“Primum non nocere”

Here is the (long-delayed) trip advisory for my travel at the Netherlands and Belgium…

(Note: The author is greatful to Ate Pat, her hubby Pietr, and daughter Ysa in Amsterdam for the accommodation.  It has been years since I last saw her but nothing has changed, she still is the same sweet lady I knew a long time ago.)

After leaving Valladolid at around 12mn, I arrived at Madrid Barajas airport after a few hours with almost 30 kg of luggage and a couple of hand carried bags.  Fortunately, the extra few kilos were not noticed and I arrived at Holland around 8am.  After settling down for a few minutes, I was handed a map by Ate Pat and briefed me on the places to go.  I arrived at the city center before lunch and quickly looked for a restau that will satisfy my very hungy appetite.  After a hearty meal (rice with spicy beef - Yummy!), I strolled around to check on the canals and bridges, as well as museums at Centraal Amsterdam (Damrak and the Red Light District).  The afternoon was marked by a tour to Zaanse Schans windmills, Marken, and Volendam - cheese-tasting and clogs making plus some Delftware ceramics.

The next day was equally phenomenal as I went to visit Antwerp and Brussels.  Who could not resist the famous Belgian chocolate and waffles with all those toppings in the street? Definitely, not for the faint-hearted!  Belgium is visually entertaining with all the squares, statues, and museums.  The day ended with a trip to a lace factory which is marketed proudly by this nation.

Watch out for my next trip advisory…hopefully, it would not take long…hahaha!

As I embark on a new journey, Spain will always hold a special place in my heart. I shall be finishing my training (cum vacation)  in a few days and will be back in Manila to share the knowledge that I have gained from 1 year of treating patients here and learning from physicians who are experts in their own field. This is my take on the many sites and scenery in the heart of Castilla y Leon and Castilla-La Mancha.

First would be Madrid. The capital of Spain - bustling city with lots of people (including Filipinos). Madrid is famous for its three major museums and a palace plus a great number of parks. Transportation is not a problem since most are linked by a subway. Although, the cost of living is partially higher than those in the province (obviously), you can get a plate of half roasted chicken with fries for around 5 euros.  An ideal place to have coffee al fresco would be along the Plaza Mayor where you can also buy souvenirs for your love ones.

An hour away from Madrid, you can visit the El Escorial where the tombs of the great kings of Spain in the last 5 centuries are laid. This castle has a snow-capped mountain (during winter) background which will look good in your photo. Not so far also would be Toledo - with its medieval age and moorish influence. It is located on a mountain drop with a very nice looking river called Tagus river. The Alcazar (castle) and the Cathedral of Toledo should never be missed as well as the house of El Greco. Most of the souvenirs sold here are swords and the likes because of the popularity of Don Quixote de la Mancha.

Going north of Madrid, you could pass by Segovia. Here you can find the Roman wonder -the Aqueduct as well as the castle of Segovia. You should also not forget to stop by the local restaurant and taste the popular cochinillo (suckling pig) and lechazo (baby lamb)….truly delicacies of this place. A bit farther from Segovia would be Avila, where the famous St. Therese of Avila came from. This holy town is surrounded by massive walls just like Intramuros, Manila. A tram-ride for less than an hour would suffice to see the whole place. Excellent roasts and the famous veal are only a few of the dishes that make up the amazing cuisine of this province and of course, the wonderful cakes and pastries, especially the renowned "yemas de Santa Teresa" (a sweet made with egg yolk and sugar).

Near the western border of Spain is Salamanca. A province that shares the distinction with Valladolid, wherein the inhabitants speak the "purest" form of Spanish language. It has a wide and beautiful Plaza Mayor and a very magnificent cathedral. Its University boasts of several foreigners and the night life is definitely not a bore!!! Leon is a small town farther north which is famous for its beatiful gothic cathedral and some architectural work by Gaudi. A local dish called "cocido" (a mix of meat with vegetables and chickpeas, served after a vegetable-vermicelli soup) and "morcilla" (a superb variant of  blood sausage) must be on your list. On the northern part Spain, near the waterfront, is Santander of Cantabria. It is known for its mild climate and a marvelous beach.

Far east of Spain is Barcelona. A very cosmopolitan city with a diverse mix of culture. There are a lot of places to visit here: museums (National art, Gaudi, Picasso), churches (cathedral, Sagrada Familia), parks (plaza Catalunya, Colon, la Rambla), and others (Olympic stadium). There is even a Filipino restaurant here that serves crispy pata, kare-kare, and pritong tilapia when you feel that sudden home sickness to Pinoy food.

