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)

Is My Glass Half-Full or is it Half-Empty?

It has been a couple of weeks since I returned from my most recent trip to the U.K. When I first started this exercise, the goal was that "my journal makes it all the way back with me, and I return with a mostly filled notebook and a well-maintained online diary." Well my journal made it all the way back, and I have an account of my entire stay in the U.K. Unfortunately, I was not able to maintain this online diary as religiously as I did my paper journal. There were several reasons that accounted for this inconsistency, like returning to the hotel room late at night and the need to wake up early the next day, or returning too tired to log on the internet, or the internet not conveniently available. I think for me, the biggest hindrance to maintaining a current online travel diary is that I felt emotionally spent, having previously chronicled the days events and experiences on my notebook, I no longer had the energy to do it all again, even if all I had to do was type what I had already written by hand. OR maybe, I just didn't try hard enough!

Did I fail by not completing both goals? Some may argue that since I had everything down in my notebook, I can easily come back and type everything when things quiet down. On the other hand, aren't travel blogs supposed to be current and regular while you are still on your journey (not after)? Should I just publish what is in my journal to this online diary and think little of the lack of punctuality? Am I vacillating on a non-issue?!! *ugh* Perhaps I just need to drink from that glass to clear my head...

The Tate Modern and Why I Love Getting Lost

LONDON, England, U.K.

London is one of those cities where no matter how many times you return, you will always find something new to do or somewhere you've never been. It is just such a dynamic city that offers even the most seasoned traveler new experiences with each visit, and is one of the reason I love coming back. On this particular return trip my goal was to visit the Tate Modern.

My cousin Paolo has been living and working as an architect in London for almost 3 years. We share an interest in travel, architecture and of the fine arts, so it was he who ended up accompanying me to the Tate Modern. The Tate stays open until 11:00PM Friday and Saturdays, the rest of the week, the museum closes at 6:00PM. After dropping off my mother and sister at the hotel late that afternoon (they were tired, so I did not abandon them! hehe), I ventured out again and met my cousin at the London Underground station closest to his flat. Taking the London Underground was inconvenient and we couldn't find a bus that would take us to the Tate, consequently we ended up walking all the way there. I enjoy seeing a city on foot, it allows me to discover hidden alleys that lead to hidden courtyards, walk through areas that are off the beaten path, and interact with locals that you don't normally meet when you take other transportation. I just love getting "lost" (hence the name of this blog *hehe*). London at night is a very different experience as we made our way to the Tate, imagine walking through the financial/work district devoid of the 9-to-5 folks, St. Paul's Cathedral and it's familiar and reassuring dome taking on a more sinister atmosphere at night, instead of a sleek Millennium Bridge you find a dimly lit path over the Thames where the normally gleaming stainless steel is muted by raindrops and the dark night sky. For me it was a very interesting walk that made me forget the aches in my legs and feet that accompany the tail-end of a long vacation.

The Tate Modern is in a converted power station where the main hall gives new meaning to 'vaulted ceilings'. I admit I don't always understand "Modern Art", sometimes I look in awe and appreciation of a piece or exhibit or I find myself scratching my head trying to figure out what the efff the artist was thinking. From groups of silverware flattened by a steam roller and suspended by wires from the ceiling, to a whole new interpretation of 'soap-on-a-rope' (used soap from all over London strung together on a 30-foot rope), to gritty moving pictures of a naked man performing random actions played out in an endless loop, to more "traditional" modern art from the likes of Miro and Dali, the Tate Modern is a wonderful trove of exhibits that will compel and engage you one way or another. It is definitely one of those attractions you shouldn't miss or one of the reason you will want to return to London if you didn't see it the first time you visited.

Most tourist visit the Tate Modern during the day time and quickly leave for the next attraction on a tight itinerary. After our unhurried pace though the different rooms, my cousin took me to the top floor to have a drink at the restaurant/bar. What greeted us was a jaw-dropping vista of the London skyline at night. Imagine everything from Big Ben and the Parliament Building to the Tower Bridge (and in between) bathed in a soft glow and seemingly glistening from a brief late afternoon rain shower. I thanked Paolo for sharing this little nugget of tourist treasure with me and told him that this definitely made my U.K. trip worthwhile. Getting lost or simply experiencing a city at night gives you a totally different perspective on things. I could have easily nursed that bottle of beer until the morning hours, content at gazing out the view windows and appreciating London in an entirely different manner, trading stories and thankful of cousins who know just how to make your trip memorable in even the simplest of ways.

POSTCARD: Fish's Throw Away from Big Ben

LONDON, England, U.K.

A "fish's throw" away from Big Ben and the Parliament building, on the other side of the Thames next to the London Eye. I suppose a "fish's throw" is slightly further away than a "stone's throw" *groan*

Forecast was for rain all day long. Forecast was mercifully wrong, but it was still cold and windy. I have to admit we were lucky to see (if not feel the warmth of) the sun for most of the day.

Again my laziness haunts me, if only I used my polarizer, the harsh glare on the foreground might have been more forgiving *ugh*

"Blo-o-ogging killed the po-o-ostcard" (sung to the tune of "Video killed the Radio Star")

LONDON, England, U.K.

