Birthday Trip in Sevilla

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So, I went back to Andalucía end of last month to see the city of Sevilla. Last time I was in that region, I stayed only in the mountains in Alajar for my Botanical Skincare and Art Retreat. Well, this time, I went to see the famous city for some sight-seeing and some artistic workshops – Mosaic Tile Making and the Flamenco Dance tutorial in the video below. 😀

This was the first time I went on a birthday trip without really much planning. I just wanted to take it easy this time. And also, no going to too many fancy restaurants that explain too much about the food and all that. Just simple, fresh and good quality food with some nice ambience. 🙂

We stayed at an AirBNB in a quiet location right next to the Market along Calle Feria. We had a lovely two-storey apartment at the top floor, with a big terasse overlooking the neighborhood and the gorgeous bell tower of the Parroquia Omnium Sanctorum, a nice small church right next to our place. Having a good view, is always a requirement for me when picking a place to stay. This is probably one of the nicest views I have ever had in an AirBNB (except for those overlooking the sea). I enjoyed taking my breakfast, snacks and apéro in this private terasse, just outside our bedroom. It was the first thing I see upon waking in the morning. And so, it was almost impossible for me to not paint this view. And I had to use my new Fabriano watercolor pencils, I chanced upon at the Fabriano shop at the airport in Munich from our last summer trip. These pencils are fantastic! I love them!

We wanted to go to Real Alcazar on our first day but the tickets were already sold out when we got there. We tried again the next day, earlier this time, but still sold out! We decided to just go to Plaza de España instead. I am not about to start queuing at 6AM and wait for three hours to enter! I was not really sure if Real Alcazar was worth it anyway since the garden was closed due to the flooding the day before we arrived. Also, it must be very crowded inside. And I don’t do well with overcrowded places. Meanwhile, Plaza de España did not disappoint. I also later found out that this was used as a filming location in “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.” It was so grand and so gorgeous in every corner! I was surprised to find out it was only built in the previous century!

The next day, my daughter and I tried our hand at Mosaic tile making at Triana Market. It was a bit tedious but quite a nice bonding experience. I found out that this market used to be a prison, and it was also right next to the dreaded Spanish Inquisition. I remember that from history classes. Not a very good core memory. We also checked out the tile shops right next to the market, where they sell just too many tiles. I got myself a nice small and cute souvenir in the form of hand-painted ceramic earrings.

We did a lot strolling around the area of our AirBNB, the market there was very nice, along with the shops and the restaurants. Also, the crowds were more local. The food, more authentic and cheaper. But still so very near to a lot of places of interest. One of the more quiet places that I liked so much was Palacio de las Dueñas, just a 10-minute walk from where we were staying. Lovely architecture, lovely garden, and lots of quiet corners.

I had the loveliest time in Seville, I highly recommend passing by it if you get a chance to visit Spain. Oh, and those orange trees everywhere !!! I just love them!

The Sound of Music Tour

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As a child, I was a big fan of the movie, The Sound of Music. I have fond memories of watching it on TV every year around Christmas time. There was even one time when it was shown so late in the night and it finished right around midnight, just in time for the last Misa de Gallo on the eve of Christmas. So, you can imagine how delightful it was for me to plan this trip for me and my family’s summer holiday.

We actually started off with a direct flight to Munich. From there, we drove to Salzburg, where we stayed for four days doing my personalized The Sound of Music Tour. I did not join the bus tour because I found it a bit too much, and did not like the idea of being squeezed into a bus with a big group of strangers. So, we just drove around with our own car and planned my own itinerary.

It was rainy on our first day in Salzburg. But from the second day on, we had lots of sunshine during the day and just a slight drizzle towards the evening. It was refreshing to be in the Alps, with the cool mountain air and lovely smell of the pine trees.

