PhotoHunt: GLASS

The Zuellig Building in Makati City is a 33-story edifice, mixing sleek aesthetics and sound environmental design, a sight for sore eyes amidst gaudy structures and urban blight.

Makati City, May, 2013, using a phone camera.

PhotoHunt: STELLAR

The Diliman campus of the University of the Philippines is decked with star-shaped lanterns, all ready to celebrate Christmas. At the center of the plaza in front of the main administration building is the Oblation, symbol of the university, and ultimate aim and aspiration of the institution for its graduates, who number in the thousands yearly.

Quezon Hall, UP Diliman, November 2012 using a phone cam.

PhotoHunt: DANCE

Love her or hate her, Lady Gaga surely knows how to make a 10,000-plus-strong crowd sing and sway with her.

SM Mall of Asia Arena, May 2012, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: HOT

In order to beat the hordes of madding tourist, and take advantage of the "first-buyer discount," we were in this pearl market at around 7am. These necklaces, bracelets, and earrings are proud products of communities in and around the Sulu Sea, engaged in the trade for decades. The market is located at the wharf behind a landmark hotel which has changed hands through the years; but the pearl sellers, like the beauty of their wares, have consistently endured life's scrapes and scuffles.

back of Lantaka Hotel, Zamboanga City, January 2012, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: TASTE

The breakfast buffet was simple yet delicious.

The view around us, from our table, however, made it more than sumptuous.

Dakak Beach Resort, Zamboanga Del Norte 2012, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: STURDY

This is Stan, arguably the star of The Mind Museum, the Philippines' first world-class science museum which formally opened its doors last March 16th in Taguig City. Stan is a forty-foot Tyrannosaurus rex cast made from the most complete T. rex set ever discovered. No wonder he is the touted king of dinosaurs: if I were his prey then, his sheer majestic presence would have made me freeze where I stood. Exactly how I felt when I first got to see him up close at The Mind Museum.

The Mind Museum, Taguig City, December 2011, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: AWESOME

Nestled amidst the greenery of Talisay village in Dapitan City, this towering baluno tree, a relative of the mango, has stood guard for at least one hundred years. By itself, it is already an awe-inspiring entity. But in addition to its imposing presence, this baluno has been a witness to the life of the Philippines' national hero, Dr Jose Rizal, while he lived in exile in this village from March 1893 to July 1896. In silence, it has watched Rizal as he maintained a school that mentored a group of boys into fine young men; developed the area into a model for public works and health and sanitation; found true love; buried a son.

If only its leaves and branches can talk, what wondrous stories I'm sure this baluno tree will tell about Rizal's time here in Dapitan, in exile, yes, yet arguably the most free he has ever been...

Rizal Shrine, Dapitan City, Zamboanga Del Norte, March 2012, using a digicam.

PhotoHunt: RIPPED

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

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: TWO

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: SYMBOLIC

"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.

Litratong Pinoy: GINHAWA (Comfort)

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: TOGETHER

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.

Litratong Pinoy: MAPANGLAW (Melancholic)

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: LOOKING DOWN

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.

PhotoHunt: CAGED

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)

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.

PhotoHunt: MOSTLY BLACK

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.

PhotoHunt: STANDING

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.

PhotoHunt: HANDS

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.