Water Lilies at the Temple

Visiting Angkor Wat in an early morning was a wonderful treat. Not only did I get to see the rising of the sun over the towers of Angkor but I also received a sweet treat of water lilies from a little Cambodian girl. The two girls were picking up lilies and when someone passes by they offer the flowers. The smaller girl approached me, “I have flowers for you.” Thinking that she was selling those flowers, I said: “Oh, Thank you! But I don’t have money.” “No! This is for free!” Such a sweet little fellow! I accepted the flower, thanked her, and asked her to have our photo taken. I got 1 stalk and brought it with me the entire time that I was walking around the temple. Kids from Cambodia are really the sweetest and they speak good English too.

Mt. Mayon: Beautiful but Deadly

The first news I heard when I woke up this morning was about the ash explosion of Mt. Mayon that killed 5 people.  Mt. Mayon is known for its near-perfect cone shape and is the most active volcano in the country. Reading the news, I recalled my experience of seeing  Mt. Mayon for the first time, it was 2 years ago.  I was still on the  plane and I didn’t expect to see such majestic mountain straight from the plane’s window.  She is grand and  powerful, you can’t just ignore her. She makes herself visible anywhere you go within Legazpi or Albay.  Mayon is a Bicolano word for beautiful, and this mountain definitely deserves to be called such name.  But this beautiful volcano has  killed thousands of people since the time it first erupted in 1616.

Who won’t be mystified by this landmark?! Mt. Mayon greeted me at the airport.

At the Cagsaua Ruins, the famous site where you can have a great view of the great mountain. I was too excited that I was still carrying my backpack while taking photos.

Mt. Mayon and the ruins of Cagsaua Church

When I was a kid, I just read Mt. Mayon from textbooks, now I am posing for a photo with this beautiful mountain.

 

The remains of Cagsaua Church that was destroyed by Mt. Mayon.

 

 

View of the volcano from Daraga Church

 

Daraga Church and Mt. Mayon

 

Mt. Mayon as seen from Legazpi Highlands

 

Look! I am bigger than Mayon!

 

Saigon in Motion

If you ask me what would be the first thing that I can think of when I recall  my visit in Vietnam, it would be — motorbikes!   Here are some photos of motorbikes in action  that I captured while walking on the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, the largest city in Vietnam and formerly known as Saigon(Sài Gòn)

The history of Anikin

Years ago in a galaxy far far away I was texting someone (a boy I had a crush on) and he mentioned that he was watching Star Wars on Star Movies. I immediately changed the channel on the tv so I can watch what he was watching (at least we can continue texting each other since we’re watching the same show, let me rephrase that.. at least I can continue texting him since I am now watching what he’s watching) and there..I discovered Anakin!

I like Ani. I think we are alike. I sense that we have the same temperaments, thus I baptized myself “Anikin”. I thought I was the one who baptized my own self but that thought is erroneous because today, I  have seen a post on Facebook that made me go back to another place and time. I suddenly remembered the first person to address me with such name, the one who truly baptized me with this powerful name.

Let me go back,  many many years ago in a galaxy far far far away, in the time and place prior I knew the boy that I was texting while watching Star Movies, I was using the phone of this person and I discovered that my name on his phonebook was Anikin. I was not a StarWars fan yet at that time and I had no idea why I had that name on his mobile, I thought he was making fun of me (as he always does). I forgot all about that until I read a post addressing me as Anikin. Allow me this opportunity to correct my own memory,  that the proponent of my alter ego is the person who called me his alter ego. He is no other than the person who made me his partner in crime way back when we were still thin and skinny (and yes I am still thin and I don’t know what to describe him!).

