turtle path

2008-12-20T06:50:00.001-08:00

Thanks to all viewers, commenters and silent readers. I appreciate.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.

-Robert Frost

2008-12-19T04:59:00.000-08:00

pleasant day in novaliches.
even shadows glow, noticed.
happy day.

2008-12-18T02:25:00.000-08:00

Helpful teens, walks and night drive.

It happened last night. I was to meet Embee near Heart Center. We agreed to eat out after meeting. Times like that, I don't oblige him to fetch me especially when he is from work and I am not. I walk or commute, meet him where. After all, he is busy person and I have ceased to be busy.

The jeepney was half full. Beside and in front of me, a teenager and his friend. One was reading, the other was intermittently commenting obviously had read the same thing. The little boy, probably the driver's son, was listening to them.

The jeepney refused to restart after a stop in Kamuning. Two ladies and a man went out to transfer to another jeep. Another man asked his fare back before going. I waited. I was not in a hurry. Embee's meeting was not to finish soon yet. The two teenagers did not move but stopped talking about the book. They offered to push the jeep. They tried but it was too heavy. I motioned to go down, they wont let me. Instead the driver came down. The little boy assumed the driver's position. At first I was horrified but I saw the boy knew what he was doing. The father climbed up and resumed his position when the jeep regained consciousness. The readers came up again and we were all off. We all laughed. I said, I didnt help. All of them said it's alright, I was a woman. On hindsight, I thought it was a dangerous thing. Another hindsight thought: bring more batteries.

Today is a fine Thursday again, although a very warm day (in December!). Walked below greens and wires near Forestry.

Later, I climbed the overpass near Q mart. The positive thing about sunny days: vendors can display up to near the overpass.

Everything was moving, northbound, southbound.

It is good our trails are not visible.Otherwise, I would have mine drawn over and over this area in Quezon City. Tonight we drove and drove , actually he.

Kamuning, Timog, approaching and below fly-over, U-turn, East Avenue-->Malakas.

There he sees what he is looking for.

A 24 hour car wash.

Yes, just a car wash.

Is his windshield clearer? Looks the same, but I assure you the driver feels better.

Just an ordinary day. Too ordinary I like it.

Another ordinary day is over.

2008-12-17T01:07:00.000-08:00

On sari-sari stores, sardines and reasoning.

Only a few streets in the Philippines show no sari-sari store. That is a generalization. Well off subdivisions don't have. Remote places may have one per town or barangay.

Where I live, there is a sari-sari store almost every corner to every twenty houses approximately. They range from small to extra small. They are not like grocery stores but when I need soap for my laundry, there is no need to go Rustan's or S&R. It is not too much if I say I don't even need to comb my hair to go there, or change my clothes. The apartment compound where we live is flanked by two small sari-sari. Literally our gate touches one.

Care for a noisy Nagaraya? Let's have some Hansel. Or some quick cooking pancit canton? Eggs in retail, who knows when they expire... or do they? Noodles of the "not quick cooking" type or is it misua? And yes, they even have rock salt.

The ever present item, among canned goods, is the Sardinas. I eat Sardinas de Noypi, may it be spanish style or sari-sari store style (pictured above). I hear a lot of horrifying anecdotes about canned and bottled foods but it doesn't move me. As long as I remember that vinegar is some acid (I put vinegar on it or calamansi or cook it in oil) and that I have hyperacidic stomach, I don't seem to care. My previous microbiology teacher will be dismayed, not by sardine eating, but by my concocted acid protection reasoning just to eat what I like. She might retrieve my grades and fail me. If that happens, I may have to change my reasoning to: I just trust the BFAD. don't you? Anyway, it is obvious, I like sardines.

Marlyn was busy that day.

One more customer before I left. Do you know what he wanted? I guessed silently, "E load."
No, he was not buying anything.
He wanted some coins in exchange for his bill.
So, in a way, a sari-sari store can work like a bank too?
Oh yes, it can. Not just for coin-bill exchanging but for the lending it does, the latter beyond the scope of this post.

2008-12-16T02:13:00.000-08:00

Detour (late upload)

It was a busy day. The small sari-sari store adorns the end of Mapang-akit St., inviting me to stop.

"Ano sa inyo 'te" (What do you like to buy, ate)
"Unsa inyo softdrinks, Lyn?" (What choices do you have for drinks?)Yes, she speaks Cebuano, like me.
"Coke, Pop cola, sprite, tan-awa diha 'te, naa gani C2 (Coke, Pop cola, sprite, please look we even have C2).She point to the display.

Isa ka Coke, palihug.Pwede sulod, Lyn. (One coke please.Can I come in, Lyn?) I invited myself...
O sige te. (Okay, 'te)
Gwapo imo Sari-sari, store. (You have nice sari-sari store)

Usahay gwapo. Usahay sad kapoy. (Sometimes I like it. Sometimes it makes me tired.)
Then she added: "Usahay pabantayan nako sa lain para kalakaw sad ko" (Sometimes I ask someone to watch place for me so I can go out.)

I did not ask why. Everyone needs a detour.

I-plastic, te? (Shall I put contents in plastic container) for me to bring.

Huwag, inumin ko dito kung ok. (Don't. I'll consume here if okay with you.)

Okay.

After drinking my Coke, I went back to my work. Detours are short.

Today was no different. A busy day with some detours.

2008-12-15T08:03:00.000-08:00

yearly incentive.

A teacher regularly experiences bliss. Every year, on the year.

While some universities and other schools send off their successful students on March, December is when some resident physicians graduate. Embee is happy to see one of theirs become a colleague tonight at the Manila Hotel. While they had the ceremony, I killed time by eating at the other side of the hotel.

Going home, it was good to see a prominent landmark of Manila. How come it was never something I longed to see when I passed by this place nearly everyday years ago?

Oh, blurred!

Please slow down. Oh the tower is disappearing.
I can't just go so slow. We are in inner lane and there is someone behind us.

More blurred.

2008-12-14T07:56:00.000-08:00

Sun, sob.

Weekend walk with Embee brings more sun in already sunny day.

