tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86420719987354771562024-03-07T23:44:05.077-08:00The Roving Bearcat's Blogoceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-45808268023756677272010-02-23T00:06:00.001-08:002010-02-23T00:06:01.808-08:00Hong Kong Diary 3b: Temple Street Night Market<p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMEg5Hq-I/AAAAAAAAAIg/ean6dPHweDI/s1600-h/_MG_62292.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="328" alt="" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMFhBTrcI/AAAAAAAAAIk/nDkJb-7ENfs/_MG_6229_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">The Temple Street Night Market is an icon of Hong Kong, a mecca for hardcore shoppers and foodies alike – and as the name says, it only opens at night.  Good news for us, as we wanted to shoot the night lights and atmosphere.  Arriving at our hotel from Shau Kei Wan, we spent a while at the harborside promenade shooting the Symphony of Lights again, then took an hour’s much-needed rest; not only had we walked all day, we had to come back during the rush hour and so spent the entire train ride on our feet.  </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMHWza4OI/AAAAAAAAAIo/jrR80_RjoN8/s1600-h/_MG_62523.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="577" alt="" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMJ1DoRFI/AAAAAAAAAIs/asCn9TO0d9I/_MG_6252_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="398" border="0" /></a>Did I mention we were tigerishly hungry?  No?  Well, whatever the condition of your appetite when you enter the Night Market, be assured that it will be in excruciatingly hyperactive mode within minutes of wandering in!  A whole section of the market is devoted to streetside dining, where just about anything edible seems available in just about any Chinese style of cuisine.  Soy-basted ducks and geese hung on racks everywhere, live groupers and other fish swam in aquariums, pails or basins along with lobsters and fat crabs, and there were plates of beautiful shellfish everywhere.  Unless you totally hate Chinese cuisine, it’d be impossible not to find something to your taste here.</p> <p align="justify"><img title="" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="328" alt="" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMK7RuAsI/AAAAAAAAAIw/Pg-STY9Tyo8/_MG_6288_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMMEkwBqI/AAAAAAAAAI0/bYqYymenBag/s1600-h/_MG_62682.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="328" alt="" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMNE65FaI/AAAAAAAAAI4/NQpsAQwgw2g/_MG_6268_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></a>Cat and I finally decided on a place to eat, not so much by the menu as by the fact that the waiter spoke English.  One thing about dining here: have an idea already what you want to eat! There’s a great throng of people waiting to be seated, and any hesitation is taken as a sinful waste of time by the busy restaurateurs.  I took matters into my own hands and ordered something I thought we’d both like, as well as feeding my spice addiction: a dish of crispy Szechuan-style chicken.  The dish arrived smothered with crunchy bits of fried garlic and dried red chilies, steaming hot and with a fragrance that might’ve been detected by the wolves in Mongolia.  And yes, it was that good.</p> <p align="justify">Dining at the Temple Street restaurants as a couple however is not the optimal way to do things.  Far better to come here as a family or troop of friends, for only thus can you order a wider variety of dishes.  We discovered the table beside ours was occupied by a Filipino extended family; at first we had no idea, as they were just so busy munching on a profusion of seafoods that I couldn’t make out what they were saying.  Then a waiter walked between our tables carrying a crab dish that made both me and the guy nearest me on that table exclaim in Tagalog.  Voila! Instead friends!  And yes, they did call the waiter over on his way back to order the same crab dish for themselves.  <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMPLoOlxI/AAAAAAAAAI8/DaHRM-yDESc/s1600-h/_MG_62563.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="540" alt="" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMQIZ38vI/AAAAAAAAAJA/3uG4tx0ISk8/_MG_6256_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="372" border="0" /></a>Another nod to Pinoy pride: a lot of diners, including many Caucasians, were washing down their vittles with golden San Miguel beer.  What can I say? Good food deserves good beer.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMSY8QSLI/AAAAAAAAAJE/q2kiYbG_5kA/s1600-h/_MG_63033.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_6303" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="566" alt="_MG_6303" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMTRBgGBI/AAAAAAAAAJI/zYEDPpbpfHo/_MG_6303_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="390" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMUvpHxXI/AAAAAAAAAJM/8V9aFVSaTjI/s1600-h/_MG_59632.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5963" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="328" alt="_MG_5963" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMVhhr8TI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/GdGui0IRK-o/_MG_5963_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMXvWzaHI/AAAAAAAAAJU/tLjRtU8FaX8/s1600-h/_MG_61192.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_6119" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="328" alt="_MG_6119" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMYTxjwEI/AAAAAAAAAJY/P7GCXSKItcY/_MG_6119_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></a></p> <p></p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMZWF1lqI/AAAAAAAAAJc/rj1RZL3LI2I/s1600-h/_MG_61222.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_6122" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="328" alt="_MG_6122" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OMaNaLTBI/AAAAAAAAAJg/fO1RiwMfG7M/_MG_6122_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></a></p> <p align="justify">The Night Market is also a great place to shop for Chinese handicrafts as well as toys, watches, jewelry and other gewgaws, provided you’re prepared to wade through a crowd and haggle aggressively.  I was prepared to do neither, having in fact not an iota of inclination for shopping, but I did want photos of the merchandise.  It was challenging to squeeze in and find a space to shoot, and even more challenging to get a stable shot what with people bumping me from every direction, but I did manage a few.   It was near midnight when we got back to our hotel, tired, but very happy with our experience.</p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-34495384673353057462010-02-23T00:03:00.001-08:002010-02-23T00:03:59.731-08:00Hong Kong Diary 3a: Victoria Peak, Shau Kei Wan<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OLjlIFQbI/AAAAAAAAAHY/f0JQGpMNTzU/s1600-h/_MG_59412.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5941" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="328" alt="_MG_5941" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OLlP5CL6I/AAAAAAAAAHc/-JB3U0qW6Vc/_MG_5941_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></a></p> <p align="justify">Day 3 of our Hong Kong escapade began as the previous days, with no sunrise but just an increasing level of brightness filtering through the overcast.  Nevertheless, we decided to push through with the planned outing to Tai Ping Shan, formerly known as Victoria Peak.  I have to say I do like Tai Ping Shan better – sounds more picturesque.  On the way from Kowloon to the Hong Kong side, I found a shot that would perfectly illustrate the conditions for the day: this vividly painted ferry was almost the only spot of color amid the gray seas and skies.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OLmyf_7VI/AAAAAAAAAHg/_9wm6t6iXlc/s1600-h/_MG_59484.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5948" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="541" alt="_MG_5948" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OLoLdEjiI/AAAAAAAAAHk/nZId8RVvvdI/_MG_5948_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="377" border="0" /></a></p> <p align="justify">As we waited to board the historic tram going up Hong Kong’s highest peak, I took the opportunity to lean over the rails and get this perspective shot.  This is where I got to really appreciate the hilliness of Hong Kong’s terrain – from the very start the tram’s tracks were already at a dizzying, almost 30-degree incline.  </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OLpFbEIpI/AAAAAAAAAHo/JFY94BlgOdM/s1600-h/_MG_59952.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5995" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="328" alt="_MG_5995" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OLp74SYfI/AAAAAAAAAHs/kqv9siTd-5g/_MG_5995_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></a> I was also very glad that Cat and I had visited the HK Museum of Art before the Tai Ping Shan outing.  Had we not done so, I might’ve spent most of the time on the peak moping about the lack of sun.  Instead, I found myself eagerly looking forward to working the fog into my photos.  Inspired by the minimalist yet highly evocative ink paintings I had seen, I again set my camera to Monochrome and overexposed most of my shots  by a stop or more.  Hiking the peaceful trails leading down the slope from the Peak station let me discover some nicely layered landscapes, which I tried to capture in the Chinese painting style.  </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OLslZ04gI/AAAAAAAAAHw/_0hRMT4PsKc/s1600-h/_MG_60073.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_6007" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="534" alt="_MG_6007" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OLtR1TLqI/AAAAAAAAAH0/dNWo7CzlDhw/_MG_6007_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="368" border="0" /></a> The atmosphere of the fogbound trail was great; some say fog saps the spirit, but I found rather that going into the mist came with a strong sense of adventure.  What lies beyond the bend? I have no idea! That’s why I want to go there! </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OLuQzJZ3I/AAAAAAAAAH4/E9h8bD6Yhio/s1600-h/_MG_60612.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_6061" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="328" alt="_MG_6061" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OLvFtI8cI/AAAAAAAAAH8/8hyma1MILbI/_MG_6061_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OLwgxhIBI/AAAAAAAAAIA/s72BDIhRwZI/s1600-h/_MG_60282.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_6028" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="328" alt="_MG_6028" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OLxWuipqI/AAAAAAAAAIE/k-vKB6LVRYI/_MG_6028_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></a> I had meant to work in black and white throughout my trail walk, but as I rounded a bend I was faced with this exquisitely textured wall of moss-covered rock.  I looked out over the fog-bound hillside, saw that I’d already gotten the best angles as far as I could see, and so wistfully set my camera back to color mode.  Another lesson from the Nan Lian Garden; be as the bamboo, Grasshopper, and shoot your surroundings the way they’re asking to be shot.</p> <p></p> <p></p> <p align="justify">When at last Cat and I were ready to leave the Peak station, we made our way to Shau Kei Wan.  Our research had indicated this was a fishing village.  Ha ha. No more fishing village.  The galloping pace of Hong Kong’s real estate development had gotten there before our online guides could update their info, it seems, but we did find an older, cosier commercial area that again lent itself well to being shot in monochrome.  The people were kindly and took with amusement to our shooting everything, some even posing with a glee that felt almost Filipino.  I was only asked to desist once, when I entered a roadside shrine.  In respect to their religious taboos, I bowed and shut off my camera.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OLygUvBvI/AAAAAAAAAII/nDmWVQqbaR0/s1600-h/_MG_61302.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_6130" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="328" alt="_MG_6130" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OL1An16hI/AAAAAAAAAIM/Cn2RBRV2vRM/_MG_6130_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OL36hwfwI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/8unRzKs-C-I/s1600-h/_MG_61334.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_6133" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="525" alt="_MG_6133" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OL5Z_QlZI/AAAAAAAAAIU/O97C-2UxQFY/_MG_6133_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="366" border="0" /></a> </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OL6YUGzeI/AAAAAAAAAIY/zE3NkaRrm-U/s1600-h/_MG_62032.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="328" alt="" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4OL7H8k0cI/AAAAAAAAAIc/0SNCxRf4qmk/_MG_6203_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></a> We made our way to the waterfront, where we found fleets of sampans plying the Shau Kei Wan Typhoon Shelter as taxis and fishing boats.  The smartly dressed passengers on this water taxi, talking into her snazzy new cellphone as the boat came in to dock, was so iconic of the continuity of culture here that I just had to shoot them.   By this time Cat and I were getting rather footsore and hungry, so we headed back for the nearest MTR station for the long trip back to Kowloon.</p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-50328049700168582872010-02-22T07:58:00.001-08:002010-02-22T08:30:03.684-08:00Hong Kong Diary 2: Meditations at the Nan Lian Gardens<p align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4Ko97OOG-I/AAAAAAAAAF0/QLILJCJd1tM/s1600-h/_MG_5871%5B3%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5871" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="556" alt="_MG_5871" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4Ko_ZoCCVI/AAAAAAAAAF4/Ww7S_MZ_vMs/_MG_5871_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="383" border="0" /></a> I had high hopes for our shoot in the Nan Lian Gardens, and I was not to be disappointed.  This despite waking up to a cold, foggy morning, so hazy I couldn’t even see the top of the building next to ours.  As we ate breakfast, though, I was treated to a wildlife drama right out of Nat Geo right outside our window; a falcon making a kill!  I’d noted the raptors patrolling over our hotel since our arrival, but never saw one up close.  Now as I sipped my morning coffee my eye was drawn to a flicker of rapid movement outside.  </p> <p align="justify">I looked out just in time to see a panicked pigeon swerve into a window bay, zooming up inches from the glass, with a falcon in hot pursuit.  But the pigeon made a fatal mistake, underestimating the falcon’s climb – it zoomed above the pigeon, folded its wings, then dropped like an avenging angel.  I of course was hooting and cheering like an English football fan, while Cat, still without her contacts, saw nothing but brown blurs.  Ah well.  I took the sight as an omen for the rest of the day, and I was right.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpAxL4OGI/AAAAAAAAAF8/8IIj2nNQFo8/s1600-h/_MG_5710%5B4%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5710" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="339" alt="_MG_5710" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpB-LO5EI/AAAAAAAAAGA/h08OdTF17VI/_MG_5710_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></a>The Nan Lian Gardens, we found, were located right beside the Chi Lin Nunnery, and was easily reached by taking the MTR from Tsimshatsui Station to Diamond Hill, with a change of train along the way.  I lost a few dollars here though, as I failed to realize that you could change train without having to exit the station; we bought a ticket to Mong Kok, planning to buy tickets again to get to Diamond Hill, but as it turned out we could’ve gotten a ticket for the whole trip several dollars cheaper.  Oh well, it’s called learning.  </p> <p align="justify">The gardens were a revelation.  Only the tall buildings peeking above the garden’s surrounding trees betrayed the presence of modern Hong Kong outside.  Within, winding paths led around a tranquil little artificial lake with pagodas, artfully arranged rocks, and enormous, languid koi.  All around were exquisitely shaped and trimmed pine trees, flowering plants, and bamboos.  There were no sounds of street traffic to be heard, only the calls of birds, the gentle gurgle of falling water, and soft instrumental Chinese music.  <img title="_MG_5705" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="328" alt="_MG_5705" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpC01VMTI/AAAAAAAAAGE/imfLjaTXmpM/_MG_5705_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></p> <p align="justify">The sensation of entering the garden was exactly like that of plunging into the waters over a coral reef – from a world of noise and chaos into a welcoming blanket of utter harmony.  The incredible Zen of the place seeped through the very soles of my feet and through my hands into my camera.  I soon lost sight of Cat as I went into a kind of meditative trance, walking, absorbing, shooting. <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpDzjfzxI/AAAAAAAAAGI/RGNicm4vmwA/s1600-h/_MG_5718%5B2%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5718" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="328" alt="_MG_5718" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpFG3fJLI/AAAAAAAAAGM/yw6HEUxtDQc/_MG_5718_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></a>I found this waterwheel that reminded me of the scene from Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, moving me to set my camera to Monochrome mode.  