A Walk Down Manila Chinatown

On a random weekday that every one in my family was home, we made plans to head to gritty Manila for a food trip in Binondo (also known as Manila Chinatown). We went home with full stomachs and aching feet but the photos were all worth it in the end.

sweet trippy, you're lost in the deep end

I've been visiting the Virgin Island in Cebu every year since 2014 and I still get amazed by it every year. My only disappointment this year is that I didn't get the tan that I wanted because my sunblock was just too strong (oh well, guess that calls for another beach trip 🤷‍♀️).

There's nothing particularly different from this trip except for the copious amount of alcohol that we had but this time around, I was able to capture the island on film! For this set, I used two rolls of Kodak Colorplus 200 (bought from Korea by a friend!) 

Also, one thing about the photo (see right) above is that pose was NOT easy to hold. I was half drowning with my eyes closed for the 'gram but shoutout to my sister who was able to capture it well. We're really after that buwis-buhay aesthetic.

The City Moves Through You, Babe

I remember ranting to my bestfriend on the first day of the year that I was bored like crazy and I needed a massive change of scenery. So when a friend invited me to go to Taipei for a few days, I impulsively booked the flights and hoped for the best (mainly because I didn't ask permission from my parents before booking and only told them after I did...).

Also, that was the last photo I took with my favorite bucket hat (RIP Bucket Hat 2018-2019) before losing it in immigration. But it's true what my friend said though, "when you lose something in a different country, the country gives you back something more." So here goes my first international trip! I was honestly complaining about not taking enough photos but here we are, sifting through hundreds of them...

Send me someone to lava

For my college life's shortest break, my family decided to take a not-so quick trip to Albay, Bicol to visit a family friend. The 12-hour road trip going to Bicol was practically just the Hamilton soundtrack on loop for about 5 times. (I can't get myself to listen to anything else!!!!)

As much as I wanted to enjoy the trip, it felt like I was just pissy the entire time because of the workload I was carrying with me. College is taking its toll yet again. On the bright side, I was able to take loads of photos and simply enjoy the change of scenery with my family.

Pinto Art Museum

I've heard a lot about Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo but I never found the time to visit it. So, when Joaqui's mom invited me to go with his sister to shoot, I couldn't let the opportunity pass. As soon as you step foot inside Pinto, you'd be welcomed with such lush greenery and a relieving landscape. Mere photos of the landscape wouldn't give justice to how much of a beaut the place is.

Not only is it picturesque on the outside but Pinto houses the some of the most thought-provoking artworks that I've seen as most pieces tackle social reality. The collaborative mural entitled Karnabal is a piece done by 16 artists collectively known as the Salingpusa art group. As the piece dates back to the Post-EDSA Revolution era, it tackles the state of Filipino culture and society then. Interestingly, you could interpret the piece as if it could still be relevant today.

The Hollow Man. As the artist states, the piece is “nothing but a suggestion of probable continuity.” There's this certain contrast about this photo that I really like. It's as if the piece and Joaqui were juxtaposed to mean something more. But then, there's Joaqui who's just 100% game to pose even if I just bicker at him once he's in front of the camera.

We Are The Kids Your Parents Warned You About. It honestly felt like I've seen Pinto Art Museum through my social media platforms. Even if it was my first time visiting the gallery, it was as if I've seen it all already. Still, it's still very different from just plainly viewing it from a screen than seeing it in real life. Upon seeing this popular piece, I seriously thought of what my parents warned me of when I was young(er). I don't know about you but my parents told me never to talk to strangers since they would offer you candy and kidnap you if you took it.

Thread on Silkscreen. One of my favorite pieces. It took me back to the time waaaay back in high school when I tried to sell T-Shirts which I silk-screened myself. Then, you have this piece which turned the simple tool into such beautiful art. Imagine having to embroider such a delicate piece of cloth.

The last gallery was my favorite as it had various social-realist pieces which Tita Anne and I discussed briefly. She told me how cynical certain works were and how people could possibly be disadvantaged from the cynicism.

Since Julia is still learning the basics of Photography, I made her do the A-Z Project that my Photography professor also made me do. We tried looking for the alphabet in the most random of things from the floor to the ceiling (We literally have a photo of a lighting fixture for the letter J). The lighting in Pinto gave us the perfect conditions to shoot from low-light to direct sunlight. The weather even cooperated with us as it started to drizzle right after we finished our drinks at the cafe.

