My New Paradise

Credits: JSprague Digi in Deeper course material.

Adams. A familiar name yet peculiar for the Ilocos Norte, yes? With names like Laoag, Pagudpud, Paoay… Adams sounds off. The first time I heard of Adams was 16 years ago when Anton explored the river with fellow guides. He raved not only about the river but its natural surroundings as well.

He went back several times to raft and to kayak the Bulo River but never with me. In 2009 on an Ilocos Road Trip, we attempted a visit to Adams to hike to the waterfalls. It rained, and we chickened out. We never made it to the town.

This was at the junction where we’d take a habal-habal (motorcycle for hire) to take us to town.

Sprawling over a land area of 159.31 square kilometers on the northern coast of Ilocos Norte,

Adams is a treasure trove of rainforests with rare flora and fauna, centuries old trees,

hanging bridges and waterfalls.

Anuplig Falls

We were treated to a cultural show.

It is a small town of only one village but is a melting pot of ethnic groups composed of the Yapayao or Itneg, Ilocano, Igorot, Kankan-ay and Ibaloi, which explains why their cuisine is different from the Ilocano dishes we know.

We had fried frog, udang (river shrimps), stir-fried pako, and mountain rice.

It is a hodgepodge of the various ethnic groups and what is locally available like gabi (Taro), crab lets, baby damo (wild boar), frogs, Udang (river shrimps), purple mountain rice, and my favorite, stir-fried pako (fiddlehead fern).

Like its name, it is a divergent from the rest of the region. The climate is pleasantly cool especially at this time of the year, with temperatures just a few notched higher than Baguio.

I wish I had made more effort to visit this mountain-river town. It took me fifteen years to finally set foot here. My first trip to Adams was last year around this time. Ask me how many times I’ve been back since. Four so far. I have fallen in love with the area. Expect more posts from me. Meanwhile, here are some photos to whet your appetite for the place. This is my new paradise.

The Bulo River from a bridge.

Lush forest en route to Anuplig falls.

Hospitality to the hilt. Entertainment provided by the villagers.

Ilyn’s Homeystay: our home in Adams.

A beautiful point called “Lover’s Peak”

Lovely grounds at Lover’s Peak.

Posted on November 12, 2015November 12, 2015 by Jenn 2

Ubud

I’ll drop everything and hop on a flight with you just at the mention of the word. Ubud is one of the places I go to recharge (read my old post on Ubud here). The cultural heartland of Bali, surrounded by rice fields and lush greenery, is my place of rest and inspiration.

It’s a town about 300 meters above sea level so it is comfortably cooler than the rest of the island. The main reason Ubud appeals so much to me is because it feed my needs. In Ubud, I get to relax, be artistically inspired by its art and culture, enjoy the good (but not necessarily expensive) food and be in the midst of nature.

This town in the middle of Bali has been known for over a century as an artist village, a cultural center that draws those who seek crafted treasures and/or architectural inspiration. The cultural and traditional art in Ubud were preserved because when it became a Dutch Protectorate in the 1900s, the colonialists didn’t interfere much.

It was only in the 1930s when the Royal family encouraged foreign artists to Ubud did the modern era began in Ubud, eventually creating a dynamic art scene. Consequently, a treasure trove of museums and galleries now call Ubud home.

Ubud is a haven for shoppers, truth to tell. Monkey Forest Road, Jalan Raya and Hanoman Streets are strips of retail therapy treats – from beautiful arts and crafts, local designer clothes and jewelry to unique housewares and antiques.

It is also home to restaurants, cafes and warungs (local eateries), and a foodie’s haven. The whole island, in fact, has an exciting culinary scene and Ubud is right up there.

At first glance, Ubud seemingly may consist of local eateries but it has its fair share of creative restaurants featuring a fusion of different cuisines. Every visit, I discover new jaunts but try to revisit one or two favourites. More on Ubud Eats here.

Nature lovers will love the countryside feel of Ubud. Cafes and lodgings surrounded by rice fields abound.

The view of the rice field from our resort, Munari Resort and Spa.

While birds and animal lovers will enjoy an afternoon in either the Monkey Forest or head out to Putulu Village for some white heron (kokokan) sightings.

These herons, thousands of them, have inhabited the trees of Putulu since 1965.

They return to rest at around 6 pm every night so it is best to go an hour or so earlier, find yourself a warung and enjoy a few drinks of cold beer while you wait.

