Good reads for summer

Summer’s upon us; the islands call. "Viaje na!" urges our national poster girl. Go on, follow her lead, of a sort, anyway. Venture out, not to mount a stage and declare bits and pieces of a platform of governance, but to beach or mountain, lakeshore or river. And take along some good reads for the summer.

Here are two travel books to carry with you, or enjoy at home if you’re beholden to armchair tourism.

100 Resorts in the Philippines by Dominique Grele and Lily Yousry-Jouve, published by Encyclea, serves as a handy guide for an itinerant lifestyle. You can try to follow the footsteps of the authors and indulge in each of the resorts listed in this book. Or you can just lick your chops while sunning on your backyard, and savor the photographs and well-written vignettes of appreciation for the sundry destinations that truly make this country special.

The softbound, glossy-paged, full-color book of 348 pages comes with another title: Places with a Heart: Philippines. It’s designed to be part of a series involving other Asian countries, but this we only found out after we received another review copy, this time of 100 Resorts Thailand: Places with a Heart. The double titles can be confusing, at least for librarians, so that some level of consistency ought to be established for future editions.

In any case, we are grateful for these books, and must thank the indefatigable Ralf Bresler, who has produced a number of titles from his home base in Angeles City. Encyclea is an imprint of Asiatype, Inc., which has an office in Greenhills, San Juan. For inquiries, here are its coordinates: Tel: 725-6262; Fax: 727-6053; and E-mail: info@encyclea.com.

100 Resorts in the Philippines is billed as a "travellers’ selection of 100 hotels, resorts and destinations that will also charm you." Indeed the selection should, as it goes around the usual slew of familiar destinations, and includes many that are off the beaten track. Some of the citations come with a special plug, that of a heart icon. The authors explain: "Some of them stood out for us because of a particular charm: these are our ‘coups de coeur’ and we have identified them with a curiously heart-shaped seashell of the cadmium family. You may be surprised to observe that some small resorts with simple amenities yet brimming with allure were awarded a heart."

These heart-y resorts are Le Petit Baguio in Orani, Bataan; Hidden Valley Springs in Laguna; Eagle Point Resort in Batangas; Villa Angela Heritage House in Vigan; Kosta Alcantara Beach Resort in Virac, Catanduanes; Tanawin Bay Lodge, Kalaw Place, and Coco Beach Island Resort in Puerto Galera; Sangat Island Reserve and La Esperanza in Coron; Club Noah Isabelle, Flower Island, El Nido Resorts Lagen Island and Miniloc Island, Dolarog Beach Resort, Amanpulo, and Dos Palmas Arreceffi Island Resort in Palawan; Alegre Beach Resort, Ravenala Beach Bungalows (a double heart!), and Badian Island Resort and Spa in Cebu; Isla Naburot (another double-heart) in Guimaras; Friday’s Resort Boracay and Angol Point Beach Resort in Boracay (among only 10 cited); Atlantis Resort Dumaguete and Apo Island Beach Resort in Negros Oriental; Marabut Marine Park and Beach Resort in Samar; Pearl Farm Beach Resort and Eden Mountain Resort in Davao; and Pansukian Tropical Resort (a double heart) in Siargao Island.

That makes a total of 29 places which totally charmed either or both authors, almost a third of the total list. Only three gained double-heart icons. So those should be the places we ought to try accessing some fine weekend with the family.

La Esperanza is actually a traditional schooner (15 meters long, with two masts and five sails, a couple of cabins and a fully equipped kitchen) captained by Dutchman Jacob Bakker who has been based in Palawan for two decades.

"The sailboat is indeed the ideal way to discover this fantastic region of hundreds of deserted islets. La Esperanza goes from one golden beach to another; from one blue lagoon to another, and it anchors in a different bay every night. You can discuss the itinerary with the captain, as the possibilities are endless."

Hmm. Talk about a moveable feast. Another unique destination we’d give our eyeteeth to visit would be Boayan, so simply billed, if rather deliciously remote.

"Nestled in the idyllic surroundings of a forested bay in clear emerald waters, the house of Boayan, a little isle in the South China Sea, is an ideal spot for those in search of secluded comfort.

"Boayan is not a resort, but the home of Philippe, Ditchay and their daughter Amelie. It becomes yours for the duration of your stay. In fact, they literally move out into another house nearby. Domestic help is on call and you can indulge in the services of an incomparable cook – Ditchay herself!"

