Top Five Spring Destinations In the World
Spring is a time for beauty and regeneration of the earth. When we travel during the spring, whether it’s for Spring Break revelry, a honeymoon, a family trip, or simply cabin fever, we want to get some of that regenerative beauty into our own lives. Waking up after a long winter toil without enough warmth or light, we want the most pleasant places the world has to offer. These five spring destinations are guaranteed to be both off the beaten path and beautiful enough to renew your spirit.
1) Amsterdam, Holland
Old-world European architecture, soothing canals, and fresh blooms of tulips along every path make Amsterdam a natural choice for your Spring 2010 holiday. If you’re looking to get away from the bustle of cars and modern stress, but don’t want to leave the company of people or the liveliness of a major metropolitan nexus, Amsterdam is the perfect choice. Check out the magnificent botanical gardens, castles, and hundreds of galleries scattered throughout, or visit the friendly rural townships all around the city.
2) Kyoto, Japan
Any place in Japan is nice, really, but the purpose of this trip is to watch the cherry blossoms bloom. It may sound silly, but seeing flowers open before your eyes, as if they were the mouths of creatures, is something magical to behold. The Japanese have made a festival of it, and everyone goes out to watch. Spring in Japan is full of other festivals and good cheer, and the weather is mild to warm – perfect for visiting temples, sitting out on the beach in the south, or touring ancient Japanese castles.
3) Athens, Greece
Ah, Greece. Mediterranean beaches, rolling green hills, excellent cuisine, relaxed people. Could there be a better holiday spot, especially in the spring, before the sweltering heat of summer sets in? Easter in Greece is a colorful, riotous affair, and the May Day festival sends crowds dancing into the street. Be sure to visit the islands and look at ancient ruins, surrounded by wildflowers and warm sea breeze, and keep your radar on for folk singing, dancing, and musical performances.
4) Bath, England
Perhaps the most oddball choice here, Bath is probably the most beautiful, least rainy spot in Springtime England. Everybody’s pocket is reined in, and airlines and British tourism agencies have lowered travel rates tremendously to lure people to England. Filled with ancient Roman ruins, Gothic and Georgian architecture, and close to some stunning hot springs, Bath is the place people stop at, just as a whim, and say, “huh! I wasn’t expecting it, but that was the favorite part of the trip!” Save big, and plan your trip here.
5) Queensland, Australia
For those of you absolutely set on the standard summer yearnings met in springtime travel (Spring Break college beach partygoers, adults with that college spirit, looking at you), Queensland is an excellent off-the-beaten-path choice. If you go in early spring around Easter, college students will be out on break, and the beaches will be filled with people enjoying the last gasps of 70-80 degree F weather before winter sets in. Be sure to check out Surfer’s Paradise, the Great Barrier Reef, or the quiet, tropical Daintree Park. Feel free to take part in the revelry or simply enjoy it from a distance.
PINOY DISHES
Adobo. Typically pork or chicken, or a combination of both, is slowly cooked in vinegar, cooking oil, crushed garlic, bay leaf, black peppercorns, and soy sauce, and often browned in the oven or pan-fried afterward to get the desirable crisped edges.
Crispy Pata. Deep fried portions of pork legs including knuckles often served with a chili and calamansi flavored dipping soy sauce or chili flavored vinegar for dipping.
Kare Kare. A meat, tripe, and oxtail stew with vegetables in peanut sauce customarily served with bagoong alamang (shrimp paste).
Lechon. A dish made by roasting a whole pig over charcoal. It is often cooked during special occasions. A simpler version has chopped pieces of pork fried in a pan or wok (lechon kawali). Also refers to a spitted and charcoal roasted marinated chicken (lechon manok).
Sinigang. A sour soup/stew made with meat or seafood and vegetables. Its soup is usually tamarind based.
Chinatowns in Japan
Japan has three chinatowns in Yokohama, Nagasaki and Kobe. All of them originated as residential areas of Chinese merchants, who settled in Japan during the early 20th century, the second half of the 19th century and earlier.
Today, Japan's chinatowns are tourist spots, popular for their restaurants and "exotic" atmosphere, rather than residential areas of Chinese immigrants.
Nagasaki Chinatown, also known as Shinchi Chinatown, is Japan's oldest chinatown. It was established as early as the 17th century, due to the fact that Nagasaki's port remained the country's only major port opened to Chinese trade during the era of isolation.
Over the centuries, the residents of Shinchi Chinatown have bestowed the city of Nagasaki which a Chinese flair not felt in any other of Japan's major cities.
Today, Nagasaki's chinatown is best known for its restaurants and their two most famous local noodle dishes, champon and sara udon. Restaurants typically open between 11:00 and 15:00 for lunch and from 17:00 to 21:00 for dinner.
Yokohama Chinatown (Yokohama Chukagai) is Japan's largest chinatown, located in central Yokohama.
The main attraction of the Yokohama Chinatown is the cuisine offered at its many restaurants and food stands. Popular favorites include steamed buns (manju), ramen noodles and a wide array of other Chinese dishes, many of which have been Japanized to a certain degree.
Various events and festivals are held in Yokohama Chinatown, such as Chinese New Year around the beginning of February.
Kobe's chinatown, also known as Nankinmachi, is a rather small chinatown, but offers a nice atmosphere and some good food.
Nankinmachi developed as the residential area of Chinese merchants, who settled in Kobe after the city's port had been opened to foreign trade in 1868.
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Teacher Albert