daddywasabi

2009-10-31T01:32:00.004+07:00

Fauxlaroids-Botanicals

2009-04-26T17:28:00.003+07:00

Lamlukka playground

The pink coloured Holy Family Church was our landmark on the way to the convent. It was a long drive. We knew that we were getting closer because the four lane road gave way to a two laned road. We were had to be on the look out for the pink colored church. By then we knew that we were just one klong away from our destination. You will find things in the same order, the pink colored church, the christian cemetery, the old people's hospice and the hospital. After that a bridge, a sign to a popular wat then on the left side is the dirt road to the convent.

On the way back we decided to drop by. We then found out that the church was built in 1910 and finished in 1911. This is quite unusual in Thailand where the way are dotted with wats and towns are named accordingly. What I noticed was the lonely playground in the church yard. It was right after noon and we were experiencing a very hot day. Yet I could not help notice the worn out toys in the playground. A relic perhaps of a bygone era before at a time when kids perhaps of my generation would prefer to run around and play in playgrounds like this one. How exciting to use your imagination and play with friends of your youth. But time has a way of dealing with all things. Everything changes. Decay is the only way for those who do not change with the times. That is how time deals with everything.

2009-04-26T17:20:00.002+07:00

lamlukka flame tree blossom

On our way out of the convent we saw low hanging blossoms of the flame tree. It is not easy to find these so low and near that what separates me from the blossom was the barb wire fence surrounding the convent. It was a very hot day but the blossoms were in full bloom. I am glad we made this stop.

2009-03-01T22:21:00.004+07:00

Bangkok Portraits

2009-02-28T10:15:00.002+07:00

Taling Chan

2009-02-28T10:02:00.002+07:00

Laguna Bay, August 2008

I had always been fascinated by the Laguna Bay. On a clear day if I am lucky enough to get a window seat on a flight home, I would always look out for the bay. That way, I know that it won't be long now before the plane touches down the airport. The bay is a huge place bounding the provinces of Laguna, Metro Manila and Rizal (what little is left of it). Often I would wonder if there are regular ferry boats that would ply people from various points but then as the plane flies lower, then the outlines of the fish ponds that dot the whole bay becomes clearer. Back in the early '80's, I bought a house in San Pedro Laguna. Everyday, on a bus ride to Ayala, I would get a glimpse of the bay as the bus makes its way towards the superhighway. On clear days, the sky would be blue and you can see the expanse of the bay. Very much like the view I would see on the plane on its descent when I started living in Thailand. After all these years I never found the time to get up close to the bay.

Last August, I finally found the time to figure out how to go there. Going to the town plaza of San Pedro, I asked one of the trycycle drivers to take me to the bay. There was an initial misunderstanding because at first she thought that I was asking to be taken to the water district ( which apparenly meant the office where you pay for your water bills). Then she took us to a place where you can see the bay. There are no clear access to the bay itself. You have to pass through a warren of a place. I then realize that relatively speaking, my house is in the newer part of San Pedro and this crowded place must be the old town of San Pedro judging from the very old houses that sit side by side to each other and how narrow the streets are. The lanes going towards the bay are even narrower that the only way to get there is on foot or using a tricycle. As we get closer to the bay, on sees several sari sari stores which is the social center of each of the community. Most other countries have their 7-11's where you do your business, pay your bill and then get out. No social interaction whatsoever happens.

Sari Sari stores are different in a way because in most cases this is where you get the latest town news courtesy of the neigborhood chismosos and chismosas. Our neighbor in Makati had a sari sari store when I was a little kid and all I can remember are the noise that the drunk teens would make once they already had too much to drink. Which made me wonder all the time because most of this guys were good friends when they are not drunk. As a kid, I often thought to myself that perhaps that was what going to university does to people for all of these teenagers were going to the university at that time. Much much later on, I went to university and went through the rites of growing up but thankfully did not go through the experience of drinking at the sari sari store and make a spectacle of myself in the process. I never had the opportunity to traumatize the young kids in the neigborhood where we lived because by then, we kept to ourselves. We were by then far away from our childhood friends. Most of the friends I made by then are school friends. But then I digress...

On the way to the Bay, there were indeed some men, perhaps fishermen who are resting and drinking a bottle of ginebra with their friends on that afternoon. Or perhaps they were just some of the menfolks that just happen to have a lot of free time and the best way to do this was to have a drink of ginebra in the afternoon. By the time we got to the bay, there was not enough light anymore so I just made an arrangement to go back the next day to look for a banquero that would take me around the bay. The trycycle driver told me that perhaps we should meet early the following morning when it will be much easier for us to find a banquero to take me to the bay.

2009-02-28T09:50:00.002+07:00

waiting....waiting.....waiting.....

2009-02-28T09:33:00.004+07:00

Dance Night!