The one lure that calls out the loudest and the one I truly look forward to is the pampering. You can’t walk more than a few meters without passing a spa.

Getting a daily massage is a norm in an area swarming with spas – a traditional Balinese massage one day, a Javanese Lulur Scrub another and what about a four-hand massage or coffee scrub for that special treat before going home?

Ahh… just writing this post had me yearning for another de-stressing visit to Ubud. Sigh…

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Jenn 2

The Streets of Hanoi: Old Quarter Immersion

The capital of Vietnam and perhaps one of Asia’s most nostalgic. A sleepy town, Hanoi is not. On our arrival at midnight, the street was still or maybe already bustling with flower vendors unloading flowers for transport. The alley near our hotel, though seemingly winding down, scatters with people. And, of course, during the day, it is chaos.

Motorbikes, bicycles, cars, peddlers, and pedestrians whiz by in different directions, honking, and pushing.

I anxiously brave through this confusion at first but comfortably got into the groove. “Just walk in a steady pace, do not stop.” We were advised. “Speeding up or stopping confuses the driver and you might end up getting bumped.”

We like watching this organized chaos from the balcony of a coffee shop .

Somewhat similar (but not as crazy) to how we Filipinos cross our streets and highways, actually.

Hanoi is noisy, busy and clogged with motorbikes as it is serene, cultured and delightful.

The tranquil lakes, excellent food scene, beautiful architecture, the old quarter and colonial architecture offset the madness.

This wasn’t my first time to Hanoi but coming back was something I knew would happen again and again. Seven years and I notice some changes, more charming boutique hotels for one and the night scene has gotten more packed. But many has remained the same.

We stayed in the Old Quarter, a nice boutique hotel in an alley too narrow for cars.

This district is the soul of Hanoi where travelers go to immerse in its historical labyrinth of 36 streets, each named after the trade it specializes in.

Similar to Morocco’s markets, streets in the Old Quarter are named Silk Street, Herbal Medicine Street, Appliance Street, Blacksmith Street, etc… you get the drift.

Why? The Old Quarter became a crafts area when King Ly Thai built his palace there after Vietnam’s independence. Not long after, craftsmen clustered around the palace according to their skills. These artists who worked and lived close together formed their respective cooperatives and the streets consequently earned its names, according to skills.

These rows exist to this day and still buzz with commerce. You can find about anything from the traditional down to the knock-offs.

Buzzling-commerce

Another quirk that remained unchanged:

The people of Hanoi do a lot of their living and working outside of their small tube houses or stores.

And they make use of the sidewalk, which, of course, is also where they park their motorcycles and bicycles. People tend to walk along moving vehicles… on the street.

With its idiosyncrasies and all, Hanoi is easy to love. Stay with me and you’ll see why.

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Jenn 2

Passing Through Faro

It was a beautiful, balmy day. Blue skies, gorgeous clouds, splendid sunshine.

We sat outdoors, right beside the marina. We ordered our beer and then planned our day. First agenda was deciding on lunch.

Not particularly known as a tourist destination with little to boast in terms of tourist attractions.

The gateway to Portugal from Southern Spain is a quiet town in the Algarve region. Quiet relative to all the places we’ve visited on this trip. Tourists more like pass through Faro on their way to a beach resort or a fairway nearby. But I love it for the quietness.

If you look beyond the graffiti walls, Faro is charming. Small enough to cover by foot and without an agenda, we went with the flow, stopping for beer or sweets when tired or just felt like it.

The journey by bus from Seville took about 2 hours. We arrived mid-morning and it took about 10 minutes from the bus station to our cozy B&B, comfortable enough for one night (read: tiny room).

“What can we do for the day?” we asked the young lady in charge. “Here?” she thought for a second. “Nothing much” she replied. We could go to Lagos for the day if we wish. Her advice.

We didn’t. Into our third week of traveling, we felt like doing nothing. We needed to recharge so we stayed put. Never mind that we didn’t get see the fort up in Lagos. So after a few beers at the marina, we followed the map to Adega Nova along Rua Francisco Barreto.

Beautiful lunch and a superb dessert—a place I highly recommend when in the area.

Then we walked towards Cidade Velha (the old town) through shops and cafes along the city’s pedestrianised shopping center.

We entered the old town through Vila Adentro and was magically transported to another world.

Streets cobbled and lined with whitewashed houses maintaining the Portuguese character,

cobbled-street

a large section of this old walled city is still surrounded by walls built by the Muslim conquerors.

