Quote 34 - Faith

Moment 17 - Aeta in Clark Field

I saw this man when we left the Clark field in Subic after watching the hot air balloon fiesta. 

It was already past 9 in the morning when we decided to leave the place because all hot air balloons took off very early in the morning and all we could do was to hop from one shop to another for souvenir items. Since we were planning to visit other places in Pampanga while we can, we decided that it was the right time to leave the place.

On our way to the field where we parked the car, there were so many aetas selling different kinds of bamboo flutes. I don't have any musical talents nor I can play a flute. So, I was not able to buy one from him.

Since he was a bit friendly, I simply asked him if I can take his picture which he gamely approved. I took a couple of shots of him, taking advantage of the clear blue sky as the background. If we were not in a hurry, I could probably had more pics of him as he do his stuff.

Quote 33 - Love

Random Thought 17 - Smile

When you smile, you have to give your all. Because a smile that comes from the heart needs no pretension. A true smile is a delight to the other party.

When we smile, we can deceive ourselves but our face shows it. The expression of our face determines if it is true or a fake one.

Smile because you are happy. Smile because you are delighted. Smile because you feel good. And every time you wear a smile in your face, you are making a happy world around you.

Keep on smiling.

Food Trip 16 - Dinuguan

Dinuguan or blood stew is one of my favorite food. Often times, when I go home to the province, the wife of my sibling would prepare a chicken dinuguan for me. 

No less than a native chicken caged for several weeks can deliver something awesome and delightful to the taste. Of course, the chicken meat cannot merit the whole thing without the flavor coming from either the papaya, jack fruit, or squash. Flourished with the aroma of  tanglad or lemongrass, I find myself perspiring heavily while enjoying this great food.

If chicken is not available, I am the one who go to the market early in the morning and buy a kilo of tender beef together with the warm blood of the cow and prepare the food myself. With the abundance of vegetables in the province, I always make it to a point to have more vegetables that the meat. Most often, I go for a squash,  string beans or sitaw, papaya, or jack fruit alone. At times, a combination of squash and string beans, papaya and malunggay, or jack fruit and patani or kidney beans would do the trick.

Exploring Philippines 16 - Taal, Batangas (Post 1 - Taal Town)

It was May 2009 when I first set foot in Taal, Batangas. My student, Randy de Roxas, lives here and after our summer class he volunteered to be our guide and offered us a place to stay. We left Manila late in the afternoon and the ride to Lemery took us three hours. Lemery is a busy town and it is no surprise because restaurants and fast food chains are open 24/7. We had our dinner at a fast food  chain and we went directly to Randy's place for our night's rest.

We woke up at around five the following morning and we were quite excited because we had so many planned activities that day. It would be a busy day for all of us because we only had this day to explore the places here in Taal and Tagaytay.

The first order of the day would be to visit the Basilica of Taal. The term basilica can indicate either the architectural style of the church or its canonical status (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02325a.htm). And according to records, the Basilica of Taal is the largest in Asia.

The town of Taal is not the original host of this basilica. It was first erected in the town of San Nicolas in 1575 but was transferred to the town of Taal after the eruption of Taal volcano in 1754.

This grand architecture is really a great historical landmark. I say this not because I am a Catholic but as a Filipino who had been given an opportunity to see and feel its grandeur. Though it suffered several natural calamities, it is still standing up to this time. Truly, it is one remarkable landmark that every Filipino and Catholic should be proud of.

After our short but memorable visit of the basilica, we went directly to the Taal public market for our breakfast. The public market is just a stone's throw away from the basilica and the moment daybreak is felt, this part of town is already alive and busy.

Nothing beats the all-time favorite "silog" meal. Actually, all of us ordered the same breakfast meal - the hotsilog. Hotdog, sinangag (fried rice), and itlog (fried egg) locally known as hotsilog is best enjoyed when serve hot. 

more pics of Basilica ng Taal

Poem 16 - Beautiful Girl

I see her from a distance
And I can't help myself but admire
Her beauty is simply amazing
She definitely is a sure fire.

Even from far away
Her beauty is exceptional
I find it hard to define
Eventhough I try to be rational.

I just find myself
In the state of marvel
She totally got into me
Her beauty how can I unravel?

And just like a magnet
She simply draw me near to her
As I move closer and closer
My heartbeat is deafening my ear.

How my heart melts
When she smiles at me
Hers is an awesome one
She'll drive me crazy.

Getting this close to her
Could be anybody's ardent wish
This very precious moment
Will take a lifetime to cherish.

And I will never forget
The sparkles I see in her eyes
They can make me embrace
All her truths and lies.

Her soft and sweet voice
Delivers a magical binding spell
That even if I close my eyes
Her whisper I distinctly know too well.

How can I ever forget
An encounter so real and wonderful
And she makes me believe
That her whole being is indeed beautiful.