a lonely planet it is not

PhotoHunt: GATHER

2011-12-31T08:58:00.001+08:00

At the Smithsonian Castle, its "America's Treasure Chest" exhibition features a display of the footwear created by different Native American tribes. It honors a heritage that continues in the face of gnawing, convenient modernity.

It also brings to mind an adage attributed to Native Americans, the one that discourages judging another individual until you've walked a day in their shoes- or mocassins...

May this New Year bring us all a sense of belongingness, and bring us all towards a sense of equity and fairness.

Smithsonian Castle, Washington DC, December 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: RIPPED

2011-12-03T11:05:00.000+08:00

The cruise ship traversing the waters between Stockhom, Sweden and Turku, Finland is a place where one gets ripped, thanks to the duty-free sale of alcohol. The ship was by no means a mere vessel to ferry tourists to and from Stockholm; it was in itself a party place that was a bit too rowdy for comfort at times. I think some passengers were more interested with the cheaper booze than experiencing either Nordic country...

*** Special thanks to TN Chick for having hosted the PhotoHunt for the last five years. It's her last weekend to host this meme so head on over to her site for a proper send off =].***

Between Stockholm and Turku, September 2007, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: HANDWRITTEN

2011-11-27T13:57:00.001+08:00

An exhibit on a relatively unknown side of foremost scientist Carl von Linne as a prolific letter-writer is one of the highlights of my trip to the Postal Museum in Stockholm's Gamla Stan (Old Town).

Stockholm, September 2007, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: WET/RAIN

2011-11-20T11:16:00.000+08:00

On an almost empty beach. By the warm calm sea. Under an azure sky. You juggle.

Station 2, Boracay island, Aklan, March 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: TWO

2011-11-13T00:00:00.000+08:00

I stared into too many of these in my supposedly 45-minute-drive home that turned into a 3-hour test of patience. My camera and my favorite radio station playing the right kind of music kept me sane.

While on the road, a small pebble may cause discomfort all the way inasmuch as a fleeting second of stunning vista can cause a lifetime of joy- if we choose it to be.

November 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: LIGHT

2011-11-06T00:00:00.000+08:00

Shafts of light pierce through the drizzle falling over Metro Manila. In the Philippines, there's a belief that a pair of tikbalang- half-human, half-horse mythical creatures- are getting married when the whether turns, well, ambivalent. In any case, we wish them well, as we enjoy cooler weather in this most tropical of capitals.

aboard a Philippine Air Force chopper, October 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: BROKEN

2011-10-29T08:31:00.000+08:00

Some of the damaged structures in the seaside town of Dinapigue, as seen from our chopper during our aerial survey of the effects of the twin typhoons Pedring and Quiel.

Dinapigue municipality, Isabela province, October 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: PUBLIC

2011-10-15T13:14:00.000+08:00

The Kapurpurawan Rock Formation is about two kilometers of rough roads away from the main national highway in Burgos town, Ilocos Norte. Without a very basic signboard, you'd miss the entrance to this amazing wonder of nature. When we visited last May, a typhoon was just on its way out of the western seaboard of the Philippines, thus huge meters high waves were licking the distant but distinct white rock formation.

Save for a small shack which serves as the shelter of the lone tourism officer cum photographer cum security guard and a couple of warnings against gathering mangrove trees, the areas around Kapurpurawan is almost devoid of any sign of humanity. If I had my way, I choose for it to remain as such.

Burgos, Ilocos Norte, May 2011, using a digicam.

JUST A REMINDER EVERYONE! October 16th is BLOG ACTION DAY! Use your blog to discuss the Issue of the Day = FOOD!

PhotoHunt: WAITING

2011-10-08T12:48:00.000+08:00

A lone serviceman sits at a bus stop, en route to somewhere from somewhere, hopefully homeward-bound and not off to violence and bloodshed...

Between Helsinki and Turku, August, 2007, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: COVERED

2011-10-01T12:59:00.000+08:00

Water and lights bathe this ornate fountain at the plaza in front of the provincial capitol of Ilocos Norte. During the day, it's hardly noticeable but at night, that it's a thing of beauty is just an understatement.

Laoag City, May 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: WRONG

2011-09-04T17:34:00.000+08:00

Is this in Thailand? Nope.

How about Hong Kong? Not in HK.

This must be in Indonesia then, is it? Not in Indonesia either.

These giant Buddhas are located in the town of Gerona, in the province of Tarlac in the Philippines. They are housed in a massive outdoor floating-fishing-village-style restaurant complex called Isdaan, located some 120 kms north of Manila. The place is always packed so the service can at times be slow- but the food is always worth the wait.

ISDAAN, Gerona, Tarlac, September 2010, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: SYMBOLIC

2011-08-27T12:22:00.001+08:00

"Reunion"
Painting by BENCAB
Acrylic on canvas
1994
150 x 120 cms

Housed at the fantastic BENCAB Museum, a jewel of Filipino artistry tucked in the mountains of northern Luzon, "REUNION" depicts the happy ending of each journey, whether the sojourn itself was a pleasant one or not.

*** My thoughts and prayers are with the communities being battered by Typhoon MINA in the northeastern part of the Philippines as well as family and friends preparing for Hurricane IRENE by the eastern seaboard of the United States. May we all have happy reunions after these storms pass. ***

off Baguio City in the BenCab Museum, Tuba, Benguet, September 2010, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: DRINK

2011-08-20T09:25:00.000+08:00

Even bears couldn't resist the call of the river, fresh and flowing freely through the center of downtown Gatlinburg...

But something must be wrong with the water though: it turned the bears into stone! Talk about *hard water* lol

Gatlinburg, April 2008, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: GINHAWA (Comfort)

2011-08-18T00:22:00.000+08:00

Labinlimang higanteng mistulang bentilador ang kasalukuyang nakatindig bilang bantay sa baybayin ng Bangui, Ilocos Norte. Ang mga toreng ito- bawat isa ay katumbas ng gusaling may 23 palapag- ay sama-samang nagbibigay ng 7 megawatt ng kuryente sa lalawigan o katumbas ng 40% ng kanilang pangangailangang enerhiya. Bukod sa kanilang malaking ambag sa elektrisidad ng Ilocos Norte, sila mismo ay talaga namang kagila-gilalas na tanawin. Sadyang dapat dayuhin, kahit may Bagyong Chedeng na nagpapatindi sa alon at papawirin.

GINHAWA = COMFORT

Fifteen giants stand guard along the shores of Bangui in Ilocos Norte province. These towering turbines- each about 23 storeys tall- collectively contribute 7 megawatts of power to the province- 40% of their entire electricity needs. Aside from their massive contribution to industry, they themselves are a sight to behold- worth enduring the wrath of Typhoon Chedeng, rough seas, dark skies and all.

at the Bangui wind farm, Bangui, Ilocos Norte, May 2011 using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: ONE

2011-08-13T09:34:00.000+08:00

A scoop of chili ice cream plus a scoop of Moringa vegetable-flavored ice cream with another scoop of Bailey's-laced ice cream make for a singular dessert experience in the 1st Colonial Grill Express in Daraga. I tried to capture the contents of my cup in the best way I could but they were so close to melting that I just snapped whatever picture I can muster before they turn into a gooey mess =]

1st Colonial Grill, Daraga, Albay, August 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: PAINTED

2011-08-06T12:59:00.001+08:00

Street art or vandalism?

along a main thoroughfare in Yogyakarta, June 2007, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: TOGETHER

2011-07-30T03:42:00.000+08:00

Its reputation precedes it the world over. To watch a Cirque Du Soleil performance is arguably a mainstay in many people's bucket list, what with their much-publicized death-defying stunts, intricate costumes, and overall jaw-dropping productions. That's why when the Cirque came to Manila, no doubt we really had to go.

