oN fOoT ...

The Kobe Luminaire

2008-12-18T17:20:00.000-08:00

The Luminaire is one of Kobe's yearly festival. It started in 1995 to commemorate the Great Hanshin earthquake that hit Kobe that same year. Thousands of people died and many buildings destroyed. I also read somewhere that each light represents a life lost during that unfortunate day. This year, it started around 5th of December until the 15th (am not sure). From JR-Osaka station, I took the train to Kobe and went down Motomachi station where I met my friends. Thousands of people went that day and enjoyed the lights of the Luminaire. I even bought a Kansai-Train pass with the Luminaire in the picture :)

A smiley in the sky...

2008-12-02T04:50:00.000-08:00

I was going back to the laboratory yesterday (Dec 1, 2008) around 5:30pm for the Discrete Math group study when I looked up in the sky. The sun sets much earlier during autumn so at 5:30 the sky was dark. I always loved looking at the sky, the stars and the moon during the night, and the clouds and blue skies during the day. But yesterday's moon and stars were quite different. They seemed to be smiling at me happily. Hmmm, well, the other star was smaller, and so it looked like an unbalanced face. But maybe, the "face" was doing a *wink*.

So I sent a message to my friends hoping that one of them will take a picture of it. The one i took from my mobile phone was not very clear.

Top photo: from my mobile phone.

Bottom photos: taken by Igor

I thought I was the only one admiring the moon and the stars last night. But no. Here it is, a gallery of pictures of the same stars and moon I saw last night:

http://www.news.com.au/gallery/0,23607,5036115-5007150-01,00.html

We learned that the stars were Venus and Jupiter, in rare position with the crescent moon. And indeed it seemed like a smiley in the sky.

But today, it was different. It was the opposite. The crescent moon was on the upper part of the stars and it looked like a "frown" and not a smile. Kinda sad... hmmm maybe my feelings were drawn from the sky I saw today. Well, maybe...

Enjoying Autumn

2008-11-23T04:23:00.000-08:00

It's autumn season! Trees are changing colors, and eventually, leaves falling. For me who come from a tropical country, this kind of scene is a wow! I remembered that we have a picture frame in our house with a similar view-- lake and mountain during autumn. The mountain looked colorful with the changing colors of the leaves. And wow, last weekend I was not looking at pictures from a land i-dont-know-where, but I was enjoying the view for real!

Arashiyama, Kyoto was our destination last Saturday. We took the train from Takanohara Stn in Nara to... okey I can't remember hahaha. We changed trains like four or five times. Okey, I won't mention that we got lost in one of those times (sshhhh :p). We took the Keihann line, then Hankyu line to Arashiyama, Kyoto. There were so many people going to the same place. We had lunch beside the river while watching the birds and ducks :). We went to the Monkey Park! And you know what? There were so many monkeys in the Monkey Park hahaha. Oh, by the way, some reminders while in the monkey park:

Don't stare at them in the eyes (I mean, the monkeys).
Don't feed them outside (but you can feed them in the rest room, not restroom,okey?

Don't touch the monkeys.

yeah, the first one, don't even try it. Some monkeys just know you are staring at them. And they won't like it! Just trust us hehehe. Don't feed them outside... just feed them in the rest room. There is a place where you can feed the monkeys. There was a screen so it was safer to feed them. Don't touch the monkeys? I won't even dare!!! They even sound scary.... yiiii

After the Monkey park, we wanted to take the boat in the lake (river?). However, we were told that pictures are not allowed while in the boat. AGAIN??? okey, nevermind. we want to take pictures! so we decided not to. We just went around, crossed the bridge and had some snacks with okonomiyaki. We also went to Hogonin temple a night where lights added beauty to the colorful trees. I think they called it Momiji Park (momiji means autumn colours or maple). It was beautiful. But what a crowd. For me, it was beautiful but I would have enjoyed it if I was free to move around. But the crowd made it impossible to just move around.

The next day, we went to Minoo Park. The first time we went there was summer, so it was all green. Now the leaves are really nice but we were expecting more "reddish" leaves. Not all leaves are fiery red while others have started to fall off. But still, a beautiful sight.

