Ilokano Kid Adventures: manila

The Bonifacio Global City Artwork Display

10/25/2012

Exploring the City of Art

Have you ever been to The Bonifacio Global City? If not, then here is one good reason for you to visit this place. Within the city you will find artworks situated in different areas. Aside from exploring the beauty of the city from its high rise buildings, high-end restaurants and popular shopping stores, you can also explore the entire city by visiting these artworks.

Map where you can find the artworks.

The Artwalk Experience

Recently I decided to take photo from this artwork and want to share this with you. It was a fun and very memorable time capturing those images. Being crafted to perfection I also tried to capture it the best way I can interpret in photo. I spend two days to get photos for all those artwork because of the limited time. All I can say is that, the time spent was all worth it.

Here are the photos and hope you can appreciate it guys! If you have some time, try to take the artwalk and discover the beauty of the art loving city. Mabuhay!

The Tree

Crafted by Reynato Paz Contreras, The Trees is a canopy of three interlocking trees which stand as testament to Mother Earth and her strong, unifying nature.

Ang Supremo

Ang Supremo is Ben-Hur G. Villanueva's tribute to Andres Bonifacio and the working class hero's struggle for the nation's freedom. Three-meters tall and made from brass and bronze, the statue is a silent tribute to the city’s inspiring namesake.

Kasaysayan Bawat Oras

Kasaysayan Bawat Oras by Juan Sajid de Leon Imao is a 16-meter brass and cement sculpture, which is also a sundial with seven paper like dolls representing the 7,100 islands of the Philippines.

Kasalikasan

Kasalikasan (a play on kasali ka sa kalikasan, or you are part of nature) is Jerry Araos' respite to worn out city souls – a garden designed for small gatherings, private parties, or simple retreats for individuals seeking rest.

Transformation

Transformation, by Architect Lor Calma, is a grand and breathtaking sculpture of stacked laminated glass, three forms each between 5 to 10 meters tall. They represent the Philippines’ three main islands of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. At night, an internal light illuminates the surrounding cascading water.

Pasasalamat

Pasasalamat, along Rizal Drive, is Ferdie Cacnio's brass representation of two fishermen's humble expression of gratitude to the Almighty for a bountiful harvest.

Balanghai

Balanghai, by Leo Gerardo Leonardo, is the very definition of Filipino community (“Baranggay” is a derivative of Balanghai). Our ancestors braved untold dangers when journeying to Philippine shores and the vessels that cradled them would endure as symbols of hope and kinship as they built their new homes. It’s in this spirit of cooperation and promise that Bonifacio Global City has been formed.

Specific Gravity

Specific Gravity, by Reg Yuson, is a suspended boulder fountain which highlights the connection between the audience as a mobile participant and their primordial affinity to gravity (a seemingly weak though strong force which defines the visible world as we know it).

Hearsay

Hearsay, by Reg Yuson, is a pun on the Filipino's penchant for news heard through the grapevine. It is an installation of twisted pipes connected below the ground which can actually be used to communicate.

Bearable Lightness

Bearable Lightness is a collaborative artwork between painter Ronald Achacoso and sculptor Reg Yuson. It is a cantilevered structure with centrifugal patterns of elementary colors suggesting a state of perpetual lightness. The intriguing mesh of painting and sculpture can be mounted by observers via a platform designed to communicate the tensions between gravity and weightlessness, surface and depth.

Tinstaej #85

Tinstaej #85, by Conrado Velasco, is nicknamed "wee beastie" by the artist and derived from his on-going art series entitled "Tinstaej" (There Is No Such Thing As Endless Joy). The image resembles a silhouette of a teddy bear.

Presence

Presence, by Reg Yuson, is an installation of 20 free-standing floor chimes. The idea is to nudge the individual chimes to produce sounds that invite good vibes to fill the park.

- HDR Photography - My First Experience with Photomatix

- The Manila American Cemetery and Memorial

- A Guide to Philippine Street Foods

- The Philippines: A Country to visit in Asia

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The Philippines: a country to visit in Asia

10/24/2012

What makes the Philippines more than the usual holiday destination?

Some say when the Gods created the Philippine Island they'd like it so much they decided to create seven thousand more. That meant having over seven thousand different views of the sun and many different beaches like Boracay which is probably unlike anywhere you've ever been. They say that Gods took their time when they make this paradise. Having thousands of islands also meant that our wild life and marine life are among the most diverse in the world.

Even our history comes in many chapters, each one with the different theme. Our color comes in infinite forms and our melting pot of cultures contain more than the usual ingredients. So you can expect more than the usual festivals every year. We're oriental and were western too, that's why no matter where you from the Philippines will feel like home.