Cirque did not disappoint. The 2.5-hour show was a huge cauldron of music and humor, a visual feast that often caused by heart to almost jump out of my chest and/or my jaw to drop to the floor. Some sections were more spectacular than the others, but each minute of the show had its stamp of Cirque hard work and artistry on it.

An amazing experience it was, to be front and center when the Cirque came to town =]

lobby of the Cirque's Grand Chapiteau, Quirino Grandstand, Manila, July 2011, using a digicam.

Wordless Wednesday: EARLY

2011-07-27T06:19:00.000+08:00

These fisherfolk have started their day soon after sunrise. Or are they just returning from an overnight sojourn to the Pacific?

But these past few days, the waters off Bicol Region, practically the entire eastern seaboard of the Philippines, have been rough because of Tropical Storm JUANING. Hoping for the safety of all those who harvest from the bounty of the sea-

off the Port of Legazpi, January 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: PATCH

2011-07-23T10:33:00.001+08:00

Original designs and intricate patterns mark the handiwork of the T'boli tribe in the southern part of the Philippines. Their culture, slowly being eased out by the influences of the 21st century, are carefully being cradled at the Museo De Oro inside Xavier University - Ateneo De Cagayan. These ceremonial attires can arguably be more precious than gold, considering the time, effort, passion, and heritage embedded in each square inch of material. Truly irreplaceable.

Museo De Oro, Cagayan De Oro City, March 2009, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: BACKWARDS

2011-07-17T00:01:00.005+08:00

LEGO bricks are toys for kids. In the age of Harry Potter, Star Wars is a relic well past its prime. But when these two icons are merged in one exciting presentation, the geek in me cannot help but do a little dance for glee. These guys stand proudly at attention- and, too bad, behind locked glass cases!- at the lobby of the Golden Pine Hotel we recently stayed in for a week-long training.

The Force is definitely in that building.

Baguio City, May 2011, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: MAPANGLAW (Melancholic)

2011-07-14T00:01:00.004+08:00

Nang makita ko ang larawan nito sa hotel na aming tinuluyan sa isang training sa Laoag City, sinabi ko talaga sa aking sarili na kailangan ko itong makita. Mayroon akong kakaibang interes sa mga parola. Sinikap naming isingit sa paspas naming pananatili sa Ilocos ang pagsaglit rito.

Sa malayo pa lamang, mapapansin na agad ang tikas ng parola ng Cape Bojeador sa Burgos, Ilocos Norte. Nang mapuntahan namin ang parola at nakita nang malapitan, higit na maganda ito kaysa larawan. Yun nga lang, may lambong ng lungkot sa lugar. Marahil dahil sa ang ilang bahagi nito ay hindi na singlinis o sing-kaaya-aya tingnan. Marahil dahil sa mga malulungkot na kuwento ng ikatlong henerasyon nang tagapangasiwa ng parola, hinggil sa pulitika na kumakalawang rito. Hindi rin nakatutulong ang pagdaplis ng bagyong Chedeng nang panahong iyon sa hilagang Luzon. Basta.

Sa harap nito, patuloy na nagsisilbing gabay ang parola sa mga bumabaybay sa karagatang dumadampi sa baybayin ng Ilocos. May liwanag na maaaninag sa gitna ng kakaibang kapanglawan ng kapalaran ng parola.

MAPANGLAW = MELANCHOLIC

When I saw its picture hanging along the corridor of the hotel I was staying in for a training in Laoag City, I told myself that through whatever means, I HAVE to visit that lighthouse. I did manage to slip the visit into my schedule for which I was thrilled tremendously.

From afar, the majesty of the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Burgos town, Ilocos Norte province is beyond noticeable. It is so much more beautiful up close versus the framed photos in the hotel. However, I can't quite put my finger on this... cloak... of heaviness that surrounds the area. Perhaps it's because the lighthouse and its surrounding environs are not in the pink of health, so to speak, having fallen into some disrepair as of late. Perhaps it's because of the not-so-nice stories the third generation lighthouse keeper couldn't help divulge to us as regards the intrusion of politics in the operation of the lighthouse. Or perhaps the gray clouds are just brought into the area by the tropical cyclone which was passing nearby. Perhaps...

But in the face of all this, the lighthouse continues to be a beacon of safety, guiding ships as they skim the shores off Ilocos. The light continues to shine through the haze and muck of life.

Lighthouse at Cape Bojeador, municipality of Burgos, May 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: NEAR

2011-07-09T05:09:00.001+08:00

I have been to the City of Legazpi a couple of times and its most iconic feature just has to be the Mayon Volcano. From afar, it really is the Philippines' answer to Japan's Mt. Fuji- what with its perfect cone, towering height, and truly commanding presence.

On my latest flight to Legazpi from Manila, I was on the seat by the window on the "ABC" side of the plane. As we approached Legazpi, I had a fantastic view of Mayon on my left, welcoming me into the city. On the flight back to Manila, I rummaged through my brain to figure out which seat to take in order to have the view of Mayon be my parting vista of the city. Luckily, I figured it out, that I had to be on the window seat of the "DEF" side of the plane. The flyby beside the very top of Mayon is just truly breath-taking.

And I guess it was really meant to be for me: my camera's batteries gave up after I took the last photo of the soon-to-be-veiled-in-clouds Mayon as our plane zoomed back to Manila.

over Mt. Mayon, Province of Albay, January 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: BUSY

2011-07-03T01:16:00.000+08:00

The repairs being done on this major bridge I use on the way to and from work doubled my daily driving time since May of this year. There's a poster counting down the days until the construction work is finished. As I see a lot of men and equipment focused on the job on hand, I really pray they get to meet the deadline they set for themselves, for the sake of our collective mental health!

along the Buendia Flyover - Osmena Highway, Makati, June 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: CARD

2011-06-25T12:59:00.003+08:00

Following this PhilPost truck one time made me think of the lost art of letter-writing. In the age of emails and Twitter, how many of us have received birthday cards by mail lately? How many are still excited when the mailman swings by to unload a bunch of letters (minus the bills, of course)?

on the road to work, March 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: INFORMATIVE

2011-06-18T16:20:00.000+08:00

Stamps are a window to a country's soul. They are my favorite snapshots into its psyche- the serious, the whimsical, the historic, the sporty, the mysterious, the business side of a nation- all can be captured, one image at a time in a 2-cm by 2-cm frame.

As we celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of our national hero, Dr Jose Rizal, I hauled out of its 15-year hiding place these stamps which commemorated the centennial of his martyrdom in 1996. These series of stamps contain vistas of his life, including: his portraits from childhood to adulthood; the places he visited, including his home-away-from-home in Heidelburg, Germany; his many eclectic loves, including sculpture, and; most importantly, his masterpieces- Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, both of which stoked the embers of a fledgling nation's desire for independence, which resulted to a conflagration of a revolution that paved the way for our freedom, albeit short-lived, but no less significant in the eyes of our citizens, of Asia, and the world.

