The Farm at San Benito Batangas

At the Farm on September 20-21, 2009

Notes from the Author. Just went to the Farm a couple of days ago. The Farm is a health & wellness resort located at San Benito, Batangas. It is about a 2-hour drive from Manila. It’s the ultimate place for relaxation and health recovery, while enjoying the sights of nature. A perfect get-away for those who want to de-stress from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Good morning sunshine!

Contact Details: 632 884 8073

http://www.thefarm.com.ph/aboutus.php

Services: Spa, Massage and Facial Treatments | Detox and other medical treatments

Daily Activities: Silent Meditation | Sunrise Yoga | Afternoon Tea | Tropical Bush Walk | Farm’s Fun RUN | Evening Movie

Refreshing taragon, mint and pandan tea with healthy snacks.

My 30-minute silent meditation. (Sitting still and being aware of your breathing is not as easy as it seems.)

Healthy food concoctions. Breakfast was great!

Favorite area at the Farm – the Mango Tree. This mango tree has lived for about 200 years.

Our villa. Designed after the traditional rice barns of the southern Philippines – Sulu.

The Sulu Terraces	Interiors

A sneak preview of the Farm

44 Places to Go in 2009

Author's Notes. New York Times has named Boracay as one of the 44 Places to Go in 2009. How cool is that? Out of so many destinations, Boracay Philippines came in 26th. Not bad! Glad to know that Philippines is finally getting known for it's nice beaches and as a great tourist destination.

If you're curious about New York's Times' other 44 Places to Go in 2009, Click here.
More photos of Boracay soon!

Sonya’s Garden

Notes from the Author. If you want to get away from the city, a short trip would be Tagaytay. And if you are looking for a place to eat, a place to relax or stay for the night, you may want to try going to Sonya’s Garden Bed & Breakfast, where they serve food with most of the ingredients picked from the garden. The dining area is a greenhouse, where you see all kinds of plants and vegetables being grown. And of course, while you are there, you can’t just help but have a tour of Sonya’s garden of beauty.

For reservations, visit: http://www.sonyasgarden.com/index.html

Random shots - Sonya’s Garden, Tagaytay (2006-2008)

Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh City, August 2 – 17, 2009

 Notes from the Author.   This is my second time in  Vietnam.  My last stay was in 2003.  Not much has changed though.  Mostly, it’s  still the same from the way I remembered it in 2003. There are new infrastructures and also a new international airport.  It’s easy to walk around Ho Chi Minh city.   And if you want to go shopping, you’ll definitely do a lot of walking, as shops are not concentrated in one place as they don’t have big malls.  But they do have lots of fancy boutiques and souvenir shops, a few department stores and french cafes scattered around Ho Chi Minh’s District 1.

3 Things I enjoyed in Vietnam:  THE  Food (definitely!), cheap art galleries,  riding a motorcycle!

 

Notre Dame Basilica in 2003, HCMC

And the Notre Dame Basilica in 2009, HCMC

People's Council/People's Committee Building in 2003

 

Me and The People’s Council in 2009

The Saigon Central Post Office in 2003 is pretty much the same as today.

Other places …

The Saigon Opera House

Park near the Notre Dame Basilica.  A lot of people , mostly young people hang out at the park on the weekends.  Life here is simple.

3 of my favorite things  to eat in Vietnam:  PHO (which means Noodles), Springrolls and ice cream.

 

PHO (listed as one of the 1000 places to visit before you die.)

Wrap n’ Roll (All the spring rolls you can eat! YUM.)

 

Fanny’s Ice Cream (1st photo)    Tutti Frutti Yoghurt Ice Cream (second photo)

  Interesting souvenirs…

Vietnam is swarming with art galleries selling art replicas of famous paintings of Van Gogh, Klimt, Da Vinci, and lots more.   They also sell original paintings from local artists.  And the Vietnamese painters in my opinion are really talented artists.

There are many of these miniature boats hand crafted by Vietnamese locals.  Really nice.