Arashiyama, Kyoto

Hogonin Temple,Arashiyama, Kyoto

Arashiyama, Kyoto going up to Monkey park

Monkey Park

Minoo Park, Minoo, Osaka

Pictures courtesy of Engelene :D

Fujisan Experience

2008-10-15T05:59:00.000-07:00

On foot... August 28, 2008 along with some friends, we started walking (or climbing) up Mt. Fuji. Japan's symbol, Mt Fuji or Fujisan to the Japanese, is Japan's highest mountain standing at 3,776 meters. It's symmetrical cone makes it beautiful and attracts people, local and foreigners alike. We started our journey at around 7pm from the 5th Station of the Fujinomiya Route, some 2400 meters in altitude. Equipped with flashlight, thick clothes, raincoat, we went up and enjoyed the first hour of walking, enjoying the beauty of the city lights below. The sky went darker as we ascended further. The city was no longer visible. It was not raining but it was getting really colder and the dampness caused by fogs made it more uncomfortable. It was cold, and tiring. We were walking, climbing, holding on to rocks and rope. We see nothing beyond what our flashlights could reach.

I for one wanted to give up. I did not think it was possible. After the 8th Station, I just wanted to stay and wait for whatever it was. But staying still was not a good idea. We have to more so bring warmth to our muscles. Physically, i was giving up. It was only my will to survive, to make it that, perhaps, helped me moved on. It was all in the mind.

Hours of walking finally brought us to the top of the mountain. Unfortunately, the rain started to fall down and the wind was blowing madly on top! It was really cold! My hands were shaking, my cheeks frozen-like, and everybody was already exhausted. We just wanted to go back.

And thank God, we came down, safely. But going down equally difficult. The wind was meeting us as we descended, and the rain was pouring still. We could see nothing ahead of us but fog.

The experience was something we cannot forget. It was not an enjoyable one, but I guess, it made us conquer some of our fears and limitations. We were able to overcome the challenge, the hard way. And maybe, that made it more memorable.

Some advices. Mount Fuji is beautiful! Admire it from a distance. If you want to experience sunrise on top of Fujisan, check the weather. :)

The lessons of going on foot...

2008-08-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

The past days, I already had thoughts of running (jogging) or simply walking around the campus during early morning. But that never happened. I always find myself enjoying my bed in the morning and getting up late.

August 20,2008, I decided to get up early. With all the thoughts and feelings the night before, I just decided to walk around, hmmm maybe from GaiDai to Onohara. Oh, maybe to Handai with the usual Onohara path, was a better idea, I thought.

Leaving the dorm, I didn’t bring my keitai with me. I just brought with me some money just in case I won’t make it walking coming back. I started heading to the Madani Jutaku Bus stop when I decided to take a bottle of water from the Jidouhanbaiki. And from there, I took the way down to Madani Jutaku 入り口.

This jogging-running-walking thing made me think of simple decisions. Instead of taking the planned path, I thought of going to Handai using the ‘monorail path’, the usual path the University Bus takes from Minoo campus to Suita campus. And it was great! The wind was suzushi (cool), well it was 6:20 in my watch, the green scenery of the rice field, the aroma from the rice wheat made my walking much better. The walk made me noticed the rice stalks that were just beginning to show and enjoy the smell of the rice field. It made me feel more alive. Yes, with all the things that are happening around, the daily routines, I thought I need one ‘nature trip’ like I usually do in Zamboanga.

So I headed on to Handai. And in an hour, I was already at Handai Byoin Mae station. I took the path going to the campus, but then again, I felt like not going in and decided to take another path. Another, ‘what if’ came to my mind. What if, instead of going inside the campus to Senri gate then to Onohara, why not take the path around the Handai and maybe find the Senri gate in the end? I just took on my What If thoughts then. I started jogging to a new direction, a new path, which I really don’t know where it was leading me to. I just thought that this new path will lead me to some familiar place later.

And indeed, I was walking and jogging for 5-10 minutes on a new path. I had to make decisions again along the way. The CROSSROAD. Should I go straight? Hmmm… definitely not to the left so I decided to turn right. Whooaaa… I felt like I was in the middle of the forest! I really didn’t know where that is but I continued to walk. On both sides of a narrow road were huge trees and bamboo poles. You can hear the cicadas noise (why are they following me?!) and the birds chirping. It was about 2-3 minutes of that scenery when I found ‘civilization’! But this is not where I wanted to go. The path I took did not lead to Senri Gate of handai. Instead the signs said ‘THIS WAY TO YAMADA MONORAIL’ and ‘HANKYU Railway YAMADA STN’.

Whaaattt!!!!????? Walking on farther, the road signs were pointing me to MinamiSenri and other Senries here in Osaka!

