Pasta, festa and spanakopita: The Famous 14 voyage
September 17, 2006 | 12:00am
The rainy weather was really getting me down, so when Marlene Pajanel and Sandy Teo – the big bosses at Star Cruises – gave me a call and told me to pack my bags because Star Cruises was sailing to the Mediterranean – I applied for my Schengen visa immediately! Then I quickly organized Famous 14. I also called Jane Cuyegkeng of Pioneer Tours to help book our flights. After all, it’s Italy, Greece and Malta on our itinerary for Star Cruises’ Treasures of the Adriatic six-night/seven-day cruise. And since rainy days were really getting everyone down, it was time for another shot of fun, Famous-style.
The best thing about going on a cruise is that it’s already a vacation in itself. The ship, being your home away from home, is equipped with all the comforts (plus more) of a grand hotel. So it was no doubt that everyone who joined Famous 14 had a grand old time. Our group had a motley mix: my super best friends from Bench, head honcho Ben Chan, Miguel Pastor, Bryan Lim and Jojo Liamzon; fantastic photographer Patrick Uy and his wife Evelyn; and young yoga gurus Corey Wills and Raya Mananquil; model-stylist Valerie delos Santos and model-artist Robby Mananquil; model-columnist Rissa Samson; and of course supermodel of the world, me. Walang kokontra!
There is no opportunity to be bored when you’re on a cruise. Ask Rissa; she was my roommate onboard and we really bonded as we explored the luxurious life on the ship. In fact, the only time we separated was when I went to the pool to work on my tan (Rissa avoids the sun as much as she can). There are restaurants and bars to satisfy all kinds of appetites, an Internet café, beauty salon, a basketball half-court, a library, a karaoke bar, discotheque, golf driving range and a meeting/conference room (like anybody really works on a cruise!).
Aboard the ship, mealtime was always a feast and it was simply too hard to eat healthy because of all the food (it’s a good thing Raya and Corey held mini yoga classes on the roof deck every morning)! During barbecue time at the poolside, it was as if the captain commanded "All meat lovers on deck!" because everyone came out to salivate over the mouth-watering spread of roast beef, lamb, barbecued ribs, chicken and, of course, the number one on our list, bistek Tagalog! Imagine having bistek on a cruise ship in Europe! That’s what you get when there are Pinoys all over, conquering the world with their charm and fantastic service (they cooked bistek just for us; the next day we tried requesting for sinigang, but sadly, we didn’t get it). How I wish all the Pinoys based here in the country are as nice as when they are abroad!
I didn’t want to pig out too much and suffer the consequences later so I made sure that I brought along all the necessary medicines, including my wonder herbal supplement, Rhodiola. Patrick Uy handed out packs of Rhodiola over breakfast, and I swear by it! Despite all the late hours singing karaoke and dancing and bar-hopping onboard the ship, I never felt weak, tired or sick, thanks to Rhodiola. I never even needed to take a single pill or tablet of medicine during the entire trip.
We started the cruise in Venice, where the SuperStar Libra was docked. When you say Venice, you immediately think of gondolas gliding through the canals. And as soon as I saw the gondolas, I suddenly realized just how alike Navotas and Venice really are. Both are always underwater, so I think Venice and Navotas should be sister cities; they really do have so much in common. (Paging Mayor Toby Tiangco! This is a super idea!) But the price of a gondola ride is quite steep at 80 euros per person (do the math; I hate doing it) so you might have to settle to having your picture taken beside the gondola, which is what I ended up doing.
The Campanile di San Marco is one of Venice’s most photographed landmarks. Then there’s the Plaza di San Marco, which is lined with shops and little sidewalk cafés good for resting and sipping coffee after taking in all the sights. My knees were so wobbly from all the walking (remember, the gondolas were too expensive!) I grabbed the chance to experience la dolce vita à la Keren and ordered a cup. When I got the bill, la dolce vita became la vita misera! It was so expensive!
SuperStar Libra took to sea at 11 p.m., Venice time. Thanks to my Timex Dual Time watch, we were never late, and time conversion was never a problem (and I felt like Piolo Pascual every time I wore it). We spent a whole day on the high seas before our first stop on the beautiful island of Corfu, Greece.