Our first stop was Nonnberg Abbey. I went inside and lit a candle. It was all quiet, and I appreciated the fact that we were the only ones there. It was a steep climb to the abbey, but the view of the city rooftops was magnificent. We also went farther up to climb to the palace that overlooks the whole city. It was also so much fun to ride the telepherique on the way down. Especially if you sit right on the very front. It felt like riding on a roller coaster. 😀

Next stop was the Gazebo at Schloss Hellbrunn, where Rolf and Liesl sang and danced to that sexist and condescending but cute, nonetheless, song. 😀 Well, it was a different time. It was considered cute back then. It was a little bit underwhelming when I saw the gazebo. But it was situated in a nice garden and a museum with a Roman water garden, they fondly call, Trick Fountains. Don’t go there, if you do not like being surprised and getting all wet for no good reason!

Last stop was the Mirabell Gardens. By this time, it was drizzling and there were so many people, I had to use AI to crop them out. You can see that my picture (feature image and instagram video) looked a bit weird because of this. 😀 Still worth it, though! These steps in the garden was part of the scene where they were singing, Do-re-mi.

By the way, Salzburg is not only famous for The Sound of Music (in fact, the locals did not even like that movie for quite some time, see YT rabbit hole for deets), it is also famous for being the birth place of Mozart. 😉 I did not go to any of the museums, btw. They were all too crowded and cramped. Also, a bit outside Salzburg is Hallstatt, a UNESCO-inscribed World Heritage tourist trap for instagram-crazy people. I’m not instagram-crazy enough to really appreciate all that crowd. We immediately exited and went to a more quiet lake-side restaurant for lunch.

From Salzburg, we drove to the Dolomites in Brunico, Italy passing through the Austrian-Italian border in the Alps. There was a 25-minute wait at the exit because vehicles can only go one way, so I had some time to do some photo-ops and have some coffee. Made me want to sing Climb Every Mountain while doing some photo-ops. 😀

In Brunico, we stayed in a charming Chalet/hotel (Hofergut) right beside a river. It was so peaceful and quiet in the area, with lots of greeneries, mountains and lovely sceneries. We had a lovely balcony with a view of the mountains. I even had the opportunity to see a meteor one night because it was the Perseids meteor shower season during this time. It was magical!

My quick doodle of the view from the restaurant at Rifugio Nuvolau in Brunico
Basking in the sunlit warmth at the peak after a long and tiring climb
Stunning lakeside promenade at Lago di Braies

We went hiking to see beautiful lakes (Lago di Braies) and spectacular rocky mountains with a tiny restaurants at the Peak (Rifugio Nuvolau). I did not expect the food to be delicious, but it was! Of course, we were in Italy! Speaking of which, we took the opportunity to dine in a Three–Michelin restaurant built in an old and historic wool factory called, Moessmer. This factory supplies fabric to luxury brands like Chanel and Prada. We did not only try the two restaurants of the chef, both located in Brunico. We also bought a few items at the factory outlet. 🙂 The other restaurant, which is in fact a brasserie, is called, Alpinn. I enjoyed this restaurant less. Not just because of the weird snow (in the middle of summer) at the peak, but also, the food was so-so for me.

Moessmer Restaurant Building
Three Michelin Stars for our wedding anniversary celeb!!!
Having apéro in the garden
Some Amuse-Bouches
Yummy salade and non-alcoholic sparkling drink
Dessert
Alpinn Restaurant on top of the mountain by the same Moessmer chef
Foggy climb to the resto
It was a lovely view when the clouds finally broke

From Brunico, we drove all the way back to Germany, passing by Schloss Neuchwanstein, on the way. This is the castle that inspired Walt Disney for their logo, and was also the inspiration for Cinderella’s castle. It was a bit meh (compared to the ancient castles in France), and very touristy. But quite a nice stop over, anyway.