Stamps are my favorite souvenirs to take home whenever I travel to a country outside my own. However, revisiting my Philippine collection is also a worthwhile journey to take, if only to rediscover how truly blessed I am to emerge from a lineage of heroes, how blessed I am to be Filipino.

June 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: TRIANGLE

2011-06-11T11:30:00.000+08:00

Hoisting the Philippine Flag this week in celebration of the 113th Anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence on June 12th. This one is courtesy of a paratrooper from the Armed Forces of the Philippines during the opening ceremonies for the hot-air balloon festival last year.

From the National Historical Commission of the Philippines:
After the ratification of our independence in 1899, Gen. Aguinaldo in his speech in Malolos, Bulacan explained the meaning and symbolism of our national flag. According to him the flag “it has three colors, three stars and a sun, the meaning of which are as follows: the red color is symbolic of Filipino courage; the blue carries an allegorical meaning that all the Filipinos will prefer to die before submitting themselves to the invader; the three five pointed stars indicate the solidarity of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao and allude to the islets and rocks falling under their jurisdiction; and lastly, the eight beams of the sun stand for the eight provinces of Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Rizal, Laguna, Batangas and Cavite”

In a week's time, we'll also be celebrating the 150th Birth Anniversary of the Philippine National Hero, Jose Rizal. Some of his words of wisdom applicable to citizens of any nation are as follows:

Clark Field, Pampanga, February 2010, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: PRENO (Break)

2011-06-09T05:52:00.000+08:00

Gaano karami pa kaya sa atin ang tumitigil upang magbigay-pugay tuwing mapapadaan sa isang paaralan, opisina, o palatuntunan na itinataas ang ating watawat at kinakanta ang ating pambansang awit? Gaano karami pa kaya sa atin ang napapatigil upang isipin, sariwain, ipagpasalamat, ipagpatuloy ang pagpupunyagi ng mga nauna sa atin upang makamit ang kalayaang ating tinatamasa sa kasalukuyan?

Isang paalala mula sa ating Pambansang Bayani, Jose Rizal, sa panahon ng paggunita sa ika-150 taon ng kanyang kapanganakan:

PRENO = BREAK

I wonder-

How many among us stop and pause when the national anthem is being sung and our flag is being raised at a school, office, or program?

How many among us stop to think about, reminisce, be thankful for, and continue the efforts of those who came before us to fight for the freedom we enjoy today?

Please see the reminder above from the Philippines' National Hero, Jose Rizal, on the occasion of his sesquicentennial birth anniversary celebration-

inside Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, June 2011, using a digicam.

Wordless Tuesday: PATIENCE

2011-06-07T06:40:00.000+08:00

Enduring this volume of traffic everyday, twice a day, until the repairs on this bridge are finished in August. Hopefully of this year =]

along South Super Highway in Makati, 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: DIRTY

2011-06-04T11:37:00.000+08:00

Whenever the light turns red at this intersection about 10 minutes away from our office, I find myself looking at this distressed-looking house. Despite the ravages of time, its beauty is still quite visible, the intricacies of the architecture and workmanship more obvious when one gets nearer this still-imposing edifice. It's probably a century old but a few touches here and there, it may just sparkle like the way it did in its heyday.

Quite frankly, I'm suprised that this house is still standing. Many similar homes in the area have been torn down to give way to modern high-rise buildings. And to think that it sits on prime real estate! But I'm glad this home continues to exist; being old should not be automatically equated to it being dispensable. Too many buildings have suffered that fate. Economics and heritage can co-exist and should not always be each other's antithesis.

corner of Laong Laan and Lacson, Manila, February 2011, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: PANGLINIS (Cleaning material)

2011-06-02T05:58:00.000+08:00

May isang paniniwala na kung anuman ang gagawin mo sa unang araw ng bagong taon, ito ang magiging salamin ng kakahinatnan ng iyong buong taon. Ang mga baga-bagaheng ito basura ang tumambad sa amin matapos ang magdamagang kasiyahan sa pagsalubong sa bagong taon sa Gatlinburg. Masasabi ko namang hindi naging basura ang sumunod na 364 days matapos ang araw na kinunan ang larawang ito; sa dulo ng lahat, tayo pa rin ang magpapasya at gagawa ng paraan kung gaano kabulok o makabuluhan ang ating buhay =]

PANGLINIS = CLEANING MATERIAL

There's a certain belief that whatever you do or whatever happens on the first day of the new year, that will set the tone for the ensuing year. These bags of post-celebratory trash greeted us on January 1st in Gatlinburg. I can say confidently that the 364 days that followed this 'trashy' encounter is not the least bit trashy. After all, it is still up to us on how disastrous or victorious our lives will be =]

Gatlinburg, TN, January 2010, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: LOOKING DOWN

2011-05-28T15:29:00.001+08:00

The window of the erstwhile office of the Cape Bojeador lighthouse operator overlooks the billowing waves from the Luzon Sea, licking the windswept cliffs of Burgos town below.

the lighthouse at Cape Bojeador, Burgos town, Ilocos Norte province, May 2011, using a digicam.

Four-Year Clutter

2011-05-21T12:43:00.000+08:00

The beach wasn't as immaculate as I hoped it would be, this being my last chance to catch the famous sunset by the shores of Boracay. A lot of people were there ahead of me, taking over every possible available patch of white sand still available. At first I was a bit upset: how now can I take the best photo of the glorious sunset with all this people milling about, standing in my way, preventing me from taking the shot?!

But then again, to keep this sun to myself is awfully selfish, this gorgeous sunset being just too beautiful NOT to share.

--==+==--

As one sun descends beneath the horizon, so ascends another one to begin a new day. A new year. Here's to the start of my fifth year of maintaining this blog, a collection of random photos from my past, present, and future travels, interspersed with random musings and odd finds, online postcards from sojourns near and far.

This has become and will continue to be a fantastic portal for connecting with virtual buddies from Manila, Ireland, Singapore, Norway, San Francisco, and beyond. Thank you all for your kind words and appreciation. Thank you for making this corner a regular stop.

Thank you God for the gift of travel, the gift of senses, the gift of memories, the gift of adventure, the gift of restraint, the gift of insight, the gift of gratitude, the gift of wonder.

On to the next adventure =]

Station 2, Boracay Island, town of Malay, Aklan province, March 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: MISSING

2011-05-14T12:55:00.000+08:00

This curious word adorns a rainspout in front of a building along Aleksanterinkatu in downtown Helsinki. Pohjola literally means "North" in the Finnish language. It is the name of a mythological location in the Finns' epic Kalevala, touted to be an inspiration for JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings series. These, plus all the innumerable memorable bits and pieces of my Finnish sojourn around this time last year, is making my heart pine to be back there, where the sun is a midnight creature...

Helsinki, June 2010, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: SQUARE

2011-04-30T12:01:00.037+08:00

This is the Ateneum Art Museum, just across the main railway station of Helsinki. I've always wanted to visit this museum but schedules seemed to conspire and prevented me from doing so when I was on a five-week study break there in 2007. Last year, on the last day of my week-long stay in Finland, I finally got the chance to walk through its galleries. Only a building with a facade like this can call itself the home of fascinating Finnish masters as well as visual arts stalwarts like Van Gogh and Gauguin.

That it was a delight is a great understatement.

