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Tutubi goes Backpacking in Hong Kong
2007-08-17 15:20:00
Yes, Tutubi went to Hong Kong a few moons ago and will be blogging about the trip that took him to Newton Kowloon in Mongkok, took pictures at the historic square of the Golden Bauhimia, danced with Mickey Mouse and friends in Hong Kong Disneyland (even if he's not really into it), posed with Jacky Chan, mingled with famous denizens of the city, took the peak tram to Victoria, marveled at the wonderful Hong Kong skyline, made a pilgrimage to and ancient village of Ngong Ping 360, meditated at Po Lin Monastery, traced the trail of the Wisdom Path, cruised the passed by an old fishing village, went shopping for surprisingly cheap signature goods at Citygate Outlets, Ladies and Flower market, met pinoy OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) congregating, Little Quiapo, and made a journey dubbed by National Geographic as one of the 50 places of a lifetime.What made the trip different from the usual Hong Kong trip was that Tutubi, having an insatiable thirst for history and anything historic...
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Paete Chef Culinary Arts Festival 2007
2007-08-13 14:22:00
Paete's townsfolk re-invented themselves from wood carvers to carving butter, vegetables, chocolate, and ice years ago due to the dearth of wood to support the industry, fueled by the growing demand for kitchen artists and chefs by hotels and restaurants here and abroad.It is by this reason there's a Paetenian in (almost) every hotel and restaurant in the Philippines working as kitchen artists. (wonder why paetenians have yet to discover food styling as a profession very close to vegetable carving)Every 24th of July, a day before the town fiesta in honor of St. James the Apostle, Paetenians (or Paeteños) hold the annual Culinary Arts Festival : a competition of vegetable carving, ice and bar tending at the town plaza.Vegetable Carving Competition at 10am July 24, Paete town plazaRecognized this gifted lad as Tutubi's nephew :)birds from pineapple, onions, cucumber, grapes, oranges, carrots et aliia flower carved from a bell pepperIce Carving Competition at 1pmTools of the trade:...
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Pres. Arroyo's eSKWELA Project Launch
2007-08-09 17:11:00
Talk about the right place at the right time, Tutubi had a rare chance to hone his rusty photojournalism skills when he chanced upon the heavily-guarded launch of eSKWELA Project Launch ing in Quezon City. Knowing the right people, he was also able to secure a pass that allowed him to enter through an alley with numerous Presidential Security Group (PSG) personnel with their usual cynical looks. (One of them notived he brought along his camera that didn't have a security clerance from EOD-PSG so he had to proceed to the main entrance to have it checked and tagged.)PGMA flanked by Cong. Bingbong Crisologo and QC Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista as Pres. Arroyo announced the launch of eSKWELA, something like e-learning badly needed in these islands called the Philippines to bridge deficits in education.The president also announced the increase in P1B budget allocation for education, much needed to build more classrooms to service the bludgeoning population.A demo of the Balik eSKWELA proje...

Gota De Leche: Another UNESCO Awardee
2007-08-06 14:12:00
Tutubi knows that this has been the subject of numerous blogs already, but here's Tutubi's own perspective of this award-winning building in a nondescript and congested part of Manila where Tutubi used to pass by during his college days (Tutubi lived 10 years in Sampaloc, by the way)After the FEU tour, the group went, on Tutubi's suggestion, to Gota de Leche by crossing Nicanor Reyes St (formerly Morayta) passed by FEU gym and right turn to SH Loyola.Gota de Leche, which means "drop of milk," was modeled after the Ospedale degli Innocenti, an orphanage in Florence created by Brunelleschi, a renowned Renaissance architect. Constructed in 1917, the building has been the home of La Proteccion de la Infancia, a charitable organization providing free pediatric care and food to poor "people in the neighborhood" of which Manila has so many of.The building has an adjacent arcade with windows that shields the windows, with capiz (mother of pearl) shells, the hot tropical sun. Its archit...