Schloss Neuschwanstein view from the carpark
Inside Schloss Neuschwanstein, this is the only part inside where they still allow pictures

I had the most wonderful time during this summer holiday doing paintings, hiking, shopping, experiencing great food, and taking in some wonderful mountain sites. 🙂

And that concludes this summer holiday’s fabulous trip! Till next time. Thanks for dropping by! 😀

Making My Own Organic Herbal Soap

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Bursting with so much inspiration from my Botanical Skin Care and Art Retreat early this year, combined with the motivation to extend the use of the beautiful flowers and plants in my lovely garden, I’ve decided to try my hand at making Cold Processed Soap, making use of plants and flowers that are in bloom in my small garden.

First, I dried out the flowers and plants that I harvested (Bougainvillea flowers, Laurel leaves, Calendula, Plantain, Lemon Balm), and infuse some cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil with these dried plants. For my Hydrosol, I used freshly harvested Peonies and Jasmine flowers. These plants are known to have very healthy effects on the skin. Hydrosol is just distilled water mixed with essential oil from boiled plants, for those who are not familiar with it.

I got my oils — Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, and the rest of my ingredients from reputable suppliers in Spain, making organic and vegan cosmetics and skin care supplies. I did not use any synthetic perfumes. I only used Essential oils and aromas from organic sources, very sparingly because they are not very gentle on sensitive skin. The pigments that I used are also from vegan sources.

I managed to make three batches of soap. The first one was Olive oil infused with Bougainvillea and Laurel leaves. It also had coconut oil and Hydrosol from my peony flowers. I did not put any essential oil or aroma in it. It had its natural scent, which was still lovely. I used pink clay, which made it turn brown because of the olive’s green color. Pink + Green = Brown, of course. But it was a beautiful brown. I thought the pink clay would be enough to make the soap pink. But I thought wrong. But it was still a lovely soap, despite being brown.

My second batch also had Bougainvillea and Laurel leaves infused in Olive oil. It also had coconut oil. But I had lots of Jasmine flowers this time, so I used it for the Hydrosol to mix with the Lye, instead of plain distilled water. I also used real coloring powder for this one. I experimented with a combination of Pink and Green pigments. I was successful with the colors this time. I also added some Laurel essential oil, but just a hint of it.

The last batch of soap I made was with Calendula, Melisse (lemon balm) and Plantain. These are wonderful plants that have a lot of healing properties for the skin. I infused them in the olive oil as well. I also added some coconut oil and Jasmine Hydrosol. I used a beautiful yellow pigment this time and made it two-toned. I also added a Dulce de leche aroma, which smelled delicious!

The process of making my own soap was very calming and extremely satisfying. Especially when the finished product comes out of the mould, you try it for the first time, and it feels so natural and so much better than all the other soaps I have ever tried, not just because it had all the expectations — hardness, lather, and so gentle on the skin, but also because it reminds me so much of the time I spent taking care of my plants and appreciating the fact that they not only served to beautify my garden, but also served an extended purpose long after their beauty has faded. And I most especially find comfort and happiness in the fact that the flowers in my garden did not fade away for nothing. 💖

Botanical Skincare and Art Retreat

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I was recently at a Botanical Skincare and Art Retreat in Andalucia, Spain. I spent a full week with wonderful individuals. We were all together in a house on a hill at a place called, La Encina in El Collado, a village close to Alajar, a few hours from Sevilla.

We made organic and botanical skincare products from plants that we harvested ourselves. We also painted and printed plants on cloth and paper. We enjoyed a private Flamenco concert in a cozy pizza place. We visited a farm with sustainable, ecological products to make soap. We enjoyed good food every lunchtime and dinner time cooked by a private chef, who is always laughing, singing and dancing all the time.

