GONE are the Kath and Kim days when every woman was proud to show off her "muffin top". Business is booming in the granny style underwear that Bridget Jones made famous, but some health experts believe control briefs could be bad for women.
Today, Bonds launches a new control range line, adding to the growing market of plus-size fashion catering to larger women.
In the past, fashionistas were too ashamed to admit they had a pair of the ugly beige knickers hiding in the lingerie draw.
But now thanks to companies adding a touch of style, Australia is seeing a resurgence in control briefs.
Myer stores are stocking up in the under garments now boasting several ranges.
"This (popularity) didn't happen overnight," Mitch Caitlin, Myer spokesman said.
"This has been happening steadily.
"There's always been strong business for it but it's getting more attention."
In the UK, where Bridget Jones proudly sported her bodysculpting undies, a leading retailer is selling about a million items a year.
Bonds predicts its new range, Shapewear, will be popular with the younger market who are fashion conscious.
"The popularity of Shapewear is a function of many influences - Bridget Jones, the notorious Kath and Kim muffin top, and the fact that Hollywood and celebrities in general are sharing their 'red carpet secrets'," a spokeswoman said.
"Shapewear is often reserved for special occasions only with that 'Ahhhh' factor playing a big role when you remove them at the end of the night."
But the slimming-style underwear have been labelled a " Band-Aid" approach to the growing obesity epidemic.
Women who try to cover up their pot bellies and muffin tops are actually suffering from problems such as weak abdominal muscles, which are linked to incontinence, back problems and prolapse of the womb.
Author and lecturer in health at the University of NSW, Martha Lourey-Bird, said women should be doing pilates and core strength exercises to get rid of the tummy.
"The concern with this type of underwear is it's like a Band-Aid," she said.
"The rates of obesity are increasing and rather than fixing the problem ... we are covering it up."

THE way modern bosses behave has been linked to 'prehistoric' actions - such as male domination, protecting their 'turf' and ostracising those who do not agree with the group.
The way male managers power dress, posture and exercise power is due to humans’ evolutionary biology, according to research from the University of New South Wales (UNSW).
is more commonplace in everyday work situations than many of us want to accept, according to the research which was carried out in hospitals.
“This tribal culture is similar to what we would have seen in hunter gather bands on the savannah in southern Africa,” says the author of the paper, Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite, from UNSW’s Institute for Health Innovation.
“While this research focuses specifically on health care settings, the results can be extrapolated to other workplaces,” says Professor Braithwaite.
“Groups were territorial in the past because it helped them survive. If you weren’t in a tight band, you didn’t get to pass on your genes,” he says. “Such tribalism is not necessary in the same way now, yet we still have those characteristics because they have evolved over two million years.
“It’s a surprise just how hard-wired this behaviour is,” says Professor Braithwaite. “It’s predictable that a group will ostracise a whistleblower, for instance. It’s not good, but it’s understandable in the tribal framework. It explains all sorts of undesirable behaviours, including bullying.”
Professor Braithwaite’s research is based on hundreds of interviews and observations of health workers over a 15-year period. He used an evolutionary psychology approach – incorporating archaeology and anthropology of the earliest known humans – to compare with modern behaviours.

EMPLOYEES off sick for long periods -- even for common conditions like flu -- are far more likely to die before their co-workers who do not take such leave, researchers said on Friday.
The study of government workers included people who were healthy to start with and suggested extended sick leave for minor ailments as well as more major ones could point to serious health problems down the road.
"It is not just down to serious medical conditions but it seems this relationship is seen across a wide range of common health problems," said Jenny Head, a statistician at University College London who led the study.
"This appears to be a good early marker for people going on to develop more long-term serious illnesses."
The results could help doctors and employers identify people at higher risk of serious illness early on and long before they have symptoms, Head added.
The report in the British Medical Journal looked at sickness records of 6,478 British civil servants between 1985 and 1988 and then followed up which men and women died through 2004.
People who were off sick more than seven days were more likely to die, they found. People who took one or more long absence in three years were 66 percent more likely to die, Head said in a telephone interview.
"We also saw that relationship in people who were in good health at the beginning of the study," she added.
While it would make sense that people off for surgery or circulatory problems would face increased odds of dying early, the findings extended to people who had called in sick for minor complaints such as coughs and colds and flu.

