PHILIPPINES!!!!! [Archive]

xplanetx

01-21-2001, 08:08 PM

can any of you Pinoys read Tagalog (make yr mommies proud)? if you can could you please translate this for me? YANO rocked my world when i was in manila last fall. i have stuff if ya'll would like to check them out (write: secretpopartthreat@hotmail.com).
BTW my cousins over there would not get off the fucking cellphones ever! even at karaoke they'd be singing and texting at the same time. the phones are better than in Tokyo where i was living BUT the karaoke joints i was taken to were so old-school that whenever you called up a song the kid working the front desk would have to go get the appropriate video tape and stick it in the machine. so you'd be waiting and waiting between songs sometimes. thus the phones came in handy anyway.
___________________________________________________________

(from some UP site)YANO
Ang pinaniniwalaan ng karamihan, nabaliw ang bokalistang si Dong Abay kaya naghiwa-hiwalay ang mga myembro ng bandang Yano. Ang totoo, ayon sa bahista nitong si Onie Badiang, nasa matinding depresyon lang si Dong. Sinubok nila ni Eric Gancio, ang gitarista, na itaguyod ang banda kahit wala si Dong, pero hindi sila nakatayo bilang duo. Nakabase ngayon sa Davao si Eric, kasama ang asawa at tatlong taong-gulang na anak. "Ipinagpapatuloy ang esensya ng banda," wika niya, at tumutugtog pa bilang Yano. Si Onie naman ay tumutugtog bilang freelance sa Maynila. Si Dong ay nasa malalim na kalungkutan, paminsan ay nakikita sa Philcoa, nagyoyosi.

Dating myembro ng Pi Sigma fraternity at residente ng Narra si Dong. Philippine Studies ang kurso niya, third year na nang lisanin ang UP sa rurok ng tagumpay ng Yano noong 1994. Si Eric ay cross-enrolled mula sa UP Los Baños sa UP College of Music ng Diliman, major in guitar. Hindi na niya natapos ang isang semestreng nilagi niya rito dahil sa pagtuon sa banda.

Nagkakilala ang dalawa noong 1992 sa Patatag, isang progresibong grupong koral. Pagpasok ng sumunod na taon, bumukod sila at nagsulat ng sariling mga kanta. Sa Gulod sila nagpapalipas-oras, umiinom ng beer at nagkukwentuhan. Ilan sa kanilang komposisyon ay patungkol sa UP. Sa "Iskolar ng Bayan," tinutuya nila ang naturingang isko na walang ginawa para maging karapat-dapat sa institusyon. Gumagamit ka pa rin ba ng s/ nag-a-outing ka pa rin ba sa united isteyts/ tancha ko sa'yo/ siguro ang tali-talino mo/ taga-u.p. ka kasi/ kay daling makahanap ng trabaho. Saad naman sa "State U," administration policy: itaas ang tuition fee/ pati na rin ang dorm fee/ bakit walang nagrarali?/ kahit may demolition, private corporation/ barat na allocation sa education/ commercialization, colonization/ privatization, kawawang oblation!

Buwan ang binilang bago nagkaroon na ng pangalan ang banda. Ayon sa pabalat ng unang album: Yano - salitang Sebwano na nangangahulugang simple o ordinaryo sa Tagalog. Sa probinsya ng Quezon, "yano" ang katumbas ng grabe o sobra, tulad ng yanong ganda! Ang "yano" ay "kombong Pinoy" din, mula sa mga salitang Ingles na katumbas ng oo at hindi.

Tumutugtog ang Yano nang nakaputing kamiseta, kupas na pantalon at tsinelas - pusturang umukit ng imahe ng mga taga-UP. Ang mga unang tugtog nila'y sa loob lang ng kampus. Kasama sila sa Amnesty International Concert noong 1993, at sa iba pang AI concerts pagkatapos noon. Tumugtog sila sa UP fair at concert ng Mountaineers. Tumugtog din sila sa gabing pag-alaala kina Lean Alejandro at Edgar Jopson, kapwa binansagang kabataang martir, sa Palma Hall lobby, Setyembre 1993. Inihatid nila ang kanilang musika sa 70's Bistro, Club Dredd, Music Museum, Folk Arts Theater at maging sa Intramuros, EDSA, Senate Building at telebisyon.

Matapos ang isang taong magkasama bilang Yano, nanalo sila ng Best New Artist sa 1994 NU Rock Awards. Ang una nilang album, Yano (1994), ay umani ng Quadruple Platinum Award noong 1996. Ang mga sumunod na album (Bawal, 1996 at Tara, 1997) ay hindi nagkulang ng angas at insayt ngunit hindi nakahigit sa tagumpay ng naunang koleksyon.

Naging myembro ng grupo noong Agosto 1994 si Onie, dati namang kasapi ng Bagong Lumad. Tumutugtog na sila noon sa iba't ibang bahagi ng Pilipinas, mula Sagada, Mt. Province hanggang General Santos, Cotabato. Sa kabuuan, mahigit limampung lugar sa labas ng Maynila ang pinamalasan nila ng galing sa pagtugtog. Inilalarawan ang kanilang musika bilang rock, punk rock, folk, at fusion.

Sayang, walang nagpatuloy ng kanilang paghimok sa tagapakinig para magsuri sa lipunang ginagalawan. Ang radyo ay pinaghaharian ngayon ng love songs, pop at mga manggagayang nasa klaseng sekundarya. Hindi mapupurga ang Pilipinas sa banda tulad ng Yano. Hangga't inuuod ang kukote ng mga tao sa hindi pamumulat sa katotohanan, nangangailangan tayo ng tulad nila sa radyo.

Simple lang ang sangkap ng tagumpay ng Yano. Inaawit nila ang mga kwento ng masa. Binubudburan ito ng patawa, angst, karunungan, at galing sa paghulma ng musikang huhuli sa kiliti.

ironmonkey

01-21-2001, 09:58 PM

the phillipine government has always been corrupt, i dont see it changing.

thats where i come in...

falcor

01-22-2001, 06:03 AM

xplanetx - i'll translate later, i'm in class right now!

falcor

01-22-2001, 06:38 AM

it's getting a little better. the people need to be educated - they just vote for the face they know best, not knowing any of the policies, etc. ramos was a pretty good president, and if we keep having president's like him, hopefully the people's attitudes will change in time. i refuse to be pessimistic about it.

Project 8

01-22-2001, 02:16 PM

Maybe Jaworski should run for president. He can do some Sabado Nights campaign thing. ha. or Anjanette Abayari. i'd vote for her.

falcor

01-22-2001, 09:10 PM

i struggled - the tagalog is like deep, old tagalog. basically the first paragraph says that dong abay is majorly depressed and is no longer in the band - he's trying to strike out on his own i guess? that's all i could translate :P
sabado nights - hahahahahahaha! laughing my ass off.

02-05-2001, 06:03 PM

Originally posted by xplanetx
(the PI is the only country in the world that would RATHER have a woman as its leader, prefferably installed through some cathartic, emotional, 'extra-democratic', populist, but PEACEFUL process) (its gotta be the 'virgin-mary-catholicism that makes the PI such a Matriarchal place)

I don't know about that. Maybe its applicable when Aquino was elected but not with Arroyo.

Wasn't the main problem because the Estrada was very corrupt? If Erap wasn't so messed up then there would be still be a male president. The guy was a macho actor who was portrayed as the people's hero/savior. With that kind of background, you can easily make comments about the PI being Patriarchal.

Estrada may get into a lot of trouble soon. With the charges they may pursue, he could face the death sentence if convicted as mentioned in CNN's Asia news. I think Marcos did a lot more evil but he died before they could get him charged.

And wasn't Arroyo the VP anyway? Its it not a far stretch to get the next in line as a replacement.

falcor

02-06-2001, 06:42 AM

a lot of politicians-to-be start out in the acting business so that they become known to the less-educated (hello, mikee cojuangco). hopefully, now people will actually listen to policy, rather than vote for the face that they know the best.

03-02-2001, 03:37 PM

oh my word, i feel so americanized. i haven't been to pi in such a long time...i think 97 to be exact. born and raised there until 84. but i wish i can speat tagalog again. i had no problem when i was surraounded by the language when i went back. then things started to come back to me. but when i'm out here i'm practically clueless about the language. i can definitely understand what my parents are talking about. but i can't jump into the conversation or even speak back.

falcor

03-03-2001, 09:27 AM

that's so funny because i never really spoke tagalog when i lived there. i attended i.s.m. and my friends all spoke english. it's only since i moved here to jersey that i've learned to actually speak it because my roommates are filipino and so is my boyfriend (we met in manila). i guess it's that 'keeping your identity' thing. which is cool. but we also ended up with some seriously wack roommates because they think we flips need to stick together or something. and i hate that mentality. like, these are guys that i wouldn't be friends with at home. i dunno, do you get what i'm saying?

falcor

12-21-2001, 06:36 AM

wtf. where the hell'd this thread get ressurrected from?

kamenriderv3

12-21-2001, 10:49 AM

Originally posted by falcor
wtf. where the hell'd this thread get ressurrected from?

Its all your fault. It was dead for at least 6 months until you posted. ;-]

Charlie

12-21-2001, 11:08 AM

Originally posted by falcor
that's so funny because i never really spoke tagalog when i lived there. i attended i.s.m. and my friends all spoke english. it's only since i moved here to jersey that i've learned to actually speak it because my roommates are filipino and so is my boyfriend (we met in manila). i guess it's that 'keeping your identity' thing. which is cool. but we also ended up with some seriously wack roommates because they think we flips need to stick together or something. and i hate that mentality. like, these are guys that i wouldn't be friends with at home. i dunno, do you get what i'm saying?

i'm a philippine born jersey resident too! you rock!

falcor

12-21-2001, 12:18 PM

actually i'm a california-born chinese. my parents were born and raised in the philippines though so they consider themselves filipino. and i consider myself more filipino than chinese or american. i am askal - no home, no country.

Charlie

12-24-2001, 06:46 AM

Originally posted by falcor
actually i'm a california-born chinese. my parents were born and raised in the philippines though so they consider themselves filipino. and i consider myself more filipino than chinese or american. i am askal - no home, no country.

i've never heard of the term "askal". but i think that's how most immigrant/first generation filipino-americans feel in this country...neither here nor there like bulosan in america is in the heart. i've been back to the Motherland several times since immigrating to this country in 1979. and every time i return, i am reminded of just how american i really am. a balikbayan sticks out like a sore thumb over there.

falcor

12-24-2001, 11:15 AM

askal is short for aso ng kalye - street dog/mutt. i just use it to describe ppl of mixed origins. i went to international school - we all stuck out like sore thumbs.

falcor

12-26-2001, 08:08 AM

block and white! hahaha! my friend in h.s. used that one summer. and he showed up the first day of school and he was GRAY. we were like damn, how much of that crap did you use?! apparently he used too much too soon. his color returned to normal eventually but we gave him a lot of shit for it.

falcor

12-29-2001, 09:00 AM

i have no idea. skin bleach does not appeal to me.

fre

12-29-2001, 12:18 PM

who the hell still use the initials PI? PI in the philippines stand for Putang Ina or Son of a b!tch in english. Isnt it better to use RP for Republic of the Philippines or even Phils.

falcor

12-31-2001, 10:00 AM

does it really matter?

kamenriderv3

12-31-2001, 11:42 AM

I thought PI was Phillipine Islands.

