita Dolly had gone to 8am mass to pray for safe travels for us. She came by to bid us goodbye.
Margarita then arrived to drive us to the airport. She was going to have lunch with Douglas and give him our “little fishies” gourmet tuyo in oil pasalubong. This was going to be a long flight, first to Atlanta and then to Seattle.
On the plane, I remarked to Andrè that there were a lot of pumpkins around. The malls were full of all sorts of pumpkins, from large ones I couldn’t carry to tiny ones, with different colors and textures. Restaurants all seemed to incorporate pumpkin as an ingredient in their dishes. There was pumpkin pie, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin risotto, pumpkin sauce, even pumpkin perfume and pumpkin wine! I guess it’s that time of the year, nearing Thanksgiving. But before that would be Halloween, and the malls were replete with Halloween costumes and décor being sold. Several of the houses we had passed were already adorned with Halloween décor, from giant spiders to witches and goblins to eerie lighting and even some cackling. Halloween was going to be interesting, but now we were off to see my side of the family, and I was terribly excited for them to meet Andrè.
Spontaneity won the day! It was a three-day weekend, and we had guests from France to take around. My niece and goddaughter Sam who lives in Sallanches in front of Mont Blanc came visiting with her French beau Sylvain Aubry. As my girls had a birthday party to attend Saturday and Niccolo was vacationing in Bacolod with his girlfriend Sam and her family, Andre and I agreed to take our guests around Tagaytay and Alfonso. My mom Dada joined us.
Since it was a long weekend and traffic Saturday morning would be horrendous, Andre suggested we leave Friday night. And so we did. The trip was a breeze.
Roadtrip to TagaytayOn Sam and Sylvain’s bucket list were mountain climbing and swimming. Our two guests wanted to trek to the Taal Volcano. We had planned to stay in Alfonso overnight but while chatting in the car, we realized that Andre’s house in Tagaytay was closer to the jump off point to Taal than my Alfonso farm. And just like that we decided to stay at Tagaytay, knowing full well that the house had not been lived in for two years. Being a meticulous planner, poor Andre was apprehensive that there would be no running hot water, and that the air conditioners and ref would not work. We assured him that we were all Cowboys, and would adjust. Voila! Everything worked just fine.
Early the next morning, I checked the kitchen to cook breakfast. I got the gas burners working, and was puttering around when I spied two hideous looking ceramic chickens on the countertop glaring at me. I let out a huge scream, being deathly afraid of chickens. Sam kindly moved the offending chickens and covered them with a cloth.
Beautiful but deadly Taal VolcanoAfter a sumptuous breakfast of piping hot coffee, corned beef, eggs and toasted pan de monay with guava and orange jams, we left for the Taal Yacht Club where we could arrange for a boat to bring our guests to Taal volcano. The second most active volcano in the Philippines and considered the smallest volcano in the world, Taal Volcano is a geologic wonder as it features a lake within an island within a lake within a larger island. It is part of the deadly Pacific Ring of Fire.
Sam and Sylvain’s Taal Volcano AdventureAccompanied by a guide, Sam and Sylvain took off on a motorized outrigger to take the secret trail to the volcano on horseback, and to go swimming in the lake within the volcano. As their trip would take four hours, we arranged lunch for them at the Yacht Club. Meanwhile, the oldies (Dada, Andre and I) went to Tagaytay Highlands where we had a delicious Chinese lunch of assorted dimsum, crispy seafood noodles, and a hotpot of eggplant and dried fish.
Naughty Dada and the LionWhile waiting for Andre to park the car, ever impish Dada had fun posing with the huge lion at the entrance of Dynasty Restaurant, acting as if the lion bit her. Oh, Dada!
In the afternoon, we visited Alfonso. I planned to prepare a paella pobre for dinner, but since I did not have lemon and chicken, I convinced Andre to pass by Mahogany Market. Well, the promised five minutes stopover took much longer with the variety of fruits that were being sold. Spotting some ripe langka, I bought some, intending to make our favorite turon with saba. We loaded up on lemons, mangoes, and lanzones which were so sweet that Dada and Andre quickly finished it off.
Plants were on sale beside the fruit market, and I couldn’t help myself from approaching them. I went gaga over the potted herbs on sale, and picked up tarragon, basil, dill, mint, sevia, and thyme to plant in Alfonso. I also bought a lovely smelling creeper called yesterday, today and tomorrow because of its tri-colored flowers. Hopefully, this plant would thrive in SouthBay.
