Milan, the world's shopping paradise

So many shoes, so little time (and money). I bought ONLY 2 pairs of boots (among other things). So many fashionable and vain people packed in one big city! Who can blame them? They live in the fashion capital of the world (excuses to London, Paris and New York). Imagine this: Women with perfect make-up, no hair out of place, everyone in violet and grey (the in-colors for the year) and men looking like they stepped out of a magazine cover wearing elegantly cut suits and coats. Everyone really looked so great! Honestly, I had more fun observing the people more than the monuments and architecture.

On the first day, Anselme and I concentrated our shopping efforts along Corso Buenos Aires. It was really the shopping experience that I hoped it to be. What was great was that they really had stuff that cannot be found elsewhere. Anselme bought more than me as usual.

The hotel I chose was perfect! It's a spotlessly clean, 4-star hotel costing only 100 euros a night including breakfast. I strategically chose a hotel near Corso Buenos aires, so we could deposit our shopping bags easily.

There are four important streets in Milan that are entirely dedicated to shopping: Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Corso Buenos Aires, Via Torino and Corso di Porta Ticinese then there are the flea markets and the designer outlets outside the city. Unfortunately, we had time (and money) to visit Corso Buenos Aires only, so obviously we missed a lot! From now on, I think, we will visit Milan twice a year for shopping.

The second day, after we have put shopping out of our system, we were free to do the necessary picture taking in front of the Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. The Duomo of Milan, built 1386 by Archbishop Antonio da Saluzzo, is the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world (and the second largest Catholic Cathedral in the world). The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, on the other hand, is a neo-classical shopping mall connecting the Piazza del Duomo to the Piazza della Scala. We didn't have time to do many things since we had to go back to Zürich that day also. Next time I will make it a point to see the Last Supper of Leonardo da Vinci at the Santa Maria delle Grazie. Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code made the painting so popular (than ever) that now one needs to take an appointment before being allowed to see it.

Technorati tags: Milan+shopping Milan Corso+Buenos+Aires Best+Western+Felice+Casati

Turin Italy

After 5 days and 5 kilos heavier, finally I am back from Italy. I love Italy! It has a certain "dilapidated" charm. Coming from Switzerland, the land of freshly renovated buildings, Italy seemed broken, disorganized and chaotic reflecting its citizens' passion and love for life.

I didn't expect Turin to be so huge! It is actually the 3rd largest city in Italy after Milan and Rome. As in all the cities of in Italy, its history dates back to Roman times. Since it was also the first capital of the first united Italian Kingdom (under Victor Emmanuel II), everywhere you turn, there is an important historic building or monument.
I didn't see much of Turin because I was busy attending a course. A bus would take us from the hotel in the morning and deliver us back in the evening. I didn't even have a chance to see the Museo Egizio which supposedly houses a very important Egyptian antiquities collection.
We stayed at the Art Olympic Hotel. It's a modern art themed hotel. For 85 euros a night including breakfast, it is quite a bargain. I like this hotel because it is very very clean! It is not in the city center but it is only a 10 euro taxi ride from Via Garibaldi.


Technorati tags: Turin+Italy Art+Olympic+Hotel

Gender Equality

Finally, the Philippines in on top of a list that is not negative. I am used to seeing the Philippines on top of the list of the most polluted, most corrupt, or most violent countries in the world. So, imagine my surprise to see the Philippines (no. 6) on top of the World Economic Forum's Gender Gap Index joining countries like Sweden (1), Norway (2), Finland (3), Iceland (4) and Denmark (8)! It is the only Asian country in the top 10. It seems that the Philippines is lost in Scandinavia in terms of gender equality.

Studies show that we Filipinas edged our male counterparts in the education and training sectors from primary (87%), secondary (76%) and tertiary education (56%). There is also a significant increase in the number of female executives (97,000 women managers added in 2007 compared to only 16,000 men).

My message to Filipino males, don't despair, you can rest your macho souls because this is a good thing. This has nothing to do with being "under the saya" (under the skirt). My colleagues here in Switzerland were really impressed after seeing this list. They didn't believe me before when I said that we Filipinas are all about "women power". Unlike western women, I believe, Filipinas achieve equality with our men not by abandoning our traditional roles (like motherhood, housekeeping, etc) but by taking on added roles. We understand that there is a difference between the sexes. We understand our role, our men understand theirs. If we cook, clean, wash, that doesn't make us submissive or less equal. Filipinas are like real wonder women (Darna in Filipino comics, sans costume) or like the queen in the game of chess, we have all the moves....

