Where? In Quiapo

          It was Saturday. It was supposed to be my day off but my schedule has changed. My boss asked me to choose which day I’d like to have as my rest day. I chose Thursday and Friday because those days have the highest call volume in the office. (by the way, I'm a call center agent and I work at night. I hate it when there are lots of calls coming in. It’s choking me). On weekends, working is like sleeping and getting paid. 

One of the popular churches in the Philippines, Quiapo Church

          I heard a knock on the apartment door. It was my chef’s wife and Denise. And guess what? They came to invite me to go with them in Quiapo. Without any hesitation even if I knew that I needed to sleep for the night shift. I was feeling nocturnal. But first, breakfast. 

Squash, omelet, binogoonan, rice, tilapia, with Pop Cola. That’s what they call balanced diet – a meal with both healthy and unhealthy food. 

          This was my first Saturday that I'm working. Though I was aware that I'm going to work yesterday, I still felt unchained from the bondage of labor. I smelled the air of freedom, the smell of the day off cologne, the scent of “no work”.

         On a taxi, on our way to Quiapo, I took pictures. Feeling like a pro-photographer with my very cheap camera while wrestling with the unbeatable, ever-famous Manila traffic jam.

          When we were at our destination, I hid my camera in my front pocket. Atmosphere was unfriendly. There were lots of people. I felt there were hungry snatchers around lurking 

for a prey. Or I was just too paranoid. I wasn’t able to take more photos as a wanted to. But, lo and behold! Pam and Denise were holding plastics helium balloons. Where did they get those? They borrowed it from the balloon vendors just for picture taking. I fearlessly took my camera out, and click…click… click..

This little girl kept on watching us while we were taking photos. She wanted a picture for herself too.



At the train station, we had Shawarma and Palabok before going home.



The not-so-delicious palabok

Another Day

Its more than two weeks now and my chef is still on his vacation. No one is cooking for me. I go home alone and get home alone.  What a boring life. It’s a good thing that I brought my guitar with me and people still are active in Facebook.  

 Thanks to my cook’s wife, Pamela, for bringing me a pasalubong  from Dipolog City.  (It is an overcrowded sardines in a bottle, like Manila). I ate them like orgy with a rice wrapped in a banana leaf that I bought from a carinderia just a block away from the apartment. I hate washing dishes so I used the banana leaf as my plate. Solved!  

Guitar time. Fingertips hurts.  Its been a while since I played the guitar.

Problem:  Didn’t know what songs to play.

 Solution: YouTube’s video tutorial. Bon Iver!

Lesson: NEVER STOP LEARNING

PUFF

The poor fish. He was catching his breath when we took him out of the water. I could hear his loud inhale and exhale. Poor him. But he doesnt have to worry. He's in good hands. Im an animal lover. And just so you know, We took this cute fish back to where it was, ofcourse. He was with his sea turtle friends. Now im sure he is swimming with the sea tutles.

This is in Guimaras, Philippines. It is a small island town in the Visayas near Ilo-ilo city. We were island hopping. You see that guy in orange? He seemed disgusted with what Im doing. Well, he is our tour guide. He brought us here in a sea turtle hospital. This is where they keep sick sea turtles, wounded turtles that were hit by careless pump boat.

That green dancing giant. I love to watch him dancing without losing a single dose of energy. Nobody cared about him. We notice him and took a picture of him because he was sad dancing alone.

I wonder where he is dancing right now.

NOSE

When I was a young boy, I told myself I will not easily die because I can hold my breath for a long time. Among the group, im the only one who has the talent of holding breath for a long time. I remember imagining myself being shot with a gun. I asked “what should I do if I was shot by a gun?” I simply thought, “Easy! Simply hold you breath, rest, hold on to the pain, and wait until rescue comes.” I was not yet aware of how our bodies worked. I simply thought that living is simply breathing and the most important part of our body is our noses. The longer you can hold you breath, the greater chances or survival.

TRAVEL PHOTOS

Bobongan Beach in Labason Zamboanga Del Norte. This is one of the  beautiful beaches along the coast of Zanorte.

MSE - Makati Triangle along Ayala Ave. Makati City

Gutalac Hills in ZANORTE (Gutalac, Zamboanga del Norte)

My mom in Ayala Triangle Park

That's me, wandering on the hill.

Fine and white sand in Dansalan Labason, Zanorte

Tipan Beach, Zanorte

A tropical paradise

He loves beaches.

waves running on shallow water in Bobongan Labason, Zamboanga del Norte

Crystal clear waters on Banigan Beach. Liloy, Zanorte

Watching Zamboanga City on top of a hill. Zamboanga City 

The busy shore on Puerto Galera where beach goers come and go.

Puerto Galera big waves.

Amor seco...dry love...

Puerto Galera shore

Tagaytay's Mt. Taal. A view from Taal Vista Hotel

Guimaras Island Beach

Guimaras Museum

On the way to Puerto Galera

The great Sta. Cruz Island, Zamboanga City  

These two were my travel buddies... I miss them so much..

"A Lack Of Color"

One of my favorite songs from a great band, Death Cab for Cutie. I especially made this video for this song. We were on our way to Puerto Galera beach. The weather was gloomy while my mp3 is playing this song. I took me  cheap Brica camera out and took this video.

"A Lack Of Color"

And when i see you
I really see you upside down
But my brain knows better
It picks you up and turns you around
Turns you around, turns you around

If you feel discouraged
That there's a lack of color here
Please don't worry lover
It's really bursting at the seams
For absorbing everything
The spectrum's a to z

This is fact not fiction
For the first time in years
all the girls in every girlie magazine
Can't make me feel any less alone
I'm reaching for the phone

To call at 7:03 [and] on your machine I slur a plea for you to come home
But i know it's too late
I should have given you a reason to stay
Given you a reason to stay [x3]

This is fact not fiction
For the first time in years