Monday 10 October 2011

Sitio Remedios @ Barangay Victoria, Currimao, Ilocos Norte

Just another entry to a place I want to stay and visit... one of those 'old' village resort.

I 'discovered' the place by reading Twits by CC, I Googled and in the process end up in a blog, called 'No Doors'.

Monday 5 September 2011

Photography & 'Pulping the past'


"It gets on my nerves when people seem to be so intent on filming everything [ouch] on their mobile phones. I just wish people would experience it and be in that moment," the former Pulp  key player Jarvis Cocker says.

"It used tobe when you went on holiday you'd see families where the father couldn't interact with anyone, so he'd stand there with the video camera filming the whole holiday and you'd think: "What a sad character." Now young people are doing it - its bad. They're becoming middle-aged before their time." The idea of a performance being a one-off appeals to Cocker [Pulping the past by Kylie Northover, SMH 13-14 June 2009].

"Cocker says having something that lingers only as a memory is better, as it changes over time.

"It gets altered in your brain, by your perception, whereas if you've just got a crappy, hand-held phone footage version of it, it brings it all crashing down to earth, [I guess, without the benefit of rose-tinted memory - fading and in the moment of how you experience & remember the event.] you know what I mean?"

Hot in the saddle: Bangkok on cycle, boat, etc.

"Mount up as Russell Gould [mX 24 Feb 2009] risks life, limb and noodle on two wheels through the streets of Bangkok.

"It's a five-hour exercise with lunch thrown in and that's no ordinary sandwich shop. You dine at a canal-side[Bangkok afterall is the "Venice of the East"!] restaurant that would seat less than 20 where the cooks are also the waiters and a chat with them, while they cook, is just good manners.

"A bike tour of Bangkok is an expedition through the nooks and crannies Indiana Jones would struggle to locate, far away from the digi-brigade. Don't try to work out where you've come from, where you've been or where you could possibly be going next.

"That's a mystery not worth solving. Just keep your eyes on the road, and your balance, and enjoy a different Bangkok."

http://www.covankessel.com/  Co van Kessel Bangkok Tours.

Tuesday 30 August 2011

Iconic Santorini


Been privileged enough to travel, see & experience this wonderful & extra ordinary place - a place created by volcanic explosions & now a peaceful caldera. No wonder; that according to local sources - and you can see the evidences; that most affluent inhabitants would have a family chapel of their own! I guess it is best to be closer to God - commune with Him at close range all day long and not be bothered with trekking the mountainous terrain. And this is what these blue-domed and white washed buildings are - some of the iconic images of Santorini. [Others are the view of the cliff houses overlooking the caldera; the sunset at Oia, one of numerous districts in Santorini]. But more than that, the small village atmosphere of the place, untouched & unaffected by the thousands & millions of tourists. The people are friendly and welcoming and the local produce are second to none [our favourite are the Santorini tomatoes - small but sweet & very tasty; and the wines! Must be the volcanic soil around these parts].

Saturday 20 August 2011

Ones @ Barcelona


A sculpture by Andreu Alfaro seen on the way to travels in Spain...

"The path of Andreu Alfaro since his initial beginning to the middle of the 1940's until today is of an engaged artist with his space and materials, but even more so with the concept of time. He approaches art by creating tributes to exempt personalities of past culture, signifying the interpretation of the present without renouncing the past, as well as to historical memory and tradition."

Saturday 16 April 2011

In the stillness...


In the stillness of the night
I come to you.

In the stillness of your breath
I kiss you.

In the stillness of our solitary love
We are made one...

Tuesday 15 March 2011

Monday 28 February 2011

Op Retro Antique Shoppe


@ Australia St near the corner of Hoffman Lane

Negros Getaway

"Nestled 154 kilometers south of Bacolod City lies one of Negros Island’s best-kept secrets. Punta Bulata White Beach Resort and Spa is a tropical hidden paradise that truly reflects the laid back lifestyle of the opulent sugar barons of Negros Island. Enjoy one whole kilometer stretch of white sand beach in privacy and exclusivity as you spend quality time with your friends and family.

From native Filipino nipa-hut cottages to luxurious spa rooms, guests at Punta Bulata Resort are able to choose from a wide variety of accommodations that are all just a few steps away from the beach. Step into Capiz-shell doors and garden bathrooms, take in the fresh ocean breeze, and wake to the call of orioles at The Ayu Spa at Punta Bulata, where twelve unique spa guest rooms await the weary traveler in search of a comforting temple of relaxation.

Punta Bulata Resort is known to have one of the finest and whitest beaches in Negros Island, comparable to those of the popular island destinations of Boracay, Bohol, Cebu, and Palawan, and its waters are teeming with marine and coral life. A mere 10-minute boat ride from Punta Bulata Resort, Danjugan Island Marine and Wildlife Reserve is a small island surrounded by coral reefs as diverse as the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. Aside from having some of the best diving sites in the Philippines, day trips to Danjugan Island also allow you to enjoy several other outdoor adventures and activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, trekking, and bird-watching."

I think this will be on my list after watching this on a travel show. The bonus is I can travel to Bacolod City for it's culinary attraction, up north to Talisay City & Silay City for their heritage mansions and old ancestral homes.

Sunday 20 February 2011

Friday 11 February 2011

Today, the 11th of February

'You won't have the North Node in your sign for that much longer so now is the time to make the most of it. And what, you may ask, are you supposed to "do" with a North Node? OK, well this little astro critter is the one who has been pushing you oh-so forcefully outside of your comfort zone for the past few years. If you've taken a blind leap of faith and you're already starting to feel better for it, then you can thank the North Node. And if you haven't? Then as Tony Robbins would say "You must". What are you really capable of?'

Friday 28 January 2011

Jazz resting


Sometimes you're just lucky... especially if you have a camera with you to capture that special moment. Being in the right place & at the right time. Caught this sax busker taking a breather at Sydney's 'The Rocks' - totally unposed & drive by opportunity!

Image info - iPhone 4 Hipstamatic 190, Kaimal Mark II 'lens' un-retouched.

PS. The guy reminds me of Kramer from that sit-com show, Seinfeld.