(First of two parts) It was in the morning of Nov. 26, 2016, when I first set foot in Bethlehem. I remember that the Church (also called Basilica) of the Nativity was quite full of pilgrims. I also remember hearing a soft babel of voices speaking in different languages. The Nativity Church is among the...
Category: Lifestyle
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Breathing in the great outdoors
Cooped up in our Metro Manila home for three pandemic years, we finally ventured on a getaway trip southward for a much-needed dose of fresh air. Our “rescue” from “Kyusi,” the city, to the province of Quezon was facilitated by my husband Sonny’s Lucena-based sisters (among 13 siblings) spearheaded by Dr. Ceres Romano and Jojie...
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Yin-Yang: finding balance and harmony
Sages and philosophers say that having balance and harmony is one pervading aspiration, if not imperative, in life. And such a path is embodied in one of the world’s most famous symbols: the yin and yang. Yin-yang is a central tenet in Lao Tzu’s Daoism, the philosophy that there is a right way to live...
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This Christmas, help yourself forgive with the ‘REACH’ method
Dear Mark and Cathy, My boyfriend of five years passed away suddenly six months ago. In the wake of his passing, I discovered many secrets—things that he did not tell me about. It appears that all that time we were together he was leading a double life. Whenever I think of his betrayal, I am...
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Growing old and transitioning to retirement
“Tanda,” a Filipino term for “old,” can also mean “sign.” So one can easily ask: What is the sign of getting old (Ano ang tanda ng tumatanda)? The song “Kahit maputi na ang buhok ko” speaks of love that persists even as one’s hair turns grey—just one sign of ageing. Of course, the birthdate is...
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Our Lady is our mother for always
Dec. 8, the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, is a special nonworking holiday nationwide by virtue of Republic Act. No. 10966. The law calls Our Lady “the principal patroness of the Philippines,” but more than that, she is the “mother” of millions of Filipinos who look to her as the fount of love...
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In the moment: ‘mon petit jardin’
AVERNES, France—Here in my garden, I sow, I grow, and I remember my mother. She didn’t have a garden. No one did in that part of Manila, but beside our house where the neighbors had the right of way, she planted hardy San Franciscos and greens with heart-shaped leaves (Homalomenas, I now think). Asparagus ferns...
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A ‘trattoria’ in Silang, Cavite? That’s ‘amore’
Tucked in semi-commercial Bulihan in bucolic Silang, Cavite, is a “trattoria”-style restaurant called “Cotoletta Ni Saletta.” It gets its name from the owners, Matteo Saletta, an Italian who speaks Filipino quite fluently, and his wife, Jonie Olandag-Saletta, a Filipino who speaks Italian like a native. In Italy, a trattoria is a small restaurant usually run...
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Dealing with grief over the holidays
Dear Cathy & Mark, Our beloved 72-year-old father died last June of Covid-19. He was generally healthy otherwise. My four siblings and I are devastated by our loss. Our father loved Christmas and always made it a special time for our family. Two of my siblings suggested that we carry on our family traditions as...
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Asean Centre for Biodiversity gears for world’s 1st green travel festival
The Asean Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), co-organizer of the International Ecotourism Travel Mart (IETM), is in the thick of preparations for the world’s first green travel festival to be held next year in Silang, Cavite, Philippines. Scheduled on March 29-April 2, 2023, IETM is a historic assembly that puts ecotourism in its rightful place in...