The Spectacular Airport

The Suvarnabhumi (su-wan-na-poom) International Airport, located 30 kilometers east of Bangkok, is the first place that amazed me most in Thailand not only for its capacity of handling 76 domestic and international Thailand flights per hour but for its spectacular airport terminal building with a three-ply membrane roof.

The pinched jet lag that I felt courtesy of the two and a half hour Manila to Bangkok air travel had vanished immediately as I stepped beneath the sheds on the north side of the airport terminal. Candidly, a feeling of reverential respect mixed with wonder had engulfed my psyche as I watched over the roof membranes consisting of glass fiber coated with Teflon, an inner membrane coated with the same substance and the transparent polycarbonate sheets conveniently attached on a steel cable with opaque fritted glass fitted on a mesh structure.

While my eyes were rolling at the Bangkok night landscape as our tour bus was plying the airport expressway, my ears were glued to the tour guide’s story of his prime boxing career with a boast that Manny Pacquiao, who holds the Philippine National Fist, is very much lucky to have been born ten years younger than him, otherwise the golden boy from General Santos City could have tasted a Thai knock out. He was such an expert story teller that I did not notice that we had reached the Khurana Inn situated at Rajparop Road, which is my home for my three-day stay in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Cooperative Lesson

The first stop of the 40-man Mindanao cooperative leaders’ study tour was the Klong Chan Credit Union (KCCU) Limited at No. 1 Soi Sereethai 7, Klongchan Bangkapi, City of Bangkok.

The palatial head office of the Klongchan Credit Union

It was in that palatial building that I experienced for the first time the Thai tradition of retaining the footwear at the door step and roam the building interior on bare foot.

The piece of information I got from the Chief Executive Officer of Credit Union League of Thailand (CULT) was really a big surprise . . . that Thai cooperative leaders learned their first lessons in cooperativism from the SEARSOLIN in Xavier Heights, Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines.

A photo opportunity in front of the Head Office of the Credit Union League of Thailand in Sukhapiban 3, Bangkok.

Joining the Chao Phraya Princess Cruise along the Chao Phraya River was not only enjoyable but memorable as well. While enjoying the sumptuous dinner amidst the pleasant sound of the live band, the lovely lady singer with a powerful voice sat beside me and said: KUMUSTA KABAYAN? (HOW ARE YOU BROTHER FILIPINO?)

A souvenir pose with the Filipina member of the live band playing on board the Chao Phraya River Princess Cruise...

A pose with a lovely Thai usherette super imposed on the Chao Phraya River Princess Cruise boat. . .

Capping the third day of our study tour was a visit to the Federation of Savings and Credit Cooperatives in Thailand situated in Nonthaburi Province as well as a travel to Samphan Nakorn Pathom Province for a visit at St. Peter’s Credit Union (SPCU).

Beaming with pride that I had visited one of the Most Outstanding Cooperatives in Asia, the St. Peter Credit Union Cooperative, Limited.

The Man and the Beast

But nothing beats my excitement and amazement when we witnessed the breath-taking crocodile wrestling and spectacular acrobatic elephant show in Samphan, west of Bangkok. Candidly, this crocodile wrestling stunt had astonished me most as the head of the crocodile keeper was fed into the mouth of the salt water crocodile while his right hand was waiving at the audience…

What amazed me most was the perfect timing such that the jaw of the beast closed just a split second after the head of the keeper was completely hauled out from the mouth of the salt water crocodile.

My Final Thoughts

Amazing Thailand had really affected me with great wonder. The Suvarnabhumi International Airport terminal building is architecture and engineering at its best. If you are planning to spend your next vacation to the country, Expedia hotels are a good choice for staying within your budget. The lessons I learned from the outstanding cooperatives we visited were superb but the fact that their cooperative leaders studied the basics of cooperativism from the Philippines and yet they produced largely successful cooperatives than we do is really mind-boggling.The dangerous play between a man and a beast had really sent shivers down my spine. But what endeared me to Thailand most is the fact that it is the only Southeast Asian country never colonized by a Western power and I love hearing the Thais beaming with pride that they were born in the LAND OF THE FREE.

The Chance to Visit the Great Wall of China

If you have not climbed the Great Wall, you have not seen China so goes the declaration of Chairman Mao Zedong . These were the words that kept reverberating in my mind when I was in Kunming City, Yunan Province, China participating not only in an ordinary study tour but attending the 2012 Asia and Pacific High Level Cooperative Leaders Roundtable on Business Cooperation. Hence, on the last day of the Kunming activity, when the bulk of the 35 delegates from 16 cooperative federations in 12 Asia-Pacific countries were heading home, I took a 4-hour Kunming to Beijing plane trip together with the 5 delegates from Indonesia. Like me, the Indonesians were able to have a prior arrangement with the host, the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives (ACFSMC), for a side trip to the capital city.

We were met by an amiable tour guide connected with the travel agency arranged for us by ACFSMC at the Beijing International Airport who ushered us to a 4-star hotel owned by a cooperative situated a few kilometers from the airport.