I was conversing with my friend Bear who was telling me that it is now possible to go to dance salsa during every night of the week. While I am not entertaining the thought of doing this, it is quite fascinating that this is now possible. Probably I will note down his list the next time I see him. I got introduced to this latin dance almost ten years ago. However the class that I attended was more like a smorgasbord of latin dances because we did merengue one day then cha cha cha, salsa as well as cumbia. The sad part was that while we touched on the basics, we never got beyond that. Then there were the latin dance classes in California Fitness where again we never got past the basics and turns. But then not much progress there either. Last year, I met a friend who happens to be taking classes at Salsa Hacha near Silom and I got interested so I dropped by one time. While it was a basic class, I felt that they were doing very complicated steps that I better start the basic class from the very beginning. So over a period of a year, I learned the basics of salsa then went on to doing the more complicated steps and patterns. At first my lead was so rough. But I have since found a way of toning it down. But I manage to learn more and more throughout the year.

At first it was quite intimidating to go out dancing in the salsa clubs because most of the people dancing out there are very good. Now I am better but I still think I have a long way to go. In going to the clubs, I found out that there are many different styles of salsa. What I am learning is LA Salsa which is also called On 1 because guys take their first step with their left foot going forward on the count of 1. There is New York style which is also called On 2 because the guy sorts of steps in place on 1 with his left foot and then steps back on 2 with his right foot. At least that was how it was explained to me and someone I know who is trying to learn On 2 gave up trying after a while because it is as if you are trying to learn the dance all over again. Then there is Cuban style where you step on all 8 counts and dancers travel in a circular direction. One of the better dancers I know seem to be able to combine the something from each of these styles.

So on the night that I took the pictures above, students at another dance studio was presenting their show and they were doing it in the New York Style. For me I am content in learning more and more the LA style because there still are steps and patterns that befuddle me. Otherwise, learning this dance is something that I use to relax and to disconnect from everything else in this world. Because when I am able to ride with the music with a great partner, I am very happy!!!

2008-01-26T10:04:00.000+07:00

Hong Kong Winter

2008-01-26T09:47:00.000+07:00

Welcome to the Year of the Rat!!

2007-12-05T00:51:00.000+07:00

the wall

2007-12-05T00:49:00.000+07:00

up on the roof

2007-12-05T00:45:00.000+07:00

walkway grills

2007-08-18T16:56:00.000+07:00

passengers

2007-08-18T16:50:00.000+07:00

two windows

2007-08-18T16:42:00.000+07:00

soldier with bayonet

2007-08-18T16:39:00.000+07:00

mae phranom

2007-08-18T16:32:00.000+07:00

shaken, stirred

2007-08-18T16:24:00.000+07:00

parked boats

2007-08-18T16:10:00.000+07:00

parked ducks

2007-06-23T18:26:00.000+07:00

visakha bucha 2007

2007-06-23T18:21:00.000+07:00

Fire Tree II

2007-06-23T18:01:00.000+07:00

Fire Tree I

2007-03-16T19:25:00.000+07:00

flowers for mom and dad

fountain at plaza sta. cruz, manila

horned jeepney

long jeep, long shadow

bus conductor and chicharon vendor

2 boys and 2 guys at siomai house

waiting in front of baclaran church

Lord, save us!

reading the sign at san agustin church

tagaytay rice seller

2 street dogs at Calle R. Hidalgo, Quiapo, Manila

sampaguita vendor #1

sampaguita vendor #2

Quiapo vendor #1

Quiapo vendor #2

everlasting vendor #1

everlasting vendor #2

waiting to cross

jeepney:lokal

jeepney:converging

jeepney: in God we trust

buses with mmda barricades

2 traffic

young lady in mickey moust t-shirt riding the mrt

at the mrt ladies's section, waiting for the train to approach

EDSA station

gazing at taal lake

the buddha of the highlands

the tree

houses along the tagaytay ridge

2007-03-10T23:17:00.000+07:00

boy in a cramped hot fx

2007-03-10T23:14:00.000+07:00

the toddler and the carreton

2007-03-10T23:12:00.000+07:00

children at the quiapo churchyard

2007-03-10T23:10:00.000+07:00

ash wednesday at quiapo

2007-03-10T22:59:00.000+07:00

walking at the plaza

2007-03-10T22:56:00.000+07:00

self portrait

2007-03-10T22:53:00.000+07:00

tug of war

2007-03-10T22:51:00.000+07:00

empty bay

2007-03-10T22:48:00.000+07:00

in a rush

2007-02-28T22:30:00.000+07:00

cubes

2007-02-13T21:15:00.000+07:00

kung hey fat choi-happy year of the pig!!!

There was an article today in the newspapers stating that couples in china and korea are in a hurry to bear children this year because children born under the sign of the pig enjoys a relatively easy life. This year is even special because it is the year of the golden pig. I know some residents of the Pig year who may not necessarily agree with that. At any rate my best wishes to everyone on this lunar new year!