Helsinki, June 2010, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: KALYE (Street)

2011-04-29T10:24:00.000+08:00

Dahil sa o bagaman naninirahan sila sa anino ng Bulkang Mayon, tuluy-tuloy (pa rin) ang pagdaloy ng kalakal at kabuhayan sa mga pasikut-sikot ng lalawigan ng Albay.

KALYE = STREET

Despite or because of Mayon Volcano looming over their land, the people of Albay province enjoy the steady influx of trade and tourism.

early morning in Legazpi City, January 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: DUSTY

2011-04-23T03:19:00.000+08:00

"The most important part of vehicle maintenance is clean windows, so if you are broken down, you will enjoy the beauty of the view." - Dan Eldon, photojournalist, 1970-1993

on the road somewhere in Nueva Vizacaya, July 2006, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: ROAD

2011-04-16T00:01:00.011+08:00

That crazy cacophony of the city, its madding crowd: can't live with it, can't live without it..

atop a condotel in Makati City, March 2010, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: CLOSED

2011-04-02T08:11:00.000+08:00

I pass by this car repair shop twice everyday, and I find it always closed, probably because my day starts too early and ends too late compared to the shop's. I hope the only thing that will draw me to it is its funky color and not any car trouble.

near the corner of Nagtahan Bridge and UN Avenue in Manila, March 2011, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: SALAMIN SA MATA (Eyeglasses)

2011-03-31T06:20:00.000+08:00

Pagbenta ng shades sa night market. *bow* =]

SALAMIN SA MATA = EYEGLASSES

Shades being sold at the night market. 'nuf said =]

Night Market along Divisoria, March 2009, using a digicam.

Wordless Tuesday: SALES, DRIVE

2011-03-29T02:26:00.000+08:00

Traffic jams have spawned micro-entrepreneurs among those living near the roadways. From bottled water to quick nibbles, newspapers to cigarettes, this 'captured market' is not too difficult to sell to.
along the South Superhighway, March 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: CAGED

2011-03-26T03:43:00.001+08:00

While driving, especially when I'm stuck in a traffic jam, I while away the time by guessing where this vehicle's been or where it is going.

In the Philippines, the first letter of the license plate defines the region of the country where the vehicle has been registered. So when I see a license plate that starts with "H", for example, I'd say to myself that the driver's traveled far because H means the car has been registered in provinces some 800 or so kilometers away from the capital.

Or there maybe severely dust-covered vehicles. I'd muse that this guy must have done some off-road adventure. Or s/he may just be one rather lazy car owner with no time to have the car washed.

Then I'd meet often 'passengers' in a similar state as the ones photographed above, probably on their way to be in many a human's tummy...

December 2008, using a digicam.

--==+==--

EARTH HOUR HAPPENS TODAY!
8.30pm - 9.30pm
WHEREVER YOU ARE ON THE PLANET!
TURNOUT THE LIGHTS!
A symbolic first step towards becoming better citizens of the planet =]

Litratong Pinoy: ITIM (Black)

2011-03-24T11:00:00.001+08:00

Ang isa sa mga gusali sa Bonifacio High Street na malimit na makinang at maliwanag ay pansamantalang nabalot ng dilim nang makilahok ang buong lungsod ng Taguig sa taunang EARTH HOUR noong 2010. Ang Earth Hour ang sabayang pagpatay ng ilaw o/at di mahahalagang gamit na de-kuryente upang maging isang mahalagang makabuluhang hakbang tungo sa pag-alaga sa planeta at sa kumakarampot na mga pangangailangang pangkalikasan.

Sa Sabado, Marso 26 na, sa ganap na 8.30-9.30 ng gabi ang Earth Hour sa taong ito. Makilahok at tumugon sa hamon ng isang oras na patay-kuryente hanggang sa panghabambuhay na tuwirang pagbabago para mapalawig pa ang kumakaunti nating rekursong pangkalikasan.

ITIM = BLACK

The usually bright and glittery buildings of Bonifacio High Street has been turned ito pitch-black space as the entire city of Taguig participated in Earth Hour last year. Earth Hour is the simultaneous switching off of lights and/or other unnecessary electrical gadgets meant to be a symbolic gesture of unity to save the planets dwindling natural and energy resources.

This Saturday, March 26, Earth Hour will happen again wherever you are on the planet, from 8.30-9.30 pm. Be part of this hour-long show of global action which will hopefuly be the start of a lifelong commitment to care for our planet and each other.

Building 3, Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City, 2010, using a digicam.

Wordless Wednesday: WATER

2011-03-23T00:51:00.007+08:00

By now, only a very minute number of people would not have seen the sun. A good majority of us would have seen a body of water bigger than that in our drinking glasses. Still a decent number would have seen the sun and sea interact in a magical way in various continents and circumstances. I am very fortunate to have lived majority of my life where I am always less than 50kms away from a fantastic body of water. Because of or despite this, the glistening sun setting over the expanse of a calm sea never fails to take my breath away.

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the Samar Sea, off the City of Calbayog, March 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: LICENSE PLATE

2011-03-19T05:53:00.001+08:00

With a car like this, I guess there's no better way to travel than with the top down- Manila traffic, heat, pollution, and stares notwithstanding =]

en route to work, East Service Road, Taguig City, August 2010, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: KULAY ROSAS (Pink)

2011-03-17T03:39:00.000+08:00

May mga bagay-bagay talaga na hindi magaya-gaya ng tao kahit na lubhang mahuhusay na ang ating mga kabihasnan, katulad ng katingkaran ng mga bulaklak, kanilang bango, kanilang kasutlaan...

KULAY ROSAS = PINK

There are just some things that humanity cannot mimic despite advances in technology, such as flowers' vivid colors, scent, and silkiness...

around the University of Tampere campus, August 2007, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: Self-Portrait

2011-03-05T20:43:00.000+08:00

Caught myself "standing on Mt Merapi", a tile on the observation deck of the Ketep Volcano Center detailing where the volcano is located among the many towering heights surrounding the center.

Jogjakarta, Indonesia, June 2007, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: MOSTLY BLACK

2011-02-26T02:04:00.000+08:00

The lights were turned out simultaneously for an hour last year as local establishments in my current hometown joined Earth Hour 2010.

In one month's time, March 26th 8.30pm wherever you are, it will be Earth Hour once again! This year, the challenge is "to grow beyond the hour," to make the annual, symbolic lights out event the springboard for more sustained personal, commercial, and governmental effort throughout the year to be more energy-efficient and environment friendly.

Find out more about Earth Hour 2011 by clicking the banner below:

Bonifacio High Street, Taguig City, March 2010, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: KAKARAMPOT (Few)

2011-02-24T00:01:00.004+08:00

Mangilan-ngilan na lamang ang mga natitirang gusali na may disenyong Art Deco. Marami sa mga lumang gusali- natayo noong panahon ng mga Amerikano hanggang matapos marahil ang giyera- ay nagupo ng digmaan o ng pangangailangan ng mga makabagong mamumuhunan sa lupang kanilang kinatitirikan. Ang kita ng ilang negosyante ay kawalan ng kasaysayan ng karamihan. Ang mga nakaligtas namang mga gusali ay daan-daanan na lang at hindi na halos napapansin.

KAKARAMPOT = FEW

Only a handful of Art Deco buildings have survived the Second World War or humanity's insatiable need for land, especially in Manila. It is sad though that a few business people profit from the loss of cultural icons of the bigger population. Those buildings that have survived suffer from neglect and abuse and are not paid much heed...

along Espana Blvd in Manila, January 2011, using a digicam.

