Russ McCutcheon

More top down fun, The MINI Roadster from BMW

There was a time when you had a hard time finding a convertible in any new car showroom. Fortunately, today there are a wide range of soft top choices and the new MINI Roadster has to be added to that list of choices. The MINI Roadster is the sixth model in the British carmakers line-up and the first soft top, two seater in the brands history.

The MINI Roadster will be available with a choice of four gas and diesel engines. The model line-up ranges from the MINI Cooper Roadster with 122 hp, the MINI Cooper SD Roadster with 143 hp, the MINI Cooper S Roadster with 184 hp and last but certainly not least the 155 kW/211 hp MINI John Cooper Works Roadster.

Putting the power to the road and keeping the it there is the MINIs front-wheel drive, Electric Power Steering with speed-sensitive power assistance, DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) and Dynamic Traction Control (DTC) with Electronic Differential Lock Control (EDLC) which is standard on the MINI John Cooper Works Roadster, optional on all other models.

A torsionally rigid body (complete with special strengthening elements) and low centre of gravity enhance both the handling agility and safety of the MINI Roadster. There are also front and head-thorax airbags, an extremely rigid windscreen frame and polished stainless steel roll-over bars fixed to the body for safety. The aerodynamic balance of the MINI Roadster is optimized by an active rear spoiler, which extends automatically once the car reaches a speed of 50 mph.

The MINI Roadster comes with air conditioning (MINI Cooper S Roadster, MINI Cooper SD Roadster, MINI John Cooper Works Roadster), electrically adjustable exterior mirrors, Park Distance Control, height-adjustable seats and an audio system with MP3-compatible CD player and AUX IN connection.

There is a list of options such as xenon Adaptive Headlights, black headlight housing, Comfort Access and the Always Open Timer. And the MINI Roadster also offers in-car use of innovative MINI Connected infotainment and communications functions.

No word on pricing or availability.

MINI John Cooper Works Roadster: Four-cylinder petrol engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo technology and numerous technological details carried over directly from motor sport.
Displacement: 1,598 cc,
output: 155 kW/211 hp at 6,000 rpm,
max. torque: 260 Nm/192 lb-ft at 1,850 – 5,600 rpm
(280 Nm/207 lb-ft with Overboost at 2,000 – 5,100 rpm).
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (62 mph): 6.5 seconds,
top speed: 237 km/h (147 mph).
Average fuel consumption according to EU:
7.3 liters/100 kilometers (38.7 mpg imp),
CO2 emissions: 169 g/km.

MINI Cooper S Roadster: Four-cylinder petrol engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo technology.
Displacement: 1,598 cc,
output: 135 kW/184 hp at 5,500 rpm,
max. torque: 240 Nm/177 lb-ft at 1,600 – 5,000 rpm
(260 Nm/192 lb-ft with Overboost at 1,730 – 4,500 rpm).
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (62 mph): 7.0 seconds,
top speed: 227 km/h (141 mph).
Average fuel consumption according to EU: 6.0 liters/100 kilometers
(47.1 mpg imp),
CO2 emissions: 139 g/km.

MINI Cooper Roadster: Four-cylinder petrol engine with fully variable valve management based on the BMW Groups VALVETRONIC technology.
Displacement: 1,598 cc,
output: 90 kW/122 hp at 6,000 rpm,
max. torque: 160 Nm/118 lb-ft at 4,250 rpm.
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (62 mph): 9.2 seconds,
top speed: 199 km/h (124 mph).
Average fuel consumption according to EU: 5.7 liters/100 kilometers
(49.6 mpg imp),
CO2 emissions: 133 g/km.

MINI Cooper SD Roadster: Four-cylinder turbodiesel with
MINI TwinPower Turbo technology.
Displacement: 1,995 cc,
output: 105 kW/143 hp at 4,000 rpm,
max. torque: 305 Nm/225 lb-ft at 1,750 – 2,700 rpm.
Acceleration 0-100 km/h (62 mph): 8.1 seconds,
top speed: 212 km/h (132 mph).
Average fuel consumption according to EU: 4.5 liters/100 kilometers
(62.8 mpg imp),
CO2 emissions: 118 g/km.

