30 Days of Summer: sleeping outdoors

Nothing is more idyllic than sleeping on crisp white sheets, of a four-poster bed, in a garden.

Sip tea. Read a book. Take a nap. Do it all on these crisp white sheets.   

This is an image of a styling job I did for last year's April ish of Good Housekeeping Philippines. Shot on location at Pinto Art Gallery in Antipolo. 

30 Days of Summer: Soft drink in an ice bag

Soft drink in an ice bag is ubiquitous in this part of the world.

A cold fizzy drink is one of the best antidotes to the sizzling summer heat and in this developing country of ours, sipping it from an ice bag is the most convenient way to carry it around. And evidently, it’s the cheapest way, too.

Since soft drinks are still usually sold in glass bottles at sari-sari stores, one needs to pay a “deposit” if he’d like to take his drink somewhere else. So instead of paying up and be inconvenienced bringing the bottle back to the store, one might as well empty the bottle into an iced bag and go on his merry way.

But unfortunately, this is costing the country and the planet a whole lot. These bags end up almost everywhere due to the lack of proper disposal and then they turn up also pretty much everywhere when the floods come in.  

Here's my seatmate and his sister enjoying their soft drink while on the jeepney. 

30 Days of Summer: Take a Dip

There is only thing I would like to do today and that is to take a dip in a pool!
What do you want to do?

Happy Sunday!

Peninsula de Punta Fuego has a proper infinity pool which seamlessly blends in with the water. 

30 Days of Summer: Provincial Buses

If you’re exploring a particular province this summer, chances are you will be getting on one of these.

Provincial Buses bring out the road warrior in me. Their lack of creature comforts reminds me that while one is on the road, only the necessities matter.  I used to be wary of its lack of AC and half-assed upholstery but I was reminded that unlike their city-based cousins, these buses are always pretty much on cruising speed or going over the speed limit. They hardly stop, unless to pick up a roadside passenger or two.

Now, the only thing that concerns me is their mileage. 

A telly is apparently a necessity on board. 

A greasy Maruja is one of the more affordable roadside eats. 

A young boy stood up on his seat perhaps too tired of sitting down. 

30 Days of Summer: Bangka

My earliest memory of a bangka was during a summer holiday when I was five. My family and our friends wanted to get to the then unknown stretch of white sand of Puerto Galera and we had to hop on a bangka to get there. The crossing felt like it went on an entire afternoon when it reality, it must have lasted just an hour or so.

That’s the thing about living in an archipelago. More often than not, we have to get on a bangka to reach our most gorgeous beaches. Sometimes, I am thankful for the seeming pause – when the landscape hardly changes for hours on end. But more often than not, the heat and humidity get to me and I give in to sleep and enjoy a real pause to my day.  

The bangka is ubiquitous in our islands.  As a country, it is our mode of transportation of choice. It carries everything – people, food, farm animals, from one island to another which makes day-to-day business possible. Don’t let this flimsy-looking boat fool you. Mostly made out of wood, it is quite sturdy even on rough seas. This is mainly thanks to the katig, the bamboo braces on each side, as they keep the bangka from capsizing.

The last time I travelled via bangka was two years ago when my friends and I backpacked across Bicol. We were heading from Sabang to Caramoan and the only way to get there was to hop on a bangka.  Here are a few snapshots from that leg and they’re telling me that perhaps, I should board a bangka pretty soon.  

Catching up on my summer reading while waiting at Sabang port for our bangka.  

There are places where there's no proper pier so passengers board from the shore. 

Bangkas don't have walls to protect us from the elements. When it rains, a sheet of plastic is unfurled.
Had to wrap my kroma around my head to keep the strands of hair from flying all over the place. 

One of the boatmen sits on the "aisle" of the boat. 

The katig, that piece of bamboo, keeps the bangka from capsizing. 

30 Days of Summer: Notes

There’s something about the heat that either clears the head or addles the brain. I experience both and my way of coping is by jotting all the dialogue in my head. Sometimes, it gets so noisy up there that the back of a receipt is what stands between me and a moment of silence.

But I do carry a notebook most of the time, especially when I am on the road. Unlike most people who get all their ideas straightened out when they sit still in a café, I see things clearer when I am in transit. This makes for interesting scribbles on the page but a bit hard to understand.

I’d often write about ideas for a story or a mental note about the hostel service or the way the person sitting next to me keeps moving about in his seat.When I arrive home and flip through the pages, I’d often laugh about what I wrote and cry out loud – what was I thinking?!

