it's december?!

When did that happen?! No seriously. I'm confused.

I have 2 weeks left of my Asia Adventure, which I'm finding very hard to believe. I'm not sure which feeling is more dominant- my excitement to go home, or my sadness that my travels are coming to an end. But, as my sister reminded me, the world will always be there, and I can always frolic around it again. With that in mind, I'm trying to focus on getting home, centering my thoughts on how lovely it will be to cuddle & hide in blankets, to hug my parents, to be in the same country as my boyfriend, to drink tea without sweating profusely afterward (my sweat smelled like green tea sometimes, it was weird). I have a lot to miss in Asia, but I also have a lot to look forward to & embrace again in the US.

I still can't believe it's been 3 months. On one hand, I feel like I've been here forever. On the other, I look back & feel that it all blurred by too fast. Time becomes a funny thing as you get older. It's no longer just a unit of measurement, but it also becomes something more abstract, more like a feeling. Hours can feel like days when you're waiting, but melt into seconds during an engaging conversation (truth: Alex & I Skyped for 5 hours once without even realizing it. Good thing it's freeeee). Months can stretch for decades while in grade school, but rush past at college graduation. While planners become increasingly more important with age, the events & functions scribbled into them become more defined by this abstract idea of time. At least that's the case for me. I used to swear by pocket calendars. I'd be caught dead without one. But now, I carry around a completely blank notebook sans boxes for dates or even lines to write on. Instead of recording events under calendar days, I journal about them. And it's not a play-by-play, broken down to the exact minute. Instead it's a written memory of observations & feelings that happened on that date, during that time.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand I'm not making any sense. I really should stop trying to write these thoughtful entries. I always just end up talking nonsense. Lewis Carrol would probably be a fan, though. Or a 6 year old.

Well, I should be leaving for my flight soon anyway. Time for my last island hopping adventures in the Philippines: Cebu & Bohol! Happy December, everyone. <3

so, about 6 more people in the world have seen me naked.

And I got my butt slapped. And at one point I was blindfolded. No, I wasn't at an orgy or a Marilyn Manson concert (1. I've heard of much worse happening at those shows. 2. Marilyn Manson in the Philippines... that thought just tickles me.). I went to a spa! I'd never been to one before, & upon hearing that, my scandalized Aunt insisted on treating me for a day. Um, AWESOME? I love this woman.

With one of her good friends, Chi Chi, we headed to Antipolo City in the Rizal Province, just east of Manila. The car ride was long-ish because of crawling holiday traffic. (It usually starts in early November here and the large number of cars plus the free-for-all style of driving in the Philippines makes the streets positively frustrating. Think Los Anglese traffic during rush hour. Without lanes.) The spa was quaint & small but efficiently equipped within the limited space. It smelled like tanglad & sweet spices, which had an immediate calming effect on me. We signed up for a package that, for just $23, included a hydro massage, sauna, jacuzzi, black mud wrap, foot spa treatment, full body massage, manicure & pedicure. Pretty awesome, no? All that for $23 is pretty unheard of in the States!

I learned a couple things while at the spa: I'm more ticklish on one side of my body than the other (not telling which side, which is not meant as an invitation to experiment), I have 2 HUGE knots in my back, & foot spa treatments are TOTALLY necessary for life. So, yea. My first experience at a spa was pretty good. My Aunt said she's been to better spas, but as I have no basis for comparison, I remain satisfied. Yay, pampering!

back to tarlac.

Being in the house where my mother grew up is pretty surreal. It has changed a lot since she lived there as a girl, but I still like roaming its halls & the surrounding land, wondering if my mom had walked where I was walking, what she had been doing, what she was thinking. Did she know that one day she’d be living in the United States? That she’d get married & have two daughters? That she’d have a successful career in Special Education, in spite of her college studies in Biology & Fisheries? If my mom had stayed in the Philippines, I wonder if she would have been a biologist instead, wearing lab coats and doing research behind goggles & microscopes.

I also often wonder, especially now, being here, how different my life would have been had my parents decided to stay in the Philippines. I’m sure I would have been just as happy in the context of that life, but as someone who has grown up in the western world it’s admittedly a difficult thing to imagine. Don’t get me wrong. I do love and appreciate the life & culture here very much. There’s a happy simplicity to it that I am yet to encounter anywhere else. It’s just that western traditions & life have left such a deep impression in my mind & I don’t think I could ever completely be rid of it. It invites constant comparisons & longing for the States, which is not necessarily because things are better in the west (there are pros and cons for both places) but because of the simple fact that it’s what I grew up with, it’s what I know.

