view from the top

{Victoria Peak, Hong Kong - September 2009}
Spectacular view. But taking this shot was not an easy feat. With the super strong wind blowing, the tripod I brought along specifically for this shot was of little help in taking a non-blurry picture because the wind still shook it. Not to mention finding the perfect settings for the picture. I was trying my best to find the suitable setting for taking the pic when a Japanese tourist, also bringing his DSLR, helped me. At first we did not understand each other because he only spoke Japanese but with the help of sign language and a lot of pointing in our respective cameras he was able to help me with my settings and even offered to take a couple of pics of me. He was just the sweetest. Makes me think, I must be really good coz God kept giving me helpful strangers during my trip:)

rain on me

{Cadiz Public Market, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental - August 2009}

The weather has been crazy lately. One moment it's raining, the next moment it's sunny. Not to mention all the catastrophes that has been happening around the world. The sand storm in Sydney, the floods in the Philippines, the tsunami in Samoa and so much more. Leaving a lot of people fearful of what is next to come. The scenes seen on the news used to be just scenes in the movies. Now, it is happening real life. Scary.

We better start doing something for the environment or else mother nature will show more of her wrath. RECYCLE! Say no to plastic bags (bring your own shopping bag). Plant trees. No to unnecessary waste. Throw your trash properly.

Everyone should be responsible for everybody. Love earth:)

flower power

{Disneyland, Hong Kong - September 2009

"A dream is a wish your heart makes." - Cinderella

My childhood dream of seeing the happiest place on earth finally came true when I visited Hong Kong. Indeed the place is magical. One can forget the troubles and just be lost in the land of fantasy. I specifically enjoyed the theater. The Golden Mickeys and The Lion King was shown and I was in awe of everything. I felt like a kid again, singing with the songs that I grew up with. I realized what a Disney freak I was. I knew all the characters and all the songs. Hehe. It was great being a kid again. Too bad it rained just before the fireworks started. Tsk tsk. Hopefully, the next time I visit another Disneyland, I will be able to enjoy the fireworks.

after a day's work

{Barangay Tiglawigan, Cadiz City - August 2009}


When the sun rises, I go to work.
When the sun goes down I take my rest,
I dig the well from which I drink,
I farm the soil which yields my food,
I share creation, Kings can do no more.
- Chinese Proverb, 2500 B.C.

m.a.c.a.u.

{Ruins of St. Paul's, Macau - September 09}


The Ruins of St. Paul's (Portuguese: Ruínas de São Paulo, Chinese: 大三巴牌坊) refer to the façade of what was originally the Cathedral of St. Paul, a 17th century Portuguese cathedral in Macau dedicated to Saint Paul the Apostle. Today, the ruins are one of Macau's most famous landmarks. In 2005, the Ruins of St. Paul were officially enlisted as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Centre of Macau.

History

Built from 1582 to 1602 by the Jesuits, the cathedral was the largest Catholic church in Asia at the time, and the royalty of Europe vied with each other to bestow upon the cathedral the best gifts. With the decline in importance of Macau, which was overtaken as the main port for the Pearl River Delta by Hong Kong, the cathedral's fortunes similarly ebbed, and it was destroyed by a fire during a typhoon in 1835. The Fortaleza do Monte overlooks the ruin.

Features

The ruins now consist of the southern stone façade — intricately carved between 1620 and 1627 by Japanese Christians in exile from their homeland and local craftsmen under the direction of Italian Jesuit Carlo Spinola — and the crypts of the Jesuits who established and maintained the Cathedral. The façade sits on a small hill, with 66 stone steps leading up to it. The carvings include Jesuit images with Oriental themes, such as a woman stepping on a seven-headed hydra, described by Chinese characters as ' Holy Mother tramples the heads of the dragon'. A few of the other carvings are the founders of the Jesuit Order, the conquest of Death by Jesus, and at the very top, a dove with wings outstretched.

Conservation

Resisting calls for the dangerously leaning structure to be demolished, from 1990 to 1995 the ruins were excavated under the auspices of the Instituto Cultural de Macau to study its historic past. The crypt and the foundations were uncovered, revealing the architectural plan of the building. Numerous religious artifacts were also found together with the relics of the Japanese Christian martyrs and the monastic clergy, including the founder of the Jesuit college in Macau, Father Alessandro Valignano. The ruins were restored by the Macanese government into a museum, and the facade is now buttressed with concrete and steel in a way which preserves the aesthetic integrity of the facade. A steel stairway allows tourists to climb up to the top of the facade from the rear. It is customary to throw coins into the top window of the ruins from the stairs, for luck.

** text lifted from Wiki**