Ryan

01-10-2002, 06:05 AM

Originally posted by fre
who the hell still use the initials PI? PI in the philippines stand for Putang Ina or Son of a b!tch in english. Isnt it better to use RP for Republic of the Philippines or even Phils.

hmm ive used this for a long time, so have a lot of filipino friends of mine and ive never came across someone saying that thats what PI stood for
friends originally from the PI used PI and even when i was there people used PI in reference to the country

[Edited by Ryan on 01-10-2002 at 08:09 AM]

shoegaze

01-14-2002, 09:01 PM

Originally posted by Ryan
...all they do is text message each other

ryan

so troo so troo.. s'all about the text messaging

Sethius

01-14-2002, 09:09 PM

I like Pres. Glo's last name....Macapagal-Arroyo. It sounds tough.

Corey Aquino was a good president too.

falcor

01-15-2002, 08:45 AM

[2 cents]no she wasn't. she had no idea what she was doing. her whole mission as president was to undo everything marcos did, even the good things. she had no previous political knowledge before that.[/2 cents]

gomi

01-16-2002, 04:50 PM

hey falcor, when did you go to I.S.M?

falcor

01-17-2002, 06:24 AM

92. graduated in 97. omg, if i know you, i'll shit my pants.

gomi

01-17-2002, 12:04 PM

i was there from '94-97. my sister graduated the same time you did. hehe.

falcor

01-18-2002, 07:07 AM

i bet i knew her. what was her name?

monkie_nub

01-20-2002, 10:19 AM

I am ver americanized.:( I don't know much at all about my filipino culture or background. I wish I did.

gomi

01-21-2002, 11:07 AM

i bet i knew her. what was her name?

michelle (not sharing my last name on a public forum, but it starts with an L). she hung out with people who thought they were ghetto, but were unsuccessful.

[Edited by gomi on 01-21-2002 at 08:33 PM]

Ryan

01-21-2002, 12:38 PM

Originally posted by monkie_nub
I am ver americanized.:( I don't know much at all about my filipino culture or background. I wish I did.

never too late to start ..

monkie_nub

01-21-2002, 07:17 PM

I moved out here to Cali to live with my filipino aunt and uncle. They are going to TRY to teach me how to cook some filipino cuisine, and also speak some. I'm trying.

Ryan

01-21-2002, 09:32 PM

rock on

falcor

01-22-2002, 07:14 AM

Originally posted by gomi
i bet i knew her. what was her name?

michelle (not sharing my last name on a public forum, but it starts with an L). she hung out with people who thought they were ghetto, but were unsuccessful.

[Edited by gomi on 01-21-2002 at 08:33 PM]

haha! holy shit. i remember her. we had fake ghetto people everywhere at that school. *cough* amit *cough*

Charlie

01-22-2002, 09:27 AM

Originally posted by falcor
Originally posted by gomi
i bet i knew her. what was her name?

michelle (not sharing my last name on a public forum, but it starts with an L). she hung out with people who thought they were ghetto, but were unsuccessful.

[Edited by gomi on 01-21-2002 at 08:33 PM]

haha! holy shit. i remember her. we had fake ghetto people everywhere at that school. *cough* amit *cough*

What's considered ghetto in the Philippines? When I think of Philippine ghetto, I think of kids running around in chinellas, sandos and tighty whities. The ghetto scale is different in the PI. Posh places like Makati would be like downtown Newark to an American's eyes. And Newark is a shitty ghetto.

falcor

01-22-2002, 10:14 AM

trying not to read too much into it...

haha

i think what gomi and i mean is the american ghetto. ppl trying to be snoop, braiding their hair and wearing one pant leg rolled up. sneaking in alcohol in their thermos. we even had fraternities/gangs at our school. it was funny. guys in my grade got beat up because they made a fake gang to poke fun at the upperclassmen's. secret handshakes and shit. the ghetto you're talking about, we call squatters.

Charlie

01-22-2002, 11:07 AM

Originally posted by falcor
trying not to read too much into it...

haha

i think what gomi and i mean is the american ghetto. ppl trying to be snoop, braiding their hair and wearing one pant leg rolled up. sneaking in alcohol in their thermos. we even had fraternities/gangs at our school. it was funny. guys in my grade got beat up because they made a fake gang to poke fun at the upperclassmen's. secret handshakes and shit. the ghetto you're talking about, we call squatters.

When I went to the Philippines last year, the trend with the younger generation was that whole "Limp Biskit/Linkin Park" look. There were even a few bands in the P.I. that were poor imitations of the rock rap phenomenon. I remember seeing one of those groups, Slapshot, at this dive bar in Quezon City called Big Sky Mind. It's funny cuz their following were mostly teenie boppers, the kind you'd see on TRL...only they looked more like ravers. But they were far from ghetto.

Hip Hop doesn't exist in the Philippines it seems. The hip hop getting play was Eminem. I think they played "Stan" at least 20 times a day. Like I said before, they're mostly into that rock rap shit. Oh, and Shaggy ruled the airwaves when I was there. "It Wasn't Me" still rings in my head when I think about that trip.

falcor

01-22-2002, 11:20 AM

no no no. i'm talking about when i was in highschool, about 6-7 years ago. they were all into warren g and that crap. then grunge was big. then came the rave craze and everyone was all into trance (ugh). if you have seen any filipino mags with the society pages you'll see that pokemon looking fool with the spiky yellow hair. bleargh. the majority of the people do it just for the trend - they don't really like the music. i haven't been back in 2 years but i have heard that the rap/metal thing is huge. in the underground scene, hardcore is big. it's amazing to see how many harcore bands there are.

Charlie

01-22-2002, 11:43 AM

You know what else was/is big there? E. It seemed to be the drug of choice amongst all the club goers. I guess it's the thing to do all over the world. But I noticed a huge difference in two years time. It seemed almost nonexistent when I was there in 2000. But when I returned in 2001, everybody was doing it...even my goodie-goodie, god fearing cousins. I was quite shocked to say the least. But then again, we are living in the internet age so people are more in tuned to what everyone else is doing around the world. I was rolling nice on some of their shit. But the weed I smoked was dirt.

And Network Gaming was all the rage as well. Kids filled up internet cafes playing some game (can't remember the name) hours on end. Dance Revolution was a thing of the past.

gomi

01-22-2002, 03:32 PM

What's considered ghetto in the Philippines? When I think of Philippine ghetto, I think of kids running around in chinellas, sandos and tighty whities.

Hahaha. I could see it now. filipino ghetto chic. Hop on the bandwagon!

but in my sister's defense, she wasn't a wannabe thug. she just hung out with them. eurgh.

falcor

01-22-2002, 06:17 PM

your sis was cool but i didn't know her well.

my friends who scolded me for smoking weed are now huge etards. i give them shit all the time. they're all like, 'this new years, i tried e, and i was a GULAY!!' idiots.

mpyre

01-23-2002, 07:51 PM

Originally posted by Charlie
You know what else was/is big there? E. It seemed to be the drug of choice amongst all the club goers. I guess it's the thing to do all over the world. But I noticed a huge difference in two years time. It seemed almost nonexistent when I was there in 2000. But when I returned in 2001, everybody was doing it...even my goodie-goodie, god fearing cousins. I was quite shocked to say the least.

And Network Gaming was all the rage as well. Kids filled up internet cafes playing some game (can't remember the name) hours on end. Dance Revolution was a thing of the past.

Wow...thanks for the update. Last time I was in PI was in 96. I was kinda disappointed of the weak club scene since I was into the LA/OC club scene doing flyers and going out all the time.

When I went to PI in 96, my spoiled cousins were all into Pearl Jam. Now they're into Import Cars and they've opened up a car shop in Manila.

On another note, anyone know where the Jollibee is in SD?

falcor

01-24-2002, 06:29 AM

what club scene? haha. back then the place to be was malate. pre-konyo days.

Charlie

01-24-2002, 07:14 AM

Originally posted by falcor
what club scene? haha. back then the place to be was malate. pre-konyo days.

Malate was played out when I was there. Bunch of kids (probably in their mid teens) loitering in front of the bars just people watching, and some artsy-fartsy motherfuckers. I wasn't feelin it. It reminded me of the Lower East Side on the weekend. Last year, the Power Plant in Makati was the place to be. They have this row of trendy restaurants and bars attached to the mall. All the "cool people", bougie bold actors and actresses, socialites and the like go there to be seen sipping wine, listening to jazz and whatnot. No, sir, I didn't like it. Fake fuckfaces! The Plant is destined to be the next Fort Bonaficio, which is a ghost town now. I think they were trying to build up the Libis area when I left. They erected all this family style restaurants along the main strip. Jerry's Grill is dope though for some cheap Filipino eats.

falcor

01-24-2002, 10:56 AM

malate used to be cool. not so many people, no cover charges, and the bars used to put tables out on the street. it was fun. drag queen performances too. then the san mig crowd took over and that was the end of that. the fort in fort bonifacio didn't last long at all. i wonder why? i am dying to go back and see what it's like.

Ryan

01-07-2005, 04:54 AM

bumping this thread just cuz im bummed im not there right now. my parents are attending my cousins wedding and a friends wedding at a resort. i wanted to at least spend new years there..argh.

falcor

01-07-2005, 08:20 AM

new year's in the philippines is the best.

firecrackers and snarfing and then meeting friends after and staying out til noon when you can see everyone clearly and they're all cracked out and haggard looking and then making tusok tusok the fishballs and passing out on the ride home.

Charlie

02-10-2006, 12:14 PM

Going back to the Motherland next week to celebrate my 30th b-day where it all began. Visiting Cebu, Bohol and El Nido this time around. My fam back home keep talking about Bohol and how it's the new vacation spot to visit. Can't wait to see what all the hype is about. And I can't wait to be sippin' on mango shakes at the beach. Jonah's shakes in Boracay are da bomb, perhaps the best in the world.

magz76

02-10-2006, 02:28 PM

did anybody get to translate the whole thing for xplanet x..

hello to all of the kababayan here!!!

anybody here in the east coast.......

http://www.myspace.com/mysodapopsuicide
http://www.myspace.com/bleud
http://www.bleud.doesntexist.com
http://www.tedreyes.com
http://www.myspace.com/tedreyes

golivar

02-10-2006, 04:04 PM

Originally posted by Charlie
Going back to the Motherland next week to celebrate my 30th b-day where it all began. Visiting Cebu, Bohol and El Nido this time around. My fam back home keep talking about Bohol and how it's the new vacation spot to visit. Can't wait to see what all the hype is about. And I can't wait to be sippin' on mango shakes at the beach. Jonah's shakes in Boracay are da bomb, perhaps the best in the world.

happy birthday dude and have a great time. last time i was in the PI was in 2003 and i'd love to go back soon. i just returned from asia and i'm still bummed about being back and dealing with the bleak new jersey winter. you going to boracay this time? nicest beach i've ever been to.

let us know what's going on in bohol and cebu. i've never been to either place.

Charlie

02-10-2006, 07:36 PM

Originally posted by golivar

happy birthday dude and have a great time. last time i was in the PI was in 2003 and i'd love to go back soon. i just returned from asia and i'm still bummed about being back and dealing with the bleak new jersey winter. you going to boracay this time? nicest beach i've ever been to.

let us know what's going on in bohol and cebu. i've never been to either place.