Being in Tarlac again, looking around I realized that this is what my mother grew up with, this is what she knew. And still knows, really. After all these years living in the states, the house still sparks her memory & she can recall moments from her childhood with startling clarity as if she were reliving them. And I guess in a way she is. Last December, our entire extended family (save for one first cousin- LAME FRED!) traveled to the Philippines, all reunited for the first time EVER. I spent a lot of my first day in Tarlac with my mom, walking around with her, listening to stories & memories. She would point to something and tell me what it used to look like before, or a room would inspire a story about my grandfather and his black, thick-framed glasses. As she did this, I could see her as a child and a young woman. & I think she could see that too, for she would occasionally lapse into thoughtful silences with a faraway look on her face.

The property used to be a poultry farm and the wooden skeletons of coops still linger. They’re now used as storage & shelves for potted herbs & plants, as my Auntie Wena has recently opened a quaint garden café called Good Earth, accordingly transforming the property into a dining area, kitchen, vegetable garden, & green house. It’s a darling eatery with a relaxing & welcoming atmosphere. All the dishes are prepared with fresh, organically grown ingredients, some of which are gathered right from the garden. I got to sample their best selling dishes, including tanglad chicken, pineapple-basil smoothie, focaccia bread, and a pan of freshly baked pizza. It was all absolutely delicious! But what I really love about this restaurant, in addition to the food of course, is how much of a family collaborative effort it’s been and continues to be. All of the sisters have contributed to it, whether financially, creatively, physically, or all of the above. & all with so much love & support! I love being a part of this family!

rewind: studio ghibli museum!

Before leaving for Japan, I made a to do list: eat sushi, try miso ramen, stuff my face with mochi... Yea, a lot of it was, unsurprisingly, food-related. But one item that was not, and was actually underlined, written in bold caps, and surrounded by stars & exclamation points, was visiting the Studio Ghibli Museum!

Studio Ghibli is a delightful & innovative animation studio, founded by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata & Toshio Suzuki in 1985. With strong backgrounds in the animation industry, and after the success of the AWESOME film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, the three men collaborated to create THE GREATEST STUDIO OF ALL TIME, unaware of how it would shape & heavily influence the industry in Japan, as well as animation abroad in the future. Ghibli has a more than impressive resume of films, wowing audiences of children & adults alike with such titles as Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Ponyo, & most popularly Spirited Away. The later film was the western world's first real introduction to Studio Ghibli thanks to Walt Disney Studios (I really think that John Lasseter has a crush on Miyazaki, btw), & it also won the 2002 Oscar for Best Animated Feature. BAM.

In addition to their unique approach to design & animation, the studio has also become well known for their stories. They "often incorporate recurrent themes, such as humanity's relationship to nature and technology, and the difficulty of maintaining a pacifist ethic. Reflecting Miyazaki's feminism, the protagonists of his films are often strong, independent girls or young women. While two of his films, The Castle of Cagliostro and Castle in the Sky, involve traditional villains, his other films such as Nausicaä or Princess Mononoke present morally ambiguous antagonists with redeeming qualities" (Wikipedia). (Yea, I thought they put it best.)

& fun fact re: the name: "Ghibli is based on the Arabic name for the sirocco, or Mediterranean wind, which the Italians used for their Saharan scouting planes in World War II, the idea being that the studio would blow a new wind through the Japanese anime industry" (Wikipedia). (Have you noticed that I LOVE Wikipedia?)

They opened up a museum in 2001 in Mitaka Inokashira Park, and I was DETERMINED to go. And I did! Unfortunately, photography of any kind was not allowed in the museum, so I can't share photos. But, in the end, I liked it better that way for my personal experience. As their website says, "The Ghibli Museum is a portal to a storybook world. As the main character in a story, we ask that you experience the Museum space with your own eyes and senses, instead of through a camera's viewfinder. We ask that you make what you experienced in the Museum the special memory that you take home with you." Have I mentioned that I LOVE THEM?