From there I wandered into an enclosure housing some rock-and-sand arrangements reminiscent of the Ryoan-ji in Kyoto (which I swear to visit someday).  More black and white, naturally, and I found my light lying prone on the floor to get my shot.  A guard spoke to me in Cantonese, which of course I couldn’t understand, so he told me in English I wasn’t allowed to do that.  He was very courteous, far from the brusqueness I’d been told to expect from the Hong Kong Chinese.  </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpGsjF_aI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/Ejw3CnTq_bw/s1600-h/_MG_5813%5B2%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5813" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="328" alt="_MG_5813" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpH1M8ZwI/AAAAAAAAAGU/_ICbaWvD3W8/_MG_5813_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></a>After shooting the sand gardens, I got very absorbed studying the ancient textures of the bonsai outside.  Rather than shoot the bonsai as a whole, I dug into the textures and the way the light was playing on them for my subject matter.  I had the luck to have the sun coming out at just this time – the only time I’d see the sun on the whole 4-day trip.  </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpLUFvhXI/AAAAAAAAAGY/Oi13iDTJv70/s1600-h/_MG_5792%5B4%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="584" alt="" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpMx9uDrI/AAAAAAAAAGc/Scl98lkEuZQ/_MG_5792_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="406" border="0" /></a>With the sun out, I decided to see if I could get another shot of the golden pagoda. I ran out just in time to catch the sun’s glints on the gilded surface, after which the cloud cover closed again, and stayed that way the rest of the day.  There was still no sign of Cathy; I was sure she was lost in the same blissful state as I.  I found I was now at the bridge leading to the Chi Lin temple complex itself, so I went in and took some shots of the architecture.  Then, feeling hungry, I went to look for Cat.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpPtsKZ8I/AAAAAAAAAGg/odc6lFumt5o/s1600-h/_MG_5783%5B3%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5783" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="582" alt="_MG_5783" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpQZ7xAuI/AAAAAAAAAGk/ReDq08yOxFM/_MG_5783_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="401" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpS02v8bI/AAAAAAAAAGo/zErxVSwS80Y/s1600-h/_MG_5867%5B4%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5867" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="576" alt="_MG_5867" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpTpGQzHI/AAAAAAAAAGs/xXEVnM17xyQ/_MG_5867_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="401" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpVg5BA2I/AAAAAAAAAGw/33m9x_AaVM8/s1600-h/_MG_5863%5B3%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5863" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="594" alt="_MG_5863" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpW_d8UTI/AAAAAAAAAG0/c3KO8-KgEk4/_MG_5863_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="407" border="0" /></a> Cat of course wanted to shoot in the temple too, so we decided to delay lunch in favor of doing a few more shots.  That eventually took another two hours, during which I rested a bit and shot a few more details of the temple’s architecture.  Sadly, photography was forbidden inside the main temple.  Too bad, as I’d seen a beautifully lighted statue of Sakyamuni within, and the sounds of chanting betrayed the presence of monks that I also would’ve wanted to shoot.  Well, this was their place, and if they say no shoot, I’ll respect that.   </p> <p align="justify">We headed back for the train station, which was fortuitously located right by the Hollywood Plaza mall.  Cat and I were both absolutely ravenous by then, so it was into the mall first for lunch. I could tell Cat was really hungry – normally it’s her role to steer me away from expensive-looking places, but now she would stop at every restaurant we saw and ask if I thought it was a good place to eat.  Good thing the Zen harmony I’d absorbed in the gardens was still with me, as I was able to resist and coax her into the food court.  Cat got a Japanese curry, while I, recalling the dumplings from the previous night, got myself some more Shanghai noodles and xiao long bao.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpZI-wN0I/AAAAAAAAAG4/YXoQQLbaWtM/s1600-h/_MG_5874%5B3%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5874" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="585" alt="_MG_5874" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpZxKX6OI/AAAAAAAAAG8/TcVG7O3ewH8/_MG_5874_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="403" border="0" /></a></p> <p align="justify">We’d originally planned to do the Nan Lian and the Yuen Po Bird Garden in the same day, but by the time we finished eating it was 4pm and getting even more darkly overcast.   We finally decided to postpone the birds, and instead shopped in the Hollywood Plaza for digital photo frames for our parents.  We caught the train back to Tsimshatsui Station at 5pm, and found Cat’s brother Martin resting at the hotel.  After a brief rest ourselves, we all trooped out to the harborside to shoot the signature night skyline on the Hong Kong side and await the Symphony of Lights show.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KpbASSpoI/AAAAAAAAAHA/JBoIvzcTq8s/s1600-h/_MG_5902%5B2%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5902" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="328" alt="_MG_5902" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4Kpb0qY24I/AAAAAAAAAHE/v6zWAV1xBc4/_MG_5902_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4Kpj3dPeMI/AAAAAAAAAHI/vNltp8PnZEE/s1600-h/_MG_5919%5B2%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5919" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="329" alt="_MG_5919" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4Kpk9za4XI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/4MCLWe4dUoM/_MG_5919_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="483" border="0" /></a></p> <p align="justify">The fog never let up, so thick that we couldn’t see the top quarter of the famous Bank of China building.  I also saw that it would greatly diffuse and brighten the lights, so I made sure to underexpose a bit.  I liked the golden cast I got using a Cloudy white balance setting, then switched to Sunny and a faster shutter speed for the laser show.  </p> <p align="justify">It was cold, almost Europe-cold to me thanks to the wind chill factor, and damp.  I could only imagine what Cat was feeling, as Cat doesn’t have a high tolerance for cold.  I found out soon enough; as soon as the light show was over, Cat clapped her icy hands over my ears.  I yelped.  No, I shrieked.  Like a little goosed girl.  Laughing, we headed back to the commercial district for hot noodles.  Lots of hot noodles.</p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-51486949203765335762010-02-22T06:35:00.001-08:002010-02-22T08:22:36.250-08:00Hong Kong Diary 1: Hong Kong Here We Come!<p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KWDPzwlPI/AAAAAAAAAE8/x9InwPRn8nw/s1600-h/_MG_5635%5B6%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5635" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="329" alt="_MG_5635" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KWEOrtoXI/AAAAAAAAAFA/qGl4x8xDgBk/_MG_5635_thumb%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="474" border="0" /></a>Hong Kong.  While most of us Pinoys know it as Asia’s mega-shopping center, home to Disneyland and Ocean Park, Cat and I were able to discover and immerse ourselves in its quintessentially, timelessly and truly Chinese side, thanks to a bit of online research.</p> <p align="justify">When Cat announced that her dad was planning to bring the entire family to Hong Kong for a four-day holiday, the very first question in our minds was, ‘All right, everyone and their grandmother has shots of Hong Kong, so what will we shoot?’  Okay, I’ll have to admit that was the second question in my head -- the first being ‘What dimsum do they have there that I haven’t tasted yet here, and where do I find them?’.  So we researched.  Three destinations quickly became of prime importance: the Nan Lian Gardens and the Chi Lin Buddhist Nunnery to which it was attached, the Temple Street night market, and the Yuen Po Bird Garden.  All were on the Kowloon side, which was also where we had booked our hotel.  </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://www.fnetravel.com/english/hongkonghotels/salisbury-ymca.html" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://www.fnetravel.com/english/hongkonghotels/salisburyymca/salisbury-ymca-map1.jpg" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">Speaking of hotels, ours, the YMCA Salisbury, far exceeded our expectations and had the perfect location for us independent adventurers.  First, it was near the Hong Kong Cultural Center and two museums, the HK Space Museum and the HK Museum of Art, and beyond them, a fine harborside promenade.  Second, it was a literal hop skip and jump away from a shopping and dining district, and third, it was another hop skip and jump from the MTR subway stations.  As if that wasn’t good enough, the accommodations were surprisingly cozy; we had come in expecting a typical YMCA dorm, and found a pretty posh room waiting for us.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KWFU5aseI/AAAAAAAAAFE/6-3Xy8UTZlk/s1600-h/_MG_5605%5B4%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5605" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="341" alt="_MG_5605" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KWGDZGvOI/AAAAAAAAAFI/MdpCG85rlBg/_MG_5605_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="487" border="0" /></a>Arriving on a Wednesday as we did, we decided to spend our first day taking advantage of Hong Kong’s free museum day.  First, however, was the matter of lunch.  We walked to a nearby mall, passing some rather interesting signs along the way (grin), and ended up in the mall’s basement food court.  Having a camera with me, I of course ended up shooting some stuff before deciding what to eat.  Inevitably, it was dimsum.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KWIFAiZ8I/AAAAAAAAAFM/GPkxoVVff5M/s1600-h/_MG_5618%5B3%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5618" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="556" alt="_MG_5618" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KWJJUQiaI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/aAEc18b4H1w/_MG_5618_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="383" border="0" /></a></p> <p align="justify">It was past 2pm when we finished with lunch, and from there we walked to the museum row. We had originally planned to hit three museums, but the Museum of Art had so much fascinating stuff we wound up staying there the whole afternoon.  There was a great collection of art there, from the earliest dynasties right up to the present.  I was particularly enthralled by the samples of classical Chinese ink paintings, the visions of which would later inspire my black and whites at Tai Ping Shan.  On exiting, I was struck by the beautiful lighting on this statue of Kwan Yin; it’s not every day that a literal goddess deigns to pose for you, so I of course shot her.  </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KWLK_mGeI/AAAAAAAAAFU/suCEVwk4rBw/s1600-h/_MG_5643cropped%5B4%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5643cropped" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="596" alt="_MG_5643cropped" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KWMPAdn-I/AAAAAAAAAFY/TNLNk0NTZtI/_MG_5643cropped_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="385" border="0" /></a></p> <p align="justify">As we  left the Museum of Art, we took a quick look across the harbor hoping the foggy conditions we had arrived to would clear in time for the nightly Symphony of Lights; alas, no such luck.  In fact we would see the sun only once during our four-day stay.  Off to dinner then, with the entire family at the Crystal Jade restaurant in the Harbour Centre.  As we went in I found the mall all decked out in preparation for the coming Lunar New Year.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KWNC-uCoI/AAAAAAAAAFg/JnYEwp3BmvM/s1600-h/_MG_5607%5B3%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_5607" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="320" alt="_MG_5607" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KWN7b3a3I/AAAAAAAAAFk/ADUUrcbJUoU/_MG_5607_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="461" border="0" /></a></p> <p align="justify">We had Shanghai-style thick noodles, xiao long bao dumplings, sweet and sour fish, a fried rice dish with multiple kinds of grain, and this dish of steamed cauliflower and broccoli.  Everything was so good, it disappeared before I could shoot it! At least Cat snagged this veggie dish for me so I could go at it.  White balance was a bit difficult in the restaurant’s mixed lighting, but there was some nice hard light broken up by some nice metal bead hangings, which gave my dish good highlights.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KWQJ_JNTI/AAAAAAAAAFo/hRzQD6ecarg/s1600-h/_MG_8088%5B4%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_8088" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="543" alt="_MG_8088" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/S4KWQ31b_kI/AAAAAAAAAFs/AjjCcVAAzgo/_MG_8088_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="378" border="0" /></a>The big winner for the evening however was the xiao long bao.  These ‘small steamer dumplings’ packed minced pork and herbs and an absolutely heavenly dollop of broth in their dough wrappers.  I liked them so much I decided I had to have them again before we left Hong Kong. </p> <p align="justify">Cat and I ended our first night in Hong Kong  doing the exact same thing we did on our very first date – we spent the time shooting.  I let Cathy have the tripod, so nearly all the shots taken that night were hers.  A perfect evening, doing exactly what we love most.</p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-84485545654025261652009-12-04T04:42:00.001-08:002009-12-04T04:42:12.329-08:00Immortal Fish, Phosphor Bubbles<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SxkDn6e1BvI/AAAAAAAAAD0/x2QO7oeldXQ/s1600-h/my-virtual-aquarium_b%5B4%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="my-virtual-aquarium_b" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="293" alt="my-virtual-aquarium_b" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SxkDo4JEOhI/AAAAAAAAAD4/G-V40GjhkZw/my-virtual-aquarium_b_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="467" border="0" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">These fish will never go hungry, never dig up the gravel and cloud the water, never poop and never die.  Because they’re 3D digital constructs, that’s why! </p> <p align="justify">This is a sample of <a href="http://www.dreamaquarium.com/" target="_blank">Dream Aquarium</a>, a <a href="http://www.google.com.ph/search?q=virtual+aquarium&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a" target="_blank">virtual aquarium</a> screensaver – and apparently one of myriads available nowadays.  As someone who likes to stare into an aquarium especially when I get writers’ block, having a digital aquarium right on my desktop is a nifty and relaxing convenience, without the problems of a real aquarium.  </p> <p align="justify">Yes, I’ll never have the satisfaction of seeing my fish grow or breed, but on the other hand I won’t have to clean the glass, nor worry about the Ph of the water, or who’ll feed my pets when I go out of town.  I won’t have to worry that the new fish I introduced considers my current tank residents part of the menu or vice versa, or that Fish A likes its water acidic and Fish B likes it alkaline.  And these Archer Fish will never shoot out the lights – I’ve seen  that happen once with a real archer fish, it spotted a bug on the light bulb and zzzap! No more lights.  </p> <p align="justify">Best of all, though, I’m not encouraging anyone to damage the coral reefs. Given my requirements and lifestyle, this virtual aquarium thing seems to be just the ticket for me.  If there’s just one thing I wish Dream Aquarium had, it would be the option to have saltwater fish models and a coral reef-themed tank.</p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-9749905789866198782009-11-23T23:03:00.001-08:002009-11-23T23:03:22.926-08:00Kublai’s Rock<p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SwuFBgj8TqI/AAAAAAAAADA/EoavsKfcKnE/s1600-h/07%20exterior%20copy%5B6%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="07 exterior copy" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="313" alt="07 exterior copy" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SwuFCeS8RcI/AAAAAAAAADE/Ds8zxvNgIK8/07%20exterior%20copy_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="467" border="0" /></a>Once upon a time, the great warlord Genghis Khan asked his generals, ‘What is best in life?’</p> <p align="justify">One hulking northern barbarian said, ‘To crush your enemies, drive them before you, and hear the lamentation of their women!’ </p> <p align="justify">But wise Kublai, grandson of Genghis, said, ‘Wrong! What is best in life is a mug of ice-cold beer in the hand, great food in the belly, and rock music in the ear!’  And Genghis had to say, ‘That is good.’</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SwuFDSRMHiI/AAAAAAAAADI/3_AoK7yuNzc/s1600-h/08%20interior%20copy%5B5%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="08 interior copy" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="308" alt="08 interior copy" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SwuFELbJ-2I/AAAAAAAAADM/vAQ94rFoJ0U/08%20interior%20copy_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="467" border="0" /></a>That hulking barbarian is some kind of Governator now, with all the woes of California sitting heavy on his troubled brow, but wise old Kublai rocks on at Kublai’s Rock, a hip and cozy restaurant and bar at the Magallanes commercial center in Makati.  Kublai’s Rock offers a well-stocked bar, an equally well-stocked Mongolian barbecue buffet – which is what Cat and I always have when we’re there – and a new discovery for us, some great ala carte dishes as well.</p> <p align="justify">What can I say about the food? As soon as the dishes started coming out, Cat practically had to beat me off them with a stick to make me shoot them instead of tucking in right away! We got to shoot and sample five of Kublai’s signature dishes; the best-selling Barbarian Burger, excellent beer companions in the Spicy Chorizo Sisig and Seafood Combo, the very filling and tender KR Kababs, and even one for the health in the form of bite-size Laing.</p> <p align="justify"><img title="03 barbarian burger copy" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="298" alt="03 barbarian burger copy" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SwuFE5p4nAI/AAAAAAAAADQ/nkgg2YEy8Iw/03%20barbarian%20burger%20copy_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="467" border="0" /></p> <p align="justify">The Barbarian Burger is huge, easily the equivalent of three or four burgers from the major fastfood chains, and much beefier – in all senses of the word!  Truly something to satisfy an appetite gone berserk, by Crom! As if the burger wasn’t hefty enough, it comes with a side of thick-cut fries and crunchy onion rings. </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SwuFGG0uBNI/AAAAAAAAADU/M1T9dq2tJjM/s1600-h/02%20chorizo%20sisig%20copy%5B5%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="02 chorizo sisig copy" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="290" alt="02 chorizo sisig copy" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SwuFHErjNsI/AAAAAAAAADY/45jArWURoUw/02%20chorizo%20sisig%20copy_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="467" border="0" /></a>The Chorizo Sisig was a sweet-and-spicy dish, basically skinless sausage in the Fil-Hispanic style – garlicky and peppery, just the way I like it – served on a sizzling plate with a topping of onion rings and sliced chilies.  Classic beer food, but I could have this for breakfast! </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SwuFImQiAsI/AAAAAAAAADc/RXCYrpa5DJs/s1600-h/01%20seafood%20combo%20copy%5B5%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="01 seafood combo copy" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="313" alt="01 seafood combo copy" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SwuFJTEysrI/AAAAAAAAADg/6ePO8TUJR7k/01%20seafood%20combo%20copy_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="467" border="0" /></a>The sisig also went well with the Seafood Combo, another sizzling plate dish, this time of squid rings, shrimps and I believe clams, fried in tomato paste and spices then served topped with melted cheese.  Really rich and filling! </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SwuFLCfTkpI/AAAAAAAAADk/-OOT2M58d_k/s1600-h/04%20laing%20copy%5B5%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="04 laing copy" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="302" alt="04 laing copy" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SwuFL3W0NhI/AAAAAAAAADo/keWSB9VZcHY/04%20laing%20copy_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="467" border="0" /></a>With all these treats, the Laing made a very welcome side of vegetables.  Kublais’ Rock presents this classic Pinoy dish in an intriguingly new way, as bite-size rolls of taro leaves cooked in and topped with a rich, thick coconut cream sauce and garnished with red chilies.  My tastebuds having suffered permanent damage in India (grin), I would’ve welcomed even more of the chili garnish here.  </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SwuFNozBFGI/AAAAAAAAADs/VnOicM8LXAU/s1600-h/05%20kabab%20copy%5B5%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="05 kabab copy" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-bottom: 0px" height="313" alt="05 kabab copy" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SwuFOd1-fyI/AAAAAAAAADw/Qks7uEM4zTA/05%20kabab%20copy_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="467" border="0" /></a>For Cat and I, the great star of the evening was the Kublai’s Rock Kababs.  Thick chunks of beef, pork and chicken grilled on skewers with mushrooms, green bell peppers, onions and tomatoes, and served with a sort of rice pilaf, this dish alone could easily satisfy two rather light eaters.  The meat was very tender and with a light, herby-peppery-smokey flavor that’ll make you scream for either of two things: Rice! or Beer! Me, I would’ve wanted both … </p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify"></p> <p align="justify">As the Governator said: I’ll be back.</p> <p align="justify">Kublais’ Rock is open from 5:00pm to 2:00am every day, and frequently hosts viewings of major sports events where patrons can watch the action on their three widescreen plasma TVs.  Belgian beers are now also available at the bar.</p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-69369240214989584822009-09-29T11:36:00.001-07:002009-09-30T01:55:03.423-07:00Ondoy’s Insights, Part II<p align="justify">As a new storm develops off the east coast of Mindanao, threatening to bring more rains to flood-wracked Manila, I’ve been forced to think of how I should deal with future emergencies.  While my house came off OK, my street is in a low-lying area and we’re in a cul de sac that’s easily cut off by flooding. Water came within 2 inches of entering the house. I believe in preparing now for a flood that’s possibly worse than the last one.  And as Cat and I helped out the the CFC (Couples for Christ) center in Sucat, I also observed some things that bear thinking of for the next disaster.</p> <p align="justify">Home Strategy: <br />I don’t quite foresee flooding here on a level with that experienced in Marikina or Cainta, as the density of houses is not as great and drainage probably better.  We have a roofdeck and my sister’s house next door is roomy and has a 2nd storey; no problem with where to run. My main problems will be isolation, as the floodwaters block the street, and loss of electricity over a period of several days.  </p> <p align="justify">Solutions: lay in a stock of canned food and bottled water good for 2-3 days at least, draw up a checklist of what needs to be done/stuff to be moved should floodwaters enter the house, have some clothes ready packed, have a first aid kit with lots of disinfectant (for injuries, and if I have to wade out/in). That’s done. (Is this kind of planning easier because I’m a gamer? I think so. Games make you think strategically, and I think that’s as valuable as stuff you learn in college.)</p> <p align="justify">Observations on Relief Program at CFC: <br />It was great to work with the volunteers at the CFC center, inspiring and kind of humbling to see that kind of <em>bayanihan</em> spirit still so vigorous.  So many donations, so many volunteers!  Filipinos do shine in adversity.  I think though that we can still improve the way we do volunteer relief work.</p> <p align="justify">Item: I think we should reconsider the idea of sending flood victims instant noodle packs.  I seriously doubt if many of them have the facilities to cook or even heat water.  Same observation goes with oatmeal and rice. Perhaps we could focus on sending biscuits, and bread – stuff that people can eat without preparation or need for utensils. </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SsMaaWrXDtI/AAAAAAAAACk/RopfCkDl5DA/s1600-h/IMG_4466%5B2%5D.jpg"><img title="I sort and pack food with the young volunteers" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="319" alt="I sort and pack food with the young volunteers" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SsMabPMh_WI/AAAAAAAAACo/juT2ftiLSTI/IMG_4466_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" border="0" /></a> Donating raw ingredients or stuff that needs preparation like instant noodles maybe should go to groups that are running soup kitchens.  Anton Sheker’s group also had a good idea – they prepared hardboiled eggs.  Thousands of eggs. <strong><em>Hardboiled eggs are a great relief food – they’re nutritious, they’re easy to eat, and they come in their own sanitary packaging.</em></strong></p> <p align="justify">If you’re planning to give cooked food, cook it in a way that maximizes shelf life.  You don’t know how long it will take for the food to reach the victims, so a dish that will spoil in just a few hours is sub-optimal.  The funny thing is, we Filipinos actually have the exact solution for this in our traditional culinary repertoire already! They’re called adobo and paksiw.  Cooking in vinegar practically pickles the food, letting it last for days even without refrigeration. </p> <p align="justify">Item: Canned goods are only useful if they can be opened.  I wonder how many victims have can openers? Not many, I’d bet.  That’s why I told Cat to select only cans with easy-open tops for donation and for our own emergency rations. </p> <p align="justify">Item: Not all PET bottles are equal.  Some brands come in relatively flimsy bottles, and we had bottles cracking and leaking as we packed them.  Bottled water for donation to relief efforts should be chosen for the sturdiness of their bottles as well as cost and quality. Also, I believe it’s far more useful to send 1-liter bottles.  Less waste afterward, for one, and more is better.  </p> <p align="justify"><img title="All that plastic ... where will it end up?" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="319" alt="All that plastic ... where will it end up?" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SsMacAQ4MFI/AAAAAAAAACs/TYQs6-PIEQw/IMG_4469_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" border="0" />Item: Next time, perhaps advisories could be sent to would-be donors on what is appropriate to donate, and to sort the items to be given.  One of the overwhelming tasks facing the volunteers was the need to sort the great piles of clothing donated into packages by user – adult males, adult females, male children, female children.  Next I donate clothes I’ll put my shirts in one bag, shorts and pants in another, and Cathy will do the same with her items.]</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SsMadB2JjYI/AAAAAAAAACw/GcTd_1Cgd-0/s1600-h/IMG_4474%5B2%5D.jpg"><img title="The mountainous task of sorting clothes" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="319" alt="The mountainous task of sorting clothes" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SsMaeC94VPI/AAAAAAAAAC0/xsxV4PBn2zY/IMG_4474_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" border="0" /></a></p> <p align="justify">Item: I think we could also have used more coordination.  One of the things local governments or homeowners’ associations can do in the future is to hold seminars on dealing with disaster, both as victims and as aid volunteers.  The people at the center were actually getting swamped with the number of donations and volunteers.  </p> <p align="justify">If team leaders had been assigned to each task/area we could have been much more efficient.  I got assigned to pack food and water, and I was able to speed things up by organizing the young volunteers into an assembly line – A, ready the bag, B, you put in item1 and pass to C, who puts in item2, and so on until the pack is complete and ready for transport. Before I went in the kids were all over the place scrounging for items, each making up pack on their own.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SsMaezrNJKI/AAAAAAAAAC4/HTLxwPZTGzU/s1600-h/IMG_4470%5B3%5D.jpg"><img title="Human conveyor belt!" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="452" alt="Human conveyor belt!" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SsMafpDdJOI/AAAAAAAAAC8/0lVDtQWiEWc/IMG_4470_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="343" border="0" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">Come to think of it, this is where training in organizations like the Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts or heck, even the much-dreaded CMT could’ve been put to good use.  I remember hating my CMT with a passion – what the heck was I supposed to learn baking my brains out in the sun in formation? If they’d used the time instead to do stuff like teach us CPR, basic rescue work, swimming and water rescue techniques, team-building and leadership, stuff like that, I would’ve  been much more motivated to attend my CMT classes. </p> <p align="justify">I don’t think we can deny any longer that global warming has made our weather more violent.  And it’s going to get worse before it gets better, if at all.    Best thing to do is be prepared for the next blow.</p> <p align="justify">And for that lesson – thank you, Ondoy.</p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-92085986595301289922009-09-29T10:35:00.001-07:002009-09-29T11:44:56.949-07:00Ondoy’s Insights, Part I<p align="justify"><a href="http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1926646,00.html" target="_blank">From TIME</a>: “Last weekend's flood was in large part the result of the capital's poor drainage and sanitation systems, which have been neglected by several successive administrations in power. As Ketsana rained down upon Manila, sewers that were clogged up by plastic bags and other refuse led to roads becoming rivers and gardens lagoons. Video images of desperate people riding floating pontoons of garbage down inundated streets were a sign not just of the consequences of the flood, but also its causes….”</p> <p align="justify">When will the Filipino people ever learn?</p> <p align="justify">As Cat and I packed relief goods for the victims of Typhoon Ondoy (aka Ketsana), I had to comment on the irony of the situation.  The priority is to get those goods to the people who desperately need them as quickly as possible, and in a useful condition.  Plastic bags are a cheap and practical solution to this, as they’re light, cheap, and for packing food and bottles of drinking water, watertight.  </p> <p align="justify">That last consideration has now gained in importance because the floodwaters in many districts have tested positive for E. coli bacteria. As I told Cat, I don’t think we have a choice right now but use plastic. The other side of the coin is that the relief goods may be coming packaged in the very things that will contribute to the next mega-flood. Moreover, a lot of the items come in – you guessed it, non-biodegradable plastic or foil wrappers.</p> <p align="justify">I hope the affected people realize this and take care to dispose of the waste packaging properly.  I want to help. As one whose house was almost flooded, escaping by only 2 inches and perhaps an hour of rain, I have this distinct feeling of ‘there but for the grace of God go I’ for the victims.  But the thought that I may be handing the weapon that will drive me out of my home to unwitting perpetrators sends a chill down my spine.</p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-48949334653455861372009-09-20T22:45:00.001-07:002009-09-21T03:24:44.232-07:00Ten Easy Things You Can Do for the Environment<p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SrcTlIFX3NI/AAAAAAAAACc/l6Upv9yms_w/s1600-h/DSC06646%5B5%5D.jpg"><img title="DSC06646" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="319" alt="DSC06646" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SrcTmBu5sjI/AAAAAAAAACg/gMiwg_7grF8/DSC06646_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" border="0" /></a>I just blogged about participating in the International Coastal Cleanup, and while I hope more people join the succeeding ICC’s, I realize not everyone can. If you’re a concerned citizen of Mother Earth but lack the time or resources to join some of the more visible efforts, you can still do your share right at home.  Here are <strong><em>ten easy, common-sense things you can do to help protect the environment</em></strong>:</p> <ol> <li> <div align="justify">Segregate your waste.  At the very least, segregate your biodegradable garbage – trimmings from meat, fruits and vegetables, spoiled food, paper or carton that’s been used to wrap food – from the dry/non-biodegradable stuff like plastic. Better yet, practice composting your organic waste if you like gardening. <br /> <br /></div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Don’t litter!  What does it cost you to find a trash can when you need one? A few calories’ worth of effort?  Compare that to the calories that would’ve nourished a child, if the plastic you threw away hadn’t killed that fish … Yes, that’s how much life can be connected.  Keep a plastic bag or small trash bin in your car, put your trash in there while you’re driving or traveling, and empty it when you get home. How easy is that? <br /> <br /></div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Be a responsible vacationist. When you travel, leave no litter behind you, and take home nothing that should remain in its natural environment. If you go to a beach, take care not to step on corals because this will damage them.  