The Ancient City of Sigiriya

(First published in Small World Ezine some time in 2002)

Sigiriya was a rock-shelter mountain monastery from about the 3rd century BC, with caves prepared and donated by devotees to the sangha (Buddhist monks). This massive monolith of red stone rises 600 feet from the green scrub jungle. Stupendous even today, how overpowering Sigiriya must have been when it was crowned by a palace 15 centuries ago! 

Its garden city and the palace was built by King Kasyapa (477-495 AD). The Mahavamsa, the ancient historical record of Sri Lanka, describes King Kasyapa as a parricide, who murdered his father King Dhatusena by walling him up alive and then usurping the throne which rightfully belonged to his brother Mogallana. To escape from the armies of Mogallana, Kasyapa is said to have built his palace on the summit of Sigiriya, but Mogallana finally managed to get to Kasyapa and he committed suicide. 

However, another version (said to be recorded by an Indian Maharaja) was also proposed... here...  http://www.lankalibrary.com/heritage/sigiriya.html

Sigiriya is said to be the best preserved city centre in Asia from the first millennium, with its combination of buildings and gardens with their trees, pathways, water gardens, the fusion of symmetrical and asymmetrical elements, use of varying levels and of axial and radial planning. 

And Top view of the site at http://whc.unesco.org/sites/202.htm

The Lion staircase leading to the palace garden on the summit was one of the path the King and his people used to come up to the palace. Based on the ideas described in some of the graffiti, this Lion staircase could be visualised as a gigantic figure towering majestically against the granite cliff. All that remains now are the two colossal paws and a mass of brick masonry that surround the ancient limestone steps and the cuts and groves on the rock face give an idea of the size and shape of the lion figure. 

However, the ancient people who were there before the King, and the King's servants, and devoutees who came after the King had left used the other way to come up. They are like man-made hand-and-toe-hold holes in the cliff. So many had fallen to their deaths that the British government constructed a series of stairways to more safely accommodate the numerous worshippers afterwards. 

The ancient irrigation system, garden, fountains, and the terraces are amazing enough, but these are not what Sigiriya is being best-known of. They are not why thousands of visitors are visiting the place everyday either. We visit the Sigiriya for its most attractive "Apsara"s (angels) -- the paintings on the wall with most beautiful half-naked ladies in ancient fresco paintings. (They said there were Kamasutra paintings too, but I could not find them).

 

Aside from the paintings, people who visited (after the king's gone, and the place was abandoned), inspired by the beauty of the angels, had written thousands of graffitis on the wall. They are mostly poetry addressed to the ladies in the paintings, telling them how beautiful they are.

 

More:

          

You might have heard about the political problem in Sri Lanka. Sigiriya and most other touristic attractions are not in the conflict area. If you want to go, consult a local tourist information for a better plan. Sri Lankans are nice and friendly. Not too many beggars (who target their begging to tourists) like other countries in the region.

It is an island, so the best way to go there is by plane to Colombo International Airport. It takes 3.5 hours by car to Sigiriya from Colombo. We recommend you to come back and stay the night in the capital city because the hotels and food are better than in the countryside.

And if you go to Sri Lanka, don't forget to stop by and spend a few days at Maldives. You don't want to miss a trip to one of the cleanest and most beautiful island, do you? Prepare your best swimming/diving suits. (Warning... Plastic and styro-foam containers are not allowed on the island).

Tagaytay

(First published in Small World Ezine on 20 January 2004)
 
Whenever there is a visitor from Thailand, I will take the visitor to Tagaytay because it is not far from where I live, it has a remarkable landscape, it's got good food, and it is something new to us Thais... We do not have volcanoes in Thailand...

If you are visiting Manila for business, Tagaytay is a nice one-day trip destination to visit. The climate is almost all-year cool. The land is higher. And the city is located on the curved ridge overlooking Taal lake with the volcano in it.

