Visiting Family and Friends are Back

Over the past weekend, we had the pleasure of hosting family and friends from the Philippines. My cousin Jinky Cating-Lim, her hubby Jimmy, and daughter Amanda are in Oahu fresh off the Hawaii inter-island cruise. We have not seen them in over three years since the onset of the Covid pandemic. Carol Tabora, Tess's high school classmate, is also here on a vacation stop over on her way back to the Philippines from Texas. As often the case with visitors to Hawaii, even the returning ones like the Lims, they become enamored with the islands and muse about moving here.  

Jimmy and I are avid and competitive golfers and play at least one round whenever we visit each other. This  time was at the Klipper Golf Course in Kaneohe MCAS last Saturday, May 14. Fun round. 

Signature hole #13, Klipper Golf Course, Oahu.

Sunday morning we drove Carol on the eastern part of Oahu. But before that, a sumptuous brunch at the Hale Kulani hotel in Waikiki. 

Brunch at Orchids Restaurant, Hale Kulani, Waikiki, with Tess and Carol. 

Tess and Carol, post-brunch photo op.

Sunday night was dinner at our place.  We prepared sashimi and charcuterie for appetizers, steak, garlic shrimp,  and roasted veggies for main course, and mochi for dessert.

 Our guests enjoying hors d'oeuvres.

Dinner is served. 

Amanda and Tess serving up mochi for dessert.

Group photo with our guests. 

Sir Gil and Ma'am Cloty Espiritu

On May 12, 2022, Mr. and Mrs. Gil and Cloty Espiritu had an early celebration of their 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary. Sir Gil, among many other prestigious positions he held before he retired, was a respected and beloved teacher of SLU Boys High School Senior Class of 1979 and the class adviser to Section E, the "Eagles."  Ma’am Cloty was also a teacher at Boys High. 

Lunch at the BCC Verandah.

They checked in at the Baguio Country Club in time for a sumptuous lunch at the Verandah. After lunch, they relaxed in their room overlooking the manicured, pine tree lined golf course. Later that afternoon, ma'am Cloty had her hair done at the Club salon and sir Gil had a one-hour Swedish massage at the spa. Feeling refreshed, dinner followed at the Hamada, Baguio's premier Japanese  restaurant, also located at the Club. 

View of the golf course.

Dinner at the BCC Hamada Japanese Restaurant.

Later that evening they had a surprise visitor. One member of the Eagles, Geoffrey Perez, showed up with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and a bouquet of flowers for ma'am Cloty to help them celebrate this significant milestone.  Geoff hung out with sir Gil for a while and reminisced about senior year high school. 

Geoff Perez surprised the Espiritus.

A bouquet of flowers and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc to help celebrate.

I have two funny and vivid memories with sir Gil back then. One time, one of my classmates asked during a candid conversation with him about sex and sexuality, "Sir, is it a sin to masturbate?" His response, and I'm paraphrasing here, was, "Boys, there's nothing wrong with masturbation. It's normal behavior for your age. Just don't overdo it. You want to save the best of yourself for your future wife." Classic sir Gil.

Later that year, I went to him and said I was resigning as the class president. He asked why and I said my classmates were too hard-headed and uncontrollable. He said, "Richard, do not quit, you can do it. I have trust and confidence in you. You just have to be more persistent. They will follow you." These words had a profound impact on me and guided me throughout my life. 

I'm sure many of you had similar experiences with sir Gil and/or the other teachers back in senior year. And so to pay him back in our own very small way, and inspired by the Rene Acantilado teacher-reach-out narratives, I concocted this plan and enlisted the help of some of the Eagles besides Geoff - Egay Cabanayan, Jock Sta. Maria, Rollie Obusan, Vic Nieva, and Jeff de Guzman, and gifted him and his lovely wife an overnight all expenses paid stay at BCC. I apologize to the other Eagles, I know you all wanted to chip in. This was very short notice due to the availability, or lack thereof, of rooms at BCC (the tourists are back) so I reached out to the ones close by only. 

The following morning, after breakfast and before checking out, sir Gil and Ma’am Cloty video called me and we had a lively chat. They were very thankful for the gift. I reiterated that it was such a small gesture and the pleasure was all ours. At one point I asked him how he had such patience and composure for rowdy teenage boys with raging hormones who were experimenting with all kinds of stuff like alcohol and marijuana. He admitted that it was quite a challenge but he always understood that his role wasn’t so much of a  disciplinarian but more of a mentor and a guardian. He had a strong faith and said a lot of prayers for us. As a matter of fact he said that to this day he continues to pray for us.

Strolling around BCC before checkout.

