Edwin

Lesson 1: They don’t have ketchup, they have tomato sauce.

Lesson 2: “E” is pronounced as “I” so if someone says “Wanna come see my dick?” that’s not what he meant in Australia.

Every single girl friend of mine is asking the same exact question – “Where are the good guys? I can’t seem to find them!”

Well, apparently, they’re not at golf courses, country clubs, bars or churches – they’ve been cycling at the Ride to Conquer Cancer cycling event to raise money for cancer research.

Here are few reasons why you should take up cycling in Australia …

I spent 5 nights and 6 days on the island of Hvar in Croatia. I was booked at the Adriana Hvar Spa Hotel  for 3 nights and another hotel for 2 nights. I was so spoiled and pampered at the Adriana that I came running back to them after a night at the other hotel. (It was like I was at Neiman Marcus and went down to Walmart). Nothing quite compares to the luxurious offerings of the Adriana. Nothing.

Located in the center of the historical area of Hvar, the Adriana offers an impressive full service spa, a rooftop terrace with a covered salt water swimming pool and a sky bar that serves Mediterranean specialties with panoramic views of the Cathedral, the Piazza and the bay.

Try to take photos of food for your records. Why? Because olfactory memories take us further back in time than other factors; this is supported by experimental evidence. Taking photos of what you ate during your trip will bring back happy memories of your trip.

Filling up the gas tank of your rental car can be quite confusing. Is the gas tank on the left or right side? Now, with this simple tip, you know exactly where the gas tank is.

I have been to hundreds of beaches around the world and I have never seen this phenomenon- sand that turns from white to pink during sunset. It’s quite hard to believe but it’s true.

Around 4:00 pm, the pure white sand of Elafonisi Beach (West coast of Crete) turns from pure white to dark pink. It’s as though someone sprinkled pink dust on the shores when you weren’t looking. In some light, the sand takes on a pink glow, said to be from corals. (Elafonisi Beach is actually protected by an EU environmental program.)

I was in Zurich when a friend posted something on my Facebook page “If you’re on a road trip in Europe, you definitely have to see the Christmas Markets in Germany. The Germans know how to celebrate Christmas more than any country.”

His post intrigued me — I grew up in the Philippines and few can beat Filipinos as far as going overboard with Christmas (Filipino families put up their Christmas trees as early October … I am not kidding!).

Almost every travel guide will tell you that the best time to visit Napa and Sonoma Valley is in the Summer. Yup, that’s about as right as saying that the best time to go to Toys R Us is a week before Christmas. It is chaotic, packed, and good luck on getting note and restaurant reservations.

A summer trip to Napa means standing in lines, fighting for a parking spot, waiting for your order for 30-40 minutes and sky high hotel rates.

Go in the Fall. – sometime from Sept to early November.  This is the time leaves turn to golden brown and it’s also when they harvest the grapes.  It’s not too hot, not too crowded, easy to get reservations at Michelin-rated restaurants and hotels are quite affordable.

I hope these images will convince you that I am right! See for yourself and fall in love with Napa. 

I ran into my Canadian friend Chantal at the Vancouver Airport and she was so excited about her recent adventure at an Elephant Farm in Chiang Mai. She took her entire family and they took care of elephants for a few days. She showed me photos of their family bathing the elephants in the river and I was so jealous. I didn’t know such place existed.

I was so excited that I immediately called my 10 year old nephew about this elephant farm in Thailand where we will be camping for 4 days to take care of the elephants. I explained to him that “we would wake up early to take the elephants for a walk, then bathe them in the river, and feed them before taking them for their daily exercises.” I was so excited and I knew he would be as well.

My friend Mark was celebrating a milestone birthday and to commemorate this special occasion, he rented an entire chateau in Durdogne in South of France for his 10 closest friends. He has come up with a lot of crazy ideas in the course of our 12 year friendship- but this was the best idea EVER!

The chateau is managed by the prestigious Château de la Treyne.  It is located in a very quiet part of the countryside perched on a hill overlooking Durdogne. The setting is quite extraordinary. This chateau is also the ideal base from which to set off and explore this fascinating region of France.  We rented a couple of cars and explored wineries, caves, and quaint villages in the course of 7 days.