Sights
Litratong Pinoy #17: Madumi
Thursday, November 20th, 2008
… ang salamin ng kotse namin. Kagagaling lang namin ng probinsya. Alam niyo naman sa probinsya, hindi sementado ang daan at, kapag tag-init, sangkatutak na alikabok ang babalot sa iyong sasakyan. Kaya ganyan ang hitsura. Isipin niyo na lang kung ano ang itsura ng kotse kapag tag-ulan - inangkupo!
Kinuha ko ito habang papauwi na kami at tinatahak namin ang kahabaan ng Norodom Blvd. Kung maaaninag niyo sa kalagitnaan ng litrato ay ang Independence Monument. Maganda sana ang pagkuha ko kaya lang ay nasira dahil sa maruming salamin sa kotse. Tsk.
Wordless Wednesday #60: Remembering Sri Lanka
Tuesday, November 18th, 2008
In 2002, I was invited to a 5-day conference of environmental journalists in Sri Lanka. That being my first trip there, I decided to take extra days to explore the country. Luckily for me, I have a Sri Lankan friend who took three days off from work to give me a guided tour of the country. I was really excited about our road-trip because I only read about/watched Sri Lanka in books/television. First in our itinerary was Minneriya National Park, 182 kms from the capital of Colombo and about four hours travel by car. This man-made lake (reservoir) is the main feature of the park, covering an area of 3,000 hectares. It was built in the 3rd century by King Mahasena who was known to have discriminated Theravada Buddhists in Sri Lanka. Many temples were destroyed including Mahavihara, the main Theravada temple. During dry season, different kinds of mammals, mostly elephants, and birds roam around the park. Not far from Minneriya is Polonnaruwa, dubbed as the ancient Kingdom of Reservoirs and one of the World Heritage sites in Sri Lanka.
Photo Hunt #32: Ruin(ed)
Saturday, November 15th, 2008
Wordless Wednesday #59: Modern-day neary Khmer (Khmer woman)
Tuesday, November 11th, 2008
A female Khmer de-miner with her partner, an Alsatian sniffer-dog. She’s one of the many female members of the Cambodian de-mining team that participated in last Sunday’s 55th anniversary celebration of Cambodia’s Independence from France. To me, she represents the modern-day Khmer woman. Brave, independent, hard-working and yet remaining true and respectful to the ideals of being a Cambodian.
Cheyor, neary Khmer!
Cheyor, Kampuchea!
Wordless Wednesday #58: Emulating Bobbie
Tuesday, November 4th, 2008
Bobbie is one of the duo behind The Right Blue. If I weren’t doing what I am doing now, I would probably be doing what Bobbie and Jerry are doing… *tongue-twister, eh* 
Scary-looking shark, Kuala Lumpur Aquaria
… and that’s “meeting” and (photo) documenting the creatures under the sea, perhaps even working with coastal communities on how to sustainably use natural resources and how to protect endangered species. I should have paid more attention to my environment/ecology-subjects in school. *tsk*
Photo Hunt #0032: Blue
Saturday, November 1st, 2008
Up above the sky …
The Himalayan range. Can you guess which one is Mt. Everest?
And beneath the deep blue sea…
Er, not exactly. Taken at the Kuala Lumpur Aquaria.
Litratong Pinoy #14: Nalasing sa gabing madilim
Thursday, October 30th, 2008
Paminsan-minsan, kasama ng aming mga kaibigan, kami ay namamangka sa moat tonle (riverside). Sa halagang $8-10 kada oras na arkila sa bangka, maaring ikutin ang Chroy Changvar na kaharap lamang ng Royal Palace. Ang bangkang de-motor ay kayang magsakay ng hanggang 50 katao at ito’y kumpleto sa pagkain at mga inumin. Sa aming pamamangka ng gabing iyon, tahimik ang lahat at ang tunog lang ng motor ng bangka ang maririnig. Madilim ang gabi dahil walang buwan, at ang mga ilaw sa mga kabahayan ay mistulang mga kutitap na nagkikislapan sa kalayuan.
