Random Thought 104 - Silence

Silence is not the absence of sound.  It is the presence of what sound cannot express.

Sometimes, even with the presence of a loved one, being silent cannot be avoided.  It does not necessary follow that one runs out of words.  But being silent opens an opportunity to better hear one's partner.

In my own perspective, though I can freely express my opinions and feelings, I don't speak much.  At times, I find it hard to sustain a conversation.  And if I am with somebody who does not talk much either, a deafening silence can be expected from time to time.

For me, engaging in a conversation all throughout the day almost every day is tiring.  There are some people who love to talk and talk and they are good at it.  And I must say that I am out of their league.  

One time, someone somehow got irritated at me because I was contented with just holding her hand while being seated beside her and watching the waves kissed the shore.  She wanted to talk about so many things  and I just gave her a piece of my mind from time to time.  She thought I was not interested.  But for me, it was one such romantic moment.  

The moment we were seated together and with her hand in mine, it was not that I was lost in words, but I was trying to hear her heart and soul. For me, even without engaging in conversation, there were so many words I was hearing and they were all beautiful and promising.  My silence does not follow that I was not interested nor detaching from her.  My silence was hearing her more.

Food Trip 103 - BonChon Chicken

There's a new food in town, it's BonChon Chicken.  BonChon Chicken is a fried chicken franchise restaurant from South Korea.  And since it is new and from another country, it is a good opportunity to give it a try and experience the taste of chicken South Korean style.  Just between you and me, someone actually gave me this food.

The coating of the chicken is glazed and appears to be enticing.  As for any fried chicken, it is best enjoyed while it is still hot.  As for the case of this one, its skin is crunchy and a bit sweet while the meat remains to be tender and juicy.   The moment I opened the box, I was looking for a cup of gravy.  After finishing the food, I understand why gravy is no longer necessary.

Hmmm.  I'll give it a try again, real soon.

Exploring Philippines 103 - Baguio City (Post 1)

The last time I visited Baguio was in March 2009. It was the time when my friends and I had a common free time for a getaway.

We took the last trip of Victory bus at around 11pm and reached the city of Baguio by 5am.  Even though it was already summer, the temperature that early morning was cold and was evident because of the smoke that appears every time we speak.  We then hired a cab towards the place where we will be staying for a couple of days, the lower Pinget.

It was still dark when we arrived to the place where we will be staying.  A relative of Jay who had a place in the area would be accommodating us for the duration of our stay here in Baguio.  The moment we reached the place, we stayed on the empty intersection of the street and admired the lighted mountains of Baguio. 

By daybreak, we accompanied the cousin of Jay to the public market.  I had a couple of orientation of the Baguio public market before and this time around was another opportunity to refresh my memory.  The Baguio public market is noted for its fresh produce at a cheaper price.  Of course ukay-ukay tops the list of those people who look forward to a good bargain in Baguio.  As we roam around the market, I was surprised to see stalls selling goat meat.  I don’t have any idea until now that there is a strong demand of goat meat in this part of the country.  Honestly speaking, I have not yet tried eating a goat meat though I had several opportunities from the past to try it.  Maybe, what made me avoid it were the remarks of some people who had tried it and dislike it afterwards.  But I am still looking forward to give it a try one of these days.

Our menu that day was pork sinigang.  We had to eat our food right away and a bit faster than usual because the food easily gets cold.  Lower Pinget is located in the outskirt of Baguio city and the temperature here even in midday is cold.  I never expected that even by late March, it will still be that cold.

After our brunch, we began our city tour.  Our first destination was the botanical garden.  We skipped taking pictures at the entrance of the park because some locals in their native costumes were quite importunate and would demand some amount afterwards.

Poem 103 - Sanctuary

Broken glasses
Scattered in the pavement
Where grasses grow
In wild encroachment.

The deserted path
Abandoned and forgotten
The bricks are struggling
Trying to be seen again.

The etched footsteps
Bear no more traces
The once lively path
Becomes a wilderness.

Silence is deafening
Except for breeze's whispers
The echoes of laughter
Become yesterdays treasures.

Time stands still
In this lovely place
Once treasured and loved
Now struggling for solace.

Where could they be
The visitors who cherished
This sanctuary seems lost
From their memories, perished.

Perhaps another discovery
Would rejuvenate once more
This wonderful paradise
A perfect memories galore.

 

Quote 206 - Smile

Moment 103 - Baywalk Angler

If you have been to Baywalk in Manila, most likely, you have seen several anglers there.

At first, I thought that the anglers that lined-up along the stretch of Baywalk are simply enjoying an afternoon with their hobby.  The hook, line, and sinker form of fishing really takes time to catch a fish.  Just like taking pictures, one should be patient enough before a catch can be made.  

I had a chance to talk to one of the anglers and I found out that right after the lunch time, he comes over to Baywalk to fish.  He spends his entire afternoon fishing and goes home right after the sunset.  As I watched intently over his catch, he was quite happy whenever he caught a fish.  With the number of hours he spends almost everyday, I thought it was worth it because of the size of the fishes he catch.  I was surprised to find out that the biggest one he caught was about the size of my three fingers put together and yet he was happy about it.  He said that if he can catch more, sizes do not matter because of the quantity.  And with a free catch, his family can survive another day without spending a peso on their viand.

Quote 205 - Beautiful