This medieval walled city survived two earthquakes, they say.

The Palacio Belmarco

The hodgepodge of Baroque, Gothic, and Moorish architecture provides a fascinating insight into its past.

Linked by medieval gates or arches, the Arco do Repouso is the most impressive section of the walled city,

and the Arco do Porta Nova or the Portes do Mar (doors of the sea) near the water, is usually where many would end their walk, us included.

Walking at the water’s edge heading back to Jardim Manuel Bivar near the marina, many offered us a trip to Ria Formosa Natural Park, a marshland supposedly teeming with birdlife.

We declined. Instead, we headed to Clube Naval.

We read that this harbor-side bar offers good views of the park and the city from the top floor,

but they were closed for the day so we settled for a cafe nearby, spending the rest of the day admiring the harbor and the city until we were ready for dinner.

Where one take the trip to Ria Formosa.

Contrary to the lady’s (from the B&B) enlightenment or lack thereof, Faro is a delightful destination in its own right. The charming old town had impressed and makes for a wonderful, unforgettable break. I wonder why she thought otherwise? Perhaps we need to start seeing beyond our ordinary. I too am guilty of that in many ways. We tend to take for granted the (what we think are) ordinary things.

Here are more photos of our wonderfully surprising day well-spent.

Capuchin Convent close to the guesthouse

At the Largo do Don Afonso III, named after the 13th century king whose statue dominates the square.

Governo Civil

Igreja de Sao Pedro

The Municipal Museum, Faro’s cultural highlight, is in a former convent built around a Renaissance cloister containing exhibits related to the city’s Roman and Islāmic heritage.

Useful Info:

Adega Nova

Rua Francisco Barreto

+351 289 813 433

www.restauranteadeganova.com

Azothea

Rua Baptista Lopes, 40

+351 289 802 536

www.facebook.com/Azotheabnb

Posted on October 8, 2014October 13, 2014 by Jenn 1

Flavors of Andalusia

Credits: Papers by Scrapmuss Designs, Page Frocks and Pri Rocha Designs; Stitch and label by Crystal Wilkerson; The Boyfriend Alpha by Carina Gardiner

Seductive, vivacious, relaxed, stunning, delectable… This is Andalusia in my eyes. It is the quintessential Spain where bullfighting, flamenco, sherry and ruined castles first originated, an autonomous region where the cuisine is all about simple pleasures in an unhurried way, a region of contrast: ancient cities and beautiful countryside, wind-swept, sandy beaches and remote mountain ranges, Christianity and Islamic as manifested in its culture and architecture…

Stay tuned for flavors of Andalusia and its way of life.

Posted on May 31, 2014July 6, 2014 by Jenn 0

Of Hammams, Ports and Fish Markets

In a room, “Careless Whisper” played in the background, hot water ran from a faucet onto a pail, steaming the room. On a bench in one side of the room, I sat and waited.

Soon after, a lady entered and impassively poured hot water over me; I shivered at first then felt the water soothingly eased the fatigue away. She asked if I could bear the heat. “Oh, no problem there.” I thought. Then she soaped every part of me, my hair included (I worried about how it would turn out sans conditioner). She left, came back 15 minutes later, started scrubbing, scrubbing until I can feel dead skin rubbing against my body. And when she poured water on me again, the soap and dead skin washed off, I felt the difference. My skin and hair, they were silky smooth. “Can I buy some of that soap, please?”

A Berber massage followed after and for an hour, I was in dreamland. This has always been my gauge of a good massage but how am I getting my money’s worth by not feeling every knead and every rub? I ask myself all the time. I love a good scrub every so often and this, I promise, is the bomb. If I had another day to spare, I’d do it again even if I’ll have to listen to George Michael all over again.

And even if a real hammam this is not, I appreciated the experience and wished I had found the time to go to a real one, perhaps in Fes.

essaouira

But Essaouira is as good a place, its rugged charm and relaxed atmosphere offers relief from the bustle of the bigger cities. Read: a good place to chill. Our last leg in exotic Morocco was spent in the coastal town west of Marrakech just a three hour bus ride away.

Place Moulay, the main town square near the waterfront.

It’s a hidden gem with its windswept beach, open air feel and hip vibe. A wonderful refresher from the dark, crowded alleyways of Fes and Marrakech.

Behind the 18th century sea walls are artists’ enclaves, Thuya wood workshops, and bright, quiet alleyways.

