I was excited to visit the Philippines. I love Southeast Asia, and I was curious to learn how years of foreign influence (particularly on the part of the U.S.) had meshed with local culture and traditions. What I found was a beautiful melting pot. The Philippines has so much Spanish and American influence, yet it maintains a unique character.

We used Manila as our base. The Fairmont Makati there was incredible. The service and attention to detail was amazing. Manila is not on anyone's lists of great Asian cities, and I understand why. There is a lot of smog, and traffic, and poverty. Then there are wealthy enclaves, like Makati...the contrast is a bit jarring. Still, I really enjoyed the food in Manila. I know it sounds crazy, but my favorite restaurant (the only one we visited twice) was a fried chicken joint at a mall. Bad Bird's umami fried chicken was perfectly fried and seasoned to hit every tastebud. So very good. I should note that the fried chicken is pretty good overall. Filipinos take their fried chicken very seriously.

Before hitting the islands, we left the city to go deep into the country's larger island, to the provinces of North Luzon. The region is most famous for the Banaue Rice Terraces. The terraces were carved into the mountains some 2,000 years ago by indigenous people. They are spectacular to see, but even more breathtaking to stand on. Walking the rice terraces was one of the most memorable travel experiences I've had (particularly because my baby was strapped to me). It's not the easiest trek, but there's a great reward at the end...natural hot springs. 

The entire North Luzon region is very rural. There are very few hotels, mostly "homestays" with a few rooms and meals cooked by the family who owns the property. While I generally prefer more creature comforts, it was interesting to interact with rural Filipinos and learn about their lives. After seeing the Rice Terraces, we headed to Sagada, to see the main attraction there...hanging coffins. The coffins are literally hung from cliffs, on the side of a mountain. 

After a little R and R in Manila, we headed to Boracay. The Coast Hotel absolutely made our Boracay  trip. It's a cute, boutiquey little resort on the beach. We had everything we need...great beach chairs, the perfect-sized pool, yummy food and drinks, and some of the best sunsets I've ever witnessed. 

We went on to Cebu, where we stayed in Mactan. I wasn't blown away by anything there, except one restaurant. Bucket Shrimps in Lapu Lapu had delicious spicy shrimp and pork belly. 

I was much more enthusiastic about our next stop, Bohol. We split our time between the Bohol Bee Farm and a beachfront hotel, but I really preferred the Bee Farm. It's beautiful but unassuming, and the owner is committed to the natural, organic lifestyle. The food was phenomenal. The fresh juices were all really good. I kept ordering the delicious stir fried vegetables with shrimp. The Bee Farm is know for their ice cream, and it didn't disappoint. Avocado and salted honey were my favorite, especially in the house made cassava cone. There is also an in-house actual bee farm, and the wild honey is fantastic.

Overall, I really enjoyed our time in the Philippines. I didn't make it to Palawan this time, so I think another trip is in the cards.

I've been dreaming of visiting Mendoza since I had my first Malbec, probably 15 years ago. The timing just never worked out on previous trips to Argentina (although I always returned with more bottles than I should have). For my birthday, Brandon made arrangements for us to visit.

To be totally candid, it wasn't what I'd expected. Mendoza is a real city, and there are vineyards literally off the interstate. It's not picturesque, like a lot of the other wineries I've visited around the world. However Mendoza grew on me. It has some charms, especially if you leave the central area and explore some of the ancillary wine regions. Lujan de Cuyo is beautiful (Archaval-Ferrer has some great wines). I also enjoyed Bodega Bressia, and we had a fantastic lunch at Bodega Lagarde. The standout there (other than the wine, which they kept pouring) was the tomato done three ways, including a tomato basil ice cream. As I've come to expect in Argentina, the steak was also flavorful and perfectly cooked. 

We discovered Don Mario, a local restaurant with some of the best steak and wine pairings in the area. The culinary highlight of our Mendoza trip was my birthday dinner the last night, at legendary 1884 Francis Mallman. Mailman believes in cooking outdoors over an open flame, and I am now a believer. We had the best octopus I've ever had. The gazpacho, steak, and gnocchi were all incredible. I would go back to Mendoza just to eat there again.

Overall, I don't feel the same passion for Mendoza that I feel for Napa Valley, Bordeaux, or even South Africa's wine region. Still, I love drinking a good malbec, so I will most likely return.

There are a lot of places that have been described as the most beautiful in the world. After finally visiting Bariloche, in the Patagonia region of Argentina, I'm sure there is only one real contender. Imagine the most beautiful place you've seen. Bariloche is ten times more beautiful, I promise you. I've been fortunate enough to visit over 50 countries, and I've seen some mind-boggling, gorgeous places. In my mind, nothing compares to Bariloche. I still can't believe it took five visits to Argentina to finally make it there!

The best thing to do in the area is simply take in the staggering view. I suggest doing this at the Patagonia Beer Company. You can sit outside and sip great beer, with some of the most amazing views around.

Like in the rest of Argentina, the food in Bariloche is phenomenal. El Boliche de Alberto had some of the best steaks. However, they are really famous for their chocolate. The chocolates and hot chocolate at world famous Rapa Nui were addictive. I had to get the hot chocolate a second time before flying out.

I can say with confidence that I will never again skip Bariloche. It is heaven on earth, with chocolate to match.