My Photography

My Perfect Day

2012-01-11T06:24:00.000-08:00

How would you describe your perfect day?

It may be sitting at the front porch of your family home in the country on a cold misty morning.

It could also be a sunny afternoon on a hammock at the beach in Bali.

The thing is, your perfect day is nowhere near where you always are. It's always miles away if not lifetimes away from your current. But that's the reason it's called perfect because it is not permanent. Otherwise, it wouldn't be that fun anymore if you actually do it everyday.

My perfect day is waking up early in the morning to watch the sunrise at the beach over a good cup of coffee. Just perfect!

Note: All photos taken at the beach in Rizal, Dulag, Leyte at 7:00 AM Dec. 19, 2011.

The San Diego Shipwreck

2011-10-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

October 16th marked the Philippine National Museum Week and I just had to be there! I have been to the Philippine National Museum many times before but this day was indeed more special.

That day the National Heritage Museum unveiled the artifacts of the sunken galleon San Diego. The San Diego galleon's remains were recovered from Fortune Island, Batangas in 1991 by a team of Filipino and French archaeologists.

Top: A diorama of the wreck site in Batangas
Bottom: A San Diego miniature

The wrecksite of the once glorious Spanish galleon, carried about 30,000 items, including valuable artifacts such as 3,000 pieces of Ming Dynasty china, pottery and samurai swords.

What the Admiral's table would have looked like.
Adorned with nothing but the finest china during those days.

Nearly 400 years after it was sunk by a Dutch warship, the San Diego has become a huge treasure chest and I was one of the lucky few to see it first.

These pots contained treasures and supplies.

When I read through the history of the shipwreck, I felt sad for the ship and its crew's fate. Some 100 human remains were recovered from the site, including remains of equine and cattle.

Top: The remains of the ship's body, quite a number of bronze canons of different sizes.
Bottom: One of the ship's anchors weighing more than a ton.

The ship was sunk by a Dutch warship in December 1600, when the ship's amateur captain decided to fight back. The ship was coursing the Manila-Acapulco Trade route when it was intercepted by the Dutch, who was then a close competitor of the Spaniards in the business of colonizing South East Asian countries.

Top: A helmet which surely belonged to someone's head, that someone
being one of the 100 human remains found in the site.
Bottom: Being the strong Catholics that they were, they took an image of the
Virgin Mary and the child Jesus wherever the ship went

As spectacular as it looks today, I am certain it was as frightful to watch when the ship met it's fate. But as horrifying as the ship's journey ended, I am somehow relieved that it was preserved well enough for our generation to see.

Avilon Zoo

2011-10-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I decided to see the zoo again. The last time I went to the zoo was about the same time last year so I thought they might have something new. But even if there wasn't anything new, I still would have wanted to see the same animals, especially the big cats.

Another reason is for some unfinished business with the White Tiger.

These Arapaimas are always the first ones to greet you at Avilon.
These semi-endangered specie of freshwater fish is the largest in the world.
Each one of these babies measure about two meters in length.

There are two zoos within Metro Manila --Manila Zoo and Malabon Zoo. These zoos are notoriously known for leaving their animals in such poor conditions. When I checked the internet and saw a frail and rather emaciated tiger in Malabon Zoo and a lonely elephant in Manila zoo (the elephant's name is Mali, observed to show signs of depression and psychological stress being the only elephant in the zoo since the 1980's <http://zoonewsdigest.blogspot.com/2010/01/manila-zoos-elephant.html>), I didn't even want to look. I love animals too much that I knew going there would only make me feel depressed.

That's why I choose to go to Avilon Zoo, located outside Metro Manila. It's in Rodriguez in the Rizal Province, about a couple of hours drive from where I live. The road is unimaginable but the trip is always worth it.

A male Urangutan captured with a rare grin on his face.

It being isolated from the city, the animals are still kept in a pollution-free environment. They are kept in cages with a lot of room to run in. And they also look well-fed and healthy.

The first time I was there, it was in the summer of last year and the animals were out in the open to cool down. And so I saw most of the animals. During my first trip, I found the lion most amazing, but they had cut his hair really short, since he had pediculosis (a sweet term for lice infestation! LOL). I wanted so much to see the white tiger but this big cat is very shy and so I left Avilon Zoo without seeing it, but I thought, "I saw a lion, a jaguar, a leopard and the smaller "big" cats like the black panther, bobcat, clouded leopard and lynx, so that would do for now".

An unknown red arachnid (top) and a tamed albino
Burmese python (bottom) you can put on your shoulder.

Six months later I went over there with my mum and my brother and I was able to see a cougar family. A mummy cougar with three cute and healthy cubs. I was also able to carry a boa constrictor on my shoulder. And I also put a huge Hawk Owl and an even bigger Philippine Eagle on my right arm, but no White Tiger. But with everything I did in the zoo that day, I thought, "That would do for now."