Only one and a half hour ride from the busy Manila, Tagaytay manages to keep its peace and nature the same way. Of course, there are hotels, resorts and vacation homes to replace the pineapple fields. But you can still see the sceneries, the fruits and the flowers everywhere... The view of the Taal lake and volcano is misty almost all the time. I will try to publish our pictures in our blog as soon as I can find the way to protect it from being re-used.
 

          

 

There is this place called the "Palace in the Sky", which is the unfinished vacation house of the late (exiled) President Marcos (read the story -- our EDSA Day Article ). There is a small zoo and a pony riding ranch for kids, a picnic grove you could go picnic and play kites. I suggest you do not bring kids to the picnic grove because I always see couples cuddling and kissing (and more) everywhere. You also have to pay to enter the place. If you would like to sit on the ridge to enjoy the scenery, you could just rent a picnic table from one of the houses or restaurants on the same ridge. There are hotels, inns and resorts too. Tagaytay boasts about the variety of the food and restaurants they have... Whether you want native cuisine, seafood, Chinese food, Japanese food, Korean food, steak, Italian, etc., they have it all. Oh well... they don't have Thai food. I guess we are not that popular.

Aside from this, you could visit Tagaytay's historical places such as the Lourdes Church (the city's oldest public building), the Franciscan Sisters' gray chapel, and the St. Anne Shrine with a life-size statue of St. Anne and the child Mary. Another interesting spot is the 11th Airborne Monument on the Silang rotonda-site of the first parachute landing in the Philippines, where the 8th Army, USA arrived before the liberation of Manila. 

At night (or day... if you want to), you can visit the casino and have some fun. Do not expect much. The place is not very big and it's always packed on the weekends.

If you want to be closer to the lake, you could also go down to the lake side and enjoy the water sports. You could even take a guided trip to the volcano's rumbling crater... where you will also see the mysterious Crater Lake with its famous "island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island." 

The Mysteries of Taal a Phillipine Volcano and Lake Her Sea Life and Lost Towns

On the southeast side of Taal Lake is the historic Taal town, founded by the Augustinians in 1572. This place, once to be the center of the coffee and sugar industries, has several Spanish colonial houses to see. One of them belongs to Gliceria Villavicencio, where members of the Katipunan met and mapped out their plans for the uprising against the authorities. You will also see here the house of Marcela Agoncillo, the woman responsible for the sewing of the first Philippine flag. 
 

 

 

More: 
 
How to get there... Several world's large airlines including Lufthansa, Thai Airways and Singapore Airlines fly to Manila International airport on a daily basis. From Manila, you could rent a car (drive south to South Express Way and take Santa Rosa or Greenfield exit and follow the signs) or take an air-conditioned bus (catch the one marked Nasugbu or Balayan at the BLTB station on EDSA in Pasay, Manila). 

3br - TAGAYTAY HOUSE FOR RENT

St. Patrick's Day

(First published in Small World Ezine on 11 March 2002)

I used to read a book called "Are You Irish, or Normal?" written by an Irish Australian. I do not have the book with me now, also forgot the author's name. It's a funny point of view on Irish and the history of Ireland. I do not understand much of the witty jokes in there, but still think it's an interesting book to read. I found some Irish in me too (because I am not normal?).

St Patrick is not Irish (by birth, I mean). He has become an integral part of the Irish heritage, mostly through his service across Ireland of the 5th century.

Growing up in Britain, Patrick was born in the later half of the 4th century AD in either Scotland or Roman England. One day a band of pirates landed in south Wales and kidnapped this boy along with many others. Then they sold him into slavery in Ireland. When he was imprisoned as a slave was the time changes came to him. He dreamed of having seen God. Legend says, he was then dictated by God to escape with a getaway ship.

Finally, he did escape and then joined a monastery and studied under St. Germain, the bishop of Auxerre in France. He spent around 12 years in training. And when he became a bishop he dreamed that the Irish were calling him back to Ireland to tell them about God.

So he set out for Ireland with the Pope's blessings. For 20 years he had traveled throughout Ireland. Through active preaching, he made important converts even among the royal families. And this fact upset the Celtic Druids. Patrick was arrested several times, but escaped each time. He stablished monasteries across the country and set up schools and churches which would aid him in his conversion.

