Author: columbusbee

A finance professional who works to travel. Like Christopher Columbus, the bee has traveled near and far and continues to evolve as a citizen of the world. A foodie at heart and a believer of natural, organic alternatives, the bee maintains a pragmatic approach to life to keep a healthy mind, body, and soul.

MLNRD at St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Health Buzz

St. Luke’s Medical Center – Global City (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

Before I could write the second part of my article The Contrasting Colors of Tokyo & Kyoto, I was diagnosed with sciatica (pain affecting the lower back, right buttock, and down to the back of the right leg due to the compression of the spinal nerve root). If you have read my article #ihaveflaws, you would deduce that this is a deterioration of my disability (slip/herniated and dessicated disk). Apparently, over the years, the nerve keeps adjusting until such time that it can no longer work around the protruded disk, hence the excruciating pain, particularly when I’m inactive (lying in bed at night and upon waking up in the morning). So my orthopedic surgeon, who was the same surgeon at St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City (SLMC) who first diagnosed me to have slip disk, asked me to undergo another MRI and X-ray (the last time I had the same was 8 years ago). As expected, the MRI results showed that the slip disk has worsened, where disk matter has already flowed out (the medical term they used is caudal migration) instead of just protrusion and constricting the nerve canal. Imagine a peanut butter and jelly bottle (yum) where the top layer has spilled over after accidentally shaking the bottle. The disk matter looks like a dripping peanut butter and jelly from the jar, occupying the space where the nerve root passes. My surgeon broached again the option of undergoing spinal surgery (which was one of the options he raised 8 years ago) and after further research on the other options (physical therapy and nerve injection), I’ve come to a conclusion to give it a go.

The reason why it took 8 years for me to consider the surgical option is because I am fully aware of the risks. Just like any surgery, these are not just plain, ordinary risks. Spinal surgery, if not done right for whatever reason, may potentially result to paralysis (an invasive procedure close to the spinal cord and would actually be in contact with the nerve root), not to mention infection and clotting that can move to the lungs and cause serious complications. Even if I consider the non-invasive options, I would probably still end up undergoing surgery eventually since the other options will not be able to remove the matter that is compressing the nerve. So I thought why not fix it now while the nerve is not totally impaired yet (it’s only been 5 weeks since I started feeling the incessant pain, dragging myself to work just to keep myself active to minimize the pain, notwithstanding the difficulty and discomfort I have to go thru when driving) rather than wait another 8 years where the risk of nerve damage is high and would result to long term rehabilitation post surgery and worst, permanent nerve impairment. So I’ve discussed with my surgeon the different types of surgery and have decided to do the Micro Lumbar Nerve Root Decompression (MLNRD). In layman’s terms, the surgeon will do an incision about an inch long (micro) in that portion of the lower back (lumbar) where the degenerated disc is located, drill into the bone to reach the nerve root, carefully scoot the nerve root over to unveil the protruded disk, shave off that dripping matter and also a portion of the bone at the other side to decompress (free up) the nerve, suction the disc and bone fragments, gently return the nerve to its place and then stitch up the muscle and skin. Since different body parts/tissues are impacted, healing and recovery will take weeks (at least 3 weeks for the muscle to heal, 3-6 months for the bone to form and fill the gaps, and healing/recovery period varies for the nerves depending on the extent of the damage).

After confirming and scheduling the surgery at SLMC (you have to schedule it in advance since the operating room may not be always available), my surgeon then asked me to go thru a battery of tests to see how fit I was for surgery. So I had complete blood work, ECG, 2D Echo, urinalysis (including creatinine), and chest X-ray. Some of these tests are scheduled as well (where the next available date can be in weeks), but if you tell the labs that you are due for surgery, they will prioritize you and squeeze you in. So I passed all tests but I also learned that I have a congenital heart defect (if you have read my article #ihaveflaws, then I could add this to the list in the context of travel). All the tests show though that my heart is in good shape in spite of (I even have a heart rate similar to that of athletes which I could probably attribute to the herbal/organic supplements that I’m taking, which is another story) so my newfound heart condition was not a showstopper. So after the risk assessment of my overall state of health, the cardiologist issued a “low risk” (from potential complications) rating for the surgery that I was scheduled to take.

Executive Private Room (St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City)

I read somewhere that the cost of this particular type of surgery would be about half a million pesos (give or take) where 200 grand is for the hospital bills and the rest for doctor fees. Apparently, this does not include the outpatient costs (ie the battery of tests plus the MRI and X-ray pre-surgery, where those alone cost about 30 grand, and post surgery tests, medicines, physical therapy, and consultations) and if there are complications post surgery, then it could be higher. That’s a whole lot of money involved (I could already buy a new car with that) so good thing I have not one but two medical (HMO) insurance plans, one from the company I work with (Intellicare where the annual limit for a single illness is only up to 250 grand) and the other a personal insurance I took a couple of years back for greater coverage (which has higher limits but also very expensive premiums and this is where a large part of my annual bonus goes to, which I would consider as investment for my health). Since the latter has higher limits (especially the room limit where the former cannot even get me a semi-private accommodation, so if you want to have a private room and you only have Intellicare, then you should be ready to shell out some of your own funds). So we decided to make use of the latter for in-patient expenses (and any outpatient extensions of it) and use the former for other outpatient expenses.

I was admitted the day before the surgery (scheduled 6AM the next day). Upon admission, you’ll be asked if you have any allergies or are allergic to any food and medicines. So I told them that aside from the fact that I have a history of asthma, I am also allergic to Ibuprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug or NSAID which was prescribed years ago by my dental surgeon to manage the pain from dental surgery (impacted tooth extraction). I told them that my whole face swelled where my eyes look like slits on an evenly bloated face that made me look like an alien. Aside from the name band (which they will attach on your left wrist if you’re right handed), they will also attach a red band with the list of meds that you are allergic to (in my case, the band has “Ibuprofen” written on it). They also attached a yellow band for “risk of fall” coz I told them I could be a klutz sometimes (lol). I got admitted early (around 2PM that day) so that the pulmonologist can still assess me on what type of anesthesia would be best for someone with a history of asthma. There are two types of anesthesia, one is general anesthesia (GA) where you will be put to sleep and your brain won’t be receptive to pain as well as no memory of what is on-going, but will put a lot of stress on your whole body (especially your lungs) that it may trigger asthma during surgery. The other one is regional anesthesia where you’ll be temporarily paralyzed from waist down. The latter will keep you awake, but a catheter will be attached to you to help you urinate post surgery until the anesthesia wears off (which could take days). I shudder at the thought of the catheter alone, so it was no brainer for me to choose GA, in spite of the risks. The risks are real, since I’ll be operated face down in prone position, so if for whatever reason that I will have difficulty breathing, they cannot just flip me over with the incision at my back. So choosing GA means that they will insert a tube in my mouth while I’m under just to ensure that the risks are mitigated and the pulmonologist will monitor my condition throughout the surgery. So I have the orthopedic surgeon, anesthesiologist, and pulmonologist on board for the surgery, not to mention the bedside nurse and other surgeons and nurses that will get invited to the soiree.

There should be no food or water intake at least 8 hours before the surgery. That means my last intake should be at 10PM. The nurses will also attach the IV (intravenous) before then, so a few minutes past 9PM, I decided to take the Esonex bath (it’s the bath that they require you to take before surgery to keep the bacteria on the body in check and lessen the risk of infection). I brought in with me my Amiki shampoo (a honey based shampoo which I got from New Zealand in one of my trips and I only use it if it will take more than 24 hours til my next shampoo such as while I’m travelling long haul coz it keeps my hair easy to manage and stay fresh) and my A La Maison body wash which I use as my facial wash. I thought I wanted to go into surgery feeling clean and fresh. Since I have the bands on my left wrist covered in plastic (so that it won’t get soiled and ruined while in the shower), it was a bit hard to shower with only one hand. Feeling refreshed from the bath, I was met by the nurse in my room with pre-surgery meds on hand at around 10 past 10. I asked her what are those and who prescribed the same, so she told me one is for the nerve pain (pregabalin, which I am already taking), two 500mg of paracetamol for the pain, one tablet of Ketesse, and another tablet of Omepron and all were from the orders of the anesthesiologist based on the standard pre-surgery meds that are given to patients of my orthopedic surgeon undergoing the same type of surgery (which is a loose term given that not all patients are alike). The last two meds I wasn’t familiar with, so I asked the nurse if I could keep the packaging that came with it so that I could google it. I have formed this habit of checking out any meds that I’m not familiar with (ie what it is for, side effects, drug interactions, etc.) from my experience with my Mom who was in and out of the hospital last year, as well as my Dad who’s taking at least half a dozen of daily drug maintenance. It also helps that I have my own cocktail of herbal/organic supplements that I had made thorough ‘research’ before taking them, so checking out pharmaceuticals (which I haven’t had any in the last few years after I have shifted to herbal, organic, nutriceuticals even when I’m sick) comes like second skin to me. So I checked out Ketesse, which looks like another pain killer, and Omepron, which reduces the acid in the stomach (to prevent any from going up while I am face down in prone position during the surgery). What I was a bit concerned about was the two large doses of paracetamol along with Ketesse where the latter should not be taken with another pain killer (based on my readings) as it may potentially have adverse effect. But I trusted my doctors, so I shove that concern aside as well as any worries from the impending surgery. I was feeling clean and fresh from the bath and trying to think only of happy thoughts before getting a good night sleep a few hours before the surgery.

Severe allergic reaction a few hours before the surgery (St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City)

But alas, it wasn’t a sweet dream. Not even a good night sleep (since I could hardly sleep). I started to feel odd and I know right away there was something wrong. My lips started to swell and then I noticed that there were reddish patches on my face that were starting to swell, mostly under my eyes and partly on the sides of my nose. This was around midnight. So I buzzed the nurse’s station right away, knowing fully well what I was going thru. When the bedside nurse came, I told her that I think I’m having an allergic reaction, not sure from what but I initially suspected the high doses of paracetamol. So I asked her to bring me an antihistamine and she asked me which one in particular. I told her the last time I had the same reaction, I only took Claritin, and the allergy eventually subsided. So she left to see what she can get. While she’s gone, the mucus started to build up like a big incubus, congesting my sinus. I blew my nose every now and then, and started to have that feeling of being sick. My throat started to constrict where I had a hard time swallowing my saliva and the swelling of the face was getting worse. My eyes were watery, my neck and chest have hives. The worst part was when I could hardly breathe. It was a nightmare. I started to google the two meds again thinking that it can’t be the paracetamol that could have caused the allergic reaction and that I may have missed something. Then my attention was caught by the generic name of one of the meds: Dexketoprofen. Eureka! When the nurse came back (she was gone like forever) with the antihistamine (which I later found out to be Benadryl) and a resident in tow, I told them that I think my allergic reaction was triggered by Ketesse. I told them I don’t understand why they would prescribe me that drug. I didn’t like the answer of the resident (or the on duty anesthesiologist, not sure which one she was) and reminded her that there is a vast range of NSAIDs which name does not end with profen. If I’m allergic to Ibuprofen, then I would likely be allergic to Dexketoprofen. So they administered Benadryl thru IV. Before the effect started to kick in, I was miserable for about a couple of hours. I didn’t only suffer from difficulty of breathing, I was also anxious and worried that because of my current condition, my orthopedic surgeon may call off the surgery and set it on a future date if my condition doesn’t improve in a couple of hours (I’m scheduled to be wheeled into the pre operation holding room around 4:30AM and it was already around 2 in the morning). I thought I don’t want to go thru this all over again. Finally, the Benadryl may have kicked in and made me fall into a nap, which was short-lived coz I was awaken by heavy sweating, feeling hot when the aircon was at a steady temperature. I thought there goes the clean and fresh feeling, there goes the Amiki shampooed hair. It wasn’t long when my sister dropped in (she only learned about what I went thru when she noticed that my face was still a bit swollen when she arrived and as a doctor, she was also worried whether the surgery would still be a go and even frowned on me for not calling her that night) and the staff came in to wheel me out and into the pre-operation holding room.