Exterior dimensions:
Length: 3,734 millimeters (MINI Cooper Roadster: 3,728 millimeters,
MINI John Cooper Works Roadster: 3,758 millimeters)
Width: 1,683 millimeters
Height: 1,390 millimeters (MINI Cooper Roadster: 1,384 millimeters,
MINI John Cooper Works Roadster: 1,391 millimeters)
Wheelbase: 2,467 millimeters

01/28/12

The Saint Louis Zoo will give children something to smile about Sundays in January and February during Delta Dental Winter Zoo, from fun plays about keeping smiles healthy to games, activities and parades.

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“It’s always fun to come to the Saint Louis Zoo, but a lot of people don’t think about coming to the zoo in the wintertime,” said Ginny Westmoreland, the zoo’s director of marketing. “But it’s a great time to come out to the zoo, and we’ve developed this series of events leading up to Mardi Gras.”

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Every Sunday through Feb. 19, the Delta Dental Stage Show will be presented in The Living World’s Anheuser-Busch Theater. The show, offered at 11:30 am and 3 pm, features the Tooth Wizard and his chums Panda and Jumpin’ Jacamo and their nemesis Plaque Man teaching kids the importance of good oral hygiene.

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The entertaining characters will also teach children about the benefits of a healthy diet and consistent exercise. Each child attending the show will receive a free goody bag with dental health supplies.

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“They change it up each year, so it will be new for us, too,” Westmoreland said of the stage show.

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The zoo in winter continues to be one of the areas unexpected attractions.

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“We’re one of the most visited zoos in the country–we have close to 3 million visitors every single year, Michael Macek, the zoo’s curator of birds, told Patch in a 2011 story. “You can imagine most of them are between Memorial Day and Labor Day, so I always tell my friends to come during the ‘off season.’ Sometimes you get a sunny day, you’ve got cabin fever, you want to go someplace for a walk and enjoy a little bit of the sun if you’re bundled up, and the zoo is a great place to go.”

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For people who enjoy a quieter, more personal experience and don’t mind braving the weather, winter is a great time to visit–particularly during special events.

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“For those days that are less than 32 degrees, we probably get several hundred people who come to these events,” Westmoreland said. “For those Sunday afternoons during the Winter Zoo when the temperature is more like 50 or 60, we get thousands of people who come.”

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Radio Disney will also be on hand with a show at 12:30 pm during Winter Zoo Sundays, offering music, games and prizes.

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“We’ll have songs and dances with the kids, a hula hoop contest, and they play their Disney music,” Westmoreland said. “There are a lot of interactive experiences for the kids.”

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Winter Zoo culminates with a Mardi Gras celebration Feb. 19. The celebration will include mask-making using beads and feathers, live music and a parade at 3 pm in which zoo visitors can watch from the sidelines or decorate wagons and strollers, wear a mask and participate in it.

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“It’s a warm, friendly Mardi Gras, and it’s got an animal twist, so it’s really a fun thing to do,” she said.

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Through Feb. 26, the zoo’s penguins hold their own parade at 2 pm every Sunday when the air temperature is below 50?F. On those days, the penguins are allowed to waddle in front of the outdoor bear enclosures, taking a path that leads back to their home at Penguin and Puffin Coast.

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“So it’s really a way to bring folks out when it’s cold,” Westmoreland said.

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This is the fifth year the penguins have been allowed to stroll the grounds.

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“A lot of zoos do this, but it’s also one of the ways we show how much we care for animals, in that it gives them an opportunity to do something different and explore a new environment,” Westmoreland said. “It’s good for the penguins, it’s good for our visitors, and you never know what you’ll experience as this happens. So it’s a surprise each time.”

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While the penguins don’t get to wander all over the zoo’s 83-acre grounds, visitors can. Animals are surprisingly active at this time of year, because the cold is sometimes easier on them than a typical blistering St. Louis summer. Plus, visitors are never too far away from a nice, climate-controlled indoor environment such as the Bird House and Garden, the Charles H. Hoessle Herpetarium, the Monsanto Insectarium or the Primate House.

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“The Bird House is warm and has a tropical (environment). It’s one of my favorite places to escape,” Westmoreland said.

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Likewise for the Insectarium, which features a walk-through butterfly garden.

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“That’s really just an escape into the tropics in the middle of a cold day,” she said.