After I dropped a few postcards in the mailbox today, I suddenly realized that it was becoming more and more apparent that with the advent of digital cameras, the internet, email, blogging, online travel communities, social networking sites, and even the cellphone, I personally am receiving fewer postcards. Technology has come to a point where you can share your vacation photos and travel experiences almost immediately. So instead of being pleasantly surprised at receiving a postcard in the mailbox (with a message written just for me), I get a rather distant email with a link to an online gallery of vacation photos. Even though I have access to all of the above, I still try to send out a few postcards on every trip. I just find it more personal and it allows me to experience the elation of finding the perfect postcard, one that has relevance and a connection to both me and the person I am sending the postcard to and write a private note that ties it all together. Getting a postcard in the mail is like telling the recipient that "Hey, I am thinking of you on this trip, I wish you were here sharing it with me." It is unfortunate that "innovation" is making that personal connection fewer and far between.

POSTCARD: Thatched Roof Cottage, Cotswolds

Cotswolds, England, U.K.

One of the best maintained thatched-roof cottages in the Cotswolds area. Very storybook, don't you think? One can almost picture Snow White running out of the cottage followed by seven dwarves! I have a photo of the cottage they used as the exterior for Harry Potter's parents' house in the little village of Lacock which I will publish later, similarly built but without the thatch-roof making it look very different.

We were told by our Mad Max Tours guide that it costs £20-40K for a new roof, fortunately for the owners, a new roof lasts on average 20 years. It is interesting to note that English law stipulates that thatch-roof cottages are supposed to remain with thatch-roofs, given the cost, it's obvious only the wealthy can afford to own these.

It was raining quite heavily today, gray skies and dark clouds throughout (you should see my Stonehenge photos). We were lucky to have a brief respite from the inclement weather when we stopped here for a photo opp. Sorry, no blue skies and fluffy white clouds for Snow White today.

POSTCARD: Shepard's Pie

George Inn, Lacock, England, U.K.

Cold, rainy, and windy day traipsing through the Cotswolds made me order the piping hot Shepard's Pie on the menu of the George Inn in the village of Lacock. Shepard's Pie is roasted lamb on a bed of potatoes with various vegetables and a hefty serving of gravy. Not exactly the most visually appealing meal on the menu, but it was a very hearty and filling, and definitely hit the spot given the dreary weather outside. I had it with a tall glass of Bumbleberry juice (sounds very Harry Potter doesn't it?)

George Inn claims to be the longest running licensed pub in the U.K. The building has been around since the 1400s and the pub license since the 1600s. The charmingly quaint village of Lacock is like a live Hollywood backlot, where several scenes from the BBC Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter series, and soon-to-be released Wolfman movie were filmed.

24 Hours in York in Pictures

YORK, England, U.K.

Working on a collage of my 24 hours in York (may have to finish it when I return home).

5-pence for a Plastic Grocery Bag in the U.K.

YORK, England, U.K.

"Paper or plastic?" We hear that all the time purchasing groceries in the USA and answer without much thought. Although personally, I tried to avoid ‘paper or plastic’ by using the same reusable grocery bags made of canvas for close to a decade now, an older one from Wellcome (Hong Kong grocery store) and two from Safeway. Not only do you help the environment by reducing the consumption of plastic and paper bags, Safeway (and other grocery stores) credits you 3 cents for every reusable bag you use. In those rare instances I don't have my reusable bags, I've never had to pay for the plastic or paper ones the supermarkets put my groceries in. Never had to pay one until now...

The first time I bought grocery from the Marks & Spencer (M&S) on Princes Street in Edinburgh, I found it slightly odd (but the oddness quickly passed since I was going only on one hour of sleep that day) that the cashier was offering me a big 'lifetime' M&S plastic bag for a certain amount, I told her nicely that the ‘regular’ plastic one was fine. I absentmindedly put away the receipt without giving it further thought. Here in York, while purchasing sandwiches and drinks for the four-hour train ride to Bath, I was once again asked if I wanted a big 'lifetime' M&S plastic bag, I said with a little hint of irritation, "No thank you, the small one is perfectly fine." Having slept well since that first day arriving in Edinburgh, I noticed that in addition to my groceries, the cashier scanned a bar code from a laminated card she had in front of her. After she handed me the receipt, I immediately examined it and to my surprise, found I was charged 5 pence for the plastic bag!

Leaving M&S slightly stunned, I was beginning to notice that almost everyone in York, those coming out of M&S or walking the commercial streets, were carrying some sort of reusable bag, ranging in size from the ones I had back home to bigger ones the size of large department store bags from Bloomingdale’s or Macy's. I thought it was a smart way to encourage people to be more mindful of reducing the consumption of non-biodegradable plastic, especially when it affects your wallet; and 5-pence adds up over time. I wonder what it would take to implement something similar in the U.S.A., and if your average American consumer will protest at being charged 3 cents for every plastic or paper bag at checkout. It is important to note though that money raised from the sale of the M&S plastic bags go to an environmental charity. In any case, one can argue, if a supermarket credits you 3 cents for a reusable bag, shouldn’t they be able to charge you 3 cents for every plastic or paper bag they put your groceries in?

The next time I travel overseas, I’ll consider packing a reusable grocery bag, or better yet, purchase one there, it will serve as an interesting souvenir and an even more interesting conversation piece at the checkout line back home.

Edinburgh Castle to Palace of the Holyroodhouse via Royal Mile in Pictures

EDINBURGH, Scotland, U.K.

Working on a collage (may have to finish it when I return home).