After answering the same set of questions for the nth time (“What’s your name, birthdate, and the procedure you’ll be undergoing?”) to different staff from the time I got admitted, I met the anesthesiologist who gave the order for the pre-surgery meds at the holding room. She apologized and admitted that when she got the nurse’s text message that night about the pre-surgery meds to be administered, she didn’t ask for my background. In her defense, the nurses should have also checked given that they have with them all the necessary information about me (not to mention those bands on my wrist). I was calm and collected and even had a chit chat with her (she was probably impressed with my conversational English and thought I was originally from the US) and was just ready to get the surgery done and over with. When I finally met my orthopedic surgeon, he apologized to me, not because of what I went thru earlier, but because I was made to sign the general consent twice, one which I submitted right after admission, and the other when I was already in the holding room where my annoyance was very transparent to the bedside nurse (when he asked me to sign that other general consent form) who may have relayed that annoyance to him. That’s when I realized he has no idea of what happened hours earlier (no staff has informed him of what transpired earlier). So I told him that the reason why I was irritated that early morning (right after I was wheeled in the holding room and before I met the anesthesiologist) was because I just had a severe allergic reaction to a drug that the hospital has administered, suffered the whole night, and didn’t get sleep at all. He was surprised to learn about that and apologized on behalf of the hospital and I was just glad that after getting me into the nebulizer and checking that I wasn’t allergic to the antibiotic that they plan to administer, he gave the go signal to wheel me in the operating room. That was the last time I could remember being conscious.

I woke up feeling sore but my mind was alert. I buzzed the bedside nurse and when she came, I asked where I was and what time was it. She told me I’m in the recovery/recuperating room and it’s 10:30AM, and I asked how’s my bp (blood pressure). She said 120 over 80. I then asked whether my twisted position in bed (both legs bended at the knees were lying flat on my left while my right shoulder was lying flat on my right with the bp instrument attached to my right arm) was ok given that I just went thru spinal surgery. She didn’t answer the question but instead asked me if I was in pain, and I said yes. She left and came back with the anesthesiologist on duty. The anesthesiologist asked me if other than Ibuprofen, what other meds am I allergic to. That’s when all that has happened the night before came rushing in, and out of my annoyance, I snapped at her by saying “Why don’t you freakin check my charts? Your hospital administered a drug that I was allergic to a few hours earlier and you’re asking me that question?” So she and the bedside nurse went to check my chart and left (probably to get paracetamol for the pain). While both were gone, there’s another patient moaning in pain right next to me (only separated by a curtain) and a village of staff were around him (not sure why they were all there when it didn’t look like an emergency or critical situation, except that he was just vocal about his pain) where one of them bumped my bed. I was not only in pain but already furious, past being annoyed. When the bedside nurse came back to check my bp (125 over 80, 15 minutes after the last reading), I asked her that I be moved back to my room. I thought the longer I stay in that so-called recovery/recuperating room, the more likely that my bp would shoot up. She left and after what feels like eternity, I buzzed her again and I asked what’s taking them so long and told me that they still have to administer the paracetamol. So I told her “Can’t that be administered in my room?” She left again. After waiting and enduring the moaning on the other bed, she came back with the yellow band and told me that they were ready to wheel me out and started to put the yellow band on my right wrist. Then I raised my left hand telling her that I already have it, and that’s when I started to cry.

(Left) IV dextrose and antibiotic injection; (Right) the colored bands (St. Luke’s Medical Center-Global City)

I cried out of frustration (not out of pain). I cried because no one seems to even bother to check on the wrist bands. I cried because even with the red band on, I still suffered from severe allergic reaction which was what the band was supposed to prevent and consequently has to take additional meds (Benadryl and God knows what else did they pump into my system that night) that I don’t need if not for the hospital inflicted allergy a few hours before my surgery. I cried because I even protected the bands by taking a shower with only one hand, only to be ignored and neglected (I mean what’s the point of having the bands if no one cares to look?). I cried because no one seems to bother to check my charts, that staff seems to be lazy and just tend to rely everything on the patient. I cried because all my preparations hours before the surgery were wasted. I cried because I was miserable the night before when I should have been relaxed and calm before the surgery. I cried because I didn’t have sleep. I cried because no one in the recovery/recuperating room seems to care that I too was in pain, in spite of my stable condition and quiet demeanor. I cried because of questions that I have to answer right after waking up from GA. I cried because of the insensitivity and lack of inclusivity in that room. I cried because I just had too much.

But my travails didn’t end there. While I was being wheeled out of the recovery/recuperating room, there was a brief stop at a staff station. The staff put a tool/tackle box right next to the area of the surgery (it is not uncommon in Philippine hospitals to use the bed to transport not just the patient but the tools/supplies as well). I was still in that same twisted position since I woke up from GA where the area of surgery was exposed. She then asked me “What’s your name, birthdate, and procedure that was performed?” In a matter of seconds, the emotions that were running high (upset and crying) before that brief stop have now transitioned into anger and spite. I blasted her off by retorting “Before I answer your questions, what the hell is this tool box doing right next to my surgery? I could slap you right now!” (ok, I’m not a violent person, but in a fit of rage, I could have said that but what I probably meant was that I could slap the stupidity out of her). In panic mode, she hastily removed the box (which looks like a mechanic or handyman tool box) and signaled the bedside nurse to carry on, without even waiting for my answers. I thought she was courting disaster by placing the box next to my area of surgery and anything can happen while in transit between the 3rd (where the recovery/recuperating room is) and 16th floor (where my private room was). When I reached my room, I was so distraught that I started crying again when my sister called to check on me (her housekeeper who was watching over me and witnessed the whole incident at the staff station got the call and told her that I was crying and my sister was worried why I was so distressed coz she knows that I don’t or rarely cry). Hours later, I told the housekeeper “Fe, uwi na tayo bukas, na stre-stressed na ako dito” (“Fe, let’s leave tomorrow, I’m so stressed here”). That pretty much sums up my feelings toward the hospital and its staff.

In my desire to leave early, I started to stand up and walk just a few hours after the surgery (my surgery was done at around 8:30AM and I was already standing and walking around 2PM). My orthopedic surgeon even caught me eating while standing when he dropped by that afternoon. I was hungry and thirsty (not to mention emotionally drained and wrecked) that I can’t wait to have my bihon (a Filipino dry noodle dish which is one of my favorite comfort food) and Coke Zero. He asked me to lie down on my back so that he can do some physical tests, which I passed and signified that the surgery was a success. He told me the day after when he was about to give me my discharge clearance that I’m one of those who belong to the top 96% success rate. Though I am immuno-compromised (due to the GA) and vulnerable to risk of infection (and possible bleeding) from the surgery, he thought it would be better if I stay at home to heal and recover (and just call him if there is an emergency) rather than in a hospital where hospital acquired diseases/infections are pretty much common. I couldn’t agree more. I literally walked my way out of the hospital the day after my surgery (only wearing my sacro lumbar support without the need for a wheelchair). Am I not a real trooper or what (haha after being a cry baby)?

There are plenty of good stuff in this experience. Going into the surgery, I knew that I’ll be in good and able hands. My orthopedic surgeon pioneered this type of surgery in the country and he has been easy to work with. Plus the fact that he’s quite animated when he explains things to me, which is the same way I would explain things at work, so he resonated well with me. I was also well protected, when I made an investment on my health when I took that second insurance a while back that defrayed my medical expenses, which was one burden that I don’t have to worry about going into the surgery. Then there’s my sister, a doctor who I can bounce off ideas with from a medical perspective, that gave me comfort and confidence in every decision that I have made for this surgery. Of course, there were bad stuff too. The ordeal I went thru before and after the surgery could have been avoided if only the staff were more adept in their jobs. I am sharing this experience not with the intent to fire people (which I told my orthopedic surgeon when he informed me that an investigation of what happened was already underway on the day of my discharge), but to learn from it and immerse themselves in understanding what patient care truly means. I’m not a doctor or pharmacist or nurse but I’m pretty sure that Ibuprofen and Dexketoprofen belong to the same family of NSAIDs. A little sensitivity won’t hurt, like trying to minimize questions and getting answers from a patient who just woke up from GA and/or recovering and recuperating in a room that was designated for that purpose. I mean what’s with “What’s your name, birthdate, and procedure undertaken?” if the patient is still drowsy and groggy? I know it’s a standard question that a patient has to answer a hundred times during confinement (just like what a call center agent would ask from a scripted phone conversation when they accept food delivery orders, but hospital staff are not call center agents) but this is where appropriateness and common sense should come in. Imagine saying “Mi-cro Lum-bar Ner-ve Ro-ot De-com-pres-sion,” or just the thought of having to say that right after surgery when you are still in pain. That’s painful, right? Just like hotels, hospital staff are front desk staff, receptionists, concierge, or what we call frontliners who can be deal breakers from a hospitality perspective. Knowing when it is appropriate to ask these standard questions is essential. Coz no matter how good or topnotch your surgeons, doctors and specialists are, or how cutting edge and game changing your facilities and services are, but if you lack the basic values of care, understanding, and common sense (including sensitivity), then you cannot really take pride in marketing yourself as a top medical center in the country or one of the best in the region.

(Left) Waking up at my sister’s guest room (where I’m currently staying while recovering from the surgery); (Right) Netflix binging (#netflixbinge I’m currently hooked with “The Crown”)

Then the ugly part. This whole experience brought out the worst in me. I have a Kardashian moment (#kardashianmoment) and Godzilla demeanor at the same time (toxic combination) that I wasn’t really proud of. I never had that sense of entitlement coz I do understand how people work hard to get to where they are now (coz that’s me). But I’ve been to hell and back, so can you blame me for my actions (or more appropriately, words)? On hindsight, I could have been kinder and more understanding, which is also a learning experience for me. On the other hand, people who know me understand that I have low tolerance for stupidity (if you have read my article “Remembering Miriam Defensor Santiago,” then you’ll understand that it runs in the family). Like what I told my orthopedic surgeon, I can bear the pain of surgery but I can’t bear the pain of stupidity. I have high tolerance for pain but low tolerance for insensitivity, ineptness, inappropriateness, laziness, or simply lack of common sense. Too much of these leave you feeling a little….

