A Video of the Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort

It is less than a month when festivities of The Holy Week and Moriones Festival 2014 Celebration will showcase the province of Marinduque as the Lenten Capital of the Philippines. The following video was taken three years ago, but it is timeless and still applicable today. Here's the video in case you have not seen it. Enjoy!

Today is My 79th Birthday!

Me and Wife Macrine Celebrating My 74th Birthday in the Philippines

Today I turn 79 years old. After completing my Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, then worked for the Federal government(FDA) for 12 years as well as 22 years in the private industry here in the US, I considered myself successful in my chosen career. On a personal level, I have been married for over 56 years to the same woman, have four successful children and six grandchildren. Today also reminds me of the 101 things in my bucket list that I have previous;y posted in my blogs. It is not really a wish list since I have already done most of the things in the list (except numbers 7 and 43). Does this mean, I am ready to die? Not Yet I hope, I have still a lot of blogging to do. I hope you keep on sending your comments. Your comments energizes me, whether it is positive or negative.

I hope the following list will inspire you to write your own list. There is no order of priority in the list, but my twelve favorites are numbers 1, 3, 13, 24, 26, 32, 42, 47, 65, 79, 86 and 101

1\. Write your autobiography and memoirs or write for a Writing site such as Squidoo, or Skrive.it.
2\. Join a medical mission to a third world country (Philippines recommended)
3\. Create a web site or start a blog
4\. Create a YouTube or Vimeo video
5\. Try eating three exotic fruits (durian, tamarind, passion fruit and others)
6\. Go wine tasting and visit at least 10 wineries in the Napa Valley, California
7\. Join a tour to one of America's top ten Breweries
8\. Eat raw oysters, escargot, seafood paella or any dish that you have not eaten before (maybe a balut or dinugu-an)
9\. Take up Yoga or Tai Chi
10\. Watch a Foreign Film, an Opera or a Play
11\. Have a really Expensive Meal with your Loved One (Chez Panis in Berkeley, CA)
12\. Go to the Casino without Gambling. Just eat a buffet lunch or dinner
13\. Visit Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks
14\. Learn how to play a musical instrument
15\. Join a church or community choir
16\. Join a Walking tour of China Town in San Francisco or Visit the de Young Museum
17\. Play duplicate bridge on line just for fun and not for gambling
18\. Attend a Broadway Show in New York City or in San Francisco
19\. Go to a jazz club at the French Quarter, New Orleans, LA
20\. Visit the Rock of Gibraltar and Tangier, Morocco
21\. Join a Cruise to the Bahamas, Alaska or at Baja California
22\. Visit at least one Mayan Ruins in Mexico(Chichen Itza and/or Tulum Ruins)
23\. Attend a Tennis Academy for one week at Rancho Bernardo, California
24\. Visit at least five National Parks/Monuments in US
25\. Try something you have not done before, perhaps sky diving, deep sea fishing or a helicopter ride
26\. Visit St Peter's Square, the Vatican and have an audience with the Pope
27\. Visit the White House and the National Monuments, Washington, D.C.
28\. Visit Gettysburgh, Pennsylvania, Civil War National Cemetery
29\. Visit Dutch and Amish Country in Southern Pennsylvania
30\. Learn how to snorkel or Scuba Dive
31\. Learn a new dance, perhaps a Cha Cha, a Tango, a Rumba or a Quick Step
32\. Attend a professional ice hockey game
33\. Write a music parody
34\. Write an acrostic poem
35\. Ride a mechanical bull in (Sugar Land, Texas)
36\. Go Fire Walking in Hawaii
37\. Attend a Professional Football Game
38\. Visit Disneyland and Ride a Roller Coaster
39\. Swim with the Dolphins or with the Manatees or walk in a semi-dormant volcano
40\. Go whale watching in Hawaii
41\. Visit a Zoo (San Diego Zoo highly recommended)
42\. Visit a Botanical Garden (Longwood Gardens in PA or Buchart Gardens in Victoria Island recommended)
43\. Taste Ludong-the most expensive fish in the Philippines
44\. Milk a cow or a goat
45\. Go Butterfly and Bird Watching
46\. Watch sea turtle eggs hatching and running toward the sea
47\. Visit Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
48\. Visit Death Valley National Park, California
49\. Visit The Everglades National Park, Florida
50\. Visit Yosemite National Park, California
51\. Visit at least one out of the "Seven Wonders of the World"
52\. Witness a meteor shower, a comet or a lunar eclipse
53\. Visit Niagara Falls and Take a Picture of the Falls at Night
54\. Visit the Alhambra and its Gardens in Granada, Spain
55\. Visit Big Ben and the House of Parliament, London
56\. Visit the Coliseum in Rome and/or Saint Francis de Assisi Church, Italy
57\. Visit Corregidor Island, Philippines
58\. Visit at least one out of the "Seven New Wonders of the World"
59\. Visit a Museum in US (J Paul Getty Center in LA, Art Institute in Chicago or the Museum of Modern Art in New York City)
60\. Visit all of the Smithsonian Museums in Washington, D.C.
61\. Live in a Foreign Country for at least 4 months (Philippines recommended from November to February)
62\. Visit Historic Williamsburg, Virginia and Virginia Beach
63\. Climb up to the Statue of Liberty or the Lincoln Memorial
64\. See the Empire State Building and take a bus tour of New York City
65\. Visit the Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California
66\. Attend the National Cherry Blossoms Festival in Washington, D.C.
67\. Attend a Mardi Gras in New Orleans, LA
68\. Attend the Moriones Festival in Marinduque, Philippines
69\. Learn How to Play Bridge or Hongkong Mahjong
70\. Learn how to Grow Orchids and other tropical plants
71\. Have a "High Tea" at the Empress Hotel, Victoria Island, BC, Canada
72\. Own your own Beach House or a small Island
73\. Kick negative habits and Mild Addiction (smoking, alcohol, computer or Facebook)
74\. Learn how to be a Good Listener
75\. Learn how to accept criticism
76\. Discover your family tree and traced your ancestry and genealogy
77\. Go to mass and communion every day for at least one year
78\. Meditate for at least 20 minutes every day for at least one year
79\. Get a whole body reflexology massage
80\. Visit a planetarium (Chicago Planetarium recommended)
81\. Sit in A Jury
82\. Have your portrait painted
83\. Get your Palms read
84\. Eat a pistachio ice cream and leche flan
85\. Eat gateau le sans rival and mercedes de brazos cake without being guilty
86\. Watch a salmon spawning run
87\. See a Cirque de Soleil Show in Las Vegas, Nevada
88\. Have a timeshare vacation exchange in Puerto Rico and Cancun, Mexico
89\. Visit Aruba and surrounding areas
90\. Visit Malaga, Marbella and Costa del Sol, Spain
91\. Take a long train ride (may be the Orient Express or the Skunk Train)
92\. Write your own 101 things to do before you die (at least 25 items)
93\. Sing Karaoke in front of people without blushing
94\. Write a song or a poem on a subject close to your heart
95\. Visit Ground Zero Monument, New York City
96\. Visit a volcano (Hawaii Volcano National Park recommended)
97\. Learn a new language, take music lessons or a music appreciation class
98\. Bathe in a hot spring or sulfur spring in Marinduque or some other place in the world(Bath,UK)
99\. Treat yourself and your love one to an expensive vacation (maybe at Bellarocca)
100\. Learn How to say "NO" without feeling guilty.
*last but not least*
101\. Make a difference in at least one person's life