Thanks, G. I feel ya on the Jersey blues, especially with this winter storm looming over the weekend. This time next week, I should be in 80 degree weather chillin in the sunshine and living it up in Makati. I hear February is a good month to visit since it's the driest month of the year.

I went to Boracay last July and it is the nicest beach I've visited as well. My only complaint was the growing pollution in the area. I noticed some trash washing up on the shore like disposed potato chip bags and candy wrappers probably from the town across the water with the airport or all the boats that pass through on a daily basis. And it seemed like Boracay had no sanitation crews cleaning up the beach. But other than that, it's still paradise to me. You can't beat the powdery white sand and the clear blue water. I also liked that there's a bunch of shit to do on the island, like the night life and the restaurants. And the water sports were pretty fun too, just don't try the flying fish ride.

Bohol and El Nido are more low key than Boracay so it should be a nice change of pace. I remember El Nido being featured on The Amazing Race a couple years ago. I'm looking forward to doing more eco-friendly activities like snorkling, kayaking and hiking. My cousin also wants to take me scuba diving in Batangas. I'm down for whatever. I'll keep you posted on the the places I visit. Here's a picture from Boracay last year. It's bugged that these kids' world is Boracay.

http://images12.fotki.com/v204/photos/6/692089/2481457/DSCN0832_0001-vi.jpg

YelloKitty

02-10-2006, 07:48 PM

you're a lucky man, charlie! happy early birthday and have an extra mango shake for me :)

(>_<)

02-11-2006, 05:58 AM

my cousin and his wife went to bohol for their honeymoon. good shit. yo, if you're in manila, give me an update on good places to go at night. i'm trying to go back this christmas season, so you know. cheah.

oh also, make sure to check out ice monster whenever you're in a mall. it's like halo-halo but better.

felt cap

02-13-2006, 04:50 PM

Dudes, I was just there with my hubby for Christmas. My mom has been bugging us to go to Bohol for years now but we are Bora addicts. It rained some while we were there (not typical for December) but since we had already been there a few times before and did all the silly watersports and island tours we just wanted to chill, which we ended up doing.

Here's a pic my husband took when we were there:
http://static.flickr.com/36/80873736_713c5b9ebe.jpg

So much of this going around. I never quite get used to it.

If anyone's looking for a fun club to go to in Manila, check out Fluxxe Thursdays at Manila DJ Club (in a new section of The Fort called Global City). Fun fun times.

Ryan

02-13-2006, 05:33 PM

^shit like that straight up depresses me everytime i see it.

Charlie: happy birthday! im extremely jealous..take alot of pics!

shammy718

02-14-2006, 06:59 AM

happy birthday, charlie! enjoy your trip!

Goner

02-27-2006, 03:39 PM

Originally posted by falcor
And Network Gaming was all the rage as well. Kids filled up internet cafes playing some game (can't remember the name) hours on end. Dance Revolution was a thing of the past.

Hey y'all. This is my first post out in these here parts.

Chiming in on the discussion:

I think the game's called Ragnarok. I do find it rather interesting that at around 3 PM, the internet cafes get filled with middle school/high school age kids for even just half an hour of this game. I was on vacation in the Baguio City area last January. I was checking my email at an internet cafe when later in the day, it seemed like the age demographic seemed to drop rather quickly.

Some other things I had to get accustomed to:
- Wearing a t-shirt, shorts, and flip-flops around Baguio City in January.
- All these different Nokia cellphones you've never seen out here in the US.
- The irritating factor of having to communicate with someone by email who still uses the same conventions as text messaging.
- Those big-ass SM and Robinsons Malls. There was a rather not-as-intimidating mall near the Ali Mall area in Manila though.

Music:
I had to sit down and watch MTV for a little bit out there. I was fascinated that they actually had a music video making-of documentary featuring Royksopp. You'll never find shit like that out here!

As for local music, I was jamming hard to Urbandub's newest album, Embrace. I never thought a set of Les Pauls through Fender amps could sound so harsh. I also liked the dreampop of Daydream Cycle's Underwater Kite, and the we-can-do-Interpol sound of Shiela and The Insects. I'm not sure they know who Interpol is out there though.

mikee

03-02-2006, 06:06 AM

hope you're having a good time. i just got back to nyc (quite a shock) from boracay and el nido. unfortunately, i got dysentery while there. and then developed some sinus problems on the way back. had a fantastic time though. el nido is amazing.

Originally posted by Charlie

Thanks, G. I feel ya on the Jersey blues, especially with this winter storm looming over the weekend. This time next week, I should be in 80 degree weather chillin in the sunshine and living it up in Makati. I hear February is a good month to visit since it's the driest month of the year.

I went to Boracay last July and it is the nicest beach I've visited as well. My only complaint was the growing pollution in the area. I noticed some trash washing up on the shore like disposed potato chip bags and candy wrappers probably from the town across the water with the airport or all the boats that pass through on a daily basis. And it seemed like Boracay had no sanitation crews cleaning up the beach. But other than that, it's still paradise to me. You can't beat the powdery white sand and the clear blue water. I also liked that there's a bunch of shit to do on the island, like the night life and the restaurants. And the water sports were pretty fun too, just don't try the flying fish ride.

Bohol and El Nido are more low key than Boracay so it should be a nice change of pace. I remember El Nido being featured on The Amazing Race a couple years ago. I'm looking forward to doing more eco-friendly activities like snorkling, kayaking and hiking. My cousin also wants to take me scuba diving in Batangas. I'm down for whatever. I'll keep you posted on the the places I visit. Here's a picture from Boracay last year. It's bugged that these kids' world is Boracay.

http://images12.fotki.com/v204/photos/6/692089/2481457/DSCN0832_0001-vi.jpg

Charlie

03-05-2006, 10:34 PM

Just got back from the P.I. on Sunday and I wish I was still there. I visited four resorts in all: Balai in Anilao, Batangas; Plantation Bay in Cebu; Alona Tropical in Bohol; and El Nido in Palawan. I visited them in that order and each time just got better and better culminating with my stay on Lagen Island in El Nido, which is the most awe-inspiring place I've ever visited...not so much the resort, but the environment surrounding it. The huge limestone rock formations soaring out of the water create a surreal landscape unlike anything I've ever seen. Furthermore, the people at El Nido go to great lengths to keep the ecology as natural and clean as possible. So, the sand, water and coral are much cleaner than a place like Boracay which is overdeveloped. Of course, the weather probably contributed a great deal to my fondness for El Nido as it was warm and sunny for the duration of my stay.

In Manila, I survived two coup attempts against GMA, some riots and a stampede a few blocks from where I stayed that killed a bunch of people during an event by a popular game show. It seems like drama is always happening when I visit the Philippines. Manny Pacquiao is a national hero there and is approaching legendary status. I was tempted to by his CD. I got to meet Brian "the Hawaiian Punch" Villoria at the Fort. My new crush is Heart Evangelista. She's like Donita Rose five years ago. And I gained about ten pounds from everyone constantly trying to feed me. Anyway, here are some pictures from my trip:

http://images16.fotki.com/v282/photos/6/692089/3301877/DSCN1550-vi.jpg

http://images12.fotki.com/v253/photos/6/692089/3301881/DSCN1698-vi.jpg

http://images1.fotki.com/v290/photos/6/692089/3301884/DSCN1754-vi.jpg

http://images16.fotki.com/v286/photos/6/692089/3301884/DSCN1783-vi.jpg

http://images16.fotki.com/v278/photos/6/692089/3301884/DSCN1798-vi.jpg

http://images16.fotki.com/v278/photos/6/692089/3301884/DSCN1810-vi.jpg

http://images16.fotki.com/v277/photos/6/692089/3301884/DSCN1835-vi.jpg

http://images16.fotki.com/v283/photos/6/692089/3301884/DSCN1736-vi.jpg

shammy718

03-05-2006, 11:44 PM

^beautiful pics. i lived in the philippines for 8 years and miss it all the time.

Denstradamus

03-06-2006, 12:15 AM

Originally posted by Charlie

http://images16.fotki.com/v282/photos/6/692089/3301877/DSCN1550-vi.jpg

my favorite pic. :D

someone pass the achara, vinegar, and juffran please....

BAOH

03-06-2006, 09:51 AM

i get off on telling my non-filipino friends that "singit" means eggs in tagalog....

you haven't lived until you've heard you buddies ask your parents to pass the singit.

har-har...

felt cap

03-06-2006, 12:20 PM

Originally posted by Goner

I'm not sure they know who Interpol is out there though.

You're kidding, right?

http://static.flickr.com/36/80907534_c2d8932b0b.jpg

Ask any of these skinny jeans-wearing mofos if they know who Interpol is. Heh.

felt cap

03-06-2006, 12:27 PM

Hey Charlie, great pics. Is that Ma-Ling I see in that delicious breakfast spread?

I've heard good things about Bohol and El Nido. My mom keeps convincing me and my hubby to give Bohol a try everytime we go back, but we're unapologetic Boracay junkies. We like a bit of sand and surf, but we like it mixed in with good restaurants and facilities, the urban-dwelling pansies we are.

Anyone here been to Sagada though? We really wanted to go when we were there last but it was Christmas time and we just couldn't fit it into our schedule even if we were in the country for three weeks.

Charlie

03-06-2006, 04:22 PM

Yeah, I was totally feeling the traditional Filipino breakfast. Give me some carne norte, spam, garlic rice and pan de sal and top it off with a mango, suman and some coffee and I'm good. I thought Bohol was OK. The sand on Panglao Island is very comprable to Boracay's sand. It too has the same white, powdery texture with a bit more rocks and shells. The beach isn't nearly as populated and crowded with bars and hotels as Boracay. Where I stayed at the Alona resort, there was only a quiet strip of hotels along the beach with only the hotel bars providing the nightly entertainment. However, I can imagine that the beaches on Panglao Island will eventually become more crowded with hotels and resorts in the next five years as Bohol becomes a more popular tourist attraction.

My family seemed like the only Filipinos on the beach aside from the service. The beach was filled with foreigners, mostly European. I think a lot of them were there for the scuba diving that Bohol has to offer. At night, the European men would fill the bars picking up the local girls dancing to J-Lo or whatever. One of the transvestites tried to pick me up asking if I wanted a massage. No thanks. The scene was quite disgusting actually.

The island of Bohol is more charming and a lot bigger than Boracay. It took about an hour and a half by bus to get to the Chocolate Hills from Panglao Island. The countryside is filled with lush green trees, rice fields and old churches. The barrio life is probably the same as it's been for the last fifty years. The people are humble and warm. The lunch on the boat down the Loboc River was an experience. Each boat had their own entertainer providing the music for the ride. The people went buck wild when the dude played the theme from Pinoy Big Brother. Another main attraction of Bohol is the Tarsier, the bug-eyed monkey that's about the size of your fist. I think it's the smallest primate in the world.

In the end, I would prefer Boracay over Bohol simply because the beach is bigger and there's more stuff to do at night with the bars and restaurants. I also like that you can walk way out in the water and still only be about waist deep. However, I recommend El Nido over both Boracay and Bohol because of the reasons I stated in my previous post. El Nido is especially good if you are traveling with your lover. Just make sure to stay on Lagen Island and not Minoloc. I think it's second only to the Amanpulo resorts in Palawan which is something ridiculous like $500 a night. I was thinking of doing a trip up north for my next visit to Baguio, Vigan, Sagada and Illocos Norte. Everyone says Sagada's got the killer buds. Just don't know if I can stand long drive to those places. Maybe I'll just do Boracay and El Nido again. Can't go wrong with those two choices.