Tonight though, we heard a sob from the table behind us. Just a few seconds of helpless release. My heart melted. Was it disappointment flavored in the sob? Was it fear? or anxiety? I don't know. But I'm sure it was not physical pain.

Why does my heart melt faster and reconstruct slower when I hear a man (yes, man as male I mean) cry?

Can you see the names of the establishments at the other side of the road?
It's a little blurred,too.

At the other table, a woman laughs and loudly brags how she outwits her parents and sister. It drowns all conversation, even ours. Perhaps some triumphs, however misplaced, was needed to make the whole place a little lively, even funny, than sad.

But really, it was sad.

2008-12-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

weekend off

2008-12-12T02:17:00.000-08:00

reminder on the table

Some people are remembered unexpectedly.

I remember him.
Him who?
The cadaver in anatomy.
He was tall. Every group wanted him. Big muscles to study. Later we realized "Lola's" body with the group nearest us can be dissected more easily.
Did you know his name?
No. Why, did you know yours in your class?
No.

We drank our shared Sola in silence.

A robust man, able-bodied, young.
Probably younger than us now.

Tall, dark, he had a...gunshot? was it a stab? I would have to ask Ann (my classmate now in Cebu), our group leader. And so she remembers too.

There are persons who help us learn. Some who are fortunate to be alive, experience the joy of teaching, and may even live long enough to see where the learning leads us. Others, lifeless, have equally noble roles. Unsung.

2008-12-11T00:25:00.000-08:00

thursday

I like thursdays (it's my most turtle-paced day), especially when it's not so sunny. A little rain is manageable as long as there are no hostile winds. Good for me and my vitiligo. I get to walk farther, longer without appearing pink in some areas later.

Today, I discovered that some people in the heart of Quezon City make garden plots, like I did in grade school. (Yohoo! Do you remember YCAP? i forgot what it stands for. Youth...something. If you remember or know the meaning, you are either a teacher or as old as I am, approximately). We planted pechay, kamatis, beans, camote, and many others. The difference between work and delightful occupation was to me, at that time, unheard of.

Perhaps the owner of the plots is happy it rained. Even the trees on the other street look good after their bath.

Later, I got tired so I rode in a tricycle.

Please don't appear to notice the wrong spelling. Please don't. The driver is not just strict regarding where you should put your feet. The tricycle is armored. Hold your tongue, or else...

2008-12-10T01:53:00.000-08:00

Dating, defined. Never mind intermittently.

We had a date after work today. No, after work is too arbitrary. Actually, an inaccuracy. Intermittent date with some work (calls and texts to answer) inserted describes the activity better. But it's ok.

Under a solemn sky seen through glass, over sausage and crepes, to the left of a younger couple (typing on a PDA? or reading a text together?), and to the right of a lovely corner, we talked and talked and talked. Pure joy.

Later, the couple (and the baby, did you notice the stroller?) left.
Another set of crepes please. Chased by cups of coffee (tremors, anyone?). Blah, blah, blah.

xxx

Addendum:

Later, at home:

You blog it? They might think I bring you to dates too infrequently.

My dear husband, eating out is not the same as dating. But almost 4 hours nonstop talking, over restaurant food, on a weekday? That's a date and I thank you. You may refresh your definition, for future use.

(He smiles).

2008-12-09T02:29:00.000-08:00

NGO in the queue

A priority number can be a fastener between strangers.

She was priority C99. My cousin and I, D14. They were serving C44 (out of 100)when our wait started.

Vilma works with an NGO helping abused children. It was good to talk to someone enthusiastic about what she does.

Later, my cousin and I rode on a jeepney. Somehow, it made me remember the children.

2008-12-08T04:47:00.000-08:00

Monday in oblique position

Is it really Monday? But where are the other people? Are we the only ones at risk of heart attack today? (I don't binge though, in case you read the link)

Later, it's a Monday indeed. But really,

Manila is congested, Monday or not. And my naming it Monday in context just with traffic was erroneous.

I wonder what else have I subjected to this wrong logic (looking at things obliquely and in one part of context only).

2008-12-07T07:17:00.000-08:00

sunny day.

the sky, an occupied canvas.

below,

Hanging on Wires.

2008-12-06T07:12:00.000-08:00

the humble tricycle, and its driver.

It is like a tiny mouse that eases its way through narrow paths. Let's just say: it is like a red blood cell delivering oxygen to the most distal parts of the toes. Ok, that's better. Anyway, I mean the tricycle is small but rarely says no to your requests. Lithe.

The tricycle driver knows his territory. He knows which houses are in the corners or midway. He memorizes their numbers like house #34 is nearer this corner than that or #33 is at the dead end. He knows which houses are on a segment of the road that slopes. He tells you that there is no such address but will accompany you trying to find it. So when you find it difficult looking for a street or a house, hire a TODA (Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association) member and drive behind him.

Of course, the tricycle is dwarfed by a lot of other vehicles and when maneuvering an intersection with all the other vehicles, it is not one with competitive momentum. Add, some irresponsible drivers don't respect traffic laws (just like bus and privates though. I said "some", Embee. LOL ). I feel vulnerable. Nevertheless, I like tricycles.

When I was younger, I remember riding in tricycles to more remote places in our town. Not appreciating it, I wished for better transport than the humble tricycle. I have come full circle and treasure the transport from which I wished for more. In fact when there are problems in parking, I like it better than Embee's Isuzu. After dropping me, the tricycle just disappears.

In the future, there may not be a tricycle anymore (I hope there will be a way to convert it to "greener" models). Meanwhile, let the driver's wisdom make our day:

He also wishes us well.

and is artistic.

2008-12-05T04:28:00.000-08:00

On walks, thoughts and what lingers

There are smaller stories within longer ones. Side trips within the duration of planned trips.
Thoughts during my walks are journeys in themselves. I sometimes become aware of that. Mostly though they become intrinsic to the walk, only to be remembered as quasi-separate when one sees the photograph representing the thought.