Wordless Wednesday: JUNIOR

2011-02-23T00:51:00.014+08:00

British nationals tracing their roots in Villasis town in Pangasinan province erected this Clock Tower a la Westminster's in front of their Town Hall.

municipal hall complex, town of Villasis, September 2010, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: SILHOUETTE

2011-02-19T12:01:00.005+08:00

The Merchant offers passersby his ware as he stands guard on the Hameensilta Bridge, accompanied by the latter's three other sentinels- the Maiden Finland, the Tax Collector, and the Hunter. All four are creations of pre-eminent Finnish artist Waino Aaltonen.

City of Tampere, June, 2010, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: ITO (This)

2011-02-18T01:51:00.000+08:00

Ang sagot sa tanong ng marami kung nasaan ba talaga si Batman.

ITO = THIS
The response to the question- where IS Batman?

along Interstate 40, Hendersonville, April, 2008, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: EDUCATION

2011-02-12T15:15:00.000+08:00

From new languages to unique food, interesting architecture to stunning nature, traveling is a most powerful teacher that initiates us to the wonder-filled world beyond our usual sphere of movement.
Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, June 2010, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: FASHION

2011-02-05T06:39:00.000+08:00

This image of a Filipino woman donning 19th Century garb add to the richness of The Manila Hotel, a 99-year old institution that has provided the warm Philippine welcome to the likes of Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Muhammad Ali, the Beatles, and Ernest Hemingway.

foyer of the Manila Hotel's Maynila Ballroom, January 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: STANDING

2011-01-29T06:13:00.000+08:00

I used to loathe the stoplight, when my momentum as a traveler is cut, and I am forced to endure seconds of immobility. But lately, I've grown to dislike less these pauses, as they allow me to see the details amidst the daily, dizzying blur, catch my breath, and zoom on with a second wind.

(PS- ...and stoplights also allow me to tinker with my new toy which took this shot =])

corner of Espana Boulevard and Lacson, Manila, January 2011, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: MALAMBOT (Soft)

2011-01-27T22:56:00.000+08:00

Tila mga mananayaw ng karagatan ang mga dikyang ito, isa sa mga tampok na lamang dagat sa Manila Ocean Park. Ang kanilang nakabibighaning kagandahan ay napupuluputan naman ng kakaibang kamandag. Ibayong ingat ang paalala sa ating lahat- nilalang na dapat hanggang tingin lamang tayo.

MALAMBOT = SOFT

They are the ocean's dancers, one of the featured creatures at the Manila Ocean Park. Their enchanting beauty is embraced by a most unusual venom. Extreme care is advised to everyone; it is one of those entities better admired from afar, sans touching.

Manila Ocean Park, Manila, September 2010, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: HANDS

2011-01-22T11:19:00.000+08:00

Madonna and Child, hands outstretched, bestowing blessings upon the faithful, connecting heaven and earth, from Their home at the Monastery of the Transfiguration, Malaybalay City.

Bukidnon, April, 2007, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: SHADOW

2011-01-15T19:07:00.000+08:00

The Mayon Volcano watches over the planes landing and departing from the regional hub of Legazpi City, a towering symbol of nature's unsettling beauty.

Legazpi City airport, April 2007, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: RESURRECTION

2011-01-08T13:25:00.000+08:00

Amidst the cacophony of life's distractions and the din of beauty that can be overwhelming yet empty, here's to another year of just Being.

-==+==-

My camera may have found its way to another pair of hands but the eye behind it will find ways to document this wonderful ride =]

Sonya's Garden, near Tagaytay City, December 2010, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: MALAPOT (Thick)

2010-11-18T00:01:00.003+08:00

Ang mga kabahayan sa paanan ng Bundok Merapi sa Indonesia ay halos matabunan nang rumagasa ang magkahalong nagbabagang abo, bato, at putik sa isa nitong pagputok. Nang humupa ang pag-aalburoto ng kalikasan, naging sikat na pasyalan ito ng mga turista (kabilang na kami).

May kalumaan na ang litratong ito mula pa noong 2007. Oktubre ng taong ito, muling sumabog ang bulkan na kumitil na ng kulang-kulang 300 buhay. Nawa'y pumayapa nang muli ang Merapi.

MALAPOT = THICK

These homes at the foot of Mt Merapi in Indonesia were almost buried by the fiery mixture of ash, boulders, and water - pyroclastic materials that attract hardy tourists like ourselves.

This photo, taken in 2007, displays an active but rather quiet volcano. However, about three weeks ago, Mt Merapi once again unleashed its fury, killing some 300 Indonesians in the process. Peace, Merapi!

at the foot of Mt Merapi, at the outskirts of Yogyakarta, June 2007, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: ITCHY

2010-11-13T11:19:00.000+08:00

How I wish my neck is as agile as theirs, to take care of nasty itches all over =]

Sea World Florida, December 2009, using a digicam.

Wordless Wednesday: FIRED UP

2010-11-10T03:03:00.001+08:00

Now that the November 1st to 2nd days to remember the dead are over and done with, the world's arguably longest Christmas season can begin in earnest. Office buildings and homes alike are abaze with lights, Christmas songs fill the air, holiday shoppers pack the malls, colorful lanterns add cheer to the cold December nights.

Makati City, October 2009, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: ALIVE

2010-11-06T12:52:00.000+08:00

Summer colors dot the landscape near Hameenpuisto, the flora happily soaking the sun until two hours before midnight in this part of the globe at that time of the year.

Tampere, August 2007, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: DARK

2010-10-30T13:22:00.000+08:00

The Colonial Park Cemetery is a must-visit for history buff and more so for those out to explore the reality behind the city touted to be America's most haunted. The Ghosts and Gravestones tour is a great way of marrying both interests. I took it two years ago and I highly recommend it. But only for those who dare =]

Savannah, May 2008, using a digicam.

Wordless Wednesday: PASSING THROUGH

2010-10-27T00:51:00.008+08:00

*Busy, busy, busy with work! Home-office-home is the most distance I've covered in the last 6 weeks... Just passing through*

beside the Manila Bay, November 2009, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: ORANGE

2010-10-23T10:26:00.001+08:00

The long 400-plus-mile, eight-hour drive to Florida from South Carolina was soothed by the Sunshine State's free-flowing offering of their finest OJ at the Welcome Center. But first, the customary pose beside the sign declaring we've arrived =]

State Welcome Center at the border between Georgia and Florida, December 2009, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: TAHIMIK (Quiet)

2010-10-21T01:55:00.000+08:00

Ang mga pangakaraniwang nagsusumigaw na mga patalastas ay pansamantalang kumurap at namahinga bilang paghahanda sa hanging dulot ni bagyong Juan.

TAHIMIK = QUIET

The usually screaming billboards and advertisements in the metropolis have been temporarily taken down in preparation for the anticipated billowing gusts of wind courtesy of Typhoon Juan.

somewhere in Metro Manila, October 2010 using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: MINIATURE

2010-10-16T13:01:00.001+08:00

Li Mingzhu's "Digesting Mao" - tofu on porcelain, part of a traveling exhibit by young Chinese artists at the Sara Hilden Art Museum.

Tampere, August 2007, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: STRIPES

2010-10-09T12:19:00.001+08:00

Airports are not always mere drab, uninteresting stopovers en route to somewhere more exciting or visually appealing. If you happen to be in Indonesia, pause for a bit and see the intricate handiwork that graces the ceiling of their main airport.