Ranked as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the medina is gorgeous and peaceful.

Although the alleyways around the Kasbah have already quite a few souvenir shops, it is still a market town

where rural Berbers is still seen to hawk their wares.

The streets are full of people selling things from vegetables to DVDs. And in one of these stores, we found some great CD of Gnaoua music.

Tall towers bordered with cannons still define the perimeter of the old town and spending

fortified walls

time within its well-preserved ramparts will take you back to when the town was still called Mogador.

The smell of freshly grilled sardines and lobsters will draw you to the town’s famous fish market.

Known for its outstanding fresh seafood,

it is a great place to enjoy a few bottles of beer, soak up the sun and people watch

while your order of the choicest catches grill to perfection.

Essaouira (pronounced: essa weera) has a beautiful port down by the harbor.

The Skala du Port offers a picturesque view of the fishing port with many shades of blue – blue skies, blue sea, blue and white architecture,

blue boats huddled against each other, some still unloading their catches for the day, which they will bring ashore to sell in the fish market.

After my visit to the hammam, we spent the rest of the morning on a rooftop café overlooking the fort and the sea—

an excellent place to relish our last days in Morocco, to cap the trip.

Posted on May 5, 2014May 6, 2014 by Jenn 6

Casablanca: Not the Usual Welcome

Credits: 4EVER Bloghop Quickpage by Kelly Mobley

Mohamed V International Airport – “No more luggage, finish”, said the porter. “What do you mean? We still don’t have our luggage!” I yelled in frustration. “No anglaise”, he looked at me and shrugged. A lady, also missing her luggage, told me that the guy is only a porter, and he doesn’t understand me. I should talk to the people at the baggage service counter. Valid point. But not exactly the welcome I expected.

Casablanca. The bustling port city whose name mean “white house” and made famous by the Humphrey Bogart 1942 classic. It may not echo the same romantic air the 1942 film brings to mind, but a trip through the city’s swanky lounge and bars can still evoke the spirit of the café from the movie.

Casablanca was a jewel of the French Colonial empire, famous for luscious art deco, neo-classic and a blend of Moorish architecture that is unique to the city. An architectural style known as Maurasque with trademarks such as wrought iron balconies, staircase and windows; carved facades and exterior corners; floral and geometric design on stuccoed walls. Boulevard Mohammed V and Place Mohammed V still retains a trace of its unique colonial architecture heritage.

With our luggage arriving on Emirate’s next flight the same time tomorrow, we gained half a day, allowing us to explore more of “Casa” as the locals call it.

“Grand taxi?” a guy approached us as we stepped out of the Gare Casablanca Voyager after purchasing train tickets for tomorrow. We said no, we wanted a metered taxi. “You’ll need 2”, he said. “A petite taxi can only sit 3, at the most”, he added.

In Ibis Casa Voyageurs next door and our home for a night, the guy at the reception confirmed that the taxi driver was correct and gave us an idea on how much it would cost. And so our negotiations with Aziz began. We shook hands at 100 Dirham (US $13). He would take us to Corniche d’Ain Diab,

where high-end bars and trendy nightclubs line the area. “ It’s overlooking the water, where the yuppies go”, the guy on the train from the airport told us.

He suggested that we might want to dine there, but the movie buff in us, out of curiosity, had our eyes set on Rick’s Café,

so instead, we walked around the boardwalk and took shelter sipping “Whiskey Morocco” (Moroccan mint tea)

in a café when it got too windy.

Dinner, though not our cheapest in Morocco, did not disappoint.

While we found the goat cheese balls drizzled in honey starter and chicken with lemon and olives tagine quite enjoyable,

and particularly liked the lamb chops with mint pesto, it is the ambience — down to the piano and the sax player named Issam (close enough to Sam) — that made it one of the best “gin joints” in town.

Founded by a former US diplomat, Kathy Kriger, Rick’s Café opened in 2004.

With potted palms, ceiling fans, whitewashed walls, low archways, ornate lamps casting shadows everywhere, traditional Moroccan carved and inlaid woodwork, balconies and balustrades, antique brass… all provided the right atmosphere and feel of the 1942 cult classic.

The nostalgia alone is reason enough to come for a visit.