Nakaka-isang shot pa lang ako ng inumin (cocktail) nang mapadaan kami sa Royal Palace. Dahil sa kadiliman, mas lalong tumingkad ang ilaw na nakapalamuti sa palasyo.
Sa gitna ng aming paglilibot at kwentuhan, di ko na namalayang naka-ilang shot na ako ng inumin. Ako po’y di naman talaga manginginom, subalit nung gabing iyon ako ay nadala. Marahil ito ay dahil sa kagandahan ng dilim na nakapalibot sa amin at ang kaaya-ayang tanawin at panahon. Kaya naman, dahil sa dami ng nainom, ganito na ang aking paningin sa Royal Palace nang ito’y aming madaanan pauwi:
Na-lashing na ako. Sharap kashing mamangka sha gabing madilim. hik.
Wordless Wednesday #57: Light and shadow
Tuesday, October 28th, 2008
Detail of a wall section in Angkor Wat.
Siem Reap, Cambodia
Check out other wordless entries at theWordless Wednesday HQ.
Wordless Wednesday #52: Phuket’s Buddha
Thursday, September 4th, 2008
Sitting on top of a hill overlooking the whole island of Phuket, this image is considered the biggest in the province.
Litratong Pinoy #010: Ayaw Ko
Thursday, August 28th, 2008
Kelangan pa bang sabihin kung bakit ayaw ko nito?
Eto, close up view:
Malutong. Maanghang. Malinamnam.
Paborito itong papakin ng mga Khmer. Parang popcorn. Just pop one in your mouth - sharaaaap!
No sir, not me.
Kayo, gusto niyo?
Photo Hunt #28: Wrinkled
Saturday, August 23rd, 2008
Her face may be marred with hard work and age, yet, I find her beautiful.
Photo Hunt #27: Colorful
Saturday, August 16th, 2008
Everyday, this woman stands patiently waiting for buyers at the main entrance of Psah Thmey (Central Market). Draped around her body like a sash are hammocks of different colors. Every time I see her and her friendly smile, I am constantly reminded of one of my favorite biblical characters, Joseph the Dreamer.
Don’t you think so, too?
Wordless Wednesday #48:Psah (market) Kandal
Tuesday, August 5th, 2008
Psah Kandal, Phnom Penh
Check out other wordless photos at Wordless Wednesday.
Litratong Pinoy #8: Ang Mahiwagang Takip-silim sa Dalampasigan ng Kep
Thursday, July 31st, 2008
Paumanhin po at late na naman ako ngayong Huwebes. Nag-i-inarte na naman kaya ang internet connection dito sa amin.
Noong 2006, ako po ay tumira sa bayan ng Kep, 178kms ang layo mula sa syudad ng Phnom Penh. Dito, kasama ng aking asawa at alagang aso, kami ay nanirahan ng mahigit sa apat na buwan.
Ang mga sumusunod ay kuha sa dalampasigan ng Kep. Para sa akin, dito na yata matatagpuan ang pinaka-magandang takip-silim sa buong Cambodia.
Ito ang matatanaw mula sa kwartong inuupahan namin noon. Ang islang nasa background ay tinatawag na Phu Quoc at pag-aari na ng bansang Vietnam. Subalit ang mumunting isla sa gawing kaliwa ay pag-aari pa ng Cambodia at ito ay binansagan naming population one island dahil sa iisa lang po ang nakatira diyan at ito ay ang pulis na nagbabantay dito.
Kapag kami ay bababa patungong Psah Khdam (crab market), ito naman ang aming nakikita. Mga bangkang naghahanda sa muling pagpunta sa laot upang manghuli ng isda, alimango, pusit, atbp.
Ang mga nakausling kahoy na ito ay palatandaan na dito nakalagak ang lumang pier. Dahil sa kalumaan, nasira ito ng magkaroon ng masungit na panahon sa Kep. Dahil sa kakulangan (o kawalan) ng pondo ng pamahalaang lokal, hindi na ito nakumpuni pa.