But that’s the lesson of going and following your instinct, of following what you feel, of following what your heart says. Sometimes, you get lost. Sometimes the road you thought was right, was never right. We take different paths, thinking that this path will bring us to where we wanted to go but only to find out it’s not. And again, in moments like this, one has to make a decision. Either to go on farther and farther away from your desires, or just stop, feel that moment, and backtrack a bit. Go back to where you started losing your way and find the right way again from there. We just have to accept that we are really lost sometimes. But we also have to accept that we can always find our way again.

Going back for a few minutes of walking, I found the sign that says ‘KITA-SENRI STN’. The sign brought hope. I will find my way. I started walking and as I made every step, I can feel a more familiar place now. Yes, this is KITA SENRI, I thought. The Hankyu line was my guide. Yamada Stn is just a station away from Kita-Senri Stn. I looked at my watched. It’s about 5 minutes before 8am. I have been walking around for almost two hours already and the wind was not suzushii anymore (suzushikunakatta). But I never felt tired, never felt anxious about the new paths I took. I was just sure enough, that as long as you are aware of what is happening and have faith in you, you will find your way back ‘home’.

P.S. I stopped by McDonalds and made ‘omochikairi’ (takeout) for shaka-shaka chicken and Melon pan. I took the bus back to madani Jutaku.

Nature`s Beauty

2008-06-19T00:51:00.000-07:00

After long weeks of preparation for the 3-minute midterm presentation, we decided to take a break by going to Minoh Park. It was worth the time! The scenery is beautiful and the sound of the running water was so refreshing. It seemed like the pressures and stresses we had were gone with the running water...flowing it far away from us. It was a good time of chatting and enjoying the beauty around us that day. The sights were like those of a calendar we had before in our house.

Sakura in Spring

2008-06-15T00:05:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Osaka, Japan during Spring season. The best season, I guess, among all seasons. It was still really cold when I came. This one thing that I really looked forward to seeing in Japan is the SAKURA (Cherry Blossoms). I have seen many pictures of the Sakura in calendars and postcards. And it will be an experience for me to see sakura for real.

Indeed they are beautiful!!! The Japanese people themselves enjoy the wonderful scenery painted with the sakura all over the place. yes, it would seem a common sight during Spring, but one should not miss enjoying its beauty for it wont be there for long. After 10 days or so, the cherry blossoms are blown out by the wind.

Osaka University Minoh Campus

Sweet and Sour Lapu Lapu

2007-12-31T22:54:00.000-08:00

Whew... Haven't practiced my cooking skills since our mother takes care of the cooking most of the time. But this new year, she's not here to cook for us. She spent her New Year with our sister in Cebu.

So, we have to cook! We have to prepare for our "Medya Noche".

I volunteered to prepare LapuLapu Sweet and Sour. I love lapu lapu so I thought it would be nice to have one for New Year's eve.

jjaaaarrraaann!!! the finished product on your left. =)

Bought two medium sized Lapu Lapu, about 3/4 of a kilo. Quite expensive though but, who cares, it's yummy anyway!

I prepared:

minced garlic, ginger (sliced), and onion
Carrots and bell pepper (would have been nicer if there's green and red to add color)
1/2 cup tomato sauce, 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup brown sugar, salt, 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 tbs flour

Of course, you have to fry the fish, so you need oil =)

First, fry the fish. When done, set aside.

Then, I prepared the sauce. I mixed the tomato sauce, water, sugar, salt and vinegar with flour together. Actually, I added some more sugar and salt to bring on the taste I like.

Sautee the garlic, ginger and onion. Add in the carrots and pepper when the onion is light brown. I added in some pineapple tidbits to add to the taste. Cook for 2-3 minutes then add in the vinegar mixture. Cook to boil.

Pour into the fish and sprinkle some onions and pineapple tidbits to add some presentation.

And that's it! Didn't expect that they'd like it... but they did!!!

Zamboanga City Hall @ Christmas Time

2007-12-23T23:37:00.001-08:00

City Hall, a closer look

Every year, the local government of Zamboanga decorates one of the central landmark of the City, the City Hall. And every year, this place becomes an attraction to local folks and visitors of the city. This is a great initiative of the local government. Aside from inviting people to come to Zamboanga, the lights also brings the spirit of Christmas to everyone. People, young and old, rich and poor, gather around the area and watch the beauty of the lights.

Zamboanga City Hall

Downtown main street

Giant Christmas Tree at Plaza Pershing

Dumaguete CIty...