Actually, I aimed to hit two birds in one stone in Beijing. First of course was the Great Wall visit and second was the possibility of experiencing what winter is all about. But my childhood dream to have a bout with snow seems to be elusive as my travel to Spain in 2009 was made at the end of winter while my Beijing trip came at a time when winter had just started. However, it was my first taste of cold weather that I jogged to a shop near the hotel to buy a winter jacket with matching gloves and bonnet, lest my jaw seemed to lock up amidst extremely low temperature unfamiliar to my body.

We left the hotel at exactly 8:00 o’clock in the morning and it took more than an hour for our chartered car to reach the Joyungguan, which literally means Joyung Pass, section of the Great Wall of China situated 60 kilometers from Beijing City. As I stepped out of the car, I went for a pose at the Northern Gate of the Joyung Pass situated at the foot of the Jingui Mountain.

A pose for posterity at the Joyung Pass of the Great Wall of China

After paying the RMB 40.00, roughly PhP 270.50, entrance fee, I together with the tour guide and 3 of my new-found Indonesians friends entered the Northern Gate of the Joyung Pass as the others chose to remain at the parking grounds.

The outer portion of the Juyong Pass Northern Gate . . .

The Juyong Pass Northern Gate inner portion. . .

While standing in front of the Pagoda atop the North Gate, the tour guide made us to choose between the harder climb on the west winding up the 350-meter high Jingui Mountain or the easier climb on the east snaking through the 150-meter high Cuiping Ridge. I was about to declare my preference for the harder climb but the Indonesians explained their choice for the easier one as they had still very important transactions at the capital city. Hence, I hesitantly obliged . . .

In full hiking gear pointing to the Great Wall traversing through the Cuiping Ridge where I was about to climb...

It turned out that only me and one Indonesian about my age were decided to climb the great wall as the other 2 older Indonesians declared that they were not physically fit for a high altitude climb and the tour guide herself pronounced that she could not accompany us to the top. Hence, the two of us clasped our hands as we trained our sight to our next destination . . .

The first Watch Tower from the North Gate of the Joyungguan Great Wall...

Slogging slowly amidst the biting coldness brought about by the -14 Degrees Celsius temperature, I reached the ground fronting the First Watch Tower and these words carved in stone had caught my attention. . .

A European tourist reading the famous quote by Mao Zedong inscribed in stone: IF WE FAIL TO REACH THE GREAT WALL WE ARE NOT MEN.

In my walk towards the Second Watch tower, I noticed a number of locks lining up the side of the wall on a chain …

A close-up photo of Locks of Love on the hand rail as seen towards the direction of Watch Tower 1...

The Locks of Love chained on the hand rail as seen from Watch Tower 2 towards Watch Tower 1. . .

What I saw was a concrete proof that the ancient Locks of Love Chinese tradition for newly-wed couples to place a lock on the chain and throw the key over the wall representing everlasting love that cannot be broken, is still very much alive.

The Danger of Climbing the Great Wall of China

While I was pondering on the purity of the love of those who adhered to the Locks of Love tradition, my Indonesian buddy hurriedly walked past me and jogged upstairs towards the 2nd Watch Tower…

My Indonesian buddy in black back pack at the center jogging upstairs. . .

My Indonesian friend running at full speed while climbing the stairway. . .

I was thinking that my Indonesian buddy was an athlete back home, hence, his agility to speedily conquer the great wall summit. However, as I stepped on the ground fronting Watch Tower 2, I saw him at the edge of the wall vomiting profusely with a loud, hoarse voice in an effort to clear throat clogs and pounding his chest while catching breath.What surprised me most was the fact that despite a number of tourists around, nobody cared about him. Hence, I snapped the bottled water tucked in my backpack, offered him a drink and performed calculated compression on his chest. When his breath returned to normal, he decided to discontinue on his quest to reach the summit. Before his descent, I requested him to take this shot . . .

A thumbs-up pose both for the upcoming climb and the aborted cardiac arrest of my Indonesian buddy. . .

On my way up, I passed by two more watch towers until I reached the junction towards the Beacon Tower . . .

A Beacon Tower used in ancient times where smokes were used to warn the people against impending enemy attacks.

I kept trudging on and on until I reached the summit where the last tower is situated . . .

The tower at the summit of the Joyungguan Great Wall . . .

But the sense of excitement and fulfillment in reaching the top of the Cuiping Ridge turned out to be temporary as I started to gasp for air and found difficulty in breathing. My throat had dried up and the low temperature and high altitude combined had sent my lips on the verge of cracking. The bottled water that I tucked on my backpack was really meant for the situation but I gave it up to my Indonesian friend who needed it most. Feeling solitary to fend for myself, I sat motionless at the foot of the tower, closed my eyes in prayer and implored God to take charge of the rest.

Moments later, my body systems functioned normally and I started to walk again. I shouted, I conquered the Great Wall of China in victory as I reached the dead end …

The dead-end of the Joyunguan Great Wall on the Cuiping Ridge. . .