Many come here to learn and play. We just love taking the usual things further like honeymooning, relaxing, partying and shopping. You haven't seen a real bargain unless you shop here.

And if we like to overdo things here in the Philippines, just imagine what it's like to be our guest.

What can you see when you travel in Philippines?

There are three major islands in this country Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Each of these islands has a unique place, culture and cuisine to offer for all the travelers who wants to visit them. Every corner of the country is a tourist destination and every Filipino can be your polite guide to any part of the country. Here are some good places to visit if you want to travel here in the Philippines. Make sure to add these places on your list to visit anytime soon.

The Three Islands

Luzon – is the biggest island among the three and is located at the northern part of the country. Most people who live here are Ilokano, Panggalatok, Kapampangan, Igorots, Tagalog and other ethnic groups. The land area is mainly composed of mountains which are very good for trekking.

Baguio City tagged as the “Summer Capital City of the Philippines” can be found in Luzon. This place is a very popular destination for travelers who want the cool breeze of air at the same time close to nature. With its very famous Burnham Park, Session Road and Mines View Park you will surely have fun exploring this city 4,900 ft. above sea level. The city has an annual festival called “Panagbenga Festival” which means “Flower Festival”. This festival is held during the month of February and was created as a tribute to the city’s flowers and as a way to rise up from the devastation of the 1990 Luzon Earthquake.

The Banawe Rice Terraces recognized as one of the “Eight Wonders of the World” can be found in mountains of Ifugao Province in Luzon. These farmlands created in the mountains are fed by an ancient irrigation system from the rainforest above the terraces. The Tourism industry has developed a number of activities for visitors which may include a sightseeing of the terraces and visits at the foot of the terraces.

Going up north of Luzon you will see the Bangui Wind Farm which is located in the Town of Bangui in Ilocos Norte. Situated between the Pacific Ocean and The China Sea, this part of Luzon has a very strong wind throughout the year. With the strategic location to produce electricity through wind the government builds this wind farm. This place becomes popular not only to local tourist but also to foreign traveler because of the beauty of the place.

Another great place to visit in Luzon is Vigan City which is also a “World Heritage Site”. It is the capital of the Province of Iocos Sur and it is located on the western coast of the large island of Luzon, facing the South China Sea. This city is one of the few Hispanic towns left in the Philippines, and is well known for its cobblestone streets. Two of the main festivals are celebrated here every Holy Week and every first week of May. The Semana Santa depicts the agony, death and resurrection of Chirst and the Viva Vigan Arts and Industry Festival which features painting and product exhibits and other cultural activities.

If you love water sports there is a place in Luzon where you can surf and get to experience the waves even if you’re a beginner surfer. San Juan, La Union is considered to be the Surfing Capital of the Northern Philippines and is known for its consistent intermediate quality surf. There are two surfing seasons from July to October and November to March.

Palawan with its capital Puerto Prinsesa City is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. You’ll find the Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park which is recently recognized as one of the “New 7 Wonders of Nature”. This park features a large limestone karst landscape with an underground river. The sire contains a full mountain-to-sea ecosystem and has some of the most important forests in Asia.

Visayas – is the smallest of the three islands which composed mainly of smaller islands. The major islands are Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Masbate, Negros, Panay, and Samar. The islands are composed of different ethnic groups and they are the following: Visayans (Aklanon, Boholano/Bol-anon, Caluyanon, Capiznon, Cebuano, Eskaya, Hiligaynon, Karay-a, Masbateño, Porohanon, Romblomanon, Waray), Ati.

Boracay as one of the world most popular beaches can be found here. A lot of local and foreign travelers flocked to this place during summer or even the entire year just to experience the fine white sand and clear blue water of this paradise.

The popular Chocolate Hills is also located here; it was declared the country's third National Geological Monument and proposed for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Here are some of the popular tourist destinations that you can visit in Visayas. MacArthur Park Beach Resort in Leyte, Balangiga Church in Eastern Samar, Limasawa Island in Southern Leyte, Homonhon Island in Eastern Samar, Lapu-Lapu Shrine in Mactan Island, Magellan Cross Monument in Cebu City, Fort San Pedro in Cebu City, Sandugo Shrine in Bohol, Loboc River in Bohol, Guimaras Islands in Panay, Panglao Island in Bohol.

