Foot and Fire

One of the joys of a visit to the countryside is the unending admiration to the natural beauty of the mountain ranges against the clear blue skies and fluffy cotton clouds. And if one happens to be in Antique, one cannot escape but admire the beauty of the Madya-as Mountain ranges (also spelled Madia-as). It is said to be the second favorite mountain to climb among the mountaineers of the Philippines. Here are the decent shots I had of the Madya-as Mountain while we were traversing the highways and numerous bridges of Antique as well as while we were in our Culasi hometel called Ana Sophie and in Malalison Island.     *** *** *** *** Madya-as Mountain at dawn taken from our hometel in Culasi proper. *** Madya-as Mountain at dawn taken from our hometel in Culasi proper. *** Madya-as Mountain taken from the hilltop of Malalison Island. *** Morning face of Madya-as Mountain  taken from the seaside...

Viewing the "ball of fire" from Culasi, Antique wharf. Photo Credit: Ramon Pasaporte of PALI  Colors, that is what the photographers chase and the artists try to emulate and all regular folks like us stare at and enjoy for the moment. Colors are like salt and pepper to our food, without them, our life is bland. One of the magical manifestations of color is in the sunrise and the sunset. The burst of orange, yellow and in between colors against the blue or gray skies  is what I want most. Isn't it amazing to witness the momentary setting of the sun? Culasi wharf offers a wide screen of the setting sun between the flanking silhouettes of Malalison Island and Batbatan Island. Here, I am sharing to you the joy of sunset!    Culasi wharf offers a wide screen of the setting sun  between the flanking silhouettes of Malalison Island and Batbatan Island. *** The Mother and son portrait. *** The sisters act! *** Bye, su...

One of the joys of summer is being able to breathe rural fresh air and tasting the spring waters. Malumpati Spring is the source of the water district of Pandan as well as the free flowing source of the popular summer destination, the Malumpati Health Spring Resort. When we got to Malumpati Health Spring Resort, there were a lot of excursionist for the holy week so we had a great time eating under the shade of green trees as well as taking photos of the swimmers, mostly teens and children. The waters are green and ever flowing, as all springs promise. The spring is sponsored by a foundation and one interesting marker was planted beside the tablets bearing the benefactors. It came from a Japanese I surmise. It says: Yokoi: His love flows like a clear crystal water to every Pandanons' (sic) homes (sic). *** *** *** *** Pandan Water District. *** A Marker from a Japanese, I suppose. *** The tablet bearing the na...

Writing Home: 19 Writers Remember Thier Hometowns Edited by Ruel S. De Vera Anvil Publishing 191 pages, An anthology of essays, poems and short stories As of writing this review, I am yet to finish four more entries: The Bacon vendetta by Eileen R. Tabios (Santo Tomas, Candon, Ilocos Sur), The Adopted Hometown by Alfred Yuson (Dumaguete), Habit of Space by Karina Africa Bolasco (Lipa) and Outward Journey by Jaime An Lim (Cagayan De Oro). Just immediately before I sat down to write this review, I read one which is closer to home: EBJ Freedom Park by Alex de los Santos (Antique) which is a poem that remembers how the park came to be when "we heard the volley of gunfire that made this park a tomb. " EBJ stands for Evelio B. Javier who was a much-beloved Antique Assemblyman and governor who was assassinated in 1986. In the poem's opening lines, the park for Antiquenos is "here is where we rise, here we bury victories." And as closing lines, the...

Just before heading to the Malumpati Health Spring Resort, it is highly recommended to drop by the barangay cooperative which is just along the way. The cooperative produces native handwoven products made of bariw plant, the one used to make the native mat locally called "banig." There are floor mats, hats, coasters, beer holder which can also be pen holders, place mats, bags, and fruit baskets.  Here are some of the products I was able to take a snap: Big round floor mat which can be used as wall decor (P1,200). *** A hat for P100. *** Bags with prices ranging from P100 to P400. *** One of the many bag styles... *** Bags.. *** And more bags. *** The Bariw plant rope  *** Fruit bowl. *** The Sto. Rosario Multi-purpose Cooperative. ***

The Reader By Bernhard Schlink 218 pages, Novel Translated from German to English by Carol Brown Janeway Fluid storytelling should be the foremost trait of a novel and this is what the author delivers in The Reader. I have  seen the movie a long time ago and I must say that one should also read the book. While the development of the story is as entertaining as the movie offers, the latter lacks the subcontextual meaning of the story that the book tries to present to us readers. Watching entertains but reading entertains and makes readers ponder. How do we come to terms with our shame? This book explores many shades of shame from the personal level, the shame of having a sexual relationship with a grown-up and keeping it from everyone, and only giving that relationship a "niche" rather than a "place" in his life on the part of Michael (Michael and Hanna had a sexual relationship when the former was only 15 years old while the latter was 36 years old), and t...

A pose with itchy-feet and award-winning  photographer Bernadette Porras-Teves. To give a timely post for the recent Easter Sunday, this blogger decides to post some of the churches she chanced to photograph during her roadtrip to Antique together with bunch of friends.  We were able to drop by the Tigbauan Church. There are more churches to anticipate if one is on a roadtrip from Iloilo City to Antique, such as the grand Molo Church, majestic Miag-ao Church and the old Guimbal Church.    This is a 19th century old bell. *** One of the few images that I have captured. *** Mary and Jesus figure inside the Tigbauan Church. ***  A photo from the side of the Church. *** Culasi, Antique has a modern San Miguel Arkanhel. *** A closer shot of the image of Archangel St. Michael on the facade. *** The belltower. *** This is the celebrated Jaro Cathedral Church in Iloilo City. ...

Atop any temple in Old Bagan, I can easily spot you because you are the gigantic one among the silent sacred standing brick stones. Dhammayan, as you are popularly called,  is your being the biggest a blessing by chance?”  Your red bricks were layered  by the subjects of King Narathu who ordered to brick up your interior  so no one can enter you, and perhaps,  so no one can understand his intentions. One more, you were patterned  to the prettiest temple of Ananda -- the most welcoming of all temples -- so why close you up inside  and open only the four porches  and the vast corridors  to your faithful Buddhists  and this visitor? I know the reasons of your being the biggest  and your being secretive inside died with your king  who was said to have died in assassination, the very means he used to seize the power  from his father and elder brother.  Perhaps your g...

I cannot content myself in admiring you from afar and down here. You are speaking to me and I have to listen. I have to leave my sandals as I leave my inhibitions behind. With my bare feet and bare hands and open mind, I have to climb your steep and rail-less beauty. Over a millenium ago, your still beauty was built with both red bricks and Buddhist foundations: these are enough to captivate me. (I do not know your story: scholars consider you a minor one and I content myself in approaching you with complete ignorance so I can surrender to your beauty.) So I almost reached your stuppa and breathed in your stillness. Sitting on that spot atop you, I can see Dhammayangyi, Ananda, Htilominlo, and Sulamani all set against Bagan's vast reddish-yellow dessert soils dotted with sporadic green heads. As my eyes revel to your major fellows, I am illuminated by Old Bagan's waking sun which slowly grows into a ...