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Fabulous FEU Art Deco Walking Tour
2007-08-03 07:23:00
Throughout his college days, Tutubi passed by Espana and Lerma streets on his way to school and each time got amazed at the unique letters used in the Far Eastern University building visible from Quezon Boulevard. The name of the university emblazoned bearing a likeness to baybayin (wrongfully called alibata), the ancient script of forefathers of present day Filipinos.This time, Tutubi joined a tour of the sprawling campus of FEU: its art deco gems, works of various national artists and a bonus trip to nearby Gota de Leche.Tutubi arrived at FEU with J, and RM (of Project Manila) in J's black altis but their guide for the day, Ivan Mand Dy, didn't notice Tutubi and waited for him to arrive even if he's already inside taking some pictures.The tour started with Ivan becoming "historical" again narating various events that led to the introduction of Art Deco architecture in the Philippines in the roaring 20s.One of four bas relief by noted Italian sculptor Francesco Monti. Other work...
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Angono Petroglyphs in Binangonan
2007-07-30 14:22:00
The most important place visited by Tutubi and friends in Angono really is the 3000 year old Angono Petroglyphs inside a sprawling playground of the rich and infamous-- the Fiesta Resort and Casino.The Fiesta Resort and Casino, said to be owned by a former president and retired generals. The refugee truck will "deliver" its "cargo" there.Going there wasn't easy as there's no public transporation available. The gang literally looked like refugees inside a truck they boarded in front of Maricor Bakery used by employess of Fiesta Resort and Casino.Alighting at the marker (picture above) and walked about a hundred meters to the guard station and registered there.The guards led the gang to a man-made tunnel about 30 meters longat the end of the tunnel is a marker that said Angono Petroglyphs in Binangonan, and a trail that points to a museum managed by the National Museum plus a viewdeck of the Petroglyphs.The pre-historic drawings, officially called Angono Petroglyphs in Binangonan du...
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Angono: Art Capital of the Philippines
2007-07-27 14:08:00
Much like Tutubi's hometown Paete in Laguna province, Angono is sandwiched between the rugged slopes of Sierra Madre mountain range and Laguna de Bay. The two town's people also share the same gift of transforming ordinary items into extra-ordinary works of art; Paete is touted as the Carving Capital of the Philippines ; Angono as the art capital of the country.Some time ago, Tutubi, along with R and O, decided to take a daytrip commuting to Angono to see for themselves the fabled artists of the small Rizal town noted for its artists including two National Artists: Carlos "Botong" Francisco and Lucio San Pedro.Meeting up at EDSA Central terminal, Tutubi and the gang of intrepid explorers available at a moments notice for unplanned trips, boarded a van (FX) bound for Angono. The trip was pleasant one, passed by the fork on the road where "Ang Nuno" greets all passers-by, and alighted at Angono public market; the gang transferred to a waiting tricycle that took them to Balaw-Balaw Re...
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RA9492: National Holidays in the Philippines
2007-07-25 16:07:00
List of National Holidays in the Philippines Note that some holidays are moved to the nearest Mondays as part of "holiday economics" to spur local tourismREPUBLIC ACT NO. 9492AN ACT RATIONALIZING THE CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL HOLIDAYS AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 26, CHAPTER 7, BOOK I OF EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 292, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF 1987Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:SECTION 1. Section 26, Chapter 7, Book I of Executive Order No. 292, as amended, otherwise known as the Administrative Code of 1987, is hereby amended to read as follows: “Sec. 26, Regular Holidays and Nationwide Special Days. – (1) Unless otherwise modified by law, and or proclamation, the following regular holidays and special days shall be observed in the country:a) Regular HolidaysNew year's Day - January 1Maundy Thursday - Movable dateGood Friday - Movable ...
