Arches

Frequent readers of my blog know that I am fixated with heights. It is no wonder why I have lotsa pictures of domes, tall buildings and arches. Speaking of arches, I have here four of the many arches that I was able to see in Europe. Enjoy!

The arch on the Praça do Comércio (Lisboa, Portugal). This connects the Commerce Plaza to the Rúa Augusta, which in turn leads to the Praça do Rossío, the main square of Lisbon.

The Arc de Triomf (Barcelona, Spain). Built in 1888 by the Catalan architect Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas, it stands on a long promenade that leads to the zoo of Barcelona.

The arch of the necropolis (Pompeii, Italy). Though the eruption of the Vesuvius wiped out all life in this ancient city in Southern Italy, it also preserved marvelous and monumental structures such as this opening to the cemetery.

The Arc de Triomphe (Paris, France). Probably the world's most famous arch. Being the novice that we were, my friend Archie and I didn't know how to go to the arch found in the center of the rotunda of the French capital. Don't ask how we did it but suffice to say that there were a lot of horns that blared.

Them French love us Filipinos (Koh Lanta goes back to the Philippines!)

Many posts back, I wrote that Koh Lanta, the French edition of the reality TV show Survivor, was filmed in the beautiful island of Palawan, the Philippines. The show introduced this tourist destination to the French-speaking public and made Palawan an even more popular vacation spot!



For its eighth season, Koh Lanta goes back to the Philippines, this time to the province of Camarines Sur (known locally among hip Pinoys as "Camsur"), on the beach of Caramoan, dubbed as the Philippines' Hidden Paradise. The beach is as glorious as those of Palawan and should really make any Filipino proud of his country.

See the opening credits of Koh Lanta, Season 8, here. And should this post pique the interest of potential tourists from here and abroad, I found this nice blog to help you organize your trip and visit us here in the Philippines soon.

PROUD TO BE PINOY!
(Photo courtesy of the Official Koh Lanta website)

IN PHOTOS: Paris, France

The magic of Paris, France is so powerful that it can be sensed even in photos. I have repeated many times that one doesn't even have to enter any place to feel its power. The streets of Paris, its many buildings and spires, and the venerable Seine that dissects the city speak of why this City of Lights is special for many people the world over.

Bird's eyeview

What would a bird hovering above Europe see?


He might see the grandeur of the Temple of Hephaestus in the city of Athens, Greece...


or the the charm of the Parisian nightlife in France.


He might see the hustle and bustle of the Praça Rossio in Lisbon, Portugal...


the tranquility of the Markt Square in Bruges, Belgium,


or the marvels of the Sevillian spires in Spain.

With wings

To talk about wings nowadays is to talk about chicken or sanitary pads. But to an astute traveler, wings are those of planes that take us to farflung places in search of life and love. Here are some memorable airplane wings and the stories behind them:

My Air Madrid flight to Paris, France from Madrid, Spain. This was booked by Archie for a weekend escapade in the city of lights. However, the flights to and from Paris were delayed for hours, thus changing our travel plans. Months later, the airline was forced to shut down. End of the story.

Our Ryanair flight to Rome, Italy from Santander, Spain. My first time in a budget airline gave me a very good impression of how budget travels should be. The one thing that really bugged me was the train ride to Santander and the hours of layover in between.

My Vueling flight to Barcelona, Spain from Madrid, Spain. This was really very scary for me, since a friend had had a bad experience with the company. My flight went well -- thank God! -- despite the madness that is the Prat de Llobregat Airport of Barcelona.

My Spanair flight to Pamplona, Spain from Madrid, Spain. We left with about a 30-minute delay from Barajas, so the pilot drove the plane in Airforce 1 fashion. I was clinging onto dear life for 45 minutes. As a treat, the stewardesses distributed candy afterwards. I took five, just in case.

My Easyjet flight from Rome, Italy to Madrid, Spain. Inspite of the schmuck at the counter of the Ciampino Airport, the flight went really well. It's like Ryanair, but more organized. Highly recommendable for people who want to discover Europe on a budget.

Rocky royals

Now, for a very cheesy question: When you die, how would your epitaph read? How would you want those who would come to your burial remember you for? I think this was the question the following kings had in mind when their statues were erected:

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). This is his statue in the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris, France. Until the end, he portrayed himself as an emperor, complete with the laurels, the scepter and the orb.


Manuel I of Portugal (1469-1521). It was during his time when Portugal "discovered" Brazil and the sea route to India. He is immortalized in this statue erected in the Castelo de São Jorge in Lisbon.

William the Silent (1533-1584). He is known in French as Guillaume le Taciturne. Judging from this statue in the Sablon area of Brussels, Belgium, he must've been a rather unapproachable guy.