At the end of the day, I was bummed over not taking enough photos but I'm pretty sure this wouldn't be the last time I'll set foot in Pinto. I realized that I didn't take enough photos because I had to balance interpreting pieces and taking photos. I highly recommend that people visit Pinto Art Museum not for the Instagram opportunity but also to appreciate the art (A tour guide would be of great help!) 

Within The Walls

After much nagging from me and my sister, we finally convinced our parents to take us to Intramuros. I just had to bring my camera and sense of nationalism to Manila’s historic core. Some areas of the Walled City were under rehabilitation and we were a bit pressed by time so, we didn't get to go around as much. As corny as it may sound, I hope this trip to Intramuros will be the first of May-ny (GET IT?) Hopefully, I get to learn more facts next time around!

You're the Sun In My Morning, Babe

Despite beings stuck in the middle of a hectic pre-finals week at school, my family managed to convince me to not think about anything academic related while I was in Cebu. Every year, we set out to the Queen City of the South for some needed relaxation. Typically, we go straight to the Virgin Island but this year, we first headed to Oslob and Simala. I was really looking forward to this trip since I had unworn bikinis waiting to be soaked in saltwater. The bikinis were maximized as I lounged for days in my favorite island.

There is a place in the distance

So, the #prob1n5ya tour continues! The background song couldn't have been more fitting because I looked forward to this weekend for so long, it actually appeared in my dreams. But to be honest, I was dreading my trip to Bacolod for a brief weekend because of the schoolwork I'd be leaving in Manila.  Heck, I'd trade all my schoolwork for another Masskara experience! Just like the song, I got what I wanted but it went away so fast. :'( School was cancelled the day after ourtrip. Had we stayed longer, we could’ve gone on a road trip to the farm. :-(

Read on for a play-by-play of the video!

Bacolod in Bullets

Oh, the city that prides itself on its food and warm culture. Leaving had my heart as heavy as my stomach after eating Inasal.

• Eating Inasal (most important on the list)
• Going on photowalks with my cousin
• Doing big-girl stuff like opening bank accounts

Back to Back

Wanting to take a break from the mundanities of home life, I tugged my cousins along to the colorful city of San Carlos. It too us nearly five different tricycle rides to tour the city. The most amusing about it was that the rides were pimped out to the nines. And by pimped out, I mean skeletal motorcycles decorated with neon lights as the side cars boomed with blaring bass. Much like Manila, nothing in the city was every idle. Here, the equivalent of the MRT are buses waiting to be filled with passengers.

Strange how the most casual of things here can feel so liberating. Normally, I wouldn't eat street food right off the street but I was thrilled to try San Carlos' version of kwek-kwek. The local delicacy are made with eggs, then coated with flour and deep fried to orange perfection. I found it odd that instead of mini quail eggs, the city’s version was made with a regular-sized hard-boiled egg. I thought about how I could eat the entire thing in one bite until I saw how they actually ate it- sliced and doused in a sea of sweet sauce. Though I was initially grossed out by the service, it was just amusing to try something new. The amusement of eating street food left me wanting to have more even though I was on the brink of vomiting my last serving. (Plus, another source of amusement: watching a pink sky set over a football game.)

Bad Blood

The title is totally irrelevant but it was playing during a 30-minute drive to a little pottery stand by the road in Panuolan, San Carlos. The very interesting trip gave me a chance to witness how pots and jars come to be from a little slab of clay.

Jet Pack Blues

Two hours on the road brought us to a fairly new beach resort in the municipality of La Libertad in Negros Oriental. After having gone from another road trip during the previous day, I wasn't as eager for the trip but once I stepped off from the pick-up truck, I knew I was in paradise. 

You can breathe

A thirty-minute drive from San Carlos City would take you to the small town of Calatrava in Negros Occidental. Two years ago, this place served as my residence as I studied for my college entrance tests. Seeing how much has happened between then and now, it felt soothing to return to the same environment. It was calming to know that some things remain constant despite having gone severe changes. I took a break from the spontaneity brought by life in the city and returned to my roots. As they say, “looking back is a requisite of moving forward.”