There were about a hundred of these marine iguanas in the zoo.
If they were so much bigger, there'd be a Godzilla invasion.

The sun shone early in the morning but just as we stepped out of the house, it started to rain. There was no sign of the sun at all but we drove on. Two hours later and three rivers later, the road was impassable. The river had overflown onto the road. Good thing there was a bridge not far from where we were, that lead us to the same direction. And so we crossed the last river, which was just the beginning of the challenge. And now the rough and muddy terrain. Thank God four-wheel drives were invented and we arrived at the zoo safe. Lucky enough for me, I wasn't driving!

A Jaguar. The third largest cat in the world and the best looking too.

We got off and were happy to know none of the fees have changed. The rain had stopped but the sun was nowhere in sight. And so we started touring the site. Most of the animals hid in their cage caves because of the cold temperature so only a few animals were in the open.

The King of the jungle, relaxing in his den.

I saw the exact same animals though. The lion had grown some hair around his neck, just as I wanted him to look like. The only thing that disappointed me, (just a little bit) was, due to the weather, his fur had gone a little darker. He used to look like Simba to me, now he looks a little like Scar (remember Lion King?!? C'mon!). I shook hands with Trixie again, the little Urangutan who sat in the same spot to greet visitors. I saw the same jaguar, same cute little fennec foxes and the same boring little birds.

The cougar cubs have grown so large and handsome!

I put the White Tiger's cage last on my itinerary. I went on to see some more reptiles and arachnids I wasn't able to see, or didn't pay much attention to, in my previous trips. I put a yellow Burmese python around my shoulder and patted a cute ram at the animal nursery.

And then I was left with nowhere else to go but the White Tiger's cage. From a distance, I could already see its cage. I felt excited to see people hovering around it. And so I had to see what the commotion was about. Lo and behold the White Tiger! It was a massive male white tiger, prancing around, as if showing off his beautiful white fur to his audience.

The White Tiger wasn't so shy after all.
He walked around and stared at his audience with his very light gray eyes.

The male white tiger we saw was indeed the largest cat in the zoo. He was significantly larger than the Bengal tiger (the orange one) or the lion. That did it for me! Despite the weather, I can say it was my best trip to the zoo ever!

Notes: Equipment: Nikon D90 & Nikon D5100 w/ 18-55mm VR lens and 55-200 mm VR lens respectively. The pictures don't look at all dark and gloomy despite the weather, thanks to Nikon D5100's low noise at high ISO feature! Just top notch! I love Nikon in general but D5100 does it best in low lighting.

My Vitamin C

2011-09-26T08:08:00.000-07:00

The weather was quite harsh today.

I got a day off from work today but I had to make a few errands. And one of these errands was processing my passport at DFA. But it didn't turn out as bad as I expected. I was able to complete everything that had to be done within an hour and a half.

And so for the rest of the day, I was curled in my bed sipping my daily dose of warm Vitamin C while watching TV.

My Vitamin C isn't Ascorbic acid FYI, but caffeine. But don't get me wrong, I do get my required Ascorbic Acid intake but I get more of the other Vitamin C in a day.

Caffeine addiction runs in the blood. My dad, on average, consumes three cups of coffee everyday. He used to consume more when he was younger.

As for myself, I can consume, on average, two cups a day.

It used to be more than two cups back in college, when I had to stay long hours studying. It was as bad as seven... I know! It sounds ridiculous. Only when I started palpitating would I stop drinking coffee. But it gradually decreased. When I started working and my job demanded that I stay up at night, I'd consume about five cups.

But those were the days when I looked at coffee, only, as an upper.

Now, my day is never complete without it.

Food Photography

2011-09-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

I love food...oh wait... no.... I worship it!

I like looking at it, smelling it, tasting it and chewing it.

Taken from the album, "Random Eats".

I cook too if I have the time. With my tight schedule, I find solace in restaurants or worse --fast food. But there's one thing I definitely have time for --photography!

Taken from the album "Healthy Eats".

Whenever I visit a new restaurant and the food looks good, I make sure I take a picture before digging in.

I used to love taking pictures of my friends when we'd hang out at restaurants and I realized that there was more to these gatherings than "cam-whoring" friends. There was food. And I mean food with better appeal! ;)

Taken from my album "Cook/bake at Bak's Kitchen".

Since then I've been hooked and now my friends are complaining why my Facebook has nothing but food pictures in it. What's worse is that they were with me at the restaurant where the food was taken and they weren't in any of the pictures.

Taken from the album "Barcino".