We then went to the meat section so I could buy the chicken. Normally, I buy only deboned and skinless chicken thighs and breasts at the supermarket, but this being the wet market, they only had whole chickens. Luckily, I didn’t have to hold the chicken myself. I remembered that we didn’t have lumpia wrappers for the turon so I had to run back to the vegetable section to get some.
Alfonso, almost at duskFinally, we arrived at Alfonso just as the sun was beginning to set. I felt peace settle in my soul as I always do coming home to this retreat. The rambutan trees were in full bloom. I asked our caretaker to harvest rambutan and coconuts to bring home to SouthBay. After a quick walk around the farm, I started preparing the aioli and cooking the paella, while Dada taught Sam and Sylvain how to make turon. As I had to get an entire chicken at the market, it was left to our farm caretaker Bleng to cut the chicken into pieces and debone it for my paella and an adobo.
Paella pobre, simple but fillingOur simple dinner of chistorras al ajillo, paella pobre, and chicken adobo paired with a Vin d’Alsace was superb. Even Andre announced that it was my best paella so far. From such a discerning gourmet, that was one great compliment. The turon, mangoes and pineapples were a sweet finale to the dinner.
The lake within Taal Volcano. From afar, it looks serene, but close to it, it’s hot enough to boil an egg on one side, yet warm enough to swim in on another side.During dinner, Sam and Sylvain regaled us with their adventures at Taal. The horses were tiny, she said, just like ponies and they were worried the horses would not be able to carry them up the mountain, and then down into the inside rim of the crater where the lake was. Apparently, no living thing, even bacteria, can thrive in the lake inside the Taal volcano because of its high sulfuric content. Besides, the water is too hot as evidenced by the steam rising from the lake. The guide explained that an egg could be boiled if left on the rocks to one side of the lake. The water on the lake’s other side, however, was not boiling, and Sam and Sylvain swam in it.
As we were eating, the skies opened up and cried a river. The sound of the heavy downpour was lulling us to sleep on the veranda, but we decided to drive back to Tagaytay while it was still early enough. Good thing we did because there was zero visibility on the road. The fog was so thick we could hardly see in front of us. Andre followed the white lines on the road but would be dazzled by oncoming cars using high beams. Our guardian angels must be working overtime as we got home safely.
Sunday morning, we enjoyed a breakfast of steamed rice, Connie’s Best tuyo with capers, scrambled organic eggs and chicken adobo. We then got into the car and drove to Terrazas de Punta Fuego in Nasugbu. Between weekenders going to the various destination restaurants along the Tagaytay Ridge and the faithful attending mass, traffic was heavy. It was almost noon by the time we arrived at Terrazas. Driving down to the beach, we were transported to the French Riviera. The view of the sea sparkling in the sun was simply spectacular.
Chilling and swimming at Terrazas de Punta FuegoAndre had reserved a cabana so we could go swimming. We agreed on a late lunch as breakfast had been heavy. After a refreshingly cold lychee shake, Dada, Sam and Sylvain headed for the beach to swim. The strong waves crashing on the shore got the better of them, and the young ones transferred to the swimming pool, while the not-so-young ones lounged at the cabana. Ravenous after the swim, we transferred to the clubhouse for lunch.
Soon, Pablum Lobregat, Eddie and Lita Legarda showed up to join us. Pablum is the cousin of Andre’s late wife Ito, and Eddie her younger brother. Conversation revolved around the best beaches that Sam and Sylvain could go to, like Honda Bay, Coron, Puerto Princesa and Mindoro.
Pablum and Andre started kidding each other, sharing funny stories. We learned about this hilarious incident involving what turned out to be a very expensive cheese pimiento sandwich which Pablum offered to Andre. Transferring from one boat named Cocoa to Pablum’s other boat where the sandwich was waiting, Andre had one foot on Cocoa and the other on the second boat when the two boats started to move away, forcing Andre to do an impromptu split. The boats drifted farther than farther apart until Andre fell into the water, and lost a brand new slipper. The next day, he was black and blue and had to go for a full check-up. He never forgot that pimiento sandwich.