Climbing the Great Wall of China- Final Thoughts

My ascent and descent of the Joyunguan Great Wall was really one of the most, if not the only, fulfilling trips of my lifetime. As I stepped on every inch of the wall top and on every step of the stairway, I felt sorry for the more than two million dead bodies of the workers buried within the walls in more than a hundred years of building the greatest construction ever made by man. The experience itself was extremely great…Great Wall…Great Staircase… and almost Great Cardiac Arrest of China for my Indonesian buddy and me.

Modesty aside, I can beam with pride and shout to the whole world that I had visited China because I was able to climb the Great Wall.

Seeing Spain attractions is one of my intentions for my travel to Spain. Nevertheless, the travel itinerary prepared by the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional Para el Desarrollo (AECID), which sponsored our 10-day Study Tour on the Development of Cooperative Integration In Spain, was very hectic. Hence, I and the rest of the 15-man Philippine delegation just made use of whatever free time available to have a free wheeling visit to Spain attractions and have a peek on Spain culture.

Thus, after the conclusion of our 6^th day study tour at  ANECOOP and COARVAL, two of the largest secondary cooperatives not only in Spain but in Europe as well, our tour guide gave us the green light to roam aroud the city with instruction for us to divide the delegation into smaller groups to make the sightseeing trip as manageable as possible. It is worthy to mention that prior to that instruction, I and my fellow Caraga Region delegates Almar Autida of Surigao del Sur and Nielo Tingzon of Agusan del Norte had already formed an informal alliance dubbed CONTRATA in view of our standing agreement to exchange cameras amonng ourselves during photo opportunity sessions.

The Contrata Group composed of from left: Me, Almar Autida and Nielo Tingson posing for posterity at Toledo City, Spain.

Hence, in response to the tour guide’s instruction, the three of us had allied ourselves quick like metals clinging into the magnet. Our first and only stop was the Centro Historico (Historic Center) located at the heart of Valencia City, which is encircled by the Jardin del Turia to the north and by the ring roads of Guillem de Castro, Carrer Xativa and Carrer Colon. The spot is famous for narrow, cobbled streets and medieval stone houses like this . . .

A walk through the pinched streets within the vicinity of the Historical Center.

Among the popular Spain attractions found in the Historic Center is the Arch of Triumph . . .

Almar having pose with the Arch of Triumph at the background

The people of Valencia City are noted for paying tribute to men and women who bring honor not only to the city but the entire country as well as exemplified by this sculpture made of marble with the inscription Al Pintor Pinazo Valencia dedicated to Ignacio Pinazo Camarlench considered as one of the greatest painters Valencia has ever produced.

A souvenir photo in front of the sculpture dedicated to the great painter Ignacio Pinazo .

Eager to buy souvenir items for our families, close friends and relatives back home, we decided to go on shopping at the popular mall chain in Spain, the El Corte Ingles. . .

The facade of the El Corte Ingless mall chain

The sprawling 17,000-capacity Bullring, a Coliseum-styled Neoclassic building made between 1850 and 1860, would surely fill the emotions of first time visitors like you with awe and inspiration. Truly, the building stands as proof that the controversial, but regularly thrilling, gladiatorial activity between a human and a ferocious bull, which is considered as one of the most popular among Spain attractions, is very much alive in the city of Valencia.

The imposing Valencia Bullring

We had the chance to squeeze our study tour time the following day and visited some tourist attractions within the vicinity of the historical center, among them, the Plaza del Ayuntamiento where you can find the City Hall that is open for tourists like you who want to view the magnificent architecture this building is proud of. Another must visit in the square is the main Post Office building where unique stamps abound that could really satisfy the appetite of avid stamp collectors like you. But most importantly, the fountain at the center of the Plaza del Ayuntamiento, which is bordered by beds consisting of every type, shape, color , size and fragrance of flower that you can imagine, makes your visit to the main square of Valencia City memorable and enjoyable as it makes the surrounding sprawling buildings more picturesque than they already are.

The attractive fountain at the center of Plaza del Ayuntamiento in Valencia City, Spain.

I really considered myself fortunate enough to have witnessed one of the unique Spain attractions comprising of a fountain which represents the Turia River, considered the most important body of water in the Autonomous Community of Valencia, in human form surrounded by its tributaries. Dubbed as the Turia Fountain, it sits outside the Basilica of Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados in the Plaza de la Virgen.

A pose for posterity at the unique Turia Fountain at Plaza de la Virgen in Valencia, Spain

The lack of material time had hampered my desire to visit one of the most popular man-made Spain attractions in Valencia dubbed as the City of Arts and Sciences. However, the chance for us to pass by the area en route to another study tour destination was already a manna from heaven like me as I struggled hard to take the best shot from the chartered bus window as possible . . .

One of the magnificent buildings comprising the City of Arts and Sciences as seen from our tourist bus window.

As our bus was cruising the expressway, I really felt sorry for not setting foot and marvel at one of the most impressive examples of modern architecture I have had ever seen in my lifetime. Designed by the great Valentian architect Santiago Calatrava, it is an ensemble of five areas in the dry river bed of the now diverted River Turia made up of an Opera House and Performing Arts Centre; Imax Cinema, Planetarium and Laserium; Walkway and Garden; Science Museum and; Open-Air Oceanographic Park surrounded by attractive streams and pools thereby making it a perfect to learn and unwind by day or night.