The museum was beyond excellent! Near the main entrance was a ginormous Totoro sitting behind a ticket booth window! & approaching it, I could hear little voices swooning & excitedly exclaiming “Kawaii!” ("Cute!”). Most of the visitors were kids, & I counted myself among them, feeling like a child at heart as I all but frolicked into the museum. It looked almost colonial with wood paneling, metal-gated staircases & diamond-paned windows. The lively & colorful exhibit pieces stood out wonderfully against this historic propriety (such as the brilliant stained glass window on the ceiling, which was a detailed mosaic of Studio Ghibli characters!). The exhibits encouraged visitor interaction & imagination- it wasn’t about looking & observing, but it was about experiencing & being a part of the studio and the animation process. They had intricate contraptions of whirling wheels & gears that showed how 35 mm film became a movie; replicas of animator desks covered with whittled down pencils, watercolor drafts & sketches; walls covered with design concepts, postcards, magazine cut outs and various odds & ends (like a mounted moose head, model airplanes, & empty ornate picture frames) used for inspiration; giant hand-crank flip books; etc. There was so much to see & do! I wandered from room to room, overwhelmed with delight & increasing love for the studio.

I really believe that everyone should experience the museum! That said, I don’t want to spoil it by writing too much. It really was such a magical place, where youth & child-like awe is restored, even for the grumpiest & most brittle person.

P.s. I saw Charlotte Gainsbourg there with her kids! Celebrity sighting in Japan. In the Studio Ghibli Museum. DOUBLE COOL.

thanksgiving!

So, Thanksgiving may be a nonexistent holiday in Asia, and my final Thursday of November will be without sweet potatoes, silly family feuds & pumpkin pie (with a large dollop of whipped cream!), but I can and still want to give thanks. Particularly this past year, I have a lot to be thankful for. Too much, really. Here's a short list, in no particular order:

1. Cartwheels. They're happy and I have great memories associated with doing them.
2. Good pens. There really is nothing like a good pen. I'm a nerd.
3. Colors. I've discovered so many new colors abroad, colors I never knew existed! They're all amazing & have given me a greater appreciation for nature.
4. Engaging conversations. Because they're a whole lot better than boring ones. And learning more about a person, getting to know someone is the best.
5. Whirlwind adventures. Self explanatory.
6. Loved ones. I LOVE ALL OF YOU.
7. The Internet. I LOVE ALL OF IT.
8. Languages. Communication is a beautiful thing. Common language & understanding is something that I've taken for granted for many years. Language barriers have been quite the obstacle over the past few months. But, what I once found daunting & isolating, I now find fascinating & wonderful. Different languages, even if I don't understand them, are amazing.
9. Creativity. Creativity will always be at the top of my list. Symphonies, novels, photographs, knitted scarves... people are creating such lovely things everyday, all the time! The world couldn't function without it!
10. Bicycles. My bike is the one material thing that I miss the most back in the States. Biking everywhere, everyday in the Bronx was the greatest!

So those are a few of them. What are you thankful for?

rewind: japanese cities.

Yea, I have no excuses anymore. I really have no idea why I can’t bring myself to write about Japan. Whenever I sit down to do it, I think of something else to do, preferring that over the former. It’s not due to dislike of the country, because I genuinely did love Japan (although I ultimately decided that I could never live there for an extended period of time, I'll explain later), and I’m not too busy to write, because I’ve posted plenty of times since then… I really think it’s just laziness. So, here’s me trying to tackle that laziness to finally share with you more of my experiences in Japan.

So, to continue with the lists, below are all the cities that I visited. My aunt was the master brain (I guess the correct term is “mastermind” but I like using the word brain whenever I can) behind the whole trip, responsible for scheduling & booking EVERYTHING. Mad props to her! We visited more cities than I thought was humanly possible over 8 days. I suppose Japan isn’t the biggest country, but still. Read on and be impressed & jealous of our travels all over Japan!

1. Osaka. is the third largest city in Japan and is known as the commercial/economic center of Japan as well as its "kitchen" for gourmet food. We didn't explore Osaka too much, though; it really just acted as our travel hub for the first couple days. So, I became very familiar with the early morning & evening activity of the city. It was always a vision of businessmen & suits. They all looked quite dapper, speeding off with purpose in quick strides. I always became so aware of my current unemployment & youth in Osaka, surrounded by all those professionals.