And no matter how tempting, don’t try to take any wildlife home. It’s unlikely you can keep it alive, whatever it is, and taking it from its environment means you’re not letting it breed.   <br />  <br /></div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Get your cat neutered, and better yet, keep it indoors. Stray cats are hell on our bird population.  The Philippines is one of the countries that has the most diverse bird populations, many of them unique to our islands.  As cats are very prolific and likely to become feral, they are in position to really threaten our wild birds.  So keep your cat where it can’t do harm to our wildlife, and keep it from filling the neighborhood with stray kittens! <br /> <br /></div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Buy groceries in bigger packages.  Even as we push for more eco-friendly packaging, we cannot help but get some of our necessities in plastic or styrofoam, etc.  But you create less waste if you buy less packaging – so buy in bigger quantities when you can.  The <em>tingi</em> system may seem cheaper, but only until you realize that a) the packaging costs more than the product in those tiny sachets; and b) it’s Mother Earth that pays the price in the end for all that plastic. <br /> <br /></div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Don’t be a consumer of endangered animals and plants.  You might say I’m not one of those, I never buy tiger skin or ivory anyway – but what about other products within your range?  From your dinner plate to your living room to your aquarium, ask yourself if there’s anything there that shouldn’t be.  <br /> <br /></div> <ul> <li> <div align="justify">Don’t eat sharksfin, or other endangered species like the <em>mameng</em> (giant wrasse), or <em>pawikan</em> (sea turtle).  You’ll be doing yourself good too, as sharksfin tends to have high concentrations of mercury, and sea turtle meat is sometimes toxic. <br /> <br /></div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Don’t use Chinese medicines that contain products like bear gall, rhino horn, tiger’s, er, privates, seahorses, and the like. <br /> <br /></div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Don’t keep endangered species as pets.  If you want something other than a cat or dog, choose something that’s bred for the pet industry, not a wild-caught animal.  If it’s very unusual, chances are it comes from the wild. <br /> <br /></div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">If you’re an aquarist, ask reliable sources if the fish you want is farm-raised. Especially if you want to start a salt water aquarium. Some saltwater species can be bred in captivity now.  Most, though, cannot; buying them encourages, among other things, cyanide fishing. <br /> <br /></div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Don’t purchase shells and corals when you go to a beach resort, or collect live ones.  <br /> <br /></div> </li> </ul> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Be a locavore.  Prefer to eat stuff that’s been grown or caught near where you are, and in season.  Save the imported stuff and out-of-season fruits for special occasions. Doing so not only gets you cheaper food, it means you’re not contributing to the carbon emissions caused by shipping that food from where it was produced to where you are. <br /> <br /></div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Replace your laundry soap with an eco-friendly organic soap, e.g. the Victoria brand laundry soap.  <br /> <br /></div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Reduce the time you keep your car’s engine idling. If you’re not going anywhere, turn the engine off. Keep your vehicle well-maintained, and prefer ‘cleaner’ fuels such as E-10. <br /> <br /></div> </li> <li> <div align="justify">Spread the word. The more of us who take care of Mother Earth, the better off we’ll all be.</div> </li> </ol> <p align="justify">If you own a business:</p> <p align="justify">If you own a commercial establishment like a restaurant, cafe, bar, resort, hotel, etc., make it easy for your guests to dispose of their trash. Provide marked trash cans at convenient locations.  You might see it as extra cost at first, but it actually makes a better impression on your customers. <br /> <br />If you own a farm, do make sure you have proper drainage and waste management. That river in back is <em>not</em> the place to channel your pigpen’s runoff! Yes, it’s extra cost – but it might be your kid that gets sick swimming at a contaminated  beach miles away, a beach contaminated by <em>your </em>farm’s runoff.  Even if your kids will never swim there, consider that you’ll still be affecting <em>someone’s</em> kids. </p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-89894564145605343702009-09-20T05:35:00.001-07:002009-09-20T05:54:49.784-07:00ICC 2009 at Anilao<p><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Laticauda_colubrina_Lembeh.jpg/800px-Laticauda_colubrina_Lembeh.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="Yellow-lipped sea krait. Image from wiki commons, used under the Creative Commons license" height="359" alt="Yellow-lipped sea krait. Image from wiki commons, used under the Creative Commons license" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Laticauda_colubrina_Lembeh.jpg/800px-Laticauda_colubrina_Lembeh.jpg" width="477" /></a> </p> <p align="left">Ask me what I’ll remember most about this year’s International Coastal Cleanup, and I’ll have to say it’s this guy.  </p> <p align="left">For the first time since my childhood in Puerto Galera, I saw a sea snake – and this time not one immured in a net, but right out in the open with me.  First reaction – holy shit, it’s a sea snake, get a closer look! So I take off and swim toward it.  Fortunately common sense returned when I got right above it – it was only about 8 or 9 feet below me, hunting among the corals – for when it stopped its search among the crannies to stare at me, I realized I was looking at one of the most poisonous denizens of the reef.  </p> <p align="left">Yes, sea snakes are docile compared to their terrestrial cousins the cobras – but having no experience swimming with them, I had no idea what their limits were.  I backed off, and was able to continue observing it for some minutes before I looked up to see Cat about to enter the water, and I swam off to meet her. Cat tends to stop and tread water to clear her mask ever so often, and I was afraid she’d do it near this snake.  </p> <p align="left">But damn, that was one fascinating encounter. The yellow-lipped sea krait, for that’s what the snake I encountered was, is common throughout Southeast Asia. The pic I found of it (above) is of the Indonesian variety; are the kraits at Anilao a different sub-species? Because its snout looked more vividly yellow than in the picture.</p> <p align="left">But I’m getting ahead of myself.  I was in Anilao with Cat and her sister Arlene to participate in the ICC.  Not being certified scuba divers yet, Cat and I had to content ourselves with snorkeling in front of Planet Dive, and picking up whatever I could reach (which is about 20 or so feet).  Cat was literally left holding the bag.  The good news: there was hardly any trash in front of Planet Dive at all.  All I picked up were a freshly discarded PET soda bottle and some plastic food wrappers.</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SrYhbtNKHzI/AAAAAAAAABc/f4hK_iuwblA/s1600-h/01_icc_2009h8.jpg"><img title="Boatmen in their new Caltex gear prepare for the divers" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="319" alt="Boatmen in their new Caltex gear prepare for the divers" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SrYhcRjWDxI/AAAAAAAAABg/_KXJBpMG5ts/01_icc_2009h_thumb6.jpg?imgmax=800" width="467" border="0" /></a>The other scuba teams toured the dive sites around Anilao, each team going to just one or two sites.  A surprise power interruption, announced only the day before, put a limitation on the cleanup – because there’d be no chance to refill until power returned late in the afternoon, depth for the divers was limited to 30 feet.  Fortunately this was also the depth where the greatest concentrations of trash were expected.  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SrYhddmfGuI/AAAAAAAAABk/5flmPowf9xA/s1600-h/01_icc_20092.jpg"><img title="The divers set off" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="312" alt="The divers set off" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SrYhebbM5aI/AAAAAAAAABo/OfUStTkFre0/01_icc_2009_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="467" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SrYhfUvzB4I/AAAAAAAAABs/3QTzia2N-Wc/s1600-h/04_icc_20092.jpg"><img title="Dive master Butch Javier with his finds" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="312" alt="Dive master Butch Javier with his finds" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SrYhgMP3EMI/AAAAAAAAABw/M-b8zR3vAxA/04_icc_2009_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="467" border="0" /></a>The teams made two dives, one before and another shortly after lunch.  As expected, a majority of the take was plastic in one form or another – grocery bags, toys, and Arlene’s group found no less than 18 disposable diapers in one spot. No kidding. Various dive sites also had differing levels of trash – Bubbles and Bebot’s, the dive sites Arlene’s group worked on, had relatively very little.  Mainit on the other hand seemed to suffer more, as the divers who’d gone there returned with laden bags. </p> <p align="left"><img title="Sorting and cataloguing the collected trash" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="312" alt="Sorting and cataloguing the collected trash" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SrYhgzudYxI/AAAAAAAAAB0/CLvYm8PniUE/06_icc_2009_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="467" border="0" /><img title="16 ... 17 ... 18 diapers! " style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="312" alt="16 ... 17 ... 18 diapers! " src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SrYhhrs7iAI/AAAAAAAAAB4/Q8vSd9aLseQ/05_icc_2009_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="467" border="0" /></p> <p>But there’s good news, however. According to dive master Butch Javier, leader of the team Arlene was in, the amount of trash hauled in during the ICC over the past four years has dropped drastically.  Six years ago, Javier says, the teams would bring in sack after bulging sack, practically filling the beach in front of Planet Dive with sacks.  Now only a few bags are brought in.  </p> <p>If you think you’re seeing a lot of Caltex logos here, you’re not mistaken.  Caltex Philippines has been a strong supporter of both travel and environmental initiatives, and I was very glad yet totally unsurprised to run into Caltex brand specialist Ickhoy de Leon overseeing Caltex’s participation in the event.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SrYhioPe3kI/AAAAAAAAAB8/8fabO8-JZ48/s1600-h/01_icc_2009v23.jpg"><img title="Me with Ickhoy" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="520" alt="Me with Ickhoy" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SrYhjiK25qI/AAAAAAAAACA/nP_stBJW6C8/01_icc_2009v2_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="382" border="0" /></a> Along with Ickhoy were also some familiar faces from DPP – Tok Paler, BJ Hernandez, Momon Baula, Jiggie Alejandrino, and Kha Santia, to name only those I knew already.  Tok was badgering me to stay overnight, as we’d only planned a day trip, and I told him we would if it rained hard.  The road to Planet Dive can be risky in a hard rain, as it’s prone to landslides. Tok’s solution: let’s drink up and do some karaoke, that should bring in the rain!</p> <p align="left">In the end it did rain, but not too hard or long enough to prevent our going, rather to my regret.  We packed our gear and drove off just as the bar was opening and the after-event party getting started. Only later did I find out Arlene would’ve been amenable to an overnight … I should’ve convinced Cathy!</p> <p>I have to say the development of dive resorts has been an improvement for Anilao.  With the local populace offered an alternative employment from fishing, the area could be declared a no-take zone, with very visible effect. The waters right in front of Planet Dive are simply teeming with marine life, right from the surf line.  And as divers tend to be more conscious of how they use the environment, there’s a lot less trash to be found here than off the more popular public beaches. I recall a conversation many years ago with the owner of El Capitan, the resort that is now Divers Sanctuary; she was telling me she was considering converting her property into a dive resort, because “binababoy ng customers yung lugar” (customers were messing up the place like pigs).  If the Filipino public want to continue enjoying their beaches, they should clean up their habits. </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SrYhktIQE-I/AAAAAAAAACE/rdsiFcr51tg/s1600-h/03_icc_20092.jpg"><img title="03_icc_2009" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="312" alt="03_icc_2009" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/SrYhlWcspPI/AAAAAAAAACI/AwdIxMH9mtk/03_icc_2009_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="467" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>Cleaner waters and better environmental policies (and sticking to them!) will eventually open up more dive sites as our reefs bounce back.  As the world recovers from recession, divers from abroad will begin to look toward tropical Asia again – and if the Philippines can play its cards right, there’ll be jobs for people like this poor Badjao boy hawking pearls.  </p> <p>I’ll be back next year to do my part – and I swear, it’ll be as a diver.</p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-35664060170965691062009-09-17T20:16:00.000-07:002009-09-20T22:43:37.554-07:00Photography Workshop in St Scho<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/Srbwt64sZSI/AAAAAAAAACM/_ZaWRbK01-Y/s1600-h/class_pic_MG_3916%5B2%5D.jpg"><img title="class_pic_MG_3916" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: block; border-left-width: 0px; float: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border-right-width: 0px" height="308" alt="class_pic_MG_3916" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_PvWvmjWCfhY/Srbwurza0fI/AAAAAAAAACQ/Q_E9nxbmJLE/class_pic_MG_3916_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="467" border="0" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">Cat and I had the pleasure of doing a photography workshop as part of these senior high students’ Visual Arts program.  Great fun! It’s such a pleasure to discover that some of these young people have an eye for making images, and as their teacher Louise Arnaldo told me, quite a few of them are planning to enter Fine Arts when they graduate.  Maybe some of them will become photographers too.</p> <p align="justify">Cat and I seem to have found our niche, which jives in perfectly with what I do for Kodak here: acting as a bridge for people who’re interested in photography but are still using point-n-shoot cameras.  I have to say that some of the best photos that came out of this workshop were taken with point-n-shoots.  You may not have too many options, but they’re still a lot more than the Kodak Brownies and Instamatics photogs of my generation started with! It really all boils down to seeing light and excluding whatever doesn’t belong.</p> <p align="justify">Great work, girls – no, make that great work, ladies!</p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-66264637540294073172009-09-13T06:18:00.001-07:002009-09-13T08:15:35.634-07:00Are Saltwater Aquariums Bad for the Environment?<p>I used to be an enthusiastic aquarist, and only the lack of space where I live now is keeping me from starting a new one.  But ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of having a saltwater aquarium; having grown up going to Puerto Galera every summer, I wanted to bring back a piece of that wonderful ocean experience with me. Turns out it may have been a good thing I never did get one.</p> <p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribbon_eel" target="_blank"><img height="338" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/Rhinomuraena_quaesita_closeup.jpg/800px-Rhinomuraena_quaesita_closeup.jpg" width="443" /></a> </p> <p>Why? Well, I was wondering about this magnificent dragon-like fish, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ribbon_eel" target="_blank">ribbon eel</a>, and in researching it, found some disturbing facts.  I was wondering what had happened to this fish, as I used to see a lot of them in aquariums in the 70’s and 80’s, but now I don’t; and I used to see them in Batangas when we’d go snorkeling there, and up to now I’ve yet to see one again in Anilao. Last time I saw a ribbon eel in the wild was in Bauan, off the El Capitan resort (now Divers’ Sanctuary), back in 1994.</p> <p>Have they gotten scarcer? Have they simply lost popularity with aquarium keepers? Or worse – have they been overfished?</p> <p>The latter may just be the answer. Up to now, <a href="http://marine-conservation.suite101.com/article.cfm/tropical_marine_aquarium_environmental_issues" target="_blank">most saltwater fish are sourced from the wild</a>, unlike freshwater aquarium fish which now come from farms. Government officials will usually say this is good for the fishing communities, as it gives the fishermen an additional source of livelihood; but on the other hand it encourages destructive practices such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanide_fishing" target="_blank">using cyanide to stun the fish</a> (killing other organisms in the area), and overfishing the sensitive reef habitats.  (Here’s another <a href="http://www.cdnn.info/news/article/a030429.html" target="_blank">article on cyanide fishing</a>, this one focusing on the Hong Kong food market, and <a href="http://www.cairnsmarine.com/collection/why-buy-hand-caught-fish" target="_blank">another from Australia</a>, on why it’s a bad idea to buy cyanided fish.).</p> <p>If you’ve ever gone snorkeling or diving, you’ll notice that some of the most beautiful fish are only seen in ones and twos, scattered across the reef.  In other words, there aren’t too many of those species on any one reef. Giving fishermen incentive to catch more of them – which is exactly what market forces do – can lead to unsustainable harvesting.</p> <p>From an environmentalist’s point of view, a saltwater aquarium has many negatives: it encourages the destructive catching of reef fish; it adds to electrical consumption by its need for pumps, filters and lights, and in temperate regions, heating; and because some fish like the ribbon eel are very sensitive and hard to keep, fish mortality is often high.  Which in turn can drive even more buying, driving the cycle of overharvesting.</p> <p>So: goodbye to my plans for a saltwater aquarium, and I’ll just use the money to get to Batangas. Where I’ll see more than I can keep in any aquarium, even if I were as rich as Henry Sy.  And when I do get space for a new aquarium, I’ll be happy to stock it with <a href="http://images.google.com.ph/images?q=gourami&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=KOysSt6-J4j6kAXvxICWBg&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4" target="_blank">gouramis</a>. </p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-37593087477245483542009-09-12T20:23:00.001-07:002009-09-12T20:23:18.849-07:00Encyclopedia of EarthA nice handy reference on the environment at <a title="http://www.eoearth.org/" href="http://www.eoearth.org/.">http://www.eoearth.org/.</a> Found it while browsing for info on Crown of Thorns Starfish, which I saw way too many of in Zambales last May.  Just hoping the troublesome buggers won’t be too numerous in Anilao … oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-50147409431967099602009-09-12T10:57:00.001-07:002009-09-13T07:56:28.835-07:00Looking Forward to ICC 2009 in Anilao<p>It’s that time of year again when we take the beaches – to clean up after the more witless members of our obstinate species. It’s International Coastal Cleanup Day coming up, and this time it falls on a long weekend. Why is the ICC so important? Just look at this picture below:</p> <p><a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/09/photogalleries/pacific-garbage-patch-pictures/index.html" target="_blank"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/09/photogalleries/pacific-garbage-patch-pictures/images/primary/090904-01-great-pacific-garbage-patch-gyre-ocean-trash_big.jpg" /></a></p> <p>Better yet, click on it (Nat Geo story on the Eastern Pacific Garbage Vortex).  This trash is just part of the great Sargasso Sea of debris floating practically right outside our backdoor. We’ll never be able to get it all – but if we can at least reduce the amount of additional waste that’s going there, it’ll help.  Help save our reefs, fish, turtles, seabirds – and let’s not forget, our fishermen and anyone who likes to eat fish.  And I happen to be partial to my tuna belly.</p> <p>So it’s off to join the Scubasureros – and if I can’t dive on the day, I can at least cover the event, then snorkel after. I’m looking forward to another fun day, this time at Anilao with Cat and Cat’s sister Arlene.  With luck Cat’s new diving choirmates Jon and Jong will join us, and we can stay overnight for the long weekend. Not sure yet whether we’ll be there on the 19th or 20th though. </p> And not sure yet if the weather will cooperate! Last year’s ICC turned out nice and sunny despite a leadup of rain over the days previous, but this year has been the wettest September I can remember. oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-80353943208672129822009-09-12T10:48:00.001-07:002009-09-13T00:26:52.049-07:00Mutton Rogan Josh @ New Bombay<p></p> <p></p> <p>It’s a bad thing when I leave home without a proper breakfast, if you ask my wife Cat. Because when I do it, I get ravenous – and we can end up a spending quite a bit eating out. But I was not to be denied, as I’d just finished an article and fixing my computer in an all-nighter, had a major meat craving, and I knew the original branch of New Bombay was literally a hop skip and jump away from our meeting.</p> <p></p> <p>So we end our meeting late in the afternoon, and I tell Cat I’m hungry.  We wrangle over where to eat, then I pop my secret weapon – the word “kabab.”  Instant yes!   </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>Well, we didn’t order kabab as originally intended, as I got fixated on the mutton rogan josh while Cat went for a dish of paneer tikka. I ordered chapatis to go with it, which in hindsight was a mistake – hungry as I was, rice would’ve been more filling. </p> <p></p> <p>But the food was incredible – never mind that New Bombay at De La Costa looks rather dingy, the food is real North Indian and there’s no cuisine I like better! The mutton was very flavorful, and there was a nice added crunch from the generous amount of chopped almonds thrown in. The only complaint I had with it was the presence of many small sharp bones – the price I guess of eating the bonier cuts of mutton.  The paneer tikka was also great, especially with coriander chutney as dip.  Hungry as I was, I ended up ordering a side of samosas too – and again, those were great. Definitely eating there again! </p> <p></p> <p>Epilogue: got to chatting with my old friend Vimla, and she’s a fan of the rogan josh and korma mixes from Santi’s, and she gets her yogurt supply from New Bombay itself.  Gotta try those! </p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-52688343839281174442009-09-12T10:16:00.001-07:002009-09-13T00:42:47.964-07:00The Magnetic Mountain Points Home<p>Among the tales that captured my imagination in childhood, the maritime adventures from the Arabian Nights stand out as among the most inspiring.  They fed my love of the sea and my eternal craving for sensawunda, and they still do til now.  The <a href="http://madmanscave.blogspot.com/search/label/syrene">Sea Rovers of Syrene setting</a> is inspired by this. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/Sdu-LoaZ8GI/AAAAAAAAAOY/15TFhpNlUPg/s1600-h/sindbad-1%5B3%5D.jpg"><img height="300" alt="sindbad-1" hspace="5" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/Sdu-MkihZFI/AAAAAAAAAOc/xQQeJVzcfmk/sindbad-1_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="224" align="left" border="0" /></a>Among those tales, one of the most fascinating elements for me is the legend of the Magnetic Mountain, featured in the story of the Third Kalender Prince.  The Magnetic Mountain was a perilous landmark for sailors, for coming too near was said to draw out the iron nails from a ship causing its timbers to come apart.  Only when the Kalender Prince shot down an idol of a rider in brass with a bow of brass and lead arrows did the menace come to an end. </p> <p>Now I’ve always known that many of the Arabian Nights voyages were to Southeast Asian waters, but little did I know how close to home this legend was to bring me.  When doing my research for Syrene I came to the conclusion that the Magnetic Mountain story was a fantastic justification for Indo-Arabian ship construction vs. Western and Chinese, the former having hulls ‘sewn’ together with rope while the latter used iron nails.  Ships of this ‘sewn’ construction were apparently better at surviving going aground or colliding with submerged reefs, always a danger in the shallow tropical seas where the Arab mariners traded. The flexible sewn timbers would bend and spring back, while rigidly nailed timbers would shatter. </p> <p>This was the conclusion of <a href="http://www.al-bab.com/bys/articles/taylor03.htm">James Taylor in his article for the British Yemeni Society</a>: </p> <blockquote> <p>According to al-Jahiz, in the last decade of the 7th century CE, al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf ath-Thaqafi, the iron handed Marwanid viceroy of Iraq, tried to introduce flat-bottomed, nailed ships like those of the Mediterranean to the waters of the Arabian Gulf. The experiment failed because experience had taught Arab seamen that the ships they were used to, in which the planks were fastened together with coir ropes and daubed with grease, were better equipped to withstand the frequent groundings and collisions with the sandbanks and submerged reefs that abound in the inshore waters of the Red Sea and the Gulf.</p> </blockquote> <p>But what of the specific landmark, and the action of shooting at something to dispel the evil?  I found this <a href="http://sambali.blogspot.com/2007/07/dragons-triangle-and-magnetic-mountain.html">blog post</a> only yesterday, and it was an eye-opener.  Apparently there were indeed  seamounts in the Philippine archipelago where magnetic anomalies caused compasses to go wild, and rough water nearby spelled fatal danger for any ship that made a navigational error here.  As Spanish historian <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Chirino">Pedro Chirino</a> relates: </p> <blockquote> <p>In the island of Mindanao between La Canela and the river, a great promontory projects from a rugged and steep coast; always at these points there is a heavy sea, making it both difficult and dangerous to double them. When passing by this headland, the natives, as it was so steep, offered their arrows, discharging them with such force that they penetrated the rock itself. This they did as a sacrifice, that a safe passage might be accorded them</p> </blockquote> <p>Compare this to the Arabian Nights version: </p> <blockquote> <p>On hearing this the pilot grew white, and, beating his breast, he cried, "Oh, sir, we are lost, lost!" till the ship's crew trembled at they knew not what. When he had recovered himself a little, and was able to explain the cause of his terror, he replied, in answer to my question, that we had drifted far out of our course, and that the following day about noon we should come near that mass of darkness, which, said he, is nothing but the famous Black Mountain. This mountain is composed of adamant, which attracts to itself all the iron and nails in your ship; and as we are helplessly drawn nearer, the force of attraction will become so great that the iron and nails will fall out of the ships and cling to the mountain, and the ships will sink to the bottom with all that are in them. This it is that causes the side of the mountain towards the sea to appear of such a dense blackness (Lang 1898, 102-3).</p> </blockquote> <p>The prince then dreams that he must dig up a brass bow and arrows, and shoot down a brass horseman that is on top of the mountain.  If you account for the story becoming distorted in the telling, with the act of shooting at the mountain becoming an attack on its guardian instead of a propitiatory offering, this jives perfectly with Chirino’s account.  </p> <p>A legend more than a thousand years old, that first came to me through the Arabian Nights, now revealed to come from practically just outside my door.  How’s that for inspiring a sense of wonder! </p> <p>Note: the <a href="http://sambali.blogspot.com/">blog of Paul Manansala</a>, a Filipino researcher, has many interesting articles on the ancient Philippines and its maritime links with the rest of Asia.  Very interesting reading!</p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-45560320820620954062009-06-16T10:13:00.000-07:002009-09-12T10:14:24.937-07:00Celebrate the Sea 2009<p align="justify">The long weekend of June 12-14 was a blast (save for Saturday, which I spent sick dangit), as Cat and I got to attend Celebrate the Sea 2009 and meet one of my personal heroes in photography and exploration.  I’m talking about David Doubilet, whose photos in National Geo have been inspiring me since I was in high school.  </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SjhavgxYBGI/AAAAAAAAAUU/YhNX0wzzHW0/s1600-h/DSC_4266bw%5B2%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="Ocean Geo managing editor Joe Moreira and Usec Cynthia Carrion" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="268" alt="Ocean Geo managing editor Joe Moreira and Usec Cynthia Carrion" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SjhawjhjSDI/AAAAAAAAAUY/ciiR92aGmt4/DSC_4266bw_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SjhaxLGrSbI/AAAAAAAAAUc/J1dOw3lsPwk/s1600-h/DSC_4281%5B2%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="Joe Moreira opens the forum on Changing the Face of Terror" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="268" alt="Joe Moreira opens the forum on Changing the Face of Terror" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/Sjhax0_XPcI/AAAAAAAAAUg/LPUrkS4y4Vo/DSC_4281_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SjhaypcsBhI/AAAAAAAAAUk/lifhq6pRLDU/s1600-h/DSC_4290%5B2%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="Cinematographer Peter Scoones speaks his mind" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="268" alt="Cinematographer Peter Scoones speaks his mind" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SjhazcwHa-I/AAAAAAAAAUo/XPa05CMmebI/DSC_4290_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/Sjha0HKVqSI/AAAAAAAAAUs/-38EidWvdbQ/s1600-h/DSC_4292%5B2%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="Cinematographer Leandro Blanco speaks; beside him are Joe Moreira and Jennifer Hayes" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="268" alt="Cinematographer Leandro Blanco speaks; beside him are Joe Moreira and Jennifer Hayes" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/Sjha0vpGnhI/AAAAAAAAAUw/u3JorprK0IY/DSC_4292_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/Sjha1bsYNEI/AAAAAAAAAU0/fOKNHgWB7bA/s1600-h/DSC_4295%5B2%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="What better place for a forum on sharks than a room with a view ... of sharks" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="268" alt="What better place for a forum on sharks than a room with a view ... of sharks" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/Sjha2AwnWdI/AAAAAAAAAU4/55LjwY5jDgk/DSC_4295_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/Sjha3BEEH_I/AAAAAAAAAU8/iX0Lt_xOXZ0/s1600-h/DSC_4319%5B2%5D.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="Cat with Lynn Funkhouser, David Doubilet, Mathieu Meur, our new friend Leah, Michael AW, Joe Moreira, Isabel Ender and I'm missing the name of the last person " style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="268" alt="Cat with Lynn Funkhouser, David Doubilet, Mathieu Meur, our new friend Leah, Michael AW, Joe Moreira, Isabel Ender and I'm missing the name of the last person " src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/Sjha3q8W0YI/AAAAAAAAAVA/RXVs-cwyKIk/DSC_4319_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" border="0" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">I’ve also gained some new inspirations: Michael AW, another celebrated underwater photographer and author of Heart of the Ocean, a book photographed entirely in Philippine waters; Peter Scoones, cinematographer of the ground-breaking Blue Planet BBC series; Lynn Funkhouser, whose beautiful shots reassured me Puerto Galera where I spent so many great summers is still as beautiful underwater as I remember it; Joe Moreira, the uber-cool managing editor of Ocean Geographic; and our own Undersecretary Cynthia Carrion, who’s very active in environmental preservation.</p> <p align="justify">Cat and I got to view some really awesome films and presentations, and sit in on some thought-provoking forums on current environmental problems.  I missed one forum on Saturday, though, that I had really wanted to attend – a debate on whether oceanariums are beneficial for the environment or not.  Cat and I got to sit in though on a forum on ‘changing the face of terror,’ Michael AW’s advocacy to reform the image of the shark, which interestingly morphed into a discussion of the dynamics between environmentalism and deeply entrenched Asian cultures (specifically, the Chinese appetite for sharks’ fin soup).  </p> <p align="justify">The presentation I enjoyed the most was Doubilet’s talk on his evolution as a National Geographic underwater photographer, where he kinda let us into his head and showed how he learned to see as an underwater image-maker.  Very fittingly, Doubilet noted that light is still the first and most important ingredient to his vision, and talked about how he learned to shoot underwater using available light and monochrome film.  Now B/W and underwater don’t often get associated together, because most underwater shots nowadays are all about the psychedelic colors of reef life; but Doubilet’s shots really illustrated how you can get stunning visuals from shafts of light and the way water refracts and diffuses light.  (I think I’m gonna end up grabbing that second hand Nikonos I saw downtown next payday …)</p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-32092299876510195162009-05-30T11:09:00.000-07:002009-09-13T06:35:19.255-07:00Why a Bearcat?<p>Well, why not? The idea for this blog came into being while I was editing my shots from my Davao trip.  As I picked shots that would go into my existing blog, <a href="http://madmanscave.blogspot.com" target="_blank">The Madman’s Cave</a>, I realized that blog was out of focus: too many disparate topics mashed together. </p> <p>So I made up my mind to start a new blog. Where does the bearcat come in?  