…unhinged.

(Note: Thanks to Dr. Mario R. Ver, my orthopedic surgeon, who was a delight to work, collaborate, and partner with and whose Midas touch gave me freedom from sciatica. My gratitude as well to the Sisters of Carmelite for all the prayers.)

The Contrasting Colors Of Tokyo And Kyoto – Part 1 of 2

Travel and Food Buzz

Neutral, metallic shades of Tokyo (Mori Tower Observation Deck) and vibrant, primary hues of Kyoto (Mt. Inari Foot Path)

My sister, brother-in-law, and I are planning to go to Japan in December so I thought why not write something about my last trip to the land of the rising sun. I went to Japan July last year and didn’t know that it was the peak of the summer season. Since it was my first time, I had no idea how hot and humid summers are in that country, which feels like summers in the Philippines. I don’t normally go to places when it’s too warm unless it’s a beach destination, so this is another first for me.

A lot of my friends were asking why it took so long before I finally decided to visit Japan. I don’t really have a ready answer to that, but probably because of its close proximity, I tend to see farther destinations as more desirable. My American ex-boss who’s based there even frowned on me when he learned that I keep going back to Europe almost every year yet I haven’t taken up his standing offer to visit him while he was still there. It was too late when I finally did, since he and his family left the country before the trip.

Urban jungle of Tokyo and bamboo jungle of Kyoto

Incidentally there was another fare promo that was very enticing and ultimately was the clincher. The business class fare of Eva Air to Tokyo via Taipei was a good buy (Manila-Taipei-Narita-Taipei-Manila was about $700) so I decided to book it before I changed my mind. Then I have to apply for a visa (which was quick, took only about 3 days processing time thru a travel agency) and bought a JR Pass (only offered to tourists and can only be bought in your home country since it’s not available in Japan). The pass can save you train fare big time especially if you are flying in Narita (it’s an almost 2-hour train ride to Tokyo) and have plans of taking the train to other big cities like Kyoto or Osaka. I got a 7-day pass, so it covered my return trips for Kyoto and Narita with most of my Tokyo subway rides as well. But it doesn’t come cheap (between $250-$400 depending on your choice of cabin class) just like everything else in Japan.

Tokyo

Tokyo skyline (from the observation deck of Mori Tower)

I stayed in Shinjuku area (known as the red light district or the “district that never sleeps”), where I booked a room at Ibis Tokyo Shinjuku. The room came with a mobile phone (called “Handy”) which you can use (for free) for navigating the city as well as knowing which subway line to take to reach certain stations. You can also make free international calls to certain countries (unfortunately, Philippines was not one of those select countries). I learned while I was there that Tokyo is like a cluster of districts (where an area also called Tokyo is one of these districts, along with Shinjuku). I used my Le Club Accor for this accommodation and it is in a very good location since it is accessible to the subway station (to reach the other districts) and most of the dining, shopping, and entertainment spots. As expected, the area was bustling with people day and night in spite of the summer heat. I was quite overwhelmed with the dining options that it took me a while to finally settle for a resto to have my first dinner.

My room (Ibis Tokyo Shinjuku). I got the twin coz it’s the biggest room (in a country where space is a luxury, this one is a good buy)

The first morning since I arrived in the hotel I had breakfast which consisted of typical buffet fare. It was a decent selection, but what really fascinated me was the miso soup machine that operates like a coffee maker. You insert your bowl and press a button and hot water and miso paste come out from separate dispensers. The paste mixes with the running hot water to make a bowl of miso soup. You thought it may just be another fancy invention that produces mediocre, plain, bland, copycat of a miso soup, but this one was delicious! I would have at least two helpings every morning while I was there. I was even wondering where I can buy the machine and the paste, but never cared to ask since I can’t bring home an equipment that is not so light to carry or check in my luggage. Speaking of technology, another thing that I love about Japan is the heated toilet seats and automated bidet. Both private and public restrooms would have these, and for that alone, I would come back to Japan in a heartbeat. If I could only collapse and carry it back home, I would.

Shinjuku After Dark

With always a full tummy every morning, I would start exploring the city just like any other tourist. It was difficult though to move around under that scorching summer heat but fortunately, there were shops that gave away free plastic hand fans. So imagine me walking around with a fan on one hand and a bottle of water on the other. It is important to get hydrated during this time of the year, when one can easily get a heat stroke (you could hear the sound of the ambulance siren not just once or twice a day, which probably were the ramifications of the heat wave). During nighttime, I would explore Shinjuku area which is known for its varied entertainment fare (arguably the entertainment capital of Tokyo) where some of the notable sights were the robot restaurants and the animal cafes. So during the day I would see other tourist spots like Roppongi Hills (with Mori Tower where you can get a good bird’s eye view of the whole city thru its observation deck as well as thru its sky deck/rooftop/helipad) where I spotted a branch of the popular New York burger resto Shake Shack, Imperial Palace (with its lush parks and gardens), Shibuya (popularly known for its jampacked pedestrian crossing at any given time of the day), Tokyo Skytree (where you can get another good view of the city after dark thru its viewing deck), temples and shrines (where you can write your wishes on an “Ema” and hang it up among the others fronting the statues of the temple gods), and shopping districts.

Sights of Tokyo: cute Doraemons (Roppongi Hills), temple/shrine, lush gardens (Imperial Palace), jampacked pedestrian crossing (Shibuya), towering heights (Tokyo Skytree), and “Ema” (wood tablet where locals write their wishes to the temple gods)

When it comes to shopping, Tokyo is shoppers paradise. They have this so-called “shotengai” which is similar to the grand bazaars of Istanbul or the medinas and souks of Casablanca  and Marrakesh where shops line up in maze like fashion. If you are a fan of anime (which I’m not, sorry), then these are the places for you. Some of the popular ones are Nakano Broadway (for vintage watches) and Ameyoko Market (for street food and second hand or hand me downs luxury designer bags). Knock off luxury goods are illegal in Japan, so second hand items are very popular among shoppers who look for good buys. Not sure why there were a lot of those, either the Japanese elites just want to declog their closets to free up some precious space (space is a luxury in Japan) and fill them up with in-season (and I’m speaking fashion) items. Or maybe some fell on hard times that they have to let go and sell or pawn their luxury goods. But if you want a hassle free shopping, I’ve discovered (thanks to my cousin Jean who has been to Japan a few times) Don Quijote (yes, they spell it with a ‘j’ instead of an ‘x’) and Daikokuya, where you can find the same items (and more) from the shotengais all under one roof. Guess what? Both are just stone throw away from my hotel.

Shotengai or shopping havens where you can splurge on second hand designer bags and vintage watches among other good finds

Of course, the food is just to die for. In my short stay in Tokyo, I have appreciated Japanese food probably more than I could imagine. I never thought I would fall in love with the food. I’m not new to Japanese food, but I’ve never been fond of it until I’ve finally had a few in this food connoisseurs delight of a place. There’s the popular Tsukiji Market for street food, but because it was the peak of summer, I tried to avoid food in such places where it can easily get spoiled, particularly the raw ones. So I ended up having my sashimi fix in a neighborhood resto, which offers lunch specials that consist of a bowl of different seafood sashimi with rice and soup. Then there’s the mouth-watering wagyu beef sirloin that sort of melt in the mouth like butter. I had it in a classy teppanyaki resto in Kabuki-cho called Yasaiya Teppanyaki. You have to have it medium rare (as how steaks should be) and just be prepared to fork out at least $80 for a good meal. I had some firsts as well, like the unagi (Japanese eel) where I had what they call ‘hitsumabushi’ or Nagoya style unagi. I also tried this resto that specializes in beef tongue, where I had a combo of beef kalbi, pork loin, another kind of pork, and of course, beef tongue. The beef tongue was chewy, so good thing I had the other meat viands. My ultimate first though was the iconic Ichiran Ramen. Cousin Jean vibered me saying I can’t leave Tokyo without trying Ichiran Ramen. There’s a branch near my hotel so I went. Boy, am I glad I did. Just like the colors of Tokyo, it was muted, tempered, and yet overwhelming to the senses. This food journey was an experience bigger than the trip itself.

My Japanese food journey (clockwise from top left): bowl of seafood sashimi, unagi (japanese eel), combo of beef tongue and other meat viands, seafood tempura, Ichiran ramen, wagyu beef sirloin, and bento of sashimi, tempura, miso soup, and grilled fish. Did I say all are delish?

(Up next: Kyoto)

Remembering Miriam Defensor Santiago

Positivity Buzz

(Initially published last June, this post is re-published to commemorate the 3rd death anniversary of Miriam Defensor Santiago on September 29)

MIRIAM DEFENSOR SANTIAGO (photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

June 15 marks Miriam Defensor Santiago’s birth anniversary. To foreign visitors of this blog, Miriam was the first Asian (from a developing country) and Filipino elected to the International Criminal Court (ICC). She was a Senator, cabinet official, and trial court judge in the Philippines. A Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (Asia’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize), she has dedicated her life to government service. Just last December, she was conferred by both houses of Congress and affirmed by no less than the President himself the Quezon Service Award, the highest national recognition that the Republic can bestow to its citizen for exemplary service to the nation. She was the first and only woman and 6th Filipino to receive such award since its inception in 1946. Internationally, she was conferred with the Grand Cross of the Order of Civil Merit from King Juan Carlos I of Spain and was named one of The 100 Most Powerful Women of the World by The Australian magazine.

So why am I paying tribute to Miriam? I thought I would rather remember Manang Miriam (Manang is a Filipino word used as a sign of respect to an older person, like a big sister or auntie) on her birth rather than death anniversary. As what Manang Nini (Miriam’s younger and closest sister) said in her dedication during Miriam’s interment, she thanked God for bringing her into this world, coz there is only one Miriam Defensor Santiago. True, almost three years after her passing, the country still awaits for a Miriam 2.0 and we are not even sure if he/she has been born yet.

Did I inherit Miriam’s “shapeliest legs” title? Or maybe just her sense of humor lol (Miriam’s photo courtesy of Philippine Daily Inquirer while my photo is courtesy of GoPro Hero7 Black)

You might be thinking why I’m putting Miriam out there like I know her a lot. Like, what’s my connection with her? Not a lot of people know this, but she was my first cousin. We may be generation apart (she was the oldest among the cousins while I am among the youngest) but my memories of her are still vivid up to this day. I remember every time she would visit Iloilo City for an official or personal engagement (she was a regional trial court judge then), she would leave her kids Archie (about my age) and AR (about my younger sister’s age) in our house. I remember her being very close to my Mom (my Mom is just a few years older than her which explains the closeness), where sometimes just by looking at each other, they would both laugh without even uttering a word. She would have so much trust in my Mom that she would leave her kids to play with us. Our house is like a sanctuary to her. Not only her. Every year, our house is the venue for Christmas family reunion. My siblings and I would call our house The Switzerland. It’s the most neutral place in the world where family members who don’t see each other eye to eye would converge and be civil with each other even for just a moment. So every family member including Manang Miriam would be in our house for social visit, to reconnect, let out anger and frustration, temporary shelter when under personal crisis, or just simply to see us and have a good time.

