2012 Pyromusical: S. Korea vs. Malta

It's that time of the year again when colors will be exploding on a dark night sky, and it's that time of the year again when I would be sitting in Manila Bay's seawall for at least four hours a few minutes before sun down and up to the last explosion of colors.

It's the 2012 Philippine International Pyromusical competition!  Now on its 3rd year, the competition attracted 11 countries to compete for this year's top prize, and the Philippines being the host, just like the previous two installments, will also take part in the event not to compete but to entertain (and also to brag a little that we can do better than them hehehe)

The opening of the six-Saturdays event was last February 11, 2012 and the first match up was between South Korea and newcomer Malta.  I was there as early as 5 pm, and that early, a bee line of excited fireworks patrons has already formed at the entrance.  I waited for more than five minutes before being allowed inside and another 10 minutes before finding my way to the seawall and settled there for the next two to three hours of waiting.  The sun is still up and hot but I came prepared, I have with me an umbrella, water, food and a book to pass the time.  

It wasn't long when the sun bids the day goodbye, and the amazing colors of the Manila Bay sunset sets the tone for wonderful explosion of colors later in the night.

South Korea took first draw of blood, err, fire and their fireworks were amazing enough to go with the K-pop sound.  I thought they did good, especially the fireworks that floated and exploded on water, though it didn't reached that super wow level, it was enough to excite us all and set the bar high for the next participant.

After the South Korea set, I thought of looking for a better shooting location with interesting and more prominent foreground to boot.  And the moment that I gave up my seat, I thought three persons jumped on it and snapped the small space for themselves hehehe.

And it was not a good decision, a very bad decision, actually.  Di na natuto!!! When I went to the center, there was no more space, save for an ant! And I am forced to go back to my previous seat only to find out that not only three persons took it, but a throng!!!!  So I have to settle at the back, a few meters from where I used to occupy, with lots of people's back blocking my view. sigh.

Malta took the classical background, and just like any classical song, it started slow to the point of being boring yet with every minute that pass and with every explosion they made, a momentum after momentum has been built for that big, loud and bright finale!  BOOM! And I wish I am still seated on the seawall. waaah.

It was a good opening though, and for my next fireworks appointment, I better not give up my precious or just upgrade to VIP (which I might do anyway).

Trip to Binondo 2012

At last, after years of waiting, I finally experienced Chinese New Year in Binondo!!!

It's a good thing that, for the first time (ever?), the celebration to welcome the year of dragon was declared a special non-working holiday by the Malacañang, and that's the primary reason why I can go there and got a first hand experience of the festivity.  And according to some, the declaration was basically the reason why the number of pinoys that trooped to Binondo, primarily Ongpin street, doubled or even tripled as compared with the previous celebrations.  Well, I do not have even the slightest idea as to how many people came that day, but I can tell you that a lot is an understatement.

I went there alone to shoot and at the same time, being a first timer, to be an usisero.  With the throng of people in Ongpin, no one will feel alone and no one can tell that I am an usisero. 

The moment I stepped out of the bus in Sta. Cruz and walk towards Ongpin, people in red and cameras flashing (literally and figuratively) are as common as the ponkans and oranges selling 5-for-P100.00.  It wasn't that hot, but you'll sweat with the energy of the place coupled with the endless walking and countless bodies that merged into that area.

My objective was to watch and shoot a dragon and lion dance.  The moment I heard a vicious beating of drums, I run towards to the area where the sounds are coming and found a lot of people circling around some performers, but they're not dragon/lion dancers, some kind of ati-atihan group that joined the business of giving and collecting envelopes to all in exchange for some dance and fire eating.  I stayed for a while, shoot some and walk away.

I saw some dragons "walking", and the mere sight of them excites a lot of people (including me) and before I can say dragon, people swirled around them and have their pictures taken.  I thought it was a main recipe for chaos and I was in the middle of it, so I excused myself and settled in the nearest corner, and took my time shooting.
 

 

It was after coming from Dong Bei (for a take out dumplings) that I got to witness a Lion Dance, the dragon performers just finished their part when I arrived though.  It was an amusing sight!  My adrenaline pumped with the beat of drums and cymbals, I almost forgot to take pictures as I was glued watching their routine, hehehe.

 

 

They performed in a newly-opened restaurant, and the coins thrown by the lion dancers to spectators were, understandably, more than the usual and the kids and oldies alike have a merry time catching them.

As I went my home, I walked again going the Sta. Cruz way, it was a long walk as I stopped every chance I got to see a dragon dance, and taking picture of other stuffs.  I also waited in line to get my share of shanghai fried siopao.  Oops, sorry, no picture of the actual siopao, I forgot hehehe.