But nothing beats my excitement as I was able to grasp myself the popular Valencia Orange which abound in the city proper of Valencia like this one being grown abundantly inside the compound of the GRUPOUTECO or Territorial Union of Cooperatives in Valencia . . .

Getting hold of the popular Valencia Orange . . .

Spain Attractions In Valencia – Final Thoughts

There is nothing more enjoyable after seeing some of Spain attractions in Valencia City. From sitting back and relaxing to the sounds of the unique Turia Fountain and the picturesque fountain with occasional bells that chime on the hour from the Town Hall to seeing impressive sculptures, neo-classical buildings and bustling modern shopping centers, those were once-in-a-lifetime experiences especially for a person of lesser wealth and stature like me. Candidly, my sightseeing experiences in the third largest city in Spain made me realize how blessed I am to be among the few Filipinos being given the chance to savor the popular Spain attractions which other persons like you are surely dreaming to see for themselves.

Agro Tourism as well as crop and livestock production are the businesses being engaged into by agricultural cooperatives in the Autonomous Community of Valencia, Spain. This was the information I got during my visit together with the other members of the 15-man Philippine Delegation to the Study Tour on the Development of Cooperative Integration In Spain at the Conselleria D’ Agricultura (Department of Agriculture Regional Office) at Peixca I, Alimentacion, Valencia City, Spain.

Candidly, my eyes twinkled in excitement when our tour guide Ms. Katia Oceransky informed us that our next visit would be at Castielfabib Explotaciones Agrarias y Ganaderas (CEAGA), a Cooperative engaged in agro tourism  in Castielfabib, one of the seven towns comprising the Comarca (union of towns similar to County in the United States) of Rincon de Ademuz, which is constituted as an exclave of both the Region of Valencia and the province of Valencia located between the provinces of Cuenca (Region of Castile-La Mancha) and Teruel (Region of Aragon).

With the prior knowledge that the provinces of Valencia, Castellon and Alicante of the Autonomous Community or Region of Valencia are all located at the coast facing the Mediterranean Sea, I was confident that on our way towards our agro tourism destination, we would be traveling along the coastline hoping that I could have a chance to see Spain attractions suited for island vacations . Nevertheless, much to my disappointment, the bus that we had chartered went inland instead.

Castielfabib-bound Filipino delegates

Valencia-Castielfabib route. Image courtesy of Google Maps.

From Valencia City, your vehicle can head west traversing through the elegantly paved roads and highways and travel longer periods at the A-3 (signs for N-III/Madrid) and N-330 leading to Teruel/Zaragoza. As you start to maneuver through winding uphill roads, your head will also commence turning from left to right as as you observe rugged and mountainous terrains very much in contrast with the rest of the regions of Valencia and Castille-La Mancha. Your curiosity would surely shoot up some more as you enter the towns belonging to the Comarca of Rincon de Ademuz as residential houses are tucked on steep mountain slopes. After 2 hours of travel, more or less, you can reach Castielfabib, a town on a hill on the right bank of the river Ebrón, and park on a hostel situated at a distance from the town proper whose name you can find out upon checking-in as . . .

Photo of Hostal-Alborgue Los Centenares way back 2011 hung prominently on the reception hall

The Hostal Centenares, a facility fully equipped for the cold season, complete with a sitting room, bar, summer terrace, swimming pool and barbecue, which is owned and operated by CEAGA Cooperative, is a country inn, a lodge and restaurant folded into one. Its eight bedrooms, 3 of which have double beds, while the rest having 2 beds each equipped with ensuite bathroom, as well as its shelters comprising of six modules having bunk beds, really fit the taste of weary guests and travelers eager to experience agro tourism like you. Its 80-seat restaurant specializes in traditional cuisine (porridge, rice empedrao pot, lamb, etc.). You would surely enjoy a lot during socials conducted at the 200-capacity restaurant annex ideal for business and professional meetings, family celebrations and others .

My friend, now Compadre, Almar Autida of Surigao del Sur with Gigi Banaria of Bicol as well as General Parato of Bicol and Bem Balibrea of DA Central office enjoying the dance to the tune of the Cha-cha.

I woke up early to have a morning stroll and take souvenir pictures   . . .

A pose for posterity in front of the Hostal Centenares

Right after breakfast, the agro tourism journey had began . . .

A trek from the hostel to the Castielfabib town proper . . .

Passing by patches of spinach and onion plots and chatting with a farmer and mingling with the vineyard, olive and almond tree plantation owners. . .

A Castielfabib lady-resident tending to her plot of spinach and onions.

A pose with the farmer-owner of an almond tree plantation in Castielfabib.

En route to the Villa Vieja (old town) of Castielfabib . . .

A jog towards Castielfabib town proper

Among the exhaustive and exciting parts of our agro tourism trip were climbing on narrow uphill walkways and passing through pinched tunnel-passageways of the Castle of Castielfabib, which is said to have been an impregnable fortress belonging to the Arabic Kings of Albarracin . . .