Manang Miriam (far right) and the precocious toddler on the foreground center is me

In one of her visits, it was right after my graduation. I brought some of my college friends to our house. When she got there, she was delighted to see so many young faces. That’s her fascination with young minds and that’s what actually endeared her to the young generation. She almost had the Presidency way back then because of the youth vote. Anyways, my Mom, who would be happy to brag about her kids accomplishments (which Mom doesn’t?), mentioned to her that I just graduated from the very same university where Manang also graduated from and with honors at that (not same with hers though, Manang graduated magna cum laude while I got only the last two words). I remember Manang saying “Ga saler gid noh?” (It runs in the blood, huh?). That mere mention of my academic achievement would have sat in the back of her mind that a few years later, she would ask me in at least two separate occasions to work for her in the Senate.

I always maintain a personal policy of not working for or with a family member. Not that I don’t like working for or with them, but I want to succeed in this life in my own terms. This is why up to this day, not a lot of people really know that I am related to her and people would see now that what I have accomplished in this life is thru my own sweat and blood and not because of my family connections. That’s why when Manang offered me those opportunities, no matter how tempting those were particularly to work for and with one of the brilliant minds of her generation, I politely declined. Besides, politics is not really my cup of tea. As a young student, I campaigned for her when she ran for President. When she was not proclaimed, that was my first and last foray into politics.

Years went by that even if we rarely see each other, there were still moments where her caring and generous nature would manifest. Every time we would send her family Christmas hampers, she would not be remiss in sending us back a personal thank you note. We would get invited to her family’s Christmas parties here in Manila (reminiscent of the old family reunion in our house). Just like my Mom, she looks after her family members where she even has a dedicated staff to attend to family matters.

Brother & Sister Act: Manang Miriam with her brother Bennie (leftmost, with their spouses) and me with my sister in one of Manang’s Christmas parties

To my country, she was an icon, a national treasure. To Asia, she was the Iron Lady. To the world, she was one of the most powerful. To me, she was just my thoughtful, caring, and generous Manang.

Happy Birthday Manang Miriam. We miss you.

(Note: Thank you to Senator Grace Poe, a fellow Ilonggo and a ‘student’ of Manang in the Senate, Senator Sonny Angara, who considers Manang as a mentor too, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senator Richard Gordon, and the Youth Reform Movement a.k.a Youth for Miriam Movement, for your efforts in making the Quezon Service Award possible. Much love to all of you.)

Dear Mama Mary

Travel & Positivity Buzz

Our Lady of Fatima

Last Sunday (September 8) was the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or simply Mama Mary’s birthday. It’s the time of the year when Marian devotees celebrate our Mother’s special day in their own way. For me, it was going to church to hear mass and to say my prayers of thanks. My devotion to our Mother has been influenced by my own Mom’s devotion to her (she built not one but two grottos in our house, the second one apparently from her dreams) and Filipinos love for her, as we are probably the only nation in the world where Mama Mary has a very special place in our day to day lives.

Lourdes, France

I am not really someone you can describe as a devout Catholic or a practicing one. In fact, I have already shed some religious traditions and beliefs that to me do not make sense at all, even after being raised in a religious and conservative family and years of blindly following traditions. In its place are beliefs taken from other religions, beliefs that are relatable and make more sense to me. You can say that I try to embrace snippets of certain religions or beliefs that resonate well with me. Like the concept of reincarnation, for example, from Hinduism. I am fascinated with past lives and what’s in store for me in my next life. The Hindu concept of karma is also very much a part of my pragmatic life. These are not teachings of the Catholic faith, but nonetheless I would see as having the same or even greater significance particularly on finding answers to or explanations for why certain things happen in our lives. I also subscribe to the teachings of Confucius, particularly the concept of filial piety. Although some of these are overlapping with Catholic beliefs, but there is just beauty on how certain religions depict and manifest these concepts and provide reason for being.

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes and the holy water fountains

But one thing that is non-negotiable is my unwavering faith in Mama Mary. It’s not so much because she is our Christ’s Mother, but more on her being one of our own. Her story is simple as her character, but has immense impact as her presence. I don’t think I would have live this much or have gone thru life without her. There are challenges in this life that I have survived mainly on my belief in our Mother and her divine intervention. We always try to search for someone to look up to, someone who we think can guide us through. For me, there is no other higher power that I could relate to more than Mama Mary. The concept of her being a Mother to all of us cannot simply be ignored.

Grotto of Massabielle (Grotto of the Apparitions)

This is why even in my travels, I still have her even in just a few of my itineraries. In one of my trips to Europe a few years ago, I visited Lourdes (France) together with my folks. This is one of the places that our Blessed Virgin was said to have appeared in. It’s a quaint but scenic town with hilly areas and a river that snakes through the countryside. There are a lot of shops selling religious memorabilia and plastic containers for the holy water. The grotto that was built to serve as a marker of the probable location of her apparition is now where regular masses are held outside of the huge cathedral. The waters that come out from the fountains around the area are said to have miraculous powers that can cure the sick. The baths in the shrine offer the same miracles apparently, but it was very cold then and were closed for public use after it got flooded a few weeks earlier. Mom & Dad were quite disappointed (though even if it was open, I won’t let them take a public bath at that cold weather), so we ended up filling plastic bottles with holy water (I still have some up to this day). My belief though is that it’s not the water per se that is miraculous, but the strong, unadulterated faith in our Mother that she can cure us of our ills is the miracle that some people may have experienced.

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima (Fatima, Portugal)

Two years ago I also went to Fatima (Portugal) to commemorate the 100th year of Mama Mary’s apparition. In that small town, she was said to have appeared to three young kids Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco multiple times that year starting May 13, 1917 and culminated on that fateful day when the extraordinary event now known as the Miracle of the Sun occurred on October 13, 1917. I traveled solo that time, since my folks were already too old to take that trip, though they would love to join me then if not for their mobility concerns. Fatima has that same idyllic setting as Lourdes but what ruins the vibe are the number of commercial establishments sprouting around the area. It doesn’t feel like a quaint town anymore but a modern town bidding for cityhood. Being in a holy place, there is nothing much to do but to hear mass and pray. I ended up attending at least two masses a day (morning and night) and participating in the night procession. I went at a time when the expected huge pilgrimage hasn’t arrived yet, so the area wasn’t that crowded. Just the right time to have that peace and space conducive to praying solemnly and life reflection. A special place and time to feel connected and closer to our Mother.

The Big Holm Oak

Translation: “Under this tree the little shepherds prayed while our Lady waited. The Holm of the apparitions was where the small column is today on the little chapel porch.”

I’ve mentioned about challenges in my life and how faith has kept me going thru these hard times. Last year was one of those difficult times for me personally. My Mom had several bouts of pneumonia and she was in and out of the hospital during that year. The first time I saw her in her critical state, tears started flowing and felt like the floodgates have been opened where I just couldn’t stop crying. She looked so frail and in vegetative state-like appearance, a face and a body that I could hardly recognize, like life has been sucked out of her. Gone were those hyper demeanor and huge kisses and hugs every time she sees me home. I remember flying in and out of Manila almost every week just to see her and ensure that everything is being taken care of in the hospital before flying back to Manila. While here, I would call the hospital every night after work just to check on her stats and condition. It has been a nightly routine (no matter how late and tired I was from stress from work) that nurses on duty would already expect my calls and are already prepared what to report to me. As if that wasn’t hard enough, my sister underwent transplant that same month when my Mom was in ICU for weeks. Like real troopers, these women in my life are now recovering nicely. Not so much due to medical science, but I could attribute these recoveries, which are nothing short of a miracle, to all the help I had from prayer warriors in my life: relatives and the Sisters of Carmelite, the former Marian devotees while the latter has the Blessed Virgin as their patron. They all came through for me.

Holy Mass at the Little Chapel (Fatima, Portugal)

That’s the beauty of faith and faith-based relationships. It seems like Mama Mary has put us together to serve a purpose and understand her workings. She may not manifest her intervention directly, but most of the time thru a vessel and comes and happens when you least expect it. This is the reason why I believe she lives among us, in us, through the pureness of one’s heart. That’s the ultimate mystery revealed, at least in my own little spiritual world where she is my core, my center.

My Mama, our Mother, and only worthy of our devotion, admiration, and respect. Dear Mama Mary, Happy Birthday. We love you.

The Danna Langkawi: A Brief Escape To Remember

Travel Buzz

Entrance to the infinity pool

This happened last year days before my birthday. I have Enrich Miles (Malaysia Airlines) expiring and it was only enough for a short haul return flight (from Manila) so I thought what better way to spend my birthday than fly to one of its local destinations. I thought it would be nice to stay in a beach resort where I could sit back, relax, have a quiet day to celebrate my birthday while enjoying the sun, sea, and sands. That is how I would usually spend my birthday, either in one of our islands (like El Nido Resorts Palawan two years earlier) or abroad (like Guam the year before). As usual, I googled ‘best beach resort in Malaysia’ and came across a list from an international travel magazine. The Danna Langkawi topped that list and made it easier for me to decide where to go. So I booked a flight to Langkawi using my expiring miles.

Hotel exteriors and grounds

Like my last trip to Athens, the trip to Langkawi didn’t go without hiccups. When I got to Langkawi, my luggage didn’t arrive with me. I already had a feeling that there’s a possibility of that happening, since my outbound flight (from Manila) to Kuala Lumpur was delayed by more than an hour that ate up my layover time in KL before my connecting flight to Langkawi. Given that I’ll be only staying for a couple of nights in Langkawi, it’s quite stressful to know that I only had the clothes on my back in an island in a foreign country until the airline could sort out the exact location of my luggage, not to mention the paperwork at the lost baggage section of Langkawi airport. Tired, weary, and worried about my luggage, I checked in at The Danna thinking that I don’t want my birthday to end up like that, stressful. Even with the refreshing welcome drink and wet towel, my mind was still with my missing luggage. When the receptionist learned about my luggage situation, she assured me that the hotel will handle it. All I have to do is just to surrender the copy of the paperwork that I did at the airport and they will be the ones to do the follow thru. That’s when I started to relax.

Oasis inside with a pond full of colorful carps and the immaculate infinity pool

After checking in, they ushered me to the receiving area and gave me a free 15 minute massage. I found my worries slowly dissipate with the relaxing massage. I would have wanted more time, but that would cost me already. So I decided to proceed to my room. Before reaching my room, I was already pleased with the wide hallways along balconies. The hotel building is like a square from an aerial view, where the internal balconies are facing a hollow center where sea breeze can freely flow thru and external balconies have either city or sea views. When I got to my room, I was glad that it was spacious and has that resort vibe. It also has nice views of the marina and the beach.