By the end of the 7th century Patrick had become a legendary figure, and the legends have continued to grow since then.

St. Partick died on March 17, AD 461. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since.



The day's spirit is to celebrate the universal baptismal of Ireland. Though originally a Catholic holy day, St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday. Or, rather, 'be an Irish Day '. And the Irish has borne it as part of
their national tradition in everywhere they populated and prospered.

The St. Patrick's Day custom came to America in 1737. That was the first year St. Patrick's Day was publicly celebrated in U.S.A. (Boston). The first St. Patrick's Day parade took place in New York City on March 17, 1762 when Irish soldiers serving in the British colonial army staged a parade celebrating their heritage.



St. Patrick's day has became bigger events in America, Canada, and Australia than in Ireland itself. Therefore, from 1995, the Irish government began a national campaign to transform St. Patrick's Day into an authentic Irish celebration. What no doubt also struck the government was something else enticingly green besides shamrocks and beer. Wonder if this is merely for tourism.

However, they've been catching up to the rest of the world. St. Patrick's Day parades in the U.S. number about 100; in the Republic of Ireland, there are now about 30. Even Belfast, which had never before held a parade, began having its own in 1998. And once Ireland claimed the holiday as its own, the name has been changed to "St. Patrick's Festival," expanding the holiday first to three days, and in the year 2000, to five.


More:


How about the Shamrock?

Three (the Trinity?) is Ireland's magic number. There comes Shamrock. Shamrock was referred to in the history the first time around 1681 as a badge to be worn on the lapel on the Saint's feast day. As a symbol of Ireland it has long been integrated into the symbol of the United Kingdom, along with the Rose, the Thistle and the Leek of England, Scotland and Wales.


Leprechaun?

The Leprechaun is an Irish fairy. He looks like a small, old man (about 2 feet tall), often dressed like a shoemaker, with a cocked hat and a leather apron (mann... I always thought those were dwarves). According to legend, leprechauns are aloof and unfriendly, live alone, and pass the time making shoes. They also possess a hidden pot of gold. Treasure hunters can often track down a leprechaun by the sound of his shoemaker's hammer and threat him to give the gold pots. Only those who really believe have seen these little elves.



Don't have St. Patrick's parades in Asia. St. Patrick is not very popular in the Philippines (the only Christian country) either. I wish I could join one of the parades once in my life. I love the theme... Shamrock... Leprechaun... Green...
Harrison Ford (in The Fugitive)...

Hanami -- The Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival

(First published in Small World Ezine on 25 March 2003)

 

I love spring in Europe because of its beautiful flowers.
But if you haven't been to Japan during its Sakura 
(Cherry Blossoms) Viewing festival (Hanami), you should 
try it once. It brings us a completely new definition of 
how to enjoy the flowers.

Sakura (Cherry tree) is the national flower of Japan. There 
are over four hundred varieties of cherry trees in Japan
alone. Cherry blossom viewing has been a Japanese custom 
since the 7th century when the aristocrats enjoyed looking 
at the cherry blossoms and wrote poems. 

Sakura blooms first in the southern island of Okinawa. And 
it continues to bloom up north. Japanese enjoy the Sakura-
viewing parties very much. Some even travel from south to
north with the flowers all spring!

There is even a blossom schedule...


According to this year's schedule, it's already started. 
This will continue until early May up in Japan's most 
northern district.

To the major cities (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka), the best timing 
is around the first 2 weeks of April. You still have time.

             

I said this is the new definition to the flower-viewing 
activity because the way Japanese enjoy their national 
flowers is different. They don't just look at it from the 
distance. 

On a holiday, families will prepare food and drinks for the
"hanami" picnic. They will arrive at a park very early to 
secure the best place under the most beautiful cherry tree. 
(There are Sakura everywhere, but you are supposed to go to 
this year's most beautiful park. They will spend the whole 
day (and night) under the tree, partying, singing, dancing, 
and playing games. 