One goes to Puerto Princesa, travels two hours by car to Port Barton, and rides a boat for 45 minutes to get to Boayan Island. Seeing the photo of a tidy bungalow with a terrace fronting a powdery white-sand beach, and reading more about this haven "with its fabulous view of surrounding hills" and your own private lagoon with a beautiful coral reef, we wouldn’t mind that long trip at all. Besides, we think we know who Ditchay is, so it would indeed be pleasurable to feast on her culinary and edenic services.

The authors are entirely credible with their comparative ratings as well as all the travel tips offered. There are area maps and brief preambles to each area, as well as contact numbers and a price approximation, which curiously makes use of a moot icon – that of the Manunggul burial jar. Might the book designers be suggesting that a longer row of this icon (from one to six, the last connoting the priciest at over ten thou pesos a night) could get one buried deeper in debt?

Dominique Grele, born in Caen, France, moved with her family to Manila upon her husband Bruno’s assignment. She herself joined the Credit Lyonnais Manila Offshore Branch, but found time to "investigate" the Philippines with her three children and husband, with friends, or sometimes by her lonesome.

"Dominique hopes this book can also help promote some destinations which she believes are still relatively unknown, especially the island of Negros and Cebu’s west coast. She says: ‘The only way to survive in a megalopolis is to escape from it as often as you can. May this book help you go out of Manila more often.’"

Lily Yousry-Jouve was born in Cairo to a French mother and an Egyptian father. She took after her father and became an artist, despite studying law at the Sorbonne. When her family moved to Manila and stayed for three years, with her husband Marcel serving as the Cultural Attache of the French Embassy, Lily mounted a couple of well-received exhibits of her paintings, with one titled "Philippines: Hidden Landscapes." Some of the paintings appear in the book, and they are wondrous-looking indeed.

For his part, Marcel Jouve took many of the photographs that allow us a glimpse of their "exploration of this captivating country." Captivating it is, yes. Now if we only had the wherewithal to do at least a third of the resorts celebrated in this book.

The Boracay Lifestyle, published by Fuentes Publicity Network, Inc. was a book waiting to happen. All these years we’ve heard of various plans to come up with a defining coffee-table book on our fabled island. Eduardo C. Fuentes, who served as Creative Director for this book, finally made it happen.

The Philippine STAR’s Tanya T. Lara is contributing editor, while Maurice Arcache, Ma. Stella F. Arnaldo, Vladimir Bunoan, Tina Cabanayan, Lito Ocampo Cruz, Lester V. Ledesma, Francine Y. Medina and Leah B. Puyat are listed as the writers. Principal photography is by Lester V. Ledesma, with additional photography by Eddie Boy Escudero and Alex Van Hagen. Art director is Roel V. Magdaug.

From the utterly beguiling cover photo of model Lana Asanin strolling fetchingly on the fringes of Boracay’s gentle surf, to the final list of tips on dining, shopping and diving, this book serves up a complete package of attractive, thematic images and essays that can only further endear the island paradise to our hearts.

If one hasn’t been to Boracay, this large-format, 222-page, full-color volume should suffice for the nonce, else serve as an incentive to hurry up on those savings for that first-time holiday.

As the book blurb says, "The Boracay Lifestyle takes you on an exciting, colorful and breathtaking journey to this world-famous island. Look back at Boracay’s glamorous past as the secret island hideaway of famous Hollywood stars during the ’60s and ’70s. Meet the sun-kissed folks who fell under Boracay’s tropical spell and never looked back. Take a peek into their enchanting homes and the interesting architecture on the island. Be swept away by Boracay’s kaleidoscopic fashion… its rich indigenous art. Savor its unique diverse cuisine. Feel its pulsating island party scene."

All these serve as sectional topics for the writers, whose quality of prose may be varied, yet who ultimately come together to offer more than just a tribute to the much-loved island. Lara’s and Medina’s pieces read best; their assigned themes may or may not have much to do with it.

There’s something in Boracay for everyone, from the marvelous stretch of White Beach to glorious sunsets and bikinied eye-poppers, from fine dining to private moments in secluded areas. And all of these are sufficiently covered in this book. Plus so much more, such as the inspired architecture and design elements that are turning out to be as dazzling as the island’s myriad other come-ons.

One might balk at certain sections that look much like a daily’s society page with the usual array of celebrity mugshots. Foreign tourists who might appreciate the book couldn’t care less if they’re miles of awareness away from the "so-si" insiders’ often narrow, in-breeding ken.