Slogging uphill with Manong Levi T. Santa Ana, Sr. of the Bicol Region

Portion of a number of underground passageways of the Castle of Castielfabib

Capping the agro tourism journey was the access to the medieval period Gothic temple, which was constructed with the castle as a starting point. . .

The Church of Nuestra Señora de los Angeles housing a bell tower built in 1672.

Until we reached the castle summit …

Chatting with the locals near the bell tower

And found enjoyment in gazing the vast expanse of the kingdom coming into being from the Iberian, Roman, Arabic, Christians, Muslims until finally re-conquered by the Christians.

The Castielfabib landscape . . .

Castielfabib Agro Tourism – Lessons Learned

Agro tourism, being a direct expansion of ecotourism, is an attractive form of sustainable tourism for rural areas. In Castielfabib, Valencia, Spain, they are successful at bringing in tourists to shell out 20 Euros per hour getting in touch with the natural environment, agricultural activities, local products, and the community lifestyle and culture undergoing in the process hiking, biking, canyoning, caving, rappelling, climbing, nature workshops, farming, mycology, and so on. Moreover, agro tourism had lessen the impact of urban migration that had taken its toll on the place way back from 1950-1970 leaving the area populated with only 115 to 120 during winter and 1,000, more or less, during fiesta and summer. The case of Castielfabib reaping the fruits of development despite limitations on their agricultural resources is more than enough reason for other rural areas to venture into agro tourism.

My first taste of food in Spain was at a coffee shop fronting Meson del Corregidor in the vicinity of Plaza Mayor located in the heart of the capital city of  Madrid. While savoring the strange taste of Bartilillos con Crema (small custard pie), Churros (Long fluted wads of fried dough) and a cup of thick, hot chocolate, our expert tour guide Miss Katia Oceransky, gamely lectured us members of the 15-man Philippine delegation to the Study Tour on the Development of Cooperative Integration in Spain that food in Spain is not only a form of nourishment but is literally part of Spain culture and is influenced greatly by the history of Spain.

Observations:

I was really struck with the words of our tour guide, hence, I decided to keep a tight watch on how food in Spain is related to Spain culture. And, in the course of our 8 fullfiling days in Spain, here is my stunning discovery :

1. Breakfast or Desayuno is the most insignificant of all the 3 meals in a day. As observed in Hotel Eurostars Toledo in Paseo San Eugenio S/N, Toledo City where we were billeted, breakfast is eaten between 08:00 to 10:00 in the morning. The light meal consists of a Café con Leche (half coffee and half hot milk) normally served with the popular Churros often deep-fried in front of you. You can also opt to take breakfast with the tortillas (omelette) or the Huevos a la Madrileña (Baked eggs with sliced tomatoes and sausages) and sandwiches.

2. Lunch or Almuerzo is the main and most significant meal of the day which is taken not earlier that 1:30 in the afternoon. During a luncheon hosted by no less than the members of the Committee on Agriculture and Cooperatives of the Regional Parliament of the Autonomous Community of Castella-La-Mancha at La Alacena Restaurant, Hotel Beatriz Toledo in Carretera Avila, Toledo City, we were offered with a three-course meal, the first being the popular light food in Spain composed of Sopa al Cuarto de Hora (Quick freshly-made fish soup). It was followed by the famous Toledo dish dubbed Perdiz con Chocolate (chocolate-flavored sauce) together with the Patatas y Judías Verdes a la Extremeña (Potatoes and green beans in sauce),  Cazuela de Lomo y Butifarra (Pork and sausage casserole), Pollo Assado con Salsa de Naranja (Roasted chicken with orange sauce), Gambas en Salsa Verde (Fried Shrimps served with a parsley sauce) and Merluza con Alcaparras (Fish steaks with capers) with Cuajada con Miel (Rennet pudding with honey) as desert.

I was really intrigued on the events that transpired during the luncheon meeting. The Spaniards in each of the tables were not only taking their food the ordinary way but they were savoring it enjoyably as sounds of loud conversations and boisterous laughters dominated the air. Most importantly, they were not doing it lightly but engaging in it seriously as the meal dragged on for two hours, more or less. Afterward, we took some time to take souvenir photos . . .

A pose for posterity outside the Hotel Beatriz in Toledo, Spain

Afterward, I requested two of the distinguished lady Members of Parliament for a souvenir shoot . . .

A photo op with the lady Members of Parliament of Castilla La Mancha

I thought that what I had observed during the lunch at Hotel Beatriz was just coincidental. Nevertheless, it was confirmed to be real during our lunch at a roadside restaurant that we dropped by on our way to the City of Valencia, wherein, I observed the same luncheon festive mode among the Spanish guests . . .

Taking lunch on a roadside restaurant in Spain . . .

More so when we took our lunch at Casa Angel Restaurant in El Palmar, Valencia where we savored Spain’s best-known dish, the traditional Paella a la Valenciana composed of prawn, shellfish, rabbit, onions and peppers with rice . . .

The famous Paella a la Valenciana

The luncheon was  capped with a Rigodon de Honor dance rendetion between the restaurant owner and Miss Katia and followed suit by the other guests. A photo op session outside then ensued . . .