It was one of the loveliest memories I will always cherish. It was so much fun, and such a beautiful experience in such a wonderful place. 🙂

Thanks for watching my video. Love and light – Rio

Back in Bicolandia Two Decades Later

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Spent the new year traveling from Manila to Legazpi City to Donsol, Sorsogon to see the famous whale sharks. Unfortunately, it had been raining quite a lot the weeks before we got there, we didn’t see any whale sharks, or butandings, as the locals call them. Although, twenty years ago, I was there with a group of eco-tourists to see them. And there were so many! You wouldn’t even need to get off the boat to see them. They actually surface and swim alongside the boat. Such playful and gentle creatures. So adorable. I so wanted to show them to my family, but it was not meant to be. It only means, we’ll have to go back! 😀

By the way, please DO NOT, by any means go to Oslob in Cebu to see the whale sharks. You will see them there all year round, for sure, because they are kept in captivity! Please do not contribute to this act of disrespect. In Donsol, they even respect the mating season. During these times, they do not conduct boat trips. Please do your share and contribute to the humane treatments of these magical creatures. 🙂

By the way, the butandings are not the only magical creatures that you can find in Donsol. You can also see the fireflies. I remember the very first time I saw them. It was on this very small paddle boat, without a motor. Everything was so quiet and dark. There was only the light of the moon and the fireflies. And they were everywhere. I even managed to touch them. One of the most memorable trips of my entire single life, when I was still living in the Philippines.

Back in Legazpi City, we rode an ATV to go to the Lava Wall, where you can do a zip line. This lava wall was formed during the last major eruption in 2016, according to the tour guide. We totally enjoyed this day of adventure, especially since the beauteous volcano was in clear visibility all morning. Mt Mayon is usually always hiding behind the clouds. But according to the locals, it only shows its magnificent self in full cloudless glory to people with good intentions. LOL. Although, the first time I saw it, was on a very clear, cloudless day. And the people in the trip told me, if it’s the first time you’re seeing it and it’s completely cloudless, it means you’re still a virgin. Haha!

You must also try the local dishes, if you are in Bicol. Especially if you love spicy food.

Bamboo and Textile Up-cycling Workshops in Le Triadou, Montpellier

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The Philippine Association in Montpellier, Tanglaw Afsf, together with La Clastre, the cultural association of Le Triadou are organising a series of workshops on textile art and model making of bamboo land art installations. These workshops are free of charge. The participants will only need to bring textiles and bamboo sticks that can be up-cycled for the artworks.


The dates of the workshops are as follow:
Jan 16 – 19
Feb 07 – 09
Feb 20 – 23
Mar 06 – 09
Apr 10 -13
May 09 – 11
May 23 -25.
9h30 – 17h30


The workshops and exhibit will take place in LA CLASTRE, a 15th (?) century prieurie of the village. The bamboo land art installations will be shown outside the prieurie. The exhibition will be on May 23 to 25 or further. The workshops aim to create community-based activities, up-cycling used clothing into fashion accessories and mural textile art, and getting acquainted with bamboo, a sustainable building material.

Model-making is essential for creating beautiful yet sturdy bamboo structures. These scaled-down versions of buildings help refine both the aesthetic and structural aspects of the
project.

Every bamboo structure starts with a model. In later phases of the process, the model is supplemented with architectural drawings, like floor plans, cross-sections, and renderings.


Because of their accuracy, physical models play a crucial role in the design process that IBUKU, Bamboo Pure, and Bamboo U all use when it comes to building with bamboo – regardless of the
size or typology of the structure being built.


For more info, please contact Tanglaw Association.

Watercolor Art Retreat, Lanzarote, Canary Islands

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As a loving treat to my wonderful self this year, I booked this relaxing Yoga and Watercolor Art Retreat in Lanzarote, Canary Islands in Spain. It was organized by Lucia of The Sun Collective. We had four days of very informative art classes by watercolor artist and Sennelier Ambassador, Catalina Rodriguez Villazon. I did not care so much about the yoga, though. It was too early for me to join, and I was always sleeping so late, or in the wee hours of the morning, for some reason. Probably because I was not used to the complete quiet, except for the howl of sea breeze at night.

The place was gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! And I had the most beautiful room of all, with the beautiful view of the sea, and the surrounding volcanoes. It was a few steps to the dining / recreation area, with the huge orchard down below.