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List of Indian Restaurants in Manila
2007-07-24 14:57:00
Hankering for Indian food and exotic cuisine in Manila and nearby cities?Look no further, a list provided by the Indian Embassy provided below:Indian Restaurants Prince of JaipurUnit E Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro ManilaTel. No.: 8841692 / 94Fax: 8857201Mobile: 09175526666 Prince of Jaipur Kebab & ShawarmaG-5, Fuente Circle, Citywalk 1, Eastwood City, Libis, Q.C.Tel. No.: 9111204 / 9113346Fax No.: 9113346Prince of Jaipur Kebab & ShawarmaShell Station cor., Mc Kinley Road, EDSA,Ayala Avenue, Makati CityTel. Nos.: 8921295E-mail: prince_of_jaipur@hotmail.comWebsite: www.prince-of-jaipur.com Queen’s Restaurant146-B Jupiter St., Makati CityTel. No.: 8951816 / 8951316Website: www.queens.com.phSpices RestaurantManila Peninsula HotelCor. Ayala & Makati Avenue,1226 Makati CityTel. No.: 8123456Swagat Indian Cuisine119 FCC Bldg., Rada St.,Legazpi Village, Makati CityTel. No.: 7525669 / 8882560Tandoor Restaurant1268-G Midtown Executive Homes,U. N. Avenue, Paco, ManilaTel. No.: 5...
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Singapore Travel Tips
2007-07-23 17:56:00
Tips for first time visitors and tourists in the Lion City or those thinking of living in Singapore (The last of tutubi's Surprising Singapore Series)After narrating stories of the Singapore sojourn, herewith are accumulated travel wisdom, tips and non-sense for your information and travel planning to Singapura:Where to eat:Anywhere of course! The Lion City offers an exciting array of choices from pricey food to hawker stalls most locals eat in. In fact the hawker stalls has become tourist attractions themselves. Singapore can always lay claim to having the cleanest street food in the world tag!Groceries from supermarkets can be ordered online and delivered to your place.If arriving in July, get your complimentary chili crab voucher at the airport courtesy of the Singapore Tourism Board and claim at various restaurants listed on the voucher. Bring your passport with you in claiming.Recommended food include chili crabs, hainanese chicken, roti prata, ba kuh teh (a local pork stew), c...
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Experience India in Singapore
2007-07-20 14:21:00
Though Tutubi's been to Mumbai (Bombay), India in 2004 (chronicled here, here and here, he found the presence of many Indians who've made Singapore their home, much like in Malaysia (also noticed this in February 2004 visit to Kuala Lumpur), intriguing and exciting. Compared to the Philippines who has a small population of Indians, Singapore has a bustling presence of Indians who add unique color to the cosmopolitan Singapura.Located at 244 South Bridge Road in Chinatown is the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore: Sri Mariamman Temple. Dedicated to the Mariamman, a mother goddess worshipped for protection against diseases, the temple was founded in 1827 by Narayana Pillay, eight years after Stamford Raffles arrived in Singapore.the exquisite gopuram of the templeIt's here at Sri Mariamman where the annual fire-walking ceremony is held, a week before Diwali (Deepavali), the Festival of Lights (symbolizes the victory of good over evil)One of the easily recognizeable icons of Hinduism,...
More About: Experience , Peri , Erie

Tour of Singapore (Guided and DIY)
2007-07-18 16:12:00
Singapore is one city so easy to tour with various options of guided tours and easy do-it-yourself tours for the more adventurous (or financially-challenged) individuals.The Singapore skyline is picturesque and can be seen in breathtaking photos at night with brightly colored lights of buildings particularly those lining the bay. Problem only was that Tutubi has this chronic "dysfunctional motor system syndrome" made him too lazy to lug along his sturdy tripod to take night photos of this modern metropolis.singapore skyline from marina bay with the esplanade and marina mandarin in sight. taken near the Merlion with camera firmly held against the steel railings of the parkThe night before, Tutubi met college friends, now living and working in Singapore, in Suntec before deciding to chill out at Zuk's, a trendy club quite popular that one of his classmates even saw former PM Lee Kuan Yew inside the washroom urinating. (imagine how much a photo of Mr Lee peeing would cost for a papara...
