Good Comms

Chared

Oslo, like a cabin in the woods

With the World Ski Championships starting today (23 February) in Oslo, Norway, the time to show you this place, which we got the chance to see last month, is here and now. I included some pictures and a weekend itinerary with this article hoping to interest you in this wonderful, wonderful place. Cold weather, yes. Expensive, yes. But if you must see a part of Scandinavia, let it be Norway, where the adventure awaits at the airport that makes you feel like you’re entering a cabin in the woods.

The quest for Rizal

Our quest for Rizal started in the morning of May 10, 2010 — our third day in Madrid and election day. So while the people in the Philippines were busy electing their heroes, we were trying to search for our (Philippines) hero’s statue in the big, bustling city of Madrid. It was not an easy task. Rizal’s statue was not to be found in any of the major plazas in the city. He is also not mentioned in the guide book we carried. With the help of a Madrid map, we were able to find a metro station leading to an avenue named, “Avenida de Filipinas”, so we thought, that could be the place where Rizal is to be found.

Of wats, friendly smiles and elephants

When we go traveling and see stuff like the Wats of Thailand, I can´t help but admire the people who lived before us. Just look at the pyramids of Egypt and the rice terraces of the Philippines! All built with the same philosophy as the Wats, products of manual labor and old-age patience. Somehow, I can´t help but believe that there is something noble in all of that. Somehow, I can’t help but think that maybe, there is a tiny microscopic possibility that we indeed hailed from giants.

Cagayan Valley, rediscovered

The Cagayan that I saw last year was far from the one I knew during the summers of my youth. It was fresh and refreshing. It was rich in virgin forests. It is full of promise. Most roads are already paved. New tourism destinations were even discovered like the white sand beaches that will rival those of Pagudpud. Historical and beautiful churches still stand. Which makes me wonder why Cagayan has always been difficult to sell as a primary tourism destination.

Overcoming the Dutch challenge

One of the biggest challenges that a highly-educated professional may face when moving to the Netherlands is the fact that Dutch is the language used in this country. Of course, that is not the case if the professional is coming from the northern part of Belgium where Dutch is widely spoken, like English to Filipinos.