Pics from Bohol:

http://images16.fotki.com/v283/photos/6/692089/3301881/DSCN1626-vi.jpg

http://images16.fotki.com/v279/photos/6/692089/3301881/DSCN1649-vi.jpg

http://images16.fotki.com/v281/photos/6/692089/3301881/DSCN1702-vi.jpg

http://images14.fotki.com/v247/photos/6/692089/3301881/DSCN1677-vi.jpg

http://images1.fotki.com/v291/photos/6/692089/3301881/DSCN1679-vi.jpg

Ryan

01-01-2007, 03:57 PM

*bumpskies*

leave for the PI in 3 days! gonna be in my friends wedding in manila then we're going to boracay. was supposed to be palawan but oh well. ima ride out regardless..

utinni2

01-02-2007, 07:54 AM

I might be going to PI in April or May for the first time.

My mom said I'll have to get shots? Is there anything else I should know?

I thought all I needed was a passport and money.

Oh yeah, I'll be seeing my Mom's side of the family in Baguio City.

felt cap

01-02-2007, 09:42 AM

Originally posted by Ryan
*bumpskies*

leave for the PI in 3 days! gonna be in my friends wedding in manila then we're going to boracay. was supposed to be palawan but oh well. ima ride out regardless..

Oooh have fun Ryan!

SDP

01-02-2007, 09:43 AM

Watch out for the Pyroclastic Flows...

(band name?)

Ryan

01-02-2007, 12:39 PM

Originally posted by utinni2
I might be going to PI in April or May for the first time.

My mom said I'll have to get shots? Is there anything else I should know?

I thought all I needed was a passport and money.

Oh yeah, I'll be seeing my Mom's side of the family in Baguio City.

ive been there a couple times and no one ever insisted i get shots. *shrugs*

baguio is pretty cool, we took a bus there from manila. that in itself was an adventure.

Charlie

01-02-2007, 02:03 PM

I don't know anyone who needed shots to travel to the Philippines. I think your parents are just paranoid.

I am going to the PI for a few weeks in February. I asked my cousin to book me a trip to El Nido again. I think my cousins were also working on another getaway to this exclusive island in Cebu called Sumilon. There's something like 12 cottages on the whole island. I thought about Boracay but I think I want to stay away from the crowds when I'm at the beach. You will have fun though since you'll be with your wedding party. Boracay is definitely more fun with a large group. Make sure to have a mango shake at Jonah's. And stay away from the Flying Fish, one of the water activities that's plain torture. The wedding should be fun too. I've been to a couple of my cousins' weddings and they go all out. They had their receptions at the Shangri-la Hotels in Makati and Edsa. It's definitely a big show that's more about the parents flashing their money with this lavish celebration. Be more cautious when you check out the girls at the wedding because some might be distant relatives.

I vaguely remember going to Baguio when I was a kid but I have plenty of pictures with me there in the 70's. I went back in 2000 and it wasn't too fun, partly because I was suffering with food poisoning from this grilled fish I ate at the beach. Baguio is just like an old run-down town. I remember all the hills and the huge flea market where I got a couple wood carved statues (not the barrel man). I'd rather be at the beach or even Manila. There's more stuff to do. But you may find it fun if you have relatives there I guess. Here's a picture of my cousins and me in Baguio. I'm the one in the yellow shirt. Those were the good ol days.

http://images18.fotki.com/v328/photos/6/692089/3801614/Seventies155-vi.jpg

Goner

01-02-2007, 10:29 PM

I may end up at those parts again this year--it may be in Baguio City in particular this spring. My friend since the 5th grade is getting hitched. I'm really happy for the dude.

golivar

01-07-2007, 03:09 AM

just got back from manila about 2 days ago. i'm still jet-lagged (i'm pretty sure it's worse coming back than going there; last year when i came back from indonesia it took me 4 or 5 days to get over it), which is why i'm wide awake at 6 in the morning.

went to camiguin, off the coast of mindanao. pretty nice island, nowhere near as crowded or developed as boracay, so you don't have to deal with as much eurotrash and balikbayan kids with ipod earbuds permanently stuck in their ears. takes forever to get there, though: 1.5 hr flight to cagayan de oro, 2 hr drive to ferry station, 1.5 hr ferry ride to camiguin (and that's if you're lucky and get the boat that isn't a complete rustbucket). coolest thing about camiguin is the "white island" which is basically this large sandbar about the size of half a football field that sticks out of the water a half mile from shore. you hire a small boat to take you out there and you spend the morning swimming or lying on the sands. pretty cool.

trip was a good balance of calm (camiguin) and hectic (manila). spent new year's eve at the westin, got to see 3 simultaneous fireworks shows. trashed my friend's room at the makati shangri-la (stupid but fun). rode along with my sis as she drove down edsa at 70mph one night (THAT made me fucking nervous; since typhoon milenyo, there've been no street lights on most of that road, and i was afraid we'd hit some little kid in the street).

i think i drank about 100 mango shakes.

my father's still trying to persuade me to move back, and i might start listening to him now.

5.92

01-07-2007, 12:21 PM

How much does it normally cost to fly there?

Charlie

01-07-2007, 03:07 PM

From the East Coast, airfare is between $1000 to $1400. Last year I paid $1100 on Cathay Pacific from JFK to Manila with a stop in Hong Kong. This year I paid $1400 to fly Continental from Newark to Manila with a stop in Hong Kong. I'm paying extra to fly from Newark because JFK is more of a hassle for me. I don't think there is a direct flight from the NY area. I know there are direct flights from California though, and it's a lot cheaper.

I always wanted to spend Christmas and New Years in the Philippines. I haven't done that since I was 3. I heard stories of all the fireworks and people shooting guns in the air and shit. Mindanao is definitely a part of the country I'd love to explore more. I went there in 2000 and stayed in Davao City and visited Pearl Farm where I got sick from eating the blue marlin. During the moments I wasn't writhing in agony from the food poisoning, I found Davao to be quite charming. It was very provincial, like it was probably 50 years ago. A lot of the countryside still wasn't developed. I think 80% of the population is muslim which is a stark contrast to the God fearing Catholic majority in the rest of the country.

I would imagine the part of Mindanao you visited is way more country than southern Mindanao. Those are the type of trips I live for, stuff off the beaten path. I think my trip in February is pretty much planned out with El Nido and Sumilon already booked. Hopefully there'll be enough time to squeeze in another beach trip. But I also want to spend time in Manila for some debauchery with my cousins. What's hot now?

5.92

01-07-2007, 04:49 PM

Originally posted by Charlie

I always wanted to spend Christmas and New Years in the Philippines.
We have a year to plan:D

shammy718

01-07-2007, 06:19 PM

Originally posted by golivar
just got back from manila about 2 days ago. i'm still jet-lagged (i'm pretty sure it's worse coming back than going there; last year when i came back from indonesia it took me 4 or 5 days to get over it), which is why i'm wide awake at 6 in the morning.

went to camiguin, off the coast of mindanao. pretty nice island, nowhere near as crowded or developed as boracay, so you don't have to deal with as much eurotrash and balikbayan kids with ipod earbuds permanently stuck in their ears. takes forever to get there, though: 1.5 hr flight to cagayan de oro, 2 hr drive to ferry station, 1.5 hr ferry ride to camiguin (and that's if you're lucky and get the boat that isn't a complete rustbucket). coolest thing about camiguin is the "white island" which is basically this large sandbar about the size of half a football field that sticks out of the water a half mile from shore. you hire a small boat to take you out there and you spend the morning swimming or lying on the sands. pretty cool.

trip was a good balance of calm (camiguin) and hectic (manila). spent new year's eve at the westin, got to see 3 simultaneous fireworks shows. trashed my friend's room at the makati shangri-la (stupid but fun). rode along with my sis as she drove down edsa at 70mph one night (THAT made me fucking nervous; since typhoon milenyo, there've been no street lights on most of that road, and i was afraid we'd hit some little kid in the street).

i think i drank about 100 mango shakes.

my father's still trying to persuade me to move back, and i might start listening to him now.

^yey!

utinni2

01-08-2007, 08:11 AM

Yeah, sounds like you had lots of fun.

650lex

01-08-2007, 08:37 AM

Ryan

01-08-2007, 04:24 PM

in makati right now, the wedding is tonight. havent done anything major except make rounds with all the relatives. still pretty crazy. the sprawl in manila is insane, every where they took me it seems like more and more condo units are coming up.

if they can only do something about the gdam traffic..

Ryan

01-19-2007, 06:15 PM

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16405919@N00/sets/72157594485975435/

some pictures from the trip

memoryspill

01-19-2007, 07:16 PM

that makes me miss my lola and mango shakes

(>_<)

01-20-2007, 08:59 AM

re: mango shakes

have you hear about ice monster?

Charlie

01-20-2007, 12:30 PM

Hey nice pics, Ryan. Were you able to use the new camera in the Philippines? I did that same cave tour in Boracay only the water was not as treacherous as it looks in your pics. We were able to jump into the water in the caves which were like little pools that led to the ocean.

http://images15.fotki.com/v338/photos/6/692089/3838689/Boracay069-vi.jpg

http://images15.fotki.com/v337/photos/6/692089/3838689/Boracay078-vi.jpg

Snorkling off the boat was pretty cool too. Did you see the guys on the little rafts peddling coconuts? That was a trip.

http://images20.fotki.com/v330/photos/6/692089/3838689/Boracay062-vi.jpg

http://images18.fotki.com/v331/photos/6/692089/3838689/Boracay053-vi.jpg

http://images20.fotki.com/v330/photos/6/692089/3838689/Boracay056-vi.jpg

Mango Shakes! Awwww Yeah!!!

http://images17.fotki.com/v15/photos/6/692089/3746496/El_Nido028-vi.jpg

golivar

01-20-2007, 02:17 PM

Originally posted by Ryan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/16405919@N00/sets/72157594485975435/

some pictures from the trip

cool. it's odd seeing pics of glorietta and the shangri-la lobby, i was there barely three weeks ago. did you eat at that circles place at the shang?

Ryan

01-20-2007, 03:39 PM

hah yeah the coconut guys were funny, they also had dudes selling ice cream. i kinda regret not getting taho off the street, but being as I already got kinda sick from something else, i didnt want to chance it.

unfortunately i didnt bring the XT with me on my trip, it was just one more thing that i would have to lug around, those pictures were taken with my sd400. the couple i went with though, they were rocking a d50 which i took a couple shots with, ill try to post those when i have access to them..

memoryspill

01-21-2007, 02:23 PM

Originally posted by (>_<)
re: mango shakes

have you hear about ice monster?

what's ice monster?

and am i the only person that doesn't like that coconut water? everyone seems to love it - it must be an acquired taste or be a sentimental thing for them.

Ryan

01-21-2007, 04:21 PM

Originally posted by golivar

cool. it's odd seeing pics of glorietta and the shangri-la lobby, i was there barely three weeks ago. did you eat at that circles place at the shang?

unfortunately even though my friends family got a room there for a night, the only food i got to eat there was at the reception.