Ok. I admit I have fixation issues because when I enjoy something, I keep on doing it until I'm completely fed up. And food... I don't think I'll ever be fed up with it unless I want to starve myself to death, which by the way will never happen!

Whether it's my daily caffeine dose or my occasional fine dining,
photography is an essential. As the pictures above show. Taken from
the album "Life On The Go".

So that means you'll be seeing my food posts for a while...maybe even forever. I mean... don't you appreciate good looking food? C'mon!

The Rainy Days

2011-09-07T06:28:00.000-07:00

June to July saw the most rainfall this year but it didn't stop me from taking photos. Lighting was a bit of a problem but the gloomy weather gave a different effect on the photos. I am not schooled in photography so I don't really know how it's called. And of course with the help of good old Photoshop, the photos looked better(I guess!).

On the road on a rainy afternoon. Taken from the album "Rain".

The Philippines is generally humid but this year, the country is experiencing the La Nina phenomenon so the rainy season will be longer than the dry season. And that means I'll have to put up with the weather for a bit longer. Even the bad weather can't stop my shutter-happy fingers from taking photos.

Rainy day at the garden. Taken from the album "Rain".

The weather bureau forecasted more rainfall until the end of the year, so I'm going to miss the sun a little bit until next year.

Raindrops taken from the album "Water".
I forgot to reduce the noise on the first photo.

If La Nina means a rainy year, the following year would be the opposite and it's called El Nino. I'm not really a big fan of the latter, knowing that the summer heat would go as high up as 38 degrees Celsius. It's just so uncomfortable. I'm fine with La Nina minus the flooding.

Umbrella from the rain. Taken from the album "Rainy Day Randoms".

I'll use the rainy season to master rainy day photography (however better you may call it!).

Fancy umbrellas at a store. Taken from the album "Rainy Day Randoms".

Hopefully by the end of this month, I already get a Nikon 5100 that has better ISO than my current camera. And that means better light sensitivity and the poor lighting would be more tolerable.

Feel free to comment. If you have questions on how I achieved the composition of the pictures, I can definitely share.

People Who Stay

2011-08-31T14:32:00.000-07:00

You’ve probably met a lot of people in your life. As for me, I’ve met thousands… maybe even more, especially in my profession. But only half of all the people you’ve met you can actually remember. At this point you’d probably divide the people you can remember into two; people who leave and people who stay.

Taken from my album "Shadows Of The Sun".

People who leave could be any of the following:

People who have been introduced to you by other people who themselves aren’t close to you.
People who randomly smile at you on the street who probably thought you were someone they knew
People you talked with while waiting on a random queue in some random government office
People who greet you at the grocery store or the fast food restaurant or the cab driver you tipped extra a week before.
People whose foot you stepped on while trying to get off the bus or the train.
People who actually have made a huge difference in your life but you have to leave naturally, like your teachers back in primary school.
People you left… like your ex-boyfriend or ex-husband… etc.

Taken from my album "Shadows Of The Sun".

People who stay could be any of the following:

Your family… like you have a choice?! (LOL)
Your best friend
Your friends in high school
Your roommates in college
Your cousins
Etcetera

Taken from my album "Shadows Of The Sun".

You’re probably still stuck on the first part. You’re probably still thinking of your ex. As a matter of fact, I stayed in that item for a few minutes. But there is something you call “moving on” that helps you go through pain unscathed.

Taken from my album "Shadows Of The Sun".

I can remember a few years back when I met a guy who made quite an impression in my life. We grew so close to the point that we already knew everything about each other without having to commit to anything. And before we knew it, two years have passed and I found out he was engaged. It came as a surprise but since we didn’t make any commitments, it all just vanished quite abruptly.

A July sunset taken from my album "Sunset From My Window".

I was a little heartbroken. I know there was no commitment or anything but I somehow invested my feelings on “the relationship”.

A July sunset taken from my album "Sunset From My Window".

We have stopped talking. At least for myself I can say that. But last month on my birthday he sent me a birthday wish in which he also said “I will always love you”. And his loving me, in common sense, should be inappropriate coming from an engaged man. But to be the better person, I thought it's best that I ignored his show and just went on with my life.

That was a long one.

A July sunset taken from my album "Sunset From My Window".

But it made me realize that, hey, people who leave really haven’t left. Perhaps only an advanced Alzheimer’s disease can make them leave completely if not death. For as long as you can remember them, they will forever be "people who stay".

In Memory Of Trees

2011-05-31T16:07:00.000-07:00

One of my scrapbook graphics.

My fondest of childhood memories were playing in the sun, rolling on plains of grass, climbing trees and frolicking with the tide at the beach on sunset. Nothing could be happier than childhood embraced by nature. Imagine the fun you’ll have when you are entangled in vines on a treetop and waiting until your dad comes home to get you down than sitting at home, watching TV or on your computer.

