incessant rambling

i don't want this to sound like the usual boracay-praise-to-heaven-cliche write up. so... instead of writing about the best things that boracay can offer, here's the dirt dish: 1. Dirty Old Men - try reading up the lonely planet entry about Cebu and they describe the usual european/american foreigner here as old, twice divorced, living on pension, drunk, rowdy and have this fashion accessory called exotic ladies in tow. same goes for boracay. it is bad to generalize but that's generally the same set of people i see beached by the shore, probably too fat to drag themselves once they drift away from the herd (yes, a group of whales form "herds"). Click Read More for Boracay Pictures 2. Persistent Vendors - try to take a stroll in Station 2 - 3 and every other step along the way you'd get offered to buy shades, pearls, an ATV (all-terrain vehicle) ride, paraw sailing, island hopping, boat ride, banana ride, bicycle ride and recently, a ferris wheel ride right in...

before pasig river became a mutant life-form, it used to have clear running water, fish swimming along and people taking a swim. few can remember that time when "mutya ng pasig" (muse of pasig) meant pure and virginal. nowadays, mutya ng pasig can be bought for Php 200 short time, and when business is really bad, free. except that no one would even care to enjoy pasig, we end up holding our breath till we are blue on the face so we avoid smelling the putrid gas that float to the surface and "pop". as citizens, that is how we mutilated and raped our own land. almost a year ago, guimaras was considered to be the next "mutya" on the rise. luscious mangoes can be had and virginal white coasts extend from the northern to southern tip of the province. until solar 1 sank off the coast of nueva valencia (11 august 2006) and leaked black blood that tainted the white sands and destroyed marine reserves along the southern coast. i am posting memories of a now unnamed...

they say meeting people is never coincidental, there is a reason for every encounter and your life is enriched or made a little bit sadder by each and every meeting. in this stage called earth, and the comedy called life i had the chance to meet characters that made this particualr chapter a happy one. some offer young exuberant innocence whereas some offer the laid back attitude of a person fulfilled. memories have a nasty habit of fading and names forgotten, this is my way of making sure this chapter never fades. cheers to everyone and as a dear friend of mine said, we never say goodbye - we say... until next time. the cast of characters starting from the upper left: enzo - i suspect he is taking uppers with his endless questions. he was the only one who was up early in the morning running around looking for me. inday - dare i say the real name? in this paradise she blossomed freely myka - if peter pan was a girl.. victor - dating boyfriend ni gina de venecia he he he. he's the b...

Just a photo journal of Mantayupan Falls in Barili, Cebu. Mantayupan is the main source of power and irrigation for the place as well as the neighboring towns. It is an amazing falls that stand roughly at 200 feet in height and flows into a minor waterfall that is about 70 feet high. When the dam is wide open, the mist blows like billowing clouds reminiscent of the dust caused by traffic in the middle of EDSA. The main difference is that you get a free mist treatment in Mantayupan whereas you get a free mudpack in EDSA when the clouds combine with the sweat dripping down your forehead. No wonder I don't miss Manila at all. Quick info: Mantayupan is 60 kilometers south of Cebu City taking a direct right from Carcar (home of the famous or infamous heart-clogging-pork-with-meat-and-fat-crispy-rind) and cuts accross the island to emerge in Barili, a town that overlooks the bay accross Negros. You can see Kanlaon and every once in a while, when the volcano has had its fill of sugarcane...

Light patterns falling on a subject is a fascinating visual. One that evokes time, motion and e-motion. This picture was taken in Barili, Cebu in a resthouse nestled in the hills where surrounding bamboo trees evoke memories of ancient chinese warriors flitting in the shadows. Better than having NPA rebels swoop down and hold us hostage. Notice the container with the flowers in the lower left corner, am attaching another set focusing on more details. Interesting how the light and shadows create a pattern, broken up by vivid colors of the flowers that appear suspended because of the clear water.

Sumilon is 180 km South of Cebu and is about 2.5 hours of reckless head-spinning driving. My companion got to enjoy the scenic view of undulating waves that shimmer in a picture perfect bright day - I had to keep my eyes on the road for the silly kids that dart accross the road out of nowhere, or the slow sleepy tricyle drivers that has forgotten the meaning of time. Oh yeah, the occassional chicken or dog makes an interesting obstacle course. Sumilon Island; Lazing by the Pool on Top of the Hill The take off point is Baranggay Mainit in Boljoon, South East of Cebu Province where you can park your car in their mini port (or if you want to be adventurous, take the southern bound bus to Bato from the South Bus Terminal). They have a boat that has regular scheduled trips to the island (15 minutes) - scheduled defined as whenever the fancy strikes. Detail - Hut; Infinity Pool If swimming in the white sand bar is not your desire (about 30 meters off the shore it drops to a cliff and you can...

Another photo-blog of a recent trip South of Cebu. A historic and scenic trip stretching about 180 kilometers until you get to the tip of South Cebu in Bato, Santander where you get on a ro-ro (roll-on, roll-off) boat to cross the channel to Negros Island. Picture : Boljoon Cemetery From Cebu City you can drive or take a bus going all the way South and drop by historic old towns with equally old churches and structures. Too bad that these buildings are not being maintained as they can be featured in an amazing cultural tour of the island. Cebu is more than just lovely beaches, mangoes, guitars. It is the central hub of the Visayas and a major take off point to other locations within the island and neighboring visayan ports and towns. Picture : Club Fort Med - Boljoon Picture : Argao Church; A must-visit in Argao - Alecx Cafe Culturally, it is also the seat of the Catholic faith in the Philippines (thus explaining the numerous old churches dotting the seaside towns dating as ancient as...