This was my third time to go to Greece – the first was with my designer-friend for life, Rajo Laurel, and the second with Famous 9. But Mykonos and Athens are totally different from Corfu, which is miles and miles and miles of olive groves. Can you imagine all the olive oil on that island? I am sure Oprah would approve; after all, she says olive oil and pomegranates – my new favorite fruit – are a couple of the best things to eat. At any rate, one thing these Greek places have in common is the number of good-looking men all around (remember Kris Aquino’s sizzling Bench billboard with the three hotties, shot in Greece?). And yes, there are good looking women, too.
Anyway, when in Corfu, you must try the ouzo. Ouzo is the most famous traditional Greek alcoholic drink and is quite strong. The taste is somewhat sweet, like black licorice so it can be quite deceiving. It’s best sipped (and not gulped) before a meal as an aperitif. Everything I ate after tasting ouzo seemed 10 times more delicious! And you might as well indulge in spanakopita, a luscious spinach pie that also includes butter, olive oil and feta cheese. Raya and Corey indulged in it and I almost thought about becoming a vegetarian myself.
Our next stop was Messina, Italy. This is one of the many Sicilian towns that line the Italian coast. As soon as I saw the harbor, I swear I heard the main theme of The Godfather start playing in the background. I was sort of expecting to see the Godfather or other Mafia-looking types, but Messina is a sleepy little town. Very laid-back, but interesting.
Visit the Cathedral of Messina where the largest astronomical clock in the world can be found. This isn’t your usual clock, looking more like a sundial than a regular clock with two hands. The design is quite detailed with features such as human figures and scenes that show the Nativity, Resurrection and so on. At noon, which is the only time it strikes, all the mechanical figures come to life, moving in time to music. Very impressive.
Next on the list was Malta. In Valetta, the capital city of Malta, the ancient stone streets are lined with merchandise ranging from the latest fashion rage in Europe to beautiful reproductions of the Maltese cross, the usual tourist trinkets like shirts and refrigerator magnets. You’re bound to find something worth your while.
Miguel super loved the architecture in Malta. A Miss Universe buff, he saw the perfect place for the finalists to parade on the stairs of one of the churches we visited. They should ask Miguel to be part of the Miss Universe committee!
Friendship bracelets are the summer rage in this part of the globe and the twist is, a friend should give you one; you don’t buy it for yourself. With a wide variety of hues, each particular color corresponds to some aspect of friendship, like honesty, etc. Ben, ever so generous, gave us one each. But at 5 euros per bracelet, we just chipped in and gave Ben one! We are such cheapskates!
I heard that in Malta, they have 365 churches, a patron day for each church, and a festa day for each saint. So just imagine – a celebration every day! Jojo and I made it a point to make a wish at every church we visited, so it’s a good thing we didn’t go to each church on Malta, otherwise we’d never have made it back to the ship (yes, my wish list is that long).
My favorite church was the Cathedral of St. John. This is a must-see, this very beautiful baroque church built by the Knights of St. John. It houses one of Europe’s most famous and impressive artworks, Italian master Caravaggio’s The Beheading of St. John the Baptist. Not that I know art, coming from Navotas, but I’d love to own a Caravaggio someday. Whatever!
Thanks to those quaint old yellow-orange buses, we were able to go around and see Valletta’s sights comfortably. If Manila is known for its jeepneys, then these buses are their Maltese equivalent. However, I love our jeepneys more – they’re much more colorful, have more sparkle and personality and, best of all, they have sounds! It reminded me so much of home. Since the buses didn’t have any kind of music, I relied on my trusty iPod to keep me company throughout the ride. I made a mental note to add a whole new playlist of Famous songs from this trip on my gorgeous Mac at home, courtesy of my good friend Lawrence Sison of Power Mac Center.
Did you know that the blockbuster movies Gladiator and Troy were shot in Malta? Malta has been described as a living museum because everything looks so authentic and each place has its own charm. I was captivated.