Ang mga babae namang ito ang siyang naglilinis ng mga lalagyan ng kanilang huli. Ang iba riyan ay puno pa ng mga alimango at pusit na naghihintay na ibenta kinabukasan.
Ito naman ang mga sariwang pusit na galing sa itaas na larawan, niluto at naging masarap na pananghalian.
Phuket photos, you say?
Monday, July 28th, 2008Here…
… feel free to dig through this lot!
Or better yet, go to my Flickr page where you can have a better view.
Have fun!
Wordless Wednesday #45: Beaches of Phuket
Tuesday, July 15th, 2008
See more Wordless here.
Wordless Wednesday #40: Watch out, ducks crossing!
Wednesday, June 4th, 2008
Go to Wordless Wednesday for more entries.
Litratong Pinoy #4: Tubig (Water)
Thursday, May 22nd, 2008
Ito ang Boeung Tonle Sap, o Great Lake, na matatagpuan dito sa Cambodia. Kung titingnan ninyo ang mapa ng Cambodia, ito ay napaka-prominenteng yamang tubig sa Cambodia at napapaligiran nito ang limang probinsya. Ang Tonle Sap ay itinuturing na isa sa mga pinakamalaking freshwater lake sa Asya, at, noong taong 1997, dahil ito ay isang ecological hotspot, idineklara itong biosphere na protektado ng UNESCO.
*Map from Wikipedia.
Kung tayong mga Pinoy ay tinanong kung ilang isla mayroon ang Pilipinas, binabalik natin ang tanong kung ito ba ay base sa high tide o low tide. Dito sa Cambodia, kung ako’y inyong tatanungin kung gaano kalaki ang lawang ito, tatanungin ko rin kayo ng “dry season o wet season“? Bakit kamo? Dahil ang Tonle Sap Lake ay may sukat na 2,500km2 at may lalim na isang metro lamang kung dry season. Subalit, kapag panahon ng tag-ulan o wet season naman, ang Tonle Sap ay lumalaki. Dahil sa tinatawag na reversal flow ng Mekong river na kung saan konektado ang Tonle Sap, lumulobo ang Tonle Sap, humigit-kumulang sa 16,000km2 at may lalim na umaabot ng 9m. Ang tubig galing sa Mekong ay tumutulak pabalik patungo sa Tonle Sap at umaapaw sa mga taniman ng palay at forests, tulad ng litrato sa ibaba:
Isa itong unique hydrological phenomenon sa Cambodia. Dahil dito, ganito ang itsura ng karamihan sa mga villages na nakapalibot o malapit sa Tonle Sap:
Ang litratong ito ay kuha sa Prek Toal sa Siem Reap noong nakaraang mga taon. Nagkataong rainy season ang pagbisita namin sa Prek Toal kung kaya’t inyong nakikita ay isang floating village. Kung dry season naman ang mga bahay na ito ay nakaupo sa mga mala-higanteng stilts. At kahit na taun-taon na sila’y napapaligiran ng tubig-baha, tuloy pa rin ang buhay para sa mga Cambodians…
Para sa karagdagang kaalaman ukol sa Tonle Sap lake, maraming online resources ukol dito, tulad na lamang dito.
Litratong Pinoy #3: Nag-aapoy
Thursday, May 15th, 2008
Susunod ang description sa ilang saglit. Back to work muna ako.
Updates from where I am
Sunday, April 27th, 2008Hello everybody!
Thanks for dropping by even if I have no updates.
I slipped out of Cambodia and in to the Philippines quietly. I am here for matters concerning my health. I do not wish to divulge details about it as I do not want to dampen everyone’s mood but let me just say that after some tests, there is no immediate cause for concern, thank God.