2. Kyoto. We did a lot of sightseeing in Kyoto on our second day! First, we went to Nijo Castle. It was built starting in 1601 as a residence for the Tokugawa Shoguns. It consists of several chambers, all of which were modestly but elegantly decorated with delicate wood carvings, fine panel paintings, & shining gold leaf accents. The floors, called "nightingale floors," were designed to squeak when walked upon, a precaution against potential intruders & attackers. The surrounding gardens were beautiful, designed by a famous landscape artist Kobori Enshu. We also went to the International Manga Museum, which had an impressively large collection of volumes, spanning several decades & covering a wide range of titles. I particularly liked, though, that they sold sheets of cake & small tubes of chocolate frosting for guests to draw on & decorate. Yummy & creative! Double win! We then hopped over to Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, so named because, you guessed it, it's golden! We got there just as evening was beginning to fall, and the blushing sky was wonderfully reflected in the lake. Across the water, the pavilion looked positively regal, standing out against the greenery of the surrounding gardens. We finally ended the day in the Gion District. It was one of the most famous Geisha districts in Japan. Not to be confused with a red-light district, the Geisha houses here were purely for entertainment, eg. traditional Japanese dancing, singing, etc. Now, it's a popular strip of shops. The buildings & streets remain preserved for the most part in their historical glory on the outside, with the addition of bright white lanterns lining the road. But the interiors have changed to accommodate candy shops, mochi vendors, & modern tea houses. We walked along here for a while, buying snacks & souvenirs, before giving in to weariness & heading back to the hotel.

3. Miyajima Island. Located in the city of Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima, we went here on our third day to see the Itsukushima Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (& to feast on Okonomiyaki, much to Auntie Wawie's excitement.) We took a ferry (yay boats!) to get there, watching men harvest pearls and admiring the famous bright red gateway of the shrine, which in the distance seemed to float in the high tide. Once on the island, we were accosted by deer. No joke. They roam freely in the area & they were everywhere- lounging in shady patches, nuzzling babies in strollers, trying to eat your city map... It was pretty awesome, but admittedly strange to be able to pet them as you would a puppy or cat. We walked along the coastline, which was lined with small shops & eateries, to the shrine. Itsukushima was a series of wooden piers and structures, painted warm orange with white accents. It was all built on the water because, historically, the island was considered so sacred that people were barred from setting foot on it, instead only allowed to approach by boat. It was all in all a very lovely place, my favorite part being all the paper fortunes folded & tied everywhere, creating a strange, white ivy weaving throughout. Leaving the shrine, we later explored the surrounding market area, where I bought a cone of the most delicious green tea fro-yo that I've ever had. Win.

4. Shirakawa-go. Easily my favorite place in Japan! It's a small, historical, rural village (another UNESCO World Heritage Site) in the Shogawa river valley, tucked in the northern mountains. To get there, we took a 4 hour train ride, most of which I spent glued to my window, staring at the passing scenery. I don’t know if I’ve made this clear enough, but I LOVE long trips through raw landscapes, next to a window. My eyes glazed over as cities shrank to towns, towns to villages, villages to farmland & finally farmland to wilderness. The train cut through mountains & valleys, and I could spot mumbles of fall in the changing leaves of trees. After frolicking in tropical countries where fall is nonexistent, my heart cartwheeled seeing the warm colors of my favorite season. After tunneling through a particularly long mountain passage, we arrived at the village. I felt like Lucy walking through the seemingly innocent wardrobe, then discovering the wonderful, fantastical world of Narnia. (Only, no fauns/James McAvoy.) The village was unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and I spent most of my time there staring in awe & amazement, wondering mentally & aloud, “Is this REAL?!” The houses are constructed in an architectural style called gasshō-zukuri or "prayer-hands construction." They are so named as the steep slant of the thatched roofs resemble two praying hands pressed at the fingertips. The whole village looked & felt like a prayer, really- bright wild flowers grew along pathways; rice fields & vegetable gardens lay spread like a patchwork quilt of agriculture; darling trees offered musical rustlings of wind brushing against their changing leaves; small streams branched off & and ran everywhere, babbling & laughing; & the air tickled my nose with its chill & autumnal sweetness. It was wonderful & I promised myself that I would come back with my family.

5. Yokohama. is the second largest city in Japan in population. Historically, it was a simple fishing village. It became a major port city of trade in the mid 1880s, when the western world demanded that Japan end its national seclusion & engage in international commerce. The city then experienced alternating periods of great economic & industrial growth, and devastating set backs that came in the forms of the Great Kantō earthquake & World War II. Now, it is a lovely city, with much to entertain! We spent a whole day there, walking around & exploring. We went to/saw the historic port area Kannai; Yamashita Park; the tallest inland lighthouse in the world; Yokohama Chinatown (they had a TON of panda-related merchandise here. Even the steamed buns were made to look like pandas!); Harbor View Park (had a delightful rose garden!); Landmark tower, the tallest building in Japan; the Cosmo Clock 21, which is actually a huge Ferris wheel; etc. Yea. Yokohama was pretty awesome.