Oh, and if Corfu has its ouzo, then Malta has Kinnie. The local equivalent of Coca-Cola in Malta, this addictive but bitter-tasting soft drink is made from bitter oranges and aromatic herbs. I was happy to learn that there’s a diet version. Definitely a must-try alternative to all those alcoholic beverages you’re bound to drink.
After Valetta, it was another day at sea before we docked in Rome. Buon giorno! Now Rome is a sight to behold. Rather, sights to behold. There are so many must-sees! There’s the famous Roman Colosseum. But as they say, when in Rome, do as the Romans do! And that means a must-see place on your list is the Spanish Steps. It’s been said that if you can finish climbing all 138 steps, it is a true sign of devotion. Muster up a little stamina before you try doing this.
But from what I saw, the tourists weren’t exactly devoted to the Spanish Steps. They were more excited about shopping at the exclusive shops that were located around the Steps – Ferragamo, Prada, Gucci! Each shop was a magnet for all wallets, mine included! Robby and Val tried to haggle with the salespeople in Spanish (they have been taking higher level Spanish classes at the Instituto de Cervantes – the salespeople might have thought they were Español!)
What Bryan and I did was to head over to the Fontana di Trevi, where you throw in your coins and make a wish. I don’t know if the fountain accepts only euros but I threw in Philippine five-peso coins because that’s the only change I found in my pockets. To make up for the currency, I made wishes for the Philippines (world peace! Whatever!). If they come true, I’d have to go back and throw in euros next time. Knowing Bryan, however, I have an idea what he wished for. Secret!
And last but not the least on the list, St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. Everyone knows that the Vatican is where the Pope lives and rules. On any given day at St. Peter’s Square, there’s always a crowd waiting for a glimpse of the Pope or simply walking their way through any of the small churches across the plaza. Don’t be surprised if you meet a group of Pinoy pilgrims off to a papal sighting. Va bene!
Much as I loved the entire trip, I couldn’t wait to get home to download my pictures from my Canon digicam to my iMac. Naturally, Evelyn had the best (and the most) pictures among us. After all, what good is a photographer husband if you don’t have pictures? Fortunately, Patrick was able to get in front of the lens for a couple of shots (proof that he was there with us!).
Our five-city, three-country, week-long trip was exhausting but fun! I’m already excited about going on Famous 15 very soon! After all, it’s like the Chivas Life – living life to the fullest. So wherever we go, it’s bound to be fun. Arrivederci!
For more information about Star Cruises, call Andrea at 521-5660 or 526-8401.
The best thing about going on a cruise is that it’s already a vacation in itself. The ship, being your home away from home, is equipped with all the comforts (plus more) of a grand hotel. So it was no doubt that everyone who joined Famous 14 had a grand old time. Our group had a motley mix: my super best friends from Bench, head honcho Ben Chan, Miguel Pastor, Bryan Lim and Jojo Liamzon; fantastic photographer Patrick Uy and his wife Evelyn; and young yoga gurus Corey Wills and Raya Mananquil; model-stylist Valerie delos Santos and model-artist Robby Mananquil; model-columnist Rissa Samson; and of course supermodel of the world, me. Walang kokontra!
There is no opportunity to be bored when you’re on a cruise. Ask Rissa; she was my roommate onboard and we really bonded as we explored the luxurious life on the ship. In fact, the only time we separated was when I went to the pool to work on my tan (Rissa avoids the sun as much as she can). There are restaurants and bars to satisfy all kinds of appetites, an Internet café, beauty salon, a basketball half-court, a library, a karaoke bar, discotheque, golf driving range and a meeting/conference room (like anybody really works on a cruise!).
Aboard the ship, mealtime was always a feast and it was simply too hard to eat healthy because of all the food (it’s a good thing Raya and Corey held mini yoga classes on the roof deck every morning)! During barbecue time at the poolside, it was as if the captain commanded "All meat lovers on deck!" because everyone came out to salivate over the mouth-watering spread of roast beef, lamb, barbecued ribs, chicken and, of course, the number one on our list, bistek Tagalog! Imagine having bistek on a cruise ship in Europe! That’s what you get when there are Pinoys all over, conquering the world with their charm and fantastic service (they cooked bistek just for us; the next day we tried requesting for sinigang, but sadly, we didn’t get it). How I wish all the Pinoys based here in the country are as nice as when they are abroad!