Simple – out of the pics I got in Davao, this portrait of a sleepy <em>binturong</em> was one of my favorites.  And I’m very much into the sea – I’m addicted to snorkeling, and I’m starting to learn scuba diving.  So <em><strong>oceanbearcat</strong></em> seemed both appropriate and an odd enough juxtaposition to be memorable.</p> <p></p> <p>From now on, this blog will receive my thoughts and comments on travel, photography, cooking, and dining out, which are at least pretty much related to each other.  Yeah, even the photography, because I’m mostly doing food photography these days. </p> <p></p> My gaming and writing will be continued in <a href="http://madmanscave.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Madman’s Cave</a>. oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-84465333615154651422009-05-30T10:17:00.000-07:002009-09-27T08:06:55.910-07:00From Batangas to Davao and Back<p>This May has been one of the most hectic, fun, and adventure-packed months I’ve ever had.  I can hardly believe it – in the span of a mere thirty days Cat and I have gone to some great places in Davao, then to Iba, Zambales, and ended the month with a bang, or should I say a splash, in Anilao, Batangas.  Whee!  </p> <p>We started the month with an overnight trip to Batangas city to give a workshop for the Batangas City Camera Club, which they sponsored to recruit new members.  Cat and I had great fun with that group, and just a few days ago I received a YM from their president Bhoyet that all the participants from the workshop ended up joining the club.  </p> <p>Even better, one of my students from the club told me she got my lecture, and found it better than the class offered by another photography center here.  That was really heart-warming for me, as it validated the course Cat and I designed and my decision to switch the normal sequence of teaching photography.  Most photo instructors teach the camera first, but I decided I’d give my students a ‘softer’ entry by teaching light and composition first, then teach them how to use their cameras only after they had an idea what they were trying to achieve. </p> <p>Mere days later, we were flying off to visit Cat’s parents in Davao, a visit made even more fun by the presence of Cat’s sisters, Jerrie with her family and Arlene, with her boyfriend, Leo.  Cat’s mom really rolled out the red carpet for us, or should I say, the red tablecloth – there seems to be no word for ‘meal’ in Davao, as every time we sat at her table there was a feast!  </p> <p>We missed the durian harvest from the family farm (darn!), and it seems global warming has altered the weather in Davao from the usual sunny mornings and rainy afternoons to all-day rain for days at a time, but we still got to check out some good places.  Cat and I did a ‘bridal shoot’ with a white peacock in Eden Park; I got to shoot an injured but very dignified looking Brahmin Kite at the Philippine Eagle Sanctuary; and the day after we did the 380 meter long zipline at Camp Sabros.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2i8fG0JI/AAAAAAAAAPA/r0zegpfIST0/s1600-h/DSC_3399%5B2%5D.jpg"><img height="268" alt="Peacock sunrise, Eden Nature Park" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2j_LCv0I/AAAAAAAAAPE/6xDeOqa0yD0/DSC_3399_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a></p> <dl><dt><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2lFKuRfI/AAAAAAAAAPI/-dmiQbUn8cw/s1600-h/DSC_3414%5B2%5D.jpg"><img height="268" alt="White peacock, Eden Nature Park" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2mLRTD_I/AAAAAAAAAPM/_f2dpoWIeYo/DSC_3414_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2nNcAObI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/kmvxOp_JZIM/s1600-h/DSC_3469%5B3%5D.jpg"><img height="461" alt="Brahmin Kite, Phil. Eagle Sanctuary" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2oAa-A4I/AAAAAAAAAPU/WDB2lByQhGc/DSC_3469_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="313" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> </dt><dt><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2pHkRnmI/AAAAAAAAAPY/BVSR0rtStWQ/s1600-h/DSC_3453%5B2%5D.jpg"><img height="268" alt="Rainwater on Lilies, Phil Eagle Sanctuary" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2qHTfg6I/AAAAAAAAAPc/6iUkSVnzEgE/DSC_3453_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> </dt><dt><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2rFRsC-I/AAAAAAAAAPg/Qo6cufNunVs/s1600-h/DSC_3446%5B2%5D.jpg"><img height="268" alt=""Mickey Mouse fruit," Eden Nature Park" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2sGWMUmI/AAAAAAAAAPk/eRWjfUzdhho/DSC_3446_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> </dt><dt>The night after doing the zipline we had a great lechon dinner with Cat’s cousin, Nena, and the Palma Gils – a very large clan indeed! – but had to eat and run so we could interview Rhonson Ng for a DPP article.  Rhon gave us compli tickets to a concert by The Dawn at Matina Town Square, but as the night was running late and the opening acts were not quite to our taste (Viva Hot Babes singing – not hot, and no good singing either) we wandered off and found this nice reggae band doing their thing in another part of the mall.  I really liked the expressions of their lead singer, and he didn’t have a bad voice either.  ISO 3200 on my Nikon, and damn the noise we’re going monochrome! </dt><dt><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2vTXX-nI/AAAAAAAAAPw/Z3bELCGAaf0/s1600-h/DSC_3793%5B3%5D.jpg"><img height="468" alt="DSC_3793" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2wRmxNMI/AAAAAAAAAP0/9RwyFiMBcl0/DSC_3793_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="318" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2xcXy9KI/AAAAAAAAAP4/r0uJnR9RQEE/s1600-h/DSC_3763%5B3%5D.jpg"><img height="460" alt="DSC_3763" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2yj2eyhI/AAAAAAAAAQA/C-23dr3mAPk/DSC_3763_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="312" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2zj8GOzI/AAAAAAAAAQE/_SA6py9h4bQ/s1600-h/DSC_3784%5B3%5D.jpg"><img height="451" alt="DSC_3784" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH20ocLEuI/AAAAAAAAAQI/Lq-6PIviKlg/DSC_3784_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="306" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> </dt></dl> <p>There was a fortunate break in the weather when we visited Chema’s resort on Samal Island, where Cat’s cousin-in-law, Quincho, treated us to his Kapampangan cuisine and a virtual river of beer.  The weather was less kind when we visited Samal Island again a few days later to shoot Hagimit Falls and the Monfort Bat Caves, with intermittent cloudbursts throughout the day – but I’m now convinced the gods like photographers, for every time we took out our cameras the rain would stop!  </p> <dl><dt><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH21j56vBI/AAAAAAAAAQM/hxtH8uMwot4/s1600-h/DSC_3627%5B2%5D.jpg"><img height="268" alt="Chema's" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH22vTaVFI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/BOjHeurWM7k/DSC_3627_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH23gY1ajI/AAAAAAAAAQU/jIDZDzjvSoI/s1600-h/DSC_3518%5B2%5D.jpg"><img height="268" alt="Chema's" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH24os-xiI/AAAAAAAAAQY/dYjEkjqEb2g/DSC_3518_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> </dt></dl> <p>We were joined on our Samal odyssey by Cat’s adventurer cousin, Raymond, his sister Josie who was our guide around the island, and very very luckily by another cousin, Chubby, who manages the Sonriza resort.  Had Chubby not volunteered to drive us to the falls and caves in his van, we’d never have gotten there – Cat’s old Mazda would not have been up to the steep dirt roads to the falls.  We ended the day with a feast of grilled fish at Sonriza – nice, simple, Filipino fare, eaten with a tasty dip of soy sauce, native lemon and chilies.  (I say ‘native’ lemon to differentiate it from the yellow American lemon, but what we had was more like the Indonesian jeruk nipis than the dayap.) </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH25jX3AaI/AAAAAAAAAQc/K9wIfYwsPjw/s1600-h/Copy%20of%20DSC_3863%5B5%5D.jpg"><img height="268" alt="Bathers at Hagimit Falls, Samal Island" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH26tuw2hI/AAAAAAAAAQg/5osUzIYpcrU/Copy%20of%20DSC_3863_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH27lO6_PI/AAAAAAAAAQk/g44IppFGPmA/s1600-h/DSC_3868%5B3%5D.jpg"><img height="493" alt="Upper Hagimit Falls, Samal Island" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH28_tjHZI/AAAAAAAAAQo/Z2oxWUV6Ezg/DSC_3868_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="334" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2950AcSI/AAAAAAAAAQs/HQkApAttAaM/s1600-h/DSC_3875%5B4%5D.jpg"><img height="486" alt="Flying Foxes, Monfort Bat Caves, Samal Island" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2-4Zl-2I/AAAAAAAAAQw/Hnxfef843l4/DSC_3875_thumb%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="330" align="bottom" border="0" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH2_45a8AI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/OtR6WXHm9E0/s1600-h/DSC_3921%5B3%5D.jpg"><img height="490" alt="Flying Foxes, Monfort Bat Caves, Samal Island" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3AyQiZcI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/aSCmtC2BlCk/DSC_3921_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="332" align="bottom" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3CGF1pSI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/4FP1PrCaDpA/s1600-h/DSC_3899%5B2%5D.jpg"><img height="268" alt="Raymond at the Bat Caves" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3DPJbyUI/AAAAAAAAARA/2gy5-p5EVko/DSC_3899_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a></p> <p>We capped our stay in Davao with a visit to the Crocodile Farm, where again Cat and I shot some wildlife – I got a nice one of a sleepy binturong, a very Jurassic Park-ish portrait of a Philippine Sailfin Lizard, and two crocs having a territorial tussle.  My only quibble with the croc experience was the failure of the damn things to jump when baited – seems it was mating season, and they had their minds on other things.  I also had a huge surprise when I ran into Ron Rocero, who I shot about to do something unspeakable to a poor innocent yellow python.  I also got a shot of Cat holding a Burmese Python some four Cathys long and almost one Cathy wide.  We capped our visit to the farm with a lunch of spicy Crocodile Sisig.  Yep, croc sisig! Crunchy, spicy, sizzling hot – and yes, it kinda tastes like chicken.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3EC4eniI/AAAAAAAAARE/9HcE206LBGM/s1600-h/DSC_4132%5B2%5D.jpg"><img height="268" alt="Binturong, Crocodile Farm, Davao" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3FKA7nXI/AAAAAAAAARI/lB6WGEdYaL8/DSC_4132_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3GRG-xAI/AAAAAAAAARM/GTozW7rmbtY/s1600-h/DSC_4139%5B2%5D.jpg"><img height="268" alt="Sailfin Lizard, Crocodile Farm" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3HkT6fyI/AAAAAAAAARQ/ouJmeZeTW4Y/DSC_4139_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3Is7C6FI/AAAAAAAAARU/pRpUHNeB1D0/s1600-h/DSC_3965%5B2%5D.jpg"><img height="268" alt="Young Osprey, Crocodile Farm" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3JrQPOSI/AAAAAAAAARY/jpOeUsqV0rA/DSC_3965_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3K4nvc5I/AAAAAAAAARc/rTykbUHB9AU/s1600-h/DSC_4100%5B2%5D.jpg"><img height="268" alt="Battling Crocodiles, Crocodile Farm" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3L2O6o7I/AAAAAAAAARg/EZba7J6xFHo/DSC_4100_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3M4VdMAI/AAAAAAAAARk/KJqmgaNCiEQ/s1600-h/DSC_4136%5B2%5D.jpg"><img height="268" alt="The most dangerous wildlife in the Crocodile Farm ..." src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3NxC1xyI/AAAAAAAAARo/ik0uvCwrZTk/DSC_4136_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3PIE49uI/AAAAAAAAARs/AfP2OgvSh74/s1600-h/DSC_4115%5B2%5D.jpg"><img height="268" alt="Spicy Sizzling Crocodile Sisig!" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3QOWu_BI/AAAAAAAAARw/ytm2VwxxzVY/DSC_4115_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a></p> <p>I was actually reluctant to return from Davao, but Cat had already committed to go with her choirmates to Zambales, and there was work to be done for the magazine (DPP).  So back to Manila, two days’ rest, and then we’re off to Iba, Zambales via the new SCTEX highway.   Cut through the hills of Zambales only last year, the highway goes through some very scenic country – Cat and I are now planning to go there again by ourselves, stopping to shoot landscapes wherever we find a good spot.  The place we stayed at in Iba, Tammy’s, was a letdown however – the resort’s owners were not taking care of their beach at all, and the shore was littered with plastic debris – a lot of it from careless guests.  I’ll not record my rant here about the <em>masa </em>losing their rights to the sea in my eyes, but suffice to say I was mad.  Would we take better care of our environment had we remained animist instead of converting to Christianity? I wonder.  </p> <p>The morning after we arrived in Iba, however, we hired a boat to take us to a snorkeling spot farther south, and here at least I got to see some living things (there were none by the shore of Tammy’s).  In fact, we got to see a beautiful reef in very shallow water, but I also saw a sight that filled me with foreboding: there were hordes of crown of thorns starfish crawling over the corals.  We also noted that the reef contained no large fish – in fact I saw nothing more than a foot long.  All the fish seemed to be juveniles, even those of species I could identify being smaller than what I usually see in Batangas.  Is there a correlation between the scarcity of mature fish and the proliferation of the crown of thorns starfish? Again, I wonder.  </p> <p>On the road to Iba, I found that Cat’s choirmates John and Jong were about to complete their scuba course (I think I got Jong hooked on the sea after introducing him to snorkeling last year), and they invited us to go with them to the Outrigger resort in Anilao for their checkout dive.  Could I refuse?  Turns out I could, but not Cat.  Before I knew it Cat was tempting Arlene with the prospect of a dive, and the lure of the sea being what it is, Saturday morning found us all driving down the Star tollway again, this time to Anilao.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3RCueVwI/AAAAAAAAAR0/Bziv5uxD61s/s1600-h/_MG_1531%5B5%5D.jpg"><img height="269" alt="Jong checks his gear!" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3SC98BnI/AAAAAAAAAR4/L_rt-_qgOCE/_MG_1531_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3Sz5kTII/AAAAAAAAAR8/H0UkO32DIiE/s1600-h/_MG_1544%5B7%5D.jpg"><img height="432" alt="Jong and John suited up and ready to dive!" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3UIAUstI/AAAAAAAAASA/DMJWuH74bHQ/_MG_1544_thumb%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="295" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3VEnCklI/AAAAAAAAASE/_lDeGhZgwq4/s1600-h/_MG_1547%5B5%5D.jpg"><img height="269" alt="Divemaster Roger with the Drunken Dugong" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3WP0au_I/AAAAAAAAASI/XXUhSetmb9g/_MG_1547_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a></p> <p>It had rained dire wolves and sabertooth kittycats Friday night, but breaks in the clouds had led us to hope the skies would clear in time for our dip.  No such luck!  A squall caught us just as our boat was approaching the designated dive site. I was soaked before I’d even seen a single fish!  The only remedy to the situation, of course, was to jump overboard.  Oh glory!  There beneath the rain-stippled water was a paradise of soft and hard corals and hordes of varicolored fish.  Schools of sergeant-majors, apparently used to being fed by divers, rose to greet us, and all around grazing on the corals were several kinds of parrotfish, triggerfish, Moorish idols, and  surgeonfish.  I also spotted some javelin-slim cornetfish, several cleaning stations with their cunning wrasse attendants, and some electric blue bird wrasses.  </p> <p>(Photos of fish below not mine – follow the links to the source sites; species shown also not necessarily the same as what you find in Anilao)</p> <p><a href="http://seafishes.wordpress.com/2008/05/02/sergeant-major-abudefduf-saxatilis/%20-"><img height="258" alt="Sergeant-Majors" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3W8MeyJI/AAAAAAAAASM/RoHB5141erc/egypt-sergeant-major%5B4%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.seaphotos.com/cgi-bin/show_image.pl?img=rusty_parrotfish_93a.jpg&caption=Rusty+Parrotfish+(male)%2C+%3Ci%3EScarus+ferrugineus%3C%2Fi%3E.+Egypt%2C+Red+Sea"><img height="277" alt="Parrotfish" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3X3cMKsI/AAAAAAAAASQ/FOZR_00K_hk/rusty_parrotfish_93a%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/wallpaper/clown-triggerfish-indonesia_pod_image.html"><img height="300" alt="Triggerfish" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3YkCvsQI/AAAAAAAAASU/87Q4xofaOpY/clown-triggerfish-indonesia-977806-lw%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.diver.net/bbs/posts002/67304.shtml"><img height="300" alt="Cornetfish " src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3Zq371KI/AAAAAAAAASY/6yG7p0jXEQo/cornet%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/tangs/desjardin.php"><img height="289" alt="Sailfin Tang" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3aXohMnI/AAAAAAAAASc/aMholNwz58E/DesjardinsSailfinTangWMTa_Ap8ST%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://www.reefseekers.com/PIXPAGES/Kona_2003.htm"><img height="269" alt="Moorish Idol" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3bU34E5I/AAAAAAAAASg/ru5S8zIZA0U/Moorish_idol%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a></p> <p>The sight just brought me back to my childhood days learning to snorkel in the rich waters off Puerto Galera, and I was in bliss.  