The Pinoy Shutterbug: Cactus Edition

I thought that raising cacti would be a walk in the park.  Though they are comparatively easier to care for, cacti still need a whole bunch of TLC.  In some cases a different kind of caring is needed.  Just the same, some species if truth be told are quite unfortunate looking and some literally looked like from another planet.  But I kid you not, some of the most gorgeous plants and flowers I have ever seen are from the cacti and succulents family.

Looks like a troll with seed pods for hair.

Work in Progress: Best Version of Ourselves

Little by little, day by day, if we strive to better ourselves, sooner or later we become the best versions of ourselves.  We start off with our everyday look.  As for me, when I go to work, I make sure to present myself as my "real self".  I would wear the clothes I like, in the colours that I like, and of course with the accessories I like.  I have to be completely comfortable with my ensemble.  Here is an example of how I normally look when I go to the office.  Our office does not impose strict rules on our attire as long as it is decent even if it was casual.

Lighted Palm Trees, Mojacko Balls, and Heart Trees - Christmas Display in Ayala.

2012 Ayala Ave. Christmas Display - Christmas Mojacko Balls.

2012 Ayala Ave. Christmas Display - Christmas Heart Trees.

This one's in Makati Ave. (2012 Christmas Display in Makati).

I told you so.  Preparations for Christmas in the Philippines shift in full gear after the celebration of All Souls' Day.  Ayala Ave., the premier thoroughfare in the Makati Central Business District (CBD), started lighting its Christmas display last Monday, November 4.   The avenue's "center island" that is lined with "expensive" palm trees and ornamental plants are now adorned with white LED lights, "mojacko balls", and "heart trees".  The display this year is quite simple but elegant!

Video Update on the Flood in Sandoval Ave. in Pasig City as of 6 p.m., Saturday, 11 August 2012.

As promised, here are the videos of the flood in Sandoval Avenue that I took while riding the yellow dump truck (for free, yey!).  The videos are shaky but YouTube did some "fixing".  They are now "tolerable".  I had a migraine while watching the raw clips.  LOL!  At least, I think, you can endure these videos now.  Can I say, "enjoy the videos"?  I guess not.  LOL!

Photo Updates on the Flood in Sandoval Ave. in Pasig City as of 6 p.m., Saturday, 11 August 2012

As of 6 p.m., 11 August 2012 - flood in Sandoval Ave. is still widespread;  ankle-deep to half-a-tire-deep.

Oh, boy!  There's no more food inside the refrigerator.  Our week's supply - gone!  Well, there's still instant noodles.  But with "preservatives enough to put a horse to sleep" (unverified - LOL), I would not dare test that notion by eating instant noodles morning, noon, and night.  So, I have to go outside and buy food.  I will once again, with all splendor, ride the yellow garbage truck!  Reminiscent of the good old Ketsana days, I guess this would be fun!

Ordinary People in Extraordinary Times - Portrait of the Southwest Monsoon Floods

Our lives are shaped by the tiny hurdles we overcome in our daily grind.  We are unaware but we are actually sharpened, strengthened, and polished.  It's the giant hurdle that creeps like a thief in the night that measures our worth!

Video Updates on the Flood in Sandoval Ave. in Pasig City, as of 6 p.m., 10 August 2012

Palmdale Heights Condominium along Sandoval Avenue, Pasig City
- ankle-deep flood

It seems that Pasig City would again be the last city to recover from these floods.  (The last time was in 2009 with typhoon Ketsana / Ondoy.  The city took a whole month before the floods were completely pumped out and gone.)  While some areas in Manila that had more than 15-feet of flood water (such as the Lagusnilad tunnel and the Quiapo-Recto underpass) are now open to traffic, a lot of communities in Pasig City situated near the floodway and Laguna de Bay are still drenched in flood water.

Videos of the Flood in Sandoval Avenue as of 6:00 pm, Thursday, 9 August 2012.

Thank God the rains have stopped!  The sun actually peeked a few times.  The skies indeed, unlike for the past few grueling days, provided a very pleasing view.  Looking down however, would disappoint you.  From where I am standing, the flood in Sandoval Avenue in Pasig City has not yet receded.  It is still knee-deep.  The deepest parts are still waist-deep while the shallowest parts are ankle-deep.

Oh No, Not Again! FREAKIN' Southwest Monsoon!

08 August 2012 - Flood from this Fuc%#@$, Freakin' Southwest Monsoon

27 September 2009 -  Flood from Typhoon Ketsana / Ondoy

I thought I was spared.  It really is a humdinger of a southwest monsoon.  Just like probably the thousands of families in evacuation sites right now, I owe this freakin' monsoon a blasphemous rant.  It's sad however, that I can't do it here.  :-(  Just about when the weather is improving (a little bit, as it is still raining as of this writing), there's a knee-deep flood along the stretch of the avenue where my place is located.  I can't go anywhere!