Marina view and the bathroom

The hotel wasn’t crowded that time so I freely moved around, checking out every nook and cranny. I fell in love with the colonial design amidst modern amenities like the infinity pool. My favorite part aside from the pool and the beach was the lounge, with high ceilings that exude classic ambiance and a baby grand piano as the centerpiece. There’s also a lush garden inside, an oasis in a predominantly white concrete setting. There’s a pond that extends around the garden, where colorful carps have plenty of space to freely swim and enjoy regular feeding from hotel staff at different spots and snacks from hotel guests. It seems like these gentle creatures have become smarter, knowing exactly where to go and get second helpings from different feeding spots. Very clever indeed.

Lounge and bar

Then there’s the infinity pool. The loungers are sitting on shallow pool water, so it’s something different than the typical dry ones. It was so enticing to take a dip, but unfortunately, I wasn’t ‘dressed’ appropriately, so I decided to go to the beach instead. Just before the beach is a garden where tables, chairs, lighting, and sound system were being set up for what looks like a wedding reception. It was no doubt a wedding, as there were chairs already set up on the beach for the ceremony as well as an arch for the exchange of vows. I was about to witness another beach wedding I thought, similar to what I’ve seen a couple of years earlier at Shelly Beach in Sydney. Guests started to descend to the beach in their cocktail dresses and tux, while I was there lounging on the side with the same clothes I had since that early morning flight. Pre-wedding cocktails were served and a few minutes later, the ceremony started. Lovely, I thought, and perfect weather too.

Garden reception, beach wedding, and the uninvited guest who wasn’t dressed appropriately for the occasion.

After enjoying the scene and daydreaming (yeah, I’m a hopeless romantic), I decided to go back to my room. I wasn’t expecting to be met by a nice surprise: the hotel staff transformed my room by setting up balloons and ribbons on the four bed pillars. In one of the tables, there was a mini birthday cake and a bottle of chilled champagne, with a note greeting me on that special day where the gifts are “compliments of The Danna.” Overwhelmed by the kind gesture, I took it all in and was very grateful of the blessing. The hotel staff probably noticed the birth date on my passport upon check in and discreetly passed it on to hotel management and decided to make that birthday memorable. As if that wasn’t perfect enough, I saw my luggage sitting on the luggage holder. Wasn’t I so happy to be reunited with my luggage in a beautiful room setting with celebratory decor, all courtesy of the hotel. What more can I ask for.

My room (before and after the surprise transformation) and the birthday gifts ‘compliments of The Danna’

When I checked out a couple of days later I thanked the staff for the kind thoughts, pleasant surprise, and tremendous gestures. They went over and beyond to make my stay a fabulous experience and a birthday I would cherish in a long time. What the hotel management and staff did was a perfect example of what hospitality and value added service are all about. It went beyond limits that left a lasting impression, finding solutions and creating memories to make every stay count. No matter how brief an escape that was, it was a birthday to remember, thanks to The Danna.

Some of the meals I had in the hotel (seafood pasta marinara, stir fried seafood chinese noodles, and filet mignon)

Istanbul: The Ancient City That Never Sleeps

Travel Buzz

Taksim Square

I flew out of Santorini (Greece: Of Myths, Mediterranean Food, and Beaches Part 2) to Athens on a Volotea flight. Good thing about this flight is that it lands in Athen’s international airport where I took my Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul in the same terminal just a few hours apart. Before taking my onward flight, I had lunch at the airport and was just happy to have found Burger King. You know (from the photos I’ve shared with my Greece stories in the 2-part article), I haven’t had fastfood in the 10 nights that I stayed in Greece and I’ve been craving for it so it was the first fastfood that I thought would satisfy my cravings and it actually did. Finished 8 pieces of chicken wings, medium fries, and a large Coke Zero. Since I still have a few hours to kill, I went to Starbucks (my first in this trip) to get a drink and finish the article that I was writing for this blog before heading to the gate 30 minutes ’til boarding time.

Along the Bosphorus river bank after having dinner at Yaka Balik restaurant under the Galata bridge

It was an uneventful flight. When I got to Turkey’s international airport, I was met by a rep of the transport company that my hotel has commissioned to pick me up. I told him that I need to look for an ATM first coz I need local currency. One thing I learned from my travels is that sometimes it’s better to withdraw from local ATM rather than bring dollars and convert it to local currency since the conversion rate is so much better and there is no commission fee (this is particularly true in Madrid where you’ll get ripped off with the conversion rate alone). He advised me to do it in the city as the ATMs in the airport charge commission fee. I was glad he told me that, it gave me a good first impression of Turks, especially after that unfortunate experience in Mykonos. He led me to my van, a modern unit where the seats look like 2 leather sofas facing each other and I had it all for myself. It was a pleasant ride indeed.

My suite room (ODDA Hotel). I love the classic toilet design.

I was dropped in my hotel, ODDA. As I mentioned in my previous article, I have to downgrade my hotel accommodation to cut my losses from that Mykonos scam. I was originally booked at Rixos Pera Istanbul using my Le Club Accor. It’s a high-end hotel at mid-scale price (using my Accor card) so I thought why not. Turkey is not an expensive city unlike the rest of Europe, so having a little luxury for a good price is something that I would normally go for. Unfortunately, I have to give it up and settled for a less classy property in a less desirable address. Don’t get me wrong though, ODDA Hotel is in a good location if you want to be near everything (a few steps away from the main avenues, particularly the popular Istiklal Caddesi, and few minutes to the nearest Metro), but it’s just that it’s in that part of the center where bars abound as well as hole in the wall shops and restos, which give it a dodgy feel especially at night.

Istiklal Caddesi filled with people at any given time of the day and night.

The accommodation, to say the least, is decent. I got a suite (yes, you heard me right). But before anyone questions my judgement especially after getting ripped off in Mykonos, you will be surprised at how much I got that suite room. Let’s just say I got it for less than a 100 euro a night. Quite a good buy, right? Though it’s not as posh as the room I had at St. Regis Abu Dhabi and in dire need of some refurbishments, I liked the extra space (living room, bedroom, separate shower and toilet). It’s a welcome respite from tight spaces typical of European hotel rooms. The only negatives are that the furnitures need some upgrade and the whole place needs a face lift.

Hagia Sofia (exterior and interiors)

Before embarking on this Turkish journey, I already had an idea which touristy sites I would like to see given the limited time that I’ll be in Istanbul. My sister suggested that I see the MillStone Cave Suites at Cappadocia for the hot air balloons but that’s outside of Istanbul and I don’t have enough days to stay there not to mention the travel time to get there. So I’ll reserve that for future trips, which will give me a reason to come back to Turkey. I decided to see only Istanbul for all its glory on a tight budget (after spending a fortune in a tourist trap that was Mykonos). I didn’t do the hop-on-hop-off bus anymore (which I would normally do to acclimatize myself in every new environment I’m in) to save some euros and time. So what I did was to get a loadable Metro card and got myself familiarized with the subway system and stations nearest to the sites I’d like to see. Unlike that of Tokyo, Istanbul’s subway system is quite simple and easy to understand.

Blue Mosque (exterior and interiors)

My first stop was the area where both Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque stand only separated by a park. These two structures define Istanbul both in terms of legacy and grandeur. Both are strategically located and stand apart just with enough space in between for people to stroll and appreciate these ancient beauties. Hagia Sofia is pinkish in appearance, while Blue Mosque is, of course, bluish. Between these two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, in terms of facade, I like the latter better. It is more majestic in presence, like a King with his Queen just a few steps behind. The interiors of both though were underwhelming. Like food, it wasn’t as tasty as it looks. Don’t get me wrong, there were a lot of intricate and meticulous details and undeniable unique aesthetics, which many would say work of art, but I have seen better with less hype. Maybe I was just expecting much (just like with Rome) and that’s always been one of my flaws. Like going to the movies, I would always tend to read the reviews before going in and leave the movie house underwhelmed.

Grand Bazaar. Bought souvenir items, local soaps, and a carpet.

Around the area are ‘hidden’ mini bazaars (didn’t have any idea that there were shops at the bottom of some stairs in the area) and I was stopped on my tracks a few times by friendly Turks inviting me to see their stalls in discrete spots. I’m not sure whether I look like a loaded tourist, where locals would usually come up to me and ask where I’m from and if I’m interested to see the wares they’re selling, from jewelry to precious stones, from carpets to artworks. I don’t think I wear fashionable clothes to have that look (I’m not gunning for that look, believe me). Not sure whether I’d be flattered by the attention, but I’m just a regular guy who likes to travel to see the sights and enjoy the food with shopping furthest from my mind. I had plans to visit the Grand Bazaar anyway, so I’d rather do the shopping there than entertain these guys.

Topkapi Palace Museum

Like Athens or any other ancient city, a visit to Istanbul won’t be complete without seeing her museums. My ticket for Hagia Sofia (which is now a museum) also entitled me to see two other museums: Istanbul Archaeological Museum and the Topkapi Palace Museum (discounted 3 in 1 ticket). The Archaeological Museum was just ok, no amazing or spectacular finds. My takeaways from the visit weren’t any good archaeological finds but the beautiful tiled building outside of the main building and a blackened toenail after tripping on probably ancient rock lying on the grounds of the mini archaeological garden beside the refreshment area. Topkapi Palace Museum, on the other hand, was a different story. The gardens leading to the different buildings inside a huge compound are beautiful. Well maintained and manicured, it gives the place a refreshing vibe that complements whatever awesome finds inside the buildings that house ancient relics and artifacts including what many believed was Moses’ staff. There are other finds which Muslims would consider sacred, that’s why it’s no surprise that the crowd would be mostly Arabs since the Palace is visited for its unique collections with historical and religious significance.

The Milion. See how far Manila was from the ancient zero-marker.

There are two other sites that are worth seeing. One is for free, the other with minimum fee. The former is The Milion, a 4th century A.D. monument, erected as a zero-marker during the Byzantine era used as starting place for measuring distances. What stands now is just the remains of the monument. People would normally pass by it, not realizing the presence of a significant marker. The other one is the Basilica Cistern, a 6th century A.D. underground cistern that can hold 100,000 tons of water. This is the main source of water for the capital of the Byzantine empire. Aside from the spectacular columns (336 per my count, just kidding), the “Sunken Palace” also houses two Medusa heads used as plinths and considered as masterpieces of sculpture art during the Roman period. Myths have it (again with reference to Greek mythology) that Medusa was a beautiful girl (with gorgeous eyes and hair) in love with Perseus, son of Zeus. Athena, who was also in love with Perseus, was so jealous of her that she turned her lustrous hair into snakes and whoever stares at her and meets her gaze will turn into stone. That’s why they put those heads upside down so that people won’t turn into stones (huh?). There’s a puddle where each head rests which now serves like a wishing well/fountain, so I threw in a few coins and made my wishes (hoping all will come true).

Basilica Cistern. If you have seen the movie Inferno (the 3rd installment of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code series with Tom Hanks and Felicity Jones), then this may look familiar to you.