I was actually following John, Jong and Arlene as they descended, and if it would’ve been all right to bum some air off them I think I would’ve followed them down all the way to the deepest spot they reached, some 40 or so feet down.  Hi there! See the friendly drunken dugong?  Or is it the Philippine Giant Albino Puffer?  Alas, though, I had to stay near the surface with my snorkel. Now I’m really determined to get certified as a diver! </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3cZA3xcI/AAAAAAAAASk/UsDv4DIM1Rw/s1600-h/_MG_1565%5B2%5D.jpg"><img height="269" alt="Pounding surf at the Outrigger wharf" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SiH3dh8ZeKI/AAAAAAAAASo/zaeyrzBbNCs/_MG_1565_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" align="bottom" border="0" /></a></p> <p>Our snorkeling however was cut short as the waves began to pick up, and we were called back to the boat before conditions got even worse.  We were riding a substantial chop on our way back to Outrigger, and I just had to ask Cat how many Hail Marys the water would rate from her mom (she’s been known to take to her rosary when the water gets a little rough).  Getting off the boat however was an ordeal, as the rising surf made the light craft bob and weave like a Pacquiao.  I eventually opted to jump into the water than chance the wildly weaving ladder, but badly miscalculated my ascent to shore.  A wave took me by surprise and my knee slammed into a rock with force enough to break the skin – but fortunately, not the bone.  So there I was with my knee running with blood, stinging with the seawater wash I’d given it and ringing like a gong, but … I wasn’t even cussing as I normally would.  That’s how happy I was.  Damn, I love the sea. </p> <p>And that is how I’m ending the month of May.  Not bad, eh?</p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-2459290927887794872009-02-16T06:22:00.000-08:002009-09-13T07:25:02.637-07:0014th Hot Air Balloon Festival<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmkuS18ZHI/AAAAAAAAAJk/p5U1UOsK5y0/s1600-h/DSC_19893.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="562" alt="" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmkv7Mhd9I/AAAAAAAAAJo/egcLafpbT7Q/DSC_1989_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="380" border="0" /></a></p> <p align="justify">Spent a great couple of days in Clark Airfield, Pampanga, watching the 14th Hot Air Balloon Festival and airshow – and having a third honeymoon on the side.  As seems usual with our travels, Cat and I don’t have a single picture together.  Again.  But we did get great weather and some very nice and colorful subjects, thanks to DPP and Caltex.  (And thanks to TechTrends for my new memory cards).</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmkw_vrdKI/AAAAAAAAAJs/7PNhragfhh0/s1600-h/cathedraloffire4.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="578" alt="" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmkx2avjdI/AAAAAAAAAJw/51A0O1VH7EU/cathedraloffire_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="390" border="0" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmky7J7MaI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/g-3ELqaGqHE/s1600-h/DSC_198322.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="!DSC_1983 (2)" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="268" alt="!DSC_1983 (2)" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmkzxx21NI/AAAAAAAAAJ4/uzuNQAO_0OM/DSC_19832_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" border="0" /></a>  <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmk1GNjrWI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/zSdryRFRibw/s1600-h/DSC_201822.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="!DSC_2018 (2)" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="268" alt="!DSC_2018 (2)" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmk2ODAqoI/AAAAAAAAAKA/3G6NHwW5XyU/DSC_20182_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmk3GWxELI/AAAAAAAAAKE/8F0rUiZIlrU/s1600-h/DSC_20373.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="!DSC_2037" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="577" alt="!DSC_2037" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmk4XYFXAI/AAAAAAAAAKI/WNkppTPTk7s/DSC_2037_thumb1.jpg?imgmax=800" width="390" border="0" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">Getting passes for Feb 12, the first day of the festival, proved to be a mixed blessing – though in hindsight, much more on the positive than otherwise.  On the downside, glitches led to the delay of the morning inflation and liftoff of the balloons, so I wasn’t able to get a lot of the dramatic fire shots I wanted.  On the upside, it seems we got the best weather of the four days of the festival.  Bright and clear – and hot! If it weren’t for my lactose intolerance I’m sure I could’ve eaten my way through half a gallon of ice cream by myself.  From shots posted by later photogs, the weekends looked badly overcast.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmk5W3wVMI/AAAAAAAAAKM/_vMrXNA0cLY/s1600-h/DSC_213622.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="!DSC_2136 (2)" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="268" alt="!DSC_2136 (2)" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmk6UICy1I/AAAAAAAAAKQ/ZWE7M5omC-0/DSC_21362_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmk7KBcurI/AAAAAAAAAKU/1Nt-hGfqSVA/s1600-h/DSC_214922.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="!DSC_2149 (2)" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="268" alt="!DSC_2149 (2)" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmlEqAlZRI/AAAAAAAAAKY/YV_peMjqUIg/DSC_21492_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" border="0" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">This was my first time to see hot air balloons firsthand, and they were impressive.  You don’t realize how big they are until you get close to one. And they look so serene lifting off, reminding me of luminous deep sea jellyfish – but in the sky.  Also reminiscent of sea life were the many advanced kites dancing above the field the whole day, their bright colors against the blue making them like reef fish in the sea.  The commonest design also made me think of a stingray that got too friendly with an angelfish, and the consequences thereof:</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmlFzNOsGI/AAAAAAAAAKc/vZ0efJXm3iU/s1600-h/DSC_27252.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="!DSC_2725" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="268" alt="!DSC_2725" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmlG1WROxI/AAAAAAAAAKg/XNpi-YRN9jA/DSC_2725_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" border="0" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmlIOl7S6I/AAAAAAAAAKk/_knr9KHgoPU/s1600-h/DSC_27862.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="!DSC_2786" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="268" alt="!DSC_2786" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmlJHGaSMI/AAAAAAAAAKo/FoKf4Kcl9_k/DSC_2786_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" border="0" /></a> </p> <p>The almost uniform blue of the sky also revealed something irritating: I have dust on my sensor.  Grm! </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmlKKpf0xI/AAAAAAAAAKs/si9mvT31mDM/s1600-h/DSC_243022.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="!DSC_2430 (2)" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="268" alt="!DSC_2430 (2)" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmlLCLODVI/AAAAAAAAAKw/qY0ZxH_5iaI/DSC_24302_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" border="0" /></a>  </p> <p>There were also skydiving exhibitions at intervals throughout the day, and in the late afternoon the powergliders went up for a jaunt.  The `chutes look great when backlighted, so it was a matter of chasing around the field to get a good angle with the sun shining through the fabric.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmlLz-bLRI/AAAAAAAAAK0/TDUZCrnis4M/s1600-h/_MG_81536.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="_MG_8153" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="585" alt="_MG_8153" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmlM_ExLKI/AAAAAAAAAK4/AidDDB65pdM/_MG_8153_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" width="397" border="0" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">With our passes for Thursday morning, and knowing we had to be at the site by 4am, Cat and I opted to leave Manila Wednesday morning and spend the afternoon and evening lazing around, rather than do an evening trip and arrive exhausted.  As it turned out, this was exactly the right thing to do as we shot the whole day. </p> <p align="justify">We stayed at the Holiday Inn, inside the Mimosa Country Club.  The room was nice and comfy, and the food at the Mequeni Restaurant was really good – specially after a session of ping pong and swimming.  I of course had to order Sisig, just to taste it the way it was cooked in its home province, while Cat went for a Seafood Risotto that turned out just right.  My only beef with the hotel: apparently they’d just installed new carpeting, and for some strange reason the drying glue had the smell of old socks.  Or as Cat says, <em>kachichas!</em>  (New word for me!)</p> <p align="justify">Also intriguing, though we didn’t get to try it, was the new SCTEX highway and its quick access to Subic.  Specially after all those kites made me think of reef fish and diving.  Wish we’d had the time do do a Subic side trip for another day or two.  And for a visit to Aling Lucing’s for her legendary sisig … </p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-4446822096741728952009-02-15T09:11:00.000-08:002009-09-12T10:12:55.924-07:00New Bombay Restaurant, Again<p>To paraphrase the Broadway title, A funny thing happened on the way to Nirvana … </p> <p align="justify">And next time I get an Indian food craving, I’ll make sure I have cash.  It was the last day of Photoworld 2009, and after a day shooting at Casa Manila with a huge pack of fellow camera buffs (thanks Lito and Mrs Huang!) Cat and I arrived in Makati hungry.  After taking a few last shots at the Canon booth and saying hi to the Kodak people, I told Cat I needed food.  And I was craving Indian.  </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmkYtiC6uI/AAAAAAAAAJc/pVVlCJuMW_Q/s1600-h/DSC_193524.jpg" target="_blank"><img title="DSC_1935 (2)" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="591" alt="DSC_1935 (2)" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_p3LJO3qMcI0/SZmkZyyshMI/AAAAAAAAAJg/24h_UXuoQrM/DSC_19352_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="399" border="0" /></a> </p> <p align="justify">Now there’s a back story to this – and it ties with the Balloon Festival and my apparently acidic butt.  For the past few months I’d been intending to have my credit and ATM cards replaced, as both had acquired cracks and nicks in their magnetic strips over years of use (and being kept all day beside an acidic butt).  Anticipating much use of the credit card on our trip to Clark, I decided I had to go and get it done. So the day before this, I  visit my bank and request the replacements – conveniently forgetting that the existing cards are cancelled once the request is filed.  </p> <p align="justify">So here we are in the New Bombay, and to my great delight the food is exactly the same great quality as before.  We ordered the buttery Vegetable Korma again, plus a plate of Samosas and the Murgh Tikka Resmi.  The samosas were crisp and very flavorful, and to my surprise contained some whole peanuts which added a very satisfying crunch that contrasted with the mashed vegetable filling.  It was the first time I tasted samosas with peanuts.</p> <p align="justify">The Murgh Tikka Resmi was also fantastic, chunks of chicken marinated in yogurt, spices, and cashew nut paste then cooked in a tandoor.  I could’ve finished two or three orders on my own, it was that good (mind you, New Bombay’s servings are on the generous side).  Cat was at first reluctant to order it because it was described as chicken breast, a cut that all too often gets served dry and tough, but the yogurt marinade made the tikka really tender.</p> <p align="justify">Now comes the funny part.  Remember, I’ve neither a working ATM nor credit card.  And the other card I have is one that has frustratingly low acceptance.  Big embarrassment when I call for the check.  So Cat and I wait for the manager, Mihir Khanchandani, and talk to him.  Again, he was very genial and understanding, and allowed us to pay the day after.  </p> <p align="justify">Wonder if he knew I liked the food so much I would’ve been glad to wash dishes for it?  Or do kitchen work.  Then again, I don’t think I can be trusted in an Indian restaurant’s kitchen … </p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-9276184594083459412009-01-01T06:26:00.000-08:002009-09-13T07:26:53.875-07:00Of Hamburgers and Hangouts<p align="justify">Blogging about Tarragon has made me nostalgic about the places we used to hang out and eat at within BF Homes.  Some of these favorites are gone, but at least some have survived and there are promising new restaurants springing up.  And there are also places that I wouldn’t really want to go back to.  So – since I can’t really take much food yet, I’ll <em>write</em> about food!  Here’s a list of favorites old and new, places I miss, and disappointments.</p> <h4>Favorites Old & New</h4> <p align="justify"><strong>Gourmet’s Palate <br /></strong>A chain of homey diners (all 3 branches are within or near BF) that feature a nice variety of burgers, sizzling plates, and shawarma.  The silvanas are also good. My usual orders here are the Blue Thunder burger, made with blue cheese dressing, the Samurai, made with wasabi mayo, Sisig, or the beef  shawarma.  In fact I tend to use their spicy shawarma sauce on everything.</p> <p align="justify"><strong>Hanakazu</strong> <br />A new-ish Japanese restaurant, only about 2 or 3 years old, but with really good sushi and ramen, among other things. We also like the fact that they have a tatami room and garden, and the Japanese owner himself mans the sushi bar.  A bit pricey, but one bite and you know the quality you’re paying for. This is where we go when we have money, and I always order the Ebi Ten Maki  :-)</p> <p align="justify"><strong>Java Man</strong> <br />Probably better known as the cafe residing within some of the larger PowerBooks branches, Java Man has nice coffees, pasta, and panini.  The pastry selection is a bit limited, but the almond sansrival is fantastic.  It’s a good place to relax, and far less crowded than Starbucks.</p> <p align="justify"><strong>Tarragon <br /></strong>Tarragon has a good selection of steaks, pasta, lamb dishes, and appetizers, and has a very comfortable, homey atmosphere. The new barkada hangout of choice, as we haven’t had one here in BF since the demise of Arcs’ big cafe and Shigatsu.</p> <p align="justify"><strong>Tropical Hut <br /></strong>Still offering some of the best burgers in town, IMHO, this venerable chain has been a fixture of my life since childhood. Their Classic is still the juiciest and tastiest burger I know.  The rest of their menu however is just so-so to me, and somehow they just haven’t made the leap to the high professional standards espoused by their rival chains.  Which is a shame, because their burgers are far better than McDonalds’ or Jollibee’s.</p> <h4></h4> <h4>The Vanished</h4> <p align="justify"><strong>Arcs’ Dates and Nuts</strong> <br />Technically, they’re not gone. Arcs’ Dates and Nuts still survives as a small cafe and pastry shop beside a music bar in the BF commercial area (Phase One), but it’s no longer conducive to dine there and they don’t keep much stock.  For many people, the Arcs’ legacy of good food now lives on through Conti’s, which was established by ex-partners of the original Arcs’.  I still miss their excellent, cut-it-with-a-fork lengua and their mango tarts …</p> <p align="justify"><strong>Ichitaro <br /></strong>Leigh and Josh introduced us to this nice little Japanese resto along President’s Ave, and it became a frequent late-lunch hideaway for me back when I was still working in the stock market.  Really good tempura, curry rice, sushi and sashimi – no surprise, as the Japanese proprietor made the latter two himself.</p> <p align="justify"><strong>Ribs and Chops</strong> <br />This rather short-lived establishment was like Smackeroo in QC, a place that specialized in grilled steaks and chops.  I only got to try the place twice with Augs, but their steaks were quite flavorful and surprisingly cheap.  Ribs and Chops first opened in the BF market area, then moved to what should’ve been a better location in the golden quadrangle near Starbucks; then they disappeared. Dang.</p> <p align="justify"><strong>Shigatsu <br /></strong>Owned by Josh’s uncle, this Japanese restaurant was one of the larger Japanese eateries in the area with its two floors.  It was long a barkada favorite because of its nice al fresco setup and relatively cheap but good food.   I have specially fond memories of the marlin, the beef teppanyaki and the squid teppanyaki. Alas, it went to seed in its latter days – the food quality went down, and the tables got taken over by chain-smoking, hard-drinking types.