YOGA has many benefits for those who perserve and one without doubt is that it improves your sex life.
"Loaded with mind, body and soul benefits, yoga does more than offer enlightenment and improved well-being. It can transform your sex life at its very core," says sex educator, relationship expert and Fox News columnist Dr Yvonne K. Fulbright.
"When you let yourself stray from any exercise routine, it can be difficult to get back into it. Lucky for me, writing this article was enough to get me back to some much needed inversions, twists, meditation, rapid-fire breathing and bends," she said.
"And boy, was I tight!
"And I don't mean in that female good way. My aching muscles needed some serious nurturing. Sometimes, our sex lives need the same. The beauty with yoga is that, in taking care of ourselves, yoga takes care of us."
Dr Fulbright says that yoga can improve your sex life in NINE ways.
1. Increased Sensitivity
Yoga’s breathing exercises help you to breathe more fully, decreasing your anxiety level and blood pressure. Your breath helps you manage your stress. Recent research in PLoS One reports that meditation, prayer and yoga can improve your health. These relaxation activities change patterns of gene activity that affect the body’s response to stress. When a person evokes a relaxation response, the mind actively turns genes that are "switched" on or off by stress the other way.
All of this makes you more primed for intimacy. The fresh oxygen, improved circulation and ability to channel your breath throughout the body further enhance your sexual responsiveness and sensitivity.
2. More Powerful Orgasms
Yoga’s influence on your orgasms is two-fold. First, in strengthening your sexual core, you have greater control over your pelvic floor muscles and sex organs. Harnessing this during sex helps you to climax more magnificently. Second, the practice enables you to release muscle tension, which, in turn, rocks your body for full-body orgasms.
3. Improved Energy
In being physically active, learning how to relax and alleviating stress through breathing, and by simply having fun, you will feel more energized. Yoga is invigorating, simply in the luxurious thought that you’re being good to yourself. You’re taking care of yourself. You’re taking care of your sex life. Best yet, with increased stamina, you will be able to last longer in bed.
4. Body Knowledge and Acceptance
Yoga is about embracing your form. You become more aware of your body’s strengths and limits. At the same time, you develop your flexibility, coordination, balance and physical strength, all of which will help you in the bedroom. You will also become more graceful and confident in your movements while making love. You will be granted permission to make noise. Yoga invites you to evoke a sound when the spirit moves you.
5. Greater Fitness
By tapping unused muscles, you will feel fitter. In working out, your body will become more toned and you may notice an increase in your metabolism. Better muscle tone will also increase your sexual responsiveness. For example, tight hips decrease your sex drive by constricting blood flow to the sexual region, decreasing nerve activity and pleasure. Yoga counters this!
6. New Sexual Positions
Because you are exercising your muscles, you will be able to engage in a greater variety of sex positions for greater pleasure. Between more flexible muscles and joints and toned buttocks, thighs and abdominals, you will be able to partake in more postures with exotic names, like splitting bamboo.
7. A Better Sense of Foreplay
Yoga kindly reminds us that we need to get the body properly primed before it will reward us – as in feeling really, really good. Sex and yoga are the same in that it’s a bit impractical and unwise to attempt a maneuver without warming up first.
8. An Erotic Glow
Yoga gives you a whole new lease on life. You will feel an overall high with the heightened sense of well-being that comes along with your practice. You will come alive sexually because you will have a better understanding of your mind-body connection, and you will feel more confident about yourself and your sexual nature.
9. An Enhanced Relationship
Couples who practice yoga together learn how to move and breathe together. They learn how to sync their energies as they explore their sexual potential and creativity.
So how do you start practicing yoga for better sex? Dr Fulbright says if you’re a beginner, find a yoga studio that offers basic yoga courses.
"It is best to focus on your own practice, building your own comfort level, before inviting your partner along.
"For those of you who are at the intermediate or advanced level, take a couples class, exploring positions for two and the sensual benefits of a shared practice."

EATING a Mediterranean style diet helps you live longer by protecting against all the major chronic diseases, a study has shown.
Those who ate lots of fresh fish, fruit, vegetables and whole grains were less likely to die prematurely, according to the research.
The diet was also found to be an effective defence against heart disease, parkinson's, alzheimer's disease and cancer.
Scientists looked at 12 international studies using a nine-point scale to assess how closely 1.5 million volunteers stuck to the diet.
Those with higher scores were shown to be less likely to have a major chronic disease, said the study published in the British Medical Journal Online First.
The diet has been thought to improve heart health and stave off cancer because it is high in fruit, vegetables, fish, nuts, whole grains and healthy fats such as those in olive oil, while low in red meat and dairy.
Drinking alcohol, particularly red wine, is encouraged in moderation. Populations surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, such as Greece, Spain and Italy, tend to eat these foods.
Researchers from the University of Florence, Italy, looked at the previous studies, which collectively included more than 1.5 million participants. Their dietary habits and health were tracked for follow-up periods ranging from three to 18 years.
Scientists used an "adherence score" to estimate how well volunteers followed the diet. Those who stuck closely to it scored between seven and nine points, while volunteers who didn't follow the diet could have scored as low as zero.
Researchers found that those who stuck rigidly to a Mediterranean diet had significant improvements in their health, including a drop of 9 per cent in overall deaths and a 9 per cent drop in heart deaths. They found a 13 per cent reduction in cases of parkinson's and alzheimer's disease, and a 6 per cent fall in cancer.
Lead researcher Dr Francesco Sofi said all major scientific institutions recommend a Mediterranean diet for prevention of major chronic diseases. He said: "These results seem to be clinically relevant in terms of public health, particularly for reducing the risk of premature death in the general population."
Earlier this year, US researchers found that sticking to a Mediterranean diet could help stave off premature death. British, Greek and Spanish scientists found it helped prevent asthma and respiratory allergies in children.

A MODEL who insists she has never had sex wants to sell her virginity for $2 million.
Sexy Raffella Fico, a 20-year-old Italian who appears in men's magazines, told an Italian magazine Chi: "I can't wait to see who's going to pull out the money to have me."
Fico, who appeared in the Italian version of Big Brother this year, said she would use the cash to buy a house in Rome and pay for acting classes.
"I don't know what it's like to have sex," she told Chi.
She didn't mind if she lost her virginity to man who wasn't exactly Prince Charming.
"If I don't like him I'll just have a glass of wine and forget about it," said the aspiring actress from Naples, the hometown of screen siren Sophia Loren.
Her family insisted that despite her good looks and sexy image, she remained a virgin.
"She's never had a boyfriend. I swear on my mother's grave. She's a devout Catholic and prays to Padre Pio every night," her brother told Chi.
Fico is not the first woman to try tom sell her virginity for a lot of money. An 18-year-old US student from San Diego, who uses the pseudonym Natalie Dylan, recently told the Howard Stern show she would have sex for the first time for $1 million to pay her college fees.
In 2005 a Peruvian model, also 18, put herself up for sale to help pay her family's medical bills but ended up having second thoughts and turning down $1.5 million.

