Multilingual "A puro dolor"

People who know me know this: the song that really made me want to learn Spanish is A puro dolor, perhaps the greatest hit of the now defunct (re-purposed?) Puerto Rican group Son By 4. I first heard it as theme song of the telenovela Mis tres hermanas on GMA7 (If I'm not mistaken, this was also Iza Calzado's first foray into the limelight, lending her voice to actress Scarlet Ortiz in Filipino)

A few months later, I found out that the same group did the English version of the song as it tried to penetrate the US market. The title was The purest of pain. The translation was great and was able to maintain the spunk of the original.


The song is so good that -- lo and behold! -- it has a version in Chinese sung by no less than Coco Lee! I don't know how good it sounds in Chinese, but judging from the karaoke versions done by Chinese-speaking fans, it must the THAT brilliant!

Mea culpa

No more finger pointing. No more blaming and accusing other people. It's time to mourn the dead and consider this episode as our collective failure to respond. This time, it's OUR fault.

In remembrance of all the lives we lost (the Hong Kong tourists and Rolando Mendoza, the ex-police officer who took them as hostage) in the hostage crisis of August 23, 2010 in Manila, the Philippines. We'll remember. We're sorry.

Tea at the opera

The Chinese love their teas. And they have tea even when they watch the Peking Opera. I'm posting a video of a waiter serving tea a la Jackie Chan to audience members who came to watch opera. Camera flashes, oohs and aahs... what a perfect way to drink tea!

World of graffiti

People who have been in any public toilet in the Philippines know that the walls and doors of these places offer a slice of the Filipino pysche. From profound philosophical musings to indecent proposals, Philippine graffiti are an exciting source of information about how we, Pinoys, see the world.

But how about in other countries? How do their graffiti look like? Here are two examples:

Beijing, China. I saw this on my way down from the Great Wall of China. It's funny that by using Chinese characters, the graffito looked divine (although I'm willing to bet my 50 pesos that they mean something not for the consumption of the general public). I really wonder what these characters mean. Any one willing to translate to English?

Delphi, Greece. I think these are historical graffiti (ehehehe), although I must say that I'm prone to exaggeration. I wonder how ancient Greeks vandalize public places. Did they use chisels and hammers? :-)

An afternoon of Chinese tea

If we are to make a gross simplification of things, tea is to China as Coca-cola is to the rest of the world. The Chinese love affair with tea (whatever kind it may be) trascends history, age group and other prejudices; it is not strange, thus, that they have developed and perfected the cult -- the way of life, even! -- that revolves around tea.



Here's me and my family having a crash course on Chinese teas during our trip to Beijing, China some months back. Cheers!

Splurging the world over

In my first blog entry ever, I have written that food is always a good excuse to travel. One year hence, that personal credo remains strong, as can be gleaned from various gastronomic delights I have willingly surrendered myself to.


In Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, in the restaurant with a Disney-inspired signboard just across the Akinabalu Youth Hostel, my friends and I got peppered beef, lemon chicken, chicken in buttermilk and tom yum soup. No cholesterol or brazenly hot peppers could deter starving stomachs.


This is the Restaurante "Las Palomas" in Zaragoza, Spain. Seldom would you find buffet restos in Spain so it was a pleasant surprise that in the Plaza del Pilar near the Seo del Salvador, there's a good place to eat a buffet lunch at 12 euros and -- in the afternoon -- all the tapas you could gobble (as in the Gran Buffet de Tapas!) A cheap place to eat in the heart of a tourist spot.


The name of this restaurant escapes me but it is in the area of the Piazza di San Lorenzo in Florence, Italy. Facing the church you have to take the street to the left (you don't have to enter the mercato centrale). This is pasta al pomodoro and zucchini ripieni (pasta in tomato sauce and stuffed zucchinis). I showered it with lotsa parmesan cheese, olive oil and pepperoncini; it tastes divine!


This was my family's Peking duck feast in Beijing, China. As a certified gourmet, my Dad swore not to leave China without sampling duck prepared the authentic Chinese way. While many international webpages list down Peking duck (English-speaking) restaurants that would charge you an arm and a leg for a whole bird, try roaming around to look for non-English speaker. They, like this restaurant below our hotel, have good ducks at only a third of the price.

A hefty dose of Chinese-isms

Don't you just feel that everything seems very Chinese nowadays as the opening of the Beijing Olympics draws nearer? I mean, I watched yesterday the third installment of The Mummy (Brendan Fraser got more irritating, by the way) and The Dark Knight about two week ago, and it's amazing for me still how these two films unshamedly resorted to their stereotypes of China just to get the point across.

And it's even sadder that for all the efforts China has done, most news that come out in the Western media are about how inefficient and disorganized the Chinese are. And we're still not counting here how media lambasts China for Tibet and how it ridicules the country for buildings that fall even at the weakest of earthquakes.