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The Merlion: Singapore's Symbol
2007-07-13 14:49:00
The Merlion: iconic half-fish, half-lion personification of Singapore, one of which is located in Marina Bay (there are five of them, as I've learned)The symbol was conceived in 1964 by the Singapore Tourism Board and is rooted in Singapore's history. The statue, designed by Fraser Brunner, measures 8.6 metres high and weighs 70 tons, built from cement fondue by the late Singapore craftsman, Lim Nang Seng.In ancient times, Singapore was called Temasek which in Javanese means sea. Temasek was later destroyed by invaders (Siamese or Javanese depends on source); A certain Prince Nila Utama of the Sri Vijaya empire (from where the island group Visayas in the Philippines was named), landed there and saw a strange beast, later identified as a lion, so he called the place Singapura (Sanskrit: singa=lion, pura=city).The Merlion, with its fish-like body riding the waves of the sea, symbolizes the ancient city of Temasek. At the same time, its majestic head recalls the legend of the re-disc...

Surprising Singapore DIY Tour-lah
2007-07-09 15:48:00
After clearing immigration and claiming our baggage, we were greeted by the travel agency people and whisked us away to waiting vans to take us to the airport. Along the way I immediately noticed how squeaky clean Singapore really is.One of my first photographs of the Singapura (Lion City) was the hot air baloon of DHL that I later learned offers rides to be on top of the Singapore for a few minutes-- not free flying as seen.Checked in at Marina Mandarin, a nice hotel in Marina Bay and opposite Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Pretty faces of Marina Mandarin who gamely posed for me thinking the Tutubi is a professional photographer.Immediately after checking in, I went outside to look for a place to eat and wander around not knowing I already lost in touch with my three other companions who went ahead of me to a nearby Starbucks but I can't find my way.Walking further I just explored the nearby Suntec area with it's fountains and multi-colored kois ...
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Singapore's Changi Airport Orchid Gardens
2007-07-05 17:30:00
There goes the Tutubi again in another company-sponsored trip to Singapore to attend a business conference and again found himself in the modern and green gateway to the Lion City: Chan g i Airport .The first time the Tutubi has been to this amazing green space in fascinating Changi Airport of Singapore was when the Tutubi was en route to Mumbai. Now again disembarked the Tutubi, flapped his transparent wings, in the gateway to Surprising Singapore.What differentiates this airport terminal from all the others I've seen is their vibrant, colorful and soothing to the weary eyes of travellers orchid and fern gardens.The fernwood garden...err...fern gully...err fern forest in low lightAcrostichum: The same kind of ferns that abound in the Sierra Madre; loved them cooked with coconut milk or the delectable fern (pako) salad at Kinabuhayan cafe (Apologies for the obvious use of flash since it's really dark and I don't dabble in Photoshop to tweak my pictures) The orchid garden offers a se...
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Capones Island and Lighthouse Adventure
2007-06-29 17:46:00
After Pinatubo and the brief stopover at Capas National Shrine, the group headed to San Antonio town in Zambales and checked in at Megan's resort (it's low budget resort with good enough facilities for backpackers like us) in barangay Pundaquit.We hired outrigger boats (banca), for a few hundred pesos, to take us to Capones Island for us to satiate the beachbums in all of us. Stretches of white sand beaches can be found on Capones and the larger Camara island. Do you remember Juris of MYMP singing "Get Me" on this very same beach? On the background are Camara (named after Antonio de la Camara, a Spaniard who surveyed the islands in 1884) and Capones islands (Isla de Gran Capones) :)A short boatride took us to the island of Capones where beaches, fascinating rock formations inviting for rockclimbers, corals and turquoise water beckons.On the island beach, we found a nice, cozy cave where the Tutubi hibernated and dozed off for a few minutes. picture of a limbless, but not lifeless,...
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Capas National Shrine (Camp O'Donnell)
2007-06-25 17:41:00
After leaving Sta Juliana, Capa s, Tarlac, (after trekking down the slopes of Mt. Pinatubo) we again passed by the Capas National Shrine , unknown to my companions, which used to be part of Camp O'Donnell: the final destination of the survivors of the infamous Death March of the Second World War.I was thinking of not posting this picture since it's not that clear but again, for photojournalistic purposes, I posted it here. I wasn't able to get a better picture owing to the gray clouds providing not so good lighting and mostly my trekking mates opted not to get out of the van to even take pictures either they're tired or just plain indifferent/oblivious to history. The shot that you see here taken with my hand out of the window slightly skewed and blurred. The infamous Bataan Death March (バターン死の行進) began shortly after the fall of Bataan peninsula on April 9, 1942 where Filipino and American POWs were forced to march from Bataan to San Fernando, Pampanga (where they...