Charlie

02-26-2007, 07:35 AM

Just got back from my trip to the Philippines yesterday and of course it snows as soon as I arrive. This year I went to El Nido and Sumilon for my beach destinations and for my birthday I got a room at the Makati Shangri-la. I had breakfast at the Circles restaurant that Golivar mentioned which was pretty good. I kinda liked the Heat restaurant in Edsa Shangri-la better, probably because of the hot hostess. Kris Aquino and her cheating husband James Yap seem to be the celebrity gossip at the moment. After watching her gameshows Deal or No Deal and Game Ka Na Ba, I realized how much of bitch she is. My celebrity crush is still Heart Evangelista. Although Bianca King and Angel Locsin are moving up my ranks. I spent my despidida at The Fort at the new development across Market Market called Serendra. The night life is always alive and well in Manila. Here are some pictures:

http://images21.fotki.com/v515/photos/6/692089/4657857/Miscellaneous49-vi.jpg

http://images21.fotki.com/v517/photos/6/692089/4657596/El_Nido026-vi.jpg

http://images21.fotki.com/v577/photos/6/692089/4657596/El_Nido103-vi.jpg

http://images21.fotki.com/v578/photos/6/692089/4657596/El_Nido128-vi.jpg

http://images22.fotki.com/v518/photos/6/692089/4657672/Sumilon78-vi.jpg

http://images22.fotki.com/v520/photos/6/692089/4657744/Nina47-vi.jpg

http://images21.fotki.com/v577/photos/6/692089/4657857/Miscellaneous13-vi.jpg

Goner

02-26-2007, 11:54 AM

Originally posted by Charlie
After watching her gameshows Deal or No Deal and Game Ka Na Ba, I realized how much of bitch she is.

No doubt. She's an example of why most other Pinoys aim for mediocrity when they could do better. Hate that sing-songy collegiala-speak that she does too.

My celebrity crush is still Heart Evangelista. Although Bianca King and Angel Locsin are moving up my ranks.

Great choice with Heart. I think she's an heiress to one of the local food chains out there. There are way too many hot lookin' Pinoy women that have been coming out of the woodwork lately.

650lex

02-26-2007, 12:07 PM

I always enjoy your vacation pics, Charlie!
I hope one day to make it over there. I'm sure I don't have family there anymore but that won't stop me from visiting!

Ryan

02-26-2007, 01:13 PM

great pics Charlie..

happy belated birthday!

Charlie

02-28-2007, 05:52 PM

Hey thanks, guys. I'm not sure where to post these food shots in gastronomics so I thought I'd put them here:

http://images22.fotki.com/v518/photos/6/692089/4657857/Miscellaneous15-vi.jpg

http://images22.fotki.com/v520/photos/6/692089/4657857/Miscellaneous18-vi.jpg

http://images22.fotki.com/v518/photos/6/692089/4657857/Miscellaneous19-vi.jpg

http://images21.fotki.com/v515/photos/6/692089/4657857/Miscellaneous23-vi.jpg

http://images21.fotki.com/v578/photos/6/692089/4657744/Nina02-vi.jpg

http://images22.fotki.com/v520/photos/6/692089/4657744/Nina03-vi.jpg

http://images22.fotki.com/v518/photos/6/692089/4657771/Malabon14-vi.jpg

http://images21.fotki.com/v516/photos/6/692089/4657744/Nina39-vi.jpg

http://images22.fotki.com/v520/photos/6/692089/4657744/Nina46-vi.jpg

The last image is barbeque chicken intestines. It was pretty nasty and it gave me the runs the next day. But I thought it was an interesting picture.

felt cap

03-01-2007, 04:34 PM

Damn even just reading the word "Liempo" made me drool.

Hey Charlie, which of those beach pics is El Nido?

Charlie

03-01-2007, 06:29 PM

The second, third and fourth pics are from El Nido. The pic where we're trekking is Sumilon in Cebu. El Nido is probably my favorite getaway in the entire world. This is the second straight year I went there and I won't hesitate to go again. I haven't been to Amanpulo, which is supposed to be the premier beach destination for those with money, but I think El Nido is right up there with them. Sumilon is about half the price of El Nido. It consists of only one island with 12 cottages and the facilities aren't as nice as El Nido's, but it has its own charm. Both are big about conserving the islands' ecology. Here are more pictures comparing the two:

El Nido

http://images22.fotki.com/v519/photos/6/692089/4657596/El_Nido025-vi.jpg

http://images22.fotki.com/v519/photos/6/692089/4657596/El_Nido106-vi.jpg

http://images21.fotki.com/v517/photos/6/692089/4657596/El_Nido115-vi.jpg

Sumilon

http://images22.fotki.com/v520/photos/6/692089/4657672/Sumilon37-vi.jpg

http://images21.fotki.com/v577/photos/6/692089/4657672/Sumilon75-vi.jpg

http://images22.fotki.com/v518/photos/6/692089/4657672/Sumilon86-vi.jpg

650lex

03-02-2007, 08:22 AM

Wow, I got immediately mellow and hungry looking at those pics
BEAUTIFUL!
I want to go to El Nido

man - I got a massive craving for Lechon and Bangus Sisig

Goner

03-02-2007, 09:41 AM

Yum yum. Liempo and street food: a couple of things I miss.

(>_<)

03-04-2007, 01:05 PM

nice pics, charlez. what about the night life? where did you go? what kind of music? my bro and i are gonna make our way back soon and want to know about scene a bit.

Ryan

03-04-2007, 05:27 PM

charles, those are taken with the GR right? what are your impressions with the camera now..i know you got it in japan...

Charlie

03-04-2007, 07:24 PM

All the pictures were taken with my GR Digital. I actually got it a year ago from Adorama. I still love it. My favorite features of the camera are the manual controls with the shutter speed and aperture dials on the front and back. They make it so much easier to navigate and adjust the settings I want. It's like having some SLR features on a point and shoot. And of course, its compact size makes it much easier to carry around as an every day camera. I pretty much know which settings I prefer to use for different situations. For instance in all the night/indoor pictures, I like to use 800 ISO with aperture priorty set at F2.4 with high contrast and low color saturation. One of the criticisms of the GR was the noise at high ISO levels, but I don't think it's so bad. For outdoor shots during the day, I use the Manual setting at ISO 64. This probably gives me the best results. Rather than post more pictures, here is the link to all the pictures from my Philippines trip:

Philippines 2007 (http://public.fotki.com/soulcies/philippines-2007/)

The nightlife is pretty hot in Manila. I'm a bit older now so I didn't go out like I used to, but I did get to experience some of the scene this year. My favorite areas to drink and people watch were Greenbelt in Makati and Serendra in The Fort. Bars and restaurants line these two strips and there's plenty of outdoor seating to drink and chill. Serendra is relatively new and is one of Ayala's developments. They're trying to build The Fort up again and these new developments are the cornerstone of their plan. There are a bunch of new condos in the area as well. It's pretty nice. My cousin said she saw Imelda Marcos walking around with her entourage the night of my despidida. I missed seeing her though.

I saw a few bands this time around. My friend is the singer for this band called Outerhope (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=78823467) and they played at this chill cafe called Saguijo (http://saguijo.com/index.php) in Makati. It was pretty cool checking out local arts movement. This other band called Drip (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=147413475) also performed that night and definitely caught my attention, probably because the singer is fuckin dope! Another spot to check live bands is Capones (http://www.caponesbistro.com/) also in Makati. This venue has a bit of an older crowd. I really wasn't checking for the bands though, I was just scoping out the girls. Finally, I also saw this band called The Bloomfields who do old Beatles and Beach Boys covers. They also have some songs in Tagalog with a 60's feel to it. They were actually pretty good. My aunts and uncles are really into them. If you're into the club scene, I think the place to be is Embassy in The Fort. I believe it's a much younger crowd who go there, late teens/early 20's. My cousin was telling me it's a great place to go if you want to people watch and see some models. As far as music on the radio, Akon is huge in the Philippines right now. Go figure.

Ryan

03-05-2007, 08:35 AM

thanks for the insight Charlie...ive been more and more tempted to want to pick up a GR vs another Canon P&S to compliment the XT..

Manila is definitely poppin off these days, i wish i had more time to just go around at night more, i always feel like im "stuck" doing family things when im there..

might be heading back again next january, thats a long way off, but i guess we'll see..

Goner

03-05-2007, 10:36 AM

When I was in Manila last year, I ended up drinking a case or two of San Miguel beers at this reggae bar called Xaymaca along Timog Avenue. They have decent bands that play there with the likes of Session Road (from Baguio City) and Peace Pipe, who are regulars at the venue. The time I went, there was a band that did covers of Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party tunes, so I guess it's not all reggae all the time, but close enough.

I may have to try 6Underground or Saguijo the next time I head out there.

650lex

03-08-2007, 11:15 AM

a little history lesson (http://youtube. com/watch? v=jO5SsP_ f7iA)

Goner

03-08-2007, 01:15 PM

I've been jamming to something that's perhaps the sickest album I've ever heard in ages. It's the latest record from Radioactive Sago Project. The title of the album alone gets me so riled up--Tangina Mo Ang Daming Nagugutom Sa Mundo, Fashonista Ka Pa Rin. It's an astounding mix of Filipino social discourse, jazz, funk, Alice In Chains, horns, and Zappa-esque ensemble playing. Oh, and cover art is by Louie Cordero as featured in one of the most recent issues of GR.

Here's the link to purchase the album:
http://www.kabayancentral.com/music/various/mmter011.html

650lex

03-26-2007, 10:22 AM

so i asked my aunt where our family is in the philippines because i'm planning to go in the next year or two
she told me my uncle runs a very successful pavilion for cock fighting over there
yeah i'll visit him but not so much on the cock fighting!

Charlie

03-26-2007, 10:33 AM

Do you know what city or province this is? I went to a cock fight on one of my trips back. They are a trip. Before the actual fight, there's this frenzy with people shouting, taking bets and throwing crumpled pesos to the bookies to place their bets. Then when the cocks come out, this eerie hush settles over the audience. When they attack each other, all you hear are ooh's and aah's from the crowd with each striking blow. And when the winner is declared, the frenzy starts all over again. Outside the cockpit, you see all the cocks getting stitched up after their fights and vendors selling barbeque chicken. =)

650lex

03-26-2007, 11:15 AM

my family is from Pangasinan - i forgot where exactly he's living.
don't think i can stomach that type of event!