If the next Chinese New Year falls on a weekday, will it be a holiday again?

Hopefully, so I can go back and dance with the dragon and lion again!!! :)

It's been a while...

Three years, well, almost three years.

That's how long I've evaded the call to travel.  It was a choice, actually, and no regrets whatsoever.  But when I got the chance, I didn't let it pass and the experience awakened what I thought I already lost (if I have it, in the first place hehe).

The recent little Batangas adventure in Blue Coral Beach Resort was a breath of fresh air.  It feels good to be out again, to have the sand actually touch my feet, to have that salty water enter my ear and reddened my eyes.  And it was also the first time in, well, almost three years, that I got to take pictures of subjects other than my wife, my daughter, our garden, our food, our house and the little mementos inside.

I finally got to take landscape pictures!  And landscape, I mean of nature, sea, sand and not just plants and insects on our garden (and even ants! hehe).  I normally shoot sunsets, but the location suggests that would be almost impossible, so next the best thing is sunrise, and that means waking up earlier than what I call early.

4 AM, and it's raining!  Goodness!!!

5 AM, the rain had stopped but the lazy me is still on the bed. Goodness!!!

Finally, I went outside a little past 5:30, though I am not the only soul on the beach (some young men are playing frisbee perhaps to shake off their hangover), I'm glad I went for it, otherwise, i wouldn't be able to take these:

my first sunrise in long exposure

right timing

the fisherman

as the sun rises, the boat rests...

The above shots may not be award-winning, it may not be even considered for one, but it feels good knowing that the passion is still there, and the need to improve and learn more is alive.

Priceless

There are things that are memorable, there are memories that are unforgettable, and there are moments that are simply treasurable.

We took our daughter to the beach for the first time, her first outing and also me and lyn's first in three years (yes, that loooong).  The excited parents packed her two-piece bikini (that was bought by her mommyla) while almost forgetting their swimming attires.  We were excited but that's nothing compared to hers.

We thought we already seen her at her happiest, but nothing beats her screams of excitement as the wave touched her toes. We've seen her round eyes brighten up countless times when she found something that she like, but her eyes grew even bigger with amazement as she played with the sand.
 

 

Some of us can afford the most luxurious accommodations, dine at the most fancy restaurant, buy the most expensive clothes, but they're all nothing compared to the joy of a child, her giggles, her screams, and I am glad I was there to capture them all.

Life's simple pleasure is priceless.

Just read from somewhere...

"The world doesn't revolve around you,
it revolves around the sun."

makes sense, right? and has a scientific basis to back it up. :)

just make our families our world, and love will be our sun.

happy weekend!

sorry...

okay, so much about me being back, or the promise to be back. :)

i just can't find the time.

i used to rave here even the smallest thing, but now, i just can't find the time.

i used to rant here even the smallest thing (thus the reklamador in me), but now, i just can't find the time.

i used to post loads of pictures of even the smallest things here, but now, i just can't...um, wait, i have time, even a little, for that, i am just lazy to upload them. :)

and so, whoever reads my blog deserves an apology for me not posting so much. even though the blog world would not care if my little online world exists, you still deserve an apology.


i hope to be really back (there i go again hehe).

Light

and this signals my return to blogging...

Have a meaningful Holy week everyone. :)

Second (a re-post)

alas-singko pa lang ng umaga, dumadagundong na ang pakiramdam ko. dumaan ang alas-sais, ang almusal, hindi pa rin nagbabago. madilim sa kwarto ko at di makakapasok ang araw, pero parang nagliliwanag ang lahat kapag napapatingin ako sa salamin at naiisip kung bakit ako nandito.

masarap ang almusal, mainit at solb sa kwentuhan, relaks-relaks daw dapat at wag magpapanic pero sa bawat sulyap sa relos at nakikita ko ang pag-ikot ng bawat segundo, hindi siguro ako masisisi ng kahit sino kung me nagka-karera sa loob ng dibdib ko.

alas-syete.
alas-otso.
alas-nuwebe.

buti hindi nagrereklamo ang telepono ko sa maya't mayang tawag at text, buti hindi pa nagtatampo ang wallet ko sa maya't mayang pagdukot, pagbukas at pagtatago ulit.

alas-nuwebe y medya. kailangan ko nang maligo bago ko pa malimutang gawin ito, nakakahiya naman kung haharap akong di nalapatan ng shampoo at sabon ang katawan.

