Christmas in Polland

"Deck the halls with boughs of holly..." so the song goes. But here in Polland (or Polomolok Land to those who are from here), Christmas is evident in the lights and display of the various cooperative offices lining Cannery Road. Its so nice to see that they have adorned their offices with the Christmas belen, twinkly lights and all the paraphernalia of the season.

My favorite display so far is the one by Unified Engineering Coop wherein they made a Christmas Village complete with a pineapple merry-go-round and ferris wheel. Its the first time in Polomolok that traffic starts as early as 6pm and onwards on this part of Cannery road as residents and their guests flock to the display to have their picture taken not only in the Christmas village of sorts but to pose next to a human sized Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman with his friends. I was so happy to note that the kids most especially (and the kids at heart like me) appreciate the display so much that their eyes pop out to take in every detail. And you wish its Christmas the whole year round. :) Its just too bad Mr. OSG always forgets to bring his camera so we didn't get to take our own pictures. Pictures below are courtesy of Ms. Yvon Buenavista.

The Christmas Village at Polomolok c/o Ms. Yvon Buenavista

Blogfest 2010....A Synopsis

There are award winning bloggers and emo bloggers. Those that blog about reality and those that blog prose and poetry... and then there is the SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers.

Mindanao's Funnest - Sox Bloggers

with the men of the hour..Orman and Avel Manansala

The Sox Bloggers are the team behind the recently successful BlogFest SOCCSKSARGEN 2010. Conceived by the minds of GenSan's own celebrity bloggers Mr. Bariles, Avel Manansala and his royal Gandaness Orman Manasala. Under their constant leadership and guidance, the team of bloggers organized the biggest blogging event in Southern Mindanao ever! All in the span of three weeks tops! --something else huh? :) 

 With the charisma of the brothers, they were able to put together a  gathering of the best speakers in the entire local blogosphere. The likes of  Ria Jose, Jong Gonzales, Michelle Solon, Ryann Elumba, Danilo Arao, Jay Jaboneta, Dale Palileo, Aileen Apolo-de Jesus, Bob Soriano, Jun Acharon, Janette Toral and Brendel Balaga all authorities in their fields, some even flying in from Manila to share their time and talent to the 100plus registered attendees. Read more about them at GenSan News Online Mag.

funny moment with one of the speakers, Ms. Michelle Solon

 

exercise break

Many thanks to the following sponsors who made this event a resounding success! The Gold Sponsors for backing the Sox Bloggers in this endeavor: 

• East Asia Royale Hotel, 
• Sagittarius Mines, 
• Smart Communications, 
• Dolores Hotels and Resorts,  
• Gaisano Mall of GenSan 

Thanks also to these people who made this event truly memorable not only for the Sox Bloggers but all the bloggers of Southern Mindanao: Mr Omar Gallinero of Montage Digital Photography, Royal Iris Productions, the team from STI College and Robinsons Place Gensan.

From all of us in the SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers, we wish to thank everyone who flew in, rode a bus, a taxi, from all over just to be with us in our first Blogfest ever!Your presence made this event a success. Hope you learned a lot and had fun while you were here.  Hats off to everyone and till we all meet again....

Blogfest 2010 Live Blogging

I'm currently at the SOCCKSARGEN Blogfest at the posh East Asia Royale Hotel. When I say this is a first for me, I am not exaggerating being a newbie in blogging. So far the number of participant turnout is overwhelming that I consider this a success even if we are still halfway through the day.

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A good number of speakers such as the likes of Prof Danilo Arao, a professor from UP Diliman Mass Communications, mentioned the importance of responsble blogging and quoted on spiderman's motto: with great powers comes great responsibility. So far, based from what I learned from the notable speakers (which I will mention one by one in another entry....back to the days of Jose Rizal's days which were limited to newspaper and book publishing, the new media need to be reminded of the power of the pen and in our case, of the blog. We can not only uplift a certain community or a person with what we write but we can also destroy with harsh words and unreliable data. Whew! suddenly blogging for me seems to be a whole new ball game. :) more to come....