Mindanao – is the second largest island among the three and it is mainly composed of mountains and rich farm land. This is the place where majority of the fruits came from and also this is the place where the tallest mountain in the Philippines can be found. Davao City land area is 2,444 km²is the largest city in terms of land area in the Philippines. The Mount Apo height is 2,954 meters which is the tallest mountain in the country. Samal Island is located near Davao City can be compare to Boracay for having the same white sand but not a fine as Boracay. Some places you also want to visit are Surigao and Dakak in Dipolog.

What more can you ask for?

That’s just a sneak peak or what we say in Tagalog as “patikim pa lang yan” of what can you find here in the Philippines. I’m confident enough that I can list down 7,107 tourist destination of our country. Encouraging and giving our local and foreign travelers more than 7,107 reasons to visit the Philippines. On my upcoming hubs I will give more details on the best places of my country. I will list down my 7,107 tourist destinations for all of you. From the Pearl of the Orient Mabuhay! Thank you so much for taking time to read my hub.

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The Manila American Cemetery and Memorial

10/24/2012

A brief introduction

Situated in The Fort or most popularly known now as “Bonifacio Global City” in Taguig, Philippines is a 152 acres (62 ha) or 615,000 square meters cemetery. This cemetery is visible at a distance from the east, south and west of the city. The Manila American Cemetery and Memorial is the resting place of a total of 17,206 brave soldiers who fought during the World War II. It is by far the largest cemetery in the Pacific for U.S. personnel killed during the war. The cemetery is generally circular in pattern, set among masses of a wide variety of tropical trees and shrubbery.

In the middle of the cemetery stands a white masonry building enriched with sculpture and mosaic and serves as a chapel. There are about 25 mosaic maps that recall the achievements of the Americans armed forces in the Pacific, China, India and Burma. A Tablet of the Missing containing 36,285 names and was inscribed on a rectangular Trani limestone.

The American Battle Monuments Commission maintained this place. It is the largest site administered by the Commission in the number of graves and of those missing whose names are recorded on the walls of the memorial.

Entrance of the cemetery is at the far (north) side of the large grassed circle just beyond the military sentinel’s post which is at the junction of the McKinley and Nichols Fields Road.

The cemetery is open daily to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except December 25 and January 1. There are no fees collected when you visit the place. A staff member is on duty in the visitor building to answer questions and escort relatives to grave and memorial sites.

My personal experience

Upon reading a lot of this place on the internet I decided to visit the place and see for myself the beauty it can offer to visitors like me. Going to the cemetery is not difficult, if you have a car or riding a cab you can access it through EDSA to McKinley Road then to McKinley Parkway inside the Bonifacio Global City. If you will be coming from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport you can take the Nichols Field Road, this will take you directly to the Bonifacio Global City.

I created a plan on when to go at Manila American Cemetery, I decided to visit the place after lunch so that I will get enough time to prepare the things that I to bring. As a photographer I bring my DSLR with me to take some photos of the place. Everything is set and I’m ready to explore this beautiful place.

There are some guidelines that you need to follow when you want to visit this place. This is a resting place of those brave soldiers and it must be respected all the time. So if you plan to visit the place you must follow this guideline.

· Do not enter to an area which has sign of “Do not enter”.
· Don’t throw your garbage anywhere inside the place.
· Do not make unnecessary noise inside the cemetery.
· Do not destroy or vandalize anything inside the cemetery
· Taking photos for commercial use is prohibited.

The time I arrived at the place I go directly to the officer on duty and asked them I can enter and visit the place. They asked me, what is my purpose of visiting the place? Since I don’t have any relatives buried there, I told them that I just want to visit the place and will not stay long. Upon entry they check my bag for security reasons. They saw my DSLR and told me that kind of camera is not allowed inside. I told them that the only purpose of me bringing my DSLR is to get some photos of the place and for my personal consumption. They let me in after I gave them my valid reason.

The place is really beautiful and I can say that what I read on the internet about this place was true. Everything is organized and clean, you can see some maintenance staff doing their work and some are visiting their relatives. It was a whole new experience for me going in to that place. After my visit I told myself to go back to this place again.

There are roaming security staffs around the cemetery and that make me more confident that this place is safe for everyone. If you are planning to relax try visiting this place. For sure you will enjoy and have a memorable time. You may also try looking on the graves or on the list of missing soldiers maybe you’ll find your relatives there.

I managed to take some great photos of the place and I want to share it with you so that you will also get the chance to see the beauty of the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.

The Bonifacio Global City Artwork Display

Exploring the City of Art

The Tree

Ang Supremo

Kasaysayan Bawat Oras

The Philippines: a country to visit in Asia

What can you see when you travel in Philippines?

The Three Islands

What more can you ask for?

The Manila American Cemetery and Memorial

About Me

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