Thoughts:

"Cholesterol inviting me. Slabs of it below. A roll of it on the left. Oh well, upstairs is surely delicious cheese.

Would I really die if I buy 200 grams of each? Embee will react. Later, eat with me.

Do they really kill? How come last week I saw an elderly man with a cart load of bacon, egg and sausages. Was he just asked to buy it? Or does he have a terminal illness just enjoying remaining time."

Thoughts:

Cheaper by the dozen.
True. That dictum has survived wars, famine and time.

But how about us childless couples? and singles? Do you have some promotions for us? Otherwise, we become obese responding favorably to this.

Some route details forgotten but thoughts linger and make it to the blog.

2008-12-04T08:00:00.000-08:00

A Factor other than Food

There again?

Food is good. It's quiet. We don't have to hurry because no one waits to grab our table while we swallow the last spoonfuls. Don't you like it there? We can go somewhere.

Of course, I like it.

Outside the rain poured like angry. Good conversation and not having to hurry neutralized it.
Beautiful though dog-eared photo above me does not hurry replacement. It was there the last time we went.

2008-12-03T07:56:00.000-08:00

From afar, a mall floor shows no emotion. No story. Just an aggregate of human movements and displays of things to buy.

A little zooming reveals the opposite.

All pictures in this post were taken in less than one minute (12:10:54 to 12:11:42 pm).

Man reading a note, thinking or waiting.
A couple talking intimately.
Mother and child arrived.

2008-12-02T06:51:00.000-08:00

Back to reality is not necessarily bad.
Home is not just sweet. Its perpetual disarray is comfortable,

refreshes.

2008-12-01T04:46:00.001-08:00

Where we live in manila, space underdosage rules. But today we are in Mactan. After attending to important matters, we went to Marigondon.

You know what they say about hyper-restricted children when left on their own? Well, the same thing happened when two adults who live far from the sea enjoyed a short celebration of space, sea and sun this afternoon. The ones in the first picture are not us though. The lady is too slim to be me. LOL. Blurred photo, sorry.

Going back to the inn, we rode in a tricycle (then jeepney) instead of taxi. The tricycle was full, we were just added. We sat behind the driver (last picture). It was fun.

Tomorrow, back to underdosage. But it's okay.

2008-11-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

Sunrise landing

A familiar land mass.

An island pronged to the mainland by two elegant bridges.

In the background, sunrise progressed as the plane touched down. The series looks inverted because of the moving location of the camera with reference to the sun.

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Good morning, Mactan.

Good morning, sleepyhead.

2008-11-29T06:01:00.000-08:00

Pansit, bow.

Pansit is noodles. I would like to eat it with rice, with or without other dishes . I choose to disregard any rolling of eyeballs I get from anyone around. Egg white can be eaten with fish (both protein) and orange with lemon (both citrus). Why can't carbo with carbo? Is it really gross culinary misbehaviour?

It's just me.

Though I suspect, I'm not the only one.

2008-11-28T04:56:00.000-08:00

finding rest in chores

For some, it is knitting. Others cross stitch. I like walking but the equivalent to knitting and cross stitch for me is not walking but washing clothes. Yes, doing the laundry. That is, manually (though I use machine depending on size and cloth). I like doing it, something Embee has not grasped yet after 11 years. He still steals the dirty clothes and bring them to a laundry shop every now and then.

Washing clothes braces my mind in neutral. It simmers pungent feelings and evaporates unwanted anxieties. Concentrating on the task at hand, I feel all other thoughts are swept away. Even when we had househelp before, I didn't mind helping her sometimes. Two people washing can have a very good conversation without adversely affecting results.

As passionate as I am with washing though, I dislike ironing and re- attaching buttons ( never mind asking about looking for them or shopping for their look alikes). For the latter, glues are preventive. Thus the occasional arranging of clothes on the table for gluing.

Can I try putting that?, he says.

He did.

Oh, that is too much.

yes.

There is rest (& domestic joy) in chores, though ordinary.
For me and some others, the laundry.

(and rhymes).

2008-11-27T07:35:00.000-08:00

Surprises in the constant

There are still surprises in the usual paths we take. The road to our work place, the people working there included.

Noticeable in front of St Joseph's College in E. Rodriguez almost everyday is a man named Mang Bert. He is the traffic man. He accompanies pedestrians crossing, too.

May they be multiple or alone. May they be men,

or women.

I like this one. She paused and appeared a little afraid at first because of a speedy vehicle coming.

He motions.

Later she walks more relaxed, he still accompanied her to other side.

It must feel good to work making others feel safer.

For me to notice more surprises on my path, I would have to make my pace slower.

2008-11-26T07:26:00.000-08:00

Have you ever felt tired from too much leisure? It is something I always try to avoid but not today. Infrequently seen loved ones are here, and going tomorrow.

But we have to sleep now. We have become like the lump of hair on the girl's right.

2008-11-25T05:24:00.000-08:00

Of mentors, gratitude and withering

Bumped into a previous mentor. When he was my angiography consultant, he was probably just a little more than my age now. With him this morning were his wife and son. The son is likely my age when I was his father's student. Life is fast. Really fast. I felt I was finding another way to calculate time in unexpected circumstances. Years ago, his son was just starting med school, now he is nearly finished with residency. I could palpate myself aging. How come Sir looked so much the same? His wife though has changed. She looks younger. I didn't even recognize at first.

Seriously, we all wither. But gratitude does not change. He was one of those who never let anyone down.

Later, post walking meal in a chinese restaurant, with two other walkers, reminded me chickens wither faster.

2008-11-24T02:07:00.000-08:00

rewriting

A sunny morning that gave way to a rainy afternoon. It is not uncommon but the intensity of change was remarkable today. It is like an author who invented his characters, entwined their lives, made them eat or sleep, warped their time and fast forward their gaits. Only a little later, to decide to banish all of that by rewriting.

That is just a thought

...which I plan to act out.

A busy day. From household chores to going to Roosevelt with Embee in the morning, and to my duty in the afternoon. I rewrite my plan to clean, to wash, to "re-place" the buttons. Who doesnt deserve a curl on the bed with a good book? Outside, the sky seems to favor what I plan to do.