BIKINIS, long adored by men, may be on the way out, with a high number of women admitting they hate a certain body part the garmet shows off.
The study – which spoke to 400 women across the country – revealed that female waistlines are more cause for concern than any other body part.
Surprisingly only 14 per cent said thighs, which is a turn around from earlier decades.
Arms were next, with seven per cent and hips, five per cent and bum four per cent.
“While having an ‘apple’ body shape is often determined by genetic and hormonal make-up, Australian women have to be aware of the risks involved of carrying too much weight around the middle.
TYPES OF FIGURES:
Ruler or Straight - celebrity style Keira KnightleyThe waist circumference is larger than the chest or hips circumferences, which are virtually the same. The body has a relatively high androgen level compared to the estrogen level, and this causes the skeleton to develop in a more masculine pattern and body fat to be distributed predominantly around the waist.
Pear or Spoon or Bell (Triangle upward) Celebrity style: Jennifer Lopez
Women with this type of body shape tend to have fat deposit first in the buttocks, hips and thighs. As body fat percentage increases, an increasing proportion of body fat is distributed around the waist and upper abdomen.
Apple (Triangle downward) Celebrity style: Kate Winslett
In this type of body shape fat gets accumulated in the upper part and waist area. Body fat distribution tends to begin in the arms, shoulders, chest and upper abdomen first. There is an increased risk of heart disease and metabolic disorder as some fat is released in the bloodstream.
Hourglass shape (Triangles opposing, facing in) Celebrity style: Scarlett Johansson
The waist circumference is less than that of the chest or hips circumferences, which are virtually the same. Body fat distribution tends to be around both the upper body and lower body. This body type enlarges the arms, breasts, hips and rear before other parts, including waist and upper abdomen. It is every woman’s dream to have an hourglass shaped figure.

January Philippine Fiesta

• Feast of the Black Nazarene - held every 9th of January in Quiapo, Manila. Devotees of that number in the thousands flock around the life-size statue of the Black Nazarene (Jesus Christ) as it inches across the streets packed with devotees around Quiapo church. Devotees attribute many miracles to this 400 year old image which was brought to the the Philippines from Mexico in the 7th century.
  
• Sinulog Festival - celebrated every 3rd week of January in Cebu City. This Philippine fiesta in Visayas region celebrates Cebu's patron saint, the Santo Niño (Child Christ). This week long event is marked by processions, street dancing and parades. This fiesta is a local version of the Mardi gras.
  
• Ati-Atihan Festival - fiesta starts from the16th to the 22nd of January in Kalibo, Aklan. Revelers masquerading as Negritos in colorful costumes, dance to the beat of drums while chanting "Hala Bira!" in preparation to the Sunday procession in honor of the Santo Niño.

February Philippine Fiesta

• Feast of Our Lady Of Candles - every 2nd of February in Jaro, Iloilo City. This is the biggest and most opulent religious fiesta in the Western Visayas region. The blessing of the candles and the yearly procession of the patroness, the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria is followed by the fiesta's queen and her court which highlights the fiesta at the town plaza.
  
• Babaylan Festival - held every 19th of February in Bago City, Negros Occidental. The public gets a rare view into the simulated rituals of mystics, ancient healers and priests in various ceremonies such as marriage, healing and harvest.
  

March Philippine Fiesta

• Eid El Fitir - commemorated every 9th of March in Region XII in Mindanao. Muslim Filipinos mark the end of their 30-day fasting as the crescent moon emerges after the Holy Month of Ramadan.
  
• Moriones Festival - reenacted during the Holy Week in Boac, Marinduque. This Philippine fiesta is based on a play about the story of Longinus, the centurion whose blind eye is cured by a drop of Jesus Christ's blood. Actors wear colorful wooden mask and dressed as Roman soldiers.
  

April Philippine Fiesta

• Manaoag Pilgrimage - held every 2nd week of April in Manaoag, Pangasinan. Devotees and pilgrims flock to the shrine of Nuestra Señora de Manaoag for the feast of the patroness of the sick, the needy and the helpless. Her image is believed to be miraculous.
  May Philippine Fiesta
  
• Flores de Mayo - held nationwide during the month of May. Literally meaning the "flowers of May", this fiesta commemorates the search for the Holy Cross by Reyna Elena and her son, the emperor Constantine. This Philippine wide fiesta is marked by a parade of maidens escorted by young men under floral arches. The main participant represents Reyna Elena and the emperor.
  
• Pulilan Carabao Festival - held every 14th of May in Pulilan, Bulacan. Hundreds of festively adorned carabaos are paraded by the farmers on the street leading to the church. There they are made to kneel down to pay homage to San Isidro de Labrador, the patron saint of farmers.
  
• Pahiyas - every 15th of May, farm families give thanks to San Isidro Labrador for a good harvest by decorating their houses with brightly colored rice wafers called kiping.
  
• Obando Fertility Rites - held from May 17 to 19 in Obando, Bulacan. Massive numbers of men and women dance towards the town church praying for a wife, husband or a child. The pilgrims dance to San Pascual Baylon, Santa Clara de Assisi or the Virgen de Salambao for their wishes.
  

June Philippine Fiesta

• Parada ng Lechon - on the 24th of June in Balayan, Batangas, this festival literally translated as the "parade of roasted pigs". This fiesta is a celebration of the feast of St. John the Baptist. Roasted pigs are dressed up and paraded around town before being eaten.
  