Taken from my album "Solitude". This picture was taken in Tanghas, Tolosa, Leyte.

I thank God to have blessed me with the happiest childhood that most of the children now do not enjoy.

From my album "Ninoy Aquino Park". Taken at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center.

People have grown deaf of the cries of nature because their ears only hear the ramblings of their iPods. I am not against technology, as a matter of fact, I embrace it just like any other individual in my generation but technology will not bring nature back on it’s own. People must do it, for we were the ones who exploited it in the first place.

From my album "Riverland Park". Taken at the Marikina Riverland Park.

If you stop reading and think that this might be another one of those sermons to plant trees and recycle, think again. If this is the hundredth or thousandth voice you are hearing about saving nature, why have you not done anything? Are you even listening?

All I ask is plant a single tree to feed you the oxygen you need to live.

From my album "Baybay: A Cool Place Down South".
Taken at Visayas State University, Baybay City, Southern Leyte.

When was the last time you saw a tree? You probably see it all the time but never really looked at it. Let alone count how many there are. So how many are there?

The answer - an estimated 61 trees per person.

Trees burnt after road clearing in Antipolo. From my album "Antipolo at Sundown".

Based on NASA data, in 2005 there were over 400 billion trees on this planet and there's over 6 billion people. Given everything we use trees for, that's a piddling amount. And remember that humans aren’t the only ones using the trees to breathe oxygen from, there are about fifty times as many animals that depend on them for so much more than we actually use them for. Animals depend on trees for food, shelter and air while we live in our high-rise condos and drive our cars.

A tree full of rose apples or "tambis" in local dialect.
From my album "Baybay: A Cool Place Down South".
Taken at Visayas State University, Baybay City, Southern Leyte.

As you scroll from one photo to another, please run by them again and think about the last time you actually looked at a tree. If it has been a while since you did, it’s about time you wake up and do something before these photos are the only ones we have of what once was a pure soul who brought nothing on this earth but serenity ~TREES.

Idealism

2011-05-26T06:49:00.000-07:00

"Idealism increases in direct proportion to one's distance from the problem."

~ John Galsworthy

From my album, "Colorful Sunsets", taken at the Guadalupe Bridge.

When I was younger, people knew me to be very idealistic. The fact that I said that, I guess, just gives away the idea that I no longer am.

Idealism comes with a certain age and it doesn't always do a person good. When you set your ideals, it means you have to stick to it to a tee. Sometimes, if the odds are against you, you don't have a choice but to bend your ideals, unfortunately for those who don't, they would usually falter.

From my album, "Colorful Sunsets", taken at my window.

Setting ideals don't come with flexibility. Therefore, it doesn't take into consideration the factors that are out of your control. In fact, if something is not going to happen due to some incontrollable force, we reason out and start our statement with, "Ideally..." or "In a perfect world...". The word perfect and ideal always go together and we have always lived with the notion that nothing is ever perfect.

Setting ideals don't always include other people. Ideals are usually selfish. Well, what's the point of being idealistic if you listen to what others have to say?

From my album, "Colorful Sunsets", taken at my window.

When you hear about someone messing up his life, you would usually judge the person and say "If I were him, I would've...". You are probably not noticing it but you're being idealistic when you smirk and scoff about it. And you could only go so far as smirking for you will never be that person. And if, for unfortunate reasons, you are met with the same situation, before you know it, you mess it up even more.

From my album, "Colorful Sunsets", taken at my window.

I'm not totally throwing idealism out the window, sometimes we gain respect from people by letting them know we have set ideals and it can also increase our intellectual value, especially in political speeches.

But to each his own. At some point, I guess, we all go through a stage of being idealistic. When you could only laugh at your mistakes and stay calm if things go out of control, it's when you know you've grown out of it.

From my album, "Colorful Sunsets", taken at my window.

Afterall, when you're done with being idealistic, you discover something more realistic and call them --goals.

What I Really Want

2011-05-20T14:02:00.000-07:00

When we were young, people would ask us about what we want to be when we grow up. Our answers depended on our parents' coaxing or on what we like watching on TV. Your answers might have been --doctor, teacher, soldier or superhero. Did I guess it right?

This is from my album "Basking In The Sun".

What did I want to be when I was a kid? I can't even remember. My parents never asked me that question nor do I remember anyone asking me.

But I had very encouraging parents who let me do, pretty much, whatever I wanted. When they saw the potential of me being an artist, they bought me coloring books, watercolors, crayons and left me tons of paper while they were at work and I was left home. My mom didn't even mind scrubbing the walls when I ran out of paper and the walls served as emergency canvass for my artwork. When I started humming tunes and it sounded right, they sent me to study music during school breaks, so I could focus on my god-given talents. And I sung on every school program and joined every school contest.