2008-11-23T05:52:00.000-08:00

some days : if it is sunny, we reason it is too hot outside.
when it rains, we say we did or did not do something because it rained.

but today while the sky was indecisive (to rain or shine), we walked.
a little gray but not gloomy. good for morning walk in Matalino and Forestry.

can you see the image of the camera reflected on glass? this was taken before we walked

in the afternoon, candid words about marriage exchanged. lively, fun.
continuation over free icecream in a grocery, hearts talking more and more.

gray sky, sun shining behind
nice day
for walking
for conversing.

2008-11-22T07:14:00.000-08:00

Sunny day in Quezon City. If not for the waiting this afternoon, the day was perfect.

There was traffic jam. Noticed a garbage collector in a "patient, waiting attitude" pose, sometimes even waving to some people passing.

His is a better disposition.

2008-11-21T03:22:00.000-08:00

Malatapay, Zamboanguita, Negros (again)
(a late upload)

Every Wednesday, a large number of people go to Malatapay market to sell or buy cows, carabaos, pigs, goats and others.

Malatapay is a coconut-shaded area in the coastal part of Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental. It was just a short walk from where we stayed. Big and small animals, coming with their owners in different vehicles.

Some too smelly, you can see why.

Some are dead and dried (fish):

Some plants have become bags:

The lady in the resort said "There is lechon there if you like".

Someone looks happy (with his souvenir native mat) posing with the lechon.

After this we had to rush. Embee had to work etc etc...
later we zip to Manila.

2008-11-20T00:39:00.000-08:00

look up, young man, look up

Driving in Manila is not for the faint-hearted. and i am faint. therefore I don't drive. Perhaps reading Xrays of vehicular accident patients has dampened my little if any desire to learn.

But being a passenger sometimes requires a wooden heart too. When Embee drives and I am in front passenger seat, I try to be calm when I get overwhelmed by buses by either closing my eyes or putting my hands on my lap with my palms up (you can imagine fear can get so funny). If I hold on something, I get so tired after so 'palms up' saves my energy.

But when Embee's schedule and mine are not congruent, I commute (by bus, by jeepney or by tricycle), or just walk. From inside a tricycle, all others become giant. The bus is like a moving mountain.

There is a cure ("attention rival" to it) though. "Look up, young man, look up" or something like that were written big on a wall of FEATI University facing the street. I dont know if it is still there. More than a decade ago, I used to pass by the place when I lived in Taft.

Well, I looked up. ah...East Avenue looks good from below. I just discovered a camera-capturable cure for bus-induced overwhelming fear.

Green and sky
Green and sky.

2008-11-18T02:40:00.000-08:00

of "solitary in the midst" and zoom

people can be everywhere but some of them solitary. in a noisy place, you see their silence from afar and speculate about their thoughts.

she looks like waiting?

he looks like choosing between two or many things?

I too was alone...

and thinking about them.

my conclusion later?

I have a "poor zoom" camera. I had to blur the periphery (yes, retouch)to isolate people already alone.

2008-11-17T01:55:00.001-08:00

have you been sick?

it is like noticing the stitch holes in your curtain.

2008-11-16T04:58:00.000-08:00

If you google earth East Avenue of Quezon City, it will appear like a spoke radiating from the Quezon City Memorial Circle.

Among the smaller tributaries that feed traffic to the East Avenue is a small dirt road that shares an entrance way with the Forestry agency. The dirt road leads to a village with more people per unit area. People call the place squatters area, slum, etc. I just call it Forestry as the residents call it. You can walk inside and through the neighborhood and find yourself, after twist and turns, arriving at Quezon Avenue (another spoke radiating from the circle) or BIR Rd.

Here are some photos from Forestry:

bird house with no bird over a shirt hanging

galvanized walls

later,

fruit stand at BIR Rd

2008-11-15T05:36:00.000-08:00

Nostalgia is foreign to those who have not experienced it.

I spent 9 years and many months in the block behind the fence shown above. It is a university-hospital complex.

Those years were loaded with things to do and books to read. But those years were not wasted. Among the many things I learned there:
a wig is as important as chemo or radiotherapy,
denial is not antonym to acceptance but prelude to it,
students to be motivated has to be inspired, not terrorized.

When you happen to pass by that big chunk of space and structures bordered by Faura, Taft and Pedro Gil Streets, give it a placid gaze. Inside are multiple intense disposition-changing events occuring at the same time at different levels and stages (and I dont mean Mc Dreamy!).

2008-11-14T21:06:00.000-08:00

about thirty strides before malakas street ends bluntly at the sulo hotel in quezon city is a thai restaurant.

food is great as well as the small garden with a manmade small fall/fountain.

walking sometimes ends with food

too often, for me, a walk that ends in eating ends in slumber...

2008-11-13T06:29:00.000-08:00

From the Streets of Mas

shorter banana but one with produce

flowers and more greens:

resting hardworking men:

they were sleeping under this

The streets of Ma?

Not mother, but some adjectives in Tagalog. Most street names in Barangay Central, Pinyahan and Teacher's Village (?) in QC start with Ma.

Malakas (strong), Matapang (Courageous?), Maginoo (Gentleman?), etc.

2008-11-12T04:35:00.000-08:00

What do you talk with someone , who has a long flight the morning after, that lasts past 2 AM? Only life and its issues , as well as the troubleshooting that goes with it. Bilateral. The issues, overlapping.

My father's sister (I think I like this better than the generic "auntie") did just that last night. Somehow before we slept (without saying the exact words), we resolved we're too blessed to complain.

After knee-jerk but highly reassuring embraces in NAIA, she went in. Embee and I left. Gentle sunshine sifted through the leaves in the airport road sidewalk but they were a blur to the sentimental me.

A little later, street scenes were a welcome diversion.

washing and taking a bath in the street, taking advantage of the water from the pipes as Water people repaired something at the other side of the road.

woman carrying a big load

would you like some beauty rest or videoke rest?

or open air reading?

