published in the May 2019 printed issue of Groove Magazine It was a drizzly morning, the driver was dexterously steering the left-handed car through the Kathmandu traffic when “Monkeys!”, my sons shouted pointing to a roof in one of the houses lining the streets. As if sensing their excitement, more monkeys emerged out of previously… Read More Tastes and Colors of Kathmandu
(Published in the April 2019 printed edition of Groove Magazine) Recent years have solidified the gentrification of Seoul. Perhaps, the most talked about area we have seen was the unfolding of Seollo 7017, once a highway overpass that became a safety risk. Located near Seoul Station, it used to be an alternative route for buses… Read More Abandoned, Yet Vibrant, Railway Station
A lot of Filipinos love Korea, its music and its Koreanovelas. But if there’s one person I know whose love for Korea and everything Korean is beyond astonishing, it would be Marianne. How I got to know Marianne is a story no longer uncommon in this digital age. She sent an FB friend invite. I… Read More Marianne: A Lady Enchanted With Korea
The holiest of all church activities are observed during Holy Week. It is even more religiously observed than Christmas. Perhaps because Christmas is all about excitement for the birth of Jesus, so it is filled with love and anticipation. It is a celebration. In contrast, the Holy Week digs deep into our worldly indulgences and… Read More A Piece of Heaven on Earth
As a 외국 가족 (foreign family) living here in Korea, with no roots to pay homage to the way Koreans do their ancestral rites, my family and I, and our friends, walked the streets of Chinatown the day before the Lunar New Year. We knew there was no public celebration to look forward to. Instead,… Read More Walking the Streets of Chinatown
All roads led to Pyeongchang in February of 2018. It was the Winter Olympics, after all! But before the world knew of Pyeongchang, the Alpensia Resort was already catering to local and foreign tourists while gearing itself to accommodate the thousands that came from all over to witness last year’s Winter Olympics. Alpensia was created… Read More Experience the Alps of Asia in Alpensia
(published in the October 2018 print edition of Groove Magazine) The Philippines is known for its white sand beaches, tranquil, blue waters and a scattered paradise of green islands. As an archipelago with 7, 641 islands, paradise is almost everywhere. So, it is not surprising when people from all over the world know it for the… Read More Taal: Heritage Town in the Philippines
(published in the September 2018 print issue of Groove Magazine) One could argue it’s Spring, but for me, Autumn is easily the loveliest season! Its cool breeze is perfected by the earthy hues of leaves leaping and soaring from shrubs and trees of all shapes and sizes. When the sun illuminates the yellows, oranges, and… Read More Easy Hikes in Autumn
The 10-year passport validity began in January 2018 in accordance with Republic Act 10928, which extends the validity of Philippine passports, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in August 2017. I processed the renewal of my passport last April and got the new one in less than 6 weeks. What’s special about the new passport? The… Read More New Philippine Passport with 10-year validity
Our family trip to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar was a trip down history lane through the stories of each heritage house. Las Casas is located in Bagac, Bataan, a sleepy town now absorbing touristy energy because of this heritage resort. Death March It was on April 9, 1942 when the commander of the Luzon Force,… Read More Bataan Death March Marker