Philip II of Spain (1527-1598). Or, as any Filipino might say, the king in whose honor the Philippines was named as such. During his reign, it is said the the sun never set in the Spanish Empire. Here's his sun-bathed statue in the Plaza Mayor of Madrid.

France, rain or shine

Nothing can stop France from attracting thousands of tourists, come hell or high water.

Well, you just gotta love the country, especially Paris.

I feel good.... TANANANANAAAN!

Another reason why Paris, France is an enchanting place to visit is the diversity of people that you see on the streets or in the subway...

... like this street artist who mounted his own show -- music, curtains, puppets and all -- and entertained everyone from the center of Paris to Disneyland. So cool in many levels! :-)

Confessions of a ceiling addict (The international edition)

My obsession with ceilings has peppered many a post in this blog. I have previously blogged about ceilings in Madrid, Seville, Avila, Toledo and Majorca, all from Spain, but now I have realized I also do have pictures of ceilings from other European countries!


Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, ITALY. The most attention-grabbing ceiling of them all is probably that of the Sistine Chapel in Rome. Upon entrance, tourists are greeted with a long hallway whose well-illuminated ceiling is adorned by classical painting of Renaissance masters. The ceiling of the chapel itself is a masterpiece of Michelangelo himself.


Hôtel des Invalides, Paris, FRANCE. Hovering over the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte is a golden dome that seemingly exalts the glory of this conqueror and self-proclaimed emperor.


Church of the Holy Apostles, Athens, GREECE. Most, if not all, Greek Orthodox churches have the image of Christ, called the Pantokrator, on the main dome of the nave. This church in the Roman Agora in Athens has retained its ancient Pantokrator despite the recent rennovation it has undertaken.


Cathedral of our Lady of Antwerp, BELGIUM. Although most tourists enter this cathedral to see the paintings of Peter Paul Reubens, the dome still mesmerizes. It depicts the coronation of the Virgin Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth.


Praça do Comércio, Lisbon, PORTUGAL. This is the ceiling of the big arch that towers over this seaside square of Lisbon. The arch itself is a dazzling architectural masterpiece.

A budget traveler’s guide to surviving PARIS, FRANCE

Paris is and will always be THE dream destination for many tourists of whatever age group or travel plans. The city has become synonymous over the years with finesse, expensive taste and the good life, and for a good reason: It doesn’t take much to feel classy in the capital city of France. A whiff of Parisian air combined with hints of Chanel perfume, the aroma of crepes and coffee in the outdoor cafes, and the fragrance of the Seine River is a constant reminder that the City of Lights is also the City of Life.

Wanna visit Paris? Prepare your classiest ensemble, practice your snootiest “Bonjour!” and conquer Paris with a bang!

1. Plan. It’s impossible to see Paris without proper planning. Take it from me: I flew in the now defunct Air Madrid that left for Paris with a three-hour delay. Upon arriving I didn’t even have a printout of the map of the city. And, to make matters worse, I wasn’t sure about the schedule of the tourist spots so it took me six hours to get up the Eiffel Tower and go back down. The view from the top, however, made my stresses evaporate right away.

2. See. Most emblematic monuments in Paris seem out of reach for many people. Au contraire. The Arch de Triomphe and the Seine River, for example, can be admired from the outside. A walk along the famous Champs-Elysées (altogether now, shamps-e-LI-seh) is gratifying and free, and is a feast for the eyes. There are also many green spaces and parks like the Jardin du Luxembourg and the Jardin des Tuileries to while away your time. It’s pronounced roughly as /jzar-DAHN/, in case you’re interested. Cap the day off by walking through the charming Boulevard St-Michel.

3. Reflect. The city also offers many opportunities to get acquainted with the divine. The Cathédrale Notre Dame de París, the setting of Victor Hugo’s classic story on a hunchback, is also the repository of many Catholic relics such as the Crown of Thorns (housed in the nearby Sainte-Chapelle). Also recommendable is the Chapelle Notre Dame de la Médaille Miraculeuse on the Rue du Bac where the Virgin Mary was said to have appeared to St. Catherine Labouré and entrusted to her the miraculous medal. You could also be a bit more secular, follow the Da Vinci Code route and visit the Église Saint-Sulpice on the Rue de Vaugirard.

4. Choose. There are many places of interest that are far away from the city center. The Basilique de Sacré-Coeur in the Montmartre area is famous not only for it spectacular view of Paris but also for the angelic voices of the Benedictine nuns that sing the liturgy of the hours. The Versailles and Eurodisney, on the other hand, can be reached through public buses or a combination of subway and train. If you have limited time in the city, you may have to choose which of these places to visit.