• Pintados Festival - every 29th of June in Tacloban, Leyte, town folks parade through town with colorful body paint to recall their ancient warrior tradition where tattoos represented bravery and prestige.
  July Philippine Fiesta
  
• Bocaue River Festival - held every 1st Sunday of July in Bucaue, Bulacan. The highlight of this Philippine fiesta is the fluvial procession in honor of the miraculous Krus ng Wawa or Cross of Bocaue. Devotees douse each other with water as they scramble to ride the pagoda boat.
  
• Raja Baguinda Festival - the 3 day festivities start on the 2nd week of August in Jolo, Sulu. The festivities commemorate the arrival of Raja Baguinda who is credited of spreading the Islam faith to the Sultanate of Sulu.
  

August Philippine Fiesta

• Kadayawan Sa Dabaw - held every 3rd week of August in Davao City.This festival give thanks to to the bounty of fruits and flowerers as the waling-waling orchid blooms. Colorful floats are bedecked with beautiful orchids and other flowers in the grand parade.
  

September Philippine Fiesta

• Feast of Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia - celebrated every 3rd Saturday of September in Naga, Camarines Sur, Bicol Region. Highlight of this fiesta is the grand fluvial parade where the image of the Lady of Peñafrancia is carried through the river aglow with floating candles.
  

October Philippine Fiesta

• Masskara Festival - held every 3rd week of October in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. Mask-making puts a quaint accent on the festivities to mark Bacolod City's charter day. Brass bands, beauty contests and parades are held before the evening's highlight of street dance where folks wear their beautiful masks.
  

November Philippine Fiesta

• Higantes Festival - from November 22 to 23 in Angono, Rizal, male devotees carry the image of San Clemente in a procession that features pahadores, clad in colorful garb and wooden shoes and carrying boat paddles and higantes (giants) 10 feet tall papier mache puppets.
  

December Philippine Fiesta

• San Fernando Giant Lantern Festival - celebrated the whole month of December in San Fernando, Pampanga. The festival culminates in a judging contest of the best, biggest and most beautiful Christmas lantern made by the local craftsmen in San Fernando.
  
• Binirayan Festival - fiesta dates are from the 28th to the 30th of December in San Jose Antique. Ethnic pageantry reaches a new high on the beaches of Maybato in San Jose and Malandong in Hamtik, where the drama of the first Malay settlement at Malandong is played out.

Baguio City is the summer capital of the Philippines. Located in northern Luzon, Baguio City was established by the Americans in 1909, It is sited about 1,500 meters above sea level, high in the Cordillera mountain range giving the city an almost temperate climate.

Baguio is a favorite vacation destination of Filipinos & foreign tourist specially during summer because of its year-round cool climate. It is also known as an educational center with its 4 universities and several colleges and institutes in Baguio City’s 49 square kilometer area.

The centrepiece of Baguio City is the Burnham Park which features a rectangular lagoon and open fields. The eastern part of the city is dominated by high-class residential areas surrounding the Camp John Hay, a former American military recreation zone now turned into a tourist residential-commercial area.

Places of Interest:

Baguio City Cathedral is a majestic church built on top of a hill, and is seen from many parts of the city. On the right side of the cathedral is Session Road. It is the main avenue of the city and is its commercial center. Along the main street and side streets are numerous shops, restaurants, and billiard and duckpin bowling alleys. Session Road is also the place visited by foreign tourists who wish to enjoy the city's nightlife.

Mines View Park, located at the extreme northeast of Baguio City boasts a spectacular view of Benguet's gold and copper mines.

Camp John Hay, once a military recreational camp of the Americans during World War II is now a popular tourist destination for people who wish to see the pine forests in Baguio City. It also boasts of a sprawling country club with a full 18-hole golf course as well as many trendy restaurants and a rather nice hotel called The Manor.

Itogon Wood Carver's Village - fills three kilometers of independent indigenous wood carvers. The works of these carvers range from very small figurines to huge statues.

The Orchidarium is a showcase for the various breeds of flowers and plants that are grown in the region.

The Mansion House - the official summer residence of the President of the Philippines. One can leisurely stroll around its manicured lawns.

Baguio Botanical Garden - also known as the Igorot Village contains many Igorot houses amidst various flora and fauna that grows in the cool climate of the city. Tourists can usually take pictures with the Igorot tribesmen dressed in their traditional costume.

Mary Knoll Ecological Sanctuary is a haven for free minds and bodies. The Eco-tour refreshes the eyes with nature's feast of flowers. The gallery inspires one's creativity.

About 4 to 5 hours away from Manila is Puerto Galera. It is a string of beaches located on the northwest side Mindoro Island. Composed of Coco Beach, White Beach, Sabang Beach, Big & Small Lalaguna & Tamaraw Beach. Puerto Galera is a haven for Filipinos & Foreigners alike. The cost of getting there, the accommodation, food and drinks are relatively cheap compared to Boracay or Palawan. On a tight budget, a weekend retreat for two can cost as little as $100. And that includes transportation from Manila, a small cottage and food.

White Beach on is the longest and widest beach in Puerto Galera. It is a bit laid-back compared to Sabang but Sabang is smaller but livelier because it has more bars, shops, restaurants and discos. Sabang also boast of a floating bar in the middle of the bay where local and imported drinks are served. But both Sabang & White Beach have an active nightlife although one need not stay at one beach alone, try beach hopping when your there. You can transfer from Sabang to Small Lalaguna by foot. And in between the two beaches, there is a cozy bar on the cliff called "The Point" it has a nice view of the ocean and is open until 2 a.m. The other beaches at Puerto Galera can be reached by tricycle, jeep or pump boat. It is a common practice to rent a cottage at one resort and hop at different resorts and beaches during the day and at even at night.