One of my works in pencils from last year.

But did I want all of it? I guess I did. Looking back at how hectic my schedule was as a child, I'd truly think I liked what I was doing. My singing helped me build my confidence. Being on stage and being in tune was already a difficult thing to do, that it opened other opportunities for me, like joining the drama club, the dance club, the art club, the speech club and pretty much everything that tickled my competitiveness.

This is from my album "Basking In The Sun".

When I was growing up and my family moved a lot, all of us in the family had our share of tasks in the house. One of my tasks were cooking. It was something I enjoyed doing. And the more people liked my cooking, the more I did it. I fed the entire neighborhood when I mastered my Chinese noodles recipe.

I have definitely moved on, since I mastered the Chinese noodle recipe to cooking the best Italian.

When people saw what I could do, they all thought I would probably be an artist or a singer or a chef or an actress or a politician or a dancer or ... the list went on and on. But with all these things that I could do, what did I really want to be? I had no idea.

Crafts I learned from Christmas 2010. This is a part of my album "Shabby Chic"

It all started going haywire when I entered college and took up Medical Technology. Who would have ever imagined that? Then people started wondering what I was going to do next. I myself was wondering why I did it. And it took me four years in school, a year in interning in a med. lab. and three months being a hermit to study for the Medical Boards, which I passed and fancied so much, to realize that I did it all for nothing. I didn't want to work in the hospital.

Now I was in a crisis. I didn't know where to go after getting my license as Med. Lab. Scientist.

This is a part of my album "Shabby Chic"

And after six more years working in an industry, not related to medical science or art, I'm still not in a place where I want to be. And I often find myself wondering what I really want to do.

This is a part of my album "Shabby Chic"

Last 2008 a very good friend of mine gave me a point and shoot camera as a gift for Christmas. And then I discovered PHOTOGRAPHY.

This is a part of my album "Shabby Chic"

I have had prior exposure to photography. My dad owned a Yashica SLR when I was ten, but I was ordered to stay away from the equipment because it was a gadget my dad was very protective of. And besides, back in the day, you'd spend film roll after film roll to practice photography only to find out the photos were no good after spending for photo processing. So I wasn't so thrilled with photography as much as if you'd put me on stage to sing in front of a huge crowd.

This is a part of my album "Shabby Chic"

But now that I have found \photography, again the same question is asked --Do I want it? Yes I do, ofcourse. It makes me happy and it makes other people happy when they look at my photos.

BUT WHAT DO I REALLY WANT?

I just want to be happy.

This is a part of my album "Cloud-Watching"

Whatever happened to wanting to be an artist, musician, chef or actress? I have for most of my life been going with the flow, with goals that change after the fulfillment of another. I guess when you get older, you become less adventurous and your wants are reduced to more substantial needs and your sky-high goals are upgraded to the single, most realistic dream of HAPPINESS.

This Concrete Jungle

2011-05-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since my last post. I have been extremely busy in the last couple of months. But today is just like those months when I had nothing to do and I was in between jobs.

It can get very lonely living in the city.
As they say "The city is where lonely people chose to be lonely together."

It's been seven years since I moved to Manila. I never thought I would love life in the city but it seems, at this point, I can't imagine living anywhere else.

The view from the plane as I head back to Manila from the holidays.

While growing up, I had this image of Manila in my head as dirty, garbage everywhere, people killing each other and all sorts of negative things. But how can you blame a provincial girl who was pretty much stuck with what she sees in the news and stories she hears of unfortunate folks who didn't make it in the big city.

The city is like a big room with many doors.

I can only laugh at how bad my imagination was, knowing that where I live is a total opposite of the typical picture of Manila. Perhaps, I'm lucky, but it's also possible that I worked hard enough to be at a better state.

The view from my favorite coffee place along Emerald Avenue.

Seven years ago when I decided to move to Manila, you'd probably think it took me years to consider the decision. On the contrary, it was a very quick decision. The first few years were very difficult as I tried to move up in the industry I was working for. Gradually, things became a lot easier (maybe not but I have gotten used to it's difficulty).

The sunset from my window.

At this moment, I am back to what seems to have been a very difficult situation --in between jobs. Job hunting is not very difficult nowadays, since I have packed all the experience and the confidence at what I do. This should be a very depressing state and some people might go rushing home to mama's arms, but nothing and no one can take me away from the habitat I have grown so accustomed with --in this concrete jungle.

The concrete jungle at sunset.

Daguitan River

2010-12-19T23:43:00.000-08:00

When I was a child, my parents weren’t usually home. My dad was aboard a ship somewhere in the Mediterranean and my mother, who was still in the middle of her PHD’s, was either in Western Visayas or somewhere in Southeast Asia. My brother and I stayed with our aunt and grandmother.

