Qantas B747 Business Class

It's More Fun in the Philippines!

Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love where I live. But when thinking of a tropical holiday there’s no other choice for me but the Philippines.

The Philippines has suffered from bad press for the longest time. I don’t care to detail them here. You can read about them everywhere else. As a consequence, the country did not appeal as a holiday destination. The number of tourist arrivals lagged behind that of other countries.

The Department of Tourism (@DOTPhilippines) of the Philippines launched a new campaign to entice tourists to travel to that part of the world. It’s about time! I think it’s imperative! It’s high time to tell the world, “It’s More Fun in the Philippines.”

According to the DOT’s Secretary Ramon Jimenez, Jr:

“Our strategy is simple: while other countries invite you to observe, Filipinos can promise a more heartfelt and interesting experience. Wherever you go, whatever you do in the country, it’s the Filipinos that will complete your vacation and will make your holiday unforgettable.”

I absolutely agree! There are good food and nice beaches all around the world but “It is More Fun in the Philippines” because of the people.

I like it.

I believe in it.

I am getting involved.

This new campaign is not without its detractors. ‘Copycat’ accusations are rife. The Swiss apparently used the same slogan back in 1951. Yup, 61 years ago!

And what’s with this misplaced nostalgia for the ‘WOW Philippines’ campaign? Did it actually succeed?

In support of this new initiative I’ve edited some of my travel photos to the Philippines. Here’s the first set of them.

Yum Cha at Landmark, Sunnybank

Judging by the number of people waiting outside the restaurant it probably safe to say that Landmark is one of the most popular Chinese restaurants in Brisbane. I've heard lots of good things about its regular menu but we go there specifically for yum cha.

It's guaranteed you'll be waiting at least half an hour (if you're lucky). The wait can extend to over an hour during holiday periods.

Anyway, here's how it works at this restaurant:

1) You rock up to the guy (or girl) at the door.

2) You tell him (or her) how many there are in your party.

3) You get given a number.

4) And then you wait...and wait...

You might be horrified to be given number 347 when what's being called out is only 52. But take heart, it doesn't work sequentially, I think. I don't quite understand the system but it seems to be fairly efficient for the purpose.

There is nothing extraordinary about Landmark's yum cha selections. We tend to order pretty much the same things anyway so it is not really that big of a deal. The reason we keep coming back is because of the innovative way they serve these tasty oriental delights.

At Landmark you have a choice to either wait for the cart or pick up your favourite yum cha yourself from a very busy counter. Doesn't seem much but it makes a huge difference to very hungry diners. It's bad enough that you have to wait for a table. Having to wait some more for the carts to come by your table can turn the experience into something less than enjoyable.

And lest I forget, their yum cha taste very good too!

Saturday Pancakes ala Beancounter

I call them Saturday pancakes for the simple reason that I only get to make them on Saturdays. It is the only day of the week when I get to sit down and have breakfast with the whole family. So for me it is a special time that calls for a special meal.




My kids are still in bed when I leave for work in the morning. I appreciate it very much when they purposely get up to kiss me goodbye. But having breakfast together is a bit of a luxury...for all of us. Three of them are now in school. They also have their own "morning" things to sort out.



If I'm up early enough I'll bake pan de sal. But most Saturdays I sleep in so we go for the next best thing. Pancakes! Who doesn't like pancakes?




We like them hot and fluffy served with real butter and maple syrup. I also cook sausages and cheesy scrambled eggs to complete the weekend's first meal!





Saturday Fluffy Pancakes ala Beancounter

4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

2-3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Separate the eggs. Beat the egg yolks.

2. Add the milk and the melted butter to the egg yolks.

3. Combine all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

4. Pour the egg mixture into the bowl and mix well. It's fine even if it may be a bit lumpy.

5. Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.

6. Mix the egg whites gently with the batter a ladle at a time to prevent the tiny bubbles from bursting.

7. Heat up a lightly greased pan.

8. Pour a ladle spoon of batter into the pan. Once bubbles start forming you can flip it to cook the other side.

9. Serve with butter and maple syrup.