PhotoHunt: TWISTED

This is the Candler Oak, one of the oldest, if not the oldest, living oak trees in the city of Savannah, Georgia. Its roots are embedded on a property that has been a center of healing for many residents of the city, having had neighbors like the seaman's hospital which operated from 1803 to 1818 and the Savannah Poor House and Hospital which served the population from 1819 to 1854 until it became the headquarters of Medical College of Georgia. During the American Civil War, the hospital was used by opposing forces for the care of their wounded soldiers who recuperated under its gnarly but welcoming branches. In 1930, the William A. Candler
Hospital became its neighbor, which operated for a good fifty years.

Years of exposure to the elements and the ravages of human development threatened to hasten the decline of this magnificent oak tree. Timely intervention from institutions like the Savannah Tree Foundation made it possible for me to see the Candler Oak some 200-plus years after it first sprouted from the ground.

Rightfully so, the Candler Oak was designated a Georgia Landmark and Historic Tree by the Georgia Urban Forest Council in 2001.

Savannah, Georgia, May 2008, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: PALENGKE (Market)

Hindi ako mahilig sa prutas at hindi rin ako maaasahan sa pamamalengke. Subali't sa tingin ko ay kalabisan ang manga sa nagkakahalaga ng P25 kada piraso na nakita ko sa isang pamilihan sa Hilton Head Island sa Amerika. Sana lang ay kasing-sarap ito ng mga manga rito sa atin... Haaay... Ang *sarap* talaga rito sa Pilipinas =]

PALENGKE = MARKET I'm neither a fan of fruits nor am I a reliable shopper. But methinks this is just too much, mangoes that sell for P25 a piece, in a store in Hilton Head Island. I really hope for their sake that these mangoes are as terrific as ours... It's such a *delicious thrill* to be a Filipino =]

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, May 2008, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: UPSIDE-DOWN

While on a cruise ship launched from Turku in Finland headed to Stockholm, Sweden, I got to witness one of the most fascinating sunsets ever. It was around 9pm and the struggle between darkness and light was ongoing in the sky, seamlessly and exquisitely reflected on the water's surface. I could hardly tell where the heavens ended and the earth began...

somewhere over the waters off Finland and Sweden, August 2007, using a digicam.

Litratong Pinoy: KARATULA (Signs)

Sa biglang tingin, ang napansin ko agad ay ang matangkad na gitnang istruktura na may tuktok na parang sa isang mosque. Wala na nga ako sa Maynila, nasabi ko sa aking sarili. Nguni't sa dagdag na pag-usisa at pagtitig sa larawan, may nakita akong Jollibee, tricycle, umpukan ng mga nagtitinda ng prutas, nagbebenta ng lobo, lokal na restoran, tindahan ng film ng kamera. May mga karatula at palatandaan na nakikita ko sa kahit anong lugar ako mapadpad sa Pilipinas, maging ako man ay nasa Makati, Maguindanao, o Macabebe.

Hindi pala tayo ganoon ka-magkakaiba...

KARATULA = SIGNS At first, what grabbed my attention was the minnaret-like structure which served as a welcome arch into the city's center. I am definitely not in Manila anymore, I told myself. However, further scrutiny of the vista yielded a Jollibee branch, tricycles, clusters of fruits vendors, balloon sellers, local restaurants, a camera film shop. These were signs and symbols visible in Makati, Maguindanao, or Macabebe- duplicated almost anywhere in the Philippines.

We're not that different after all...

downtown Cotabato City, Match 2009, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: ELECTRIC

The City That Never Sleeps exudes a Spirit That Will Never Waver.

Lit as brightly as its buildings is a soul that is so multi-faceted it's hard not to feel at home in it somehow. You cannot visit New York City and leave untouched by its intensity, its vibe, its culture, its humanity.

May all those who perished in 9/11 rest in peace. May their families find comfort and consolation. May our world continue to come together and work to maintain lasting peace.

across the Hudson River, New Jersey, May 2008, using a digicam.