Christine, very cool! Great photo. I used to work in urban planning also! Plus I really really want to go to the Philippines one day so now I know who to ask!

Hi Chiocciola - Lovely to find another urban planner on the board - certainly makes you look at cities and areas you travel to through different eyes.

As for the Philippines - it is a country (like many) of amazing contrasts - from the crazy, noisy, hussling streets of Manila to the pristine beauty of Palawan (where we stayed in a small bungalo and could swim directly out from near our door and almost instantly be surrounded by amazing coral and fish), or the mountains with their cooler climates and traditional ways of life.

I'm also a committee member of a small grass-roots charity called Seconds To Give which sends second hand clothes and other household items from Australia to be distributed to small and impoverished villages in the Philippines.

Chiocciola and Christine,

I am a Filipina transplant who now lives in California. I grew up in Cebu and still visits the islands now and then as my Mom decided to go home after being in Calif. for over 25 years. So if there is anything I can help you with re. travel and visit to the P. I., ask away.

Oh, and do not look for a "reflection of me"/pic.

I do not take very good pictures, not photogenic at all, and do not even know how to upload pitures... LOL... and I also want to know how to change that URL address into the title of my blog under my signature ... Technology-challenged, thats who I am...

quote:

Originally posted by Eden:
and I also want to know how to change that URL address into the title of my blog under my signature ...

Done!

(HERE are instructions for editing signatures.)

Lovely to meet you Eden.

I look forward to having a read of your blog

Cheers
Christine

quote:

I grew up in Cebu and still visits the islands now and then

Eden, my grandparents were from Cebu and imigrated to Hawaii where I was born and raised. I have never visited Cebu but I always hear how beautiful it is; maybe someday. My maiden name is Alesna.

Welcome to the SlowTrav!

Hi Colleen,

Thank you for the signature change... and the instructions too.

And nice meeting you all. Ann, Cebu is a beautiful island and perhaps it will be one on your future itineraries.

quote:

remember, there is a moderator page that has info on all of us

I had not looked at this page for ages, so clicked on it when Kim posted. I was absolutely to read my "bio", which I think Pauline wrote years ago out of sheer frustration when I kept putting off writing one.

I finally wrote one, and it's now there. And, yes, unfortunately, I do look just like the photo.

Maureen,

I just recently read the moderator thread after seeing that link. I was so happy to know a little bit more about all of the mods! Now I will go and read your updated bio!

Nancy

Christine, yes, looking at places through the urban planning lense can be very interesting!

quote:

Originally posted by Eden:
Chiocciola and Christine,

I am a Filipina transplant who now lives in California. I grew up in Cebu and still visits the islands now and then as my Mom decided to go home after being in Calif. for over 25 years. So if there is anything I can help you with re. travel and visit to the P. I., ask away.

Thanks Eden, and nice to "meet" you! I will definitely be reading your blog from now on. And I will ask you if I have any questions about the Philippines. Oh, and maybe you could point me towards some recipes? I have really enjoyed Filipino food and it would be great to be able to cook some.

Maureen?! How IS Fritz doing? You were playing nursemaid to him three years ago when I was in Boston.

Ah yes, Deborah. If I remember correctly that was when he had his side view mirror shattered by a snowplow. (Almost $500 to replace, and it's still not painted )

I think he's been doing OK since November, when he became Rat Chow. (I wrote about the horrifying details on the Group Blog.)

I had to check his mileage for my insurance discount the other day: 26,232. He'll be 8 on June 1.

Thanks for asking! I'll pass your regards along to him.

Hi Chiocciola - I have a few filipino friends and one of them makes a great recipe called Chicken Adobo. He has made it so many times that he no longer works off a recipe (hence, nothing written down for me to copy from ) - but here's a link to a recipe for Chicken Adobo - looks to have all the key ingredients...

Great with a big bowl of rice and some steamed greens (e.g. bok choy / choy sum).

And good for entertaining because you can make a big pot ahead of time and then just heat up when ready to eat

Salamat, Christine! I will definitely try this. It sounds delicious.

Hey Artcee here in Canada, I will be in Savannah GA April 15-23 what is the Great GTG and when is it? If you have any incites or ideas of things to see do share as this will be my first time in Savannah.

Thanks

sorry no pic YET

quote:

Originally posted by Artcee: what is the Great GTG and when is it?

It's over, Artcee! See here when, what and how it was.

Welcome to Slow Travel. We hope you will find enough to interest you here, even if the GTG is over!

Is it possible that anyone here who does not yet have their image in their profile might use something from the Savannah Gathering? Of course, that is for those who attended.

I will be posting images after April 28th and if you like one you can use it, please.