Sir Gil taught at Boys High for only three years. After that he was hired to replace Mr. Foronda as the Dean of Student Affairs at Saint Louis University, a position he held for 30 years before he retired. He said his experience teaching high school, especially the Batch of '79 prepared him for the job and provided him with tools to deal with problem college students. Lol. 

I really believe that we were so lucky and blessed to have Mr. Gil as our teacher and mentor in high school. Undoubtedly, he touched our young lives and made life-changing impact on us. It's nice to know that he moved on to do the same to many many more young students after us. Nevertheless, he said he has never forgotten our batch and that we always have a special place in his heart. His parting words, "I love you, guys."

 

Deutschland (7/7)

Deutschland is what the Germans call their land, which many of them believe, extend beyond their current borders. We spent the last week of our European vacation in Deutschland and based ourselves in Spangdahlem, where Tess’s brother, Tony, and his family are stationed.  We took a train from Avignon to Paris to Bettenburg where we were picked up by Tony and his family. 

On the drive on the Autobahn to Spangdahlem, we immediately noticed the stark difference in the landscape: miles and miles of forests interspersed with miles and miles of fields. The towns are far in between. What a beautiful countryside! This time of year, early summer, is when the vegetation is at its greenest, the days are their warmest and longest. 

Spangdahlem is a US Air Base in Germany and home to the 49th Tactical  Fighter Wing and the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing. We got there at 9pm and the sun was still up. Tony, his wife Sheena, and daughters Sophia and Ahndrea have called this home for 7 years but are now ready to move to their next duty station back in the USA in Florida. As a matter of fact, all their household goods and both their cars have already been shipped and they are now staying in the base’s TLF (aka the base hotel) where we joined them. They took us around the iconic German towns, castles, sites, and beyond:

Trier is about 20 miles south of Spangdahlem and the oldest town in Germany. Built in 15BC by the Roman Empire, it still has edifices standing from that era, including the Porta Nigra, the north gate. Trier, to my wife’s delight, also has brand-name shops that cater to every woman’s shopping desire. Augustus Caesar would have been proud.

Porta Nigra, Trier, Germany.

Germany has hundreds of castles but in these parts, the must-see ones are Bernkastel-Kues (BK) and the Eltz Castle. BK is on top of a big hill overlooking rows and rows of vineyards along the hill slopes, the town, and the Mosel River. The castle has a fine dining restaurant and while up there, one can imagine during medieval times the Count and Countess and their guests overlooking their fief as far as the eyes can see. The Eltz Castle, on the other hand, is hidden away from the towns and is in the bottom  of a ravine, with its own bridge across a stream, no doubt doubling as a barrier. The castle blends with the topography and foliage which is one reason it has survived centuries of invasions; the main reason, Sheena explained, is that the families that owned the castle, passed down over the years, have been known to be adept in establishing good relationships with whoever was in power.

View of the town, Mosel river, and vineyards from the Bernkastel-Kues castle.

Gazing at the Bernkastel-Kues from the Mosel bridge.

Eltz Castle, Germany.

Luxembourg is a country smaller than Rhode Island with a population of just over 500K but is the 5th richest country in the world per capita. Besides some old churches and well designed buildings and bridges, there’s really not much to see. Which makes sense because this place really means business - information technology, biomedical, biotech, and financial services. If it's an indication of how rich this country is, the taxis here are Teslas.

A Tesla Model S taxi, Luxembourg.

Amsterdam is the capital city of Netherlands. What else is there to know about Amsterdam besides its liberal laws on drugs and prostitution? Amazingly, it has some of the most beautiful architecture and most diverse population in Europe. But the best thing about Amsterdam for me and Tess is that it is home to the Van Gogh Museum. We are huge fans of Vincent - his life and his paintings. Visiting his museum is a dream come true. This museum has most of his work, including "Sunflowers." However, his most popular one, "Starry Night," is not here. It's in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Red Light District, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Tess poses with her favorite Van Gogh, "Sunflowers."
Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam.

The same thing can be said about Brussels, the capital of Belgium. What makes it stand out for me is that it has the best beers in the world, including the ones made by the Trappist monks - the most sought-after of them all. These beers, made in limited quantities, don’t have labels on the bottles. The labels are on the caps which are color-coded based on the alcohol content and rarity. Trappist beers consistently win the annual contest of beers. (I didn’t know they had one until now.) Tony and I had the yellow-capped, Westvleteren 12, the rarest of them all.  I am not a beer connoisseur by any means, but it is the best bottle of beer I’ve ever had. Prost to Deutschland!

Trappist beer, the best of them all.