After lunch, we all got onto Pablum’s sailboat. We got drenched walking to the boat and getting on to it as the waves kept beating us up. The waves carried off my hat when a huge wave washed over me. Luckily, Eddie saved it for me. My 81-year old mom climbed onto the boat, little knowing that it would be a turbulent ride. Poor Dada! She ended up with a severe case of seasickness. Except for Dada, we all had a wonderful time on the boat, with the wind in our hair, the sun warm on our skin, and the warm water splashing all over us.
Sailing in NasugbuIt was my first time to go sailing, and I was curious about the unfurling of the sails. I clambered to the side and sat on the blue tarpaulin to the side of the boat. Lita kindly explained what was happening on the boat, as the crew got it working. I kept my head down for fear of being decapitated by the mast, and held on tight to the ropes for fear of sliding off. All my fears melted away as I marveled at the beauty of the sea from my perch. It was a glorious feeling! No wonder so many people love to sail. I understand now how they could fall in love with the sea.
The trip back to Tagaytay was tiring. Dada was asleep in the car, spent from the afternoon’s excursion. The fog was back in full force and so was traffic. Waze though helped us find a detour through the back roads of Tagaytay and Alfonso. Back in Tagaytay, I quickly prepared a capellini pasta with bottarga, anchovy, dried chilies, parsley, olive oil and lemon. It was our last night in Tagaytay and the sound of the rains was music to our ears as we chatted over dinner.
My farmer and meAfter breakfast Monday morning, we packed up everything and left for the farm so Sam and Sylvain could see what a hydroponic farm was. They were thoroughly impressed by the healthy produce at the farm. Andre gifted me with a giant yellow gumamela flower, along with a special message. Sam commented that the plants were all on steroids, seeing how large and healthy they all looked.
On the way home, we bought lanzones and more rambutan. We also stopped by LZM, which Andre swears has the best boneless bangus in town. I was relegated to going in to order the bangus, and as I write this blog, the delicious aroma of the fried bangus permeating the car Is tantalizing our senses. We’re all looking forward to lunch and being reunited with Bea and Niccolo.
All in, it was a most marvelous weekend spent with people I love. Special thanks to the warm hospitality of Pablum, Eddie and Lita for bringing us for a spin in the sailboat. I enjoyed meeting such wonderful friends and family of Andre. And I believe Andre enjoyed the time spent with my family as well. I am sure Sam and Sylvain will treasure the fun they had this weekend. After all, it is more fun in the Philippines.
All this talk about Balesin being the utmost resort had me excited about going there with Andre and his friends. We had gone to a concert of Friends of Distinction at the Arena Friday night and arrived home way past midnight because of the rains and flooded roads. Call time at the hangar was 7:30am, which meant I had to be up by 5:00 am to prepare for it. Bleary-eyed from lack of sleep, I stumbled out of bed and got dressed.
It was a long weekend, and my children all had their own trips scheduled. Bea and Cara hied off for a weekend of surfing at Flotsam and Jetsam in La Union, while Niccolo went to Punta Fuego with his girlfriend Sam and some friends. We hugged and kissed each other good-bye and went our separate ways. Andre came to pick me up. After a quick healthy breakfast of oatmeal, we were off to our Balesin adventure. We were so excited, we were the first to arrive at the hangar. Soon though, the place began to fill up.
At Nusa DuaWe were a big group: our hosts Poch and Pam Zamora with their children Katrina and Javier, their friends Mickey and Maya Colayco and their 7-year old daughter Katie, and Rob de Leon and his girlfriend Tina Tividad. Poch and Pam are the founders of the Moonwalkers, the famed Alabang walking group, which Andre joins.
Enjoying the Balesin welcome drinkThe flight on the propeller plane was much shorter than the wait to get on to it. It seemed we had just taken off, and the pilot was already announcing the descent. We were a bit worried about the weather as it had been raining for two weeks in Manila, and more rains were forecasted due to Habagat. We were in for a wonderful surprise, though, as the sun was beaming when we landed. Nary a raindrop was felt during our entire stay.
Our deckPoch said Balesin was full, but we hardly saw anyone. Balesin is half the size of Boracay, and twice the size of BGC. We were billeted at a villa in the Filipino-inspired Balesin Village. Quite spacious and comfortable, the villa had its very own outdoor Jacuzzi, a day bed, and two loungers on a deck.
Chauffering Andre around BalesinWe rented golf carts to bring us around the island and its various attractions. It was surprisingly easy to drive, and I was assigned chauffer for most of our stay.