From my end, I am enjoying my time here at home in Roxas City, eating home-cooked meals that I sorely missed. A close friend based in Norway commented on my non-existent gimik schedule as biglang natahimik, as opposed to my being a curacha when I was in Phnom Penh where I was almost always out of town doing something in the community.
I must admit though that after a couple of days here in Roxas, I kind of miss Cambodia already. I miss my husband (he still has work - school holiday is two months away), and thanks to modern technology, we exchanged sms and talk through YM almost every night. I still have to stay for more tests but for now, I’ll just sit back, relax and enjoy the vacation while it lasts. I am spending time with my parents (who are looking older everytime I come home) and my siblings and their brood - a nephew and nieces - who (except for my nephew) I haven’t seen since they were born.
I have been enjoying my holiday and soon it will be over, but let me just show you where I’ve been spending most of my time:
In one of our family outings, we went to this not so known beach resort in Barangay Basio, in Ivisan town, about 36kms away from the capital city of Roxas. It was such a surprise to see white sand and clear waters comparable to Boracay without going out of Capiz at all! I was even more surprised that only a handful of visitors go there… mabuti nga iyon, we had the beach all to ourselves lang.
Let the pictures speak for itself:
Beautiful, isn’t it?
It is still pristine, untouched by the claws of commercialism. I would definitely come back to Basiao with my husband next time.
Photo Hunt #21 Funny/Creative Signs
Sunday, April 27th, 2008
Hi, I am back for this week’s Photo Hunt. I was absent from my blogging duties and I want to start making up now…
It is not so difficult to find pictures for this week’s theme. Walking around the the streets of Phnom Penh (and China) is like walking around a treasureland of posters and signs where the message being relayed is far from being funny but ended up with a funny message anyway. Here’s some.
Let’s start from my own inbox:
I do not mind the mistakes in the content, but I DO mind the salutation…
At a hotel in Kampong Thom province:
Along the highway…
Here’s one from China…
Here’s one poster that I think is nicely done. The message being relayed is a serious one, and it is presented straight-to-the-point to the readers. Even the non-Khmers can the tell the issue right away…
For more funny/creative signs, just head over to the Photo Hunters HQ.
Photo Hunt #21 Funny/Creative Signs
Sunday, April 27th, 2008
Hi, I am back for this week’s Photo Hunt. I was absent from my blogging duties and I want to start making up now…
It is not so difficult to find pictures for this week’s theme. Walking around the the streets of Phnom Penh (and China) is like walking around a treasureland of posters and signs where the message being relayed is far from being funny but ended up with a funny message anyway. Here’s some.
Let’s start from my own inbox:
I do not mind the mistakes in the content, but I DO mind the salutation…
At a hotel in Kampong Thom province:
Along the highway…
Here’s one from China…
Here’s one poster that I think is nicely done. The message being relayed is a serious one, and it is presented straight-to-the-point to the readers. Even the non-Khmers can the tell the issue right away…
For more funny/creative signs, just head over to the Photo Hunters HQ.
Updates from where I am
Saturday, April 26th, 2008Hello everybody!
Thanks for dropping by even if I have no updates.
I slipped out of Cambodia and in to the Philippines quietly. I am here for matters concerning my health. I do not wish to divulge details about it as I do not want to dampen everyone’s mood but let me just say that after some tests, there is no immediate cause for concern, thank God.
From my end, I am enjoying my time here at home in Roxas City, eating home-cooked meals that I sorely missed. A close friend based in Norway commented on my non-existent gimik schedule as biglang natahimik, as opposed to my being a curacha when I was in Phnom Penh where I was almost always out of town doing something in the community.
I must admit though that after a couple of days here in Roxas, I kind of miss Cambodia already. I miss my husband (he still has work - school holiday is two months away), and thanks to modern technology, we exchanged sms and talk through YM almost every night. I still have to stay for more tests but for now, I’ll just sit back, relax and enjoy the vacation while it lasts. I am spending time with my parents (who are looking older everytime I come home) and my siblings and their brood - a nephew and nieces - who (except for my nephew) I haven’t seen since they were born.