Istanbul is also known for its hamams, so to satisfy my curiosity, I tried it. I’ve never been in a steam bath before so this is something new to me. What I had before was a thermal bath in Budapest, where I enjoyed how the underground thermal water (hot spring) felt when you immersed your body in different thermal pools. Hamam is different though, it’s like the modern day wet sauna. It apparently has health benefits, where the most common is to sweat those toxins out of your body and stimulates the body to heal faster. I would have enjoyed the experience if not for those staring eyes that made me uneasy. You know how Arabs eyes are like: big, dark, and deep, that when they stare, it feels like it’s piercing thru your soul. If I were Medusa, the whole room would have been filled with stone statues. Not sure if it’s due to the fact that I was the only Asian inside, but some went beyond staring. After the attendant towel-dried me and wrapped towels around my body and head like a turban, I looked at myself in the mirror and realized that probably some of the stares may have been due to how I look: like a young Persian prince of ancient times, tanned and smooth face, unique in its own way. I left the hamam feeling good and refreshed but also felt unsettled and ‘violated’ with all the unnecessary attention I got.

The two Medusa heads (Basilica Cistern). You’ll probably see some of the coins I threw in.

Of course, the trip should be enjoyed with good food. Well, I ditched the fine dining part (remember I’m on a tight budget, except for one time where I had dinner in this nice restaurant under Galata bridge called Yaka Balik with nice view of the sunset and the Bosphorus River with cruise boats passing by which reminds me of Paris) and instead settled most of the time for turo turo (it’s a Filipino term referring to how one points a finger to cooked dishes as displayed in heating trays on the restaurant counter like those in a cafeteria). Aside from the usual fish, meat, and chicken viands, Istanbul (or the rest of Turkey) is known for its Turkish desserts. I’m not really fond of desserts, but when it comes to Turkish desserts, I would indulge in this guilty pleasure in a heartbeat. There’s just so much variety to choose from: halvas, baklavas, and the popular Turkish delights. One of the oldest shops, Hakki Zade, apparently has been using the same recipe since 1864 and always popular with tourists. You don’t also have to worry eating or shopping late as restos and shops close at 2 in the morning while bars are open with loud band music booming ’til the wee hours of the morning.

Don’t undermine the humble turo-turo. It’s probably the only turo-turo in the world with chandeliers.

Yes, Istanbul is open 24/7, always alive and kicking. Istiklal Street (which is Istanbul’s answer to New York’s 5th Avenue, Sydney’s George Street, Auckland’s Queen’s Street or even Paris’ Champs Elysees) is still bustling with people even at past midnight. The first night I’ve noticed this, I did ask the hotel receptionist if Turks actually sleep. He said in jest that his people only rest when they are already tired from all the merry making. Makes me wonder how they could actually function during the day. Because streets are always filled with people all day and all night long, especially Istiklal (you’ll be amazed at how many people fill this street at any given time of the day or night), litters abound. When there’s a sudden downpour, these streets will be drenched and with those litters in puddles, make the city looks filthy.

The waiter preparing and serving my first testi kebab.

So that’s Istanbul for you. A city with a sleeper hit of a past and a present that never sleeps. It’s dirty (pun intended), filthy, and dodgy, but somehow endearing and charming, like a bad boy that good girls go after. Like Vegas, what happens in Istanbul stays in Istanbul.

Some of the shops that offer Turkish desserts

Greece: Of Myths, Mediterranean Food, and Beaches – Part 2 of 2

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Santorini

To pick up where we left off (where I talked about Athens in the earlier part of this article), I have always been curious about the Greek isles which not a few have been raving about. That’s why before embarking on this Greek adventure, I have decided to see two of the most popular ones, Mykonos and Santorini, and booked hotels in these two islands. On my last day in Athens, I went to a local tour office in Athens and bought a one way ferry ticket to Mykonos. I got the Blue Star Ferries ticket where the port is in Piraeus, about half an hour by car (sans traffic). The ferry leaves at 8 in the morning and it’s about a 4-hour trip. There are ferries that run faster, but the faster it gets, the rougher the ride and I don’t want to get seasick thereafter. The ride was pleasant and gave me time to write another article for the blog. I got a business class seat, but on hindsight, I should have settled for economy coz the common dining lounge already looks comfortable. Business class may be advisable on peak season where coach can get too crowded for comfort.

Business class section of Blue Star Ferry

Mykonos

We reached Mykonos around noon and my mistake was not to confirm the hotel transfer with my hotel (Super Paradise Suites) that I have included in my hotel booking. So I waited for a ride that wasn’t there to start with. So after hanging up on hotel staff learning that there’s no transfer to the hotel, I shared a cab with two young ladies from Utah who happen to be staying in the same hotel. We chatted with the cab driver and learned that locals and non-locals alike only work in the island from April to September and the island becomes silent in the next 6 months. There will still be some tourists on lean months, but most of the restos and shops are closed during this period. Non-locals then return to their home base, while locals take this opportunity to travel.

Luxury shops in the island that remind me of those in Capri

The hotel is situated on the hilly edge of Super Paradise Beach (not to be mistaken with another beach in the island called Paradise Beach). So getting to and from the beach would require some hiking which I don’t mind (good daily exercise for me) but not recommended for anyone with mobility concerns given the very steep trail to the beach as well as to where the shuttle that goes to town proper would pick up passengers. When I got to my room, I was pleased with the stunning views of the beach and the Aegean sea with the mountains as backdrop. Just like any island resort, everything here is expensive. Sun beds will set you back as much as 50 euros for a day rent (prices drop as beds get farther away from the shore). Aegean sea reminds me of Mediterranean sea, mystical, magical, enticing clear blue waters (the latter though is on the greenish shade). Per feng shui, my birth element is water, so I’m not surprised why I always get attracted to bodies of water. Maybe I’m a descendant of Poseidon (who lost by the way to Athena on that epic battle I shared in the first part of the article).

View from my room (Super Paradise Suites)

Mykonos, like Bali, is a beach haven so your trip to the island would mostly consists of beach hopping. On hindsight, I should have stayed in any of the hotels in the town proper since that is where all the buses that go to the different beaches pick passengers. It could have saved me a few euros from the daily shuttle between my hotel and the town proper and getting on a bus to the next beach. But what didn’t save me from the island greed was a trip to Platys Gialos beach. That’s where I realized that Mykonos, with all its charm and beauty, can also have the most cruel tourist trap that even the most seasoned traveler could fall victim to. I made a mistake of being lured into Dk Oyster, a beachfront seafood resto. With its nice sun beds facing a beautiful beach, I was enticed with what the in-house ‘hawkers’ sell as a good buy where if you dine in the resto for at least 50 euros, you get a sun bed all day for free, otherwise you pay the same amount up front for a day rent. So I went in and came out 700 euros lighter and 700 euros wiser. How’d that happen? Below is the screen grab from my Tripadvisor review:

The biggest lesson I got from this experience is not what I’ve lost but how to keep a positive mindset after the initial shock and trauma. As I’ve said, it was cruel, which took me a while to recover, but when I did, I tried to condition myself to continue enjoying the holiday and just find ways to cut my losses. I’m here on a holiday and no matter what happens, I’ll move on and enjoy the rest of my vacation. First task I did after accepting my fate was to downgrade my Istanbul hotel (last leg of my trip) which I booked thru my Le Club Accor so I was still able to cancel it a few days before my actual stay. I was able to save a few hundred euros after finding a much cheaper hotel (but in a less desirable location though). I was also able to cut on my onward ferry ticket to Santorini and saved a few more euros from giving up sun beds and just lay on the sands to enjoy the sun and the sea. On hindsight, I should have checked the reviews in Tripadvisor before getting in, coz now I’ve learned that not a few have been victimized by Dk Oyster, with each one having a #metoo horror story to tell. The vileness continues, where for every negative review, Tripadvisor will be flooded with fake positive reviews (you be the judge when you read all the ‘positive’ reviews particularly this peak season). But in spite of all these, I stayed true to myself and kept whatever dignity I have left from this experience: I didn’t scrimp on food (see Travel In Style Part 2) and would never blame my misfortune on being a foodie. Bad things happen to good people not because they love good food.

Some of the meals I had in Mykonos. From left: Spaghetti Frutti de Mare, Mussels Marinara, and Lamb Chops (yes, they are all delish!)

So I also checked out Paradise Beach. Just like Super Paradise beach, party starts at 4PM when the sound systems would start booming loud music and partyphiles would gather and groove in their swimwear with drinks on hand. As in Super Paradise beach, there is a portion of the beach for nudist, where young and old, of different shapes and sizes, will bare and let it all hang out like it’s nobody’s business. Someone who comes from a conservative society like the Philippines would probably cringe at the sight, but not me. I’ve seen similar places before (like the lakes in Germany during summer) where I’d probably be more culture shocked with how nasty tourist traps are than public nudity. So if you think my swimwear pics are too out there, think again. Coz that’s nothing compared to what’s out there.

Santorini

So after having enough of the popular beaches (and greed) of Mykonos, I took a ferry to Santorini. I bought a one way Golden Star ferry ticket from a tour office in Mykonos town. The trip from Mykonos to Santorini was about 5 hours, so it gave me some more free time to finish an article I was writing. Unlike what happened at Mykonos port, I have a driver waiting for me at Santorini port to bring me to Ersi Villas. On the way, I chatted with the driver and unlike Mykonos, Santorini is open all year round to tourists. Upon dropping me at the villas, I instantly got the homey vibe and feel that I was expecting from this kind of accommodation. I was met by Elias, the amiable owner of the villas and right away gave me directions and tips on what to do in the island. A traveler himself, Elias knows exactly what guests need and was even generous in swapping travel stories with me as well as helping me out with my island itinerary.

View of the Caldera

The villa is located on the mid section of the hill (Santorini is hilly, like San Francisco hilly) in Firostefani. Firostefani is in between Fira, the capital town, and Imerovigli. Firostefani has good number of shops and restos, and the walk path from Firostefani square to Imerovigli is what I would call the best resto row. Here you will find some of the best restos in the island, from To Briki to La Maison. They offer traditional Greek dishes and my ultimate fave, seafood! All three towns are easy walk from each other, that’s why no need to take the bus, unless you want to get to the far end of the island where Oia is with its popular sunset or to the different beaches in the island. Just like in Mykonos, you have to take the buses at the Fira town proper to get to the different beaches.

A guy proposing to his girl at the popular Oia sunset viewing deck. Everyone in the crowd who was there for the sunset cheered after she said “Uhmm…” Just kidding, she said yes 🙂

If I have to describe Santorini in one word, then it would be ‘stunning.’ It actually reminds me of Positano, where the views are just simply stunning. Even the beaches have better views than Mykonos. It makes me wonder now why I even went to Mykonos, when Santorini can offer the same experience (except for the greed) plus so much more. From its caldera to mountain views, beaches to sunsets, dining to shopping, everything seems to bring out only positive and exciting experience. Santorinians are more welcoming, hospitable, and true, and seems to put guest satisfaction over selfish gains. In fact, during this whole Greek adventure, it was in Santorini where I had the best dining experience. I never had any disappointment in all the restos I have dined in where not only the food was great, but the service was at par with my personal standards and expectations and you are seated at the edge of the caldera with its magnificent views.