Charlie

03-26-2007, 12:34 PM

I'm not familiar with Pangasinan but I looked it up and it's about 100 miles from Manila which can be quite a trek considering the traffic. Province life is cool because the air is much cleaner than the big city and life is just simpler. I get the feeling that life in the province has been like that for years. Pangasinan is sandwiched between Zambales and La Union, two major surf spots in the Philippines. La Union is where they filmed the beach scene in Apocalypse Now. It might be a hassle if you want to visit other islands in the Philippines since Manila is the main hub in Luzon and is about 6 hours away. There's also much more stuff to do in Manila than out in the province. You might find yourself bored after a few days of cocks. :D

650lex

03-26-2007, 12:42 PM

Originally posted by Charlie
I'm not familiar with Pangasinan but I looked it up and it's about 100 miles from Manila which can be quite a trek considering the traffic. Province life is cool because the air is much cleaner than the big city and life is just simpler. I get the feeling that life in the province has been like that for years. Pangasinan is sandwiched between Zambales and La Union, two major surf spots in the Philippines. La Union is where they filmed the beach scene in Apocalypse Now. It might be a hassle if you want to visit other islands in the Philippines since Manila is the main hub in Luzon and is about 6 hours away. There's also much more stuff to do in Manila than out in the province. You might find yourself bored after a few days of cocks. :D

ha ha - nice one, Charlie!

yeah this is why i'm planning this two years in advance
i need to accumulate more vacation time and figure out where i'm going.
i want to go to the provinces to see where my mom grew up and where my family resides and i'd like to go to Manila in the last portion of my trip for some city craziness

Goner

03-26-2007, 01:19 PM

Pangasinan is great! Make sure to head off to Dagupan and sample some of the seafood out there. Some restaurants are so close to the water that when you order fish, they'll catch it for you straight off the shore. The traffic was a bitch the last time I was there also due to the fact that there's no room to expand the roads. Oh, and driving out there isn't recommended unless you're comfortable with driving side by side with other cars that are mere inches in clearance between each other. There are lots of rice fields along the Pangasinan countryside. It can also get super humid beginning in February.

You may also want to stop by Pamanga when you come from Manila on your way to Pangasinan. The locals know how to cook food really well. My dad was obsessed with a halo-halo franchise based out in those parts when he flew to The Philippines earlier this year.

650lex

03-26-2007, 01:47 PM

thanks guys
i'm getting really excited! i'm sure i'll be asking more tips and pointers the closer i get to nailing an exact date when i'll be going

i'll be going w/my little sister and maybe another family member?
it sucks that i can understand tagalog but not ilocono!
looks like i'll have to start learning now especially if i meet family members for the first time!

Goner

03-26-2007, 02:09 PM

It looks like I'll be going with the family to The Philippines next year as well. My grandmother passed away earlier this year and we're going to mark the 1st year of her passing. So I'll be in Pangasinan too sometime February 2008. I may have to stick around longer so that I could also visit family and friends in Baguio and Manila.

650lex

03-26-2007, 02:10 PM

Is 2 weeks enough time there especially for my first visit?

Goner

03-26-2007, 02:21 PM

If you're roving just around the Luzon area, that should be fine. I personally think 3 weeks will really cover everything. But then again if I had that time, I'd end up going to the Mountain Provinces and maybe even way up at Ilocos Norte where they still have the old Spanish plantations.

I'd also want to visit Cebu and Palawan someday. I've never visited any place outside of Luzon island.

650lex

03-26-2007, 02:34 PM

I'd love to go to Cebu - it would be another reason for me to go back!
Right now I have a strong urgency to go and just see where my family is from - while i'm still young and childless! :)

yes, i'd love to check out Manila but i don't know if i'd want to deal with the BIG CITY!

Charlie

03-26-2007, 08:46 PM

3 Weeks works for me, but it always seems like time flies when I'm there, probably because my itinerary is always full. It should be a nice experience for you, Lex, meeting your family there for the first time and getting in touch with your roots. I'm always overwhelmed by the amount of love my relatives show, even if I haven't seen some of them for years. I try to absorb the stories they tell about our family history as much as I can, especially from the elders. I love hearing stories about my Lolo's and Lola's and about my Mom and my Dad. One of my Lola's is actually from Bacolor which is in Pampanga. We always drive past Bacolor on our way to Subic on that two-lane road that Goner mentioned. My uncle is an aggressive driver so he's always passing the cars ahead of him and it almost feels like he's playing a game of chicken with the oncoming traffic as he's passing the cars on the two-lane road. My life flashed before me several times on that road trip to Subic. Anyway, Bacolor was devasted when Mount Pinatubo errupted in 1991. The town was engulfed in lahar (volcanic ash). Every time I drive by, my uncle points out the old church with its steeple still visible and the rest of its foundation buried underneath the lahar. Only the second floor of my Lola's old house remains. My Great-Grandfather was a prominent judge back in the day. I think he was a pure Spaniard. But my Lola's oldest brother lost the family fortune gambling in Monte Carlo. My Lola met my Lolo in the hospital when her father was sick and when my Lolo had TB. During the War, my Lola was running and hiding from the Japanese with my oldest uncle in her arms. I live for these kind of stories. If it weren't for these chance meetings or the struggles my family had to endure, I wouldn't be here right now.

Ryan

03-27-2007, 05:57 AM

iirc i visited bacolor the first time i went tothe philippines, the lahar did some crazy stuff..my moms side is from pampanga

650lex

03-27-2007, 07:49 AM

Originally posted by Charlie
3 Weeks works for me, but it always seems like time flies when I'm there, probably because my itinerary is always full. It should be a nice experience for you, Lex, meeting your family there for the first time and getting in touch with your roots. I'm always overwhelmed by the amount of love my relatives show, even if I haven't seen some of them for years. I try to absorb the stories they tell about our family history as much as I can, especially from the elders. I love hearing stories about my Lolo's and Lola's and about my Mom and my Dad. One of my Lola's is actually from Bacolor which is in Pampanga. We always drive past Bacolor on our way to Subic on that two-lane road that Goner mentioned. My uncle is an aggressive driver so he's always passing the cars ahead of him and it almost feels like he's playing a game of chicken with the oncoming traffic as he's passing the cars on the two-lane road. My life flashed before me several times on that road trip to Subic. Anyway, Bacolor was devasted when Mount Pinatubo errupted in 1991. The town was engulfed in lahar (volcanic ash). Every time I drive by, my uncle points out the old church with its steeple still visible and the rest of its foundation buried underneath the lahar. Only the second floor of my Lola's old house remains. My Great-Grandfather was a prominent judge back in the day. I think he was a pure Spaniard. But my Lola's oldest brother lost the family fortune gambling in Monte Carlo. My Lola met my Lolo in the hospital when her father was sick and when my Lolo had TB. During the War, my Lola was running and hiding from the Japanese with my oldest uncle in her arms. I live for these kind of stories. If it weren't for these chance meetings or the struggles my family had to endure, I wouldn't be here right now.

awe
i love those stories too it's just too bad i always hear about them after my grandparents died. I found out that my grandfather was captured and tortured when the Japanese came during the war and how he always entertained the children in the province. my grandmother was a teacher and she would ride on horseback with a shotgun to her classes. She really wanted to be a doctor but her parents couldn't afford her schooling so she became a teacher instead.
I can't wait to go now! :)

Goner

03-27-2007, 02:33 PM

Here's throwing caution to the wind. I can't believe that shit like this could happen.

Punks mistaken for New People's Army Operatives (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view_article.php?article_id=55499)

Punks find hell on the way to Sagada

By Jeffrey M. Tupas
Inquirer
Last updated 04:41am (Mla time) 03/18/2007

ALL he wanted was to see the flowers of Baguio City during the Panagbenga Festival, perhaps get distracted by their smell and display of colors while he gets “high” with the kind of music that only he and his friends can discern.

Anderson Alonzo, 19, along with friends Jethro Villegas, 22, and Rundren Lao, 25, left Davao on Dec. 6, 2005, upon the invitation of a punk friend from Tarlac.

Punks are described as people who detest all forms of commercialization and dress in somewhat weird ways.

A big gig, where punks pour-out their angst and emotions through poetry and “do-it-yourself” music, was to take place in Tarlac.

Alonzo said the desire to meet new friends and the thrill of another adventure pushed him to accept the invitation.

Gigs, he said, are where punks from all over the country gather around.

When he left Davao, Alonzo only had P100 in his pocket, which his grandmother had given him.

From Davao, the group hitched on trucks and barge, passing through Surigao and Leyte.

Test of creativity

Hitchhiking, he said, is always a test of creativity, especially when it comes to begging for a free ride.

It took the group five days to reach Manila.

He described the travel as part of their struggle as punks, where they test their ability to survive out of limited opportunities and dangerous circumstances.

Upon arriving in Manila, Alonzo and his friends moved around punk communities before heading for Tarlac.

After the gig in Tarlac, he said, his group from Davao was joined by other punks for Baguio to watch the Panagbenga.

But when they arrived in Baguio two days before Valentine’s Day last year, no flowers in full bloom welcomed them because it was still two weeks before festival time.

Frustrated and tired because their main purpose in going to Baguio was not taking place yet, Alonzo and his punk friends headed for Sagada in the Mt. Province.

Military

The adventure to Sagada would later introduce them to the Filipino people as the Punks 11.

“We did not have any hint about what will eventually take place. We left Baguio at 7 a.m. We hitched on a truck,” Alonzo recounted.

By 12 noon, they reached Buguias town.

There, policemen manning a checkpoint flagged down the truck they were riding in.

“They were in full uniform. In fact they were in full battle gear,” he said.

He said as soon as the vehicle came to a halt, the policemen—with guns aimed at them—commanded them to disembark.

“They shouted at us: ‘Baba kayo... NPA kayo!’ (Get off... you NPAs),” Alonzo said.

He said they were shocked.

Alonzo said the policemen accused them of being part of a group of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, which attacked a military detachment in Mankayan town a few weeks earlier.

He said while cursing them, the policemen ordered them to lie face down on the ground. His companions tried to reason out but the policemen started kicking them.

The truck driver and his assistant were also told to lie face down on the ground.

All of them were later blindfolded and handcuffed and herded to a police camp.

“While we were walking, they insisted we were NPA rebels,” Alonzo said.

At the camp, the policemen took all their belongings and prevented them from making contact with anybody.

Alonzo said they were then tortured into confession, their bodies beaten until they were black and blue. Their calls for mercy fell on deaf ears.

Alonzo described his trip to Sagada as hell.

“All we felt was fear. I thought hell was becoming hotter. We feared for our lives. We thought we would be killed,” he said.

Alonzo said he only had one wish then. If he got killed, at least his body would be sent home.

“It was an agony of the mind and body. They would douse us with cold water, hit us with wood. Ron Pardino, one of our companions from Laguna, was even electrocuted,” he said.

After their first night at the police camp, Alonzo said seven of their colleagues were brought to the Benguet Provincial Jail.

Firearms

He and three others were brought to Mankayan, in the very area that the NPA had raided.

“They asked us to look for firearms but we told them we didn’t know where to find them. Then they asked us if we still wanted to go home. Of course in my mind, I said yes,” Alonzo said.

They were then brought back to the camp.

During their second night at the police camp, Lao was brought near a cliff where he was repeatedly beaten again.

He found an opportunity to escape and sought help from the National Bureau of Investigation.

Instead of helping Lao, NBI operatives turned him back to the police. He rejoined his fellow punks at Cell No. 12 of the provincial jail.

Their ordeal came to the attention of the public and friends and their family started to write letters of appeal.

On Dec. 21, after being imprisoned for almost 11 months, they were finally freed.

The policemen, who took turns in beating them, had only apologized aside from buying plane tickets for him and his friends Lao and Villegas.

Alonzo said for him and his friends, they found that justice rarely works in the Philippines.

“I don’t trust authorities either. If I see a policeman, I feel angry,” he said.

650lex

03-27-2007, 02:59 PM

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Goner
[B]Here's throwing caution to the wind. I can't believe that shit like this could happen.

Punks mistaken for New People's Army Operatives (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view_article.php?article_id=55499)

I agree
but why doesn't this surprise me?