Useful Info:

Rick’s Cafe

248 Bd Sour Jdid, Place du Jardin

Acienne Medina

For Reservations: +212 522 27 42 07 / +212 522 27 42 08

Hotel Ibis Casa Voyageur

Boulevard Bahmad

Place de la Gare Casa-Voyageur

+212 0520 48 00 00

Posted on October 6, 2013October 9, 2013 by Jenn 5

Visiting Xin Xin and Kai Kai

In a simulated indoor garden, Xin Xin munched on bamboo leaves. She seemed unfazed by the crowd, albeit small at 10 in the morning.

Outside, Kai Kai is the same, although he seemed more playful than his friend.

We took the 26A bus from just across Hotel Lisboa to the Seac Pai Van Park in Coloane to visit a pair of pandas from Chengdu. Set in the southernmost island, we’ve never been to this part of Macau, and thought we’d visit the city and spend a few hours in the park. We started early and arrived at the park before it opened, so we hopped on another bus that dropped us off at the Coloane Village Square.

At 9 in the morning, the village was half awake. We explored a bit of the area but didn’t reach the village center.

Right next to the square, however, as you walk toward the sea front promenade is Lord Stowe’s Bakery.

We walked in, bought ourselves a piece of their famous Portuguese egg tart

and devoured it while waiting for the bus to take us back to the park.

Nestled against the hillside with Alto do Coloane serving as backdrop, Seac Pai Van Park is designed around the terrain.

Found within the park is the Giant Panda Pavilion, the pair’s new home, simulating their natural habitat.

The multifunctional park, once a farm, is now considered as the largest natural green belt of Macau.

Besides the pavilion, the park has a mini zoo that houses a few animals from macaques to deers, a walkthrough aviary that has a few rare birds,

Flamingoes

and a pond with a few flamingos and other waterfowl.

The 20-hectare lot is easy to explore in just a few hours. If you are into flora and fauna, this place may disappoint, but for the price (MOP$10) and the pandas, the park is worth the morning.

The village, I believe, though, is worth exploring… on my next visit.

But while in Macau check out the many good eats this island has to offer here, here, here and here.

Useful Info:

Seac Pai Van Park

Estrada de Seac Pai Van

Transport: 21A, 26A, 50

Hours: 9am-6pm (Tues-Sun); Aviary: 9am-5pm (Tues-Sun)

Posted on September 7, 2013October 24, 2013 by Jenn 9

Onsen: A New Found Love

Getting ready for my first outdoor “hot spring” bath, I found myself in a room filled with women of all ages, some soaking in the (indoor) pool and others seated on stools going about the bathing rituals.

I found an empty seat. Observing their rituals, I started washing and scrubbing until I felt clean enough to share a pool with them (the onsen etiquette dictates that one must be scrubbed clean before entering any pools). The room was warm but because winter was on its way, the weather has turned cold and windy outside. I hesitated and soaked in the pool while I mustered the courage to brave the cold, windy afternoon.

With only a hand towel in tow, my friend Stella and I walked into unfamiliar territory. Outside the bathing room were several (geothermal) pools spread around a gorgeous Japanese garden. As I felt the gush of wind blow straight into my bones, I went straight into the nearest pool. Unbeknown to us at that time, it was the pool that the source of the spring pours into. Wrong move. The farther away the pools are from the source, the gentler (to the body) it becomes. We settled on alternating between the third and the fourth pool. The heat can be unbearable at first, but once the body acclimatized, it was soothing, palliative even. The diversity of minerals relieves a multitude of ailments, they say. It was the perfect remedy to my sore muscles at least. Despite a 10°C windy evening, I felt warm to the bones from the hot spring. When it snowed on the second night, it was surreal.

Hirayu. It is a town surrounded by mountains and active volcanoes on all sides, a town known for its more than 30 natural source hot springs or what is known in Japan as “onsen”. The oldest and largest of Okuhida’s “onsen towns” is also the region’s transportation hub making it a marvelous base for wandering through nearby areas like Kamikochi, Norikura, Matsumoto, Shin Hotaka and the Hirayu-Otaki waterfalls – famous for its illuminated display of a frozen waterfall during the winter.

Our home for 2 nights, Hirayu No Mori, is conveniently located near the bus terminal.

This hot spring resort, primarily a bathhouse, boasts of beautiful grounds, comfortable rooms

and a restaurant serving central Japanese dishes such as Hida Beef and Hoba Miso.

It has 3 bath facilities (2 segregated and 1 mix gender) and a total of 16 pools altogether.

And for two nights under the stars, I soothed my exhaustion away in several of the pools and soaked up as much of this quintessential Japanese experience to take home with me.