You can do just about everything for your total holiday enjoyment at Puerto Galera. Day activities are usually swimming, boating, strolling, hiking, Scuba diving, snorkeling, island hopping, jet skiing, beach volleyball and of course sun bathing! One can also hire a guide to trek the mountain at the backdrop.

There is also the Ponderosa Golf Club is located up in the mountains - 600 meters above sea level, and the view is unforgettable. The beautiful view of Puerto Galera and the beaches is breathtaking.

Another interesting place to go while in Puerto Galera is the Tamaraw Falls. It is very easy to go to, just take a jeepney ride towards San Teodoro town and ask the jeep driver to drop you off at Tamaraw Falls. The falls is just meters from the road. And if you are the adventurous type, go jungle trekking through the mountains and see the Mangyan tribes people living in the jungle and you are lucky, you might get the rare chance to see the Tamaraw, a wild buffalo in the forest of Mindoro.

Manila is the capital of the Philippines, it is a vibrant metropolis. It is a hodgepodge of old and new buildings, Despite pockets of poverty, Manila is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world and its metropolitan area is the country's economic, cultural, educational, and industrial center. Manila host many prestigious universities and centers of learning including the University of Santo Tomas, Southeast Asia's oldest university.

Manila is almost synonymous to Metro Manila, which actually comprises 17 cities and municipalities with over 10 million residents. It is considered one of the mega-metropolis of the world. Centers of Business are the Binondo district, the Makati business district and Ortigas Center.
It can be overwhelming to first timers, especially to tourist who can’t wait to leave Manila’s chaotic traffic, heat and pedestrians. But spend a little time and discover the little secrets of the city and the friendliness of the people.

Shopping in Manila is a way of life. Almost everywhere you go are stores, shops, boutiques from the small corner store to the giant malls that you can find almost everywhere you go in Metro Manila.

The walled city of Intramuros is a must see for tourist. Within its walls are the centuries old Manila Cathedral and San Agustin Church & Museum. Also inside it’s walls is Fort Santiago, a Spanish fortress and garrison -now a park. Located at the mouth of Pasig River, Intramuros was built to defend Manila from invaders. Today, inside the walled city are houses from the Spanish times that have survived. Some have been converted into cozy restaurants, museums, dormitories and souvenir shops.

Malacañang Palace - The official residence of the president of Philippines. It also houses some government offices, the Malacañang Museum and the Presidential Museum. The palace is an 18th century villa along the Pasig river located in the center of Manila. It was purchased by the Spanish government in 1825 and has been renovated and expanded through the decades. Malacanang Palace was first used as the Spanish Governor-General's summer residence. In 1937 became the official residence of the Philippine President. Manuel L. Quezon was the first Filipino chief executive to live in Malacañang Palace.

At the center of Manila, every 9th of January is the Feast of the Black Nazarene. Central to the feast is the largest procession in the country. A life-size, image of Jesus Christ, venerated through the centuries (made of Blackwood) is paraded through the streets of Quiapo District beside China Town. The mammoth procession is a daylong event. It is an occasion much anticipated by devotees and some tourist. So if you are uneasy with large crowds, avoid the area on that date, the traffic within the Quiapo area and beyond comes to a halt. But to the religious or the daring, it is a sight to behold.

Manila's nightlife is vibrant. There are countless bars, restaurants, discos, Karaoke lounges, piano bars and cafés. For the bohemian, the Malate district would be an ideal place to hang out, for the more cosmopolitan and trendy, the Greenbelt and the Fort in Makati is the place to be or try Libis and Tomas Morato in Quezon City. There are also 3 casinos in Manila -if one is inclined to take a bet. The possibilities are endless, one just have to discover what Manila has to offer.

Places of Interest in Manila:
-China Town, Binondo
-Rizal Park
-The Walled City of Intramuros
-Fort Santiago
-Metropolitan Museum (Central Bank)
-Malacañang Palace Museum (open Mon-Fri 9am-3pm, Tel. # 733-3721)
-National Museum
-Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex (CCP)
-Manila Cathedral & San Agustin Church
-University of Santo Tomas Museum
-Casino Filipino (for those who enjoy the game of chance)
-San Sebastian Basilica - wholly made of steel, it’s was the second building to be
made out of steel, next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

Manila Night Life:
-Malate District
-Bay walk, Roxas Boulevard
-Green Belt, Makati
-Jupiter St., Makati
-Embassy bar, Pier One, Jaipur at The Fort, Taguig
-Libis, Quezon City
-Tomas Morato, Quezon City

About 400 kilometers from Manila is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Vigan. It is the capital city of Ilocos Sur located on the west coast of northern Luzon. One can see precious remnants of old Spanish architecture throughout the center of the city. Established in the 16th century, Vigan is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia with a unique European atmosphere. Several museums exist for the many national heroes that were born here. Vigan is the oldest surviving Spanish colonial city in the Philippines. The name Vigan was derived from "Biga", a giant taro plant that grows abundantly along the banks of the Mestizo River.
Places of Interest:

Old Vigan Colonial Houses – the ancestral houses were built mostly by rich Chinese traders. These great big houses are made of thick brick walls and plastering with red clay. Tile roofs are made to survive earthquakes. The Mestizo district where more than a hundred houses line side by side along Calle Crisologo.

St. Paul’s Cathedral - built in 1790-1800 by the Augustinians, this impressive Baroque cathedral has most of its interior walls well preserved. The 12 altars and 3 naives only enhances the church beauty and grandeur. The bell tower is octagonal and is located 10 meters south of the cathedral. It is a place not to be missed when visiting Vigan.