In Japan, it is a manner to appreciate what you get loudly
to show gratitude to the person who has taken the time to
prepare it for you (in this case, gardener?). So, you will 
be hearing, "This is so beautiful," "What a wonderful 
garden," etc. all day and night.


There are many best places to go Sakura-viewing. There are
even books for it. In Tokyo, the capital city, Ueno park and 
Yoyoki park are to most visited. In Kyoto (the ancient
capital), you can visit any temple. They all arrange the
gardens for this purpose. But if you do not like the crowd,
you can just go anywhere by a river or in a mountain. The
sceneries are going to be nicer, calmer and more peaceful. 

Isn't this what we need during this world's turmoil? To get 
closer to the Mother Earth and enjoy what she's given to us.
We can follow the Japanese tradition and appreciate it
loudly,... "Oh Mother Nature... Thank you. This is SO
Beautiful. It's a Wonderful World!" 

Shy? I bet you can do it after exchanging some "Sake" 
(Japanese rice wine) with the party under another tree ;-)

    

More:


I know many of you are afraid to go to Japan because you 
have heard Japanese don't speak English. Well... so do 
Thais, Chinese, and others. If you prepare carefully, you 
are going to be fine. 

It is also one of the safest countries in the World. And
unlike other touristic environment, nobody is living their 
lives taking advantage on tourists.

Narita airport is 40 miles (64 km.) away from the centre of 
Tokyo. You can take a train from its underground station.

If you arrive at Osaka Kansai airport. You will also need to 
take a train to the city.

To get around in Japan is easy once you know where to go
(and where you are). Major railway stations have instruction
and name of places in both Japanese and English. Tickets can 
be bought from machines (and they have changes!)

Try not to use taxi. The fare is very expensive (starting
at $6). Taxi drivers do not speak English. And you need to
give extras if you are picked up from a hotel or restaurant.

If you are really lost, and need a taxi. Have the 
destination ready in written Japanese. Do not take taxi if 
you are late. Traffic in Tokyo and other major cities are 
horrible. Trains, bicycle or even walking on foot will be 
faster.

Oh Americans, Canadians, E.U. citizens and Australians do 
not need a visa to enter Japan for a short visit (re-check
with your travel agent). Others, esp. Asians need a valid
visa. Application is not easy and may need 3-7 days. Prepare
ahead.


Next time we'll visit some hot spring (Onzen) and Japanese
style inns (Ryokan).

Wedding Around the World

(First published in Small World Ezine on 15 July 2002)



In Thailand, marriage is a family issue. You cannot marry a girl, or your girlfriend cannot marry you without the consent of parents from both sides. (I mean you can do it legally but socially, because your parents don't show up, people will know and rumours spread, etc). 

Thais have another ceremony for engagement, which could be held at any time before the wedding -- even as soon as the bride and groom are born. Nowadays, for more convenience, people in the city will celebrate the engagement in the morning of the wedding day. So they could have just one reception for both occasions.

In the morning, bride and groom will give food to the monks. They could do this to the passing-by monks in front of the house, or they could invite monks from a temple to have breakfast or brunch (monks do not eat after 11am).

After that the engagement ceremony will take place (if they haven't had it earlier). Parents will gather and the groom will give rings, necklaces, and the whole set of jewelry to his bride. Parents of the girl will then accept some gifts and giveaway their daughter to the man's care (ask him to take good care of her and stuff like that). Then They'll have lunch together, and retreat to rest. This morning ceremony is normally for closest family and friends only.

In the afternoon all family members, the couple's bosses, close friends, and respectable friends of the families are invited. The ones who are younger than the couple will be helping around when the older, one at a time, pour holy water 
on the hands of the bride and groom as the symbol of blessing and giving. People bring gifts at this afternoon ceremony. The gifts can be anything, however cash is preferred. Snacks and sweets are served for sweetness. Some will invite a local 
registrar to come to the house to register the marriage and provide certificate on the day. But normally the couple will go to the registrar's office to do it some other day. Our traditional and civil marriages are done separately. 