I'm like a broken record - this is just a bad deja vu.  It's like Ketsana all over gain.  I've got the pictures above and videos below to prove it.  Take a close look.  They look very similar, right?

The Dance of Venus and Ra, and the Disappearing Act of Ra.

the disappearing act of ra

A CELESTIAL BODY'S ONCE IN A LIFETIME TRANSIT.

transit of venus

Did you see the Transit of Venus yesterday?  I was not able to see it.  Darn!   The neighboring buildings in our condo-complex is blocking the sun.  I also have some things and deadlines to finish so I was no able to see it.  Haissst!   In any case, I was contented with the video clips of NASA in their web site and with those hundreds of pictures posted in several social bookmarking sites.  The pictures are truly amazing!  This is indeed, a once in a lifetime occurrence.  The next visible transit according to scientists will be on the year 2117.  That's 105 years from now.  Oh, I'll miss it by a few years.  LOL.  I wonder why there weren't so much "metaphysical fuss" about this transit of Venus as compared to when "Mars is in retrograde"?  Maybe because people are so excited of this once in a lifetime occurrence.  Actually it should be "twice in a lifetime" because the transit usually occurs twice in a given period.  The last time was in 2004.  I don't recall much news about it in 2004.  Was I busy at that time?  Well…

Note:  I downloaded the picture of the "transit of venus" from one of the reddit submissions.  I will gladly take the picture off from this post if it has infringed any copyright.  Thank you.

DAILY TRAVERSAL.

famous sunset at manila bay

The transit of Venus has been anticipated by people around the world and there's great reason for it being a rare occasion.  But honestly, I prefer to enjoy the daily occurrences in life.  I believe that the excitement and the feeling of reverential respect mixed with wonder, should also be conferred to the sun's daily traversal across the skies.  (Well, scientifically speaking, it's actually the Earth traversing and orbiting on its axis that we have daily sunrise and sunsets.) Because it is happening daily, completely routinary, we fail to give it proper appreciation.

When I was young, around 6 or 7 years old, the whole family would get up early on Saturdays, and go to Luneta for our family picnic.  Luneta, located in Manila,  is known as Rizal Park now, and it's like New York's Central Park but much, much smaller.  It has however, one advantage over Central Park.  Luneta faces West where you can see probably one of the world's best sunsets.  Manila Bay eats the glorious sun on a daily basis.  It's breathtaking!  Our picnics would culminate in a few minutes of silence and happiness while we watch the beautiful traversal of the sun across the skies and as the horizon engulfs the sun completely.  Sheer wonder!

GORGEOUS EVENTIDE.

mall of asia breakwater

I took the pictures of the Manila Bay sunset with my primitive point-and-click Canon Powershot A480 digital camera a few weeks back at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.  The Mall of Asia is near Luneta and faces the Manila Bay in the same direction.  A lot of photographers on a daily basis gather at the breakwater to capture this spectacular sunset.  I'd like to share them with you.  The picture storyboard will be posted for a short period of time in the "pin board", located at the upper part of the blog, where my favorite pics are posted.

The Manila Bay sunset is one of the reasons why It's more fun in the Philippines.  Hey, come and visit us here in the Philippines and see for yourself this precious gift of nature daily!  You don't have to wait a hundred years for this truly astonishing transit of a celestial body.

the disappearing act of ra

Gaga Over Gaga

Icon for an icon.

Manila.  21 May 2012, Monday.   International pop superstar and icon Lady Gaga arrived yesterday in the Philippines for her "The Born This Way Ball" concert tonight at the gorgeous, newly constructed, iconic twenty-thousand-seater Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena.  The original one-night concert has been extended due to popular demand.  She will also perform in the same venue on an additional show tomorrow, Tuesday.

Protests from several religious groups.

As of this writing prayer vigils are being held in some parts of Manila as protest to Lady Gaga's on-going concert while some die-hard fans and attendees of the concert reported from the news hours ago are shown dressed in outrageous costumes.  The Philippines indeed, is the quintessential democracy - social equality in terms of freedom of expression and speech.

Why are these groups protesting?  It's definitely not because of "gaga".  Did you know that the word "gaga" is a derogatory word in Tagalog?  It means a silly, foolish, stupid, dumb, or senseless woman.  More likely they are protesting because of "Gaga" - her songs and videos and their perceived meanings.  Let's examine for a bit.

"Gaga-ness" in Gaga.

According to the news yesterday, the management of the MOA Arena requested the organizers of the concert to remove two songs from Lady gaga's repertoire.  The songs they do not want to hear are Alejandro and Judas.  As of this writing,  I do not know if this request was accepted by the organizers.  Why do they not like the two songs?  According to some, the songs and their videos are a mockery of some Christian beliefs.  If this is true, the Philippines being primarily a Catholic nation, some religious groups definitely won't allow the performance of such songs.

