Czarina

    Ilocos Sur is a beautiful province located in the northern part of Luzon. It is a province rich in culture that represents the ancient Spanish and Filipino heritage. To show and share their treasures to the whole world, the locals conceived a festival that highlights these cultural traditions and they called it the “Kannadiwan Festival”.      They call it the KANNAWIDAN Ylocos Festival, it is also a time to commemorate the anniversary of Ilocos Sur as a province since it was separated on February 3, 1818. Kannawidan is a variant of the Ilocano word "tawid" meaning heritage or inheritance.               This festival at the end of January celebrates the best of Ilocos Sur culture, from traditional dress and folk dance to tribal rituals and marching band contests. https://www.google.com/url?

   Change however does not occur in isolation. One person’s transformation is sustained by another’s. We are fully interdependent and we need each other. Maturity starts when we own our mistakes and take the necessary action of correcting them .    Changing the world begins with improving who we are on the inside. We each have a unique identity and our own distinct thoughts.              I remember being in a work environment where everyday was a chore and I dreaded it. I didn’t realize then that change started with me. I felt trapped.  At the time, there was some limiting belief about myself that I didn’t make change, or if I did, didn’t do it fast enough. Or maybe the belief was that I could change others.      It starts with a hope, or a thought that things can be better than they are now. Then, exploring how that might happen. Accepting that we do have the power to make change. It’s doing this vers...

     Participants from the different neighboring provinces in the northern region are also sent to compete in the various games and activities, particularly the street dancing competition.  Within the Vigan City Fiesta days, the Longganisa Festival is also celebrated. The city has a longganisa-themed parade and at one time attempted to set a record for having the longest longganisa ever made.      Longganisa (or Longaniza in Spanish) is a sausage similar to chorizo which is flavoured with local spices and differs considerably from region to region.     Biguenos attribute this to the fact that the making of Vigan longganisa is a centuries-old tradition of the local makers and all if not most of the ingredients used in making the native sausage is sourced from Vigan. Vigan’s garlic and sugarcane vinegar are said to be more strongly flavorful. It’s a great take-home gift after partaking in a Vigan City Fiesta.   ...

    "Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us."                                            ~ Hal Borland     New Year is cause for celebration , for spending time with friends and family, and for looking back. A lot can happen in a year and between the good, the bad, and the ugly, this may seem like an understatement for most.  As glasses are raised and fireworks explode into the sky, it’s important to recognize the special symbolism this holiday brings with it.  A time of new beginnings and fresh starts also comes with a time of reflection.         Everyone knows New Year’s resolutions can be hard to keep. With goals like losing weight and staying active, people may start the year off on the right foot but start to renege on their commitmen...