The parents and bride/groom will then go to the bedroom the couple are going to spend their married lives together. They'll ask a well-known happily-married couple to lie on the bed so the bed's blessed. Then the parents of the married couple will give some more blessings and remind them how to take care of each other, love, forgiveness, and the likes. Then they'll leave them alone in the room for some times, which they'll be mostly spending on changing to the evening gowns for the reception.

On the day ceremony people wear Thai traditional clothes, but during the evening reception, which will be held in a hotel, people wear Western evening gowns and suits. This time every-body the couple know will have to receive the invitation (or it's embarrassing). Unlike Western wedding, they won't reply to the invitation, And they will come alone, bring a friend, bring friends, or even not show up at all. It's an art to determine the number of guest in such situation. Everyone who show up will surrender a gift before entering. Normally when you count the gift money received in such a party, it'll just cover the cost (about $3,000 up). Nobody wear black or partly black in a wedding. It's the mourning colour.

Honeymoon will be on the next day. However, honeymooning or not is up to the newly-wed. 

 
More:


In China, the bride wears red. And almost everything is red. The ceremony have to be loud and fun. The bride's face is covered by a veil and it is considered bad luck if anybody, esp. the groom sees her face in the ceremony.

In the ceremony bride and groom will pay respect to heaven and earth, to the parents, and to themselves. Then the bride will be sent to the bedroom while the groom stay a while in the party, to thank the guests. Finally, when the couple gets together, they will drink the wedding wine. And that's the last of the ceremony. (I gathered this from Hong Kong movies). Once a girl is married to a man, she'll not be considered a
member of her own family anymore. Now she belongs to the new family and the parents of her husbands are now her parents.



The Hindu wedding ceremony includes customary rituals to ward off evil spirits. After the wedding vows have been exchanged the groom's father or brother showers flower petals on the newly-weds. Then he holds a coconut over the bride and groom's heads and circles it around them three times. Brides wear pink and red saris and groom a turban with a veil of flowers streaming down in front of his face to protect him 
from evil spirits.


In Egypt and the Middle-East, it's the dances which get most attention. Remember the belly dancing? Romantically, Egyptians believed that the ring finger has the vein of love, which runs straight to the heart. It's probably true, or why are we wearing the ring on this finger?


In The West, it's the cakes and sweet stuff. The Danish marzipan ring cake is the customary wedding cake in Denmark. Also called the cornucopia cake, it is made with almonds, pastilage and marzipan. On the outside, the cake is beautifully decorated with sugar work. On the inside it is filled with fresh fruit, candy and almond cakes. And to avoid bad luck, the newlyweds cut the cake together as a married couple and all of the reception guests must eat a piece.


When Laura Ingulls married Almanzo Wilders 100 years ago in South Dakota (or was it North?), they were in a hurry and the best dress she had was black. Her mother was worried because it was not a lucky sign. Laura then put on "Something old, Something new, Something blue, and Something borrowed" on her black wedding dress for better luck.



How about after the ceremony? 

In most culture, the newly-weds will be just disappeared from the reception. And most of the time, the reception are just eating and dancing...

In Croatia, after the wedding ceremony and marriage vows have taken place, female relatives remove the bride's wedding veil and replace it with a scarf and apron while singing to her. This symbolizes the new bride's status as a wife. Then all of the guests walk three times around a well which represents the holy trinity, and throw apples into it, to ensure the newlywed's fertility.

In Estonia, there is a wedding custom to predict the next groom, as well. After the newlywed bride tosses her wedding bouquet to the single women, the groom is surrounded and blindfolded by the single men. They spin him around and then the groom puts his top hat on the bachelor next to marry.


And long.... before the wedding ceremony...

When a baby girl is born in Germany, several trees are planted in honor of her birth. When her wedding date is set, the trees are sold, and the money is used for her dowry. This custom is similar to Chinese. In the old time in China, when a girl was born, the father will bury some wine in clay jars, and they will dig the jars up to celebrate the wedding. 