Useful Info:

There are several rules of etiquette to keep in mind when visiting a onsen. Click here to know what these are.

Hirayu No Mori

763-1 Hirayu Okuhidaosengo,

Takayama, Gifu Prefecture

Contact: 0578-89-3338

Posted on July 20, 2013July 22, 2013 by Jenn 7

The Way to Initiate the Novice

I’m with some novice trekkers, not that I mind, it is an easy trek after all. I am thrilled, in fact, to have them experience the joy of summiting after an uphill struggle that seemed never-ending and pointless, and to realize, after all that trouble, that the reward is usually at the peak.

Named the 3rd best beach and island of the Philippines by CNN Go April of last year and just like that, Palaui caught my attention. I’ve been going back and forth to Sta. Ana for a few years now, but Palaui was never on my radar.

Maybe because it takes more work to get there and that includes braving the (sometimes) treacherous sea.

A protected area, the island lies between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. It boasts of a nice long stretch of white pebble beach, abundant marine life, a century old lighthouse, a waterfalls hidden somewhere and a scenic rugged terrain. It is pretty much uninhabited, with only a small community living in the island. No electricity and accommodation to speak of.

So one fine day, along with the same people I spent several Sta. Ana weekends together, we took off from the shores of Sun City in San Vicente and headed to Palaui. An hour, perhaps more on the boat and we arrived on the island.

We paid for a guide and started our trek on the beach,

which lead to a short forest walk before we emerged on the other side to beautiful rolling hills reminiscent of Batanes.

steps-to-lighthouse

We then climbed (more than) some steps that would eventually lead to the summit where Cape Engaño stands.

The view along the way took my breath away.

It may not be the best beach as it is not fine sand as that of Boracay or even Palawan

but the island dazzles at every turn,

from the beach to the top of the lighthouse… all I can say was SPECTACULAR. And the new recruits were enjoying themselves too.

Not that difficult to get to, we took the Lugunzad trail, which took all of just 30 minutes from beach to lighthouse.

There is a waterfall somewhere, said our guide, but all this walking made the others hungry. And so the initiation is over, we will take baby steps and insist on the waterfalls some other time.

At a beach named Gotan, lunch was already being prepared. A private beach, we had to arrange to use a few days earlier. We had a sumptuous meal of everything grilled.

There, we lounged around, enjoyed each other’s company amidst beautiful Agoho trees. That’s how to initiate novice trekkers. Yes?

Posted on January 7, 2013January 10, 2013 by Jenn 15

my adventure odyssey

travel tales, gustatory delights and beyond

my adventure odyssey

Tag: Chill

My New Paradise

Credits: JSprague Digi in Deeper course material.

This was at the junction where we’d take a habal-habal (motorcycle for hire) to take us to town.

Anuplig Falls

We were treated to a cultural show.

We had fried frog, udang (river shrimps), stir-fried pako, and mountain rice.

The Bulo River from a bridge.

Lush forest en route to Anuplig falls.

Hospitality to the hilt. Entertainment provided by the villagers.

Ilyn’s Homeystay: our home in Adams.

A beautiful point called “Lover’s Peak”

Lovely grounds at Lover’s Peak.

Ubud

The view of the rice field from our resort, Munari Resort and Spa.

The Streets of Hanoi: Old Quarter Immersion

We like watching this organized chaos from the balcony of a coffee shop .

Passing Through Faro

The Palacio Belmarco

Where one take the trip to Ria Formosa.

Capuchin Convent close to the guesthouse

At the Largo do Don Afonso III, named after the 13th century king whose statue dominates the square.

Governo Civil

Igreja de Sao Pedro

The Municipal Museum, Faro’s cultural highlight, is in a former convent built around a Renaissance cloister containing exhibits related to the city’s Roman and Islāmic heritage.

Flavors of Andalusia

Credits: Papers by Scrapmuss Designs, Page Frocks and Pri Rocha Designs; Stitch and label by Crystal Wilkerson; The Boyfriend Alpha by Carina Gardiner

Of Hammams, Ports and Fish Markets

Place Moulay, the main town square near the waterfront.

Casablanca: Not the Usual Welcome

Credits: 4EVER Bloghop Quickpage by Kelly Mobley

Useful Info:

Visiting Xin Xin and Kai Kai

Useful Info:

Onsen: A New Found Love

Useful Info:

The Way to Initiate the Novice