We've gone on several miles, this one. Bought it at Invitation House since I thought it was just so fitting. 

30 Days of Summer: Gay France

France made history yesterday as they passed a new law legalizing same-sex marriage on their shores. For the full story, here’s the report of the BBC.

Needless to say, I am very happy for my lovely gay friends. Here's another country recognizing their right to marry the person they want to spent the rest of their lives with. But I can’t help but also think that for one of the most visited countries on the planet, this is another way to attract some tourist dollars their way. France can now add same-sex couples to the list of people getting married in the most romantic city on earth. Not only can I hear the cameras go, 'click! click!'; there go the 'ka-ching! ka-ching!' of the registers, too.  

I, a single girl, couldn't pass up a visit to the Eiffel Tower. Those couples high on love don't stand a chance against the idea of a wedding in the city of lights. 

30 Days of Summer: ¡Feliz Día del Libro!

¡Feliz Día del Libro!

For one who gets giddy by simply stepping into a library or bookstore, Día del Libro is pretty much a happy day for me. Día Internacional del Libro is celebrated around the world  but traces its roots from the Province of Catalunya where books are exchanged for Roses on the 23rd of April. This is in commemoration of the deaths of two literary greats - William Shakespeare, "The Bard of Avon" and Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, author of “Don Quixote." They both died on this very day in 1616.  Kind of Creepy, huh?

This year, Instituto Cervantes Manila decided to move the celebration to April 20, last Saturday. They also decided to hold the festivities in Bonifacio High Street , the first time it was held beyond the IC premises since it started.

The program officially ran from 1 pm to 8 pm but since I was a voluntario, that wasn't the case for me. Call time was at 8:00 am and though I didn't mind the early start, I was pretty much wary of the heat. The tents were erected on the greens and the the few things we had to protect us from heatstroke were a couple of  fans, a water dispenser, and a team of volunteers from Red Cross. (Hallelujah!)

I  manned the table for the 30 minute Basic Spanish class but since that only ran from 2 to 4 pm, I had the time to sneak out and look around. The country's popular book stores - National Book Store, Power Books, and Fully-Booked set up shop, as well as La Solidaridad - that gem of a book shop owned by National Artist F. Sionil Jose.

There were also cultural performances which added more dimension to the affair. From where I was sitting, the crowd pretty much enjoyed them.

This year, Instituto Cervantes started "Mas Libros, Mas Libres" - a campaign where IC pledges a Spanish book for every like on the campaign's Facebook page. The books will be donated to public school libraries where Spanish is being taught as a foreign language.

I had fun at this year's celebration and very thankful that it was held a lot closer to home but I echo the sentiments of the Spanish Ambassador. Perhaps next year, the festivities should start in the afternoon.

Our fearless leader Nicole keeps it light and fun.

Dozens of roses await for this year's customers.

This trellis along High Street was turned into a "Bosque de Libros".

Ms. Lola Pizzaro Escribano gave free 30 minute Basic Spanish Classes.

There were about 15 participants in each class.

Kids of all ages joined the on-the-spot drawing contest.

In the midst of it all, I got to know Wilson - this cutie of a dog, who kept me company the entire afternoon.

The program started with this flamenco guitarist serenading the crowd.

 Guests read poems for the "Bersong Europinoy" part of the program.

Even with the enervating heat, people still came out and joined in on the celebration.

Highlight of my day was being flanked by the award-winning dancing duo Elias Aguirre and Alvaro Esteban.

Alvaro and Elias performed part of their award-winning routine 'Entomo' in the wet.

My cutie seatmate seemed to be impressed by the performance, too.

On behalf of the Instituto Cervantes,  the Spanish Ambassador handed over books to a couple of local libraries.

Alvaro and Elias presented their routine once more that evening.

30 Days of Summer: Earth Day

Happy Earth Day!

I got an invitation in the mail today from Al Gore and The Climate Change Project and I so want to go. But I don't know if I can. Sadness.

"Thirty-five years ago, I started telling the story of the climate crisis because the scientific experts were growing alarmed and because I believed each person could make a difference. Now, more than ever, I know this is true. Today, I’m inviting you to join me to become a Climate Leader.

Climate Leaders are an incredible group of people. They come from all around the world with one common goal: to solve the climate crisis. The task is not an easy one, but it is worthy of the best in us.