masarap ang tubig, mainit at solb na sabayan ng kanta... pero napunit ang pagkanta ng malalakas na katok sa pinto. nagulat syempre ako, at nakatapis ng tuwalya, tinakbo ko ang pinto, naramdaman ng balat ko ang lamig ng aircon at bumakat ang basa kong mga paa sa carpet, pagbukas ko ng pinto, sari-saring ingay ang bumalaga sa akin: "bakit ang tagal mo?" "ano bang ginagawa mo?" "kanina pa kami dito" "di mo sinasagot ang cellphone" "kinabahan tuloy kami" at kung ano-ano pa. naliligo po ako. pumasok at tumahimik na sila.

dumating na ang pamilya ko, isang batalyon! kasama ng mga kuwentuhan nila ang pagpasok ng maraming kaldero, mga pagkain (dito tayo magtatanghalian) at mga abubot pa. bumalik ako sa banyo at muli ring bumalik ang ingay, sila yata yung nate-tense hehe.

alas-diyes.

alas-onse. kailangang kumain ng maaga at baka makalimutan ko pa itong gawin.

alas-dose. buti hindi pa nagrereklamo ang kuwarto ko sa samu't saring ingay sa loob, buti kaya pa ng aircon ang dami ng tao, buti nakakapag-relaks ako sa gitna ng kaabalahan ng mga tao.

ala-una.

alas-dos. kailangan kong lumabas ng kwarto, kailangan kong maging presentable. at nakita ko sya, parang me kakaibang liwanag ang kanyang mukha, parang me mapang-aliping hatak ang kanyang ngiti. dun pa lang gusto ko nang mag-"I do..."

si lyn, napakaganda sa kanyang simpleng ayos, napakagaling ni Princess Misa na nag-make up sa kanya, lutang na lutang ang ganda nya at kumikinang ang kanyang mga mata. nahimasmasan lang ako ng me tumapik sa balikat ko, wag ko raw masyadong titigan at baka matunaw, mamaya pa ang kasal. :)

alas-dos y medya.

alas-tres. naramdaman ko ang init ng mga ilaw, me naramdaman akong ilang sa pagbibihis sa harap ng kamera pero awtomatiko ang paglabas ng ngiti at kalauna'y nasanay na rin ako. napigil ko pa ang luha ko nung kami ni mommy ang kuhanan ng litrato, pero sya naluha na, naalala namin si daddy.

alas-tres y medya. andaming tao sa Paco Park, lahat nakangiti, lahat bumabati, lahat kakilala ko.

alas-kwatro. marahil hindi lang dagundong ang nararamdaman ko, marahil hindi lang karera ang meron sa loob ng dibdib ko pero mas higit ang saya na bumabalot sa katawan ko, sa isip ko, sa dibdib ko.

hindi ko na nabilang kung ilang hakbang ang patungong altar, hindi ko na maisa-isa ang mga nadaanan kong nakangiti, hindi ko na rin nalaman kung gano kabilis o kabagal ang bawat ikot ng mga segundo dahil tumigil ang mundo ng makita ko si lyn na nakatayo na sa may pinto, sumisigaw ang ligaya na di kayang takpan ng kanyang puting belo.

sa pagyakap ko sa aking ina, di na nagpapigil ang mga luha.

sa paghalik ko sa mga kamay nina nanay at tatay, naging emosyonal ang paligid.

sa paghawak ko sa kamay ni lyn, doon na nagsimula ang aming pagiging isa.

December 8, 2010: second year anniversary namin. napakaraming dapat ipagpasalamat, at napakaraming dapat pasalamatan: ang Diyos, ang aming mga pamilya, ang aming mga kaibigan.

kung dati, dalawa lang kaming magsi-celebrate, ngayon meron nang isang napaka-cute na dagdag na syang isang nakakatuwang dahilan kung bakit minsan late ako sa trabaho hehehe.

Baby Merryn

Maraming salamat at samahan nyo kami sa marami pang mga taong magkahawak ang kamay.

Smiles

Fiesta is a celebration, and the Philippines being a land with all kinds of fiestas (we tend to celebrate all things imaginable hehe) just makes us the land of celebrations. And whenever there's a celebration, smile (and laughter, lots of them) follows.

I was able to catch some of those smiles in the recent Aliwan Fiesta, and even if was so hot on that day, it was raining with ready smiles. Here are some:

The Aliwan fiesta gave such festive atmosphere that not only the ladies above cooled the hot day with their accommodating smile, these lions, too!

and who got the most unique smile that can be seen only by those with sharp eyes? the honor belongs to a Panagbenga participant:

weeee! smile! :)