How Much of the Philippines has the Tutubi Visited?
2007-06-22 15:47:00
I used to have a map of the Philippines with the places I visited marked with pushpins; it's some sort of bragging right when my friends learned I've been to so many places already.My plan to get a similar map to post here was preempted by this cool work by Eugene Villar; that's the idea I have in mindThe Places in the Philippines Explored/Visited by the Tutubi:My Lakbayan grade is B-!How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out atLakbayan!I know. Some of the places marked here still has to see the light in this blog. I'm trying to catch up by accelerating my posting velocity somehow but always constrained by time.Note that this is still not objective since not all travelers are the same. Most are "usual" tourists, some travel plainly for business, some claim they lived somewhere but didn't really get to explore the place, while a handful are true explorers with the audacity to boldly go where few men had gone before!I know a particular group of travelers who've real...
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Symbols on the Cover of Noli Me Tangere
2007-06-19 15:42:00
All of us Filipinos breezed through high school and college studied Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tang ere and El Filibusterismo that fueled this nation's people to rise in arms against the oppressive colonizers and obscurantist friars, plus the "elective" Life and Works of Jose Rizal in college (that not all Filipinos have the chance to experience should they ever graduate from high school)Noli Me Tangere, published in 1887 in Belgium, when Rizal was 26, written in Spanish, fueled a nation's revolution.If you want to see original copies of the book, there's one at the Rizal Shrine in Intramuros, another at the National Museum and still another at the Lopez Museum in Pasig City. (I don't remember seeing one at the rebuilt Rizal Shrine in Calamba, Laguna when I visited it eons ago)Noli Me Tangere is now available by Penguin and acknowledged as one of the literary classics of all time written by the pride of the Malay race!I decided to blog about this since it would've been Rizal's 146th...
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The Conquest of Mount Pinatubo
2007-06-13 16:35:00
In June 1991, one of the largest volcanic eruptions of the century happened in the Philippines, about 100 kilometers north of Manila. A few hundred people were killed and hundreds of thousand people rendered homeless, mostly Aeta people (the aborigines who call the mountain "Apo Malyari (The Great Provider)" and believe the mountain is home to spirits). The death toll could've been much more if then Philippine Institute of Seismology and Volcanology (Philvocs) weren't able to persuade people living around the volcano including the Americans to vacate the area. The Americans, then still occupying Clark Airbase, were driven out. The big explosion occurred on June 15 where large volumes of sulfur, volcanic ash and other gases that cooled world temperatures for a few years. The situation was worsened by a tropical deppression present in the area turning ashes on the slopes into rampaging and deadly lahar.I was in Manila at that time, and I can still remember how the sky transformed f...
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On Assignment: The Greenery in Baliuag, Bulacan
2007-06-06 14:25:00
It's an eagerly awaited day for a photoshoot with renowned photographer Edwin Tuyay whose works included covers for publications Asiaweek, Newsweek, Readers Digest and Time magazine. For this we headed to The Greene ry hidden somewhere in Baliuag, Bula can.Going there was not easy as the Greenery's map displayed on their website was full of inaccuracies even for second-timers Edwin and his wife Ellen, the husband and wife team behind ePhoto Gallery.Arriving at our destination ahead of Edwin and Ellen, we wandered around the vast complex developed purposely for special events such as weddings, debut, prenup (pre-nuptial pictorials), parties et al. The venue has a dollhouse that can accommodate couples and celebrants, a grand ballroom, an operable small train and tracks going around the place and where a newly-wed couple may arrive on for such an uncommon, dramatic entrance, a driving range for golf enthusiasts, a pavilion built in the middle of a river, add to that the various trees,...