There's more.  Lady Gaga is surrounded with so much controversy in relation with the occult.  Here are the things I have heard so far.  In Lady Gaga's monster hit Bad Romance, the first and probably the most recognizable verse is said to be a dedication to the Sun God Ra.  In the video of that song, Lady Gaga has a raised spinal column which according to some symbolizes the "devil".   Lady Gaga is sometimes seen with an eye patch which is viewed as a dedication to the Egyptian god Horus that is associated in a lot of Freemasonry symbols including Illuminati symbolism which Lady Gaga is rumored to be a member of.  The "worst" rumor for me is that she is said to have undergone a ritual or some pact with the devil so that  she'll be granted enormous fame and fortune.  This was recounted in her song and video Mary of the Night.  If one will believe all of these horrific insinuations and accusations, then a protest is more than justifiable.  There's limit to artistic expression!  But then again, you have the right to believe in whatever you want to believe in.  For those who dismiss these insinuations and accusations as nothing but intrigues attached to a person with a superstar status like Lady Gaga, then watching her concert is their right.

The bottom line.

It's great to live in a country where you are free to express your opinions in the streets and free to do what you will.  In the final analysis, Lady Gaga also has the right to artistically express herself through her songs and videos.  If you find her songs and videos offensive, then please do not watch or support her.  But on the other hand, if you believe that she's an awesome artist, then by all means support her and watch her concert.  The bottom line is that  you have the right to make your own decision!

SPREAD HAPPINESS! not hate.

Odd Men Out!

The picture of the elevator buttons is from one of the most sophisticated and highly technologically advanced buildings in the Philippines.  It is also where some of the most advanced scientific researches in the field of medical studies are taking place.  You would think that there’s no place for superstitious or metaphysical beliefs practiced here.  The feared number “13” strikes here hence, there's no 13th floor.  But why is there no “4th” and “14th” floors?

I had the opportunity of living in Hong Kong for a while due to projects that are required to be implemented on-site.  I lived in a condo unit from one of the tallest buildings in Hong Kong.  I was curious as to why out of the more than 70 floors, the 4th, 14th, 24th, 34th, 44th, 54th, 64th are missing.  Lo and behold!  There’s a 13th floor!

My Hong Kong friends explained to me that the number 4 when pronounced in Chinese means “death”.  Most Chinese builders thus, do not include floors that would have the number 4 in them.  This explains a lot.  It is also apparent that they are not afraid of the number 13.  But what about this building in the Philippines?

Here’s what I think.  The building primarily is a medical center of which health care is being provided.  It is a place of business.  A lot of their clients are well-off (probably mostly Filipino-Chinese), expats, foreigners, and celebrities.  I bet that the building is purposely configured in such a way that would please their clients.  If you are a patient who believes in these superstitions, you would not want to be treated in the 13th floor or in the “death” floor, so to speak.  I guess in this aspect, the medical center should be given credit for going all out including putting their patient’s mind at ease.  This goes the same for the condominium building in Hong Kong, isn't it?  Who would buy a condo unit in the “death” floors?

Taking advantage of a “knowledge” is alright as long as you are not hurting anyone, I suppose.   Whether it is a marketing scheme or an honest practice of beliefs, it is important to keep an open mind about other people’s beliefs and of course, respect them.

What's The Oldest Thing You Have?

Aside from my grandmother who is 96 years old, very much alive and kicking!, I have this 108-year old, one-Peso Philippine silver coin.

The obverse depicts Lady Liberty minting - holding a mallet and striking an anvil.  The background is the iconic, perfectly-coned Mayon Volcano of the Bicol Region in the Philippines.  The words "ONE PESO FILIPINAS" are written on the outer ring of the coin.

Crazy Good!

For fifteen short minutes, you’ll hold your breath in amazement, completely mesmerized by the kaleidoscope of colors and sounds.  It’s fantastical!… then back to darkness.

It’s like LOVE.  Yeah, CRAZY-GOOD!…

The pictures were taken from the 2nd day (18 February 2012) of the 3rd Philippine International Pyromusical Competition held at the Manila Bay opposite the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.  Countries from around the world showcase their fireworks accompanied by music.  There are 12 countries competing this year with 2 countries scheduled to perform every Saturday starting February 11 up to March 17.  The pictures were from Spain's entry.  Fabulous!  My primitive Canon PowerShot digital camera did some wonders!  LOL!

Happy Mistakes!

Your hands are shaking, unsure of yourself.  You took a chance anyway.  You point and then you shoot.  You thought the outcome would be horrible.  What deemed to be an aberration apparently turned out to be a thing of beauty!