If you want to join the growing number of Climate Leaders, please consider attending one of the two training sessions this summer — one in Istanbul in June or the other in Chicago in July.

At the training, you’ll work with me personally and with some of the best scientists, strategists, communicators, and organizers in the world in order to learn about climate science and develop skills you’ll use for the rest of your life.

You’ll learn what it means to be an effective communicator, work closely with other grassroots leaders in your region and around the world — and emerge ready to tackle humanity’s greatest challenge.

To find out more about this unique opportunity and apply today, click here.

Sincerely,

Al Gore
Chairman, The Climate Reality Project" 

Do you want to go and do something more than segregate your rubbish? Click on this link to become a Climate Leader: http://climaterealityproject.org/leadership-corps/

Don't forget to do your fair share for the planet - it's home.
Happy Earth Day!

30 Days of Summer: Sunday at the CBD

Seems like it's just any day at the CBD but if you look closer at the roads, there's hardly any traffic. This is the way I like Makati, deserted.

The lovely view from our table at the New World's Residences Lounge. 

30 Days of Summer: Hope in a Bottle

In this case, hope – hope to live a few more seconds, equates to water. On a verge of a heat stroke, I am at this year’s celebration of Día Del Libro along Bonfacio High Street. I signed up as a volunteer and now am manning the table for free demo Spanish class.

Need to hydrate in this heat. 

I am normally in the shade at this time of the day – early afternoon, due to a thing called self-preservation. But since I got a job to do, I just have to soldier on and HYDRATE. 

30 Days of Summer: Toll Card

Chances are, if you're going on a road trip, you'll need a toll card. On our latest sojourn to the south, we got this one before entering the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).  The message is a rather gruesome way to look at love but it definitely caught my attention.  Thanks, Pepsi Max.

Pepsi Max tells you to gird up your loins and soldier on!

30 Days of Summer: Sandcastle

We don’t have castles, here, in the Philippines.  Instead, the grand structures that survived timeand to which we turn to for inspiration are the churches built by catholic Spain. But I must confess, I’ve never tried to recreate one while on the beach. My six year-old mind couldn’t figure out the engineering needed to erect one.

But thanks to education or globalization, images of castles reached our shores. Kids of all ages try to build their own version of a castle. And I guess, a more famous one is the one in Boracay.  People, I imagine they are locals, would build their interpretation of a sandcastle on the beach. After which, they’d leave a box where tourists can give them money in appreciation of their hard work. And posing in front of their creation has become an item to be ticked off the list when on the party island.

This was the castle back in December 2007 and as you can see, it doesn’t resemble anything like a castle as we know it. In fact, it looks like a castle out of a fantasy novel or something. But I guess that’s the wonderful thing about building your castle on sand – it can look any way you wish.

Issa and I pose in front of the sandcastle on Boracay's white beach. 

30 Days of Summer: Summer Classes

I never had to attend a summer class - not during elementary, high school, or in university. And well, that doesn’t really say much except perhaps that I always enjoyed a full summer as a student.

Yesterday, I went back to my alma mater for a meeting and got to see how the school feels like when just a fraction of its population is around.  On the surface, there seems to be such little difference. There was still the rushing of students after the bell has rung, albeit a fewer of them now. The cafeteria was still serving its usual fare. The North Carpark was still full. All seems to be business as usual.

Most students walk along EDSA, the college building's main corridor, to get to their classes. 

In regards to the actual class, I don’t know how they cram a semester in just about four-five weeks. I think it’s safe to say that the pace is pretty hectic or that something will be lost in the hurry to end on time.  But one thing is for sure, a student would’ve learned a thing or two before another school year begins. 

30 Days of Summer: Beach-Hopping

I blame the sweltering heat for apparently addling our brains. My friends had this idea to go beach-hopping in a single day and I, who should’ve been the voice of reason, went right along with it. The plan was to head down south to Batangas for some lovely time on the beach and then stay the night at Highlands in Tagaytay.  Unfortunately, the latter plan was shot when someone forgot to bring the keys to the house.

Here's the view from our lunch table. 

So we headed straight to Peninsula de Punta Fuego to book ourselves a casita but alas, they were all occupied. On a weekday, no less. But bent on staying and not return to the city, we booked ourselves a hotel room online and went for lunch near the water.

After which, we checked out the latest addition, Pico de Loro.

Boats and lounge chairs, what else does a person need?