During weekdays my brother and I, together with our aunt would stay at a house we rented, close to our school in the main town of Dulag, which was a few miles from our home. During weekends we’d travel back home to be with our grandmother.

A "kubo" by the river.

We always looked forward to the weekend. It was a couple worry-free days of just playing and bathing in the river or frolicking by the beach. Our permanent hangout place was Daguitan river.

Daguitan river was a few minutes walk from our home. The walk going to the river was quick and easy, because of the excitement. And when we got there, we swam and jumped off a cliff to the river again and again. My grandmother was always at a close watch, as she did the laundry.

We would usually leave home late in the morning, since the water would be really cold if we went there early, so getting sun burns were inevitable, since we stayed there until late in the afternoon.

Now the most tiring part was the walk home. It seemed to take ten times longer than it should. And when we finally got home, my brother and I would fall asleep from exhaustion. I remember lying down, still feeling the water current all over my body and that feeling went on until my grandmother woke us up for dinner.

The road to the river.

When I turned ten, my mother earned her PHD’s and stayed home to look after us. And then we began to live differently. We had someone else do the laundry for us, instead of my grandmother, which meant that we wouldn’t have the chance to go to the river anymore. And when I turned twelve, we started going places, and we were rarely home.

But even after fifteen years, I can still remember the river’s current on my body and the sun’s burning rays on my skin as I bathed. I have somehow come to realize that Daguitan’s waters have made it’s way to my bloodstream and have stayed ever since.

Best photo of the trip.

Just yesterday, I decided to go back to the river, where I spent the happiest days of my childhood. The river has changed its course. The cliff we used to jump off from, as a child was no longer in sight. The old edges of the river were still visible but the river has moved about thirty meters away.

As I neared the water, I felt the rush of excitement that I felt as a child. I took off my rubber boots and ran into the water. As the water hugged my feet, I felt like I did years ago. I felt rejuvenated. I felt that the child in me was always waiting for this feeling.

More Than Just A Road Trip

2010-12-14T20:56:00.000-08:00

When I was born my dad said he was the happiest father in the world. He always wanted a baby girl since the death of his little sister whom he loved so dearly.

Rice fields in Abuyog, Leyte.

It always broke his heart when he had to leave home for work overseas, which would take him six months before he comes home again. But when he was around he made sure that he spent quality time with us.

Bil-at, on the border between Dulag and Tolosa, Leyte.

We grew farther apart while growing up. He still worked abroad while I was in high school and his time home became less and less. On my fourteenth birthday, I remembered him saying, "I wish you never grew up. I miss you as a little girl. Because I can't kiss you and carry you around like I used to." It broke my heart when he said that. But like any teenager, I, sort of, suffered a certain level of "emotional constipation". I totally just shrugged it off, despite the urge to reciprocate the emotion. And it went on until I finished high school.

San Juanico Bridge, the longest bridge in Asia.

Until one day, we received bad news. He was no longer allowed by his agency to work because of health problems. He was devastated. He loved his job so much but he had to come home. Let alone stay home to recover. This may have been bad news but we never realized it would be for the good.

The Leyte Landing Monument in Palo, Leyte.

He stayed home but he was able to do all the things he had always wanted to do, like, do house repairs, look after mom's garden, take care of dogs, travel, cook, eat, play his guitar and sing his heart out!

Horse along the highway in MacArthur, Leyte.

When I turned twenty and lived away from my parent's house, he always sent me messages and called me to check how things were doing. And it's just then that I said "I love you" to him and mom again after about twenty years. But what's so sweet about it is, I mean it now more than I used to.

Santo Nino Shrine in Tacloban City, Leyte.

The last time I was home to celebrate my birthday, dad and I went on a road trip. Which was more than a road trip but a recollection of the times we spent together since I was born.

Dad's dirt bike.

It was a spontaneous decision as we rode his dirt bike and went places he always wanted me to see. And along the way we talked about me as a child and the funny stuff we did that upset mom.

It felt good to be with dad again and feeling like a child again.

Loneliness: An Artistic Fuel

2010-12-09T05:09:00.000-08:00

Loneliness is defined in many ways. It is entirely subjective, although most of the time it is viewed negatively. It is something people do not talk about. Most would even create a facade of the opposite so that other people will not think they are lonely. But this is the brainchild of the most creative things.

Loneliness is the strongest emotion, even stronger than hatred or love. It has the power to paint beautiful pictures, sing the most beautiful songs and write the best poems.

Have you asked yourself, why the most beautiful and most popular songs ever written are those that have an air of loneliness to it? It's because, loneliness is what everyone can relate to.