Life is full of pleasant surprises.  Do not be afraid to commit mistakes!  After all, who’s to say if they were real mistakes?  They could be Happy Mistakes.  So, live your life!

The pictures were taken from the 2nd day (18 February 2012) of the 3rd Philippine International Pyromusical Competition held at the Manila Bay opposite the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.  Countries from around the world showcase their fireworks accompanied by music.  There are 12 countries competing this year with 2 countries scheduled to perform every Saturday starting February 11 up to March 17.  The pictures were from United Kingdom's entry.  Fabulous!  My primitive Canon PowerShot digital camera did some wonders!  LOL!

Oh, Let's Dance by the Light of the Moon...

No, not naked!  Hmmm... dancing naked by the light of the moon in the wilderness... that's scary.  He-he-he.

Have you seen the moon tonight?  It's extraordinarily beautiful.  We were driving home from Shangri-la in Pasig when we noticed the full moon.  I just can't wait to get home and capture the captivating scene.  So, from our 7th floor window, I shot this pic.  Lovely, isn't it?

Filipino Food Perfection. C2 Classic Cuisine

Aside from adobo, the SINIGANG is the quintessential Filipino food.  At C2 Classic Cuisine, perfection is redefined to a higher level of gastronomic delight.  C2 Classic Cuisine dishes are what I consider Filipino Food Perfection.  They have savory food and an award-winning dessert to boot.  I recently celebrated my birthday at this resto and there's no other option in meeting my "balik-bayan" friend but here in C2.

crispy ribs sinigang

My best friend from high school recently visited Manila from Seoul.  We had so much fun especially because we both enjoyed the food in our rendezvous.  She was dying to eat her favorite Filipino food, the sinigang.  Now, at C2 Classic Cuisine, the sinigang had a marvelous twist.

Two of my favorite dishes here are the CRISPY RIIBS SINIGANG and LUMPIANG LUCENA.

What makes the sinigang here different from the regular sinigang is that the meat is crispy beef ribs.  You usually cook sinigang with pork, fish, or shrimps.  The crispy beef ribs are served with tangy tamarind broth and native vegetables (i.e., kangkong, sitaw, long green pepper, and labanos).  The dish is excellent.  The beef ribs are indeed crispy.  The broth is indeed tangy.  The vegetables are fresh.  It is up to you if you want to mix the broth and the crispy beef or eat them separately.  Because the broth is sooooo good, I always tell the waiter to bring me additional bowl of broth.  He-he-he...

lumpiang lucena

The LUMPIANG LUCENA is to die for.  Those deep-fried spring rolls have crumbled longganiza, vegetables, and shredded coconut meat.  Once you dip those spring rolls in garlic-vinegar, Oh!, it's Oh! My God!

I recommend you to try this resto.  The prices are a bit steep but you get excellent food.  They have branches in Shangri-la Mall, Megmall, and Robinson's Place in Ermita.  They recently closed their Power Plant Mall Rockwell branch but opened a new one in Greenhills.  My fave is in Shang and in Rockwell.  You get to bump elbows with "artistas" (local stars).  LOL.

My other fave dishes from C2 are Binagoong Lechon Kawali, Tinolang Binakol, Pinakbet at Bagnet, Seared Tilapia in Coconut Emulsion, and of course their award-winning dessert - the Bibingka Souffle. Try them all!

When my Apple died... and The MOA Eye

I was transferring my picture files from a bunch of SD cards to my newly restored iMac.  To be more accurate, it's my old iMac with a new 1 TB (terrabyte) hard disk.  The old hard disk "died".  Yes, hard disks die.  LOL.  The status of the hard disk prior to it's death was "dying".  So, when I can no longer use my iMac, it's because the hard disk died.  LOL!  I just can't get over it...

While transferring those files anyway, I saw these pictures that we have taken last 14 January 2012.  I decided to repost  here the blog (from my "tumblr")  about the tallest Ferris Wheel in the Philippines.  Here it is...

It was unnerving since I have a bit of fear of heights.  But the view is spectacular even at night.  The Mall Of Asia Ferris Wheel or better known as the MOA Eye stands at 55 meters or 180 feet.  The one-spin ride that lasted for about 10 minutes costs 150 pesos.  I do think that the price is steep if you think about the rates of the “ride-all-you-can” stubs at Star City or Enchanted Kingdom.  That’s probably the reason why the line’s not that long as I suspected.

It was an experience nevertheless, riding the tallest Ferris wheel in the Philippines.  I thought that the ride would top my Hong Kong’s Ocean Park’s.  But it didn’t.  The wheel could have spun at least twice and faster than the current speed of boarding and alighting the six-seater airconditioned gondolas.  I feel a bit cheated at this speed.  Anyway, the experience might have been better if I had taken the ride when the sun is still up or during sun down.  Well, maybe next time...