A souvenir pose outside the Casa Angel Restaurant

3. Dinner or Cena. Food in Spain is taken very late in the evening. At Hotel Universidad in Avenida Espana, Albacete City, we took dinner at 22:00. The delicious Crema de Perdiz (Cream of partridge soup),  Tortilla de Bacalao (Cod omelet) and the Queso Manchego (Slices of goats cheese) were the best food in Spain to take before retiring to bed after a busy day. Evening dinner may consist of a full meal, or something lighter, such as the Tapa composed of a small portions of fish, meat, vegetables, served as appetizers. Wine and olive oil generally form an integral part while taking food in Spain.

Food In Spain- Final Thoughts

Friendships are formed, families unite, business deals are closed and social groups assemble for some common purpose while taking food in Spain. Being a Filipino, taking food in Spain on the same table with the Spaniards was an act of mending fences and healing old wounds between the formerly colonized and the previous colonizers. From an outsider’s point of view, dining and wining particularly during lunch time, is one of the most important socializing events of the life of each and every Spaniard. Thus, food in Spain is more than a form of sustenance, it is literally a way of life among the Spanish people.

Travel To Spain – An Introduction

My travel to Spain to see the historical places and other Spain attractions was not only a dream come true but turned out to be my most unforgettable experience while on travel abroad. It happened during my first Europe trip as a member of the 15-man Philippine Delegation to the Study Tour on the Development of Cooperative Integration in Spain.

Travel To Spain – The Hard-To-Forget Experience

I was really ecstatic upon knowing that I was given the opportunity to travel to Spain courtesy of the Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacionale para el Desarollo (AECID) or the Spanish Agency for International Development. Really, I had first and second reasons to rejoice. For one, such travel to Spain was my first Europe trip. Secondly, it was my second travel abroad with the first being in Singapore last 2007.

And the most awaited moment for my first Europe Trip came in April 18, 2009 . . .

At the Departure Lounge of the Ninoy Aguino International Airport in Manila eagerly awaiting for our flight schedule

While my body was still at the departure lounge of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila but my mind was already in Spain as I was imagining the scenes of Spain attractions being vividly described by Dr. Dose P. Rizal, the Philippine national hero, in his travel diaries. While reclining on my seat at the airport, I was telling to myself how lucky am I to have visited the place our forebears fondly called Madre España courtesy of the 333 years Spanish colonization of the Philippines.

On board the Qatar Airways bound for Doha, Qatar

We flew for 9 and a half hours, more or less, on board the Qatar Airways Flight QR 647 and landed at the Doha International Airport for a 4-hour stop over.

A pose for posterity with some members of the Philippine delegation at the Doha International Airport

While waiting for our trip to Madrid, I found pleasure in strolling around the airport terminal and doing window shopping at the duty-free shop.

A pose at the Doha International Airport Duty-Free Shops

Window shopping pose at the Duty-Free Shops of the Doha International Airport

Little did I know that I would experience a near tragic event that almost spoiled my dream travel to Spain.

As it was already past midnight, my body was already longing for a much needed rest. Hence, while waiting for boarding time, I reclined on a seat to relax. Meanwhile, I covered my face with a sweater to shield it from the chilling effect of the centralized air conditioning unit. I was really struggling to keep myself awake but in vain as I fall asleep. My ears then caught the bark of the loudspeaker which made me jump from my seat instantaneously. Thereafter, my eyes quickly rolled on a 360-degree search for my companions only to find that they were all gone. Candidly, I had that mixed peeing and excreting sensations as I was searching for my co-delegates in vain. Afterward, I hurriedly approached a male airport staff who happened to be a Filipino and I almost dropped to the floor in frustration when he told me that he saw a group of 14 of his compatriots boarding the plane bound for Madrid. Hence, I ran at full speed downstairs towards the boarding area where I caught the last trip of the bus that ferried the Madrid-bound passengers en route for the waiting Qatar Airways Flight QR 69 at the tarmac. I was still catching my breath upon reaching my seat assignment only to find that my companions were already blaming each other on my predicament as they were on the verge of informing the flight attendant about me being left behind at the airport terminal. My reaction was only a double sigh of relief, the first for catching up the flight and secondly for my name not being subjected to final call for boarding announcement. At any rate, mine was a case of all is well that ends well, hence, I reclined to my seat and relaxed for the 8-hour Doha to Madrid travel . . .

On board another Qatar Flight from Doha to Madrid

We then set foot at Barajas International Airport in Madrid, Spain.

The Philippine delegation in their happy moments at the arrival area of Barajas International Airport in Madrid

Ms. Katia Oceransky, our tour guide, met the group and toured us to the various historical spots of Madrid . . .

A souvenir pose at the Imperial Palace in Madrid, Spain

The group then travelled via chartered bus about 70 kilometers south of Madrid and reached the former Spanish capital city of Toledo. After checking-in at Hotel Eurostars Toledo at Paseo San Eugenio, we had another guided tour around the small fortified city which was founded by Jewish colonists in the year 540 BC.

