Pond Bridges

Pond bridge at BenCab

There is something about garden bridges that fascinates me so much. They seem to give a touch of tranquility and beauty.

This bridge is over the pond at BenCab Museum in Asin. The view is made more dramatic by the low-lying thick fog.   

Trees of Green, Skies of Blue

Camp John Hay, Baguio City

The blue sky and bright sun with a slight breeze here in Baguio makes anyone feel like staying in this place forever.

Batirol Light

Every kiosk at the Tsokolate de Batirol at John Hay in Baguio has a hanging batirol light in it. I do not really know how they call those light fixtures, I just made that up.

Batirol  is a Cebuano word for a small pot used for cooking chocolate drink, shaped like an urn.

I call it that way because it looks like one, an upside-down batirol. It is creatively painted with the stripe design of the handwoven clothing of the Igorots. It also gives support to the bulb. Although it does not illuminate just like most lamp fixtures do, it provides a great lighting to the kiosk space.

Luneta rides: US-inspired Carruaje

US-inspired carruaje going around Luneta

The Philippines is not under the US rule anymore, but the Americano presence is still apparently found around the corners of this country. This is evident in this carruaje ride in Manila. Well, among others.

Some would say it's colonial mentality, but I do not dare challenge that topic in this blog. It's a trait etched in the culture and most likely it cannot be shaken off even by the most patriotic citizens from this generation to the next.

But today, cuatro de julio, just for fun, I think it's a seasonally-appropriate time to take this US-flag inspired carriage and go around the park.

After the Sun Sets

Diliman Oblation After Sunset

Sitting on the steps of the Quezon Hall on a Saturday afternoon waiting for the sky to turn orange is not at all fun to do, but it is sometimes my craze. It's like elusive bliss. The Oblation is stunning and inspiring to watch after the sun has dipped into the horizon.

This view did not last quite long enough, but it's worth catching and seeing it again and again.

Longsilog

A typical Pinoy breakfast - longsilog

Here is a typical Filipino breakfast - longsilog, one of those -silogs that all Pinoys know about.

Longislog is a portmanteau word derived from the syllables of longanisa (Philippine sausage), sinangag (garlic friend rice) and itlog (egg), which make up the whole thing.

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Misty Baguio

That water repellent spray that's supposed to make windshield wipers unnecessary is useless here in Baguio.

With the mist that forms easily and the reduced visibility, one has to be extra careful when driving here. It can get dangerous.

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Piss on the head

Taken with instagram

Sunday Morning Walk

Sunday morning walk (Taken with Instagram at UP Diliman)

Kalachuchi

Kalachuchi (Taken with instagram)

Tarragon tea and a honey tube

Tarragon tea and a honey tube (Taken with instagram)

Bandi and Lunis

Bandi and Lunis Bookstore

Wandering through the book section. Again.

Bandi and Lunis is a large-scale bookstore in Korea with several branches around Seoul. Their books often have no tag prices on them because the prices are based on exchange rate for the day.

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The sky is on fire

The sky is on fire.

Milk Tea Fad

So I finally tried Serenitea. It’s good, but I still prefer the teh tarik-like taste of Gong Cha.

Downtown

How can you lose when the lights are bright and everything seems waiting for you?

Good morning, Azalea!

Good morning, Azalea! (Taken with Instagram at Baguio City)

Full Moon on the Ground

Full Moon on the Ground of TechnoHub

There is no full moon up in the sky tonight. It’s on the ground along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City.

I remember a lot of  student activists not so long time ago rallied against the construction of the Ayala TechnoHub in this huge part of UP land along Commonwealth. They are low-rise buildings that house mostly call centers  and chains of coffee shops and restaurants.

After a couple years, it has now become the most visited, if not the favorite, hangout of some UP students.

The landscape and the in-ground fountains are refreshingly beautiful, especially at night time. There is also a man-made lagoon at the eastern part of the compound, but it is already around 9:00 PM. It is impossible to take a picture of it because that area is a bit dark. It is a moonless night.

Well, as you know, the moon is on the ground.



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Weekend Jog at the Oval

Today’s highlight of the day (Taken with Instagram at UP Acad Oval, UP Diliman, Quezon City)

Busy Bee

Bees are generally not friendly to people because they do sting, and it does not feel good when they do. This one is a busy bee pollinating a sunflower.

Taken at UP Diliman where sunflowers with massive heads are in bloom every summer.

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Sunken Dreams

Sitting right at my favorite spot, where serene, fresh air intersects with darkness (Taken with Instagram at Sunken Garden)