2008-11-10T03:45:00.000-08:00

tell that to the curly

having curly hair in a country where women (and maybe men) adore straight hair is not nothing. therefore i did something today which i know will just be good for 48 hours plus or minus.

a hair cut, not for the hair cut, but for the "fierce" blow dry which will make my hair straight (i dont have the patience to do it myself therefore i didn't buy one, in case you are wondering) for a period of time.

why do they do it "fierce"? so that they can tell you the following:

-why don't you have your hair straightened?
-we have thermal.
-we offer cellophane.
- and the other one, which i just heard this afternoon, and forgot.

P.S. The reason actually is I am seeing someone tomorrow, who some 6 years ago told me I looked good with my straightened hair. Is that good enough reason? But really I don't rule out going back to have one of those packages (again, after 6 years). Perhaps, tomorrow she will give this thought some reinforcement.

beautiful flower with some curls too and red flowerette pattern inside. ahh, outer and inner beauty.

inner beauty...tell that to the curly where i live, but not after offering her the packages.

2008-11-09T06:01:00.000-08:00

bahay kubo and coconuts

too much water poured in quezon city today.

makes me remember a good place somewhere down south.

so let's have a late upload, turtle said.

maluay,zamboanguita, negros Oriental

i know it has become obvious that I like Negros, turtle added.

2008-11-08T00:17:00.000-08:00

sandwich day
it was a sunny morning. went to marikina with Embee to visit someone sick.

it's cleaner here, he said
and greener, i added.

sunny too in quezon city.

but later in the day, heavy rains:

sunny morning, rainy afternoon

not really odd.

but sandwiched in another thing: being happy when loved ones come from afar yet someone died. sunny morning, rainy afternoon (seeing an aunt on Tuesday but she is here because an uncle just died).

sandwiched once more: afraid of the on going thunder but glad to see young ones playing in the rain...unmindful of sandwich metaphors.

2008-11-06T19:15:00.000-08:00

vehicle names and people's

walking around is a good way to examine names. and vehicles show a variety.

some are probably their dream car (or dream pets?)

someone's name,

or numerical.

others descriptive of self or mother (??).

my name gives away my age. how many of those born in the 60's or earlier has a name with maria compared to (with?) those born in the 80's or later? i am with the former, 1968.

A cousin has historical name. Mai Lai.

by the way, it is sunny today.

2008-11-05T04:28:00.000-08:00

A sunny november day. A day to clean the apartment too. I notice that after 3 hours of doing chores, the apartment still looks the same. Just the same mess arranged. Ha! Not really. Some changes are subtle but there.

A walk nearby confirmed, yes, there are changes unnoticed. Even addresses change, not of persons but of same place even.

And of subtle things, when I took the following picture I didn't notice the butterfly. I was interested in the flowers. But the butterfly is there, working hard.

2008-11-04T06:31:00.000-08:00

Morning has broken...in Quezon City

The late sleeper-late riser in me complained when Embee said he has to drop me early so he can start work earlier.

But the flood of sun light in green carpet of grass makes the frown go away.

Just like the lady at the bank...I could not get a photo of her because cameras and cellphones are not to be used in banks here. Her name is Tina, from the sign posted in the glass window in front of her. I look at her from afar. She treated the clients very well. An old lady with so many questions. A man who was hurrying and a little rude to her. Many more. And me who made wrong entries on some blanks.

Just two of the sunshines in a day.

And the third is Embee. He invited me to watch Nights in Rodanthe. There he is buying popcorn. The couple in blue and green watched too.

Good cry.

2008-11-03T05:53:00.000-08:00

some days i tell myself consciously to walk. not today.

after work, i caught myself walking home.

Metro Manila in general is not green but here it is still a little chlorophyl-ly. Good for people who live here. I dont live here, I just pass by here.

The sky is a little dark but it is not raining. Just perfect for me and for these boys laughing while walking. I remember "The Kite runner". "There is a way to be good again...", kite runner said or something like that. Seeing the boys though and hearing them laugh, I thought: there is a way to be funny again. Thanks, boys.

Walking is good. It frees the mind, untangles the knots made during work and interactions.
It clears the head while it focuses on every step.

It can cause weight loss... It can...can...it may...

because:

Before going home, some calories lost are sometimes regained.

2008-11-01T06:44:00.000-07:00

darker days good for walking

longer nights, shorter days plus rain increased my sleeping time.

but a shady november day is perfect for walking (have i told you i have vitiligo. i like sun but some days i have to avoid it).

i feel good walking today at maginoo and matalino streets...

just like this man who goes on duty and enjoy (am i not dreaming? a security guard reading a pocket book)...

2008-10-31T05:07:00.000-07:00

the month's end

october 31. i remember something 24 years ago today. so long ago but still vivid in my mind.

but there is one detail i dont remember now: if it rained that day or not.

today, it rained. lunch at an elevated restaurant in e rodriguez was good. the scenery below too. i am glad i sat by the window.

but first before the rain, some people waiting for jeepney:

during the rain:

people go to different directions. of varying speeds. most with umbrella.

some umbrella are too large, others appear small for the user:

some share completely, others a little

those without umbrella have other strategies.

some illustration of life as a whole?

i use a black umbrella today (i have purple too)

but i can walk in the rain without one, except when i am going to work.

2008-10-30T00:45:00.000-07:00

still NegOriental: "sunset glow" in others

for the nth time i have photographed the setting sun, but have never rotated my head to see its effect on others.

it was good to be aware of such.

sunsets have shades:

they color the peripheral sky and light up rock crevices:

they make people move closer and touch:

even bath the leaves and sands gently in glow:

lights up a village:

sunsets

so faithfully consistent everyday, so very much taken for granted.

2008-10-29T00:39:00.000-07:00

negros oriental: Siaton spider taught me that Charlotte's web could be literally true

We stayed in Siaton for 2 days. The first morning Embee was startled as he passed by the door. He was not aware of a spider web with the hardworking spider on it literally covering the upper part of the door and Embee destroyed part of it accidentally.

oh sorry, he said.

i thought there was another person he was talking to. but he was saying sorry for destroying a large part of the web.

there, i saw a charlotte web.

it is amazing. having grown up in COMVAL, previously part of Davao del Norte, I have experienced rural life but this was my first time to witness that a web that big can be created overnight. Wonderful.