The last major city that I have to write about is Tokyo, but I think it deserves its own post. That and I'm getting really tired. Haaa. Gnight, world! And Happy Thanksgiving, America!

don't go chasing waterfalls.

Please stick to the rivers and the lakes like you used to! That's right, I just referenced a TLC song. Whu-whaaaaat! It was just too appropriate because it mentions waterfalls, which I will write about to finish off Dumaguete!

So, continuing from my last post... before leaving the lakes, Sam & I stumbled into another traveler named Charina. Charina is a cheerful & bubbly Filipina-Canadian that has been traveling for the past 10 months all over the world- super cool. We chatted amiably for a spell & parted ways after exchanging contact info and promising to meet up later for dinner & drinks.

Sam & I continued on to Casaroro Falls, in the neighboring town Valencia. I thought it darling. It was heavily shaded by many trees, and was much quieter than Dumaguete, with more pedestrians than tricycle taxis. We flagged down two habal habals (carpooling may have been better for the environment but... it really wasn't that comfortable, particularly with the bumpy road) and sped off towards the mountains. This ride was positively TERRIFYING. And painful. It's a wonder that I didn't score tons of bruises on my poor butt. It was REAL off-road motorbiking, and I felt extremely exposed & vulnerable with my shorts, sandals and un-helmet-ed head. It was with great thankfulness, 20 minutes later, that we dismounted, laughing at how ridiculously uncomfortable the ride had been.

To get to the waterfall, we walked down about 370 concrete steps that zigged & zagged, following a natural slope deep into a valley. As we got lower, the trees became more densely packed, creating a tightly woven canopy. In the darker lighting, the shades of green & brown were bolder & deeper and I felt transported to another world entirely. Finally getting to the bottom, several hundred feet below, the path continued along a stream, and we traced it to its source. The waterfall was BREATHTAKING. Wanting to get a closer look, we abandoned the path and navigated through moss-covered stones & gravel into the stream. We sat on a rock in the middle of the lazy current and stared, amazed by nature. Upon Sam's suggestion, I let my eyes start at the top of the fall & descend with the water- it was hypnotizing and I suggest you try it! A soft mist hung in the air, and my ears were filled with the sound of rushing water. I dipped my feet in, and for the second time that day wished desperately that I knew how to swim.

When we got back to Dumaguete, I took Sam to Sans Rival Bakery, as she had a sweet tooth to rival mine (which is saying something). I went to Sans Rival at least once a day, every day. Yes, it was THAT good. The servers probably thought I was the biggest & saddest fatty ever because I usually sat alone in the front window, writing & eating at least three different pastries and/or cake slices. Well, I wouldn't argue with them over being the biggest fatty, but I was NEVER sad. Bina + sweets = THE HAPPIEST. And I was even happier to spread this love of desserts to Sam, who was very appreciative. We allowed ourselves to indulge in a few yums (I had a slice of concorde cake & a chocolate chip cheesecake cupcake- I DIED), justifying the consumption by recalling all the exercise & activity we'd done that day.

After dessert, we got dinner & drinks with Charina. (And by the way, I decided that eating dessert first is how I will live from now on!) We went to a place called the Blue Monkey Grill, popular with locals & tourists alike. Grabbing a picnic table outside, we chatted about our travels and lives over Filipino food & beers. It's amazing how easily conversation flows between fellow travelers. You're strangers to each other and yet you never seem to hit the awkward/shy/over-polite stage of getting-to-know-you that comes standard with most new relationships. You just kind of jump right in, and usually the conversation will feel the way it does between old friends, catching up after a long separation. I absolutely love and treasure these conversations & relationships, no matter how temporary and short they are. They're always so lovely and remind me that good people can always be found everywhere.

The rest of my stay was pretty low key, full of beach-bumming, shell-searching, horizon-watching, cake-eating, park-reading, not-sleeping, etc. Oh! Except for a huge parade that I got swept into! Everyone wore brightly colored costumes & danced to sweet percussion beats. The streets were filled with people, all laughing & clapping & swaying with the performers. It was awesome to see Dumaguete so lively & excited about their culture!

So yes, Dumaguete was rad. And I will totally go back there if I ever get the chance. And I will eat more cake.