2007-10-24T18:20:00.000-07:00

Dumaguete City is one of the cities of Negros Oriental. It's a home to several universities and colleges that's why it's referred to as the "University Town". It's also a home to several tourist destinations like Apo Island, which is found to have a diverse marine ecosystem. Many tourists come to have a dive at the Apo Island to witness for themselves the beautiful marine life of Apo Island.

Aside from Apo Island, one best place for diving in Dumaguete is Sumilon island. Tourists also come to dive and see the beauty of underwater life in Sumilon Island.

I'm talking about these places but I've never been there :( sad, isn't it. I missed to visit the places when I visited Dumaguete last month. But I am looking forward to visit Apo Island. Relatives of my sister-in-law lives there. =)

Pictures of Dumaguete Blvd during the day and night. =)

Viva! Nuestra Señora Virgen del Pilar!

2007-10-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

October 12th, the City celebrates the fiesta in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The city officials prepared an array of activities for this fiesta. Some of the annual activities include street dancing and regatta (race of vintas).

The Zamboangeños also light candles at the Fort Pilar Shrine, located at Rio Hondo, Zamboanga City.

Some pictures I took during the activities...
Colorful vintas from the regatta

Lady of the Pilar Shrine

Street Dancing

A centuries old tradition

Enjoying the Seafood of Zamboanga Sibugay

2007-10-04T01:37:00.000-07:00

Sunrise, October 1, 2007, along Sibugay Highway

Zamboanga Sibugay (or simply Sibugay) is one of the provinces of Zamboanga Peninsula. It was formerly part of the Zamboanga del Sur province but in 2001, Republic Act 8937 made this a new province.

I had the chance to visit some of the municipalities of Sibugay just recently. For the first time, I joined the team of our universities Caravan, an annual career guidance activity of ADZU to promote our school and the programs we have. It was a great opportunity to talk to young high school students and help them decide on what to take up in college. With me were Mitch, Mam Joy, Roger, Rommel and Alex as our team leader.

(Picture: Alex Aballe encouraging students of Kabasalan Science and Technology High School)

But the greatest of all is to experience the seafood of Zamboanga Sibugay.

Giant Clam or Taklobo:

It’s known to be an aphrodisiac and really rich in cholesterol. But never mind! When I saw the finished Taklobo kilawin, I just want to eat more! It’s really delicious. It was my first time to eat such kilawin.

We had this kilawing Taklobo in Malangas municipality.

Talaba or Oyster

I've never tried oyster before. This travel allowed me to experience the mouth-watering talaba. The talaba was placed on top of a heat/fire. When its shell opens a little, you force it open with a knife or a spoon handle. yummy! Cholesterol again? never mind... Thank s to the Alex Aballe for ordering talaba for dinner :).

Picture: Talaba(oyster) grilled on the left and the opened talaba on the right. Ready to eat with suka... Buayan, Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay

Crabs and Crabs

Sea crabs and fresh-water crabs. Whatever they are called, crabs are ju st delicious! How was it cooked? I think it was boiled with some water and added with "Sprite" to add taste.

Sea crabs and fresh-water crabs.

Whew! What a dinner! But i think we just deserve it. We really worked hard for our campaign. hehehe

Mitch, Mam Joy and Rommel ready to eat dinner!!!

Sta. Cruz Island...

2007-09-28T00:34:00.000-07:00

It's one of Zamboanga City's pride. The Little and Great Santa Cruz Islands are known for their "pink sand beach" and best for snorkeling and scuba diving.

The islands are accessible by boat from downtown Zamboanga City. It takes around 15-20 minutes depending on the sea current and the speed of the boat.

I set foot on Little Sta. Cruz island only once. I was in 4th year HS then and one of the participants of the National Boy/Girl Scouts Encampment. Didn't enjoy the beauty that much because we were too tired from other activities and we arrived there a little late. Since the Little Sta. Cruz island is taken cared of by the Philippine Navy, we took the Navy Boats from the Ens Majini Pier at the Naval Station of Zamboanga City to the island.

I want to visit Great Sta Cruz island. Never been there. I've heard that's it's really beautiful and I can only admire its beauty through pictures. Here are some pictures of Great Sta. Cruz Island.

Pictures courtesy of Mr.Ryann Elumba, a faculty of the Computer Science Department.

Experiencing Different Sunsets

2007-09-26T06:27:00.000-07:00

Missing the sunset from the Boulevard of Dipolog City

I love sunsets.

