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.
"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.
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.
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.
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 =]
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...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