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All the zoo’s indoor exhibits offer the same “get away from winter” appeal.

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“Those are just transformative places to be,” Westmoreland said.

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The Saint Louis Zoo is open 9 am to 5 pm daily. Admission is free, but some areas such as the children’s zoo do have admission fees. The zoo is located at Highway 40 and Hampton Avenue. For directions and admission fees where applicable, see the zoo’s website.

Go! Fight! Win! … Eat healthy?

Although that mantra isnt usually present at whats also known as the Nachos and Beer Day (Super Bowl!), as a registered dietician that helps you with all areas of your life, Im coming to the rescue. The whole point is to live your life and not your diet. But back to football.

You want to be celebrating out with friends or having friends over to your house. Whether youre in a potluck scenario or just going to a bar to watch the game (or watching Real Housewives — I wont judge!) I wanted to offer five great recipes — three snacks, one dessert and one cocktail — that are sure to please both your guests and your waistline.

Snacks

You know how delicious the spread can be when it comes to watching games with your buddies or other couples — try calorie-laden nachos, burgers, pigs in a blanket, what have you. Im not forbidding you from having any of it, because we know that certainly is only going to backfire and make you binge (or enter the Plunge as I call it in my book). Bring these to your friends party or make it and be the hostess with the mostest:

Cucumber Feta Dip (From Chobani)

o 2 C (16oz) Plain 0% Chobani Greek Yogurt

o 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, finely chopped, and squeezed dry in a kitchen towel

o 1 C (8oz) crumbled feta

o 2 garlic cloves, minced

o 1 tsp dried oregano

o 2 Tbsp minced onion

o 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together in bowl. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or so overnight before serving. Served with carrots, celery, broccoli, any raw veggie.

Only 22 calories/tablespoon and has 2 grams of protein!

Spicy Popcorn

So simple — A sprinkle of cayenne peppers and a dash of hot sauce (drizzled on top right before serving).

Tomato Basil Skewers

o 16 small fresh skim mozzarella balls

o 16 fresh basil leaves

o 16 cherry tomatoes

o Extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle

o Coarse salt fresh group pepper to taste

o Thread mozzarella, basil and tomatoes on small skewers. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Less than 50 calories/skewer!

Dessert

You cant forget dessert. I think it might be my favorite part of any dinner party. But its important to load up on healthy foods before you go nuts (well, go brownies) over the dessert table. Here is a great brownie recipe:

Ice cream: Adonia by Ciao Bello — Greek frozen vanilla yogurt (130 cals plus 9 grams of protein!)

Brownies With No Oil or Butter:

o1 cup sugar

o3/4 cup flour

o1/2 cup cocoa

o2 egg whites (this is for cake like brownies and is optional)

o2 teaspoons cornstarch

o1/4 teaspoon baking soda

o1/4 teaspoon salt

o2/3 cup 0% yogurt (Chobani or Fage)

ononstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix dry ingredients. Add yogurt and egg whites. Spread batter in 8×8 pan (sprayed) Bake 30 min for 16 squares at <100 cals each!

Drink

We know a lot of sporting events can be about the drinking. Im telling you to be responsible, but also to let loose once in a while! This margarita recipe is sure to please and wont ruin your healthy eating.

Margarita:

o1 oz- Premium Tequila

o 4 oz Honest Tea Organic Limeade (made with a lot less sugar than other mixers!)

o.5 oz Cointreau

oTop with a splash of club soda

oGarnish with lime

Check out my site, Nu-train.
Order my book, Bread is the Devil, on Amazon!

For more by Heather Bauer, RD, CDN, click here

For more on diet and nutrition, click here.

The grill is started, the drinks are cold and the chips yearn to be dipped in salsa. Super Bowl Sunday is here and the unofficial national holiday will be a time for friends, fun, and tension if you are a Patriots or Giants fan. While you are entertaining or simply enjoying the scene, here are some fun facts you can share today.

The Vince Lombardi Trophy is seen during a news conference for NFL footballs Super Bowl XLVI Friday, Feb. 3, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)AP2012

Before settling into your favorite recliner or couch for Sunday’s big game, here’s a quick collection of information to help you enjoy America’s most watched sports event:

1 – Kickoff on NBC is at 6:30 pm, ET.