2007-02-13T21:11:00.000+07:00

angpaw seller
Angpaw are the little red envelopes that everyone are looking forward to because it contains money gifts that elders give to the younger unmarried relatives. In Hong Kong they call these Lai See.

2007-02-13T21:07:00.000+07:00

pig t-shirts

2007-02-11T22:58:00.000+07:00

chinatown caligrapher
This coming weekend will mark the new lunar new year. The coming year is the Year of the Boar. Others call it the Year of the Pig. I took this picture of the caligrapher in Bangkok's Chinatown more than 2 weeks ago in preparation for the Lunar New Year. The Bangkok Post has started their coverage of the Lunar New Year. Must have been a slow news day. They even features the same caligrapher on their front page photograph. I took his photo while he was doing his work. When he saw my flash he just turned to me and smiled.

2007-02-11T22:56:00.000+07:00

teddy bears

2007-02-11T22:53:00.000+07:00

christmas tree reindeer

2007-02-11T22:52:00.000+07:00

christmas fairy

2007-02-11T22:50:00.000+07:00

central angel

2007-02-11T22:48:00.000+07:00

we are family

2007-02-11T22:46:00.000+07:00

two men, two snow men

2007-02-11T22:45:00.000+07:00

smiley couple

2007-02-11T22:42:00.000+07:00

heart man

2007-02-11T22:38:00.000+07:00

pattaya on stilts

2007-02-11T22:32:00.000+07:00

Lord Shiva
This is one of the bas releif carvings inside the sanctuary. What attracted me to is was the lighting that seemed to illuminate the main statue. This was one of the images of Lord Shiva. There was another one across from this image. According to the guide, Lord Shiva is responsible for all the good as well as the bad things in this world.

2007-02-06T21:00:00.000+07:00

sanctuary of truth
Cocoy excitedly dragged us to go here because he had heard of this temple that is made of wood and is filled with wood carvings of the Hindu dieties. By the time we got there I was down to my last 5 frames of film. Luckily Albert had taken his digital camera and had taken a lot of pictures which I will post in my other blog, Pinoy Central Bangk(ok?). I shall be posting pictures of this wonderful place soon.

2007-02-06T20:44:00.000+07:00

separating

2007-02-06T20:42:00.000+07:00

sun bathing at noon

2007-02-06T20:38:00.000+07:00

massage on the beach
Massage can be had in most beaches in south east asia. Pattaya is no exception as it is a means of livelihood around tourist places. You will see the masseurs and masseuses as you walk along the beach.

2007-02-06T20:31:00.000+07:00

alone under the umbrellas

We went to Pattaya two weekends ago because Cocoy's friend Albert was in town visiting. It suddenly turned cooler (although to me it is quite cold). Towards noon we settled under the umbrellas by the beach in Jomtien so we can order lunch. There were not too many people hanging around the beach at the time.

2007-02-06T20:26:00.000+07:00

paper money taxi
I just had to take this picture in a flash. The cieling of his taxi was literally plastered with paper money from different countries. I even saw some very familiar bank note. He probably would ask passengers from a country he had not heard of before to donate a bank note for his cieling. I hope I encounter his cab once again once his cieling is filled up with his collection!

2007-02-06T20:18:00.000+07:00

street cosmetologist
Last year, Freddie, my friend in New York told me that he went to a very skilled Indian cosmetologist that uses string in shaping his eyebrows and the result was quite good. So I found the women in Yaowaraj using string which are then applied onto the heavily powdered faces of their customers supposedly to get rid of facial hairs. Unfortunately, I did not hang around to see the final result as I was meeting a friend for lunch.

2007-01-23T21:42:00.000+07:00

wat ratchapruek

2007-01-23T21:40:00.000+07:00

at the courtyard

2007-01-23T21:38:00.000+07:00

the tower

2007-01-23T21:36:00.000+07:00

golden pumpkin

2007-01-23T21:33:00.000+07:00

wat ratchapreuk at night

2007-01-22T23:16:00.000+07:00

dummy couple in b&w

2007-01-22T23:12:00.000+07:00

under the shade of the singh

2007-01-17T19:57:00.000+07:00

emerald buddha of the chiangmai walking street

2007-01-17T19:56:00.000+07:00

self portrait of a street artist

2007-01-17T19:53:00.000+07:00

little girl xylophone player

2007-01-17T19:52:00.000+07:00

grandma frog maker

2007-01-17T19:51:00.000+07:00

zombie dolls

2007-01-17T19:36:00.000+07:00

15 baht noodle
she is actually selling grilled meats but the sign says 15 baht noodle.

