TravelswithCharie

How wonderful to meet friends and relatives in the Philippines over lunch, dinner or merienda. There are always a number of dishes that I usually leave the party or get-together wishing I could have eaten more of this or that. When we were kids, I remember eating calderetta, a rich stew of goat meat. I have not seen nor eaten that in many years. Has the younger generation forgotten how to prepare this dish? Lately I was treated to a Mongolian buffet which consists of different kinds of beef, chicken, pork or seafood. You then choose what you would like to mix with your choice of meat such as bean sprouts, carrots, cabbage, etc. then add your sauce like peanut, ginger, chili, oyster sauce and so on. You take your selection to the cook who will stir fry it for you. What a fun and creative way to feed your burgeoning appetite! This video has some of the local cuisine I enjoyed while in the Philippines recently. Kain na!

Third Graders at Culasi Elementary School Happy to report that we successfully distributed school supplies to 234 children at the Culasi Elementary School. There are 233 children in first grade but since it was a rainy day, many children didn't make it to school. I came prepared to give to all first graders, but when so many were absent, we had extra school supplies. With the help of Miss Norma, a first grade teacher, we decided to give the rest to two sections in the second grade and a section in the third grade. Kids were all smiles when they got their pencils and crayons. I also gave some postcards of San Francisco, California to children who could answer the simple math questions I posed. It was heartwarming to hear them say "thank you". There were some kids who said "you're welcome" instead of thank you or one who said "very good" after he heard me say those same words. All in all a very satisfying experience which I hope to continue in the fu

Dining and entertainment in the seafood capital of the Philippines is on the upswing. All along Baybay Beach, restaurants are sprouting and the masses are following. On weekends, the beach is full of day trippers who jump gleefully into the sea and soak their feet in the sand. Before any beachside restaurant was born in Roxas City, Marc's was already around serving their famous pork barbecue. When I order my meals, I go for their vegetable chop suey and battered chicken. Up the street from Marc's is Coco Veranda , a crowd favorite. You can order fresh catch of the day by pointing to any swimming fish in their tank or try their blue or white marlin. At the Sandbar , I like their tangigue steak. You can order food from this restaurant and have it served poolside across the street. The infinity pool streams down to a man made lake. It's beautiful! If you wish to stay the night, Casa Felisa has luxury suites next door to the pool. Outside the city center in Dayao, Espacio is n

At Nino's Italian Ristorante in Roxas City, my palate perked up after eating a few slices of the pizza Italiana with eggplant and slivers of ham. I had no qualms about eating a lot of pizza in the evening because the crust was nearly paper thin and and not as heavy as a thick crust pizza would have been. The eggplant did surprise me. What a novel idea to add eggplant to pizza! It was quite tasty. I went back two days later and had another pizza Italiana. I never thought I would find another pizza to top my eggplant discovery. But there it was. A chicken teriyaki and mango pizza at John and Yoko restaurant on the second floor of Greenbelt 5 in Makati. First of all, my favorite fruit is mango. So I was intrigued by the possible combination of chicken teriyaki and mango. I feared the teriyaki sauce might overwhelm the dish but it was all so delicious that I left only 2 little pieces for my cousin to take home. Because the crust was also thin and crispy, it was the perfect light meal o

And now, a truly Pinoy salad! The ingredients are: green mango, singkamas (jicama), pipino (cucumber), tiny local tomatoes, steamed okra, salted red egg, and carrots sliced to eat with your fingers. The "pièce de resistance" is the bagoong dip (salted fish or shrimp paste). Never mind the aroma of the bagoong. It goes well with everything. I think I have a new favorite salad. Bon Appetit! * * * Photo by Rosario Charie Albar

My orange tree finally bore a fruit. Just one little fruit. Even though it is still quite green and I didn't notice it amongst the green leaves, I know there could be no sweeter orange than the first surviving fruit from the tree I planted 3 years ago. I'm one very happy gardener. * * * Photo by Rosario Charie Albar

Gaudi's Casa Batlló I had three full days in Barcelona recently. Hardly enough to see Gaudí's many projects, Picasso's paintings and ceramics, and Joan Miro's colorful works of art. Dividing the city into sections, I started exploring in the medieval Barri Gotic where the Museu Picasso is located. The most memorable of the collection on display are the series of paintings called "Las Meninas" after the painting of the same name by one of Spain's greatest painters, Velasquez. Picasso's abstract interpretation of the 17th century painting is interesting and thought provoking, to say the least. The series challenges viewers to see an icon from a modernistic perspective and appreciate the nuances and differences in style. The second day was devoted to Gaudí. I could only squeeze 3 of his masterpieces into my schedule - Casa Batlló, Casa Mila and Sagrada Familia. Inside Casa Batlló I was captivated by the sheer beauty of the undulating walls, the stained g