Having slept for only a few hours, I don't know what prompted me to start the day so early. It was only a few minutes past five yet the sun seemed just as eager to begin with the day. I thought I'd woken up straight into a photo as saturated tones of orange peeked through my glass windows. I could hear the roosters greeting me with a good morning, something I didn't get to hear so often. Life here was just slow, and it made me realize how much of a breather it was to have such pacing outside the hustle and bustle of the metro. Impulse here was thinking I could bike around as soon as the I pedaled my way on what I jokingly call "the road to sexy" as I try to get back in shape, having already eaten so much during my stay. The road here was no competition. I shared the road with a few early risers, some goats (yes, goats), and avoided every dog as my fear of getting chased resurfaced with every stray in sight. 

My biking led me to the shore not far from the house. From the dock's mouth, I proceeded to walk until the end as I feared falling off again. (Years ago, I slipped and fell off the same dock and thought it was going to be the end of me.) As I walked, I encountered a local who greeted me with a smile.  For a few minutes, all I could hear was the crashing of waves into the rocky dock, with barely any murmurs in the background. I stayed alone with my thoughts and left before it got too sentimental. Plus, my cycling shorts were too short and I simply had to change before going for another round.

I don't know what fueled me to write since I've only begun to appreciate how people combine these words coherently. I suddenly woke up at dawn and thought, "right now, I want to write." And all the words just came pouring. Maybe it's the pressure that came with my blog's new look, wanting to accompany it with better content? 

Now I'm on the outside

With three more months of summer still ahead of me, I flew solo for the second time and got my butt back to Bacolod. I was home alone for a month and just decided to book a flight because why the hell not? I've been craving for authentic Chicken Inasal for the longest time and got satisfied the moment I stepped off the plane!

The day after my arrival, I had Calea's Pistachio Sansrival (10/10!) for breakfast, had my favorite dimsum from Cebu for lunch, then headed to a family friend's farm for dinner and post-dinner drinks. One thing I love the most about Bacolod is that I get a feel of the province without having to compromise the benefits of living in the city.I enjoyed the Bacolod breeze so much that I comfortably sat through a 3-hour road trip on the back of a pick-up without any fear of getting an asthma attack.

A week down and I’ve already been to so many places. I’m looking forward to where this spontaneous adventure takes me next!

Fresher than you!

Summer called me early as I took another trip to Cebu in the midst of my finals week to visit the ever glorious Virgin Island with my family and a few family friends. Compared to my first trip, we took very little photos but had way more fun than last time! Still, my photos couldn't give justice to the clear waters surrounding the island. Read on for my photo diary of the trip!

It's gonna be a great day

I went deep into the south with my family last week to visit a religious site in Lucban, Quezon. We practically spent 13 hours on the road that day. The hours spent in the backseat of my family's car gave me time to take a load of photos. Here's a photo diary of my trip!

Pwede bang itigil muna ang pag-ikot ng mundo?

At ngayon, 'di parin alam kung ba't tayo nandito. ♫ 

After my first (and only) class of the day, Floro and I took a spontaneous trip to the National Museum. She and I have been planning to go on a photowalk together and today seemed like the perfect day to go on one. Armed with our smartphones, we ventured through the sketchy streets of Manila. Luckily, timing was on our side as we arrived in the Museum of the Filipino People right as they opened. 

I woke up near the sea

Right after Boracay, I basically went home to dry my clothes and bikinis for a family trip to Cebu. (I got home from Boracay on the 10th then left for Cebu on the 12th.) I've beem looking forward to going back to Cebu because my first visit was such a blast. My trip was so bitin that I thought of reasons to go back to Cebu while I was still in the Queen City of the South. [Almost] all of our expenses were taken care of by our host so, I couldn't be more grateful.

When I met you in the summer

My friends and I stayed on the island from April 6 to 10 for Batch Bora. (A check on my Christmas wish list!) It was a week of long walks under the scorching sun, booze (luh), and chillin' by the beach spent with good company. Most of the photos are taken from Sharina Tan, Dana Aquino, and my phone. I got too lazy to lug my camera around. The photos from my film camera are yet to be developed.

The Anchor That Keeps My Feet On The Ground

Right after my trip to Bacolod, we headed over to the Queen City of the South to kick 2013 off! The trip tested my patience since we had to wait in the San Carlos port for 8 hours. Because of the delay, we only had one full day in the city. We had to rush out as soon as we dropped our luggage off and make the most out of our day in Cebu.