As Embee continued to examine our dear Charlotte and her work, I looked out and decided it was also a wonderful day.

I knew I was going to see more of Jehovah's wonders in that place that day.

2008-10-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

negros oriental: THE ROAD TO SIATON

after the waiting, we just meet somewhere, Embee's text.
Somewhere where?, I asked.
He answered, somewhere to where you planned.

Times like that, one has to grab the chance to decide. he might change his mind. Truth to tell, even couples have different preferences. Anyway, for detours, he would like some pampering: A/C room, dvd/ cd or cable, oh.... while I would like a Ceres ride somewhere more than a town or two away. Therefore when he says we go my way, we should go right away because in situations like this there is no midway. It's either a four walled chill room with us watching HBO... or yes, Siaton.

So can we meet at the Ceres terminal?
Do you know where it is?
No? But the tricycle drivers do.

Silence.

Okay... where is the where that we are going, I mean the town?
Siaton.

Me to tricycle driver: Nong, sa Ceres terminal para Siaton. Pwede pass by ta boulevard?

Driver: Okay.

Girl in Ceres terminal. I can imagine what the mother said: "Wait for me here and watch our things".

Good for this girl, her mother does not let her wait inside a bus on deck to go, and rush somewhere to buy things not in their town. My mother used to do that and it was torture. Later in life though, I just realized it is not really bad to do that. Multitasking, make one's daughter guard your favorite spot in the bus while you make last minute purchases before boarding the bus. The only torture trigger was this :long time ago, there was no clear schedule for the bus to go, it was like "alas- puno" (time to go when all seats are taken) and the bus, in order to lure prospective clients, motions itself forward and backward as if telling everyone not yet on board that it is already going at any second.

lateral scenery during ceres ride:

are we there...(pause)...not yet?, Embee asked.

This time we were in separate habal habals.
Nodding helps when you want to assure someone of arrival soon though deep inside you feel like saying his guess is good as yours since both of you have never been there before.

I realize though that when the sea approaches you...you are probably near.

finally a view from the cottage:

2008-10-25T08:30:00.000-07:00

negros oriental :Waiting in Dumaguete

To accompany a working loved one in a place too beautiful for working was hard for me. Not anymore. Some things can be learned. And learning results in big solitary surprises. Like that day...(yes, this is a late upload)

What does one do in Dumaguete while waiting for someone? "Eat" would be one, which I did. Being in a coastal city, I thought I had to order fish. Fish in three forms:

"Sugba-tula-kilaw" below respectively.

It was not a boring wait. Aside from the taste buds working full force, the mirror image within the food reminded me I was away from Manila. Notice the greenery in the mirror image in the food (only seen in the sauce for sugba, clearly delineated in tula and subtle in kilaw).

But obvious in the drinks:

Those images were congruent with the sign outside (though not made for me, had an effect on me):

Clearly then I had to be responsive to my fleeting environment. Outside were scenes I don't see everyday where I live now. Will it happen in the future, that we pack our things and head south specifically here? But that was not the time to answer that question. Nor was it the first time for me to feel that way for a place. In fairness to Manila, I sometimes feel I cant get away from Manila when I am in a huge bookstore. But thinking of relocating when I am in a place has probably become a gauge for me to realize that I like the place.

I like Dumaguete.

Horizon and flowers in a shot.

Horizon and flowers in a shot.

The waiting was not a waiting...it was a treat.

2008-10-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

negros oriental : just an intro, turtle uploading more later

Embee: you mean you come with me to duma so you can detour to another place?
Me: hmn, yes.
Embee: Well, I better go with you.
Me: Yes, you can... I warn you though...it is far, a segment of the travel is by habal habal and...
Embee: It's okay.

So off we went.
Embee had to go to Dumaguete, work related. Me, it is not work related. I accompany him, is that work related? ... with my own agenda, Siaton et al.

Siaton is about an hour and a half ride by bus from Dumaguete. Not very far but not really near. Then a habal habal ride away and we were there. Well, that is after his work related thing and after I waited.

Quiet. No other guests save for another couple who were also quiet. Perfect place.

Embee: Never expected it's really nice here. Please dont write about this in internet. I want to come back to this quiet.

More about it later.

2008-10-15T09:33:00.000-07:00

Being on leave from work, I have other things to do. It is the time when errands previously taken for granted, or let’s just say 'placed on procrastination list', surface.

Being on leave, I didnt wake up as early as Embee woke up (actually it happens always but this time I woke up even later). Therefore, I commute.

The above picture shows the money of the driver of the jeep. They commonly put their bills in front of them, either at breast level or above the mirror. It symbolizes their hope as well as tiring work that brings them 8.50 pesos per passenger. It is like climbing a stairway and looking up and down always to see how far you’ve gone through. Three 8.50’s will be one orange paper. Two oranges will be one red. A certain number of red bills will be for the “boundary” (payment for the owner of jeepney), the rest will be for the gasoline and his family. Neatly folding them in front of him makes it easier for him to count in relation to the time of day. More red bills and it is still morning, ahhh, likely a good sign.

I look at the driver, his back to me, his head bobbing to the music played. Life is hard…yet he looked happy.

Come, ride the jeepney.

Or walk...

passing by Quezon Institute (Q.I.) I realize what a big lawn they have there. And there was no one traversing the green field. Perhaps people are so busy inside.

Yes people are busy. They sometimes dont have even time to pee. But taxi drivers have time and places to pee...if they are males.

2008-10-14T03:41:00.000-07:00

It rained today. Therefore it was a treat to go out. Seeing people with different kinds of umbrellas. And looking at how some hurry, while others walk naturally. Others wait.

Lovers tell you by their actions, "all you need is LOVE".

But really, when it rains, all I need is food. (Notice the carbohydrate loading)

After the rain, another set of scenes emerges.