I didn’t want to pig out too much and suffer the consequences later so I made sure that I brought along all the necessary medicines, including my wonder herbal supplement, Rhodiola. Patrick Uy handed out packs of Rhodiola over breakfast, and I swear by it! Despite all the late hours singing karaoke and dancing and bar-hopping onboard the ship, I never felt weak, tired or sick, thanks to Rhodiola. I never even needed to take a single pill or tablet of medicine during the entire trip.
We started the cruise in Venice, where the SuperStar Libra was docked. When you say Venice, you immediately think of gondolas gliding through the canals. And as soon as I saw the gondolas, I suddenly realized just how alike Navotas and Venice really are. Both are always underwater, so I think Venice and Navotas should be sister cities; they really do have so much in common. (Paging Mayor Toby Tiangco! This is a super idea!) But the price of a gondola ride is quite steep at 80 euros per person (do the math; I hate doing it) so you might have to settle to having your picture taken beside the gondola, which is what I ended up doing.
The Campanile di San Marco is one of Venice’s most photographed landmarks. Then there’s the Plaza di San Marco, which is lined with shops and little sidewalk cafés good for resting and sipping coffee after taking in all the sights. My knees were so wobbly from all the walking (remember, the gondolas were too expensive!) I grabbed the chance to experience la dolce vita à la Keren and ordered a cup. When I got the bill, la dolce vita became la vita misera! It was so expensive!
SuperStar Libra took to sea at 11 p.m., Venice time. Thanks to my Timex Dual Time watch, we were never late, and time conversion was never a problem (and I felt like Piolo Pascual every time I wore it). We spent a whole day on the high seas before our first stop on the beautiful island of Corfu, Greece.
This was my third time to go to Greece – the first was with my designer-friend for life, Rajo Laurel, and the second with Famous 9. But Mykonos and Athens are totally different from Corfu, which is miles and miles and miles of olive groves. Can you imagine all the olive oil on that island? I am sure Oprah would approve; after all, she says olive oil and pomegranates – my new favorite fruit – are a couple of the best things to eat. At any rate, one thing these Greek places have in common is the number of good-looking men all around (remember Kris Aquino’s sizzling Bench billboard with the three hotties, shot in Greece?). And yes, there are good looking women, too.
Anyway, when in Corfu, you must try the ouzo. Ouzo is the most famous traditional Greek alcoholic drink and is quite strong. The taste is somewhat sweet, like black licorice so it can be quite deceiving. It’s best sipped (and not gulped) before a meal as an aperitif. Everything I ate after tasting ouzo seemed 10 times more delicious! And you might as well indulge in spanakopita, a luscious spinach pie that also includes butter, olive oil and feta cheese. Raya and Corey indulged in it and I almost thought about becoming a vegetarian myself.
Our next stop was Messina, Italy. This is one of the many Sicilian towns that line the Italian coast. As soon as I saw the harbor, I swear I heard the main theme of The Godfather start playing in the background. I was sort of expecting to see the Godfather or other Mafia-looking types, but Messina is a sleepy little town. Very laid-back, but interesting.
Visit the Cathedral of Messina where the largest astronomical clock in the world can be found. This isn’t your usual clock, looking more like a sundial than a regular clock with two hands. The design is quite detailed with features such as human figures and scenes that show the Nativity, Resurrection and so on. At noon, which is the only time it strikes, all the mechanical figures come to life, moving in time to music. Very impressive.
Next on the list was Malta. In Valetta, the capital city of Malta, the ancient stone streets are lined with merchandise ranging from the latest fashion rage in Europe to beautiful reproductions of the Maltese cross, the usual tourist trinkets like shirts and refrigerator magnets. You’re bound to find something worth your while.
Miguel super loved the architecture in Malta. A Miss Universe buff, he saw the perfect place for the finalists to parade on the stairs of one of the churches we visited. They should ask Miguel to be part of the Miss Universe committee!