The mask of Nusa Dua. I don’t know who sported the more infectious smile: the mask or Andre.Ever the gracious host, Poch kindly toured us around the resort. We marveled at the distinct character of each village. Bali was interesting with its colorful masks, and the villas built on top of the water. Mykonos with its startling stark blue and white theme was invigorating. Phuket, where we had dinner, was on the other end of the island and appeared laid back.
Poch and AndreWe also visited Rico’s Hideaway, which looked like a great drinking spot, as well as, the Sports Center, where they had courts from basketball to badminton, to yoga studios, an archery, a football field, and even a firing range. Poch pointed out the Balesin Seafood Shack, where you could enjoy fat crabs and seafood to your heart’s content. We made a mental note to try it out during our stay.
Refreshed after the Balesin Spa experience. The Balesin SpaAfter lunch at Mykonos on the first day, we decided to relax and go to the spa. Were we in for a treat! As soon as I lay on the massage bed, I promptly dozed off and only woke up when the masseuse asked me to turn over and then again when she said we were done, and that I could rest five more minutes. Bitin! Truth to tell, I can vouch for Balesin being one great place for rest and relaxation. The first night, I slept 9.5 hours straight. Unheard of! The second night, I had eight hours sleep, and the third night, nine hours. Still surprising as I would be lucky to have six hours of sleep a night. I’ve never felt so relaxed. I guess, the Kyani Sunset, which Andre brought with him, helped as well.
The Balesin ChapelSaturday afternoon, Andre and I decided to attend anticipated mass at the Balesin Chapel. We were thoroughly impressed with the children’s choir, the lectors who spoke in perfect English, and the heartfelt homily of the priest. Now, if only there were less mosquitoes that feasted on us. Nevertheless, it was a beautiful mass, and we were happy to give thanks to the Lord for all His many blessings.
Andre, dwarfed by the centuries-old banyan tree.Andre and I decided to explore the island on our own on the second morning. We stopped by the enormous banyan tree that must be at least 200 years old as it dwarfed us beside it. Moving on, we discovered the Ifugao Village which had a display store surrounded by native Ifugao huts. Always curious, I climbed up one to check it out. Andre cautioned me not to fall, but being the monkey that I am, I climbed up with alacrity. The store was replete with interesting hand-carved wooden decor. There were a few items we wanted to buy, but there was no one around to sell. Everyone must be at Sunday mass, we surmised.
We ended up at the Italian-inspired Toscana where we were to meet up with our friends for lunch. From a distance, it appeared like a dream. The long driveway led to a country palace with a fountain in front. We just had to stop and admire the view. Walking to the side and then to the back, we were greeted by an expanse of sea and sky.
Inspired to paint at ToscanaThe stone-walled architecture with red bricks juxtaposed against the white-washed walls was surrounded by the deep green of forest foliage on one side and the sea on the other. The place was deserted, and we had the pool all to ourselves. The air was cool, the deep blue water refreshing, the green grass soft on our feet, and the sun warm against our skin. A flock of birds began to chirp in harmony, inviting us to stay. It was so inspiring I took out my watercolors and started to paint. We learned later from Poch that there were actually three pools: two freshwater and the middle one salt water.
Happy campers
Pam had made reservations at different outlets for our meals, and it felt like we were whizzing around the world to dine at all the best resorts: Greek lunch at Mykonos, Thai curry dinner at Sawasdee in Phuket, Filipino breakfast at the Balesin Sala, Italian lunch at Toscana, and Spanish dinner at Costa del Sol. All our meals were delicious and filling. Kudos to the chefs that prepared them!
We enjoyed Asturian fabada and lengua estofado at Costa del Sol, but it was the crunchy cochinillo that stole the night, especially coupled with Moscat, sparkling wine and Sangria. And since the boys had earlier filled themselves up with appetizers, it was left to the ladies to polish off the cochinillo.
Lunch at the Taverna in Toscana was for me the best. For appetizers, we shared an arugula-topped crispy pizza, then Andre and I split a seafood cacciucco and a bistecca di manz, o ai funghi porcini, ending the meal with a delightful tiramisu. We enjoyed the meal with wine, which Rob shared with us.