Two days ago I addressed him as Master Windu although he can be Master Yoda too (just look at them, their necks are barely visible!). Now that the memory of the mobile phonebook reappeared on my consciousnes, I realized how important he is in the creation of Aniekin, and for that, he is worthy to be called Qui-Gon Jinn!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Delicate

I Swear From The Bottom Of My Gallbladder That I Will Never Watch A Boxing Fight Ever Again

I never liked boxing. I don’t like watching this kind of sport, it is cruel and bloody!  This may sound strange because I live in a country where boxing is more popular than our national sport and where the entire nation stops every time Manny Pacquiao has a match.The only boxing fight that I have watched  prior yesterday, as far as I can remember, was the Pacquiao vs Bradley match a few months ago. They had it on  pay per view at home and it was so hard to resist because everybody was watching and I was somehow “compelled” to update my Facebook status because some of my friends wanted me to update them as it happened. But to really find a way to watch a boxing match or even view the replay, no way!  Don’t get me wrong, I am a sports fanatic. It is just that I don’t get crazy over boxing like I go gaga over a football game or a tennis match.

Yesterday, however, I had no other better choice (like what happened few months ago) but to watch the live coverage of Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Marquez fight (their 4th match). I was in a restaurant  where I had to meet a client for a potential project.  I was there with my 2 friends, and there’s no way for us  to ignore the match as we were seated right in front of the television.

Round 3: Pacquiao got knocked down but he quickly got back to his feet and started punching again. Round 5: Marquez knocked down but got up right away as well but Juan Marquez started to bleed  due to the cut on his nose, at this point it seemed that  Pacquiao was dominating  UNTIL 1 second before the end of Round 6, he received a surprised punch that totally knocked him down! It was sudden and I am sure  that many hearts skipped a beat at that particular moment! He was down on the canvas without moving for more than a minute! I mean it was a live coverage and nobody could tell if he can get up or not and the last thing I wanna see or hear is that Manny Pacquiao died in the middle of his boxing match! I could not almost take it (but thank goodness, I am still alive!). I was totally shocked, flabbergasted, dumbfounded, and  relieved! No! Wait! Not “relieved” that word only applies to the Mexicans, they are relieved because after a long time they can now undoubtedly claim that Marquez defeated Paquiao. I think the impact to me would not be as hard as this when I only heard it on the news or from someone else, but having seen it with my own two eyes as it happened, it was almost unbearable. Having witnessed that real life incident made me swear from the bottom of my gallbladder that I will never watch a boxing match ever again!

After the match, there’s a buzz around about people talking that this is  the end of Pacman Empire,  that Manny can never win another boxing match again, but who are they to know? They have not even worn a boxing glove and most of all they don’t have a boxing glove tattoo like that of Manny on his chest! So screw them!.

But I have a message for you, Manny – I want you to know that  I am proud of you. You are not just an ordinary boxer, you’re the champion of the world,  for how many years! You have achieved great heights where some of us could only aspire.  Remember that (although I know you won’t forget this) your defeat does not make you less of a millionaire, (erase)  I mean your defeat does not make you less of a person. What I am trying to say is that you are an inspiration and whether you will still fight or not, you have already embedded you story in our mind. I do not know why you are still fighting out there, I don’t know really — was it because you seem too kind not say no to your promoters? or you can’t just give up boxing yet? or maybe simply out of boredom? Whatever it is that motivates you to fight in the boxing arena, I do not have any right to know that but you have already shown more than enough,  more than enough to let us believe how an extraordinary athlete you are. It is not just your punches that make you a champion – your unwavering classy attitude in dealing with moments of losses and triumphs separates you from the rest.  You may have lost this recent match, Manny, but you have gained one precious fan – ME!  Whether you still want to fight or not, rest assured that I won’t be watching your match ever again, but I surely hope (as always) for your victory, Manny……………………..(imagine the ring announcer) ………Pacman…….Pacquiao!

PacMan being interviewed before the match.

To cool us down after the shockwaves hit us!

And more friends came to join the group therapy.

I am thankful though that in spite of what happened there were no other cameras aside from the CCTV that captured our moments unlike what the camera did to Mr. Mitt Romney …..

(photo via twitter @BuzzFeedAndrew) Mitt Romney’s reaction while watching PacMan.

Weekly Photo Challenge – Reflections

The reflections of the morning sun and the temples of Angkor.