But it was too hot for anyone to go to the water so we stayed in the shade and passed the time.

Then we drove to Terrazas de Punta Fuego where we got ourselves a cabana. The warm sea breeze lulled me to sleep the afternoon away while my friends enjoyed the beach. Unfortunately though, there was much jellyfish in the water and one of us got bitten.

Happy colors flap on the beach. 

Evidently, the hopping part of the plan was a success but enjoying the beach, personally, that wasn’t. So I guess, we just have to do it again. 

30 Days of Summer: Lounge chairs

Lounge chairs by the beach –the stereotypical image of summer. The only thing missing now is the long-legged beauty stretched out on it, wearing only three strategically placed pieces of cloth. Her golden brown skin glistens with sweat and sunblock and her gorgeous eyes hidden behind oversized sunnies. She flips through a magazine as a nice cool tropical drink sweats on the table next to her.

But what I don’t know is that her legs are a bit itchy due to the dry salty sea water or that she’s slightly annoyed with the sand – it gets everywhere. And that to a certain extent attracting attention is flattering, being ogled is just a wee bit creepy.  Oh, no wonder the long-legged beauty isn’t there!

Pico de Loro provides its clients a stretch of lounge chairs at the beach.  

30 Days of Summer: Lunch Out

Now here’s a lovely idea – have Sunday lunch outdoors. 

My friends and I opted to lunch at Il Jardineto while we were at Peninsula de Punta Fuego.  The seaside restaurant offers Italian food which I found okay – my friend Abe complained about not having much meat dishes on the menu. The ambiance though, that was more than okay. We dined under shade, shielded from the horrid noonday sun by the trees, while the waves played its age-old tune at the background.

A colorful table setting makes lunching out even more delightful. 

30 Days of Summer: Sunnies

I am drawn to a good pair of sunnies.

I like all sorts of sunnies - wayfarers, aviators, Jackie Os; the older they are, the more irresistible they tend to be. And one of the perks of living in a country that is perpetually in summer, wearing a pair is almost a must.

I spotted this old pair of sunnies while walking the streets of Yangon. It was among a spread of old eye wear displayed on this man's makeshift table. The lenses were shot as they had so many scratches but the frame was surprisingly still intact. I couldn't resist so I bought them, and another old pair, and was so glad to find out they were being sold for a song.

Before he handed them to me, this old man put these sunnies on and so I obliged him with a shot. 

To this day, the two pairs remain untouched. I guess, it's about time I take the two to the shop so I can start wearing them. 

30 Days of Summer: Summer Reads

When I’m off to the seaside, I would usually pack my bags with books, magazines, and a journal to write on. Like some heroine in a movie, I imagine myself reading by the shore or writing the days away while I stare at the ocean through my window.  But chances are, I’ll leave the beach without lifting my pen or turning a single page of a book.

I guess that’s the lure of the sea. Its unending waves somehow lull me to stillness and my eyes are only too happy to rest on them. The sound drowns away any voice, even the one in my head, as it calms me down. Then there’s the sand, that warm sand, lends a certain degree of comfort that I don’t want to get out of. 

Part of my summer read list is the classic Filipino cookbook "Lutuing Pilipino ni Aling Charing". 

Yesterday, we arrived at Punta Fuego and I brought these three books with me. But as predicted, they only saw the light of day when I took this picture.  There's still much left of the summer though and I hope to get to finish reading them.

30 Days of Summer: Grilling

Funny thing about us is that we love to grill especially in the summer.  It's not enough that we are being baked in this heat, we also need to cook something over hot coals. It doesn't matter if we are seaside or in our backyard. We just do it and and why we do is beyond me.

I must say, grilled anything - even an eggplant, is yum.
But my most favorite is Chicken Inasal.
Now, THAT is YUM.

Here's a little grilled octopus for lunch. 

30 Days of Summer: Garden Weddings

I love attending weddings.

I love it because there's much good will in the air and everything seems to be sooo pretty. Not to mention that the bride seemingly glows, perhaps with relief that so-called concerned relatives wouldn't bug her anymore. Then, there's the groom who has this smug look on his face that says he is the luckiest ba$t@rd alive.  And of course my favorite, the food is - more often than not,  yum. 

And during these summer months,  a good number of couples seem to want to tie the knot. Some of them even do it, outdoors. Why they would want to do that in this sizzling and humid weather is beyond me. I guess, holding a garden wedding during the summer reduces the chance of rain to a minimum. But my word, the unbearable heat can turn a lovely occasion to a sweat and melt session.  

