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Voronet Monastery

Church of St. George, Voronet Monastery Eight churches of Moldavia in northern Romania have been recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites for the distinct Byzantine inspired frescoes with religious themes that cover their exterior walls. Built between the late 15th and 16th centuries, these churches are remarkably well preserved. I had the opportunity to visit four of these churches namely, the Church of the Beheading of St. John in  Arbore, the Church of the Annunciation in Moldovita, the Church of the Resurrection in Sucevita and St. George in Voronet. The Church of St. George has been singled out for the vibrant blue color background of its frescoes which was made from lapis lazuli, among other elements. This particular shade is referred to as Voronet Blue. The Church of St. George was completed in just three months and three weeks. It was built by Stefan the Great, Voivode of Moldavia, in 1488 to commemorate his victory over the Ottoman Turks in the Battle of Vaslui. The photo abo
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Gadong Night Market

Local delicacies for snacking Gadong Night Market is my preferred market in Bandar Seri Begawan. It has the most selection of dishes, fruits and snacks compared to the night market across from our hotel. And it’s clean, spacious and there are tables for those who wish to dine onsite. There’s also plenty of parking nearby. We stopped at this stall to pick up grilled fish for dinner. They also sell rice so we had a complete, delicious dinner. A whole fish (depending on the type of fish and size) costs us $5.00 Brunei dollars (BND) or USD$3.68 (exchange rate as of this writing). These are local dishes with vegetarian selections. Notice the signs that say mee goreng, mee kwai teow or mee hoon goreng. These are noodle dishes. The difference is in the type of noodle that’s used. Notice these dishes cost BND$1.00. In the photo above are dried fish, dried tiny shrimps and dried anchovies. Local fruits include jackfruit, ihau, rambutan (red skin) and mango. But if you are missing hot dogs, you

Northern Taiwan Road Trip

  Old railroad track in Shifen  Possibly the most romantic place we visited on this road trip. You buy a lantern from one of the local merchants and write your wishes on it. Then it’s lighted and released into the sky. I think this is far more lovely than hanging a padlock on a bridge. Our lantern stuttered several times as it made its way up. I thought it would come crashing down and that would have been the end of our wishes. But after a few hiccups, it went up, up and away. Now I just have to wait and see if my wishes are granted. :) My friend, Ruby, took this photo because I left my phone camera in the car. :( Coastline of Northern Taiwan It was raining intermittently during our entire road trip to Northern Taiwan. The sea was churning and the waves were quite high in some areas.  It was beautiful to see the rugged coastline and imagine what it would be like on a clear day. Keelung Islet The little island in the distance has a lighthouse. Wanli UFO Village, New Taipei City There ar

Stations of the Cross + 1 by Carlos Botong Francisco

Third Station: Jesus falls the first time 1960. Oil on canvas. Don Bosco Chapel Series It’s been several years since I’ve been trying to see the complete set of paintings of the Stations of the Cross by Carlos “Botong” Francisco but the pandemic got in the way and then in 2023, we were denied entry to the two schools where these stations of the cross are displayed; at FEU University’s Our Lady of Fatima Chapel and Don Bosco Technical College. Both are in Metro Manila. We were denied entry to these chapels because a permit is required for non students to enter school grounds. I did as the staff suggested and sent requests online to view these paintings in March 2024 when I was in the Philippines but neither of them responded affirmatively or at all. I’m saddened by this denial as my intention is simple: to write and inform my readers about the artworks of Francisco. My blogs about his paintings have been viewed by more than a 100,000 readers and it’s obvious there’s a profound interest

The Coastal Towns of Uruguay

La Mano or Los Dedos, Punta del Este There’s a reason why Punta del Este and its neighboring towns are the favorite vacation spots of Argentinians, Brazilians and North Americans. The wild coastline, quiet beaches, rustic towns, art museums and galleries and local cuisine are just some of the draws to this part of Uruguay. It’s time to visit this bewitching corner of the South American continent.  La Mano or Los Dedos (The Hand or The Fingers) has become the iconic symbol of Punta del Este. Sculpted in 1982 by Chilean artist, Mario Irarrazabal, the partially submerged fingers are a warning to visitors of the rough waters of Brava Beach on which it is situated. Abandoned hotel on Highway 10 in Santa Monica Driving along the coastal road from Punta del Este is a pleasurable experience. As you get farther away, there are less houses and the towns are far apart. It seems a world away. Faro (lighthouse) de Jose Ignacio The lighthouse was constructed in 1877 and stands at 25 meters (82 ft.).

Highlights of Bandar Seri Begawan

  Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque One of the most picturesque mosques I’ve visited. It’s even more attractive to view at sunset when the gold domes reflect the sunlight. And it is surrounded by beautiful gardens with fountains that cool and calm the senses. Language and Literature Bureau The history of Brunei spread out across a 30 meter wall. Created from mosaic tiles after a painting by a local artist, it was completed in 1965 and portrays the people of Brunei performing everyday tasks related to its economy. Though Brunei is a small country with less than half a million inhabitants, it has a robust economy driven by oil and natural gas. Its citizens enjoy free education and health care. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien (SOAS) Mosque The SOAS mosque is one of two masjid negara or national mosques in Brunei. It is named after the 28th Sultan of Brunei hence it is sometimes called SOAS 28 Mosque. The large central dome is made of real gold. The mosque is also known as the Taj Mahal of Brun