However I have found this information about the Philippines,

"... At one time, as a way of proposing matrimony, a man would throw a spear at the front of the house of the girl he wished to marry. This act would symbolize her unavailability, and begin the Filipino engagement process. The groom and his family would then go together to the bride's family to ask for her hand in marriage..."

I just wonder what if the girl did not agree. Were they going to remove the spear? Gosh... they are hard to girls. Do you know that divorce is still illegal here?

Songkran Festival

(First published in Small World Ezine on 24 March 2003)

 

Thai people celebrate at least three "New Year". We 
celebrate the first of January, the Chinese New Year and 
Thai New Year.

Thai New Year festival is also called "Songkran". Keep 
reading for the legend and tradition.

 

Although "Songkran" is a Sanskrit term, and Thais go to 
temples during the festival, but Buddhism has nothing to do 
with this ancient Thai New Year. It is believed that the 
"Tai" ethnic group -- as well as most other ancient 
civilisation -- have been celebrating their new year on the 
first lunar day of Aries. It is spring in the northern 
atmosphere and the end of drought season in the south.
Farmers can start preparing their fields after the festival.

In modern Thailand, the New Year takes place from 13 to 15 
April of every year. But the celebration could last from 
the 11th until the 20th. People return home, visit the 
temples to give away items to the monks and to the poor. 
Then there will be family gathering. No matter how old we
are, if there is somebody in the family who is older than 
us, we'll have to visit them to show gratitude to ancestors
and ask for blessing. Then, after travelling to the house of
grandparents, grand aunts and uncles, uncles, older cousins,
older sisters and in-laws, etc., we are free to have fun. 
(Oh, it sounds like you have too many people to visit in a
day, but in reality everyone will meet at the family's 
oldest relative, without appointment. At the same time the
oldest relative knows she is the target. She will prepare 
lunch or snacks so that we stay longer until everyone 
meets. Visitors normally bring food too.)

At this time of the year, Bangkok is one of the best place 
to visit. There are celebrations and there is no traffic!

Why is there no traffic? Well, one of the reason is because
2-3 millions workers have already left for their homes in 
the provinces. The other reason is because those who stay 
won't leave their house unnecessarily if they don't want to 
get wet.

The other name of "Songkran" is "Water Festival". After all 
the visits to temples and relatives' houses, kids and adults 
will bring their water weapons (water guns, water hoses, 
water buckets, etc.) outside and start the war!

Water War on the Street of Thailand (Genesis Stock Photo)

Moreover, there are "temple fairs" everywhere. They normally 
have Miss Songkran Beauty Contest, Sand Castle contest, 
shooting games, Thai opera or dances, and plays like Ferris 
wheels, roller coasters, and bumping cars.


Police officers will be all around to catch pocket-pickers 
and perverts who try to take advantages on wet girls. They 
have their guns wrapped in plastic sheets. Last year, the 
Police Chief ordered all police officers not to join the 
water war because he was afraid somebody might mistakenly shoot people with the real gun instead of water gun! 

We (my husband, I and our daughter) were in Thailand last
Songkran. It was my husband's first water war, and he 
enjoyed it so much that we are going there again this year.

That's why we will not publish in April. Also, those who 
take Easter holiday vacation will not have their mailbox
filled with our ezines.


We will publish again in the first week of May. Don't miss 
us too much ;-)

More:

If you'd like to visit Thailand to join the festival, 
Bangkok and Chiang Mai are two best places. U.S., U.K., and ASEAN citizens can stay 30 days without visa. For others, you can apply at Bangkok airport upon arrival. However, check with your airline or travel agent when booking your ticket. Visitors from some countries are not allowed to 
apply "visa on arrival".

Thailand is on of the most peaceful countries in the world.
There is no religious conflicts. People have freedom to 
practice anything as long as it does not hurt others.

Songkran legend's here...
http://www.thailandmaps.net/festivals/songkran.html

Thailand's sceneries