When we hear the place Transylvania, we almost always think about Dracula, the bloody vampire, that always makes a good Halloween story. So, when I visited Transylvania early this year, it's hard not to associate the places, like the Bran Castle to the famous novel "Dracula" by Bram Stoker. It’s said that Bram Stoker’s inspiration for the Dracula was a historical character Vlad Tepes or Vlad III, the ruler of Wallachia in the 15th century. During Stoker’s research on the region of Transylvania, he came across the brutal accounts of the atrocities committed by Vlad III, also known as Vlad Dracul, aka Vlad the Impaler. He was known for committing brutal acts of war and was under constant threat of attack from the Ottoman and Hungarian forces. During his infamous retreat from the Ottoman forces, Vlad the Impaler had the bodies of his enemies and his people alike impaled on large spikes in the field surrounding his county. The inspiration for the made-up character ma
My interest in exploring the northern part of the Philippines started from looking at a piece of art at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, California. Among the display of ceramics and pottery engraved with gold and other decorative stuff, a wooden carving of a male figure squatting on a platform with the lower arms on top of each other, resting upon his knees, caught my eye. According to the docent, the wooden sculpture was called "Bului" which literally means "granary guardian" in the "Ifugao" tribe dialect. The carved wooden sculpture was set on a platform on top of another platform, a mortar. Our docent explained the significance of the wooden mortar (which was used with the pestle, to separate the husk from the rice, sort of rice mill) and linked the story to the Rice Terraces in the Cordillera Mountains of the Philippines built 2000 years ago by the “Ifugao” tribe. So two years and three hundred kilometers north of Manila later, we explo
Cebu: A Nature Lover's Paradise My recent trip to Cebu, Philippines, was an unforgettable adventure filled with the incredible beauty of nature. From diving with sardines to swimming with whale sharks, each experience was a testament to the rich marine life and stunning landscapes that Cebu has to offer. Moalboal: A Diver's and Snorkeler's Dream Our journey began in Moalboal, a paradise for divers and snorkelers. Famous for its sardine run, Moalboal did not disappoint. Snorkeling in Moalboal is incredibly accessible. Just off the shore of Panagsama Beach, we plunged into the crystal-clear waters and were immediately surrounded by massive schools of sardines, creating a mesmerizing underwater spectacle. It's a surreal experience to be surrounded by such a massive, moving school of fish, feeling their collective energy as they dart and swirl around us. The area is also home to a variety of other fish species, making it a vibrant and bustling underwater ecosystem.
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