There's always mixed emotions with sunsets. There's joy in watching the beauty of God's creation. But sometimes, there's a feeling of loneliness and longing for something. For a long time, I tried to find an explanation why such gloomy feeling exists while watching such great scene. Just a few minutes ago, I found a possible answer. Sunset brings about feelings of sadness and loneliness because we know that it will be gone soon. And as much as you wanted to enjoy the magnificent horizon, you know you cant. You wanted to hold it longer, but you know it will slip away soon. And it makes one sad and long for it to stay.
I remember watching the sunset from the Golf Beach resort in Zamboanga, in less than 3 minutes, the sun was hiding behind the clouds and going down to the other side of the earth. You can't waste a second or you'll miss it.

I have here some pictures of sunsets from different places. But whether it's in Luzon, Visayas or Mindanao, the feeling is the same... the feeling of longing, the feeling of missing something, the feeling of loving the life you have.

These pictures were taken from the viewing deck of the Mall of Asia, Pasay City Philippines

This was taken from our roof. I really went up to take a picture... (Tetuan, Zamboanga City)

Taken while on travel in a bus in Lanao de Norte...

(NOTE: All pictures were taken using my Canon Digital IXY 70 Camera)

The Boulevard...

2007-09-23T06:55:00.000-07:00

R.T. Lim Boulevard, or simply Boulevard to the Zamboangeños. It's one of the places people go in the morning, for their early morning walks (or jogs), or during late afternoon, to witness the sun setting in the west.

I always find the Boulevard a memorable place. When I was younger, and the water was quite cleaner, my father would bring me during early Sundays for short swims. However, it's not safe to do it nowadays. The sea water in the area is insanitary.

The boulevard had become a witness of our trying moments... trying to be "OKEY" :). When days seemed gloomy, my friend and I would find ourselves heading to the boulevard. We just sit and watch the waves moving towards the shore, or just look straight to nothing. The horizon brought solace to our troubled minds. Sometimes, we just watched the darkness and see nothing but lights from a distance.

I miss those moments.

Everytime I come to the Boulevard, things get okey, feelings become lighter. Perhaps the waves wash away confusions and its sound brings about music of peace to the troubled. And the sunset cheers us up with the colors it paints in the sky.

Taken last September 20, 2007 (Thursday) with Dimple...

Durian, anyone?

2007-09-20T05:51:00.000-07:00

Very few people know about this fruit. For others, durian is no more than a candy flavor. This fruit is known for its peculiar smell and its really thorny surface.

In the Philippines, durian are found in the southern part of the country like Davao and Sulu. However, the durians in Davao are bigger and its meat is more of yellowish compared to the Sulu-grown durian which are smaller and with whiter meat.

Durian fruits are commonly used as flavors of candies and ice cream. Yummy! But what's yummmieeerrr for me is durian cake at Myrna's Bakeshop, only here in Zamboanga City.

Tarsiers of Bohol

2007-09-19T07:11:00.000-07:00

The Philippine Tarsiers are known to be the smallest known monkey on earth. They are found in the Southerneastern part of the Philippines but they are very popular in Bohol. When you visit Bohol, you should not miss these tiny, nocturnal creatures. They have been considered endangered by our Philippine government.

They eat insects and tiny (of course, tinier than they are!) animals. They love clinging on to trees and branches.

See the picture? that's how small they are. My niece, Denise and his father, Alvin, are looking at one. Dee was quite amused with this animal in front of her. Her stories are endless when she got home from Bohol.

Dagohoy's Land... Bohol

2007-09-05T07:13:00.000-07:00

If there's one place I wanna visit soon, it's Bohol. I have heard about places that are uniquely Bohol's. The presence of tarsiers is one of the famous attractions of Bohol, not to mention the "chocolate hills" which are again a unique attraction of the place. Now, when you visit Bohol, don't ever miss the paradise-like beaches in Panglao. Bohol also have centuries old churches. People still visit these churches not only because of their faith but also because of these churches were witnesses of Bohol's past.

Last summer, my sister had the chance to visit Bohol. So, his husband and daughter tagged along. And of course, our mother, whose origins are traced back in Tubigon, Bohol would be envious if she couldn't come along. So, I was the one left envious. I couldn't go with them because of work. But I wish I can visit the place soon and witness for myself the beauty that only Bohol can offer.

Oh, by the way, Bohol's famous hero is Francisco Dagohoy. He was known for leading a revolt against the Spaniards during his time. It was told that his rebellion started when the priest refused to accept his brother's body for burial. Dagohoy's brother died in a fight.

Baclayon Church, one of the old churches in Bohol

A beach in Panglao. Who won't enjoy the beauty, paired with serenity?

A picture of Chocolate hills