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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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.

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.