The True Meaning of Christmas

Christmas is a time for giving. Its the favorite time of the year for kids who believe in Santa and all the gifts he gives on Christmas morning for the good boys and girls. Assuming that all kids are good, "why does Santa skip our house come Christmas day?" -- a question I was asked by a little girl many years ago in one of the community projects I volunteered for back when I was still working. Quite honestly, I didn't know how to answer her since Santa Claus does not seem to exist for the less fortunate kids.

Fast forward many years, hubby and I were involved in various community projects in our local Polomolok. One particular project we were fond of is the "Shoebox of Love This Christmas Project" wherein members of the Rotary Club of Polomolok choose a poor community every year as beneficiary of the collected gifts and sometimes along with a feeding project for the kids and medical/dental projects for the entire community. It is a heart warming feeling to be able to give to these people who are less fortunate than ourselves. It is a fulfilling feeling all the more when we see the smile on the children's faces, and the way their faces lit up as they play with the toys (that were considered old and well-loved by its former owners) that are given to them. One particular kid that poked our heart is this one (picture below) in Klinan, Plomolok where every drop of the arroz cado given to her was very precious. The clothes and the toys she received, well  appreciated.

 

Christmas should rightly be not just about Santa Claus and his reindeers or the Christmas tree and trimmings we decorate nor about the gifts we will receive on Christmas morning. Oftentimes we forget the true meaning of Christmas. Of how a man gave up His life for our sakes. In making ourselves useful and sharing our things and blessings with our less fortunate brothers and sisters.

Truly, it there is no kind of satisfaction that can compare when we share our blessings. If you want to make a difference, The Rotary Club of Polomolok accepts donations of clothes, old toys, school supplies, canned goods or noodles for its annual project. You can get in touch with President Xavier Bayan 09228663693, CP Omar Gallinero 09228487921 or drop off at any Gala Enterprises or Gala Builders Supply outlets in Polomolok.

Our vote goes to LIFE WITH RIA

We vote for LIFE WITH RIA, 

a true Mindanaoan,

an inspiration to fellow bloggers here in the south.

Visit her site at:  http://www.riajose.com/

BlogFest SOCCSKSARGEN 2010

This coming December 11th, will be the most awaited event of the year for bloggers of Southern Mindanao, me included! It will be this year's blogfest! Being a newbie in the blogging world, this is one event that I am really looking forward to. From my short acquaintance with the SOCCSKSARGEN bloggers, they have been a group of nice and very educated people who share a passion for blogging and uplifting the image of Mindanao to the rest of the world. It makes me really happy to be identified with them. From the time Mr. Avel Manansala welcomed me to the group, I never once felt out of place or insignificant in every meeting I had with the group. So this event is truly one experience that I am really really excited about.

A lot of notable speakers had been invited from all over who can be expected to give meaningful talks and insights not only about the entire blogosphere but I'm sure the attendees will get a lot from it. Bloggers will surely go home armed with the latest know how and techniques in blogging as well as have a lively time interacting with fellow bloggers. So what are you waiting for? Come join us and register this coming December 11th at the East Asia Royale Hotel . Blog about this beautiful island and interact with Mindanao's funnest - the SOCCSKSARGEN Bloggers!

4ML Beach Resort...Changing of Seasons..

In Maasim, Sarangani province, less than a kilometer from Gen. Santos city is a cute little beach resort which has the potential of becoming one of the best tourist spots in the Sarangani area...this is 4ML Beach Resort. It has its own private stretch of beach with a few cottages that are for rent at a minimal fee for those who want to spend the day in the beach. It has a lot of picturesque nooks and crannies that make it a favorite subject for photographers to shoot and test their skills artistically. In this case, Mr. OSG tried his hand in infrared photography which made 4ML look like in the middle of autumn or winter. This cottage might have been the most photographed slightly dilapidated cottage in this area. :) It provides a rustic effect to every photograph.

Below is another infrared picture of the foliage in the area with emphasis on the little boy playing in the tree's branches. If you want a quiet stretch of beach to spend your sunday with the family minus the crowd, then this is the beach to go. Its facilities might need a little improvement but you won't mind it much once you start frolicking in the water. Just make sure you bring all the necessary things you need to spend a day here like provisions for food and drinking water since they don't sell these in the area. After a day here, you can change and shower in your hotel in GenSan since it is only a  few minutes away.