Better appreciated are the solid features on "An Artist’s Sanctuary," "Boracay Style," and "Boracay Islanders." The last is particularly interesting, calling attention to the increasing phenom that is the "fourth-generation Boracaynons, children of mixed marriages… (f)ondly called ‘Mix-Mix’ by the locals." As we know, a high percentage of resorts in our country are set up and maintained by foreigners, who marry into the local custom in more ways than one.

Some of the photo captioning could also have been more inspired, or at least taken up to that level that distinguishes a coffee-table book from an insipid magazine. On the whole, however, the lovely images and expansive thematic coverage point to a well-planned and splendidly structured book that ought to see a fresh edition each year or two, with refreshed and additional inputs that can only reflect Boracay’s constantly evolving features.

For a must-have copy, contact Fuentes Publicity Network, Inc. at Tel: 893-9355 and 893-6867; Fax No: 812-4797; or E-mail at fpni@pacific.net.ph or fuentes@pacific.net.ph

Here’s yet another good read for early summer. And it’s called just that: READ, a magazine published by Powerbooks and given away free for every purchase worth a thousand pesos. The pilot issue, with John Grisham as cover boy, was launched on March 12, with Dr. Isagani Cruz, The Philippine STAR columnist and Manila Critics Circle head honcho, as guest speaker.

The quarterly magazine can also be bought at P75, or just a little more than what a small cup of Starbucks cappuccino will cost you. And there’s enough to read in READ for a weekend, including features on first-time novelist Cecelia Ahern, an excerpt from James Paterson’s 3rd Degree, a "Retro" section with look-back reviews of classics and contemporary classics, such as The Iliad and The Godfather, and "Lokal" reviews of "Pinoy power writing" – in this issue Aparador ni Lola: Past Lives, Precious Objects, edited by Emmie Velade; and Fast Food Fiction: Short Stories To Go, edited by Noelle Q. de Jesus.

There’s also original fiction by Ma. Gabriela Aparentado who’s a fresh graduate of Philippine High School for the Arts, a feature on "The Book Club Phenomenon," alerts on upcoming Filipiniana and foreign titles, and numerous brief reviews in a section called "Power Picks."

The surprise package and power punch in READ magazine’s first issue is Captain Psycho’s take on LOTR. The column "The Secret Files of Captain Psycho" —- which last made an appearance in The Evening Paper before it went defunct in 1997, dwells on "The Pinoy Presence in J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings." It’s hilarious.

The magazine, which should eventually turn into a monthly, has Maximo Gabriel Licauco as publisher, Nina Macaraig-Gamboa as editor-in-chief, Fay Balderas-Espiritu as associate editor, and Bernie Bunye as art director. Bravo to these guys and the rest of the staff!

Lastly, we should mention that the Philippines chapter of the English Speaking Union, a global organization composed of some 50 country chapters, looks to be on its way to formal incorporation, and will soon ask the mother org for official acceptance. With the return to Manila of our former Ambassador to the Court of St. James, Hon. Cesar Bautista, efforts to upgrade the ESU-Phil steering committee have gained ground.

A fortnight ago, a contest was held at the Ateneo’s Social Science AVR, courtesy of incoming English Dept. Chair Marlu Vilches, to determine the Philippine representative to the ESU International Public Speaking Competition to be held in London in May. The judges were Ambassador Bautista, Leo Herrera-Lim from our embassy in London, The British Council Director Gill Westaway, FEU Chair Dr. Lourdes Montinola, Atty. Katrina Legarda, Ryan Buenafe of FEU and Camille Ng of Ateneo who represented us in London in the last two years, and Butch Dalisay and this writer.

Competing were the top individual performers in the recent Inquirer-sponsored college team debates, organized by the UP Debate Society, as coordinated by Nicole Curato of UP Diliman. The eight contestants who were all 20 years of age and under were invited to speak for five minutes on the theme "A Borderless World," before having to field questions from the judges. The same theme and format will be applied in the international competition.

The top three placers were Patricia Evangelista of UP Diliman, Glenn Tuazon of Ateneo, and Carl Ng of UP Diliman. Evangelista, a Speech Communications sophomore, will represent ESU-Philippines in London, with Tuazon and Ng serving as alternates.

Congratulations all around. Here’s hoping ESU-Philippines continues to gain ground, and soon formally join cause with the English Speaking Union in promoting the global language as a medium of intercultural understanding.