Best dining experience (need I say more?). From left: Amberjack (La Maison), Dorade (The Greeks), Pork Ribs (To Briki), and Pork Steak (Metropolis Str.)

The beaches did not disappoint as well. Being born out of volcanic activity, Santorini is blessed with beaches that have stunning views and clear waters. I’ve never been happier doing beach hopping, even if I had to take a treacherous path just to get to one of the popular ones called Red Beach. You know, you have to take this very narrow and steep trail with sharp edged rocks and boulders, where some slight miscalculations will easily scrape that beautiful tanned skin. Then you have to negotiate for space in the foot traffic between people going down and up the trail. Though I didn’t overhear anyone saying “is there like an elevator or something?” (Part 1 of this article) but how I wish there was an easier way to get to the beach. The boat that I took for the sea cruise does not pick up or offload passengers on the beach, so the only way to get there is to take this dangerous path. I almost gave up mid way, but I’m just glad I didn’t. If only for the stunning views, I would recommend it for a visit, but just be careful going down and up the trail.

Imagine climbing down to reach the beach and up again to the main road (Red Beach)

So I ended my Greek adventure on a high note, where Santorini was definitely the highlight of the trip. As I mentioned in the first part of this article, there were hiccups and misfortunes along the way, but what is an adventure without the unexpected, the twist and turns, the danger, and most importantly the lessons learned. As I contemplate on my flight back to Athens to take my onward flight to Istanbul, I smiled knowing that I had a good one inspite of. As I’ve quoted in my earlier article (The Joys of Travelling Solo), I would come out a different person from each trip and now I’m a better version of myself than I was before I embarked on this trip. Like in the Greek mythology, I have fought some battles and personal demons along the way (where you would tend to question yourself and create self doubt) of which I have won and restored my core, appreciated the goodness of Mediterranean food, and enjoyed the beach life just how it should be lived.

Life’s a beach. From top left clockwise: Perissa Beach, Kamari Beach, Platys Gialos Beach, & Super Paradise Beach (Hey Sports Illustrated, why don’t you consider these locations for next year’s swimsuit edition with Kelsey Merritt on the cover?)

Greece: Of Myths, Mediterranean Food, and Beaches – Part 1 of 2

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At the apex of Acropolis Hills (Athens)

So I finally decided to go to Greece after years of having it in my bucket list. Greece has always been an exciting destination for me but having read some negative feedback particularly on Athens, that eagerness to see this glorious country has taken a back seat for a while until last April when Oman Air’s maiden flight to Athens for June was on promo. I thought that was the sign to pack up my bags and go on a Greek adventure.

Athens

My Room (Vitruvius Smart Hotel & Spa)

Unlike most of my trips, this one went not without any hiccups and misfortunes. When I arrived in Athens International Airport in the evening, I was met by my driver Venediktod from Welcome Pickups which was a good decision on my part to book a hassle-free airport transfer. The price did not differ much if I have taken a cab from the airport so I decided to try this transport company and I’m just glad I did. I was ushered in a Benz and the whole trip to the city was very pleasant (spacious leather seats with welcome bottled water) until I got to my hotel (Vitruvius Smart Hotel & Spa). Tired and weary from a 15-hour flight (not to mention more than 2 hours layover in Muscat and 3 hours at Manila airport), I was told that they have overbooked for that night and cannot give me any room. Something like this I would dread every time I travel (though this is the first time that it happened to me), I told them assertively that it’s their problem (not mine) and they have to fix it. So long story short, they looked for available hotels in the area and when they found one, they booked me a cab and told me that everything has been arranged for and I don’t need to pay for the night in that hotel and can return the next day for the rest of my booking.

Essentially I lost almost a day since I could only check in the next day around 2PM and I don’t want to go around the city without settling first in my new room. So while waiting, I wrote one of my articles (in this blog) in a Chinese restaurant across the hotel with very poor Chinese food (I know Chinese since it’s one of my faves and when I say it’s poor, it is…really). When I finally was able to check in, I had some minor problems with the room which are only worth mentioning in Tripadvisor (this blog has a positivity theme after all). You may be wondering why I didn’t use my Le Club Accor (see Travel In Style Part 2) in this leg of the trip. Well, the only Accor hotel in the area (Novotel Athenes) is apparently in a dodgy part of Athens where I’ve read some negative reviews and a bit far from the touristy sites.

Acropolis Hill (imagine climbing up on a dusty, windy, and humid day under the scorching summer heat)

So the early negative feedback that I’ve read about Athens is actually true. Athens is dirty. Litters and graffiti are all over the place. It actually reminds me of Naples. But just like Naples, old vibe, overwhelming character, and remnants of her glorious past overpower whatever cleanliness and safety issues she may currently have. This is more prevalent in Acropolis which is essentially the nerve center and melting pot of the city. Restaurants and shops abound at the foot of the hill and it would take a good hike up to reach the popular Parthenon. On the way up, I met a senior Filipino couple from the US. Athens is their dream destination and their dream finally came true. The wife’s name is Venus, so I told her that maybe it is really her destiny to be finally here. Athena and Venus though were not your definition of women sticking together or having each other’s back, but oh well, that was then and this is now. On the same trail, I overheard a young tourist saying “is there like an elevator or something?” You could probably hear chuckles at the back of my head, but I don’t blame her given the dusty, windy, and humid weather which actually surprised me this time of the year when southern Europe should be cool and airy. Sweaty and tired, the climb was all worth it upon reaching the apex and seeing the Parthenon and the other monuments. Just as I have envisioned it to be.

Parthenon (that’s my conscience walking away for not listening lol)

I decided to get a drink (my, was I super thirsty) in one of the restos lining up the foot of the hill after finally deciding that I had already enough of Acropolis Hills. After downing 2 bottles of Coke Zero in a glass full of ice, I started to walk towards the shops and to see what else is there in the area. A short, stocky guy stopped me on my tracks (this always happens to me, I don’t know why…some encounters pleasant, others creepy) and asked me where I’m from. As always, I’m proud to represent my country every time I travel, so I said “From the Philippines” with perfect enunciation. Every time I do that, I would get that look (like “I’ve never met someone like you from that country” or maybe “where’s that?”) and then compliments that I speak good English. With this guy though, he took it further (and this is not the first time that someone asked the same question) “Do you live there or are you based somewhere else?” So I said it with pride that I live and work in the Philippines (born and raised, true blue Filipino). So he introduced himself as the owner of one of the restos in the area and told me that he has a relative in the Philippines who owns a Greek resto (which I forgot the name). He also wants to invite me to his resto in the evening as there will be music and dancing and lots of young people expected to be there. If only he knows how old I am, but I was flattered by the invite and for being mistaken as part of that generation. I told him I already have made plans for the evening but I will try to see if I could drop by. I didn’t. I was just being polite.

The great philosopher Aristotle, one of Greece’s greatest gifts to mankind. He paved the way for explorers of the past and travelers of modern times when he first declared that the world is not flat (National Archaeological Museum)

A visit to Athens won’t be complete without checking out its museums. I am fond of museums (particularly those in Europe, that’s why I keep coming back) as it’s the only place that can take you back in time. The way of life then are depicted in most artifacts, potteries, and archaeological finds. I am thus excited to visit her museums, being an ancient city with very rich history. I was quite underwhelmed though when I have finally been to two of her museums. The collections in both Acropolis Museum and National Archaeological Museum were not as vast as those in NY Met, Prague Palace, or even Budapest Museum. But despite this initial disappointment (or maybe I was just expecting too much), what makes these museums different is its reference to Greek mythology. I have always been fascinated with Greek and Roman mythologies (you may be asking if there is any difference or similarity between the two, well, one good example is Venus and Aphrodite, where the former is Roman while the latter is Greek, both referring to the same Goddess of Love), of Greek and Roman gods and demigods, so any references to it make an interesting find. Apparently, there was this epic battle between Athena (Goddess of War and Wisdom) and Poseidon (God of the Sea) to win over the protection of the Athenian territory. Athena offered the Greeks the olive tree while Poseidon offered salt water. Guess who won? Of course, hands down Athena (yeah, go girl!). Greece won’t be Greece if not for the olive tree.

Epic battle of Athena (Goddess of War and Wisdom) and Poseidon (God of the Sea) which the Wonder Woman of ancient times won (Acropolis Museum)

Olive tree, like the coconut tree of the Philippines, is Greece’s tree of life. Mediterranean food and diet are mainly consist of the olive fruit, oil, and leaves. I read somewhere that this region has some of the lowest incidents of cardiovascular diseases and can be attributed to their olive staple and the benefits derived from it. So it is no surprise to see olive oil in every dining table and sometimes with complimentary olive fruits. Even before leaving for this trip, I already had a good appreciation of Mediterranean food (one of our go-to restos in Manila is Cyma, one of the few good Greek restos in the metro). I am also fond of grilled meats (I don’t eat vegetables), and it is no wonder that even if the Greeks love their meats, that fondness does not develop into long term debilitating diseases. I guess that’s what make Greeks look healthy in every way (luscious hair, clear skin, active even in advanced age, etc.). They utilize the tree of life (and probably the tree of youth) not only for food but for different health and beauty applications. So the beauty of Greece does not only lie on its past but also in its present thru its beautiful people. I guess Athenians were not wrong in building the Parthenon in honor of Athena. She gave them the gift of life.

Some of the meals I had in Athens. From left, baby veal steak, pasta with prawns, grilled “boughiourdi” shrimp (spicy hot tomato sauce with grated feta cheese), and baked lamb (in case you’re wondering, all are delish!)

(Up Next: Mykonos and Santorini)

Travel In Style (Without Breaking The Bank) – Part 2 of 2

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This opulent accommodation I got to experience for 3 nights for the price of one (St. Regis Abu Dhabi)

“Cancellable.” That’s the key word when booking an accommodation. Like your lovelife, you need to be prepared to let go. You can lock-in your habibi and hope that everything goes as planned until such time that you will come to the realization that it was not or will ever meant to be. As mentioned in my previous post (Deconstructing A Myth: Travel Is Only For The Rich?), you have to book early so that you can lock-in the cheaper prices. But always make sure that it’s “cancellable” in case your plans don’t push thru.