Naga Churches - Bicolandia

The City of Naga is a first class city of the Philippines. Located in the Bicol region, it is one of the most progressive city in the Philippines and the most progressive city in the Bicol region, a peninsula on the south-easternmost tip of the island of Luzon, it is 377 kilometres south-east of Manila, the nation's capital, and about 380 kilometres north-east of Cebu City. It boasts of architecturally magnificent churches that mostly date back since the Spanish Era. 

These are photos of Mr. OSG in one of his recent explorations of Bicolandia.

Naga Metropolitan Cathedral officially known as the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist.

INSIDE.... Naga Metropolitan Cathedral

Holy Rosary Minor Seminary

Naga Metropolitan Cathedral

The Peñafrancia Basilica Minore

Our Lady of Penafrancia Basilica

The Magic of Caleruega

Caleruega strikes me as a place where beginnings are born. I say this due to the numerous weddings of friends and family that have been solemnized at this place. So the first time I was at Caleruega, I was mesmerized not only by the simple architecture of the Transfiguration chapel which I was told was a replica of the original chapel of the Dominican order in Caleruega, Spain.

It is a place of solace for the weary soul who want a quiet place to reflect and pray. The Dominicans opened Caleruega for activities like retreats, recollections, prayer, and renewal workshop. As well as study, research, youth camps, marriage and family encounter celebrations, skills training, leadership seminars, art, music, and liturgy workshops, and environment and agriculture-related activities. It has facilities to house a number of participants like the Veritas Hall among others. It makes one feel attuned with nature, a perfect place to commune with our Creator.

The Transfiguration Chapel

inside the chapel

It is no wonder that many chose to seal their love through weddings here. The towering trees and foliage adds drama to any wedding. It is simply stated, a romantic place to have weddings. How I wish I had my wedding here  many years ago. Probably, when hubby and I celebrate our 50 years together with God's grace we might decide to hold it there -- permitting of course that I can still walk all the many steps up the chapel. :)

the many steps up the chapel.. i think i counted 99 steps :)

Caleruega is located at Bgy. Kaylaway, Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas. If you have a private vehicle, you can get there:

Via South Superhighway:
• Take Sta. Rosa exit.
• Proceed towards Tagaytay Market.
• Turn right to Tagaytay Rotonda.

Via Coastal Road:
From Roxas Blvd. proceed to Aguinaldo
Highway all the way up to Tagaytay.

a few visitors in front of the main entrance at Caleruega with a Dominican priest

Photos of the Week: "Summer in December"

A portraiture showcase of Mr. Omar S. Gallinero featuring the lovely Ms. Stephanie Palacios. Visit Omar's blog here.
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Model: Stephanie Palacios  MUA: Bobong Otanes
Shot last Dec 2009 at San Jose General Santos City.

Canon 400D, EF 70-200mm f4L IS USM, Shutter Speed 1/125sec, Focal Length 70mm, f4.0, ISO 200

Canon 400D, EF 70-20mm f4L IS USM, Shutter Speed 1/200sec, Focal Length 150mm, f8.0, ISO 400

Canon 400D, EF 70-200mm f4L IS USM, Shutter Speed 1/200sec, Focal Length 200mm, f8.0, ISO 400

Canon 400D, EF 70-200mm f4L IS USM, Shutter Speed 1/160sec, Focal Length 200mm, f8.0, ISO 400

Canon 400D, EF 70-200mm f4L IS USM, Shutter Speed 1/200sec, Focal Length 200mm, f8.0, ISO 400

Coco Dock at GenSan's Queen Tuna Park

Some time ago, Mr. OSG photographed Queen Tuna Park previously and more commonly known as Lion's beach, close to GenSan's market area. Coco Dock is among them. During weekends, you still find a number of people in the beach frolicking in the water and enjoying their time with their families. Below are some of his shots...

Some fisherfolk still haul their catch at the Coco Dock of Queen Tuna Park

Before the GenSan Fishport was built, the mighty tuna was hauled in these docks...

The kids of Coco Dock...

Sunset at Lion's Beach

The Hong Kong Aura

Taken at the Victoria Harbor

Hong Kong strikes me as a bustling metropolis with an attitude. It is a mix of the fast paced life of the West anchored in deep rooted traditions and beliefs that is a signature of the East.