</p> <h4></h4> <h4>Disappointments</h4> <p align="justify"><strong>Chi’s</strong> <br />I liked the food at Chi’s.  In fact I recommend their food, specially their pizza.  Chi’s main feature is a big, wood-fired brick oven that gives a unique smokey flavor to all their signature dishes and makes their pizza crusts crunchy with tasty hard-toasted bits just like they make `em in Naples.  That brick oven is also Chi’s big problem; when it’s opened, as the chef has to do every few minutes when the restaurant gets busy, its heat blasts right into the dining area, totally overwhelming the air-conditioning and slow-cooking the diners.  I don’t think it’s a problem that can be fixed just by adjusting the aircon, or adding more; they should seal off the oven area from the dining area.  I hope they do, because I actually want to go there again – but I don’t want to get cooked.</p> <p align="justify"><strong>The New Toho</strong> <br />This was supposedly a branch of an old, old Chinese restaurant in Binondo that I used to go to while in college.  I was at first delighted when I saw them open here, but … there’s a warning tingle I get when I see a perennially empty restaurant.  That warning was borne out when our family stopped here for a bite.  The place was deserted save for a couple of slovenly waiters who reeked of cigarette smoke, the roasted ducks in the display case looked like wood from dehydration and age, and cockroaches were playing tag on the floor.  We left without ordering a thing.</p> <p align="justify"><strong>Perks Cafe</strong> <br />I wanted to like this new cafe.  Unlike many of the other cafes here in BF, Perks offers its own spacious parking lot, a very big plus in this crowded village (Asia’s biggest suburb), and the place itself is very inviting as it’s built in the form of a big glass-walled pergola. The coffee in fact was all right – but they fell totally flat with their food.  I went there with Cat’s choir mates, and all the pastries we ordered tasted old. That’s a pretty good disincentive to visiting Perks again … I hope their management does something about it. Specially since I think the place would make a good gaming venue.</p> oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8642071998735477156.post-5232754158874873152008-06-29T21:38:00.000-07:002009-09-13T21:39:01.326-07:00Big Durian DiaryIt wasn't until the rickety little boat got underway across the Ciliwung to Sunda Kelapa that I finally understood why Jakarta was called The Big Durian. The olfactory assault cannot be trivialized, but balanced against everything I enjoyed here it was no more than a temporary annoyance. But I'm getting ahead of myself. What was I doing in Jakarta? As with much of my current life, it's all Cathy's fault ... :-) <br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.darthventor07.multiply.com/image/3/photos/21/500x500/5/DSC_7175.jpg?et=yIdZNPjcy2voraupv3tZzw&nmid=100337526"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; text-align: center" alt="" src="http://images.darthventor07.multiply.com/image/3/photos/21/500x500/5/DSC_7175.jpg?et=yIdZNPjcy2voraupv3tZzw&nmid=100337526" border="0" /></a>Our story started six months ago, when Cat joined the photography workshop of Peter Bialobrzeski. Little did I expect that Cat would end up with her pics on exhibit at the Goethe Institut in Jakarta, nor that Goethe Institut would sponsor her there for the exhibit opening and a follow-up seminar with Peter. Of course when I found out, there was no way to stop me from going along! I had to pay for my own fare, of course, but with the hotel taken care of I was confident I could get around and feed in Jakarta on the cheap. Which was exactly what I did, with the indispensable help of two new friends, Aisyah and Francis. <br /> <br />While Cat went around with Peter and the other participating photographers, all shepherded by the very meticulous (and therefore quite sleepless) project coordinator Henri Ismail, I took my chance to do a photo hunt. Henri introduced me to Fransiskus Adi Pramono and Aisyah Andamari, two university students from Bandung he had tapped to help out in the Goethe project. The two of them helped me plan my city itinerary, walked everywhere with me despite the sultry heat of Jakarta, took me to some great places to eat, even risked their selves and cameras with me on a rather nervous crossing of the Ciliwung River to get to the old port area. (Thanks so much, you two - and when you get to Manila I'll have a big bucket of ice cream waiting for you.) Here's a rundown on what we did: <br /> <br /><span style="font-weight: bold">June 3: Arrival</span> <br />Arrived in Jakarta after a most uncomfortable flight. Something on the plane triggered a really bad allergic reaction in me, so my nose was running and I think I was even running a fever in the latter stages of the flight. Fortunately I got to the Cemara Hotel where Cat was booked without a hitch, and got a good night's sleep. First impressions of Jakarta: the city looks better developed and organized than Manila. <br /> <br /><span style="font-weight: bold">June 4: Satay? Charge!</span> <br />Despite my feeling ill on the flight, I woke up before Cathy - and I woke up feeling fine. Took a huge breakfast at the hotel's buffet, deliberately stuffing myself so I could go without lunch if need be. As I was unable to contact Francis earlier, I had planned to go see the city on my own or even go with Cat's group though the latter choice seemed to promise far less shooting opportunities. Then I was able to get through to Francis, so back to the original plan. <br /> <br />I met Francis and Aisyah at the hotel, but as they were not able to get away until late in the morning, we met at around 11:30. First thing, we planned what to do and where to go, organizing our itinerary by city district. You have to allow for traffic delays in Jakarta, so it's best to group your intended destinations by location - this temple and this port are in the city's north, this is in the south, this food place is in the center, etc etc. - and without a good map of Jakarta I really had to rely on my guides' knowledge of the city. We settled on going to the National Museum first, then from there to the National Monument and the nearby Istiqlal Mosque, and from there go to the temples in Glodok and hopefully be at the port area by sunset. <br /> <br />At least, that was the plan until we got to the museum. With its size and the sheer breadth of its exhibits, we stayed for an hour or two longer than I had expected. My only complaint: no aircon! And no lights! There were parts of the museum where the ventilation was nonexistent, and the richness of the exhibits was not done justice by the lack of lights. Indeed, some parts of the museum looked like we were the first visitors there in weeks, maybe even months. But the sight of all the artifacts really firmed up my determination to come here again, to shoot the temples of Bali, Borobodur and Prambanan. <br /> <br />We cut short our visit to the MONAS (Monumen Nasional) and dropped the Istiqlal in favor of heading for Glodok - Jakarta's Chinatown, where its Buddhist temples are. I got some good shots of the temples, including a series of Jakarta's Chinese at their devotions - and then I ran out of ammo. My battery was dead! That's the thing with my Nikon - you do a lot of low-light shots, the battery goes much quicker. As there was now no point in proceding to Sunda Kelapa harbor as originally planned, we hied back to the city center to eat. <br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.darthventor07.multiply.com/image/2/photos/22/500x500/5/DSC_7014.jpg?et=v2qCQuGQ8UMV1e6P9nDDLw&nmid=100339065"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; text-align: center" alt="" src="http://images.darthventor07.multiply.com/image/2/photos/22/500x500/5/DSC_7014.jpg?et=v2qCQuGQ8UMV1e6P9nDDLw&nmid=100339065" border="0" /></a>We reached the Sabang district, one of Jakarta's main street hawker centers, and I quickly got busy on the satay. My driving force: if you can't shoot it, eat it. I got satay ayam (chicken) and satay kambing (mutton). Fantastic! The mutton was chewy, but nowhere as tough as what Cat had gotten the previous evening. <br /> <br />As a pleasant - though initially scary - surprise, my satay kambing included several skewers of sheep liver. I say scary because I rarely eat organ meats outside, these being first to spoil. But they were good, and genuine Indonesian satay sauce is a real revelation - so fresh, so full of flavor. <br /> <br />This was supposed to have been dinner, as it was by then around 5pm, but on returning to the hotel Cat got me to tag along with the group for Peter's seminar - and to a pleasant surprise: there was dinner waiting for us at the Goethe. <br /> <br /><span style="font-weight: bold">June 5: Sea Legs? What Sea Legs?</span> <br />Day 2 again began with a big breakfast at the Cemara's cafe, where I began to OD seriously on sambal. I'd taken some already the day before with my satay, but this morning I really upped my intake as the hellishly hot stuff went so well with hash browns and sausages. Then off again with Francis and Aisyah at 10. Our first destination: back to Glodok's temples, this time with a fully charged battery. After shooting my fill at the temples, we walked back to the main road, stopping along the way at the Trio Minang restaurant for lunch. <br /> <br />The Trio Minang is a Padang food restaurant that's been around since 1978, and from the dense crowds within and at the takeout counter it's obvious they've been doing something right. So I sat down with my guides for a meal of beef rendang, goat curry, and a dish of fried dried beef topped with spicy curry sauce. Again, spice heaven. I could live on this stuff. Padang food, Francis tells me, is considered one of the hottest types of Indonesian food. Yes, I was definitely sweating, and there were some items that made my eyes water a bit. But hey, I'm kinky - that pain was absolutely *righteous*. <br /> <br />From Glodok, we hopped a bus to the Kota district - in colonial times, the waterfront heart of old Batavia. Gauging our time allotments by the sun's position, we whiled away the time before the onset of the golden afternoon light by touring the Museum Bahari (the nautical museum), where I also got to do some research on Southeast Asian maritime history for Syrene, and the Wayang Museum which has a huge collection of puppets from various cultures across Indonesia. Musing on the yawning gap between Indonesia's cultural heritage and that of the Philippines, I felt so bad about the Philippine colonial experience. Culture is definitely a living thing in Indonesia, and it's definitely Asian. The Philippines? Hah! A Latin American banana republic on the wrong side of the Pacific. <br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.darthventor07.multiply.com/image/4/photos/21/500x500/1/DSC_7156.jpg?et=3PxnEbZCFuOV%2CXsZdbxE9w&nmid=100337526"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; text-align: center" alt="" src="http://images.darthventor07.multiply.com/image/4/photos/21/500x500/1/DSC_7156.jpg?et=3PxnEbZCFuOV%2CXsZdbxE9w&nmid=100337526" border="0" /></a>We capped the afternoon with a boat ride across the Ciliwung estuary to Sunda Kelapa harbor. I'll never forget the experience - and yes, Francis, I was definitely quakey in the knees there. The only way to the harbor from the Pasar Ikan market is by boat, in this case a rather wobbly little canoe propelled by a single paddler. The boat had no outriggers, so it could very easily capsize were any of us to step wrong or even lean too far. Which was really amusing, because when you get three photographers on board a boat they all lean different ways and angles to get their shots! <br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.darthventor07.multiply.com/image/3/photos/21/500x500/4/DSC_7173.jpg?et=pj3GMKdTRK2Uh%2CMoFfnHrQ&nmid=100337526"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; text-align: center" alt="" src="http://images.darthventor07.multiply.com/image/3/photos/21/500x500/4/DSC_7173.jpg?et=pj3GMKdTRK2Uh%2CMoFfnHrQ&nmid=100337526" border="0" /></a>I was in absolute dread of losing my balance and dropping my camera into the totally opaque, filthy, reeking brown waters. At the same time, I was exuberant. This was the Jakarta for adventurers, not casual tourists! I got shots of the Bugis-designed perahu phinisi - wooden-hulled ships seemingly straight from the days of Sinbad, with their high sterns and pointed prows, and the rickety narrow gangplanks connecting them to the wharf. I had to marvel at the dockworkers, who could run up and down those narrow planks for endless loads of cement and other cargo destined for the farther islands. <br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.darthventor07.multiply.com/image/4/photos/21/500x500/12/DSC_7190.jpg?et=7k%2BzIfefxKaf59sfzQ3qvg&nmid=100337526"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; text-align: center" alt="" src="http://images.darthventor07.multiply.com/image/4/photos/21/500x500/12/DSC_7190.jpg?et=7k%2BzIfefxKaf59sfzQ3qvg&nmid=100337526" border="0" /></a>I asked Francis to have the boatman take us close in to the perahus, and got rather more than I bargained for - we went right between the sterns of two of them, so close I had to hunker down to keep from banging my head on the hull of one perahu. Getting off the boat was a whole adventure in itself, as we had to hop from boat to boat to get to the wharf. A most trying experience for one with a deficient sense of balance - and in hindsight, what fun! As I laughingly told my guides afterward, it's a disaster if something bad happens, otherwise it's an adventure. <br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.darthventor07.multiply.com/image/3/photos/21/500x500/13/DSC_7201.jpg?et=s%2BYNzTKogbC0T5Vgb4vNcA&nmid=100337526"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; text-align: center" alt="" src="http://images.darthventor07.multiply.com/image/3/photos/21/500x500/13/DSC_7201.jpg?et=s%2BYNzTKogbC0T5Vgb4vNcA&nmid=100337526" border="0" /></a>As I was too tired from walking all day to join Cat again at the Goethe House, I bought satay at Sabang to eat in our hotel room. I was also too tempted by the Cemara's cute little rooftop pool and the enticing view it gave of Jakarta's skyline. There was no better cure for heat exhaustion than a night dip, with the pool all to myself, followed by a session of shooting the urban skyline. I'm happy to say I'm still a dab hand at estimating exposure times - set camera to bulb, f18, and just counted the seconds off like we used to do in the darkroom or when shooting the streets of Manila and Malate back in my college days. My timing was also perfect: shortly after I finished and returned to the room, the sky cut loose with a massive thunderstorm. <br /> <br /><span style="font-weight: bold">June 6: Shop Til You Drop</span> <br />With our flight set for 0050 hours June 7th, we had the whole day ahead of us to go around the city again - but this time without guides, as Francis and Aisyah had to return to Bandung. No problem - Cat and I walked to Sabang so I could round off my street food shots. I had planned to make my way down Sabang just buying this and that food item, but we had to shop for presents so we ended up going to the Sarinah mall. Lunch at the food court, where I thoroughly enjoyed a fried beef dish, while Cat unfortunately chose a gourami fillet that she found tasteless, then back up to do early Christmas shopping. <br /> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://images.darthventor07.multiply.com/image/8/photos/20/500x500/21/DSC_7254.jpg?et=lCfWx7vqGEKPwWgGa1%2CGLQ&nmid=100336794"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 400px; cursor: pointer; text-align: center" alt="" src="http://images.darthventor07.multiply.com/image/8/photos/20/500x500/21/DSC_7254.jpg?et=lCfWx7vqGEKPwWgGa1%2CGLQ&nmid=100336794" border="0" /></a>We might have gotten better prices at a bazaar, but on the other hand the Sarinah was close to the hotel, had English-speaking staff, and was secure. So, shopping. My nose died and went to heaven at my first whiff of Torajan coffee. On the other hand, I had no stomach for kopi luwak - coffee beans that had been eaten then excreted by a civet cat. When I want coffee, I mean Kopi, not Poo-pi! Indonesian chocolate is also very good, specially Silver Queen's dark chocolate with cashew nuts. Back to Goethe in the late afternoon, and a last round of beer with Henri and Novi. Nice people. We kept urging Henri to take more beer, so he could finally sleep! <br /> <br />Off to the airport at 2100, and just in time too - traffic was very bad, probably made worse by the fact that it was raining. Not much difference from Manila there! Our flight home was via PAL, with a lot of Pinoy OFWs along. Note to self: when expecting to fly with a lot of returning OFWs, check in early. You can't blame the OFWs for returning home with bags loaded, but if everybody stops to argue at the check-in counter then move off to repack, you get a most irritating experience at the line. More people should do as my dad used to - he brought his own spring scale along, and even before he left his hotel he knew exactly what each piece of his luggage weighed. Better yet, hotels and maybe PAL should provide scales. If every hotel room had bathroom scales, travelers could pack much more strategically. On the other hand, the scales might affect the sales of the hotels' restaurants .... <br /> <br />I was a reluctant passenger going into the plane at last. Given the choice, I'd have marched right back out of the airport and onto the next train to Jogjakarta. There's a lot more to shoot in Indonesia, and I haven't had enough yet. The same goes for satay. I want more ... oceanbearcathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02891190416079043422noreply@blogger.com0