So how do I get decent accommodation when I travel without spending too much? How do you choose among so many options? I try to simplify my life thru loyalty. As you probably have seen in my previous posts, I’m very loyal: 5 frequent flyer loyalty programmes (Travel In Style Part 1), loyal foodie (Mendokoro Ramenba: Arguably The Best Ramen In Manila), loyal to self (The Joys Of Travelling Solo), and now hotel loyalty program. Like your lovelife, you need to be loyal to avoid any drama. In the last 14 years, I have been a Le Club Accor member. I started by subscribing to this loyalty programme where you pay an amount which is about the same as a night stay in their 5 star hotel but comes with perks (aside from a free night stay in any of their hotels worldwide, you get 50% off on group dining at Spiral (Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila), access to periodic room sale, 15% discount on food and drinks, member for a day voucher, birthday cake, etc.). Last year, I forgot to renew my subscription and Accor thought that I was not renewing so they sent me a loyalty card (which has most of the perks as having a subscription) which I can keep for free if I continue to stay in their hotels for at least 10 nights per year. Not bad for a regular traveler like me.

So why Le Club Accor? This loyalty club is like a basket of hotel brands that cater to low, mid, and high end accommodations. There’s a brand for you if you are on a tight budget, and a brand if “money is no object” to you. Some of their low-end brands (less than $60 per night) are Ibis, Ibis Styles, and Adagio. Their mid-scale brands ($60 – $160) are Grand Mercure, Sebel, Novotel, and Mercure. High-end brands ($160 up) are Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel, Rixos, M McGallery, and Pullman. Sometimes, the prices can overlap depending on the location and the season. Say you can stay in a high-end brand in Istanbul for the same price as a mid-scale brand in Athens. But what made me stick to this programme are the cancellable option, all-year round member’s special rate, periodic room sale, and points that you earn every time you stay in their hotels on top of the perks that were previously mentioned. The cancellable option gives you the flexibility to cancel at least a day before your stay (no booking platforms such as Agoda and Expedia can match that cancellation policy). The member’s special rate and the room sale will offer you with bargain prices and options. The points you earned and accumulated for every stay are convertible to cash vouchers that you can use to pay for your next stay. If I could remember it right, it’s one point to a dollar, so if you have spent $1,000 for a 10 night stay in one of their low or mid-scale hotels, that’s 1,000 points. For every 2000 points, you get I think $60 dollars voucher. So that’s about a free night stay in one of their low to mid-scale accommodations. They also have this accelerator point system (additional points you get which sometimes doubles up the actual points from your stay) which up to this time I still have no idea how it is computed, but there was a time when I have raked in more than 18,000 points which I have converted to 9 cash vouchers of 40 euro each (yeah, you have the option to redeem your points in dollar or euro). That’s 9 free night stay in their low-end accommodation (low-end here means 3-star hotel, so not that shabby I guess).

Screen grab of Le Club Accor points history

Though they have extensive presence across Europe, Asia and Oceania, Accor hotels are limited in US and Africa. That’s why there would be trips where I have to make use of Agoda or Expedia, but you also need to be smart when using these booking platforms. Credit card companies do not only have tie ups with airlines but also with hotels and their booking platforms. So it is not rare where credit card promos will include discounts on these platforms of up to 10%. So if I have a planned trip, I would check out which of my credit cards (I mentioned in my previous post that I have two, Citi and BDO Amex) have hotel and/or booking platform promos. Booking smart does not only mean being on a lookout for discounts, but also knowing how to book to get the least price. So say you are going to 2 or 3 destinations, where you are indifferent to the order of the trip. To be specific, say you are going to Auckland and Wellington for 2 weeks and you don’t really care whether you want to do Auckland first or Wellington. Booking smart means that for the same Auckland and Wellington hotels that you are interested in, you need to check the prices of Auckland for the first week and Wellington on the 2nd week and compare it if you do Wellington on the first and Auckland on the following week. You’ll be surprised that hotel prices can go up between weeks for whatever reason (I’ll say there may be a scheduled convention or event on that week where the prices are much higher). You can then arrange the order of your trip depending on which order will have you end up spending so much less. Yeah it’s a lot of work, just like your lovelife.

BDO/Amex credit card promos for airfare and hotel bookings

There are also ways to save up from just planning your trip alone (and I’m not referring to airfares and hotel prices). From the same example above, say you have decided to do Auckland on the first week and Wellington on the second week coz that would give you the least price. Say you have booked a roundtrip ticket from Manila to Auckland (Manila-Auckland-Manila) and booked a domestic flight between Auckland and Wellington (Auckland-Wellington-Auckland). When booking that domestic flight, you can check if there is a return flight to Auckland just a few hours before you can catch your return flight to Manila. This means you no longer have to stay in Auckland for a night just to catch your Manila flight. This will save you roundtrip airport transfers which is very expensive in some cities (between $30 to $50 per trip depending on the distance of the airport from the city, or about $60 to $100 roundtrip, or equivalent to a night hotel accommodation). Depending on your budget, you can also plan your activities without spending a lot. Like instead of booking a guided tour for your desired place of interest, why not read about that place first and then do your own tour? You can do the hop-on-hop-off bus to familiarize yourself with your new environment, but you can also learn how to use the subway (particularly the complex ones like those in Tokyo) to get to the different touristy sites that you have always wanted to see. There are also ways to save up on subway tickets (ie 24 hour pass, 7-day pass, reloadable card, etc.). The only thing that I would strongly advise not to scrimp on is on food. My Mom used to say that you can be stingy on most things but not on food. Trips are best enjoyed with good food and lots of walking to burn those calories.

Who knows, getting fit (both body and bank account) from your trips will get you your next lovelife.

(Left) Lunch by the beach. My Mom said don’t scrimp on food, so I’m having mini burgers, fries, soda plus Vitamin D from the sun 😉 (Right) Lounging by the beach. Don’t I look fit from all the walking? (Super Paradise Beach Club)

#ihaveflaws

Health & Positivity Buzz

The serenity of one of my favorite locations (Lake Wakatipu)

Most of you know that this is mainly a travel blog but from time to time, I’d like to bring to the forefront some health conditions (particularly my health conditions) that are rarely being talked about and still can be taken in the context of travel. From my previous posts, you may think that the reason why I fly business particularly for long haul flights is just to be a stylish jetsetter. I never see myself as one, nor have any inclination of becoming one. I travel business because I have slipped disk (or also known as herniated disk or pinch nerve). I learned about my condition almost 8 years ago when I felt this immense pain on my back that made walking very difficult. After undergoing MRI, that’s when I learned more about this degenerative disease. It’s a debilitating condition where the disk in between your spinal cord is out of place or protruding, hence irritating the nerves around it causing tremendous pain on the back. Mine is not only protruding, but also desiccated disk, so it’s double whammy for me.

I am legally incapacitated, a person with disability (PWD). I am trying to bring awareness to this health condition coz sometimes people think that just because I’m not on a wheelchair means that I’m in good condition. There’s this big news last month where a celebrity posted something like a kid cutting the line in Shake Shack (it was just recently opened in Manila, so you know what’s all the fuss about this popular NY hamburger and shake chain) and holding apparently a ‘fake’ PWD card. He was eventually educated about the different types of disability after he was called out by the PWD Philippines organization.

On that note, people who have this condition could probably now understand why flying business makes sense. If you’re sitting in a 16-18 hour flight, that will put undue pressure on your back and may trigger excruciating pain that only sufferers of this condition could understand. So as a preventive measure (rather than suffer and ruin the whole holiday where you have already put so much planning and effort), business class seat offers a flat bed where you can lie down and rest your back. Of course, you have to pay a premium for the seat, but if you have read my previous post, you can actually find good buys for business class seats. What’s paying a few hundred dollars more if it will give you the appropriate comfort that your body requires given this health condition.

Pain triggers differ among sufferers of this condition. In my case, it’s either prolonged sitting or going down several flights of stairs. Just recently, due to the earthquake in Manila last April, I wasn’t able to go to work for 2 days cause I could hardly walk after taking 42 flights of stairs in the building where I work when we were asked to evacuate. I would normally avoid fire/earthquake drills but this one is for real so I have to go down knowing that I would have to bear the pain that comes after. Don’t get me wrong, I could climb mountains and hills, I could pull my luggages from the belt and carry those as well, but just don’t make me do stairs, particularly on the way down. The impact of going up several flights of stairs is on the thighs and legs while the pressure is not only on the thighs and legs but more on the back on the way down as it absorbs the impact.

Another health condition that I would like to share is palmar hyperhidrosis, also known as clammy hands. This is the excessive, uncontrollable sweating of the hands and palms. As the International Hyperhidrosis Society aptly describes it, “This medical condition is extremely stressful, embarrassing, and confidence-wrecking problem that can negatively impact your social life, education, and career.” Talk about being stressed because of clammy hands and getting clammy hands because of stress. Again, double whammy for me.

How does this impact my travel life? It does, in this age of biometrics. You know, you go to the consulate for a visa and one of the requirements is to have your biometrics taken. If my fingers get clammy, they would wet the biometrics reader where the same can hardly capture my prints. So how many times I’ve been in this embarrassing situation. Just imagine this scenario where the consulate staff will offer you tissue to wipe both your fingers and the reader dry and let you rub alcohol in an attempt to cool your hands off to stop it from sweating. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. It’s an uncontrollable condition.

In some countries’ passport control, they would also require you to put your fingers on the biometrics reader. I remember on my London trip with my sister and brother in law where they would have to wait for me coz I’m stuck in front of the immigration officer coz the reader can’t capture my prints. The immigration officer gave up and just let me thru anyway when the queue has already built up because of me. People who suffers from this condition would understand the embarrassing situations we have to go thru not only when we travel but everyday of our lives.

The last one I want to share is pretty uncommon because no one exactly knows what it is and common because not a few suffer from it. It’s called keratosis pilaris. It’s a skin condition that resembles chicken skin. Rather than smooth and fine, people who have this type of skin have bumps similar to those you see when you dress a chicken. It normally appears on the upper arms and thighs. When you scratch it, it normally leaves blemishes that can result to something that looks like dark spots or pigments.

As a kid, my best friend would normally tease me of having chicken skin. He actually was not aware that it is actually called one, but as a young kid, he was already smart enough to observe that it really looks like chicken skin but young enough to know that you don’t tease or bully people having that type of skin. One of the most common misconceptions is that it’s a skin disease when actually it’s not. Even I was misled into believing that it is a disease. My first consult with a dermatologist didn’t really give me an explanation why my skin looks like that. I only got prescription creams hoping that it’s gonna get cured. It was only later in life when I again went to see a different dermatologist who explained to me that it’s not a skin disease. Since it’s not a disease, then there is no cure or the need to be cured from it. It’s just one of those types of skin such as oily or dry. Mine is just bumpy. As the dermatologist convincingly puts it, I’m just different.

Yes, we are different in our own ways, in our own flaws. I am now embracing my flaws that make me unique and different. I don’t let these flaws impede or hamper by life goals. I don’t let slipped disk dissuade me from going on an adventure, afraid that it may break my back. I don’t let clammy hands prevent me from travelling, knowing and anticipating fully well the stress and embarrassment that I’ll have to go thru. I don’t let my skin type discourage me from enjoying the sun, sea, and sand in my swimwear, exposing my skin like it’s nobody’s business. Over the years, I have learned not letting these flaws stop me from doing what I want. I continue to conquer these flaws as much as I have conquered my fears. I continue to rock life in spite of.