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Kiapo: Where Quiapo Got Its Name
2007-06-01 16:45:00
The trip to Liliw, Laguna was an eye opener for me since I was taking pictures of those kawai green floating plants that remind me of my childhood in ricefields and on the shores of Laguna de Bay. My ate who saw me remarked, "Pati ba naman yang kiapo kinukunan mo ng picture? (You take pictures even of that water cabbage?)," when it dawned on me that those floating plants were actually what I was searching for for some time now.All the while I thought they're called azolla that I see almost everyday floating on a pond in Ayala Triangle! :(Some of you may ask why but these plants used to thrive in the area of Manila now called Quiapo, the seedy yet exciting district of Manila that I love to visit! Kiapo, water cabbage in english and scientific name Pistia Stratiotes, have fan-like leaves and brown, porous ends servings as roots and grow floating on stagnant water. Large concentrations of these floating plants make good hiding places for surface fishes like gouramies (freshwater fish ...
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A Daytrip to Liliw and the Tsinelas Festival
2007-05-26 14:28:00
Liliw is one of my favorite towns in Laguna, second only to my hometown of course. Located at the foot of Mt Banahaw and blessed with cooler weather than the lowlands (that's a secret), bordered by the towns of Sta Cruz (the provincial capital), Magdalena, Nagcarlan, Majayjay (all in Laguna) and Dolores town in Quezon. Its streets still retain the heritage houses vis-a-vis new brightly colored houses built with money pumped in by the thriving shoe industry that rivals that of Marikina.My father and my sisters decided to visit again this quaint town to shop for sandals, visit friends and unknowingly witnessed the on-going Tsinelas Festival (Tsinelas or chinelas, a certain kind of footwear) one end of Gat Tayaw St with the welcome archLiliw town was founded by Gat Tayaw, whose main street is named after him, during the 1500s. The town's name was said to be taken from a bird with a sound onomatoepeiac to Liliw (as in Liw! Liw) gat tayaw street with banderitas and stalls shoes and bag...
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Corregidor: Ghosthunting, Other Activities and Rants!
2007-05-18 15:33:00
After the exhausting team building/light trek activities and forgettable dinner by the beach (didn't I tell you food in the tourism-accredited facility is not worth the price tag?), most of us raised our hands when one of the leaders asked us if we wanted to hunt for ghosts in the old hospital building where ghosts of dead Japanese soldiers still on tour of duty can be caught on film.Oh boy, this is the most exciting and much awaited part of the day!But sadly, one of the guides informed us it was already too late since too many spirits will be disturbed, the foundation banned ghosthunters to stray near the alleged haunted grounds.To my dismay, I just pointed my camera towards the pier where Gen. Douglas MacArthur mentioned the all-too-familiar "I shall return" before boarding a PT boat to escape and leave his men behind and here's what I got: I saw a black cat crossed the frame of my camera but it did not register on the picture-- not even a slight shadow. There are many black cat...
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Team Building and Light Trek Activities in Corregidor
2007-05-14 05:07:00
Our company went to Corregidor, with myself part of the triumvirate of organizers, with team building activities in mind, organized by Mentor Group and very similar setup to the popular TV reality game Amazing Race.We were divided into four groups with the following names that we thought were very appropriate: Hampas Lupa, Patay Gutom, Kapal Muks and Sunog Baga (names that defy direct translation but mostly derisive Filipino terms) and each with own group colored shirts. Names that the organizers were not used to but often shout out the names due to their being unique aside from having a license for derision.Draw a houseThe first part of the event was an indoor game for us to draw rockets using limited amount of straight lines. We won this won due to proper planning, coordination and creativity.The second event was the team shout and cheering competition that required us to to compose, choreograph, sing and dance aside from usual taunts and heckling other groups. Due to our creati...
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Corregidor Guided Tour (Part Two)
2007-05-12 14:22:00
Let me now take you to a walking tour of the island starting at the parade grounds of the island known as "Gibraltar of the East"Warning: Large photos on this page may load slowly The parade ground with a howitzer on display The Filipino-American Friendship Park beside Cine CorregidorThe Pacific War Memorial completed in 1968 dedicated to American and Filipino servicemen. Nearby is a museum of war memorabilias. The altar inside the Pacific War Memorial dome where light from above sometimes fall perfectly into place The Eternal Flame of Freedom, a large steel structure, symbolizing the Flame of Freedom burning for eternity. )I wanted to take pictures of this structure at night but my colleagues are so afraid of ghosts and the travia is not available.) The sweeping view from the platform of the Eternal Flame of Freedom with the tail of the tadpole in sight, the other islands, Bataan and Cavite. (sorry for the dirt on my lens. too lazy to clean it up) The Buddhist statue at the Japa...