People waiting (or staring) outside.

Some are eating semi-outside.

And as the umbrella is forgotten, another colorful thing catches one's attention.

Good day to all.

P.S.
Please go back and notice that space between the head and the umbrella differ from person to person.

2008-09-09T05:52:00.000-07:00

Bamboo Cold Spring, New Bataan, Compostela Valley

local but far

i like it.

far from where I am but near our home town. How come places become more attractive the time you miss it than when you live near it? Been here more times now that I live far than when I lived near.

2008-09-03T07:43:00.000-07:00

Bamboo Cold Spring, New Bataan, Compostela Valley.

it was two years ago, with family and friends.

the sight was good. (rocks immovably solid against splash? or fluid slowly shaping rocks? ....hmmn...whichever...)

to the wanderer, the sound was equally powerful.

2008-09-01T08:10:00.000-07:00

"you should live here", she said like it's easy to uproot self from everything.

"Trees, fog, ..." she added.

"Baguio has changed in some ways...

but it is still better."

I agree.

2008-08-25T10:10:00.000-07:00

Baguio City

what should one do when waiting for a husband who is still trying to sneak out of a professional group after his lecture?

yes, turtle walks.

walking in a place that is cool, though sunny, makes one feel good.

Long walks...

later, he catches up (thanks to cellphone, I didnt have to go back to inform him where I was).

me to he: notice the houses...they are like the houses in Agatha Christie's stories or in Sherlock Holmes' time.

More walks.

then chopsuey and deep sleep.

Further later:

me to he (half awake): paki off naman ng aircondition. ang ginaw.
he to me: Walang aircon (laugh) It's Baguio.

thought in retrospect:
pictures above show I didnt have tripod with me. All shows right lateral tilt. Will try to straighten them up and re-upload laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaater.

2008-08-21T17:39:00.000-07:00

Old houses in Dapitan

fascinated by old houses, when Embee had to go to Dipolog, we decided to visit Dapitan for its old houses. We were rewarded with the view of the following.

during my childhood, my sisters and I used to go to Argao Cebu during summer vacations. Old houses were common there, at that time not so old.

I noticed that some of them have succumbed to modern cement structures. I need to capture their beauty now.

2008-08-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

We had a trip from Dipolog to Dapitan. We did it the local way, not hiring a van, passing by the public terminal. The waiting is not boring. A camera and some interest in people makes it worthwhile.

Dipolog terminal

2008-08-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

Rizal Talisay Estate in Dapitan city.

When I was in College, we had a subject on Dr. Jose Rizal (PI 100 or 101?). Our teacher on the first day told us that anyone who can tell in detail and supply answers to her questions questions about El Filibusterismo and Noli Me Tangere would be exempted from the class and be given the grade of 1.5

Nobody dared. I remember when I was younger I used to read some parts. Ibarra, Maria Clara, Padre Damaso etc etc but cant really tell in detail. Now every time I see anything about Rizal, I remember that day in a corner of a room I wish I better have read more seriously in high school. Nobody ever told me she would give me an A for narrating Nancy Drew or Sherlock Holmes.

If Rizal were alive today, I guess he would have a website, or a blog.

Talisay Estate would probably be wifi ready.

2008-06-25T06:57:00.000-07:00

The streets of Dapitan are historically named. When we went there I saw one name I now forget but it made me wonder whether there was a Josephine Bracken or not. The tricycle driver said yes and we went to see it.

2008-06-24T08:42:00.000-07:00

GOING LOCAL

zanorte.
dipolog city.

colorful city.

2008-06-16T08:08:00.001-07:00

Terminal 2 last June 12

some wait

others wait and enjoy

others contact outside

little miss, on the go

others are on duty.

some are from duty

very sleepy too.

i liked this mother and daughter(i guess) picture.
pls. notice that the coat of mother is used by daughter.
daughter was reading.

2008-06-01T05:52:00.001-07:00

early morning in apo island three years ago.

i can still remember...

it was like watching a stage play...

my husband and I watched this scene till sunrise...

it cannot be chance that made all these..., we kept on saying.

there is a Creator.

2008-06-01T05:36:00.000-07:00

mactan.

view from a taxi from airport.

calm sea that day.
above were taken last weekend in mactan.

2008-03-13T01:18:00.000-07:00

Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental

This was my first trip to Dumaguete. I was with Embee. Heard a lot about Dumaguete from my mother and from some friends.

When there, we talked about relocating. Nice place.

one of the doors at boulevard area.

all is equal in parking.

silliman university

conversation of two friends. sorry, photo not good.

2008-03-07T07:39:00.000-08:00

Green Lake Park, Camotes Island, Cebu.

(during a sidetrip from Cebu City)

we realized something.
it is good to commute and travel the local way.
there is some kind of freedom in it.
there is flexiblity.
adventure.
lots of conversation.(no one drives, no one argues where to go because it is the bus driver or tricycle driver who KNOWS).

we caught camotes not commercialized yet.
would like to come back.

2008-03-06T08:42:00.001-08:00

Pundaquit...jewel in Zambales.
Jun, a colleague in PGH told me about his home town. When Embee had to go to Olongapo for an important matter, we decided to go farther the day before and found a jewel.

2008-02-26T08:12:00.000-08:00

Morning has broken....
(Mactan)

2008-02-11T05:27:00.000-08:00

Man feeding fish in Talisay, Batangas (Taal Lake)

(as in previous post, this trip was courtesy of Joseph Barrion).

2008-01-28T06:46:00.000-08:00

Talisay, Batangas (pictures taken last 2005)
Taal volcano at eye-level.
Usually Taal volcano is viewed from Tagaytay ridge (somewhat superolateral view) but in Talisay, it is at eye level. We did not go to the volcano itself. Boating in Taal lake courtesy of Joseph Barrion. Thanks.
There are fish pens in the lake. More uploads next time.

