Sawadee

After three days of cultural trip to the lost city of Angkor, off we went to the bustling and overheating megapolis in Bangkok. As expected the traffic snakes endlessly through the streets but thanks too the BTS skytrain and the MRT, they seem to ease the burden of travel. Shopping is predominantly be on the mind of every Filipino who goes there for its cheap but quality clothes and my wife is no exception.



After a trip to Ayutthaya's temples which seems to pale in comparison to the grandeur that is Angkor, we headed of to Platinum Fashion Mall in Pratunam for some wholesale shopping. Not that I didn't want it as we guys prefer to be on a coffee shop, shopping is extremely boring for us. So after two cups of frosted coffee and several hours later, I was relieved to end the day with unusually lesser bags to hold.







Another good area to shop is Suan Lum Night Bazaar. Just don't go to their malls. Its exactly the same as ours. Try the thai massage after a day of vein bursting walks through the heat of Bangkok which happens to be just arounf every corner or the Thai food which is extremely (believe me) chilly for most of us. Overall the trip was well worth it, thanks to the courteous and ever attentive staff of Shangrila where we stayed and was on a promo.LOL

HDR Anyone?

I recently tried treating the photos i take with HDR (High Dynamic Range) for its beautiful results as it can capture a wide spectrum of colors and shadows. The purist never like photos like this. I am too not a big fan of too saturated colors so i try to turn it down a bit to my taste. For the first experiment, I tried shooting sunrises in a nearby town. A couple of hours later, some coffee and three editing softwares. I came up with these . Not bad. Not bad at all. HDR anyone?

Walking with the Gods

Finally me and my wife got the chance to visit the Thailand and Cambodia. Thailand particularly Bangkok was for my wife with those vein bursting walks shopping for those inexpensive but quality dresses. The Kingdom of Cambodia was for both of us to visit another travel wonder of the world. the Angkor complex in Siem Reap.

At 700 square kilometers the Angkor complex is one of the biggest ancient cities and one that of awe, grace and beauty. Everything in Angkor was truly magical, spell binding like walking back into a lost civilization. The crown of its jewel is Angkor Wat, the largest spiritual building in the world. It is so massive that the walls from corner to corner if 3.6kms long, and its moat surrounding the structure can fit two football stadium. Amazing as it is, whats truly spectacular about the place is how it has been made, each stone intricately carved like any other in this world.

We shall go back again to this place. A truly spectacular monument to the Ancient Gods.

Sinulog 2009

The Sinulog 2009 was more than anything else a truly a down to earth experience, a reconnection with my devotion to the Sto. Nino. More than the excitement that came with it when I had to shoot in time for the photo contest which I accidentally won last year, it was more of a spiritual journey this time for me, a time to connect back the lost devotion that I had with the Child Jesus. I now believe that that win was for him to tell me that "Hey where you've gone my friend?"

This time I didn't disappoint him. Still bringing along my cam which I took photos from time to time, I was more on spiritual experience attending masses, joining the walk for mary in the early hours of a friday, attending the fluvial and participating in solemn procession. My photos didn't disappoint either but this time around I don't go for the win, because I already have with HIM.

Captivating Camotes

December 26 was the day when together with my wife, daughter and family made an early dawn voyage to the rustic Camotes island off 50 kms northwest of Cebu City. It was the persistent prodding of my mom and dad that got me to decide to check out the place. Thinking it was an opportune time for me too to shoot again after a long lay off, I book ourselves in Mangodlong Rock Resort, one of the fewer resorts available in the island that is perfectly hidden among the many sandy coves of the place. The voyage going there was a little bit rough for us as crossing the island from mainland Cebu on this time (December) means facing rougher seas from northwesterly winds that seems to grow when fear gets the better of you not to mention that we were pack like sardines on a pumpboat that seems to reek like a floating coffin whenever it hits the lows and highs of each wave. Soon after we arrive with a big sigh of relief, things seems not to get better with intermittent rains that kept falling like its going to ruin our short vacation.

But like the persistent weather, we were not about to give up enjoying our stay. It was fun and we did made the better out of the situation. I had a grand time with my wife and daughter and kept the bonding with my family whom I had long miss being together. We toured most that the island could offer us and it was pretty well the rustic and unspoilt place that people kept talking about. Going back we decided to ride the oceanjet off Poro port and had a pleasant trip going back home.