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Leaving Provence (6/7)

We’re leaving Provence today with heavy hearts but with very fond and vivid memories. Yesterday was no exception. Before we checked into our Airbnb, we explored the inner city of Avignon - its narrow and intricate streets, quaint squares, and ancient buildings that surround the Papal Palace. Yes, the pope has a palace in Avignon.

Avignon inner city, France.

The Papal Palace, Avignon, France.

We all know that the papacy has a long and colorful history but one thing Tess and I didn’t know is that the Papal Enclave - essentially the Vatican itself - moved to Avignon in the 13th century for 67 years! It all started when a French bishop, Clement, was voted pope. Part of a political maneuver, he decided to run the Catholic Church in France, from Avignon, built and designed the palace to replicate the functions of the Vatican including the Sistine Chapel where the enclave met and voted succeeding popes for 67 years before it was moved back to Rome. Fascinating to say the least!

Some of the popes buried at the Papal Palace crypt, Avignon, France.

When I returned our car rental this morning (a mid-size SUV), I felt so lucky that I did not cause a single dent or scratch considering I drove it on tight, rugged, and winding roads with maniacal drivers on them.  Not to mention the unsafe parking spots that were frequented by petty thieves. I now understand why the rental company was very anal in cataloging the original condition of the car and insisting I take their insurance (which I respectfully declined). Next time, I will rent a smaller and lower-profile vehicle. Another luck: my rental was a hybrid, saving me a lot of money in gas which is very expensive in Europe.

Although the train ride from Avignon started somber, we were soon excited about the final leg of our European vacation - Germany and its surrounding countries Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Belgium.

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Provence in Early Summer 2019 (5/7)

We've been in Provence for four days now and so far, this place has exceeded our expectations. Our Airbnb in Menerbes is great! There's nothing like going home to a peaceful chateau at night and waking up in the morning to a spectacular view of the Luberon valley from our window. Francois and Maria, our hosts, are exceptional!  Daily breakfasts with them are usually with French pastry, eggs omelette, and fresh fruits from their garden. Every morning they ask what our plans are and offer recommendations on sights to see and restaurants. We oblige and we don't get disappointed.

Roussillon is famous not only because of its colored history but more strikingly, because of its colorful landscape. The exposed earth that abound are in shades of yellow, brown, and red. That is because the town sits on one of the biggest ocher deposits in the world. The ocher is also treated and used as primary building material and so the houses and buildings are also in these beautiful colors. Naturally, Roussillon attracts many artists inspired to capture its vibrant beauty on canvas. For tourists like us, our cameras and smart phones are good enough. 

Roussillon, Provence, France.

Gordes is undeniably the most beautiful hilltop village in Southern France. Google it. To get the best picture, there is a popular spot on the roadside approaching the town. You have to be very careful, however, because this spot is a flat rock extending out on a cliff with no protective barrier, whatsoever. If you can overcome your fear of falling down a rocky precipice, take the shot during sunset when the sun is behind you and the town is awashed with the soft amber light. You will be rewarded with the most "gorges" photograph. Get it?

Funny story. We approached the photo spot with a group already taking turns snapping shots. Since there was no line or any semblance of organized rotation, we estimated when it was going to be our turn and at that moment, Tess stepped on the flat rock and I got ready with my camera when an older gentleman said, "Excuse me, there's a line," and pointed to a gaggle next to him of what looked like his tour group. Here's why it's funny. In many of our travels we run into tourists who can be so rude -- cutting in line and sometimes shoving people out. This group looked like them and at first we were shocked to hear them say we have to get in line! But from the courteous English we quickly realized our mistake and Tess apologized and a friendly conversation ensued. They even volunteered to take our photo.  Touché!

Gordes, Provence, France.

L’Isle sur la Sorgue is an "island town" along the Sorgue River and its tributaries and is the only one among all the towns that we visited that is not on a hill. Waterside restaurants and cafés abound. Outside of town is the Lavender Museum. Yes, there is such a thing, and yes, my wife wanted to go in there. I told her I really didn't want to and would rather wait in the car; she gave me THE stare it felt like I was melting.  Needless to say, I learned about lavenders more than I care to know.

Lavender Museum, L’Isle sur la Sorgue, Provence, France.

After the museum tour, across the street was a boulangerie next to a patisserie. I told my wife, "Hey look, a bulalo restaurant next to a patis store!" (Filipino joke.) I don't think she has moved on from the lavender museum snub incident because she didn't think it was funny. We got to L’Isle sur la Sorgue just in time for lunch and we were surprised to see so many people on a weekday! Maybe because it's summer, the town attracts people from all over to its open-air markets, antique stores, and waterways.

