Pic of the Week!

Title: Dancing Fountain

Location: Eastwood City, Libis, Quezon City

Date: Aug. 16, 2011

The Story: It was my 3^rd time at Libis, the 2^nd time was 8 years ago. Much has changed since then. I came here to tour a friend who just came back from Norway. We were just talking about the fountain because it was posted near the bridge that it will be having a back-to-back show every 30 minutes from 6pm to 11pm. Time check, 11PM when the music started to play to the tune of “That’s the way it is” by Celine Dion. I grab my camera and started taking video clips. Then my friend let me hold her camera, a Canon EOS 600D DSLR. Since I don’t know how to operate it yet, I started with the basics. I took pictures. Lots of them. After the first song, I was about to prepare the DSLR to take some video clips. Then the next music played. I clicked the camera, and all I got was this shot. Not moving. No sounds at all. Fail... But this shot is better than the one I took for the first song... Better read the manual first...;-) 

“Nag-driving ka na ba sa mga bayan sa baybay..?” part 2

Note: For those who missed it, here's part 1 of the series Nag Driving ...

            Long weekend is coming! Thanks to National Heroes Day on Monday (August 29) and the end of Ramadan (Eid’l Fitr) on Tuesday (August 30). I know some of you have plans already on where to go and how to celebrate this much anticipated 4-day weekend. But before driving to the beach or “mga bayan sa baybay”, you should visit first this super awesome Philippine Map and famous tourist spots and landmarks all made from LEGO bricks. This is in support of the Department of Tourism’s Pilipinas, Tara Na! Domestic Advocacy Campaign. Here are some of my shots:

The Philippine LEGO Map

Vinta of Zamboanga

The Philippine eagle, Pearl Farm and the Kadayawan Festival (Davao)

El Nido at the top, St. Paul's Subterranean River at the middle and
the Crocodile Farm (Palawan)

APO Reef and the Philippine Carabao at the back (the black one) (Mindoro) 

Rizal Park (Metro Manila)

SM Mall of Asia (Pasay City)

Paoay Church and Bangui Windmills (Ilocos Norte)

Banaue Rice Terraces (Ifugao)

Chocolate Hills (Bohol); btw there's a tarsier under the tree

Mayon Volcano at the left side, San Juanico Bridge(Tacloban) at the
upper right, and the Magellan's Cross (Cebu) at the lower right corner.

Victorias Sugar Mill and the Masskara Festival (Negros)

The Philippine Sun

The Philippine Flag

There's more! So check out the different regional wonders of the country as you’ve never seen them before! The LEGO Pilipinas, Tara Na! exhibit is open until the 27th of August (Saturday) at SM Mall of Asia. 

Don’t miss it. Pilipinas, Tara Na!

Pic of the Week!

Today I will start a new series of posts and hopefully to do it every Friday. It will feature the sights, the sounds and even both from places that I have been for the past days or months. Some back story will be added and a little comment would be appreciated. Let's begin...

Title: Lightning After Dark

Location: Brias St. Nasugbu, Batangas

Date: August 15, 2011

The Story: This is the 2nd time I've captured a lightning. The first one, a few minutes earlier. I was about to leave my shop when it started raining with matching thunderstorms. So I have no choice, since I don't have an umbrella and I don't want my bag to get wet, I decided to let the rain pass by. I was amazed on the lightning just outside the shop and thought of having captured it on film. After the first try, I got what I wanted. But I'm not that satisfied with the first result. So I waited patiently for the next lightning to strike and I've got myself a much better lightning photo...;-)

“Nag-driving ka na ba sa mga bayan sa baybay..?” part 1

Have you heard or watch the new domestic tourism advocacy music video from the Department of Tourism? It was a remake of the famous “Biyahe Tayo” that was released in 2004 from DOT, Bonamine and some 21 OPM artists to encourage locals to visit parts of the country more often. It was a success indeed.  I myself have been inspired by that song. Ever since I heard that song, I memorized the lyrics with all my heart (including the rap part of Francis M..;) ). It inspired me to know more about the town where I came from. It encouraged me to share what I know to people through social networking sites and word of mouth. It helped me believe that there’s more to the country than corruption and bad politics.

Here’s the first video that I was talking about. The Original “Biyahe Tayo”...

Now here’s the remake and improved version of the original:

The “Pilipinas, tara na!” which was launched last week in cooperation with Perceptions, Inc., Smart Communications, and the 57 OPM artists is I think the best thing the DOT can do to continue the WOW Philippines of former DOT Sec. Gordon. What I love about this new song is how Rico Blanco and Mike Villegas (the composer) incorporated the new lyrics to the old one especially the “Nag driving ka na ba sa mga bayan sa baybay...” because where I came from is a “bayan sa baybay”. Though the lyrics continued to “...ng buong Laguna De Bay tuloy-tuloy sa Tagaytay”, it’s just so perfect because Laguna (as I studied there) and Tagaytay (the nearest popular tourist spot near Nasugbu) always have that special place in my heart. I’m just wondering, since they said that this is just version 1 of 3, if the “Bulkang Taal” and “Lechong Balayan” be included in the next 2 versions as it was in the original. This makes me more exited for the next 2 versions. Kudos to DOT and to former DOT Secretary Alberto Lim for continuing the tradition. Pilipinas, Tara na!

Note: Video credits goes to the uploader on youtube.