While it is certain that China has never been the quintessential paragon of virtue for the longest time, the country can boast of a lot of things it has achieved that most people from the outside could only dream of. And for a civilization that has gone through a lot and has spanned centuries of strife and challenges, the eventual opening up of China to world is the next big thing. Besides, if China has its Tibet, America has its Cuba, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc... and no one seems to mind.

More than anything else, the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing is an occasion for the entire planet to get to know China and see it under a different light.

Graceful ways of growing old

As the Beijing Olympics draws near (and with it, the disgusting amount of bad publicity), I can't help but smile as a browse through my slice-of-life pictures from China.





It was a fine weekend and the Chinese are out on the streets to enjoy the sun and do their exercise. Talk about being prepared for the Games! If these pics are any indication, luck seems to be on their side.

Coffee or tea?

Coffee. Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. I'm no big coffee fan but Malaysian coffee is the best in the world! This is what's called in Malay as Kopi "O" (without condensed milk). The one with milk is Kopi "C." Best served with ice on a hot day in Borneo.

Tea. Beijing, China. Of course, when in China, the best way to spend a quiet afternoon or a tired evening is with the myriad of teas available. My personal favorite is jasmine tea. It smells divine and is very comforting.

Trees

I often find myself looking upwards whenever I travel (which is probably the reason why I am fixated with ceilings). In the absence of roofs, however, I do feel happy with fronds and branches. Want some proof?


Assisi, Italy. Olive trees that lead to the Church of San Damiano where St. Francis of Assisi received his calling of rebuilding the church.


Cordoba, Spain. Orange trees that dot the patio of the Mezquita-Catedral, the mosque-turned-Catholic in this former capital of the caliphate of Moslem Spain.


Beijing, China. Pine trees that lavishly decorate the Summer Palace.

Water, water everywhere! (The Asian Edition)

Although I personally don't have any fixation with beaches, I find coastlines very attractive and peaceful. In a previous post about a year ago, I blogged about "watery" spots in Europe. Now here are some pics from Asia.


Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. On the Malaysian Borneo can be found this gem of a place, still not assailed by international tourists.


Baguio City, Philippines. My record with Philippines beaches is shameful, considering that Palawan and Boracay are two world-famous places to see water. At any rate, Baguio (yes, that cool place up north!) has an artificial lagoon and that for someone who hates the sun with the passion is heaven.


Beijing, China. Beautiful and sublime. This was taken from the Summer Palace, which overlooks an artificial lake that the Empress Dowager purposely constructed.

HOTEL REVIEW: Shi Ji Huang Shan Hotel, Beijing, China

OVERALL RATING: 3/5

DATE OF VISIT: February 21 to 23, 2008

PLUSES: Though a 3-star hotel, it is a very affordable place to stay in the heart of Beijing. It's located in a minor road, which means that you could get a quiet night after a day of sightseeing. My major horror before going to China was having a dirty room, so it was a happy discovery that Shi Ji Huang Shan is VERY NICELY kept. Big bathrooms for big people.

MINUSES: Well, as in any place in China, it's the communication problem that gets you. I was expecting people in the hotel to at least be able to get what I'm saying in English. But no... it's totally a lesson of doing sign language and charming you way to get what you needed. The breakfast was buffet, which was good, but it's über-Chinese so people who're not used to eating greasy noodles and rice in the morning should be warned.

Contact details to follow

Pearls

Who would have thought that a beautiful thing such as a bead of pearl comes from a muddy oyster? Here's an eternal proof (a la Little Prince) from a pearl farm in Beijing, China that what's essential is invisible to the eye.

Salamat/ Thank you/ Gracias/ Grazie/ Efharisto/ Danke/ Dank je/ Merci/ Obrigado/ Xixi

This Chinese mythological creature supposedly brings good luck, so I am sending this to all the readers of my blog, to those who have left comments and to those who stumbled on this webpage after searching for hostels, travel pics and/or the curious keyword "Nude Italian Men."

Very special thanks to two readers from Greece, one from Germany and another one from the Netherlands who always drop by to read my stuff. I am not sure who you guys are but I am honored and humbled by your regular visits. Send me a message and I would be more than happy to respond.

A tale of love from the Beijing Opera

I wanted to upload this video for the longest time but there seems to be a problem with the system. At any rate, I've finally done it this morning!

The Beijing Opera is truly one of China's national treasures. That's why I insisted that we don't leave Beijing without watching a performance, even if the show was not part of the itinerary and our tour guide had to book it at the last minute.



Also called the Peking Opera, it is a rich celebration of Chinese language, mythology, costumes, music, dance and theatre. Even the shortest and simplest plot can be extended for what seems like an eternity because a mundane answer like "Yes" could be sung like "YeeeeeSSSSSssssssSSSS..." for a good five minutes. But you never get bored because the action is fast-paced and very engaging, and the set and costumes, magnificent!

This particular snippet comes from the first act that evening, the Death of Yu Ji. It talks about how an empress committed suicide so that her husband, the emperor, could go to war without thinking of her.