Palacio de Arzobispado – built in 1783, it is the official residence of the Archbishop of Nueva Segovia. The palace was the headquarters of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. Included in the palace is the Museo Nueva Segovia with a collection of paintings, manuscripts and religious articles accumulated through the centuries.




queen

TOKYO'S izakaya pubs are treasure troves of cheap eats and social conviviality, but take your phrase book with you.
The izakaya, or Japanese pub, where you drink and share inexpensive small dishes as your evening progresses, reminds me of how the image of Japanese dining has been distorted in the West. One widely held belief – no doubt encouraged by some outside Japan who stand to make a tidy profit from it – is that Japanese cuisine is uniformly finicky. It takes enormous effort to produce, can only be made from the absolute freshest ingredients, is steeped in rules and ritual, and should therefore be exorbitantly priced.
But this is not the sort of dining enjoyed on your average Tokyoite's typical night out. I know countless Japanese who have never set foot in a kaiseki haute cuisine restaurant or eaten so-called top-grade sushi at stratospheric prices. Many of my friends even scoff at such extravagance.
But I know almost no Japanese of drinking age who has not enjoyed an izakaya, and its convivial atmosphere and authentic food and drink. Izakaya menus span sashimi to deep-fried comfort foods, and include hotpots, salads and a huge range in between.
Order as the mood takes you, starting with just a few items. Adventurers may choose something from the list of chinmi (literally, "rare taste"): perhaps some of the pungent shiokara (salted squid or fish guts), that's intended to be nibbled in conjunction with sake or distilled grain shochu.
Other more substantial dishes include yaki onigiri (grilled rice balls), kara-age (crispy fried) tori (chicken) or sakana (fish), or kaisou (mixed seaweed) salad. In most cases prices are surprisingly low, enabling you to eat cheaply and diversely.
As the Western love affair with small-dish dining flourishes, more visitors to Japan are discovering that what's most interesting about izakaya is not the dazzling scope of the food and drink on offer but that these establishments are everywhere (to the point they are taken for granted by locals) yet remain little known to outsiders.
The easy self-confidence with which they serve up seasonal produce and what's fresh on the day, all with the stamp of the particular establishment you are visiting, conveys a reassuring ordinariness about one of the world's most enjoyable dining experiences.
Be aware that not all izakaya accept credit cards, and opening hours may differ from what you expect. If you speak or read little Japanese you will obviously be at some disadvantage (go, if you can, with someone who can get by in the language).
But even the average Japanese may hesitate on their first visit to an unknown izakaya, and it is remarkable how far a show of enthusiasm, sensitivity and respect will take you, even if your vocabulary extends only to a few basic phrases.
Should you wish to arm yourself with more knowledge of the dishes available, one of the thousands of chain izakaya such as Tengu, Tsubohachi, or Gonpachi are cheap and serve a useful purpose, offering in most cases a photographic menu. But with their franchise-store atmosphere and food that feels prefabricated even if it's not, adjust your expectations downward. Here are some izakaya in Tokyo worth exploring.
Mimasuya
On a nondescript side street in an old, commercial neighbourhood, Mimasuya, established in 1905, is supposedly Tokyo's longest continuously running izakaya. The claim illustrates the relative newness of the city's topography, with most truly old buildings having been destroyed, if not by the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, then by the US firebombings of 1945 or rampant redevelopment since.
Still, in Japan the aged get respect, and the way Mimasuya is loved by its fans shows how the izakaya experience is not all about food. Which is not to say the food here is below par; refined it isn't, but it meshes perfectly with the authentic, rowdy, and somewhat ramshackle surrounds. Try the fugu blowfish in beer batter or miso-ni (simmered fish in miso). A fair range of sake is available, including the fruity yet delicate Hakkasan, and Denshu.
Go there: 2-15-2 Tsukasa-cho, Kanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. Phone +81 3 3294 5433.
Shinsuke
This is working-class Tokyo at its most refined. Something about Shinsuke –it could be the beautiful wooden room, the care and simplicity expressed through the food, the reverential yet enthusiastic clientele, or all of these –conveys that elusive trait of contemporary authenticity. Arrive early for a seat at the counter downstairs. You won't go wrong with any fish dish, be it sashimi, ni-tsuke (simmered), shio-yaki (salt-grilled), or kara-age (deep-fried).
Salads such as mizuna with yurine lily bulb, or crab and lettuce with homemade mayonnaise are delicious, as are the deep-fried sardine (iwashi) "rocks" and the maguro nuta tuna, spring onions and other vegetables in a sweet miso-vinegar dressing. A cut above almost every other izakaya (but not especially cheap).
Go there: 3-31-5 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo. Phone +81 3 3832 0469.
Morimoto
The best yakitori (skewered, grilled chicken) is a synergy of top ingredients grilled over hardwood charcoal at the perfect temperature and Morimoto nails it. Rather incongruously set in the dizzying schoolkid playground of Shibuya (hardly known for its culinary depth), this establishment is not strictly an izakaya (yakitori being a genre unto itself) but the eating style and atmosphere are similar.
The tsukune minced chicken meatballs are some of the best you will find and I recommend the heart, liver, and the ume-shiso maki or breast rolled with pickled plum and shiso leaf. For something you'd never do with a supermarket chook, try the chicken sashimi. As with most small izakaya, Morimoto depends for its freshness and for covering its bills on a rapid turnover, so you will be discouraged from lingering. In winter, the store serves wild birds including pheasant, sparrow and duck. English menu available.
Go there: Hamanoue Building, Dogenzaka 2-7-4, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. Phone +81 3 3464 5233.
Horoyoi
If you were living in Tokyo, you'd no doubt land in a place like Horoyoi and make it your local. This is a basic neighbourhood pub that keeps late hours, boasts an extensive menu, and does everything just right. Some diners may feel it lacks glamour; I find a lot of charm in its honesty and unadorned simplicity. Friends of mine from Sydney still rave about it two years on, and regret they didn't spend more time there.
The lesson? When you find a place you like, go back. You'll be rewarded by an added depth of understanding, familiarity and affection.
Go there: Yama Building B1F, Ebisu-nishi 1-9-2, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. Phone +81 3 3770 6405.
Maru
At the top end of the izakaya genre, where the standard of food, decor and service start to cross over into that of the high-grade restaurant, Maru to me is still an izakaya for its menu of dishes made to share and its cheerful, relaxed atmosphere.
Located in the designer belt of Aoyama, it is often packed. Owner-chef Keiji Mori was trained in a kaiseki restaurant in Kyoto but the emphasis is less on fancy presentation than top-class ingredients and natural, un-messed-with flavours. The corn tempura is simple and stunning, as are the salads and the tofu with deep-fried jako baby sardines. The fish is always excellent and if you know anything about rice you'll be dazzled by the glistening, aromatic, donabe claypot version served here (order 40 minutes in advance). A good range of wines and sake, and English menu available.
Go there: Aoyama KT Building B1F, Jingumae 5-50-8, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. Phone +81 3 6418 5572.
Buchi
This is a contemporary take on the traditional standing bar, one of the precursors of today's izakaya. Seating is available downstairs but Buchi's main attraction is the bar counter, at which it is surprisingly easy to while away the hours despite the absence of anywhere to sit.
In keeping with its modern theme, the payment system is cash on delivery, and the menu ranges thrillingly from Japanese standards to jamon iberico (the char-grilled version should not be missed) and such unforced fusion delights as uni sea urchin sauteed with water cress. The all-female staff are cheerful, spunky and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere can verge on party-like. There is an English menu and full wine list.
Go there: 9-7 Shinsen-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo. Phone +81 3 5728 2085