Last, but definitely not the least, we come to Valladolid. It is a small province with a very old population. Although the place is quiet, it doesn’t lack the cultural flare of other cities. You can see visit a few museums and churches here as well as the commemorative places of Miguel de Cervantes and Christopher Colombus. Thousands of people gather here yearly during the Semana Santa as they watch the different "cofradias" and "hermandades" in procession with their holy sculptures.

Although I was not able to explore southern Spain, this gives me a million reason to go back and explore Sevilla, Cordoba, and the famous Granada. But until then, I can say that I have made the most of my stay here with a good balance of education and leisure. So, until my next trip…hasta luego!

(My photo with friends…a few years ago and a few (?) kilos back)

You can also see me at this site…Primum non nocere (secui duos)

It’s my other blog with Yahoo 360.  I started it just recently. I hope you will enjoy reading it…See you!

It was a practical joke among the three of us.  It all started when we arrived at Spain in 2005.  We saw some similarities between us and some great Filipino illustrados (intellectuals) who came to Spain as well back in the 1800s - Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar, and Mariano Ponce.  We even searched the internet for that infamous photo of the three. Although their works and achievements are monumental, what we lack in output, we patched it with our sense of nationalism.  Don’t get me wrong, but all three of us plan to return to our Motherland once we are done with our academic affairs. 

Raymund, who is the most senior among us, is Mariano.  He has finished his undergraduate degree as well as his masterals in economics some time ago.  But has taken up a couple of masters program (including the present one) in Spanish.  He is a researcher and a progpagandist…like Mr. Ponce.

Marlon is the youngest and hails from Bulacan like del Pilar. A great mind behind that young body.  No wonder he finished his undergraduate degree with honors and presently taking up a couple of masters program (the present included) in Spanish.  He is a writer (read his blogs and publications) and a wide reader…traits like that of MH del Pilar.

Lastly, yours truly…. you know me…I don’t wanna compare myself to the great Dr. Jose Rizal because I would not even come close to his shadow.  It is just that both of us are ophthalmologists and willing to share our knowledge to our countrymen.  Anyways, our humble hope is to make a difference in our soceity even in our own little way.  Small good things can add up to make a big and noteworthy cause to change the Philippines!

Life is short…and so was our (The mis-adventures of Archie and Marlon saga) trip to Paris. Because we just received our residence ID, we decided to make this trip abroad and test if the ID works. Oh yeah, of all the places around Spain, we felt this was the place to be….Paris - the city of lights. And so, with a very tight budget and a short notice, we zoomed our way to the airport for that weekend get-away. To tell you frankly, you would do all the necessary steps just to avail of the cheap things - cheap hotel, cheap flight, cheap food among others.

So it started as a 4 something bus trip early in the morning just to save on the extra taxi fare (only the 4am bus drops you off at the airport!). But unfortunately, we had to wait another extra hour in the lounge because our flight was delayed. But nevertheless, we arrived at CDG airport with a lot of sunlight and time to spare. From the airport, a train took us to the center of the city and we started our trek and find our hotel. Good thing was that it was just a few blocks away from the station. And so, like contestants in the famous Amazing Race, we left our stuff in our room and proceeded to conquer the world…hahaha. That is, breathe the Parisian air and stroll around to see as much wonder as possible.

I have (always) been assigned as the navigator, so with a map on my hand we found our way to the Basilica of Notre Dame, which was the nearest place. We had some photos taken (of course!) outside and gave thanks to the Lord inside. As we passed by the Seine river and some several cobble-stoned roads, we were able to appreciate this huge triangular glass structure -who would not notice the Louvre? We did not enter since our plan was to see other places, and so, we continued to walk towards a certain path until we´ve reached the Garden of Tulleries - so wide that it can house a football stadium. At the end of it was the Obelisque de Luxor which connects to the Champs Elysee - the haven for shopping…but we didn´t oblige. The long wide road of Champs ended with the Arc of Triomph. With tired knees and feet, we still tried to make our way up the Arc and see the beauty of Paris and the Eiffel from the top.

After walking for 4 hours and a hotdog for lunch, we arrived at the Eiffel tower (at last). Dawn was starting to creep so we could see the tower with its lights on. We decided to wait along the line towards the top most part of the tower…and believe me, we waited for another 4 hours just to reach the highest point in Paris. We could see the whole city with its glits and glamour - what a nice sight to see! The night ended with painful, tired, and weary bodies gulping some soda and muching burgers.

