Manila: Binondo food trip on Chinese New Year! Kiong Hee Huat Tsai!

Chinese New Year is just around the corner. Happy Lunar New Year! 新年快樂! And as our Tsinoy friends would greet people, Kiong Hee Huat Tsai! 恭喜發財! Of course, the best way to celebrate is to visit Binondo and go on a wild food trip! Too bad I'll miss the festivities this year since I'll be on the road. But I definitely had fun last year, especially after nibbling our way through Chinatown.

We visited Dong Bei Dumplings, President Tea House, New Po-Heng Lumpia House, several hole-in-the-wall establishments, and a new restaurant. We also took home some hopia and other delicacies from Ho-Land. Anyway, I'll let the photos do all the talking. Yummy!












If you want a guided food tour of Chinatown this weekend, book a slot (if there are still slots available) on the Big Binondo Food Wok (Chinese New Year Edition) of Old Manila Walks on January 21 (Saturday) 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; January 22 (Sunday) 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 to 6 p.m.; and January 23 (Monday) 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. E-mail fun@oldmanilawalks.com for reservations.

Start 2012 with Tropicana Twister's new flavors! Drink to the New Year with a perfect twist!

Tropicana Twister has two new blends to start the year. Let’s welcome 2012 with Trop’s new flavors! Apple-Lemon is a blend of apple, white grape, pear, peach, kumquat and lemon. Red Fusion is a mix of apple, pomegranate, red grape, purple sweet potato and peach.

Both drinks are unique, with real juice from real fruits! You can get them in 355ml and 1L bottles at your local supermarkets and grocery stores. Note that the mixed juice drinks are offered at a limited time only, just for the first few months of the year. So get them while supplies last and drink to the New Year with a perfect twist.

South Korea: Daejeon, Seoul & Muju

I was in South Korea just last week, together with students of the UP Asian Institute of Tourism, to attend the Woosong Winter Culture Camp 2012 in Daejon. While there is not much to see in Daejeon, it was a culturally-enriching seven days thanks to the program designed by Woosong University, sessions which included Korean language, hanbok, food and even K-pop.



Part of the trip included visits to Seoul and the Deogyusan Ski Resort in Muju. In Seoul, we visited the Changdeokgung Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Insadong, the N Seoul Tower and Myeongdong. Here are photos from the Woosong Winter Culture Camp 2012:

January 2-7 - Daejeon, South Korea
January 3 - Seoul, South Korea
January 5 - Muju, South Korea