Friendship bracelets are the summer rage in this part of the globe and the twist is, a friend should give you one; you don’t buy it for yourself. With a wide variety of hues, each particular color corresponds to some aspect of friendship, like honesty, etc. Ben, ever so generous, gave us one each. But at 5 euros per bracelet, we just chipped in and gave Ben one! We are such cheapskates!
I heard that in Malta, they have 365 churches, a patron day for each church, and a festa day for each saint. So just imagine – a celebration every day! Jojo and I made it a point to make a wish at every church we visited, so it’s a good thing we didn’t go to each church on Malta, otherwise we’d never have made it back to the ship (yes, my wish list is that long).
My favorite church was the Cathedral of St. John. This is a must-see, this very beautiful baroque church built by the Knights of St. John. It houses one of Europe’s most famous and impressive artworks, Italian master Caravaggio’s The Beheading of St. John the Baptist. Not that I know art, coming from Navotas, but I’d love to own a Caravaggio someday. Whatever!
Thanks to those quaint old yellow-orange buses, we were able to go around and see Valletta’s sights comfortably. If Manila is known for its jeepneys, then these buses are their Maltese equivalent. However, I love our jeepneys more – they’re much more colorful, have more sparkle and personality and, best of all, they have sounds! It reminded me so much of home. Since the buses didn’t have any kind of music, I relied on my trusty iPod to keep me company throughout the ride. I made a mental note to add a whole new playlist of Famous songs from this trip on my gorgeous Mac at home, courtesy of my good friend Lawrence Sison of Power Mac Center.
Did you know that the blockbuster movies Gladiator and Troy were shot in Malta? Malta has been described as a living museum because everything looks so authentic and each place has its own charm. I was captivated.
Oh, and if Corfu has its ouzo, then Malta has Kinnie. The local equivalent of Coca-Cola in Malta, this addictive but bitter-tasting soft drink is made from bitter oranges and aromatic herbs. I was happy to learn that there’s a diet version. Definitely a must-try alternative to all those alcoholic beverages you’re bound to drink.
After Valetta, it was another day at sea before we docked in Rome. Buon giorno! Now Rome is a sight to behold. Rather, sights to behold. There are so many must-sees! There’s the famous Roman Colosseum. But as they say, when in Rome, do as the Romans do! And that means a must-see place on your list is the Spanish Steps. It’s been said that if you can finish climbing all 138 steps, it is a true sign of devotion. Muster up a little stamina before you try doing this.
But from what I saw, the tourists weren’t exactly devoted to the Spanish Steps. They were more excited about shopping at the exclusive shops that were located around the Steps – Ferragamo, Prada, Gucci! Each shop was a magnet for all wallets, mine included! Robby and Val tried to haggle with the salespeople in Spanish (they have been taking higher level Spanish classes at the Instituto de Cervantes – the salespeople might have thought they were Español!)
What Bryan and I did was to head over to the Fontana di Trevi, where you throw in your coins and make a wish. I don’t know if the fountain accepts only euros but I threw in Philippine five-peso coins because that’s the only change I found in my pockets. To make up for the currency, I made wishes for the Philippines (world peace! Whatever!). If they come true, I’d have to go back and throw in euros next time. Knowing Bryan, however, I have an idea what he wished for. Secret!
And last but not the least on the list, St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. Everyone knows that the Vatican is where the Pope lives and rules. On any given day at St. Peter’s Square, there’s always a crowd waiting for a glimpse of the Pope or simply walking their way through any of the small churches across the plaza. Don’t be surprised if you meet a group of Pinoy pilgrims off to a papal sighting. Va bene!
Much as I loved the entire trip, I couldn’t wait to get home to download my pictures from my Canon digicam to my iMac. Naturally, Evelyn had the best (and the most) pictures among us. After all, what good is a photographer husband if you don’t have pictures? Fortunately, Patrick was able to get in front of the lens for a couple of shots (proof that he was there with us!).
Our five-city, three-country, week-long trip was exhausting but fun! I’m already excited about going on Famous 15 very soon! After all, it’s like the Chivas Life – living life to the fullest. So wherever we go, it’s bound to be fun. Arrivederci!
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