2 – Tickets were still being sold on the NFL’s website this week for between $2,609 and $15,343.

3 – This game is the sixth rematch of previous Super Bowl opponents. The other rematches paired the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers (twice), the Cowboys and Buffalo Bills (in the only back-to-back rematch), the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins, and San Francisco 49ers and Cincinnati Bengals.

4 – Both the Giants and the Patriots are seeking to win their fourth Super Bowls. Pittsburgh owns the record with six SB titles.

5 – The 30-minute Super Bowl halftime is twice as long as that for other games due to the logistics of a musical extravaganza, which this year stars Madonna.

6 – The two Super Bowl coaches, New York’s Tom Coughlin and New England’s Bill Belichick, were assistants to Bill Parcells when the Giants won Super Bowls XXI and XXV.

7 – If New England wins, Belichick will join Pittsburgh’s Chuck Noll as the only coach to lead four Super Bowl winners. If New York wins, Coughlin, at 65, will become the game’s oldest winning coach.

8 – The “MHK” on the Patriot jerseys is in honor of Myra H. Kraft, the wife of team owner Bob Kraft. Mrs. Kraft passed away in July.

9 – Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuku is returning to Indianapolis, his hometown, where he starred in high school. The Boston College grad is the grandson of the first elected prime minister of Uganda, Benedictor Kiwanuka, who was assassinated by Idi Amin’s henchmen in 1972.

10 – New England’s Tom Brady was this season’s third-rated NFL quarterback based on a statistical formula. He finished behind Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. New York’s Eli Manning was seventh-rated.

Super Bowl Fun in Brookfield: Bars, Recipes, Food

The Pack isnt in the Super Bowl but you can still have fun and give Brookfield businesses some love on the big day.

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Catholic schools around the Alle-Kiski Valley are ready to celebrate their mission.

Catholic Schools Week begins Sunday with the theme Catholic School — Faith, Academics, Service.

Catholic Schools Week, which began in 1974, is a celebration of everything a Catholic education represents. This years theme fits perfectly, according to Patrice Majeran, principal at Cardinal Maida Academy in Vandergrift.

(It) gives us a chance to say: Were not just here because of our faith, but our faith plays a large part in everything we do, she said.

Traditionally Catholic Schools Week is filled with fun activities for students, and this year will be no different.

The students get pretty excited, said Bill Heasley, principal at Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament School in Harrison. The field trips are really special for them. The older kids are going to Seven Springs, the middle age-group of kids are going to Funfest in Harmar, and the youngest kids are going bowling.

We try to mix in the fun with the faith.

Cathy Collett, principal at Mary Queen of Apostles in New Kensington, said as well as having fun activities — students in grades 6-8 will be treated to a live animal presentation by the Pittsburgh Zoo — MQA has focused its Catholic Schools Week planning around this years theme.

This year we added a few more things that have to do with service, she said. We have three new projects that will run through Lent.

The projects are Souper Bowl — a food collection for parish food banks, Change a Life — where students will donate their extra change that supports preschool nutrition in Haiti, and Give a Little Hope — students will donate toiletries to the Hope Center for abuse victims.

Most schools, including St. John Baptist School in Plum and St. Irenaeus School in Oakmont, will kick off the observance with an opening Mass and open house.

The Mass and open house give people a chance to come in and see what were doing here, Majeran said. We can show them all the benefits of a Catholic education.

Heasley said the opening Mass gives his students a chance to showcase the school.

The kids get to do all the readings and bring down the gifts at the Mass, he said. Its the 11 oclock Mass, so the whole parish is there.

Majeran said that above all, Catholic Schools Week is about the students.

The kids get really excited, she said. We give them the heads up of whats going on before hand. It gets them geared up.

A weeklong celebratioN

Starting Sunday, Catholic schools across the United States will participate in a week-long celebration of service and academic success with activities for students and their families.