Again, like contestants from the Amazing race, we woke up early to supply our hunger with buffet breakfast from the hotel and started the day by visiting some churches, the Hotel des Invalides where the tomb of Napoleon lay, and the Basilique de Sacre Couer. That afternoon, the child in us played along as we visited Disneyland. Even if the weather was not cooperating, we still had a blast with the rides and did not miss the famous Disney parade. As usual, we were again beaten by the whole day’s affair as we indulged on an "eat all you can" chinese style dinner…in Paris.

The following day was relatively a relaxed day as we entered the Louvre and feasted our eyes on the greatest of paitings, sculptures, and important master pieces around the world. I swear that a whole day’s tour inside the Louvre is not enough but we had to leave late in the afternoon to catch our flight back. Anyways, the whole experience was really unforgettable and I would love to return and explore more of Paris in the future!

Summer…Verano - as they call it here.  For Spanish residents and nationals, it means everything.  A culmination of a year long hard work resulting into 3-4 weeks of sacred time with the family whether at home or somewhere along the beaches of Marbella, or the sands of Torremolinos, or any place where they can protect themselves from the beating of the heat wave. Resting, sipping some cold soda, reading books, the general picture is to have a very relaxed atmosphere in preparation for another year long work…hehehe. Everyone here wears tank tops, shorts, and flip flops during this season.  A lot can be seen walking around air-conditioned malls (or what they refer to as malls - for me it is just like a Uniwide store or a very big 7-11 store).  Most of my friends have left too…Marlon at Galicia, Raymund at Manila, Lorna at Switzerland, and many more.  ….enjoying a change in atmosphere and exploring new places.  Well, as for me, I am stuck with some research papers to write, a pile of scientific journals to read, and raw data to gather for another research, like a clock that never stops.

But anyway, everything has an end…and it would be less than a couple of months for me.  Yeah, that is right.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak…the countdown has begun! At this moment, it is time for me to savor the last few weeks of summer no matter what the circumstances are. Besides, who can best adapt under the 40 C sun…but us, FIlipinos…right?

I could not believe my eyes when I saw that this city is actually on top of a body of water. As we (The misadventures of Archie and Marlon…) came out of the Santa Lucia train station, the first thing that captured our eyes was the canal in front of the steps with a large bridge to the left. Venezia is an extraordinarily beatiful city, popular for its masks, carnival time, murano ornaments, gondoliers, and of course, the pricey lifestyle.

Arriving earlier than expected, we hurriedly grabbed some lunch (some pasta, cheese, and prochiutto) and left our stuff at our hostel (although not the best one, right Marlon?). We took the Canal Grand Tour to feel the waves going to Pizza San Marco. Across the piazza it the Basilica de San Marco which is the most exotic of Europe’s cathedrals. From there, we trekked back to our place, passing by the Bridge of Sigh and Rialto. It took us about 3 hours by foot to reach our destination because on the way home we could not resist going in and out of stores selling Venetian masks. It was really a sight to see small shops offering different styles and colors, making you think twice of buying at once, because sooner or later, you would find a better one.

The day ended with a very large slice of pizza for 2 euros and 1 liter of soda. The following day was as busy as the previous day - but was exclusively for shopping (again)! On the way back to Rome, I will never forget how Venice felt like and I swore that I will be back to visit this place again in the not so distant future. Until the next trip, ciao!

Firenze or Florence is a small but exhilarating city because of its chapels, galleries, and museums. We arrived at the train station relatively early (…but an hour late because we missed our original sked) with high hopes that we would be able to see the "Birth of Venus" at the Uffizi and Michelangelo’s David in the Accademia as soon as we got there. But we were taken aback by the long and overcrowded line. We’ve waited a combined 4 hours just to get a glimpse of those masterpieces and it was all worth the wait. During lunch time, we devoured a Florentine specialty called "Lampredotto" - a spicy, tripe-filled sandwhich not for the faint-hearted. It is something original and one should not miss it when he is Florence.

With just our cameras, we rushed again to take the train going to Pisa. Of course, there was no escaping the Leaning Tower alongside the Duomo and Baptistery. You can see hundreds of people posing beside the tower and either pushing it to straighten it up or vice versa…me included…hehehe.

The day wouldn’t be complete without a special dinner. This time, I tried Risotto with some grilled meat. I saw the chef as he sliced the meat in front of me and placed it in the fire for grilling. The food really tasted fresh and uncomparable to others that I’ve had before. To end it all up, I had a strong capuccino to wash away the guilty pleasures. Once again, another day has come to an end. Time to rest those tired feet for the next trip…hahaha.