Have you asked yourself, what the most beautiful scenery you could imagine? I'm sure you would say, just like the rest of the world, that the sunset is the most beautiful scenery ever imaginable. It is it's utter loneliness that makes it beautiful.

No one wants to be lonely. Neither do I. But it is in occasional loneliness that I find myself creating the most beautiful things.

The Walled City

2010-12-07T01:01:00.000-08:00

If photography is your passion, travelling should go with it. So one of the first places I visited was Intramuros. I visited this old city for two reasons; one, because it's within the Metro and second, it's very photogenic.

Wall from behind San Agustin Church.

According to Wiki --Intramuros, located along the southern bank of the Pasig River, was built by the Spaniards in the 16th century and is the oldest district of the city of Manila. Its name, in Latin, intramuros, literally "within the walls", meaning within the wall enclosure of the city/fortress, also describes its structure as it is surrounded by thick, high walls and moats. During the Spanish colonial period, Intramuros was considered Manila itself.

Establishments are within old buildings and the guards are still fashioned in the colonial times.

I have been to this place long ago but sad to say, I don't remember my parents taking photos of the place. Now that photography is my new-found passion, I can’t just leave without capturing the beauty and the rich history of the place.

My parents and I went on a Sunday in June and I was ecstatic to find out that we were the only ones touring the walled city. I am happy to see that most of it is preserved but at the same time sad to see that the urban poor of manila has found a way to settle some parts of the walled city.

It being a Sunday, my parents and I decided to attend mass at San Agustin church. San Agustin church is a significant monument to the Spanish colonization of the

Philippines

, being the first religious structure built in the island of Luzon in 1570, after the Spanish relocated from Cebu in the south. It boasts the best Spanish Church architecture of it's time. No wonder, from the facade to the interiors, the site was just astounding.

San Agustin Church's facade.

We trudged the cobblestone paved roads in the city and made our way to the Manila Cathedral. Manila Cathedral was built in the 1580's just a few years after San Agustin church was completed. The building, has since been destroyed five times, which makes the interiors look a lot more modern than San Agustin Church, due to the renovations that took place.

The Manila Cathedral's facade.

I was happy with my photos and I couldn’t wait to get home to see them, so we made our way out of the walled city. On the way I saw this really old unlabeled building. I wonder what this is, but I was able to take one of my best photos out of it.

This is what I consider the best photo of the entire tour.

As any traveler would say, “If these walls could talk…”. The old stone walls of this city has stood witness to the most noteworthy events in history and I hope that these photos have given it justice.

If these walls could talk…

Dulag, Leyte: The Place Where My Heart Belongs

2010-12-05T09:10:00.000-08:00

I have traveled a lot in twenty-seven years and have settled in many different places but nothing will ever be called home other than Dulag, Leyte.

Tricycle loaded with milled rice grains traversing the Maharlika Road in Dulag.

I spent only a few years of my life in Dulag. I was born in Leyte but a few hours away from Dulag, in Leyte's capital, Tacloban City but most, if not my entire childhood was spent in Dulag.

My cousin Christina, frolicking at the beach in Dulag.

I went to primary school in Special Education Center in Dulag. Although I left Dulag to study High School, my family and I still made it a point to go to Dulag on the weekends. And during summers when school is at a temporary halt, I spend it running around in the farm, bathing at the nearby river, or the beach which was just a few minutes from our home. I enjoyed every minute of it!

My feet in the sand at the beach.

I have left Dulag many times, but still I long for the "Tabo" (Market Day) on Thursdays where my grandmother and I would buy the freshest fruits, vegetables and meat at the market, plus a few local pastries that would last me until the next Thursday. I still long for the rainy days when my mother would make "Tsokolate" (native hot chocolate), made from pure roasted and ground cocoa seeds, which my grandmother makes. And the fact that this drink is mixed with coconut milk, makes it taste creamier and more special. These simple things make me want to go back to Dulag.

Dulag marketplace during "Tabo"

Most of my relatives also live and work in other places, but we'd usually go to Dulag on National Holidays, which makes home-coming the highlight of the entire year for the whole family. And then we all relive the times we were there.

The sign that meets everyone who enters the town.

So no matter where I am and will be in the future. I will always find my way back to the place I call home --Dulag Leyte.

Please visit the official Facebook page of Dulag, Leyte at:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dulag-Leyte-Philippines/115536155152548

Thanksgiving

2010-11-27T21:34:00.000-08:00

What is Thanksgiving to Filipinos? Nothing really. This celebration is far-fetched for the Filipino culture. But because most young Filipinos are starting to open up to Western culture, they (we) have somehow adapted the celebration.