WHEN we were just a twosome, my husband and I travelled on a whim, wandering Grecian ruins or forging Sulawesi jungles at a moment's notice.
But once kids arrived, it all seemed too hard, too risky and too expensive.
Eleven years after the last addition to the family, we decided we'd had enough staying at home. We cashed in our frequent flyer points and headed to a country that was safe for kids and relatively inexpensive: Japan.
At first we were concerned the land of the rising yen may sap our savings in a matter of hours. But thanks to a strong Aussie dollar and a lot of time spent Googling accommodation, the whole trip ended up quite reasonably priced.
The key is to pre-book transport and accommodation. We went for the low-cost, culture-rich experience of the traditional Japanese ryokan: all four of us shared the one sleeping space on tatami mats, with futon mattresses folded up and packed away during the day.
In most places we also got yakata pyjamas and special indoor socks to scoot about the polished floors.
We bought four Japan Rail (JR) passes - the only way you can acquire them is to buy them from an agent before you leave. While expensive (currently about $630 each for adults for two weeks; half price for children five to 11), they saved us money in the long run and gave us the freedom to go wherever we pleased.
The further you intend to travel, the better the value. Not only do the passes cover all the JR trains, they also cover most bullet-fast shinkansens, as well as the urban networks.
With boys aged 14 and 11, fun had to be high on the agenda - but we also wanted a cultural experience. So we ditched Tokyo Disney for the more magical Studio Ghibli, creative home of master animator Hayao Miyazaki (creator of Spirited Away, among other anime classics).
You need to book well in advance because numbers are strictly limited, but this means virtually no queuing, no cranky kids and a smiling, keen staff. It's more art museum than theme park, but the spirit of joyful imagination was infectious.
Breakfast was an adventure each morning as we came face-to-face with nato (the mucus-like beans that cling to your face), succulent fish, marinated poultry, mountain roots, wagyu beef cooked on miso-encrusted magnolia leaves, pickled vegetables, miso soup and green tea.
Our best-remembered dinner was at the Umenohana restaurant in Harajuku: a miraculous 12-course banquet of tofu cooked in a dozen different, delicious ways. Before we left Sydney, I doubt the boys would have eaten even one tofu dish.
The onsen culture of public bathing was more shock than adventure for the kids and, even taking into account the incredible land of Spa World, was something they want to remember, rather than repeat.
To experience the famously contrasting Japanese culture, we first took a big dose of the ultra-modern. Sometimes bewildering, always fascinating, Tokyo was the perfect initiation into international travel.
Every minute had the boys wondering, learning and being drawn into the amazing techno world where commuters are too polite to talk on their mobiles, so they watch TV on them, instead; where even the toilets have inbuilt computers and music systems; and where everything is so neat you see cleaners scurrying to pick up a single grain of rice off the street.
We spent plenty of time on the labyrinthine Tokyo rail system, hopping off to watch the pretty punks of Takeshita-dori wander past, the haute couture of Omotosando, and to take a leisurely cruise down the Sumida River.
Next we headed for the different experience of the mountains, staying in a very traditional ryokan in Hirayu Onsen, a thermal spa town deep in the Japanese alps.
The septuagenarian staff looked as if they'd never seen foreigners before - and maybe they hadn't. Certainly, the appearance of two blond boys had our personal attendant all agog; we dubbed her Super Granny for the way she talked incessantly, worked non-stop and kept rubbing the lads' hair.
It was an ideal base to head deeper into the oak- and elm-clad mountains.
The longest cable car in Japan took us from Shinhotaka, thousands of metres up through the clouds to a pristine forest, where we enjoyed an alpine bushwalk and a soak in a riverside onsen.
On to the south, following languid river valleys to the Muromachi period town of Takayama, famous for its twice-yearly festival where teams of men pulled brightly coloured floats through town. Each three-storey float, called a yati, features a large, dancing marionette which represents an ancient Shinto deity.
The show continues long into the night, when the 500-year-old yati are paraded across the bridges, bedecked in bright lanterns and buoyed by the songs of schoolchildren.
The boys loved it. But culture, like health food, should be offered in small doses.
When we reached Kyoto, they discovered it was home to more than 100 significant historic temples. Their joint spontaneous groan of "great" was heavy with sarcasm.
Stuff history, we decided, let's search out some fun. So we took a 20-minute shinkansen train ride to the amazing Spa World in Osaka: 16 themed onsen in opulent luxury, including such thrills as a spa where sharks swim underneath your bare backside (and a sheet of safety glass); and Dr Fish, where hundreds of the tiny creatures eat away the dead skin on your feet while you enjoy a cup of tea.
Best of all, on the roof of the complex is a giant water park complete with frighteningly fast waterslides, swirling funnels and exhilarating half-pipe rides.
Satisfied, the boys followed us as we shopped for ceramics and finely patterned cloth in the ancient Gion area of Kyoto.