Balesin is great not just for adults but for children as well. The children enjoyed swimming at the various pools of Balesin, and began to sport a nice tan. One morning, Poch arranged for a horse for the children to ride while we were having breakfast. Unlike the gaunt ones at Tagaytay, this was a strapping healthy stallion. No wonder since Poch said that retiring polo horses were brought over to Balesin for the guests to enjoy riding.
All three children got along famously, with Katrina acting as the ate. Sunday night, Javier and Katie treated us to a musical performance. The two had composed their own song entitled ‘Five Days of Fatties,’ had written down the lyrics on a notebook and then performed it for us. Their exuberance and creativity was infectious. What a lovely end to the evening!
Birds chirping and cicadas singing formed part of Balesin’s charm. We enjoyed watching different colored birds fly around. There was the blue bird, similar to the one that would fly around Alfonso. Another we didn’t spot had a strong cackle that startled us as we drove by on the golf cart. Black birds sang an opera of lilting music. Yellow birds cavorted in the sky. Balesin’s Aviary featured multi-colored macaws, red parrots, silver birds, and peacocks galore, among others. Why, there was even a huge black bat with a gigantic wingspan that greeted us one dusk.
With my very own DJ, 99.5RT’s Tiny AndyNot to be outdone by the music of the feathered flock, Andre brought his iPod containing a library of 19,000 songs and his latest gadget, a water-resistant JBL Charge 3 speaker. We enjoyed listening to the top 200 love songs, followed by a mixture of light classical music, and finally his selection of disco music dating from the 70s. I had my very own Tiny Andy DJ of 99.5 RT fame.
On the third day, our friends had all gone back to Manila, and we decided to tour the island and discover the rest of it, which for the most part was deserted. It seems everyone else had left as well.
The dazzling colors of St. TropezBeing French, Andre was excited to have crepes for lunch, but was crestfallen when we were told by the reception that only the clubhouse and Mykonos outlets were open. We headed off in the direction of Mykonos, but first decided to visit St. Tropez. What a breathtakingly beautiful sight! The colors were so vibrant, and the blue of the water seemed extraordinarily bright. The multi-colored glass bottles lined up on the windowsill sparkled from the sunlight spilling into the room. We wanted to go swimming but realized that we had lunch reservations for Mykonos. After being assured that we could come back to St. Tropez to swim, we left for Mykonos.
Like everywhere else, Mykonos was deserted. We were the only ones in the restaurant. As we had been eating a lot and adding on the pounds in the past few days, we decided on a light lunch of Greek salad and appetizers: hummus, tzatziki, flaming cheese saganaki complete with Ooompah, soutzoukakia, Greek salad, and for dessert, baklava generously doused with honey. Pairing the meal with Vina Maipo Chardonnay, we were all set and mellow. We sat by a statue of the Goddess of Health, and Andre playfully perched his Kahn cap on of its head. The goddess must have been annoyed, as the cap kept falling off. I enjoyed taking photos of the Mykonos plates that decorated the walls of the restaurant.
Inspired painting at MykonosSince we had not yet toured Mykonos, we asked to be shown a villa. We were quite impressed with the blue and white villa that opened right into the Poseidon pool. Once again, we had the place all to ourselves. We enjoyed the Jacuzzi, then Andre transferred to the deep pool to do laps while I started to paint. When Andre swam over and began to chat, I took the opportunity to sketch him using my charcoal pencil.
Korean lunch at BalesinOur last lunch was at the Korean restaurant, where we had Angus beef short ribs cooked right at our table. The succulent, melt-in-your-mouth ribs were to die for. Naturally, no Korean meal would be complete without the attendant side dishes of kimchi, sweet dilis, sautéed togue, lettuce salad, blanched spinach, sticky rice and clear beef broth. We washed this down with an ice-cold Chamisul Soju rice wine, and ended the meal with a marvelous green melon popsicle. What Andre could not comprehend was that there were two of each dish, but only one popsicle to share. I let him enjoy most of it.
Overall, the Balesin adventure delivered more than what I had expected. It was a great time for letting go of stress, enjoying the company of friends, both new and old, and re-assessing what is truly important in life. I am deeply grateful to Poch, Pam and Andre for inviting me to the paradise that is called Balesin, and hope, one day, to return and explore the rest of the island.
TeamAsia founder and president, trainer, event organizer, food and art lover. President, Philippine Association of Convention/Exhibition Organizers and Supplier Philippines · teamasia.com