To me, Thanksgiving is not about thanking God for the good harvest of the summer season as the native American Indians and the first Caucasian settlers of the Americas would look at it, I look at Thanksgiving as a celebration of the blessings from God's generous hands.

This year, what I am thankful for are the people who are very special in my life, my friends.

I have found four people who have made a difference in my life. I am not sure why our friendship deepened. We have contrasting personalities, that people who would look at us from a distance, wouldn't say we get along. But we do get along and have been for more than a year now. We constantly meet every other weekend, sometimes more often, and do nothing but talk about things.

Our friendship started when we entered the same industry. I did not expect that even if, one by one, we started parting ways to explore other opportunities we still find time to meet. And we never run out of things to talk and laugh about.

Since we started spending time together, there haven't been any dark days in my life. They are the prefect outlet. They don't show outright support nor do they give you the good-old pat in the back and the "I-cry-you-cry" kind of companionship but they are sure to cheer you up in their own little way, which is certainly the way I like it.

Thank God for such wonderful people!

Metro Manila's Lungs: La Mesa Ecopark

2010-11-24T00:11:00.000-08:00

I have long heard that this place is fantastic. But it was quite a surprise finding out that it was more than that.

About five years ago, my colleagues and I went to the La Mesa Watershed for a tree-planting project. We were by the hundreds and we all planted at least two to three trees each. I planted five trees in what seemed to be nothing but plains covered in bushes.

Giant Acacia Tree

The La Mesa Watershed in Quezon City is the primary source of drinking water of about 12 million Metro Manila residents. The property is owned by the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), a government agency. La Mesa Watershed is 2700 hectares, 700 hectares of which is the reservoir and 2000 hectares of which is the surrounding forest. This forest is the last remaining one of its size in Metro Manila and serves as its carbon dioxide sink. La Mesa Watershed, therefore, is vital to the city, not only because it is a primary source of drinking water, but also because its forest functions as the lungs of Metro Manila, providing it with clean air.

In 1999, ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc. created Bantay Kalikasan (Nature Watch) and, in partnership with the MWSS, undertook the Save La Mesa Watershed Project. The project aimed to rehabilitate, reforest, preserve and protect La Mesa Watershed.

Beautiful wilderness

And so we visited the park on a Tuesday morning. The blogs I read said that we should not go on a weekend since the place would be packed. And so when we did, it was just us and a few other people. The park was located along Commonwealth avenue in the Fairview area so it was about half an hour drive from my place in Marikina.

The Entrance

When you see a huge green building, which I think is Parco Supermart to your left and across it, you see KFC the next right is the way to the park. You will be greeted by a guard since you'll be entering a Subdivision. Then take your first left and then just go straight until you see a large gate that opens into a forested area --and that's the park.

It was nothing but wilderness…and it was good. It was a break out of the buzzling city within the city. I was able to take one of my best photos.

The view by the lake --an oriental paradise.

I was ecstatic to find out I was a part of the project and planted my share of trees to absorb the CO2 that I and 12 million other individuals emit. The park was breath-taking. What I saw before when we started the project is nothing to the beauty of this place now.

Happy to have planted some of the trees in this paradise.

And so if you come across this story, please go to the La Mesa Ecopark and plant your share of trees to absorb the city's CO2. I myself plan to go back and plant a few more trees. This is, after all, the lungs at the heart of the city.

My Photography

2010-11-22T08:12:00.000-08:00

I have always liked photography, although we all know there's a huge difference between liking photography and being a photographer. I am but very passionate with photography that my little point-and-shoot digital camera has been a slave to my shutter-happy fingers and my little notebook has sacrificed too much from my never-ending use of Photoshop.

I take pictures of everything whether it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience to regular events like hanging out at a cafe.

"Bangka" -fishing boat

I think it will take a while and more practice before I finally consider myself a Photographer. For now, I am satisfied with people telling me how great my photos are.

The first time I got to use a camera was when I was about ten. My father, who I think also loved Photography, bought a Yashica SLR. Usually, my mother would ask me not to play around with it, because I might damage the lens. And I really couldn't take photos as much as I wanted to, since there was no way for me to pre-view the image. I had to have it printed before I could see how bad the pictures were! So for a while I forgot about photography until a good friend gave me a digital camera as a Christmas present. And then I became unstoppable!

Since I was a child, I have always loved Arts. My mother said that I learned how to draw long before I learned how to write or read. My mother always left boxes of used paper from her office so that I would have plenty to sketch on, otherwise the walls would serve better space for practice. When my mother irresponsibly forgets to leave papers, she pays it off by spending her entire weekend scrubbing the walls from crayon marks or even worse, re-plastering.

I think my passion for art, in general, gave me a good eye for capturing stills. I know my eye for art could only go so far, either way, I will still consider photography as a perfect avenue for self-expression.