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Corregidor Guided Tour (Part One)
2007-05-10 15:29:00
Sun Cruises, the operator of the Corregidor tour, gets my nod for a well-organized tour starting at the CCP complex where we boarded an airconditioned ferry. Much of the upper deck of the ferry was reserved for us where films about the war was shown and one of the tour guide will give you a primer of "boring" history that delved too much on facts and figures...how i wish those guys emulate Ambeth Ocampo :(the Sun Cruises II ferry with Caballo Island in the backgroundAll of us were whisked to waiting tranvias as soon as we arrived and passed by four of the most accessible batteries (gun emplacements): Way, Crockett, Geary, Grubbs and Hearn all named after soldiers of Uncle Sam who were killed in the Philippines.Battery Crockett with it's disappearing guns mounted on a parapet (i intentionally included the man standing at one end of the barrel to add scale for you to get an idea how huge the gun is)Battery Hearn with its massive 12 inch guns, the largest in the islandOne of the 10 in...
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The Fall of Corregidor
2007-05-06 14:24:00
May 6, 2007: A gloomy day in history when the combined force of the United States' armed forces and Filipinos, abandoned by the US led by president Roosevelt (the Europe-first policy), without food, ammunition, medicines; with gangrened bodies piled up, capitulated almost a month after the Bataan peninsula gave up the gallant fight; a heroic fight that delayed Japanese timetable of occupation to the point of saving Australia from the Japanese juggernaut. By this time, much of East Asia already fell under the shadow of the Land of the Rising Sun except Thailand who collaborated with the Nihon-jin invaders.This happened long after British-controlled Singapore, a vaunted impregnable fortess, capitulated in the middle of February 1942 that ended British's feared invinciblity in Asia. (note the brilliant strategist of Singapore invasion was Tomoyuki Yamashita)a memorial to the heroes of war near the ruins of Cine CorregidorThis is the first of a series on Corregidor, a tadpole-shaped i...
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Ocean Adventure in Subic Bay
2007-04-30 15:13:00
Ocean Advent ure , South East Asia's only open water marine park, located in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Zambales in the sprawling former US military base about 100 kilometers north of Manila. Attractions include Killer Whale and Dolphin show, sea lion show, Discovery Aquarium, Learning Center and personal encounters with the sea lions and dolphins.The Discovery Aquarium features various fishes and crustaceans in aquariums including the loveable clown fish living near the anemone (a filter-feeding animalrelated to corals, jellyfish and hydra) popularized by the animated movie Nemo.The Sea Lion show features a sea lion choreographed to synchronize with music and boasts of an interactive audience participationThe Dolphins and Whales Show showcases two false killer whales and two dolphins obeying commands of the trainers obviously with the poor creatures being rewarded with fish food for their obedience.The dolphin interaction part allows spectators to actually commune with the intelligent...
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Trek to Mt. Romelo in Famy
2007-04-28 15:14:00
An easy trek on Mt. Romelo in Famy, Laguna which is a favorite of neophyte mountaineers and daytrippers due to accesibility.Another unplanned trip when I received a text message from a friend on a saturday evening planning to trek the nearby falls the morrow. I agreed to take the challenge since I haven't been to the place. The area abounds with blood-sucking leeches that's why i have traces of blood when I took a picture of my muddied feet.We rested our tired feet for a while at a stream crossing What made the trip more visually enjoyable was the presence of various creatures around us like this paro-paro (butterfly), various species of ferns, trees, flowers, vines and dragonflies-- my long lost cousins!on reaching Sampaloc Falls, we took a refreshing dip then doze off for a few minutes before going back.Note that Sampaloc Falls is the farthest of the several waterfalls of Famy specifically Buruwisan, Batya-batya, and Lanzones. Wanna know what I had after the trip? Click here.Ba...
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