Jakarta, June 2007, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: LETTERS

2010-10-02T14:41:00.000+08:00

For many travelers, churches, antiques, and bargains are part of their itinerary. As for myself, no trip is complete without taking home stamps or snapping pics of mailboxes or post offices.

If only my office (e)mail (in)box can be as ornate and handsome as this one in front of The Beaufort Inn...

The Beaufort Inn, Beaufort, April 2008, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: MANIPIS (Thin)

2010-09-30T05:52:00.000+08:00

Sumikat ito noong unang panahon, nang mas matatangkad, mas mapapayat, at mas matiisin pa ang mga tao... =]

MANIPIS = THIN

This became popular in earlier times, when people were taller, thinner, and had the capacity to endure pain more... =]

Velomania exhibit, Vaprikki Museum Complex, Tampere, August 2007, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: NATURAL

2010-09-25T10:29:00.000+08:00

Curiosity- something that we never really outgrow =]

the village of Talubin in Bontoc, April 2006, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: MAKAPAL (Thick)

2010-09-23T23:45:00.000+08:00

Namamalas ang ganda ng mga kwitis kapag ang kalangitan ay sadlak sa karimlan. Kasama ng nakabibighani nilang liwanag at hugis ay ang kaakibat na pansamantalang lambong ng usok. Gayunpaman, pinipili pa rin masdan ang kanilang rikit at tiisin ang pansamantalang yakap ng hanging di na dalisay.

MAKAPAL = THICK

The beauty of fireworks is best enjoyed when the night is at its darkest. In tandem with the enchanting embers is a temporary cloak of noxious air. Despite the latter, many still choose to savor the ephemeral brilliance of fireworks.

Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, November 2009 using a digicam.

--==+=--

The fourth anniversary of my main blog happens TODAY and I'm celebrating with a mini-contest. Consider joining the Mission by clicking the badge below and have a chance to win prizes worth US$35.

PhotoHunt: SCHOOL

2010-09-18T05:24:00.000+08:00

From mastering how to maintain one's wits as one endures a bumpy inter-province evening back-of-the-bus ride (desperately attempted to be captured above), to effectively budgeting time and money so as to see all sights in a new city, to understanding the subtleties of a town's language, food, and faith- traveling has been one of the best means by which I have learned about the greater world around me and the inner workings of my own heart, brain, and soul.

Can't wait for the next adventure.

on the 8pm bus traveling from General Santos City to Davao City, March 2009, using a digicam.

--==+=--

The fourth anniversary of my main blog is coming up and I'm celebrating with a contest. Know the details by clicking the badge below.

Prizes in the form of Adgitize ads and EC credits await lucky participants =]

Litratong Pinoy: DALAWA (Two)

2010-09-16T00:01:00.017+08:00

Mga kalatas para sa mga nawawala at para sa mga gustong "magpakawala"...

DALAWA = TWO

Signs for those who are lost and for those who want to "let go" of *something*...

somewhere in Baguio City, September 2010, using a digicam.

--==+=--

The fourth anniversary of my main blog- SO FAR, SO GOOD- is coming up and I'm celebrating with a MISSION that I hope you can help me fulfill.

Wordless Tuesday: OFFERING

2010-09-14T12:50:00.003+08:00

This array of carved rice granary gods called bul-ul that protect a family's harvest occupy an important niche in the belief system of indigenous peoples of the Cordilleras in Northern Philippines.

BenCab Museum, just outside Baguio City, September 2010, using a digicam.

--==+==--

The fourth anniversary of my main blog is coming up and I'm celebrating with a contest. Know the details by clicking the badge below.

PhotoHunt: ANNIVERSARY

2010-09-12T00:01:00.019+08:00

May we all realize that we are but fellow travelers on the planet, in need and capable of mutual respect, genuine concern, and open communication, all aiming to leave the earth in a state better than when we first arrived on it. *Remembering 9/11*

plaza in downtown Cotabato City, March 2009, using a digicam.

--==+==--

The fourth anniversary of my main blog is coming up and I'm celebrating with a contest. Know the details by clicking the badge below.

Wordless Wednesday: WATER, BED

2010-09-08T12:01:00.000+08:00

This is one of the Aqua Rooms of Hotel H20, a unique accommodations experience just beside the Ocean Park at Manila Bay. A 34-meter aquarium housing fish of every size, color, and beauty form one continuous wall of adjacent hotel rooms. From 7am to 9pm, schools of fish and solitary creatures hustle to and fro, unmindful of hotel guests like myself who ogle at their vibrance and quiet fluidity. I must admit, the TV's no match against roommates like them. Now I know why the Aquarium Channel is such a hit.

Hotel H20, Manila, September 2010, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: HOT

2010-09-04T16:35:00.000+08:00

The CamSur Watersports Complex is now of the most popular destinations in the Philippines for the more adventurous tourists. Wakeboarding, cable water-skiing, skateboarding, and other extreme sports are at guests' disposal. Those looking for more sedate activities can enjoy massages, wade in swimming pools, or just rummage through the restaurants. Tourists, as attracted by CWC, have converted the province of Camarines Sur from being the Philippines' 39th poorest among 80 provinces into the nation's 10th richest.

CamSur Watersports Complex, Pili, Camarines Norte, 2007, using a digicam.

Wordless Wednesday: FIERY

2010-09-01T12:01:00.007+08:00

Typically, volcanoes evoke a sense of fear and gloom, given their propensity to damage property, inflict injury, cause death. People, typically, would flee as far away as possible.

However, Taal Volcano- purported to be the smallest in world- has the opposite effect: it attracts hundreds of tourists daily, drawn to its unique environs, a mixture of stunning vistas embraced by cool mountain breeze, unmindful of its magma chamber's on-and-off activity. Currently, an inordinate number of bed and breakfasts dot the ridge surrounding the volcano and the lake it sits on- homes away from home of city-dwellers who wish to retreat to Tagaytay's subtle urbanity.

view from The Inn at Cliff House Tagaytay City, August 2010, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: FRAMED

2010-08-28T12:01:00.000+08:00

View from my car of the Drive Thru counter of a McDonald's located (conveniently) beside a very popular church. Feeding the body, feeding the soul.

Newport City development in Pasay City, November 2009, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: NUMERICAL

2010-08-21T00:01:00.007+08:00

Like stamps, a country's currency is one of the most tangible, iconic items any traveler can literally take home. More than just a printed collection of numbers, currency symbols, and security details, paper bills and coins offer a glimpse of what or who the nation holds dear and in high esteem. For me, they are wallet-and-coin-purse-sized history books and museums.

While preparing for a presentation about the Philippines in a course I took in Finland with Filipino classmates a couple of years back, I snapped a photo of our 500-piso bill. It contains the image and life and times of a modern-day Filipino hero- the late Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. He was at the forefront of the fight against the Marcos dictatorship that spanned from the late 60s to the mid 80s until their eventual toppling via the bloodless 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution. Aquino's political savvy, sharp wit, excellence as a communicator, and all-consuming love for the nation inspired a whole legion of Filipinos to stoke the tiny embers of hope for a truly democratic Philippines.

He is widely hailed as the greatest Filipino to be not elected president- he was assassinated at the tarmac of the Manila International Airport (now named after him) exactly 27 years ago today- un/fortunately. His death in 1983 increased the rumblings of discontent on the ground until it became one gigantic push to overthrow the Marcoses in February '86. His widow Corazon became President and since then, the Philippines enjoyed a (relatively) stable democratic form of government. Ninoy's son Benigno III is now Philippine president.