650lex

03-28-2007, 08:24 AM

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/03/28/philippines.hostages/index.html

fauve-io

12-21-2007, 07:24 AM

went to Makati for the last two weeks of November.

most important thing I've learned being there: have a poker face in order to avoid the chissmiss

Goner

12-21-2007, 08:39 AM

Headed for the ancestral house for my lola's first death anniversary this February.

Goner

04-07-2008, 02:30 PM

Here's an essay by Palanca Award-winning writer Jessica Zafra about the history of the Philippine elite and their stranglehold in positions of power.

http://jessicarulestheuniverse.com/2008/03/27/a-condensed-history-of-the-rich/

A Condensed History of The Rich
-Jessica Zafra

There’s an ongoing discussion about “the elite” outside of their regular turf (society pages and magazines). This is an excerpt from an article I wrote in 2005. It appeared in the Hong Kong Standard, but I can’t find the link. The full text appears in Twisted 8.

It is generally assumed that the “old rich” are descended from the Spanish who colonized the Philippines. They maintain the impression by conversing among themselves in a sort of spanish, or at least cursing in spanish. With a few notable exceptions, most of the people we call mestizo are actually descendants of the Chinese mestizos who built their fortunes in trade during the spanish colonial period. During the American period, they acquired the agricultural lands of the spanish religious orders and became hacenderos. And when the Americans introduced a bicameral legislature, the mestizos with their rural economic base were well-placed to take political power. They congregated in Manila to attend the sessions of the House and the Senate and became the ruling class.

In The Spectre of Comparisons, Benedict Anderson refers to the years 1954 – 1972 as “the heyday of the oligarchy”. They had complete access to the state’s financial instrumentalities. “Under the guise of promoting economic independence and import-substitution industrialization, exchange rates were manipulated, monopolistic licenses parcelled out, huge, cheap, often unrepaid bank loans passed around, and the national budget frittered away in pork-barrel legislation. Some of the more enterprising dynasties diversified into urban real estate, hotels, utilities, insurance, the mass media, and so forth. The press, owned by rival cacique families, was famously free.” The newspapers published damning exposés on the abuse of power, but the author points out that no one was ever convicted for graft and corruption. At least, no one from the right family.

When pundits wish to beat their breasts over the state of the Philippine economy, they remind us that in the 1950s and 60s, the Philippine economy was the strongest in Asia, second only to Japan. Anderson notes that “uncontrolled and parasitic plundering of state and private resources tilted the Philippines on its long plunge from being the most “advanced” capitalist society in Southeast Asia in the 1950s to being the most depressed and indigent in the 1980s. By the end of the golden era, 5 percent of the country’s income earners received, probably, about 50 percent of total income. At the same time, over 70 percent of state revenues came from regressive sales and excise taxes, and a mere 27.5 percent from income taxes—largely paid by foreign corporations.”

When the dictator Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in 1972, he promised to wage war on the oligarchs. True, the less cooperative political families fell out of the loop and were replaced by Marcos relatives and cronies. But when Marcos was overthrown in the People Power Revolution at Edsa in 1986, and Corazon Cojuangco Aquino ascended to the presidency, the oligarchs came back in a big way. Representatives of traditional political families dominated Senate and Congressional elections. They still do, despite recent electoral successes by show business personalities.

The World Bank has noted that income distribution in the Philippines is substantially less equal that in most low and middle income countries in Asia. The income gap between the rich and the poor is still widening. The inequitable distribution of incomes and assets feeds the unending cycle of poverty.

golivar

04-07-2008, 02:56 PM

it's hard to imagine the philippines becoming an asian economic power because corruption and graft is so common there. i would love for it to ascend to the economic ranks of, say, south korea, taiwan, or even singapore, but i just don't think that will ever happen. it does relatively little to protect its natural resources - it opens up its best fishing areas to japan and exports much of its viable raw materials to china, the u.s., etc.

also, the hard times of the 60s through 80s created the "brain drain" which had many educated filipino professionals moving to the u.s. to pursue better financial opportunities. my father says that trend might be reversing, though, with some of these filipinos returning to see what they can do to help the country. kind of like what's been happening in india the past few years.

i think filipinos are just too laid-back. maybe we just don't have the shrewd business sense of other asians like the koreans and chinese. we don't have much of a history before spanish and american colonialism, so consequently we don't have a strong enough self-identity, one that can really power us ahead in the modern world.

Charlie

04-07-2008, 06:40 PM

Originally posted by Goner
The income gap between the rich and the poor is still widening. The inequitable distribution of incomes and assets feeds the unending cycle of poverty.

I agree completely. Excellent points too, Golivar. I don't have anything more to add to the above posts. Shit's fucked up. I almost can't look out the car window when I visit my Mom's side of the family in Malabon, one of the poorest areas in Manila. I think the poverty situation in the Philippines is irreversible. And it's just going to get worse.

On a brighter note, I'm going to the Philippines this Saturday for two weeks. This time next week, I'll be in Boracay. I'm staying at this new hotel called Discovery Shores. It's supposed to be really nice. My cousin is taking me on a trip to one of her surf spots the following week, either Zambales, La Union, Baler (where they shot the surf scene in Apocalypse Now) or Siargao, which is supposed to be world renowned for its waves. I'm not actually gonna surf, just plan to document the whole thing with plenty of pictures. I'm hoping we keep it in Luzon because I figure I can take more pictures on the road.

Oh, you're gonna like this, Golivar. I'm taking part in this critical mass ride through Manila on 4/20. I think it's called the Firefly Brigade. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGYhw2d1-a8) My cousin is gonna hook me up with one of his spare mountain bikes. It should be a trip riding through Manila on a bike. I'll be sure to take plenty of pictures of that as well.

fad3r

04-07-2008, 06:51 PM

Oh, thats snds like tons of fun Charlie! Def take lotsa pics!

golivar

04-07-2008, 06:55 PM

that sounds awesome, charlie. definitely post pics from that ride, and let me know what the mt bike scene is like in the philippines. i'm going there in july and will be there until december(!). definitely planning on bringing my bike. you should introduce me to your surfer girl cousin. :D

i'm surprised you like going there for relatively short period like 2 wks. i think it takes me that long to get over my jetlag whenever i return to the u.s. from there! the last time i went was xmas 2006, and i was there for a little over 3 wks.

i went to boracay in 2002, that was a lot of fun. i just loved all the fresh seafood. did some half-ass snorkeling, but i'm a crappy swimmer.

speaking of riding, i've got the day off tomorrow and i'm going to ride over the GWB and into manhattan. was thinking of riding down to spring st to check out that place that only sells rice pudding! haha. it's all about food with me.

Goner

04-07-2008, 09:31 PM

So...

Here's a blog I put together of my trip to The Philippines last February/March (http://weescape08.blogdrive.com/)

Sethius

04-07-2008, 10:49 PM

^awesome!!!

650lex

04-08-2008, 08:06 AM

i still want to go :(

My boss and two other managers are going back next week for business...

fad3r

04-08-2008, 07:58 PM

I wanna go so I can ride a carabao in the rice patties!

Charlie

04-29-2008, 08:40 PM

I returned from my two week trip to the Philippines on Sunday, and I was glad I decided to go. I always discover something new on my annual visits to the Motherland, and luckily this year my cousin took me to the wonderful island of Siargao where I caught my first waves at the world renowned Cloud 9. Getting there is a journey: 1 hour plane ride from Manila to Butuan in Mindanao, 2 hour van ride to the port of Surigao City, 3 hour boat ride to Siargao Island, and a 1/2 hour habal-habal ride (motorcycle built to carry 3 or 4 passengers) to Cloud 9. Because Siargao is off the beaten path, much of the island remains quiet and undeveloped. There are small, modest hotels scattered along Cloud 9 with guests mostly from Australia and Europe. There is a great community of local surfers who showed much love to us and even invited us to their homes to eat with them. At night we would all drink Tanduay Rum at one of the local hotel bars or by the beach. The moonlight was the brightest I've ever seen. Here are some pictures I took during my short stay on the island:

http://images33.fotki.com/v1137/photos/6/692089/6175535/SIARGAO100-vi.jpg

http://images27.fotki.com/v972/photos/6/692089/6175535/SIARGAO110-vi.jpg

http://images35.fotki.com/v1164/photos/6/692089/6175535/SIARGAO115-vi.jpg

http://images33.fotki.com/v1138/photos/6/692089/6175535/SIARGAO116-vi.jpg

http://images33.fotki.com/v1140/photos/6/692089/6175535/SIARGAO118-vi.jpg

http://images35.fotki.com/v1171/photos/6/692089/6175535/SIARGAO123-vi.jpg

Charlie

04-29-2008, 08:42 PM

http://images34.fotki.com/v1146/photos/6/692089/6175535/SIARGAO155-vi.jpg

http://images36.fotki.com/v1177/photos/6/692089/6175535/SIARGAO158-vi.jpg

http://images33.fotki.com/v1138/photos/6/692089/6175535/SIARGAO160-vi.jpg

http://images36.fotki.com/v1176/photos/6/692089/6175535/SIARGAO165-vi.jpg

http://images34.fotki.com/v1143/photos/6/692089/6175535/SIARGAO181-vi.jpg

http://images34.fotki.com/v1149/photos/6/692089/6175535/SIARGAO191-vi.jpg

Charlie

04-29-2008, 08:50 PM

And on the other side of the spectrum, here are some pictures from my trip to Boracay:

http://images33.fotki.com/v1136/photos/6/692089/6175394/BORACAY068-vi.jpg

http://images35.fotki.com/v1163/photos/6/692089/6175394/BORACAY069-vi.jpg

http://images34.fotki.com/v1144/photos/6/692089/6175394/BORACAY104-vi.jpg

http://images35.fotki.com/v1168/photos/6/692089/6175394/BORACAY133-vi.jpg

http://images35.fotki.com/v1166/photos/6/692089/6175394/BORACAY155-vi.jpg

http://images34.fotki.com/v1145/photos/6/692089/6175394/BORACAY167-vi.jpg

Goner

04-29-2008, 10:32 PM

Those are fantastic shots!

Thanks for sharing them. I really need to venture past Luzon when I get to visit there.

shammy718

04-29-2008, 11:13 PM

great pics, charlie. my dad got back from manila on monday. wish i went back with him. it's been too long.

fad3r

04-30-2008, 05:45 AM

Fantastic pics Charlie! What camera/lens did you use?

Charlie

04-30-2008, 06:34 AM

Thanks for the compliments, everybody. I used my K10D for all the pictures above. All the pictures from Siargao were shot with the 43mm f1.9 Limited and the pictures from Boracay were shot with both the 43mm and 31mm f1.8 Limited lenses. Here are more pictures from my hike to Mt. Pinatubo which I shot with my old GRD. It was a tough hike but I was able to swim in the water when we reached the peak. I'll probably never hike Pinatubo again but at least I can say I did it. Lahar everywhere!

http://images34.fotki.com/v1149/photos/6/692089/6175673/PINATUBO27-vi.jpg

http://images31.fotki.com/v1054/photos/6/692089/6175673/PINATUBO29-vi.jpg

http://images34.fotki.com/v1144/photos/6/692089/6175673/PINATUBO66-vi.jpg

http://images34.fotki.com/v1143/photos/6/692089/6175673/PINATUBO76-vi.jpg

http://images33.fotki.com/v1142/photos/6/692089/6175673/PINATUBO82-vi.jpg

http://images36.fotki.com/v1175/photos/6/692089/6175673/PINATUBO87-vi.jpg

650lex

04-30-2008, 07:56 AM

so fucking beautiful
you make me appreciate the PI everytime i look at your pics and i haven't been there yet.

i will though - i know i will maybe not next year or but I know I will!