The food was wonderful, the service was exceptional, the place was magical! I had the most wonderful time with wonderful people, and it was one of the best experiences I will cherish most. 💖✨

Art Travel Diary – New York

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Last summer, my family and I headed to NYC, third time for me, first time for my daughter. We had so much fun showing her the Statue of Liberty, walking on the High Line, watching a basketball game at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn between The NY Liberties and Connecticut Wise (NY lost but Susan Sarandon was there!), watching Wicked on Broadway, and enjoyed a full day at Coney Island.

As for me, I totally enjoyed the food, the shopping, and the artistic and painting opportunities. Speaking of which, I signed up for a sketching session with a small group at the Grand Central Terminal. It was quite fun, but also tiring having to stand up for hours.

On the way there, we flew Air France, as usual and had a blast on the Business Class cabin watching Dune and enjoying the meal, the wine, the champagne, the reclining seat and the huge leg room. The service was always very good.

We stayed at SIXTY LES, our favorite hotel in NYC and we got the nicest view of the Manhattan Skyline on the corner suite of the 17th floor. It was so nice to see this view first thing in the morning and last thing at night, especially when the Empire State Building twinkles every hour after dusk, like the Eiffel Tower. I don’t remember seeing this before in my previous visits.

Anyway, I had some nice painting opportunities from the view in our bedroom, and also did some shopping at Blick Art Materials in Soho. I was so happy to find a big discount on Daniel Smith and Holbein watercolor pigments, and that the watercolor paper I bought in SFO and very much liked was available there! Oh, and we also went to the MET. 🙂

More of the fun on my Youtube video:

Next time, I’ll be writing about my Yoga and Watercolor Art Retreat in Lanzarote, Canary Islands!

Thanks for dropping by! Keep shining! 🙂

Short Weekend in Gdansk and Sopot Poland

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I very rarely take trips in the Northern part of Europe, and so I thought I would visit this up and coming Silicon Valley of the North right in time with my husband’s business trip. We stayed at a lovely hotel right in front of the canal. We had a gorgeous view from our suite, which I really loved. I was so inspired with the view, I just had to paint it.

We were lucky to have gorgeous weather all throughout our stay. And so we took the opportunity to see the Baltic Sea as well for a day trip to Sopot Beach. I was not a fan of it. The shores were a bit polluted with black alga, which did not smell very nice. But I totally loved the relaxed vibe, and so we just chilled under the big white umbrellas in one of the bars lining the beach. I totally appreciated it. It seems like the people there are concerned about having too much sunburn, unlike what I am used to here in France. They don’t care much for shade around here.

Anyway, back in Gdansk, we had awesome food, lots of strolling around the city center. I loved the charming architecture. And I find it awesome how they managed to rebuild the city after taking the worst of WW2.

Here’s a short travel video from our trip. Hope you enjoy it.

Eat Paint Travel – Lago di Como and Piemonte, Italia

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I can’t believe I have totally forgotten to post about my Italian road trip with the family in the summer of 2023.

We started off in the French Riviera — Nice and stayed overnight in Menton. The next day, we headed off to Genova, and stayed at a tiny fishing village called Boccadasse, because we were avoiding the crowds in Cinque Terre. After a couple of days there, we headed towards Lake Como (Lago di Como) and visiting the famous villages around it — Bellano, Bellagio, etc. And finally we ended up in the beauteous and picturesque wine region of Piemonte (Piedmont), famous for its Nebbiolo vineyards for making Barolo wine.

It was a lot of driving, eating good Mediterranean food, vineyard visits, wine tasting, and my very first time to swim in a lake, coz I usually find them creepy. I still do, but Lake Como was gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous in every corner. We also visited Villa del Balbianelo, the famous site of Star Wars Episode 2 wedding scene of Padme and Anakin Skywalker. Oh, and did I mention, I did a lot of watercolor painting too?! 🙂

So here is a quick youtube video to show you how gloriously beautiful Italy is, which is why we keep coming back there with my family.

Thanks for dropping by, and have a good weekend!