Upon strolling through the Golden Mile/Nathan Road, my eyes popped with the myriad of luxury brands that are in every street corner. Now I understand the frenzy that most women have when they hear "Hongkong". It is truly a shopper's paradise. This city has it all.. from glitzy malls to trendy street markets. Almost all the ladies I see carry branded bags..(swoon!)But hubby was quick to point out that most are not the real thing. I wonder how he knew about that. (Probably getting nervous that I might suddenly ask him for an advance Christmas present.. hehe)

The shopping district in Nathan Road

I have to mention the gastronomous choices for food there. Name it, they have it. From the westernized Pizza Hut and Mcdonalds to the local Chinese restaurants. There was this nice Chinese restaurant we braved to eat in where we noticed has a number of local clientele. So we decided to go ahead and try eating there even if we were practically clueless how we would order our food (we don't understand Chinese characters :). But lo and behold, once they heard us speaking english, they have a customized menu hidden in the cashier's counter --in English!! Talk about being in a city that's really friendly to tourists. It was in this restaurant that we had the most wonderful experience. The yummiest dinner we had the entire trip!

They serve the best food we tasted here at Ah Say Fastfood

After that appetizing dinner, we strolled around the city before we headed off to the Avenue of Stars for photo ops with Jet Li and Jackie Chan's star. The Symphony of Lights was a nice treat and I was in awe at how they orchestrated such a show featuring more than 40 Hong Kong's skyscrapers in a stunning multimedia extravaganza. Hong Kong for me exudes an aura of constant change and development. It is where the West invariably met the East. A fusion that blends and makes this city truly unique.

A tourist boat which reminds me of an ancient Viking ship

Macau...City of Lights

Macau is aptly tagged as the Las Vegas of the East. From what I've seen, it really does seem that way. From our evening strolls around Taipa, here is what Mr. OSG had captured.. enjoy the pictures and see the city direct from my hubby's camera frame.

The Venetian Macao is a hotel and casino resort in Macau owned by the Las Vegas Sands corporation. The Venetian is a 40-story, $2.4 billion anchor for the 7 hotels on the Cotai Strip in Macau. The 10,500,000-square-foot (980,000 m2) Venetian Macao is modeled on its sister casino resort – The Venetian in Las Vegas – and is the largest single structure hotel building in Asia and the fifth-largest building in the world by area.

Outside The Venetian Hotel

The intricate and elaborate design details of  The Venetian Hotel Lobby

City of Dreams, widely known as CoD or CoD Macau in the industry, is in the style of a podium, with four towers: namely the Hard rock Hotel, Crown Towers Hotel, and the Grand Hyatt  Macau (2 towers). A 47-story luxury apartment block is planned for a later phase of development. Its three-floor podium includes a mega-casino, over 200 shopping facilities and hotel guest facilities. City of Dreams has 420,000 square feet (39,000 m2) of gaming space with 550 gaming tables  and 1500 machines, over 20 restaurants and bars, including one of the largest in the city. The property also includes 175,000 square feet (16,300 m2) of high-end retail space (The Boulevard) spread across two levels.

The water fountains outside the Hard Rock Hotel

The Historic Centre of Macau - A Walking Tour

On our first day, we explored the Macau city proper on foot. If it's your first time there, let me guide you on a walking tour and explore the city on your own. You don't need to spend a dime on those packaged tours which you have to endure with a few other tourists. Its better to discover the city on your own, trust me. First, a brief description of what to expect...

The Historic Centre of Macau is a living representation of the city's historic settlement, encompassing architectural legacies interwoven in the midst of the original urban fabric that includes streetscapes and piazzas. These major urban squares and streetscapes provide the linkage for a succession of over twenty monuments and places of worship. These altogether make up "The Historic Centre of Macau".