I have been enjoying my holiday and soon it will be over, but let me just show you where I’ve been spending most of my time:
In one of our family outings, we went to this not so known beach resort in Barangay Basio, in Ivisan town, about 36kms away from the capital city of Roxas. It was such a surprise to see white sand and clear waters comparable to Boracay without going out of Capiz at all! I was even more surprised that only a handful of visitors go there… mabuti nga iyon, we had the beach all to ourselves lang.
Let the pictures speak for itself:
Beautiful, isn’t it?
It is still pristine, untouched by the claws of commercialism. I would definitely come back to Basiao with my husband next time.
Wordless Wednesday #37: Preparing to work
Tuesday, April 15th, 2008
This is my Wordless Wednesday entry for the Tuesday-Wednesday edition. To join us, go to the Wordless Wednesday HQ.
Litratong Pinoy #2: Tatlo ang Sulok Ko
Wednesday, April 9th, 2008
Ito ang Cambodian wat o temple.
Paki-click ng litrato upang palakihin ang litrato. Kung titingnan ninyo ng maigi, kapansin-pansin ang tatsulok na hugis ng roof o bubong nito. Ito ay karaniwang disenyo ng mga Buddhist wats dito sa Indochina, na kinabibilangan ng mga bansang Thailand, Burma, Laos at Cambodia. Ang litratong ito ay kuha malapit sa Oudong, may humigit-kumulang na 50kilometro ang layo mula sa capital ng Phnom Penh. Ang Oudong ang siyang dating capital ng bansang Cambodia, at dito matatagpuan ang mga stupas kung saan nakalagak ang mga labi ng mga miembro ng Royal family ng Cambodia.
Wordless Wednesday #35: Where Am I???
Tuesday, April 1st, 2008
For more WW fun, head to the WW HQ.
Wordless Wednesday #34: This is where I go home to…
Tuesday, March 25th, 2008I know I am breaking the rules again, but please allow me to give you a brief background. Two years ago, I left the comforts of Phnom Penh for a work assignment down south of Cambodia - to the coastal town of Kep. Our organization had no office there yet so I had to use the same guesthouse room (where I live) as my office. There was no electricity yet - generator operates only at night - and so I travel to our project areas by day and do the paperworks at night. Each working day I was absolutely knackered from the bone-crunching moto-ride visiting remote villages. But when I go home, all the exhaustion simply vanished because of this:
Wordless Wednesday# 33: Rural saleswoman
Tuesday, March 18th, 2008
To join in the Wordless Wednesday fun, click here.
Photo Hunt #17: I Spy
Friday, March 14th, 2008Okay, I am posting my Photo Hunt entry this early to make up for last week. I was meaning to post one but somehow got lost amidst the weekend frenzy, plus I have friends visiting. This week’s theme, I have to say, is one of Photo Hunt’s most challenging themes. So here’s my take. Go get your spyglasses or magnifying lenses and tell me what you can see in this picture. Can you make anything of it? Click to enlarge the picture.
I will post later tomorrow a close up of one of the spires.
Till then, ta-ta. Happy hunting, and have a great weekend!
Wordless Wednesday #32 - Apsaras and warriors of the Khmer empire
Tuesday, March 11th, 2008
These stone carvings of apsaras and warriors are found in the walls and temples of Angkor. Apsaras are supernatural beings in the form of young and voluptuous young women and were said to be heavenly dancers. Click here to know more on the once-great Khmer empire.
More WW participants are found here.
Wordless Wednesday #31: Table for two, please!
Tuesday, March 4th, 2008
Check out other fun photos at Wordless Wednesday.
Photo Hunt #16: Street Party
Saturday, March 1st, 2008This is the Ati-atihan Festival’s street party!
Thanks to my sister, MamaGirl, for providing me the photos. It’s been a long while since I last went home and I sure miss the merrymaking and celebrations there. Her story on the Ati-atihan festival can be found here, and more photos here.