Skywatch#58 Happy New Year, Everyone!

May there be more blessings for all of us in the coming 2011. Happy New Year, everyone!

Photos were taken from the People's Park, Davao City.

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My World#97 Lamdag Dabaw, the 1st Davao Lights Festival

The 1st Lights Festival (Lamdag Dabaw) was held  last December 19, 2010, a Sunday. The day started all rainy and for a while I thought it wouldn't stop. A feeling of worry probably not only felt by me but also by the participants and organizers of the event. Mercifully, the rain slowed to a drizzle in the afternoon and then, stopped minutes before the event started at exactly 6:30 in the evening.


Compared to the more popular Kadayawan festival, a few people waited along the streets inspite of public announcements made by the organizers. I actually liked it because I was able to take photos without too much elbowing from others..hehehe!


This iconic lighted Coke trailer buses always delight me whenever I see them, I don't know why.


What is Filipino Christmas without the parols (native Christmas lanterns)...

The Crocodie Park came in with fire dancers and their snakes.


Because of the rains, some floats were not able to fully maximize the lights they had and worse, some lights actually went pfft...Nonetheless, the event was really a delight and I am looking forward for the next year's event.

More photos coming...

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My World#96 Santa Claus Galore!

The house was already full of Christmas decorations even if it was still November when we did the photoshoot. Not that we mind because even if the weather dampened our photoshoot session, the Santa Claus decorations cheered us up. They were really everywhere!

We were not allowed inside the house so each time I ran out of ideas in shooting the models, I turn to the house and did some paparazzi shots inside thru the glass windows.

The models' faces were reflected on the glass windows when I took this photo.



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Skywatch#57 Moon Over Us

We were too busy taking photographs that time slipped by unnoticed. When I looked up, the skies were already dark and the moon was flitting in and out of the skies.



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My World#95 Halloween Has Gone, Here Is Christmas!

Halloween has gone, but this owl stays out in the garden. This stone owl was standing on a flower pot in a corner garden while I was with a group of photographers. We were waiting for the models to finish their make-ups and this cute little owl peeping out among the plants was really cute.



In the meantime, houses even trees are getting decorated with Christmas decorations and Christmas lights.  The photo below was taken as the sun was setting. I just love the dark blue tinge of the skies in the background.



Meanwhile, I've already started decorating our house too this weekend. They may be pretty to see but tiring to put up so I'm taking it slow.

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Skywatch#56 In Honor Of The Filipino Woman

This statue of the Filipino Woman is found at the Tail End of Corregidor Island. It is just beside Filipino Heroes Memorial. The statue also faces the memorial parks of Philippine presidents Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmeña.

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Skywatch#55 Spanish Lighthouse

This is the Spanish Lighthouse of Corregidor Island, Luzon. Thankfully, we were able to climb it to its top. The view was marvellous but my knees were almost wobbly due to the rickety stairs.

Wikipedia:
The lighthouse is one of the oldest landmarks in Corregidor. A lighthouse with a beam range of 33 miles (53 km). It was first built by the Spaniards in 1836 and was replaced with a better one in 1853. The second lighthouse was further improved in 1892 and was reduced to ruins during the siege of Corregidor. This rehabilitated lighthouse stands on the same spot where the second lighthouse stood before.

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My World#94 It's A Legoland!

We stopped by Mall of Asia before taking our flight home. The purpose was to buy some take home goods but we also did some sightseeing on the side. The mall was already full of Christmas decorations but what really caught my eyes was their Christmas-themed Lego communities encased in glass boxes.

The Legoland was a favorite among the crowd: old and young alike...








I saw this boy in light blue T-shirt staring unblinkingly at the Lego toys. Not surprisingly I suppose, it was just so amazing to imagine those Lego bricks made into everything possible.



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Skywatch#54 Manila By The Sea

The day started out with overcast skies. I prayed and kept my fingers crossed that there won't be any rain while we do the Corregidor island tour. Luckily, overcast skies cleared out and we enjoyed the island tour immensely. On our way back to Manila on a ferry boat, the view was pretty out there so decided to take a few shots of the Manila skyline. Here is one...

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My World#93 Gone Fishing At Eden

During their visit a few months ago, my US relatives wanted to go fishing. It was a good thing that when we went to visit Eden Nature Park, their fishing village was open. So, we rented a fishing rod and got some baits for my aunts. I actually thought we'd be there for hours before we can catch some fish but in just a few minutes,  my aunts got some good-sized tilapias one after the other.










There are several huts scattered around Eden Nature Park's Fishing Village. People who caught some fish would have their catch cleaned and cooked for a good meal.




While waiting for our meals, some peacocks wait for their turn on the left-overs. This white peacock was perched above the roof eyeing our tilapia and rice meals.



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Skywatch#53 Skies Over All Soul's Day

It rained the night before so I thought that we would have a cooler day the next day. Wrong! The sun came out strong, the air was humid. We stayed until early in the afternoon and all that time, I could feel the sweat trickling down my spine. Thankfully, the lovely blue skies over All Soul's Day were made for good photos.

For the Chinese, the symbol of fish means eternity and happiness. I saw this fish on top of the Chinese temple inside the cemetery.

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My World#92 All Soul's Day, Filipino-Chinese Style

As far as I can remember, trick or treating became popular here just only a few years ago. I grew up with visits to the graves of our deads during All Saint's and All Soul's Day. Usually, the visits start as early as on the 30th of October.

There are different set-ups in our city's Chinese cemetery. More prominent families have their own mausoleums that could include amenities such as their own bathroom, kitchen and bedrooms.  A lot of these mausoleums are quite luxurious that gawking at them is a common pastime for us.

Some families prefer the apartment type which could accommodate two to four coffins.

While others just have the common set-up of having the graves lined up side by side...

As tradition goes, flowers and candles are the normal offerings but food never came last too.

Candles preferably red and even better, big with dragon designs are lighted at the grave, incense candles burn without let-up. Chinese paper money are burned constantly on a bin (meaning: to provide finances to the dead spirit).



Food is offered abundantly and as offerings, it is considered a taboo to eat them. Of course, food for the visitors are always there.

Usually, this season is also the time for family get-togethers. Thus, family members and visitors stay for hours, talk and update on each other's lives.


The Chinese has a lot of influence in the way we celebrate our All Soul's Day or as we call it as "Undas".  However, Chinese style is more solemn compared to its Filipino counterpart which has a fiesta atmosphere in it.

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Skywatch#52 Davao Muslim Mosques

We visited two Muslim mosques and a Catholic church last weekend. It was my first time to get inside a Muslim mosque and I was really quite curious. Both mosques were not that large and in fact quite simple in design.

The first one was located among the slums and while it was small, the people we found there were quite accommodating and curious with us. The 2nd one was larger but the mosque was closed after the worship hour and the caretaker wouldn't let us in. He did let us took picture of the perimeters of the mosque though.

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