After a 6-hour midnight train to Santander and a 2-hour flight (courtesy of my new favorite airline ryanair.com), I have finally set my foot on one of the most breathtaking places in the world - Rome. It boasts of a very rich tradition and history plus it is the seat of the Catholic religion. Arriving late in the afternoon, we (referring to myself and Marlon - we call our travels - "The Misadventures of Archie and Marlon") found ourselves in one of the restaurants, voraciously munching gnocchi (pronounced nee-okkee) with bolognese sauce and linguini in arrabiata. I swore it tasted like no other pasta that I have eaten in my 30 plus years of existence. The ingredients felt so fresh and the pasta was cooked ideally (aldente - as they call it). Just the perfect meal to wipe away the busy day from you. The day ended with a quick bus tour around the city that showcased the magnificent city.

The next day, we spent the whole time going around the Colisseum, Spanish steps (taking pictures with a Roman gladiator), Trevi Fountain (where I wished that someday I could come back), and the Pantheon among others. We also braved the long line at St. Peter’s Basilica and Vatican Museum. I felt proud entering this place, especially when we trekked the stairway to the top of the Basilica. The way to the dome felt endless - like testing one’s faith. Sometimes, one would like to give up but realizes that only he can help himself to achieve a goal. And upon reaching the 321st step, it felt fulfilling. It was one of the best sites - overlooking the Vatican city and seeing the thousands of people wanting to get in and accomplish the same feat that I have just done. After this tremendous journey, the day wouldn’t be completed if we have not gobbled up another Italian specialty - the pizza. Trying 3 different toppings, we were not robbed of the satisfaction we felt. Again, another score for us. Of course, we concluded our blissful experience with a gelato - a very refreshing dessert with the purpose of giving some form of relaxation against the scorching heat of the sun.

I have to say that we have visited the major sites in Rome systematically in such a compressed time frame- giving a lot of credit to our fr iend Tita Susan. I hope I can be back soon to this beautiful and vibrant city in the near future. But for now, it is time to rest - because who would not be tired after 14 hours of continuous walking….hahaha. Until the next trip. Ciao.

A couple of weeks into my next "Great Europe Escape", I have decided to make a survival kit or a short of list of things that I usually pack to help me cope up smoothly with the trip:

1. A hand luggage (55 x 40 x 23 cm and weigh a maximum of 8 kg for plane trips….how technical) that accomodates all your stuff (and souvenirs or "pasalubong" likewise). Some prefer the stroller type but I prefer the backpack type so that I don’t have to hold anything. Besides, I need my hands for extra bags that I might be having on the way home from the trip…you know what I mean.

2. Clothes - of course it is a necessity to change. So go figure how many changes you want to do. Everyone wants to look good - so balance it out - nice light weight clothes are the best. I have learned this technique to wear clothes in layers so that I would look differently in every occasion. Depending on the season also, you might need some sort of sweater or raincoat in some places or that favorite sunglasses of yours. Small towels are also advised if your hotel doesn’t provide one.

3. Bath kit - handy soap, shampoo and toothpaste sachets, etc. etc. - the more disposable items, the better.

4. Digital camera with a large memory card. Do not forget the charger if you are planning a long trip. You don’t want to miss any opportunity to brag about where you went, right?

5. Money - definitely! Small bills are advised and distributed in different compartments of your body. So that in case you encounter a pick pocket, you will still have other places to get your money. A credit card can also be very helpful for unforseen purchases….hehehe. I may also suggest that if you are tight on the budget, compute all your expenses prior to departure so that you will have an idea of how much are you spending for this trip.

6. Detailed itinerary (….to the last minute). If you have to stick with a schedule, you are forced to go to that place and if you feel that you don’t like the place, then you can always proceed to the next. In the end, if you have time left, then you can explore other sites. With this, I suggest studying the place you want to visit and the transportation means from one place to another. The internet is always a big help. Do this before you leave and print out necessary directions so that you would not need thick guide books in the process. After you’ve done, you can throw away the print-outs. You might also want to ask around for places where you can get cheap but delicious food. This is a good substitute after you have tasted the best cuisine in that place. We stumbled once at a place in Paris that offers 10 euros for an asian buffet lunch/dinner….we felt we hit the jackpot for that bargain….hahaha.

7. Mobile phones. For emergency purposes, you need one to make those important phone calls…unless you would not want to be disturbed. Be sure it has roaming services in the country of your destination.

8. Mini MP3 player - to take away the boredom during those long bus or train rides.

9. I personally have a small body bag wrapped around me enough to hold those digital equipment that I have enumerated.

10. Identification cards - any government issued ID. Like passport (photocopy) and driver’s license. It is sometimes helpful to bring it, you will never know when you will get into trouble….I hope not.

Well, here it is. Just a personal list of my "10 things". I hope you will enjoy your next trip just as I will be definitely enjoying mine…See you!