Heres a look at some of the events happening in Catholic schools across the Alle-Kiski Valley, this week:

Mary Queen of Apostles, New Kensington:

? Sunday: Open House, 11:30 am to 2 pm

? Monday: Catholic Schools Week and Beyond, beginning of three service projects

? Tuesday: Forensic classroom assembly

? Wednesday: Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera assembly for grades 4-8

? Thursday: 100th Day of School celebration

? Friday: Pittsburgh Zoo assembly (with live animals) grades 6-8, early dismissal (11:30 am)

Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament, Harrison:

? Sunday: Mass at 11 am

? Monday: Field trips for all grades

? Tuesday: Assorted classroom activities

? Wednesday: Wacky Hair Day

? Thursday: Character education assembly and early dismissal (11:45 am)

? Friday: Closing Mass, 9:30 am; early dismissal (11:45 am)

St. Irenaeus School, Oakmont:

? Sunday: Mass at 11 am and start of book fair

? Monday: Educational games

? Wednesday: Mystery Day

? Saturday: Flea market

St. John the Baptist, Plum:

? Sunday: Mass at 11 am followed by an open house and start of book fair

? Monday: Crafts for community workers and Moving Molecules mobile lab

? Tuesday: All-school Mass and a presentation by a storytelling cartoonist

? Wednesday: Parent/teacher conferences and electronics day; book fair ends

? Thursday: Parent/teacher conferences and electronics day

? Friday: Eucharistic adoration

Cardinal Maida Academy, Vandergrift:

? Monday: Students will make blankets for hospital neonatal intensive care unit patients

? Tuesday: 100th Day of School celebration

? Wednesday: Childrens Liturgy, pajama party, and older students read to younger students

? Thursday: Religion Quiz Bowl

? Friday: Scavenger hunt

This might have been another largely episodic installment of Fringe, but this week I couldn’t take my eyes off the television. The collision of the two worlds, the two “casts,” kept me riveted for the entire hour. Though I’m still anxious to learn more about Olivia’s past and Nina’a treachery, if they made a hundred more episodes like this one I would watch them all without complaint.

Also, after nearly four years, we finally get a story that revolves around Astrid!

The night begins with Other Astrid (Jasika Nicole) crossing to our side for an unknown reason. Alternate Broyles (Lance Reddick) briefs Alternate Lincoln (Seth Gabel) and Bolivia (Anna Torv), and Bolivia says that Astrid has had a rough week, and she’ll go retrieve her.

Other Astrid heads straight for Walter’s lab, and when she corrects him after he calls her yet another random name, he quickly realizes shes different. Olivia walks in next, followed by Astrid, who shrieks at the sight of her double. Olivia, showing a rare moment of humor, says “I always wondered why no one does that.”

Actually, this entire episode sparkled with wit and humor, a facet weve been missing of late, but that is a welcome reprieve that allows us to breathe a little easier, even in the face of tragedy.

Other Astrid is a little different, with a disorder that surely falls somewhere on the autism spectrum, though it’s never been defined for the audience. Her father has just passed away, and she’s reeling a little from the shock and from the regret of perhaps not loving him as well as she could have. She seems to want to know about Astrid’s father, but before they can decide exactly how to handle this unexpected visit, two things happen: Bolivia shows up, and they get a case.

It’s easy to forget sometimes how different the Olivia’s are, or how brilliant an actress Anna Torv is, but seeing them side-by-side reinforces both of those facts. Bolivia is fun, she likes to tease, and she pretty much always says exactly what’s on her mind. She also doesn’t let it bother her when Walter calls her names like “viper” or pretends not to like her. It’s really amazing, to watch them both in close proximity.

The case follows a man, who after receiving news he has cancer, sits at a bus stop. Although the doctor assured the man he has a 95% chance at survival, a second man arrives at the bus stop and informs the patient he is in the 5%, and will not survive.  When the bus rolls past, the second, prophetic man is gone and the victim is dead, blood running down his cheeks like tears.

Peter (Joshua Jackson) still irks Walter (John Noble) with the way he takes over an investigation and spouts answers Walter is used to providing alone, and even though he’s agreed to help, Walter’s not exactly being nice to his son. Other Astrid notices the tension between them, and in her way of asking questions normal people would avoid, gets Walter to admit he’s rude to Peter because having him around reminds him of everything he’s lost. Other Astrid suggests perhaps he should choose to believe instead that his Peter is his son, which will make him happy to have him around. I’m not sure if this is going to work, but at least Walter appears to consider the option.

