PhotoHunt: MONOCHROME

The twists and turns of the lives of The Beatles were succinctly captured in the The Beatles Story at the Albert Dock near the city center of the Fab Four's hometown of Liverpool, England. The exhibition featured details from their early days as struggling musicians, to their rise as global icons, to their eventual parting of ways and treading parallel but inextricably linked paths.

Amidst the cacophony of decades of memorabilia, the very last section of the exhibit stood out for me- a shrine of sorts for arguably the world's favorite Beatle, John Lennon: just a piano, a guitar, and images of John, stripped of all star power, enduring.

Liverpool, England, Decmber 2012, using a digicam.

--==+==--

Appreciate if you can spare a moment to vote for our social entrepreneurship project called CareersForHealth.ph where we aim to create an online portal that will help match health professionals with great career opportunities, including work in lower income communities in the Philippines. Pls vote for our team AIHO here: http://www.projectpagsulong.ph/top-10/careersforhealthph. Thank you for your time!

PhotoHunt: STEEL

In areas of the country where public utility vehicles are few and far between, passengers in a hurry to get home or have their produce brought to the market resort to "top loading" or riding on the roofs of vehicles, such as these men sitting atop this jeepney in the photo above. Some local government units have issued ordinances making top loading illegal due to obvious health and safety reasons but the practice still persists.

I've traveled via the method in one trip between two municipalities in Mountain Province north of Manila. I must say I understand why people opt for this unconventional seating arrangement: it was relatively less cramped on top, with a 360-degree view of the surrounding vistas, fresh air, cool breeze, plus an unwitting affirmation of one's masculinity as I have 'endured' the perils of top loading. And at the end of the day, it sure beats walking dozens of kilometers or waiting for hours for the next jeepney that will take me from Point A to Point B.

Have nerves of steel. Will travel.

Cagayan De Oro City, 2012, using a digicam.