Brothers in Arms

The 10-foot bronze sculpture by Filipino artist Manuel Casas - located at the Fil-Am Friendship park behind the Pacific War Memorial in Corregidor - memorialise the camaraderie and struggles of Filipino and American soldiers during the Second World War.

Manila Yacht Club

Boats moored along the Manila Yacht Club form a great foreground to the Manila skyline along Manila Bay

Urban Oasis

Bonifacio High Street, Taguig

Parallel Lines

The tree-lined University Avenue, inside the University of the Philippines Diliman campus

Feb 20, 2010

Biyaheng UP Ikot

This is the UP Ikot jeepney inside the University of the Philippines Diliman campus. The jeepney (ikot, Filipino for 'to go around') serves as the primary transportation of students and professors moving from one building to the next for their classes.

Kiteflyer

A boy hoists his kite in Clark Field, during the annual hot air balloon fest

Feb 13, 2010

Jurassic

Life-sized replicas of dinosaurs adorn a mini-theme park in Caltex Mega Station, a gasoline-station and food park along the North Luzon Expressway.

Flight

Hot air balloons in flight in Clark Field, Feb 14, 2010

Kung Hei Fat Choi

Up, Up and Away

I've always been fascinated with hot air balloons, ever since I've read Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer Abroad when I was a kid.


Staying over in Clark and waking up at 5 am just to catch these lighter-than air crafts float in the sky is well worth the effort.

The turtle-shaped balloon is my favorite among the lot.

Hot Air

This weekend I'm off to Clark Freeport, site of the former US Air Force base in Angeles City, Pampanga, and host to the annual hot air balloon festival. We got there just before five pm, in time for the planned night balloon flights, but strong winds caused them to be scrubbed. Hopefully tomorrow the weather cooperates.

pics, from top: a hot air balloon glows in the Clark night sky, aircraft on static display, paragliders showing their stuff,

How to get there: Clark is about 2 hour drive from Manila, via the North Luzon Expressway (exit at Dau)

Mt. Taal

Taal volcano, an active volcano located just 50km south of Manila. The volcano itself is located inside a lake, which was once a crater of a volcano.

How to get there: many buses from Pasay City ply to Tagaytay, the trip about 1 hour long. From Tagaytay (Olivarez junction), take a jeepney to Talisay, then take a tricycle to the lake. A boat can then be hired going to the volcano.

Junk

A Chinese junk sails across Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong

Nov 28, 2009, pic by RV

Fishy

a roadside vendor hawks dried fish and other local delicacies, along the highway in Pangasinan

Feb 7 2010

Surfers

Surfers riding the wave in San Juan

Feb 7, 2010

Fruits of the Season

Watermelons in different shapes and sizes for sale at roadside fruitstands lining the highway in Pangasinan.

Feb 7, 2010

Wedding & Surfing

I travelled up north with some pals from UP Astronomical Society last weekend to attend a friend's wedding (also a member of the org). The wedding was in Santol, a small, sleepy town in La Union, about 10 kilometers from the main highway, three towns away from San Juan, the surfer place.

After the wedding we drove down to San Juan, booking a night in Sebay, one of the hostels there. Sunday morning was spent surfing, with my colleagues learning to surf for the first time.


pics, from top: the church in Santol, the newly-weds after the ceremony, babe watching on the beach, a surfer in San Juan

how to get there: buses plying the Manila-Vigan route stop by San Juan, I'd recommend Partas bus (they have a station in Cubao, in E. Rodriguez Ave; fare is PhP 398 on aircon bus, one way).

Waiting for the Waves

Surfers hang out on the beach during downtime from surfing, in San Juan, La Union

Feb 7, 2010, HDR image

Philippine Dream

The Philippine Dream (Surfing) from Struan Wallace on Vimeo.

I will be going to La Union tomorrow to attend a friend's wedding. Since the town is just a stone's throw from San Juan, I included surfing in the trip.

In the meantime, enjoy this video on surfing in the Philippines.

Sentinel

Standing at 628 feet from sea level and with a beam that can reach 33 miles, the old Spanish lighthouse stands guard at Corregidor.

During the Spanish times, the lighthouse would signal the city if there were ships entering Manila Bay, alerting the authorities to stand guard and be ready to defend the colony.

Originally built in 1836 and rebuilt in 1853, it was again expanded in 1892. It was completely destroyed during the siege of Corregidor in the Second World War. The reconstructed lighthouse was built on the original location of the 1853 lighthouse [source].

(pics, from above: the reconstructed lighthouse, tourists peek through the porthole, view from above the lighthouse)

Spiral

Spiral, a concept restaurant with multi-cuisine open cooking stations, in Sofitel Philippine Plaza hotel, Roxas Boulevard.

Greenbelt Chapel

A place for the tired souls in a busy city, the chapel in the middle of Greenbelt shopping mall in Makati beckons.

GT International Tower

GT Tower in Makati, Philippines is my favorite Philippine skyscraper. With 47 floors and 217 meters height, it is the second tallest building in the Philippines