2008-01-24T18:38:00.000-08:00

Barya lang po sa umaga (Tagalog); please pay coins during mornings
sign in jeepney

2008-01-24T18:12:00.000-08:00

There is a place in Cebu I dream of going back to. (Went there last 2006, a quick side trip. Embee was attending something in the city.) It is the porch of Hannah's restaurant in Basdiot, moalboal. Sunset best time.

Seen is Negros island:

Birds flock to this boat, they were very noisy:

The porch of Hannah's restaurant:

on this porch Embee and I talked and talked and talked. I didnt like the afternoon / night to finish.

2008-01-09T02:26:00.000-08:00

Laiya (Batangas)

I woke Embee up while everyone was still asleep. Talks about work ruins the scenery.

Come, this place is viewed better with less people and less talk.

Out we went. What a beautiful day.

2008-01-02T07:55:00.000-08:00

Southeast Cebu coast (if riding Ceres and other bus going to or from southeast Cebu, these are what one may see.

It was a side trip from Cebu City. Sometimes meetings can get boring, not because the topics are really uninteresting, but because one is thinking about some place.

We decided to extend for 2 days.

One of the most helpful people in one's life can be someone whom one can call not just when one is in distress but when one is in a seminar the venue of which is just 50-60 km from a lovely place.

Thanks colleague for exchange duties.

2008-01-02T06:41:00.001-08:00

alcoy, cebu

is it lavish to feel good and go away with a loved one? we are frugal in some ways. but we were in cebu that time for some important matters and we thought we can go on a side trip to Alcoy.

how do you explain my insomnia in manila unknown in a place like this?

2007-11-29T19:31:00.000-08:00

Argao, Cebu
There is a fishing village in Argao in southern part of Poblacion. They call it Lawis.
Been here for so many times during my childhood. Everytime I come back, I feel a punch in my chest...nostalgia they call it. There is also that realization that the Earth is the same, it is I who ages and passes. The terrain looks the same since thirty years ago and counting. It always tugs at my heart and sleeve when I stand up and go. I look back and wonder if ever I can come again.

2007-11-23T08:19:00.001-08:00

With Embee busy, I can read and read. Sometimes, the camera makes a pause to reading.
Mactan Island

2007-11-20T05:29:00.000-08:00

Karaoke near pier. Argao, Cebu.

My aunt was anxious how to entertain us so we sneaked out when she rested. I wanted to show Embee the place where I spent my childhood summers. Later, we went to this karaoke and sang. Good we were the only guests. In the picture though the one singing was the one who served us food (and microphone later).

You can see in the last picture the sea. I remember our grandfather, he was chief of police of the town. He always invited us to swim here (though I never learned how to). He invited us early morning and after some 5 minutes of swim, he wanted to go home because he had to work.

It was also near this place that I saw one patient that was imprinted in my mind. She was my first encounter with breast cancer. I don't know if it had something to do with my future training in radiation oncology, which after a while I froze, but probably...just probably. I can still remember the face and the tumor of the patient. She was a sister of my mother's friend. Their house was just behind this now karaoke place. There was no karaoke before. People waited for the weekend dance at the plaza.

2007-11-20T05:24:00.000-08:00

Argao, Cebu

Spent many summers here, some 3 decades ago. Time flies. Time is diamond.

2007-11-14T07:54:00.001-08:00

ARGAO, CEBU
TOWN HALL AND JUSTICE HALL

Balay lungsod (town hall). My grandfather used to work here. My cousins, my sisters and I used to play in the spacious hall way inside the first floor or run up and down a big wooden stairway to the second floor. Behind this building was a tennis court which doubled for a dancing floor during the weekends.

On the first floor was the post office where I mailed my letters to my parents and pen pals. I had some pen pals when I was young and summer was good time to write to them.

Below is a beautiful structure (Hall of Justice)but this was once a "ruins". Years ago, there was a day care center and playground behind it. I was enrolled for some months there when I was small. I remember we had ballet. Even when we were older, we used to go there during summer for the see-saw and the swing. I wanted to show them to my husband but the school and playground are now gone. It does not feel good to not see the old markers of the town, and of my childhood.

2007-11-14T04:18:00.001-08:00

TWO FACES OF MACTAN.

When the barrier between two poles is porous to a person, he has mixed emotions when confronted by either. Having walked in the mountains of Bukidnon during medical clerkship, worked as a rural physician before residency training, walked the urban poor neighborhood and walked a few times in places like the one on the right, I feel mellowed and friable.

It helps one's sanity to be grateful of the porosity one is given, never avoiding either poles.
To enjoy but remember the other side when in one pole, and not despise those who are caged in either...
an angle I would like to maintain.

2007-11-13T07:23:00.001-08:00

HAYAHAY!

Hayahay means relaxed, undisturbed, "no effort"
Mactan Island

2007-11-12T02:34:00.002-08:00

NO SEAT AVAILABLE? Traffic jam? No problem. He can text.
(Cebu City, road to south)

Yes, Philippines is text and traffic-congested. (It is good text "trails" are invisible.)
Notice from the background, Philippines is also "waste from other countries"-congested (direct importer eh, ok?).

2007-11-06T04:35:00.001-08:00

Title: Oh, why should they sail during low tide and torture us?!!!

Mactan Island. Men push boat to deeper area during low tide.

2007-11-04T02:38:00.001-08:00

Shanties below and between bridges. Mactan-Cebu City interphase.

2007-11-02T08:53:00.001-07:00

Mactan Island "trisikad pila"

2007-11-02T08:13:00.000-07:00

Mactan Island sidewalk wall seen from jeepney.

2007-11-02T07:09:00.001-07:00

Mactan Island

2007-10-22T02:41:00.000-07:00

With what is happening(some pictures dont open, they have become white squares and rectangles between opened pictures), Im considering uploading just one or a few pictures per post. Yes, I shall be postinglikeaturtle.

2007-10-19T03:16:00.000-07:00

Pundaquit: Structures and corners:

Embee had to go to Olongapo. We decided, together with Mama and kuya Roger, to be a day earlier there for a sidetrip to Pundaquit. We were not disappointed.

2007-10-17T06:19:00.000-07:00

Pundaquit III: Some trust in God, some in luck.