A friend of mine got married in a garden ceremony at Fernbrook Gardens last January. The heat was barely tolerable. I can't imagine how bad it is for guests when they attend one in the summer. The horror! 

30 Days of Summer: Kagitingan (Valour)

Today, we celebrate "Araw ng Kagitingan" or  Day of Valour.

And in my opinion, there is no better way to celebrate this day than a trip to the island of Corregidor.
It is located several kilometers away from the capital, at the entrance of Manila Bay. Due to this strategic location, the island was fitted as a military defense battery and has played a great role in a number of wars particularly World War II.

After many years of intending to go, I was finally able to do several weeks ago. There were many times during the tour when I caught myself crying and how could I not? I don't think my imagination could ever give justice to what occurred on this island.

If there is an island out of our 7,107 that a Filipino should visit in his lifetime - in order to understand who he is, I think the island of Corregidor is it.

The Pacific War Memorial in Corregidor was erected in memory of the Filipinos and  American soldiers who gave their lives to restore Peace and Freedom in the Pacific Ocean area. 

30 Days of Summer: Slurpee

I literally couldn't take the heat anymore so I drove to the nearest 7-Eleven and bought myself a mountain dew flavored Slurpee. It was the most joyous thing I put into my mouth today.

I don't care about brain freeze. Slurpee is one of the best antidotes against this heat. 

30 Days of Summer: a blue lorry

I am blessed with a friend who knows how to make my heart sing.

Rafael treated me today to the Manila International Auto Show which was held at the World Trade Center Manila. There we saw the biggest names in the automobile industry like Ford and Toyota, as well as upstarts like JMC and Dong Feng.

I like cars just like the next guy and so had a grand time. But what mostly amused me though were the men who took photos with the scantily clad girls rather than the cars. In fact, an old fart who was walking away from the sexy girl at the Top Gear booth came up to me and said, 'Maganda ang hinaharap.'

I, too, appreciate the female form just like the next guy. The bodies sporting clothes a size smaller than they should didn't have a single ounce of fat in their body. But to me, their faces were buried under layers of make-up and didn't appeal to me, at all. Sorry.

This blue lorry is my most fave ride in the entire Manila International Auto Show. 

30 Days of Summer: Dogs in the Pool

It's not only the humans suffering from this enervating heat. Our canine friends, too, can't seem to take it anymore. So they jump into the pool like any person with what passes off as a brain.

The little one looks on since he can't swim. 

30 Days of Summer: Halu-Halo

I have always loved halu-halo. This cool sweet treat has always been a favorite of mine.  In fact, mixing one - without spilling any of the crushed ice and flan on the table, is one of the tricky bits my father taught me. He said, I should start mixing from the bottom and then work my way up.

According to the classic Filipino cookbook "Lutuing Pilipino ni Aling Charing", this quintessential Filipino treat is made up of sweetened banana, jackfruit, and kaong. Pinipig and gulaman are added and then topped with shaved ice and a scoop of ice cream. But in the absence of ice crean, milk and sugar are substituted instead.

 Here's a rather sad couple of halu-halo from Chowking. 

30 Days of Summer: Samalamig

On sweltering summer days when I find myself out and about on the streets of Manila, fruit juice stands like these are my oasis.  

There are days when I'd rather dunk my head into these ice-cold juices rather than drink them. 

30 Days of Summer: Ice Cream

If I could, I’ll have ice cream every single day.
But alas, my high blood sugar level or my doctor (paging Dr. Abe Salazar!), wouldn't let me.

Oh ice cream, your cold sweet creaminess melting in my mouth make my eyes roll in pure bliss.
Why, oh why, can’t we be together forever?!

At Mandalay's Nylon Ice Cream shoppe, I treated myself to scoops of Taro and Strawberry ice cream. 

30 Days of Summer: Sandals

Summer is sandals season.

In our country, sandals and its not-so-distant cousin - the flipflops, are the footwear of choice. But still during the summer months, it seems like everyone is excused to wear them just about anywhere.

I love wearing sandals. I can list ten wonderful things about them. But most of all, what I love about sandals season is seeing those colorful toenails sticking out from under the strap.

On a recent trip to Intramuros, I wore these gold sandals and paired them with  my long flow-y orange skirt.