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VISITA IGLESIA 2025: Almudena Cathedral - Madrid, Spain

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Traveling keeps me away from my daily gardening routine. Somehow, this makes me feel anxious wondering if my plants will remain vibrant and healthy until I come back. Yet when I look at the brighter side of things, the thought of seeing and experiencing new places I have never been to, mixing with people of different cultures, relieving stress through physical and emotional relaxation and gaining a new level of spiritual renewal undeniably excites me. As the Holy Week is fast approaching, I took the opportunity to visit notable churches for thanksgiving and meditation during our recent trip to Madrid and the northern parts of Spain. CATEDRAL DE SANTA MARIA LA REAL DE ALMUDENA (Cathedral of St. Mary Royal of Almudena) More commonly known as Almudena Cathedral, its construction started in 1883 under the reign of King Alfonso XII. It was completed a century later when it was consecrated by Pope Pius in 1993 - the first to be consecrated by a Pope outside of Rome. T...
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SILVER SATIN POTHOS: From One Leaf to an Arch of Leaves

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Looking for an ornamental vine that needs only minimal care and still grows beautifully almost by itself? Choose the Silver Satin pothos. The Silver Satin pothos, also known as Satin pothos or Silver pothos belongs to the same family as N'Joy pothos, Jade pothos and Golden pothos (more commonly known as Water Plant). With generous watering once a week and application of organic fertilizer every two months, it can grow palm-size leaves in an outdoor area with bright, indirect sunlight. The good thing about it is that the more you cut the stems, the more they grow branches and leaves. HOW TO GROW ONE LEAF TO MANY My first pot of Satin Silver pothos was just a leaf when I bought it a year after the Covid Delta epidemic has subsided. This leaf took six months to grow into a stem of six leaves. Like other pothos varieties, roots grow on the stems beside the node and turn brown as the plant matures. This signals that you can cut the rooted leaf right after the node an...
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Location: Metro Manila, Philippines
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CALLIANDRA (RED POWDER PUFF): Seasons of Growth & Rebirth

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The Calliandra reminds me of Christmas season in New Zealand when the flowers of Pohutukawa trees, also known as New Zealand's Christmas tree, are in full bloom.  My daily uphill walk to work was such a breeze seeing these flowers along the way, with my enthusiasm dampened only by the thought of returning home due to the worldwide recession.   That was the time when companies closed for the holiday season and some never reopened. Many migrants lost work opportunities in favor of returning Kiwis who likewise lost their jobs elsewhere.  Hopping into a bus where at times you can be the lone passenger was a soothing way to beat the doldrums, when you could see these flowering trees blooming and adorning the roads around the city. The Pohutukawa trees hold a prominent place in Maori mythology and are considered sacred.  Credits to: AKL Botanic Gardens CALLIANDRA AND POHUTUKAWA The name Calliandra is a Latin word which means " beautiful stamens ." Its nume...
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THE PRIVATE GARDENS OF CORDOBA: An Alternative Tourism Option

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If you have a beautiful garden hidden inside your home, will you open it for the public to see?   Many homes in Spain especially the old ones are designed to have a patio or courtyard garden. A courtyard or patio is an open space of Roman architecture influence. It is usually located in the center of the house to allow light and air into the other rooms.  Being the "core" of the house, it serves as an area for family entertainment and relaxation where you can enjoy nature and soak up in the sun. In the olden times, a patio or courtyard was normally surrounded by high walls to ensure privacy.  It could only be accessed from inside the main house.  When the Moslems came, they modified this design by creating an entrance from the street leading to the inner courtyard. During the period of tolerance when the Moslems, Jews and Christians co-existed as a community, the patios and courtyards were built with an atmosphere of openness signa...
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BLUE SIARGAO is Aiming Green

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Surfing is the only interesting thing about Siargao, or so I thought. With my one-and-a-half-year-old Viennese grandson in tow, we flew to Butuan City to visit some amazing tourist spots in Surigao del Sur. From Butuan, we took a ferry to Siargao Island and then a short van ride to Siargao Island Villas, our home for four fun-filled days.  COASTAL GARDENING Located along the main road but a bit farther away from the vibrant shopping area, the Siargao Island Villas is a sanctuary of beautifully landscaped, colorful tropical plants that thrive healthily even with sea water just a few feet away.   The gardener informed me that rain showers come at least once a week and the sandy soil is not mixed with any other soil nor fed with fertilizers. I had some doubts, but this brought back memories of my childhood years in Lubang Island where my mother grew beautiful, healthy plants in her garden despite scanty water supply, sandy soil and the salty ai...
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