My mom, I believe is the perfect example of a Filipina wonder woman. She is the best mom, best provider, good business woman, best grandmother and above all the best cook in the world. My sister probably is counted among the female executives mentioned above and a really brilliant one too! We are all about "women power" in our family.

my mom, perfect example of a Filipina wonder woman

Get the full copy of the report here and read the full article here.

Cross posted at Filipina Images.

Himala: Best Asian Film in History according to CNN

This is really a himala (a miracle), as Filipinos would say. The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that "Visitors to the Cable News Network entertainment website voted Ishmael Bernal’s “Himala,” which starred Nora Aunor as a simple provincial girl turned faith healer, as the best movie of all time in the Asia-Pacific region, outclassing such greats as Akira Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai” and Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”




I remember seeing Himala a long long long long time ago, I guess, it's time to see it again. It's time to see it with adult eyes. It is a powerful movie for sure since I still remember the movie now (photographic memory aside) complete with the feelings that it stirred inside of me. In my head, I can still see the young Nora Aunor shouting "Walang Himala!!!" (There is no miracle), wearing a white dress (I found the clip in You tube after writing this paragraph). Take note that I saw this movie when I was 7 years old (I think I saw it again at 10, though). Himala, written by Ricky Lee and originally released in 1982 for the Metro Manila Film Festival, addressed issues such as Catholic fanaticism and our flaws as a Catholic society.

Technorati tags: Best+Asian+Movie CNN+best+Asian+movie Himala Ismael+bernal Ricky+lee Nora+Aunor

On dreams and harsh realities

The dream: Build 9 apartments for rent to be able to go home to the Philippines and live comfortably in about 3 years. We wanted the houses to be big and of good quality.

The sacrifice: Budget, budget, budget. No skiing holidays, no new clothes, no unnecessary expenses, no restaurants, nothing of anything for the past 4 years. Even here in Zürich, money doesn't fall from the sky. Salaries are high but everything is so expensive anyway so we need to monitor each expense. I lived more luxuriously in the Philippines to tell you the truth. Here, I can't even afford to have a manicure!

The reward: We finished building our first 3 apartments in Los Banos, Laguna last January. Yeeppee! THE DREAM is turning into reality.

The reality: After so much trouble with the contractor (after he took our money, he disappeared without finishing the work), finally our apartments were built. Now, it turns out that our apartments are too big and too expensive. Even after we lowered the rent, prospective renters find it too big and too nice. Huh? So, our apartments have been empty for a year now. I guess we have to reformulate THE DREAM.

Colmar, France

Famous for being the "Capital of Alsatian Wine", and the birthplace of Frederic Bartholdi (you know, the guy who made the "Statue of Liberty"), Colmar is renowned for its well preserved medieval town, and its numerous architectural landmarks.
Personally, I find the region of Alsace very intriguing because it is a melting pot of German and French cultures. When we arrived in Colmar, it felt familiarly German with a French twist (the buildings are framed in wood but in pastel pink) . We tried flammkuchen (Flemkusch in Alsatian) with foie gras (very French) and Sauerkraut. Historically, Alsace has been bounced back and forth between Germany and France many times although the region has been mostly French in modern times. The Alsatian dialect is closer to German (sounds very much like Swiss German). Unfortunately, it is endangered because it is spoken by less less people as the younger generation prefer to speak French.

Tarte Flambée in French or Flammkuchen in German or Flemkusch in Alsatian

Unfortunately, France is on holiday every time we try to visit. This time was no exception. So, everything was closed when we arrived and I guess only the most touristic restaurants were open and so I have to admit that I didn't like the food very much. The wineries were closed as well. I was so much looking forward to trying and buying Alsatian wines. We do plan on going back one day to get the full experience. It is afterall only about an hour from Basel.

Mountain of Sauerkraut! Help!

Technorati tags: Colmar+France Alsace Alsatian+food Alsatian+wine nice+places+around+Zurich