Bolivia also makes a Peter comment, this time to Olivia, as the two of them sit across from one another searching for clues. Their body language alone is enough to tell them apart. Bolivia watches Peter for a moment, then makes a comment about how handsome he is, causing Olivia to look and really see him for the first time.

The prophetic guy is being pursued by the Observers as well as our team, and the strange men also realize for the first time that our favorite Observer (Michael Cerveris), did not take the last step necessary to complete erase Peter.

It appears our perpetrator can see the way the Observers can – past, present, and future in the same time – and chooses victims by his ability to release them before the suffering they’re going to endure or cause takes place. What’s even more strange is that he somehow acquired this ability at his lake house – which sits on the same lake where Peter drowned (or was saved, depending on the timeline) and where he reappeared earlier this season.

They learn the identity of the killer (angel of mercy?) through some expert sleuthing by Other Astrid, and catch him at his mother’s house, where we learn he believes God gave him this power in order to prove his worth to the world.

He’s ready to die, or he’s already foreseen his own death, which occurs when Olivia shoots him. At the end of the day, she tells Peter he makes a pretty good partner. I wonder if this is going to be the beginning of something between them. Lincoln Lee (both of them) was conspicuously missing from this episode, and nothing has happened to make us believe the potential romance between him and Olivia will ever reach any kind of fruition.

I’ve always suspected that this IS Peter’s timeline, that there is no where to return to, and that it’s more a matter of figuring out how to make these people remember him than finding the ones who already do. Believe me, I could still be wrong, because there are moments on just this episode that confused me.

For instance – since there was no Peter to save, why did the Olivia’s switch places at all in this timeline? They obviously did, and in the same context where Walternate held Olivia on their side while Bolivia lived undercover on ours…but why?

There are still so many things we don’t know.

What I do know is that I hope we continue to see crossover between the worlds. The interactions between Bolivia and Walter were adorable and fun, and I like the way they see things differently and thus force our characters to look at their own lives through slightly different eyes.

What do you think? Would you rather see more episodes that proffer information about the larger questions of the series, or are you enjoying these standalone stories with a clue or two sprinkled in?

What are the Observers going to do now that they know our Observer (oh yeah, who has a name now – September) didn’t do as he was told? Is he still  alive?

I’d love to discuss it – leave your thoughts in the comments!

Season 4, Episode 11 “Making Angels” (originally aired February 3, 2012)

Fringe airs Friday nights at 9/8c on Fox

Images courtesy of Liane Hentcher and Fox

My trip to Boracay was a gift from my visiting nieces who coaxed me to join them island-hopping–not my idea of fun–on a motorized boat for hire on the beach. The waves were unpredictable, sometimes calm, but sometimes high and angry. Our only life-saving gears were the safety vests which served as jackets against splashing waves.

The two boatmen and their pilot were topless natives who I presumed must be expert swimmers, but whether they were trained in saving drowning people is another story. The men did not carry any cell phones for emergency or SOS calls. To our surprise, our boat could not dock at Crystal Cove because there was no available slot. Meaning: there was no coordination between the Crystal Cove authorities and tourist boat operators; and should any boat capsize, only God’s hand could pluck us from going down the sea. Thank God, we made it to Crystal Cove, but no thanks to the boat operators and island authorities. Sight-seeing on a motorized boat is no fun in Boracay.

Suggestion: If we want more visitors to Boracay and other islands, tourism authorities should assign patrol boats to guide and assist tourist boats whether in distress or not. There ought to be a regular maritime weather advisory for the information of the boat-riding public.

How are the waves? “Kung minsan ho OK, kung minsan po mataas,” goes the answer of a local resident. My first-hand experience told me that no communication whatsoever exists between the authorities on the islands to be visited and the boat operators. Boating and docking depend mainly on the natives’ skill and experience.

A capsizing boat in the middle of the deep blue sea is not fun. It seems to me that technology has not visited Boracay’s interisland sight-seeing industry. Besides, these tourist boats that are docked on the mainland need a make-over and look like they need close regular maintenance.

Finally, the Kalibo airport is a pity with only one narrow landing strip.

No wonder planes that can easily take off from Manila can hardly touch down in Kalibo due to the traffic congestion. The result: two hours of delay in one’s hectic vacation. No fun at all.

–POMPEYO S. PEDROCHE, pspedroche@gmail.com