He only had one life to live but he offered it up for the nation because he is the firmest of believers in these most important words he has ever uttered- The Filipino is worth dying for.

More on the Ninoy's life can be found in a colleague's blog here.

Tampere, August 2007, using a digicam.

Wordless Wednesday: ATTENTION

2010-08-18T12:01:00.009+08:00

A knight stands guard at the facade of the Biltmore House, protecting decades of American history, culture, and splendor.

Biltmore Estate, December, 2006, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: ORANGE

2010-08-14T13:23:00.000+08:00

Sometimes, oftentimes, the best journeys are those we take in exploring the common, the familiar, the unnoticed, the under-appreciated. Like the sunrise viewed from one's bedroom.

Taguig City, earlier today, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: COLORFUL

2010-08-07T11:59:00.000+08:00

Tucked in one of the smaller rooms of the Museo De Oro is a collection of ceremonial garb donned by our indigenous lumad communities in the southern part of the Philippines. This is a most precious collection considering that 21st century life is encroaching into their way of life fast and unrelenting.

Xavier University campus, Cagayan De Oro City, March 2009, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: PUBLIC

2010-07-31T00:51:00.002+08:00

This monument I don't have too travel far to see. In fact, there'd be at least eight other similar statues all over the Philippines. And rightfully so.

This is the University of the Philippines Oblation- the icon of the University. Rendered in stone, bronze, and other media, this is the quintessential symbol of what the University aims for its students- the total offering of oneself for service to the nation. The young man's arms are way apart, with palms open and directed upward, chest thrust forward, face looking to the sky, with the lips almost caught in the middle of a spoken prayer. At his feet is a local plant called kataka-taka, a commonly occurring species that grows and thrives anywhere- an added symbol that connotes the need for the University's leadership and excellence to be planted and to take root anywhere and everywhere.

When the University commissioned Fine Arts professor and future National Artist Guillermo Tolentino to create this monument, he was requested to draw inspiration from the Last Farewell of our National Hero, Jose Rizal. The latter's words, uttered in 1896, converted into a statue in the 1930's that survived the Second World War and beyond, still rings true today, a call for Filipinos to be better versions of ourselves for our nation:

In barricades imbattled;
fighting with delirium,
others donate you their lives
without doubts, without gloom,
The site doesn't matter;
cypress, laurel or lily;
gibbet or open field,
combat or cruel martyrdom,
are equal if demanded
by country and home.

(Please read this UP alumni site to find out more about the Oblation.)

in front of the University of the Philippines Manila - Philippine General Hospital, February 2010, using a digicam.

Wordless Wednesday: CHASE

2010-07-28T10:57:00.000+08:00

Paavo Nurmi, the Flying Finn, is prominently positioned in the grounds of the Helsinki Olympic Stadium where the Games of the 1952 Olympiad took place, embodying humanity's desire to be faster, higher, stronger, better.

along Paavo Nurmen tie 1, Toolo district, Helsinki, June 2010.

PhotoHunt: HANGING

2010-07-24T12:07:00.001+08:00

An interesting souvenir being sold at the downtown tramway mall of Ober Gatlinburg. Can you guess what this little piggy means to say?

(Please leave a comment to find out =])

Gatlinburg, December 2009, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: TAWID (Cross)

2010-07-22T13:16:00.000+08:00

Ito na marahil ang pinakamalapit na pagkakataon kong "makapunta" sa Afghanistan, isang bansa na hitik na hitik sa kasaysayan at biyaya ng kalikasan nguni't sa kasalukuyan ay nilalambungan ng hindi kagandahang mga balita. Sa ngayon.

TAWID = CROSS

This is probably the closest I will ever be to Afghanistan, a country with a rich cultural heritage and an abundance of natural wonder but is, unfortunately, hidden in a veil of not-so-pleasant news. For now.

aboard a Finnair flight from Bangkok to Helsinki, May 2010, using a digicam.

Wordless Wednesday: FINNISH LINE

2010-07-21T09:21:00.000+08:00

This is a view of Helsinki as seen from our sightseeing boat approaching the port. The skyline is dominated by the Lutheran Cathedral, with the City Hall, Bank of Finland Museum, Swedish Embassy, and the Presidential Palace nestled at the foreground. Market Square, with its various tents and stalls, is abuzz with summer activity as vendors sell to willing tourists and locals anything from Baltic herring and wood carving to magnets, strawberries, and fresh flowers.

Often referred to as the Maiden of the Baltic Sea, this capital city of Finland is one of the most walkable cities I've ever been to. It has a city center that is a curious but tasteful mix of the past and the future. And in the event that I have to be somewhere quickly or I'm just too lazy to take a stroll, the extensive tram system readily whisks me off to where I need to be.

off the coast of Helsinki, June 2010, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: TRIANGLE

2010-07-18T03:13:00.000+08:00

I will never grow weary of this church. It's a place that feels so very close to God- the roof seemingly like hands clasped in prayer pointed heaven-ward, with a light breeze and warm sun swirling about, assuring the faithful of a Supreme Being that continues to hear, provide, bless.

Monastery of the Transfiguration, City of Malaybalay, April 2007, using a digicam.

Wordless Wednesday: ESCAPE

2010-06-16T11:43:00.000+08:00

Here is where I'd like to remain forever. At least for now.

Punta De Uian, San Antonio town, May 2010, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: BUBBLES

2010-06-12T01:50:00.000+08:00

This is a detail on the window of a spa resthouse some 60 kilometers south of Manila. I can't help but reflect on how this feature mirrors my country which celebrates its 112th Independence Day today. With 90 million people, speaking 85 languages, living in a an archipelago with 7,107 islands, there is the inevitable fragmentation brought about by geography and culture on close scrutiny. However, if we pull back and see the bigger picture, we are but one colorful fabric, forming a cohesive state, unified by our differences, forged together by our welcome diversity. It's the only nation we have, so we have to make it work.

Sonya's Garden, near Tagaytay City, January 2009, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: PAG-ASA (Hope)

2010-06-10T17:12:00.000+08:00

Dilaw ang kulay ng pag-asa ngayon sa Pilipinas. Ang dilaw na laso na ito, kung ating kakapitan, sama-samang tatangan at hahatakin, ang lubid na mag-aahon sa ating bansa, paalis na lusak na kinasasadlakan natin. Kung mananatili tayong kanya-kanya, makasarili, at mapanira sa bawat isa at sa ating pamunuan, ito ang tali na bibigti sa ating bansa.

PAG-ASA = HOPE

Yellow stickers abound in the Philippines. It is the symbol adopted by then-candidate Benigno Aquino III to identify his brand of politics and leadership. And now that he has been proclaimed as the President-Elect of the Philippines, this color yellow has become the color of hope. This yellow ribbon, if we hold on to it, grasp it altogether, and with all our might pull forward in the same direction, the Philippines may just emerge from the terrible muck it is currently in. However, if we allow discord and selfishness to reign, it could very well be another noose by which we'll orchestrate our own country's demise.

Sales Interchange, Taguig City, March 2010, using a digicam.

Wordless Wednesday: ALOFT

2010-06-09T02:15:00.000+08:00

The Helsinki Central Railway Station is an icon of Finland's historic art nouveau / nationalist romantic architectural heritage. In it flows some 200,000 people daily enjoying the amenities of a modern train service, including Pendolino trains that fly on the rails at speeds in excess of 180 kph.