L’Isle sur la Sorgue

This waterwheel on the Sorgue river used to power a paper mill.

Bonnieux probably is situated on the steepest hill in all of Provence. But if you're up to it and willing to hike all the way to the summit, where, interestingly, the parish church and cemetery are located, you will be rewarded with a spectacular view of the valley and the towns on the opposite hills, i.e., Gordes and Roussillon.

View from the summit of Bonnieux, Provence, France.

Downhill from Bonnieux is the town of Lacoste. Yes, this is the town that the clothing and apparel brand was named after. But, disappointingly, there is nothing extraordinary about this town except that, according to Francois, it has the moniker of "Ville Fantôme," or ghost town because the large houses are empty most of the year because they are summer getaways for rich Parisians. We drove by and, yes, the town was mostly empty. Maybe it's too early in the summer. A pleasant surprise awaited us, however, at the foot of Lacoste - a big plantation of lavender in full bloom!

Lavender plantation, Lacoste, Provence, France.

Maria told us over breakfast, "You have not gone to Provence unless you visit Marseilles. And you must go to the restaurant on the harbor next to the City Hall, they have the best seafood bouillabaisse."  So, before lunch one day, we drove south for just over an hour to Marseilles on the A7 freeway, the quickest route, but with a stiff toll -  €25. Yup, that's about $28 USD! We went straight to the harbor and looked for parking. And we looked. And we looked. OMG, the place was so crowded it took us almost an hour to find a safe pay parking spot! We were so hungry we beelined to the nearest seafood restaurant recommended by the Trip Advisor app. Damn Maria's recommendation. I really don't think the restaurants differed much, the food was so good!

Marseilles harbor, Provence, France.

After lunch we walked around and, would you know, the City Hall is only a block away! Tess and I looked at each other and, overcome with guilt, went to the restaurant and ordered their seafood bouillabaisse. We were so stuffed afterward, we skipped the sightseeing and went straight home.

On our last night in Menerbes, we walked by the town square where they had a stage set up where local musicians were playing to celebrate "Fête de la Musique" or National Music Day. On stage was a long-haired guy playing the guitar and singing Beatles songs. We were told that this same thing was happening all over France. What a concept, the whole world should have a Music Day! We watched and listened for a while then walked to our favorite restaurant, Bistrot Le 5. The place was overbooked and there was a momentary confusion with our reserved premium table. Luckily, our favorite waitress, who booked us, was there to save the day. She said, "I had to fight for you," with a big smile as she sat us down. Once again, the food was amazing. An added bonus tonight was a really awesome live band.

Live band at Bistrot Le 5 Restaurant, Menerbes, Provence, France.

After a long dinner, at close to 11pm, we went by the town square again and sure enough, they still had musicians onstage so we sat down to enjoy the rest of the show. After a while, Tess stood up and left, I assumed to go to the rest room. A few minutes later, she came back with a grin on her face, just in time for the emcee to announce, "We have a guest singer from Hawaii, monsieur Richard, please come up to the stage." I stared at her in disbelief and she said, "Go, they're waiting!"

I've been known to crash restaurant and club gigs but this is like a concert in a foreign town celebrating their National Music Day! Not sure if it was the gratuitous wine during dinner or the tentative self assurance that none of these people knew me and I'm out of there the following day, but I did get up on the stage, borrowed a guitar, and backed up by an awesome pianist, sang a song. The crowd must have had too much beer and wine at that point because they were too generous with their applause afterward.

Yours truly onstage during National Music Day, Menerbes, Provence, France.

The following day, after breakfast, we bade Francois and Maria goodbye and left Menerbes with a heavy heart. This town, its people, and all of Provence will forever be etched in our memories.

Au revoire, Maria and Francois, our gracious Airbnb hosts, Menerbes, Provence, France.

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Menerbes (4/7)

On June 18 we headed to southern France from Paris on a high speed train, passing quaint towns, lush meadows, verdant fields, and got off in Avignon.  Quite a few romantic movies have shown this train route, one off the top of my head is "French Kiss" with Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline. After about 2 hours of tentative driving and getting used to our hybrid rental car, we reached Menerbes, our adopted home town for the next week. And so begins the highlight of our European vacation, a fulfillment of one of my wife's adolescent fantasies: Provence and its lavender fields.

High speed train to Provence.

Menerbes is nestled up on a hill in the lower southern range of the Luberon mountains. After carefully negotiating its tight roads, we reached the town center and began looking for our Airbnb. Road signs in French and trying to decipher the email directions made it a little challenging. We started asking around but not before long, it was Francois, the owner of the Airbnb, who found us. 