As my favorite quote says: "The time that you have touched the life of others is the time that you have really lived".

I am sure most of you reading this list have already done number 10 and 101. How many in the above list have you done? I hope the above list will inspire you to write your own bucket list.

I am thanking God for all his blessings today and for the future years ahead . To those friends and relatives who sent me their Birthday Greetings, My million thanks. Yesterday ( 12-20-13 in the Philippines, I received more than 50 birthday greetings in my FB timeline. Again, Thank You All!

Tripe Dish-Caribbean versus Pinoy Italian Recipe

Cow Tripe Soup-Italian-Pinoy Style
Yesterday, my next door neighbor who was originally from Italy surprise my wife and I with cow tripe soup that she cooked. She said she just makes this soup once and a while, but she was very grateful with us taking her out to the Casino every other week so she makes the soup as a special treat. I once mentioned to her that in the Philippines, one of my favorite dish is cow tripe cooked in tomato sauce with garbanzo beans and plantains.

I also know that the best tripe soup is the Caribbean version that a former college mate once prepared during one of our pot luck parties while I was still in graduate school. I also am aware that tripe has to be pressured cook so it will be tender or boil for at least two hours. During the boiling process, the fat that floats at the top of the pot is removed so that it still be a healthy meal for people who are overweight, diabetics or have high blood pressure like myself and my wife. Here's the recipe that my Caribbean friend gave me. He said this recipe was from his mother a native of Jamaica. The following recipe will served 6 and takes about 3 to 4 hours to prepare.

Ingredients:

2 Tsp oil
1 cup diced onions( preferably sweet onions)
4 sprigs fresh thyme, divided
2 lbs cow tripe, cut up and thoroughly washed
Salt and pepper to taste
Water
1 lb pumpkin (calabaza squash), cut into small sized chunks
2 lbs half-ripe plantains, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch
8 -10 okra
Dumplings (optional)

Preparation:

Heat oil in pressure cooker. Add onions and saute until translucent, 3-4 minutes

Add 2 sprigs of thyme and saute for 1 minute. Add tripe along with salt and pepper to taste and saute for 4 minutes. Add 6 cups water, stir and cover pressure cook and let cook for 50-55 minutes. Time begins from the first whistle.

Add enough water to make soup, cover pot and pressure cook for 6 minutes. Time begins from the first whistle. Release pressure cooker valve to let out steam and open pressure cooker. Add pumpkin, plantains and remaining thyme. Cook until plantains are almost melting. (Do not close pressure cooker at this stage, just rest the cover on top of the pot).

Add okra and dumplings to pot, cover and let cook for 7-9 minutes or until dumplings are cooked thoroughly. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Stir and serve.

The Philippines-Italian version is much simpler. Instead of plantain, my neighbor used potato cubes and no squash and okra are in the recipe. The pure Filipino version is very similar to the Caribbean recipe, but instead of okra, garbanzo beans are used. This soup is one of my favorite dishes. It is considered a main dish in the Philippines, not just a soup. There is a restaurant in Marinduque that prepares a delicious version of this tripe dish. Have You tasted a tripe dish?