Helsinki, June 2010, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: MEMORIAL

2010-05-29T14:48:00.000+08:00

James K. Polk, 11th President of the United States of America, is honored here at the Genevieve Morehead Memorial Art Rotunda at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. President Polk is "the youngest up to the time, who managed to expand the borders of the United States to the Pacific Ocean, added three states to the Union, started the Naval Academy, the Washington Monument, issued the first postage stamp, and remains the youngest President to die outside those who have been assassinated" (from JamesKPolk.com).

Chapel Hill, December 2009, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: BILANG (Number)

2010-05-27T02:54:00.000+08:00

Tatlong pangunahing kulay- pula, puti, asul. Mga kulay na nananahan sa disensyo ng dalawang parihaba na may nakalapat na isang tatsulok. Isang tatsulok na may tatlong tala at isang araw. Araw na may walong sinag. Ito ang mga natatanging kakanyahan ng ating kasalukuyang pambansang watawat. Kahit saang anggulo mo tingnan, saang lugar man siya makita, sa kung anumang dahilan man siya iwagaywag, nararapat siyang makatanggap ng pinakamataas na paggalang at pagtatampok dahil siya ang sagisag ng isang malayang bayan at pinagpipitaganang lahi.

Mga Pambansang Araw ng Watawat ang Mayo 28 hanggang Hunyo 12. Ang tamang pagwagayway ng watawat ng Pilipinas at iba pang alituntunin sa tamang pagtatanghal sa kanya ay mahahanap dito.

BILANG = NUMBER

Three primary colors- red, white, and blue. Colors that reside in two horizontal bands and an equilateral triangle. An equilateral triangle that contains three stars and a sun. A sun from which emanates eight rays. These are the unique characteristics of the Philippine national flag. From whatever angle it is seen, from whatever edifice it flies, for whatever reason it is unfurled, it must be accorded the highest honor and respect as it represents the indomitable spirit of an independent nation.

The National Flag Days are from May 28 to June 12 of every year. The correct ways of displaying the flag, among other protocols related to it, can be found here.

a Gawad Kalinga village in Daraga, Albay, April 2007, using a digicam.

Wordless Tuesday: MEETING

2010-05-25T11:30:00.000+08:00

The waters of the South China Sea excitedly embrace the mountains of Zambales province in this beach resort some four hours north of Manila.

Punta De Uian beach resort, town of San Antonio, April 2010, using a digicam.

Tree for Three

2010-05-22T01:22:00.002+08:00

Whenever we travel, we try our best to live by this mantra-

Take nothing but pictures.
Leave nothing but footprints.
Kill nothing but time.

We try to be as less obtrusive as possible as regards ecology, whether we are in an urban or a real jungle. Taking public transportation or walking instead of bringing our private vehicles. Bringing our own food and drink containers instead of buying pre-packaged and bottled ones. Reusing hotel towels until they’re threadbare. I would like to think that many of the photos in this blog where taken during trips wherein we made discernible efforts to be, well, green.

However, I wasn’t too keen on the reality that the green points we’ve earned in those trips get used up as I consume kilowatts of electricity while I write my entries and share photos online! Good thing there is now a means for me to declare that my blog is carbon-neutral.

A German initiative via the website Mach’s green promises to plant one tree for each blog owner that chooses to sign up in this website. This endeavor is made possible in partnership with several non-government organizations and publications dedicated to saving the environment using the most creative yet practical means. A report of the trees already planted as well as the sites for the planting of future trees can be seen in the website, among other details, in the spirit of transparency and accountability. The steps towards making your own blog carbon-neutral are very simple and they begin by heading over to Mach’s green.

And so, I celebrate this photoblog’s anniversary number 3 by securing for it a tree to make it carbon-neutral. May this be an auspicious start to more adventures in and more photos of a safer, greener, grander planet.

Litratong Pinoy: PAMILYA (Family)

2010-05-20T20:08:00.000+08:00

Ang mga Simpsons ang isa sa pinakakilalang pamilya sa buong mundo. Higit sa 20 taon na ito sa ere at mukhang mananatili pa ito sa ating mga telebisyon. Nakakatawa talaga ang marami sa mga kaganapan sa buhay nina Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, Maggie, at kanilang angkan: ang iba ay hindi kapani-paniwala, ang iba naman ay tila salamin ng lipunang ginagalawan ng marami sa atin.

Ang ating mga pami-pamilya ay para rin talagang isang tsubibo sa karnabal: minsan nasa itaas, minsan nasa ibaba. May mga pagkakataon na gusto mo nang kumawala subali't hindi maaari dahil patuloy ang pag-inog nito. Gayunpaman, sa dinami-dami ng magkakahalong sakit at ligaya, sa dulo ng lahat, sa palagay ko ay pipiliin pa rin natin ang ating mga pami-pamilya.

Minsan di ko kayang mabuhay kasama sila, pero mas mas madalas, mahirap mabuhay na wala sila.

PAMILYA = FAMILY

The Simpsons would arguably be one of the most popular families in the world. For 20 years, their eventful life has unfolded inside our TV screens and they're likely to have another season starting in the fall. The lives of Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, Maggie and the rest of their clan are just hilarious: some scenes are outrightly inane and impossible, some are mirrors of our own (mis)adventures as families and societies.

Life in most of our families are like carnival rides: sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down. There are times you'd want to jumpship but you just can't because it just keeps racing up and down its tracks. Be that as it may, for its mixture of hurt and happiness, at the end of it all, I'd bet my neck most of us would still choose to be born into the families we are in now.

Families: can't live with them, can't live without them =]

Universal Studios Florida, December 2009 using a digicam.

Wordless Wednesday: SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED

2010-05-19T09:16:00.000+08:00

One of the highlights of my 24-hour stay in Sweden is the visit to its Postmuseum, a veritable treasure trove of postal as well a philatelic delights that stamp geeks like myself swim into gladly. It has exhibits that creatively discuss the history of the postal system, replete with priceless memorabilia like mailboxes, postal workers' uniforms, stamps, among others. The time I was there, there were also special exhibitions on the letters of famed biologist Carl von Linnae and the philatelic exploits of one John Lennon- with items from his own childhood collection as well as stamps the world over which The Beatles have graced.

I love how this museum is organized, into compact, discrete levels and areas that give the visitor a sense of "completion." Interestingly, the exhibits, though, are not that mutually exclusive, as they somehow flow coherently into the next. There was also an abundance of written guides and materials for intrepid museum explorers. I also liked that I can take photos inside the museum, something that is not welcome in many local museums here in the Philippines. (Just make sure you have a back-up camera in case your digicam conks out- like mine did! huhuhu This explains why this welcome mat is one of the very, very, very few decent pics I have of/ in the the museum!)

If you do find yourselves in Stockholm's Gamla Stan - Old Town- head on over to the Postmuseum and have a deeper appreciation of the beauty and complexity of the mail, especially now in the age of instant messaging, blogs, and Facebook.

Visit the Postmuseum at: Lilla Nygatan 6 T-Gamla Stan, Stockholm
Write to them: Box 2002 SE-103 11 Stockholm / postmuseum@posten.se
Call:+46(8)781 1755
Fax: +46(8)20 90 21

Stockholm, September 2007, using a digicam.