2007-01-17T19:32:00.000+07:00

flower bed

2007-01-17T19:25:00.000+07:00

umbrella 1

umbrella 2

2007-01-17T19:23:00.000+07:00

star hill

2007-01-17T19:21:00.000+07:00

waiting to enter

2007-01-17T19:18:00.000+07:00

red bamboo

2007-01-17T19:16:00.000+07:00

tourist bus

2007-01-17T19:15:00.000+07:00

green bottles

2007-01-17T19:13:00.000+07:00

dummy couple 2

2007-01-17T19:11:00.000+07:00

corn trees

2007-01-17T19:07:00.000+07:00

more wat ratchapruek pics

2007-01-16T21:53:00.000+07:00

shrub hill

2007-01-16T21:52:00.000+07:00

the pool

2007-01-16T21:50:00.000+07:00

tortoise on the playground

2007-01-16T21:49:00.000+07:00

little boy in the garden

2007-01-16T21:46:00.000+07:00

dummy couple

2007-01-16T21:43:00.000+07:00

dotted hill
the designers of the horticultural fair must have been geometrically obsessed!

2007-01-16T21:39:00.000+07:00

yellow fence
I rolled the film forward too much so to salvage the shot I took a photo of the same place so in the off chance that the frames overlap, then I have a panoramic photo. As with any picture taken with Holga, you never know what to expect. The frames did not overlap but the fence were more or less aligned. So I decided to make it into one photograph.

2007-01-16T21:38:00.000+07:00

blue bowl

2007-01-16T21:36:00.000+07:00

mushroom head
One of the installations at Shin Corp.

2007-01-16T21:30:00.000+07:00

south africa garden

2007-01-16T21:26:00.000+07:00

honeycomb hill
there were a couple of hills with different patterns. this one looked like a honeycomb

2007-01-16T21:23:00.000+07:00

wat ratchapreuk

2007-01-15T22:26:00.000+07:00

wishing tree

On the way to the wat was an umbrella like structure with strings of brass coloured bo tree leaves where people had written good wishes for HM the King. It was gleaming in the afternoon sun.

2007-01-13T10:57:00.000+07:00

chonburi garden
the most special portion of the chonburi garden was the waterfall garden they had constructed beside the traditional thai house. I just took the waterfall feature working hard to estimate that the water plants in the foreground are taken in as this was no longer visible in the Holga's viewfinder.

2007-01-13T10:47:00.000+07:00

birds 1

birds 2

these installations were right across from each other. The colorful one was in the shin corp garden. The planning and initial execution of the Rachapruek fair was initiated in the tenure of the Thaksin government. Unfortunately, events in September had changed everything. Shin Corp. is the company that his family sold to Temasek in Singapore which precipitated the downfall of the government. But the colourful birds caught my eye. Across are white birds in the middle of artificial mist. It was one of the provincial gardens which I now forget. I should really be taking notes when I do this.

2007-01-13T10:42:00.001+07:00

carpet of flowers
the corporate gardens were not so bad either. I love the splash of colors on this one.

2007-01-13T10:30:00.000+07:00

the belgian garden

This is the first time that Thailand is holding a horticultural show. I think it was a good first time. However, I was expecting it to be similar to the Chelsea garden show where there will be garden competitions from world renowned garden designers. But this did not seem to happen. I was able to visit most of the gardens sponsored by the different countries. I think this was the best garden in the Rachapruek fair. It was very modern and it is making a bold statement. My only disappointment was that I thought a bigger space was given to this garden. Imagine if the Belgian contribution was given a bigger plot of land that a much more edgy garden would have been done. I will be posting several pictures taken with my Holga during the next few days.

2006-12-08T22:07:00.000+07:00

one last look at the sydney harbour bridge.

I took this picture on my last morning in Sydney before I headed for the airport on my way back to Bangkok. And with this I end my series on Australia.

2006-12-08T21:57:00.000+07:00

on oxford street

view of cbd from my hotel

2006-12-06T22:04:00.000+07:00

sydney winter

2006-12-06T21:54:00.000+07:00

waiting for lunch

2006-12-06T11:36:00.000+07:00

Teddybears, Mermaids and Rubber Ducks

Last month there was a call for submission for and online exhibition being mounted by Photomedia Center entitled "The Holga Show". Fortunately when I visited Australia last August, I was spending more time using my Holga because it was the lightest camera to take around. Out of the 8 photographs I submitted to the Photomedia Center, they had chosen 1. I was so happy about this because this is the first time I am participating in an online show with credits being given to my name. I had been looking at the website of Photomedia Center the last few days and finally late last night I checked again and The Holga Show had been posted so I looked for my name in the list of 50 photographers chosen and clicked my name only to find out the final surprise......Teddybears, Mermaids and Rubber Ducks had been chosen Best of Show: Color. I rubbed my eyes to make sure that it is true! I was happy enough to be included in the exhibit but very thankful that the photograph I had sent was chosen Best of Show in its category. You can see the show following this link...The Holga Show