Bohol: Beyond The Chocolate Hills (PART 1)

BOHOL, Philippines

When a province is as inextricably linked to its main attraction as Bohol is to the Chocolate Hills, is it even possible to "see it" for anything else? That was the question I asked myself as my PR175 flight began taxiing down the single strip runway of Tagbilaran Airport on the island province of Bohol. I gazed outside the plane window determined to find out.

As in other trips, I researched my destination prior to my arrival. I noted a few attractions of interest outside the usual gaggle of tourist spots which most tour operators quickly herd you from one attraction to the next with nary a chance to enjoy what you had just experienced. I wrote down all the attractions I wanted to visit on a Post-It note, marked the "must-see"s with an asterisk, and handed it to my own personal tour driver (I hired my own transport so I can stay at a location for as long as I want and make un-scheduled stops when and where I want) and told him to offer the most efficient route to these places over a 2-day period (with instructions on where I want to be during sunset)

Part of that research was finding a place to stay. Bohol offers the whole range of resorts and hotels to cater to every type of traveler, from the well-pampered, exclusive romantic getaway to the more subdued bare-essentials. I wrestled between two priorities, finding a place that offered good food or one with a decent stretch of beach front with the possibilities of a glorious sunset. When I finally made my decision and placed that phone call to make reservations, I was probably a little bit more hungry and a lot less romantic, and found myself calling the Bohol Bee Farm (BBF). I managed to haggle my way to a full-board rate, one that included all meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner, to take advantage of the reportedly good food. I was not disappointed. The BBF makes use of organic and natural ingredients and you can taste the difference the moment you take your first bite. I started and ended my stay at The BBF with their Spicy Flower Salad, which reminded me of a Thai Larb Gai (Thai spicy chicken salad), but with attractively arranged edible flowers and a tasty dressing with hints of honey mustard, chili, calamansi, and ginger. It was a visual and gastronomic treat! I jokingly sent text messages to my close friends telling them that I was having a flower garden for lunch. Every meal starts with a serving of freshly baked bread and a sampling of three home-made spreads, pesto, mango and honey. I enjoyed the pesto spread so much that I bought several jars at the gift shop as pasalubong (gifts) on the day of my departure. Fresh Buko juice (coconut) still served in the shell accompanied all my meals and offered a refreshing counterpoint to the savory dishes. I ended every meal with an order of their home-made ice cream prepared from fresh indigenous organic fruit like langka and mango, trying a new flavor every time. I would definitely recommend a meal or two (or three and four) here at BBF when you visit Bohol.

Seeing Binondo as a Travel Photographer (Part 2)

BINONDO, Manila, Philippines

Before you proceed, I suggest you read the first part of this blog entry if you haven't yet =).

... so where was I? ahh yes, yes, sleep and exhaustion. It was definitely a long day and by the end of it we were all fatigued, but my fellow Photoworks: The Travel Photographer Class 5 participants can probably attest that it was a creatively rewarding experience. Classroom lectures augmented by practical on site lessons by Karlo served as a foundation that gave me the confidence to go out and capture images of Binondo from my own point of view. I approached the exercise knowing that I may not leave with that perfect image (and judging from the slides I got back, I certainly didn't LOL), but at least Karlo and Leo provided the tools to help me see Binondo in a different way, to look beyond my own narrow notions of Binondo as a place for hopia, tikoy, and dim sum (It was very tough to keep my mind off of food, because Photoworks kept us well fed, three(!!!) times between 6:00AM and 3:00PM hehe).

I will not bore you with details of how the workshop helped me experience Binondo as a travel photographer. I think it is enough to say that it has. Besides, what inspires me will certainly be different from your own motivation. I've attended photography workshops in the past, and I am always amazed by how you let photographers loose in the same area, yet they each come back with distinctively unique images. This workshop was no different in that regard. I find myself asking, "why didn't I see that image?" or "how did I not think of capturing it that way?" I guess the answer is simple: we are all unique and we see the world through our own tinted glasses, whatever color it may be hehe (or in photography parlance, through our own unique lens and filter *groan*).

Moving forward I hope to be able to apply what I learned here to all future travel opportunities, to be able to come home with images that will pique the interest of whoever I share them with. On this particular excursion, the goal is to try to capture at least one image of Binondo that if I were to show to you, might encourage you to venture out there yourself and experience Binondo in your own personal way. Was I successful?

... and even though I saw Binondo in a new light, at the end of the day, I still found comfort in the familiar and went home with a bagful of hopia, tikoy, and other treats for myself ;)

*all images shot with a (borrowed, thanks Ate Neneng!) Canon EOS 3 on 35mm Fuji Velvia 50, 100, or 100F slide film

Seeing Binondo as a Travel Photographer

BINONDO, Manila, Philippines

I think I've been to Binondo twice (or thrice, tops), years ago, to pick up a computer from a friend whose family was in the business of selling them (special shout out to Patrick! hehe). I think I may have driven past it a few times on my way to run errands in Sta. Cruz or Divisoria, oblivious of the people who call it home, or make their living there, or the activity found along the narrow streets lined by buildings with commercial establishments occupying the ground/first floor and the residential units on top of them. Before today, Binondo to me was simply where most of my Chinese friends lived and where I can ask them to get me authentic Chinese delicacies like hopia and tikoy (which incidentally Patrick often gave me as a gift or pasalubong). Today changed all that...

I signed up for a Travel Photography class led by Karlo de Leon and Leo Castillo for Photoworks. Binondo served as the backdrop for our field work, where we were supposed to apply what we learned in the classroom. As part of my preparation for this photo shoot, I read up on Binondo and viewed images of Binondo available online. After doing the research, there were two subjects I wanted to avoid: poverty and fruit stalls. A travel photograph is supposed to pique the viewer's curiosity and compel the viewer to visit a place. Not only do I not consider poverty as an acceptable means to encourage people to visit, I find it extremely intrusive to take a photograph of someone on hard times, almost as if I were taking advantage of their situation for personal gain. Perhaps if I were asked to document poverty in Binondo, in order to increase awareness of the plight of the poor, in an effort to help solve social issues and better their situation in life, only then would I start capturing those images on film (yes, I still stubbornly shoot on slide film *hehe*); but as an exercise in "travel photography", I will personally back off that subject, and leave it for another time and another purpose. As far as fruit stalls go, well, I've taken my share of them in Seattle, Bangkok, Nice, Rome, and Paris; and, I can say with no hint of embarrassment, that I am creatively challenged to make fruit stalls look different and evoke the spirit of the place other than making sure to include a local selling or buying the fruit or some easily recognizable landmark in the frame to put it in geographical context, been there, done that (not very well LOL), move on... *hehe*.

It was a long day and... uh... uhhh... I am beginning to feel the effects, my eyelids are getting heavier and I seem to hear my bed calling me to sleep... to be continued tomorrow (hopefully heh) :)

EDIT 11/12/2008 10:45PM: You can find the continuation to this entry at Seeing Binondo as a Travel Photographer (Part 2)