Cobbled stone town square of Menerbes.

We checked in to our room. Actually it’s a small house called a Cabanon with 12th century architecture complete with stone masonry, large wooden trusses, a fireplace, but with modern plumbing, electricity, and furnishing. Located on top of the hill overlooking the Luberon valley and part of a cloistered property that used to be assigned to the parish priest. Makes sense because we’re right next to an old church that is now only used for marriages and baptisms. 

800-year old church next to our Airbnb.

Our view is breathtaking. In the valley below are vineyards and fields of wheat, and yes, lavender. In the distant is the Luberon mountain range with thick foliage, dotted only by equally quaint villages including Rousillon and Gordes, and a rock quarry that, according to Francois, supplies all the building stones for the region.  Getting close to summer, the sun rises early and sets late majestically over the Luberon valley and provides dramatic lighting to this landscape masterpiece.

Our Airbnb overlooking the Luberon valley, with the Luberon mountains in the distant.

Over dinner of ratatouilles and beef stew and the mandatory wine, locally produced of course, Francois and Maria mesmerized us with amazing stories. This senior couple has been all over the world. Francois is a retired anthropologist whose job has taken him to Vietnam, Africa, and South America, including Colombia where he met Maria. They are both descendants of renowned families. Francois is a son of a French Army general who was aide to Charles de Gaulle and who was present at the meeting between CDG and Roosevelt during WW II. Maria brought out an old black and white photo of the event.

Francois and Maria, our Airbnb hosts.

According to Francois, Menerbes, has survived many conquests and wars dating back from the Mongols, the Ottoman, the Crusades, and the French Revolution. During WW II, it protected some Jewish families and also provided safe haven for Pablo Picasso, the Spanish painter.  Today, Menerbes remains a quaint village with a population of just over  2,000, but thanks to the Internet, has become a popular destination of tourists with distinct tastes, from all over the world.  

A casual walk around town after dinner ended with a night cap of rose at an outdoor pub. The locals are very friendly and most speak English.  On our walk through tight and quiet alleyways back to our Cabanon, enjoying the cool moonlit night and the ubiquitous scent of flowers, we couldn’t help but be thankful for taking this overdue trip to this marvelous place. 

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Musee Louvre (3/7)

A heartwarming thing happened on the way to the Louvre that defied one stereotype about Paris.  We stopped by a breakfast place, Le Pain Quotidien, that prides itself with its organic fare. The food was fantastic and the service provided by a young lady was friendly and wholesome.  The heartwarming part was that I inadvertently left my camera, a Fuji X-E2 I love so much, gifted to me by my oldest son, slung on the chair I sat on. She kept it for me until I retrieved it that afternoon. What a champ!

Once again, my wife’s foresight and research did not fail to impress me. The Louvre, as everyone knows, is the busiest museum in the world and the large number of visitors that day, a Monday, was no different. I’ve never seen anything like it! Most are here to see the Mona Lisa, which, according to our guide, is not even the best masterpiece the museum has. And that leads to the impressive foresight and research: hire a guide who will not only educate and entertain you on the vast collection of masterpieces but will skip you through the long lines and lead you directly to the more significant ones before the Mona Lisa, which is strategically positioned toward the exit of the museum. And as if on cue to prove the point during our tour, guess who we ran into, he and his wife listening attentively to their guide? Matthew McConaughey, the American actor. “Alright, alright, alright!”

Matthew McConaughey.

My favorite masterpiece in the Louvre is the statue of Venus de Milo. As I’m sure you know, this is the armless sculpture of the goddess believed to be the perfect form of a woman. A woman’s form has always been the favorite subject of many artists, and this one by Alexander of Antioch (130-100 BC), is no exception. Venus de Milo is not skinny as many supermodels are today. Her proportions are more on what many may consider on the voluptuous side.

A close second would be the painting “Coronation of Mary” by Carvallio. The painting has dozens of of characters on the canvas, each one detailed so finely with unique facial expressions, including that of the painter looking bored (yup, he inserted himself in the painting). The altar in the middle where Mary is being crowned by Jesus is in the shape of a hexagon, expertly and intricately rendered with all the lines in accurate perspective projections. This work was so admired by artists during its time, including Leonardi da Vinci, who said that Carvallio must have visited heaven to be able to capture such fine details.

Coronation of Mary by Carvallio.

To be able to get a full appreciation of all the masterpieces in the Louvre, one has to spend days in the museum. We spent three hours; not enough, but definitely a most rewarding experience. 

Oh yeah, almost forgot. The Mona Lisa.You literally have seconds to look at it before they ask you to move on.

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