The heavy fortress serving as entrance to various historical sites of Toledo City

We spent the next seven days of our travel to Spain to visit and have a study tour on the identified cooperatives in the rural region of Castilla-La Mancha composed of the 5 provinces of Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca, Guadalajara and Toledo as well as in the autonomous region of Valencia before going back to Madrid in preparation for our flight back to Manila.

Travel To Spain – Lessons Learned

My hard-to-forget experience during my travel to Spain had brought about a tremendous impact on my life. For one, I learned to make reservations in whatever agreements I entered into with other persons to provide an elbow room for precautionary measures. Such is anchored on the fact that, had I not entrusted my full confidence to my buddy who vowed to alert me but forgot to wake me up when boarding time came, I could have set my cellular phone alarm up for the purpose. Most importantly, my exposure to the Spanish culture and traditions as well as the various Spain attractions, which made me more appreciative of the country that colonized my native land for more than three centuries, were the real reasons that made my travel to Spain worthy of the undertaking.

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This Travel To Spain blog post is my 7th entry to the Blog Carnival of the Pinoy Travel Bloggers with the December theme Travel Is The Journey hosted by Kara Santos of Travel Up.

Salt Water Crocodile Wrestling – An Introduction

Salt Water Crocodile Wrestling was one of the famous  showtime shows and favorite Thailand tourist attractions that this thrill seeker and  island vacations aficionado had visited while travelling to Thailand not only to experience on what to do in Thailand, observe Thailand culture and view Thailand attractions but as  a participant of a study tour to the various successful cooperatives in the country.

Salt Water Crocodile Wrestling – My Unforgettable Experience

My eyes twinkled with excitement when,  during the morning of  the third day of our September 22-25, 2010 Study Tour on Credit Cooperatives in Thailand, our expert tour guide Mr. Prakob “Tom Cruise” Srirai announced that we would be visiting the popular salt water crocodile wrestling show by the afternoon. Hence, after the usual visit to successful cooperatives included in the itinerary and as we were through taking our sumptuous lunch, our tour bus travelled west of Bangkok and entered a secluded place bearing a gate signage: Welcome To Samphran Elephant Ground and Zoo. Our tour guide then ushered us to a crowded place resembling a cockpit arena in the Philippines. Just as I was about to climb on the bleacher, the loudspeaker had barked unfamiliar words which Mr. Prakob interpreted as an announcement for the start of the salt water crocodile wrestling show. Hurriedly, I looked for a vantage point to have a clear view of a concrete elevated platform with improvised crocodile creek enclosed with wire-mesh below. With my point and shoot camera at hand, my eyes kept watch on a spectacular show and one of Thailand tourist attractions about to unfold.

My heart started beating faster when, at the tune of a lively music with occasional announcer’s bark, the two care takers waded through the crocodile creek and wrestled with the crocodiles pulling in the process the wild animals on their tails towards the elevated platform. Afterwards, an animal keeper positioned himself at a distance and slid head on towards his  waiting partner salt water crocodile wearing a fully-opened mouth and kissed the nostrils of the beast.

Afterwards,  a caretaker  put his fully extended right arm  inside the widely-opened mouth of the salt water crocodile and, quick as flash, withdrew it in just a split second before the mouth of the wild animal  was shut down.

I almost dropped my camera to the ground in extreme fright as the salt water crocodile unleashed the power of its bite with immense force. As record holder of the strongest bite of any animal on earth with a pressure of more than 5,000 pounds per square inch, the bite of the salt water crocodile can easily cut the arm of the keeper at once.

Not contented with such frightening and crazy stunts, the animal keeper not only put his arm inside the mouth of the animal but extended it further, opening in the process the palatal valve covering the throat of the salt water crocodile, and slid his arm deeper into the throat of the beast. . .

Salt Water Crocodile Wrestling – Final Thoughts

Judging from the salt water crocodile wrestling show I had witnessed, and no offense meant for any single wildlife conservationist as I am a wildlife conservation advocate myself, it was my unequivocal opinion that the Thais are special people.  My conclusion was anchored on the fact that they are capable of transforming a ferocious salt water crocodile into its most docile state, not for animal exploitation purposes, but for the sake of meaningful thrill seeker entertainment thereby making it as one of Thailand attractions that really enticed tourists to decide on travelling to Thailand.

Language Barrier – An Introduction

Language barrier or the difficulty faced when people having no common language attempt to communicate with each other, was experienced by this island vacations enthusiast during my travel to Spain purposely not only to spend Spain vacations, roam the cities in Spain, see Spain attractions with assistance of an able tour guide, learn Spain history and witness Spain culture but as a member of the 15-man Philippine Delegation to the Study Tour on the Development of Cooperative Integration in Spain. The study trip, which was conducted on April 18-26, 2009, was funded by the Agencia  Española de Cooperacion Internacionale para el Desarollo (AECID) or the Spanish Agency for International Development.