A budget traveler's guide to surviving BEIJING, CHINA

Going to Asia nowadays is fast becoming fashionable and Beijing, China is one of the top favorites, partly because it is very affordable (save for the price of flights, especially when you're coming from Europe) but largely because it evokes a certain magic that is difficult to find in any another capital city.

Added to this, the charm of the city, called Peking in the olden days, is building up as the 2008 Summer Olympics draws near. And it seems that all Chinese are prepared ("We are ready," sing the many Chinese artists in that TV ad campaign) to receive the millions who would come to visit a nation once closed to the outside world. So you wanna visit Beijing, China? Prepare your bags and your pocket dictionary, and say a big "Ni hao."

1. Speak. Let me just get this out. The one big problem with Beijing is that even the simplest question or command (as in, "Water please," "Where's the toilet?") is not easily understood, even in a three-star hotel or a posh restaurant. I talked to a Mexican tourist on my way up to the Great Wall of China, for example, and it seemed to me that his guide was struggling to explain himself in Spanish. So imagine how surprised he was when an Asian-looking guy asked him from where he was. To survive Beijing, be sure to do one of two things: First, have a handy dictionary and ask your hotel personnel (if ever they could) to write the name of common things you would most likely request during your trip on post-its. Better yet, always stick to your tour guide and never venture out alone.

2. Haggle. If you get a budget tour to Beijing, it is very probable that part of the tour involves going to some factory or store that sells Chinese items. While you may be tempted to spend all your cash for a jade bracelet or a string of pearls, remember that the Chinese are masters of marketing and would try to sell you anything that could be sold. A word to the wise: haggling works in China! And always ask for half the price (no kidding) and from there you and the seller would reach a price that is good for both of you. How to do this in a country that doesn't speak English? With a calculator, of course!

3. Look. Beijing, China is a feast for the eyes, even for Asians. The Forbidden City is Beijing's answer to Rome's Vatican and it's a complex of palaces and palaces that once housed the emperor, the empress, the concubines and the entire imperial household. No one is allowed to see the emperor, so the entire city was built for him. Of course, the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs are not to be missed even though they're outside the city.

4. Get immersed. Traveling to Beijing, China is an opportunity to know more about Chinese history and civilization. The Chinese are proud of their culture and it's evident in everything that they do. Contemplating the Temple of Heaven, knowing what the dragon and the phoenix stand for, understanding how Chinese numerological beliefs (the power of the numbers 9 and 4) helped shape even the architecture of palaces and shrines, and seeing how the Communist regime shaped the psyche of present-day Chinese by walking through the Tiananmen Square could be very enriching and gratifying. A night of Peking Opera to end your day is like the cherry on top of a beautiful cup of ice cream.

5. Sample. Going to China is also an occasion to sample some gastronomic delights that have become famous the world over. Do try Chinese teas (a visit to the tea house was not included in our itinerary but I wouldn't miss it for the world) and some of the sweets that are not as diabetes-inducing as those in the West. Peking duck makes for a hearty dinner, but don't go to famous restaurants commonly advertised on English-language website, as they are usually over-priced. Just ask your guide to take you to a good place to eat duck (usually in places where English is unspoken) and you'll get it at half the price. Do try noodles and tofu and the vast array of Chinese pickles, but go slow with them as they tend to be very oily or spicy.

Marlon's Beijing route: It's almost impossible to go around Beijing for two days because of the language barrier. Just surf the Net or ask your favorite travel agency for any suggestions. During the lean months, they offer tour packages for as low as $500 per person, tours, entrances and accommodation in a three-star hotel all included.

Marlon's budget tip: Haggle, haggle, haggle. And did I say haggle? Case in point: I wanted a porcelain doll of the Monkey God from the Peking Opera to bring home to the Philippines, but the lady told me that it sells for 480 yuans (roughly 45 euros). I threw in some charms and put my acting prowess to work, and after 10 minutes of haggling, I got the beautiful statue for 350 yuans (35 euros).

Funny signs from China

Let me just say, before anything else, that Blogspot took soooooo long to have anything uploaded to its system. The Internet seems problematic these days for some reason.

Having said that, I'm back with more funny street signs, this time from Beijing, China. Regular readers of my blog know that I have a collection of street signs from the world over. Here are some from the Forbidden City:


"Perilous..." hehe. When hills are described as perilous, you know you're in another universe.


Well, in another country, the unimaginative lot would just say "Danger. Don't climb." You can fault the Chinese for anything, except for lack of imagination.

Malls

In a recent article published by Forbes, it was found out that most of the the 10 largest shopping malls in the world are found outside USA, "...where land is cheap and labor costs are low." And of the 10, three are in the Philippines!


SM Mall of Asia, near Roxas Boulevard in Manila, is the newest of the SM Malls and is the largest in the Philippines. It is also the third largest in the world.


SM Megamall was for a time the largest mall in the Philippines. It's the 6th largest in the world.


SM North Edsa for me would always be the student mall since as a student in the University of the Philippines, I was always here often. It's just a jeepney ride away. It's also the 10th largest mall in the world.

(Photos courtesy of Forbes)