If you’ve been thinking about hiking but keep telling yourself, “Baka hindi ko kaya,” this is your sign to start. Your first mountain doesn’t need to be extreme. It doesn’t have to be a multi-day expedition with tents, heavy packs, and survival-mode energy either. In fact, the best way to fall in love with hiking in the Philippines is to begin with a minor climb—the kind of trail that challenges you just enough, gives you a beautiful summit reward, and gets you home with tired legs and a big smile. […]

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In the Philippine mountaineering community, there is a notorious concept known as the budol climb. It usually starts with a friend messaging you: “Let’s hike this weekend! It’s just a minor climb, rated 4/9. We’ll be down by lunch.” For thousands of unsuspecting beginners, that budol happens at Mt. Daraitan. Sitting on the windward edge of the Sierra Madre range in Tanay, Rizal, Mt. Daraitan has built a reputation that heavily contradicts its paper specifications. While its elevation peaks at a modest 739 Meters Above Sea Level (MASL), the reality […]

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Aaron Linsdau is an American polar explorer. He is best known for completing a solo expedition from Hercules Inlet to the South Pole – the second American to complete the journey. His other expeditions include a winter trek across the Greenland Tundra and three ski expeditions across Yellowstone National Park.  He also crossed the Greenland Ice Cap in 2023, leading an unsupported and unsupplied team expedition. In addition, he has climbed Denali solo five times.  He wrote Antarctic Tears, a book about the physical and mental challenges of his solo […]

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There is a specific sound that haunts every hiker who has set foot in Palauig, Zambales. It isn’t the howling wind of the Cordilleras or the rushing water of a river trek. It is the rhythmic, hollow crunch-clack-crunch of hiking boots striking loose stones. For 18 kilometers going up and 18 kilometers coming down, this sound is your soundtrack. Welcome to Mt. Tapulao, the “High Peak” of the Zambales Mountain Range. Standing at 2,037 meters above sea level (MASL), it is a geological paradox: a mountain that begins in the […]

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Lisa Steinmann is a textile artist, educator, writer, and student of fiber arts. She authors Bad Sauna/Good Stories, a blog exploring sauna as sanctuary and daily practice. She is developing a book examining how textiles have been integral to sauna throughout history — as functional, sensual and creatively considered materials. Sauna bathing and textile-making are intertwined practices rooted in the natural environment and ancestral ways of life. Lisa’s work explores and promotes the potential of textiles to be part of an environmentally sustainable future. Bad Sauna, her family’s backyard sauna in St. Paul, Minnesota, is where she can often be found wrapped snugly […]

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There are few places on earth where the past feels so alive that you can almost touch it. Greece is one of them. From the sun-bleached marble columns of the Parthenon to the laughter echoing through seaside tavernas, every corner of this country carries a heartbeat that blends ancient myth with modern vitality. My journey through Greece was not just a trip—it was a cultural odyssey where history, art, and human connection came together in ways that left a permanent mark on my soul. Athens: Walking Through Time Athens, the […]

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The morning fog held on to the mountainsides like a silk veil as our vehicle navigated the winding roads of the Cordillera Central range. I had arrived in Mountain Province, Philippines, just as the first light of dawn broke over the eastern peaks. This remote highland region, nestled in the northern part of Luzon Island, had long been on my list of destinations. As we ascended higher into the mountains, the promise of ancient traditions and breathtaking landscapes drew me forward with anticipation. My journey began in Bontoc, the provincial […]

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Vilnius, Lithuania – January 2026 – The Vilnius Light Festival returns January 23-25, 2026, transforming Lithuania’s capital into an open-air gallery of contemporary light installations across the UNESCO-listed Old Town. Now in its eighth year, the three-day event marks Vilnius’ 703rd birthday and features an evening route with 24 illuminated artworks from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. The festival, which happens during the darkest time of the year, has a mission – to turn winter darkness into a city-wide spectacle of lights that spotlights Vilnius’ architecture, from historical façades to […]

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Wine has a way of turning geography into memory. Not just places on a map, but moments burned into your senses—the smell of hot stone, the scrape of gravel underfoot, the way a long lunch quietly becomes dinner. Over the past 25 years, including the formative years spent training to pass the Master Sommelier exam, these experiences have shaped how I understand wine and the world around it. These are the places I return to in my memory—and the ones I will always love. Every reader should put them on […]

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The first thing that strikes you about Olongapo City isn’t the visual – it’s the energy. As our jeepney rumbles down Magsaysay Drive, the main artery of this bustling port city about 80 kilometers northwest of Manila, the vibrant pulse of street life emerges against a backdrop of mountains and sea. Once home to the largest U.S. naval base outside American soil, Olongapo has transformed itself from a military outpost into a dynamic Filipino city that honors its past while forging its own identity. The story of Olongapo is inextricably […]

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Lake Rio Cuarto is the deepest lake in Costa Rica and truly a hidden gem. I haven’t seen pictures or heard of this place prior to me visiting. Most tourists never end up here, unless they stay at the exact same eco lodge I stayed at, Hotel Del Bosque. They arrange all the tours on this lake and carry people to and from the hotel and the lake. We already rented a car for the duration of our trip and we just drove there ourselves. If you’d like to plan […]

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The morning mist clung to the steep rice terraces as our jeepney wound its way through the mountain roads of Kalinga province. We had departed Tabuk City, the provincial capital, before dawn, aiming to reach the remote village of Buscalan by midday. The journey was as much a destination as the village itself—every hairpin turn revealed breathtaking vistas of emerald terraces carved into mountainsides, a testament to the agricultural ingenuity that has sustained life here for centuries. Kalinga, one of the six provinces that make up the Cordillera Administrative Region […]

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Nestled in the Bicol Region of the Philippines, Albay Province stands as a testament to nature’s raw beauty and human resilience. This remarkable destination, approximately 450 kilometers southeast of Manila, offers visitors an extraordinary blend of natural wonders, cultural heritage, and culinary delights, all under the watchful gaze of the perfectly cone-shaped Mayon Volcano. The province’s crown jewel, Mount Mayon, locally known as “Daragang Magayon” (Beautiful Lady), commands attention with its symmetrical cone shape rising 2,462 meters above sea level. This active stratovolcano, recognized as one of the world’s most […]

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For travelers seeking a unique and exhilarating getaway, Armenia is emerging as a must-visit destination. From breathtaking panoramas atop rugged mountains and scenic hiking trails to exhilarating, adrenaline-rushing activities like off-road excursions, paragliding, rock climbing, skiing, rafting, jeep tours and more, Armenia offers an unparalleled range of experiences for those seeking an adventure holiday amid beautiful natural surroundings. Located along the ancient Silk Road, Armenia is a land of rich cultural heritage, seamlessly blending immersive adventure experiences with historical wonders that date back thousands of years. Visitors looking to explore […]

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You don’t have to be a sommelier to know that wines from Burgundy have a certain prestige in the wine world.  Peruse a restaurant wine list, and you’ll notice that some of the featured wines or top shelf offerings are Pinot Noir or Chardonnay from Bourgogne, or Burgundy. Wine is grown worldwide, so what is it that makes Burgundy so revered amongst the well studied and introductory wine drinkers? Origins Winemaking in Burgundy can be attributed to the Romans! They brought the vines to Gaul, present day France, and taught […]

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