Language Barrier – My Experience

During our pre-departure orientation held at the Department of Agriculture Central Office in Quezon City, Philippines, we were told about the various facets of travel abroad including the predicaments of language barrier. While the orientation was going on, I was feeling the comfort that the college-graduate participants at my age level or older were expected to suffer lesser language barrier phenomenon compared to the younger ones as we passed a total of four Spanish subjects in college then embedded in the curriculum.

Our study tour included visits to different types of integrated cooperatives existing in the Autonomous Community of Castilla La Mancha (CLM) as well as in Valencia and in selected institutions supporting cooperative development in Spain. We spent 2 days and 1 night  in Toledo City;  2 days and 2 nights in Albacete City and 2 days and 2 nights in Valencia City before going back to the city of Madrid where we spent the last night in Spain before flying back to Manila. At any opportune time of the study tour, I spoke in broken Spanish with our tour guide and chartered bus driver just to sharpen my rusted knowledge of the country’s language and hopefully lessen the impact of language barrier.

Little did I know that, on the 4^th day of our 9-day visit, I could experience the epitome of language barrier which turned out to be one of the most unforgettable moments of my life.

It was April 21, 2009 when we visited the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (University of Castilla-La Mancha), Albacete Campus in the City of Albacete, Albacete Province and stayed at the Hotel de Universidad. After an exhaustive day, some of us got the express permission from our tour guide Ms. Katia Oceransky to roam around the city.

Our first destination was El Corte Ingles, a chain of department stores prominently present in major cities in Spain similar to the SM Malls here in the Philippines.

Because it was only two months past winter, the chilling effect was still very much evident, thereby causing me to urinate frequently as I have a kidney stone problem. Just as we were about to enter the mall, and realizing the reality of language barrier a foreigner has to face, we first brain stormed on the exact Spanish term for toilet. Alvin Paul Dirain, our co-delegate from the Department of Agriculture Central Office, threw out the idea that it must be casillas as the word sounds to be so Spanish same as tortillas (omelette), vaso (glass), tinedor (fork), kuchara (spoon) and other terms embedded in the Filipino alphabet courtesy of the 333 years of Spanish occupation of the Philippines.

We then separated ways inside the mall as we had different items to buy. A few minutes later, I felt that extreme need to pee, hence, I hurriedly looked for a comfort room but to no avail. With the peeing sensation getting serious, I was forced to approach a salesman who was assigned in the men’s shirt section and greeted him: Hola (Hello) to which he promptly replied: Hola! (Hi!). Afterwards, I hesitantly asked: Amigo! Donde esta casillas? (Friend, where is the toilet?) Visibly puzzled, the man looked at me and said:  casillas? to which I replied, se, se amigo, casillas. (Yes, yes, friend the toilet). With his two eye brows almost meeting each other, the man pointed to his shirt and said: camiseta? (a shirt?). I said no, no amigo, casillas. But the confused salesman, a victim of language barrier himself, just kept on shaking his head.

Just as my urinary bladder was about to burst that I decided to waggle my forefinger on top of my zipper and threw out an anguished facial expression as if I had just tasted the sourest of all unripe mangoes. Finally, the language barrier was shattered as the man got the message and said: Ah! Servicio! Servicio!  He then gestured for me to follow him as he started to run. We were sprinting so fast that we created a furor inside the mall as shoppers were amazed at the two olympians beating the 100-meter dash until we reached a twin-door room with the left bearing the signage servicio por mojeres and servicio por hombres on the right. I entered the right door and poured all my urinating sensations. When I went out, I chanced upon the salesman standing just beside the door and, after exchanging thumbs-ups and a high five, our tempered smiles had bursted into laughter as we both enjoyed the language barrier episode unraveled earlier. Afterwards, he pointed his finger at me as if wanting to ask a question. I also pointed my thumb to my chest and said: Me? Filipino to which he nodded and said: Ah! Se, Se, Filipino.

Language Barrier – Lessons Learned

As my savior-salesman and language barrier co-victim was slowly walking back to his work station, I couldn’t help but picture out the face of Prof. Carmelita C. Lipio, my college-day Spanish mentor pointing her accusing finger at me. And, in a soft and motherly  voice, she was uttering these words: Now you paid the price! Had it not been for your naughtiness in taking your Spanish 1 to 4 subjects in college just for granted, you will definitely not experience a language barrier with the same magnitude as what is happening to you right now.

A pose for posterity in front of the imposing facade of the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete Campus, Albaciete City, Spain with my visible 4-layer outfit to counter the weather's chilling effect.

A picture on the street side fronting the Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha in Albacete City, Spain.

A shot taken in front of the Madrid Bullfight Ring in the capital city of Madrid City, Spain

Picture taken at the Plaza Mayor, one of the most prominent attractions in Madrid City, Spain.

The sprawling Roman Catholic Church Cathedral in Madrid City, Spain.

Portion of the Royal Palace located at the heart of Madrid, Spain.

Gearing for a boat trip at the Protected Marsh in Valencia City, Spain.

Our expert Spanish tour guide Ms. Katia Oceransky, in an effort to lessen the impact of language barrier, had interpreted for us the lectures of three robotics professors at the Universidad de Castilla-Lamancha Botanical Garden with a robot freely roaming around.