5. Gawk. The world’s largest museum, the Louvre, is a must-see. No one, and I insist no one, should leave Paris without entering the Louvre. The museum is very big so if you really are hell-bent on becoming cultured but are pressed for time, I say you should devote at least four hours to see a fraction of the museum’s art collection. The so-called “Louvre Light” route consists of: the Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Venus de Milo and Leonardo’s enigmatic magnum opus, the Mona Lisa. I also recommend seeing the Code of Hammurabi, the world’s first written law, and the statue of Cupid and Psyche, a strong artistic personification of love. If you still haven’t got enough, try visiting the Musee d’Orsay for your Renoirs and Gauguins and the Hôtel des Invalides for a healthy dose of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Marlon’s Paris route (1-2 days): Eiffel. Seine. Hôtel des Invalides. Champs-Elysées. Jardin des Tuileries. Arch de Triomphe. Take the subway to Louvre. Notre Dame. Take the subway to Sacre-Coeur. Choose between Disneyland and Versailles. This is a very difficult route and chances are, you won’t even get to marvel at any of these places. But if you’re *really* in a hurry and have cash to burn, this route will work out just fine.

Marlon’s budget tip: Do check in the Louvre if they have a free-entrance day over the weekend. That way, you would save up about 14€.

A Disney day

On the last full day that I was in Paris, France, I had to make the difficult move of choosing between Versailles or Eurodisney. I chose Eurodisney, of course, largely because I was travelling with my friend Archie whose son Fonzy wanted some pics of his dad with Disney characters.

I know that many of you would say that you'd take the high road and resist the urge of being kids again, but believe me, in Disney everyone is a child. And the coup de grace? Well, it's gotta be the Eurodisney Parade!


Little Mermaid.



Beauty and the Beast.






Aladdin.


Sleeping Beauty.

Uffff

Oh well, it seem that they've erased the Dailymotion accounts that used to post videos of Koh Lanta 7: Palawan. :-(

I hope you caught the last episode before it got removed. Verónique got voted off (sigh!) so I'm rooting for Grégoire or Erick to win. Let's see what happens.

On eating worms in Koh Lanta 7

This is the best! See how the contestants in Episode 3 of Koh Lanta 7: Palawan squirm as they eat tree worms, known in the Philippines as uwok, in the food challenge! I am told that the worms are best eaten in adobo which, given the circumstances the contestants are in, would have been a luxury. Thanks to azmichael for the videos!

Catching up on Koh Lanta 7: Palawan

Let's make this quick. Here's Episode 2 of the French reality show Koh Lanta 7, filmed in Palawan, the Philippines. Curiosity for the day: the contestants meet Kasoy (literally, Cashew in Filipino), an Aeta tribal leader who teaches them survival skills in the jungle. Thanks to azmichael for the videos!

Can't get enough of Koh Lanta 7: Palawan

I've written in a previous post about the French reality show Koh Lanta, which was shot entirely in Palawan. Here's Episode 1 of the popular TV program. Enjoy the video and enjoy the Philippines! Thanks to azmichael for the videos!

French reality show "Koh-Lanta" goes to Palawan, the Philippines

The seventh season of the popular French reality TV show Koh-Lanta was filmed in the paradise island of Palawan in the Philippines!



PROUD TO BE PINOY!

Going up the Eiffel

My friend Archie and I went up the Eiffel Tower when we visited Paris, France last year. You should hear what I told him toward the end of the clip.

HOTEL REVIEW: Hotel Trianon Rive Gauche, Paris, France

OVERALL RATING: 5/5

DATE OF VISIT: March 31 to April 2, 2006

PLUSES: The best breakfast ever served in a turn-of-the-century dining room! Very solicitous staff members. Located in a quiet sidestreet of a busy main thoroughfare of Paris.

MINUSES: Well, this is not exactly a budget accommodation. Just like anything in Paris, the more you get near the center, the more expensive the hotels get.

Visit their site

A day in Paris from the Eiffel

Paris by day. Well, I think my friend Archie and I started queueing to enter the Eiffel at around 4 PM. Unfortunately, only one entrance gate was opened and there were a lot of tourists. We finally got in after about 45 minutes.


Paris by dusk. This was on the second tier of the Eiffel. It turned out that there were more people falling line there so I think we spent around three hours more in the queues to the elevator to the topmost spot.


Paris by night. Nope, this wasn't on topmost tier. This was still where I took the second pic. Yup, we waited that long!

Parisian phallicism

I was told that many people now go to Paris to follow the Da Vinci Code route. Although I am a big fan of the book, I wasn't up for looking for the Holy Grail the last time I was in Paris. What I did see, however, were a number of monuments so pointy that I went back home convinced that Paris is the world's phallic capital.

In the Louvre Museum, one of the phallic curiosities one can see is the Code of Hammurabi.

The Parisians also have this Egyptian obelisk at the center of the city.

Of course, the most famous Parisian phallus is the Eiffel Tower.