TravelswithCharie

Ni ō mon Gate (1830) An unplanned layover at Narita Airport yielded a pleasant surprise. With a whole morning free before returning to Narita Airport for an early evening flight, we took the shuttle bus from our hotel to Narita City. We walked to Narita-san Shinsh ō -ji Buddhist temple from the drop off point. The temple is located at the end of a busy, shop-lined street called Omotesando . It was the Setsubun Festival (in late January) and the streets in and around the temple were packed with visitors and pilgrims who, like us, were distracted by the many food stalls and enticing curio shops along the way. Setsubun is the celebration of the beginning of spring (according to the lunisolar calendar). Three Storied Pagoda Narita-san was founded in the year 940. It is a lead temple of the Chisan branch of the New Shingon sect of Buddhism. Some of the buildings in the complex are designated National Important Cultural Properties including the Three Storied Pagoda that dates b

Garcia Elementary School students in Tapaz, Capiz Balay ni Charie Foundation is a grassroots organization I created in 2006 that provides school supplies to children in Capiz , Philippines . On its first year, 20 children from Conrado Barrios Elementary School in Roxas City received school supplies. With the support of family, friends, and another charitable group, Balay ni Charie now distributes school provisions to several hundred grade school children in various towns in Capiz. Students at San Antonio Elementary School in Cuartero, Capiz This year, we visited the schools of Garcia Elementary in Tapaz, Capiz where 146 children received notebooks, pens and pencils. We also gave school supplies to 220 students at San Antonio Elementary School in Cuartero, Capiz.  The road to San Antonio Elementary School It is not easy to get to some of these schools. We needed a 4 x 4 to take us to the hinterlands of Cuartero because the roads were deeply potholed

Touring can be both fun and educational. And so it is with the Palina Greenbelt Ecotour that takes students and visitors out into the waters off of Barangay Cagay in Roxas City to appreciate the reclamation of the Palina River after it was silted up from the excessive number of fish pens in the area. This tour is conducted by the fisherfolk who sacrificed their own fish pens and livelihood in order to save the river. And now they are our guides on this barge trip as they unravel the story of the rehabilitation of this river and the rich mangroves that were planted to stem floodwaters and nurture fish, bird and plant life. Bamboo Raft We were towed by an outrigger to the open waters while two able bodied men navigated our bamboo barge with their bamboo poles, steering us forward or sideways with their muscles and then turning the barge into the narrow passage leading to the Panay River where a huge surambaw commandeered a big slice of the corridor and we had to gingerly

New to the beachside restaurant scene is Anot's with its fresh and innovative menu. When we had lunch there recently, my friend, Clay, requested the chef to serve us his top favorite dishes from the menu. Here's what we got. For starters, we had fried, crispy kangkong which was a complete surprise. Never knew kangkong could be this good. It wasn't oily at all and every delicious leaf was crispy. I didn't even need the extra mayonnaise dip to add flavor. This is an appetizer you can't put down. Prawns are a personal favorite especially the sweet variety only found in the seafood capital of the Philippines. But this dish was a little too spicy for my palate. Eating squid is an acquired taste, I think. It's meat is thick and chewy. Didn't score highly with me but I'm not an adventurous eater either. Mangagat fish is in a neck to neck race with bangus (milkfish) on many local menus. This mangagat is prepared with tiny scallops and a special s

“Yosemite Valley, to me, is always a sunrise, a glitter of green and golden wonder in a vast edifice of stone and space.”  Ansel Adams   The photographs of Ansel Adams have always been my guide to Yosemite National Park. We recently visited Yosemite and took many images of it in color but I'm posting black and white photos here for that singular Ansel Adams effect.   I still have that frog in my throat whenever I behold the wonders of Yosemite Valley.   Bridal Veil Falls “Sometimes I do get to places just when God's ready to have somebody click the shutter.” A. Adams North Dome and Royal Arches “Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer - and often the supreme disappointment.” A. Adams   Yosemite Valley from Tunnel View “Both the grand and the intimate aspects of nature can be revealed in the expressive photograph. Both can stir enduring affirmations and discoveries, and can surely help the spectator in his search for i

Roxas City, with a population of approximately 157,000 (2010 projection), is a small town with a big attraction, its seafood. Dubbed as the seafood capital of the Philippines, much of its seafood is shipped to other parts of the country but there's plenty of fresh pickings left to savor at beachside restaurants. The Immaculate Conception Metropolitan Cathedral sits in the center of the city, sandwiched between City Hall and a Catholic university. It is one of the oldest churches on Panay Island. It was recently renovated and a dome was added to it. During the feast of the Immaculate Conception (She is the patroness of the city) in December, the city comes alive with the colorful Sinadya sa Halaran parade and a fluvial parade down the Panay river which is right across from the church. On the other side of the river is the public market which is especially busy on Sundays when it spills out onto surrounding streets. It's amazing what you can buy here. Fruit, fresh produc

Sunrise on Pismo Beach California's Central Coast has some of the most breathtaking views in the world. Driving south on 101 from the San Francisco Bay Area, I passed rich farmlands and vineyards crawling up the hillsides. And halfway down to Santa Barbara, the beach towns of San Luis Obispo County are the hottest spots for sun worshippers. The outdoor tables at the Marisol at the Cliffs Resort on Pismo Beach offer premium seats for watching the fiery descent of the sun into the Pacific Ocean. Yes, it calls for a toast! It's always a treat to eat breakfast at Stearn's Wharf in Santa Barbara. Seacraft of all sizes ply the Channel in the early morning hours. A walk on the pier is a must with a full stomach. Camera at the ready, I spied a sailboat coming into the harbor. Ahhh, beautiful mornings are made of these. Santa Barbara Channel from Stearn's Wharf *  *  * Images by Charie