Don't worry there are signposts all around Macau which will point you to the right direction. Wear comfortable walking shoes and keep a map nearby in case you make a wrong turn and find yourself lost in an alleyway. This walking tour takes about 3-4 hours on foot if you don't go taking photo-ops at every inconceivable corner. :)

1) A-Ma Temple - we started our walking tour by requesting the taxi to drop us at this temple, located on the south-western tip of the Macau Peninsula overlooking Barra Square and the seashore. If you have personal wishes and favors you want to ask the deities, this is the temple to go to. The variety of pavilions dedicated to the worship of different deities in a single complex make the A-Ma Temple an exemplary representation of Chinese culture inspired by Confusianism, Taoism, Buddhism and multile folk beliefs.

2) Moorish Barracks - is just around the corner of the A-Ma temple situated on Barra street. The Moorish Barracks was constructed to accommodate an Indian regiment appointed to reinforce Macau's police force back in the early 1874. We didn't go inside since it was closed at the early hour of 8AM. :)

3) Lilau Square - further up the road, the narrow street from the Moorish Barracks suddenly opens to the first Portugese residential quarters in Macau. There are even some houses there that still have inhabitants living and probably maintaining the houses there.

4) St. Lawrence's Church - as we went further up the road, Barra street connects into Padre Antonio St. and Lourenco St. where the St. Lawrence's Church stands. It was a beautiful, church built by the Jesuits in the mid 16th century and one of the three oldest churches in Macao. I love the neo-classical structure and Baroque decorative inspirations of the church, and I found out that the neighborhood where the church is located used to be fairly wealthy thus explaining the scale and wealth of the architectural treatment. Its just too bad that it is not permitted to bring cameras inside the church.. the inside is just as grand as it is on the outside.


5) St. Augustine's Square - walk alongside the granite wall on Prata St and the adjoining Seminario St. and you will arrive at the junction of Gamboa Lane. Climb up the hill from there and the path will lead you to St. Augustine's Square enclosed by a cluster of monuments. I just had to take a seat at one of the benches there and enjoy the surrounding views. I let hubby snap away with his camera while I take a much needed water break. Public toilets or comfort rooms can be found within the area ( I sense that you are going ask that on my comments section later on :).


6) Dom Pedro V Theatre - this is one of the monuments around the St. Augustine's Square. It is the first western-style theatre in China with a seating capacity of 300.


7) St. Augustine's Church - another magnificent monument in the St. Augustine's Square, this church was established by Spanish Augustinians in 1591. We were so thankful for our trusted tripod at this time that we just had to have a photo ops in it's facade.

8)Senado Square - moving down Tronco Velho Lane to Almeida Ribeiro Avenue, the narrow streetscape opens into the main city square. It has been Macau's urban centre for centuries and is still the most popular venue for public events and celebrations today. The place is crowded with tourists so be quick to pose and take that picture, no need to be shy since most people there want to do the same thing you are doing. :)

9) Leal Senado Building - situated at one end of the Senado Square, which has a commanding view overlooking the entire square.

10) St. Dominic's Church - at the junction of Senado Square and St. Dominic's Square is the Lou Kau Mansion (which we didn't explore and took photos of) and the St. Dominic's Church. At the back of this church is a bell tower which has been modified into a small Museum of Sacred Art with a collection of 300 artifacts. If you like museums then its one of the nearest in the area.

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11) Ruins of St. Paul - from St. Dominic's Square, ascend from the base of Mount Hill from this urban piazza along Palha Street and the bluestone cobbled road will lead you to the grand facade of the Ruins of St. Paul. One of the most known landmarks in Macau.

12) The Mount Fortress - just walk to the side of the Ruins of St. Paul and you will arrive at this fortress that covers an area of 10,000 square meters in the shape of a trapezoid with canons dating back to the 1800s.

This is the last stop of our walking tour since we were already famished and lunch was just a few minutes away back to the Senado Square. :)

But if you still wish to continue the tour of the rest of the Historic Centre of Macau... from the Mount Fortress is the miniature Na Tcha Temple and Section of the Old City Walls. Further down the hill, the linear route ends at St. Anthony's Church, The Casa Garden and the Protestant Cemetery. You can choose to hire a taxi or ride the bus to go to the Guia Fortress, Chapel and Lighthouse which stands on the highest hill of Macau which are all visible along the skyline of the peninsula.

Hope that helps you on your next visit to Macau. :)

Notable sources of info: "Macau Guide Book"  published by the Macau Tourist Office