THIS is a story about unrequited love, adventure and money on a beautiful tropical island.
It begins and ends in Waikiki, the iconic Hawaiian beach sitting under the dominant gaze of Diamond Head.
The key characters are a young woman called Itsy Bitsy (who doesn't wear a teeny, weeny, yellow polka-dot bikini) and an Australian family - strangers who met in an idyllic setting.
About 30 mintues drive from Waikiki is Sea Life park, Itsy's home.
Of course, she is a dolphin and swimming with her is an experience of which dreams are made.
She is beautiful, friendly and playful and doesn't mind giving a new friend a kiss.
That makes her impossible not to fall in love with immediately, though it would never be returned. She does a few shows a day and kisses everybody. The Jezebel.
But there is something very alluring about jumping into warm water and swimming with a dolphin - just like Sandy and Bud Rix in Flipper all those years ago.
Sea Life Park is an ocean-side entertainment venue with wonderful live exhibits of turtles and tropical fish, penguins and lots of amazing dolphins to be photographed beside.
Our trip there in a hire car was part of the adventure of Oahu. In a soft-top Jeep, the amazing volcanic landscape seemed arm's length away, firstly driving along the Kalanianaole Highway up the each coast and down the Kamehameha back to Waikiki.
Apart from spotting the mountains where Jurassic Park was shot, make sure to stop at the shrimp trucks on the side of the road.
For $12 a plate you get 12 big (farmed) prawns and a choice of sauces on a paper plate. Everybody stops and chats at the roadside and tucks in. Driving towards the famous north shore and Sunset Beach, Pipeline and Waimea Bay, it's a rustic stopover.
Longboard heaven
The other big adventure at Waikiki is the surfing.
It is nothing like you expect. Much more surfable than the rolling waves portrayed in movies, it is right up there with many Australian metropolitan beach surf spots - crowds and all.
You can hire a longboard for $10 an hour (get there before 8am) and paddle straight out from Duke Kahanamokou's statue to a little break that is well populated but, if you follow surf etiquette, is just as friendly as anywhere else.
The locals will not get aggro if you don't drop in. And there are plenty of waves, so you don't need to. Some of the larger locals will even say hello and tell you the surf and weather are: "O'no". Which means fantastic, beautiful, cool, sweet - all those superlatives.
The water is clean and warm. No currents or rips and even a turtle or two on the paddle out.
But sitting out the back is spectacular. The hotels lining the shore and Diamond Head standing guard, holding back the sunrise and onshore breeze as if to give surfers the best start to every day.
Get out the wallet
The money component of this story is a good one for Australians.
Our little Aussie dollar is battling with the big boys and humbling the greenback right now.
This makes shopping a delight. But one product is worth investigating before boarding the Jetstar flight to Honolulu.
Banks offer a cash passport. Forget travellers' cheques, credit cards or using your debit card in ATMs that charge extortionate fees for every transaction.
This is a card that can be arranged in Australia. Deposit whatever amount you wish on the card that will cover your expenses at the other end.
You pay 1.1 per cent of the total deposited but it is fixed at the exchange rate that day.
So, you don't have to worry about fluctuations or fees if you use an ATM of one of the affiliated US banks.
It's pretty easy. And with the dollar hovering well above US90c, it makes sense to lock it in without any extra costs.
Then go shopping.
At the Waikele outlet centre, about 45 mins drive from Waikiki, it is brand heaven.
Visitors get extra discount vouchers but the prices are good anyway. Like a Calvin Klein leather jacket reduced to $US225, with a 50 per cent discount voucher for a one-off item and you have a bargain.
Of course, in Waikiki there are T-shirts at 7 for $20 or a bit better product at 4 for $20. Great gifts.
And don't walk past an ABC store without going in. They are everywhere and sell everything from beer to Band-Aids.
Accommodation can be as expensive or as economical as you like.
Hotels on the beachfront can cost up to $600 a night. Back a few blocks, the price goes down dramatically. Or there are apartments for rent on a range of websites.
Prices vary by season and location but there is something to suit most budgets, if you look hard enough.