Goner

04-30-2008, 08:15 AM

Pinatubo was going to be part of my tour itinerary last time I was planning to go back. Just didn't have enough time in the 12 days there to really push through with it. Those photos only encourage me more to stay longer when I decide to plan another trip.

Ryan

05-10-2008, 01:03 PM

Awesome Pics Charlie!

I went back in January for a couple days to see my grandmother on her 95th birthday. I've been lucky enough to go about every other year it seems. This last time I just really was in Manila and Pampanga running around seeing family and what not. Stayed at the Shangri-la Makati, pretty nice hotel. (and expensive :( )

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2357/2231702277_f2a773a57e.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2097/2232489700_cdb6076706.jpg
^Makati and I guess Manila in general is getting condo'd out like crazy. My aunt was trying to convince my parents to buy one at Fort Bonifacio.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2324/2231730241_ce587b3953.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2346/2231735231_b82d2b80db.jpg

Hopefully next time I go, it'll be with my whole family, and I think we're trying to get to Palawan finally.

Goner

05-10-2008, 09:07 PM

Originally posted by Ryan

^Makati and I guess Manila in general is getting condo'd out like crazy. My aunt was trying to convince my parents to buy one at Fort Bonifacio.

I'd agree with that. I stayed over at a college friend's place at the condo building next to the Boni MRT station and found it very convenient to travel to Cubao or straight off to the southern area of town. Plus it looks like High Street is going to be the next booming place in Manila. I overheard some rich folk talking about more land development than what's presently there.

Charlie

05-10-2008, 10:44 PM

Here's a pic I took of High Street with the high rises being constructed in the background:

http://images34.fotki.com/v1148/photos/6/692089/6176217/MISC22-vi.jpg

I was there a few times during my stay and found it to be a really progressive area. Right now, it's just a short strip of stores and restaurants that comprise Serendra and High Street in the Fort. But by next year, I can see it expanding threefold. There's a lot more space left to be developed and by the look of all the cranes and construction in the area, it won't be too long before that place is really booming. I went to mag:net cafe on High Street a couple nights for this event they hold called Rockeoke Night, where you sing karaoke to a live band. Good times. And the girls there were so hot! Even saw one of the Philippine starlets there, Anne Curtis.

Goner

05-10-2008, 11:05 PM

Oooh...Anne Curtis is a stone fox.

Charlie

05-10-2008, 11:21 PM

Originally posted by Goner
Oooh...Anne Curtis is a stone fox.

Yes she is. I actually found a clip of her performance that night on the Rockeoke channel on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQJrGvzqO_w

Anne Curtis is on the left, Cheska Garcia is on the right, and I'm not sure who is in the middle. The performance is painful to watch but it sure is good eye candy. The funny thing is, I didn't even really notice them until my cousin pointed out that she's like the Lindsay Lohan of the Philippines without all the drugs. I thought there were even hotter girls there that night.

golivar

05-11-2008, 12:02 AM

my father was thinking of buying one of those fort bonifacio condos for me and my sister. i ain't livin' with my sister! that would be like living with alicia silverstone in "clueless".

hey charlie, did you get to do any biking while you were there?

i'm going to be in manila from july to december. any recommendations on stuff to do would be appreciated. i visited twice during the holidays over the past few years, so i have a general idea of what's going on, but i'm sure i've barely scratched the surface of what daily life is like back there.

Goner

05-11-2008, 12:45 AM

Make sure to hit Saguijo in Makati if you want an idea of what their version of indie rock is like out there. I got to see a good shoegaze band called Sleepwalk Circus out there opening for one of my favorite groups right now, Up Dharma Down.

Charlie

05-11-2008, 11:32 AM

Originally posted by golivar
my father was thinking of buying one of those fort bonifacio condos for me and my sister. i ain't livin' with my sister! that would be like living with alicia silverstone in "clueless".

hey charlie, did you get to do any biking while you were there?

i'm going to be in manila from july to december. any recommendations on stuff to do would be appreciated. i visited twice during the holidays over the past few years, so i have a general idea of what's going on, but i'm sure i've barely scratched the surface of what daily life is like back there.

I didn't ride the Firefly Brigade event I mentioned in an earlier post because it fell on the same day as my nephew's birthday party. Because the rest of my schedule was full, I didn't get to bike at all during my trip. I get the impression that there is a big bike community in the Philippines. If you google Philippines and mountain bike, you can find some stuff you might want to get into. I remember the Asia Living channel did a feature on some annual bike ride around Bohol for mountain bikers. Bohol would be a great destination for a ride because it has some of the most beautiful countryside I've seen in the Philippines.

I would recommend learning to surf while you're out there. The Philippines has some great surf spots that a lot of people around the world haven't heard about yet. I made a bunch of new friends from the Philippine surf community and they're all really cool, down to Earth, genuine people. The surfers from Manila usually make weekend trips to places in Luzon like La Union, Zambales, Daet, or Baler. Having a hobby like this is a great excuse to leave hectic Manila and see some of the more peaceful provinces. It's a great workout and stress-reliever and a wonderful opportunity to take pictures of the countryside. And meeting all the tanned and toned surfer girls is also a plus.

If I was to live in Manila, I would choose to live in The Fort, Makati or Ortigas. I would take up your father's offer to live in the Fort with your sister because some of those condos around Serendra and High Street are pretty sweet. It's not too congested there yet and all the roads and facilities are probably the cleanest in Manila. Furthermore, it's a centralized location for everything in Manila.

As far as the nightlife, I only went to a few places this time around. In Makati, I went to this restaurant/bar/lounge called Ponti's, Capone's for some live music and this ultra-swanky karaoke joint in Greenbelt 3 called Red Box. There were a lot of "beautiful people" in Ponti's but it's mostly a young college crowd. I felt kinda like the creepy old man in the club. My favorite spot was Mag:net in High Street in The Fort for the Rockeoke Nights. The crowd there was closer to my age and there was less pretentiousness in the air. I had a lot of fun. But I guess it helps to know people who know what's going on around Manila. I couldn't imagine walking into these places by myself and having a good time. The scene is constantly changing though and by this time next year, there'll probably be some new hot shit.

golivar

03-25-2009, 01:55 AM

If I was to live in Manila, I would choose to live in The Fort, Makati or Ortigas. I would take up your father's offer to live in the Fort with your sister because some of those condos around Serendra and High Street are pretty sweet. It's not too congested there yet and all the roads and facilities are probably the cleanest in Manila. Furthermore, it's a centralized location for everything in Manila.

i'm in san juan, a few blocks from greenhills mall. it's a pretty good location, equidistant from makati and quezon city. i actually ride my bike around ortigas a lot at night.

charlie, you ever drive here in manila? i got my P.I. drivers license a while back. man, anything goes here when it comes to driving. it's a complete free-for-all. the lack of basic common sense and courtesy blows my mind. i'm starting to develop all the bad driving habits people have here. i;m screwed when i get back to the U.S.

anyways, i just noticed a cafe down the street from me called "adobo putoshop". took me a second to get it, but it gave me a chuckle.

i;m off to bataan tomorrow for a shoot. never been there before. should be fun.

lakeside resort

03-25-2009, 02:35 AM

I thought you already went back to the US.

golivar

03-25-2009, 04:11 AM

i came back because i couldn't stand being in a different hemisphere than you. i love you so much. you are the wind beneath my wings.

lakeside resort

03-25-2009, 04:25 AM

um, awkward

wnoodle

03-25-2009, 04:40 AM

Did you ever know that you're his hero?

650lex

03-25-2009, 08:29 AM

Hap

03-25-2009, 09:37 AM

"adobo putoshop".

Waaaaaahh.

Charlie

03-25-2009, 11:09 AM

i'm in san juan, a few blocks from greenhills mall. it's a pretty good location, equidistant from makati and quezon city. i actually ride my bike around ortigas a lot at night.

charlie, you ever drive here in manila? i got my P.I. drivers license a while back. man, anything goes here when it comes to driving. it's a complete free-for-all.

Dude, I just got back from Manila on Sunday after staying there for 3 weeks. The highlights of my trip were Virgin Beach Resort in Batangas, surfing in Zambales and touring Bohol where I finally saw the tarsier, the bug-eyed, smallest primate in the world. I am very familiar with San Juan and even stayed there on a couple occasions in my cousin's condo in Garden Island. I mostly stayed in my other cousin's condo in Ortigas called Renaissance Towers, which is walking distance to Metrowalk. I probably even saw you riding around at night. There are a lot of cyclists and bikers in Manila. It must be ten times harder to navigate than NYC considering the driving free-for-all you mentioned. Even with all the craziness in Manila traffic, I find it amazing how people keep their cool. I never really see anyone with road rage even after being cut-off or blatantly running a red light. But I'm sure people lose it sometimes and just go nuts.

I will post pictures later this week. I'm still post processing the 1000 shots I took on this trip which are all RAW. I miss the Philippines already.

frontwards

03-25-2009, 11:27 AM

Man I am jealous.

kamenriderv3

03-25-2009, 08:41 PM

me too!

Denstradamus

03-25-2009, 09:07 PM

anyways, i just noticed a cafe down the street from me called "adobo putoshop". took me a second to get it, but it gave me a chuckle.

DUDE! PLEASE take a picture of this cafe and post it.

golivar

03-26-2009, 03:14 AM

Dude, I just got back from Manila on Sunday after staying there for 3 weeks. The highlights of my trip were Virgin Beach Resort in Batangas, surfing in Zambales and touring Bohol where I finally saw the tarsier, the bug-eyed, smallest primate in the world. I am very familiar with San Juan and even stayed there on a couple occasions in my cousin's condo in Garden Island. I mostly stayed in my other cousin's condo in Ortigas called Renaissance Towers, which is walking distance to Metrowalk. I probably even saw you riding around at night. There are a lot of cyclists and bikers in Manila. It must be ten times harder to navigate than NYC considering the driving free-for-all you mentioned. Even with all the craziness in Manila traffic, I find it amazing how people keep their cool. I never really see anyone with road rage even after being cut-off or blatantly running a red light. But I'm sure people lose it sometimes and just go nuts.

I will post pictures later this week. I'm still post processing the 1000 shots I took on this trip which are all RAW. I miss the Philippines already.

that's cool. you come here a lot, huh? weren't you just here last summer? the jet lag must be a pain in the ass. i think i'm heading to iloilo/bora or cebu later this month.

as crazy as it sounds, biking here doesn't seem that dangerous (knock on wood). i suspect that the insanity and unpredictability of traffic here actually keeps drivers alert. it's not like jersey where everyone is yakking away on their phones and barely paying attention. when i ride, i just try to be aware of everything around me, more or less like how i rode in manhattan. i think i trust cabbies here more than the ones in nyc.

and you're right about road rage, actually. no one really gets pissed off. everyone seems to take it all in stride. i'm still working on it. what sucks is that everyone's windows are tinted, so you can't make eye contact, which i think is a big part of driving in the US.