Silhouettes

I've always loved shooting silhouettes amongst nature and sunsets.


I believe a picture speaks more with the shapes of shadows.  It can tell a story while magnifying the effect of nature as its background.  


To add to these, they give you the opportunity for imagination.  Whether imagination at work as you figure out how the silhouette was done, or as you see yourself in that moment through the silhouette.


Here are a couple of shots I've had the opportunity of taking amidst wonderful sunsets and sights.


No captions -- I'll leave it to you to make your own stories about the shots.


May this inspire or simply bring a smile to your face. :)

I Survived Mt Pulag

It was my second climb, and I was nervous.

Fully aware Mt. Pulag was known as the highest peak in Luzon, I knew I was in for a challenge.  

Off to Baguio Briefing area in DENR

If I remember right, there are three trails to the summit, Ambangeg Trail being our chosen trail and not-so-coincidentally the easiest. :) Trail: Ambangeg Trail (Benguet) Jump-off Point : Ranger Station 16°34'58"N 120°53'15"E2922 MASL (Meters above Sea Level) Call time, 10:30pm. We met up with our fellow climbers at Victory Liner Cubao Bus Terminal. There were about twenty of us, half the group being experienced climbers.  On-board the bus to Baguio, our adventure was about to begin. From Baguio, a jeepney was arranged to get us to DENR office at Benguet for registration and briefing on the climb. As a general policy, climbers have to log-in before going up and then log-out upon coming down from the mountain.  Posters of mountaineering groups that have conquered Mt. Pulag hung on the walls of the shop inside and out.  It was a pleasant sight, seeing the posters and knowing we will eventually be one of them.

Our Jeep

After briefing and registration, we were off to the Ranger's station - our jump-off point, via the same jeepney.  It is also at the Ranger's station that the service of porters may be availed.  Knowing my physical limit, I decided to get a porter to avoid delaying the group for the duration of the climb (not so mountaineer-like, I know).  We were surprised to see that the porters were all ladies.  Even more surprisingly, the one assigned to me was about 50 years old.  I was so amazed at how strong she still was (and wished so bad I could be just like her). We would not have known her age had we not asked.

You can avail of their help for P250 each way.  Quite expensive, but I think it was worth it -- I must admit I still have to a lot to learn about packing light. After a quick lunch, we began our ascent.

At the Ranger Station

There are two stops before reaching the camp site -- good for resting those shaky legs, catching my breath, and taking a shot or two of Jelly Ace (energy boosters).  The trail itself was easy after going through Mt Maculot.  It was not as slippery nor as continuously steep from my perspective.  My endurance was failing me though, uncertain if it was the altitude or simply because I was unfit... probably both.  All I knew was that I was thankful I decided to avail of the porter's service.

The view from the trail was already awesome. There was a hill that looked like the rice terraces, trees ranging from interesting to downright creepy, and there's a point where you'd have to cross a short bridge (just a few feet long and built close to the ground) to cross what looked like a creek. I wish I would have taken photos, if only I wasn't too tired.  So you'll just have to trust me and take my word for it as this point. :) Finally, we reached the campsite. Tents were pitched and dinner was prepared.  It was wonderful to see everyone work and laugh together as we enjoyed the food and company. Tired from the climb, I decided to call it a night earlier than others.  After a few minutes sleep though the cold began to set-in.  Relying merely on the sleeping mat, thermal sheet, jacket, and numerous layers of clothes I found myself waking up freezing cold.  The thermal sheet got all moist inside and the sleeping mat was getting cold. I was still freezing under layers of clothes, and worse started feeling itchy all over for some reason.  It seemed like the longest night ever, where nothing helped ease the cold.  They said it was about 5-6 degrees Celsius that night.  I honestly felt silly and desperate, actually missing the heat of Manila. Thankfully we got through the night, finally hearing the wake up call -- we were bound for the summit.  Going out the tent at 330am, I imagine that the campsite would have been pitch black if not for the moonlight. It was my first time to do night trek.  I found myself slipping time and again, but with experienced mountaineers guiding our path we knew when to stay alert because we were walking on cliffs.  I felt safe and actually had fun, even laughing at myself when I slipped. It was a good 30-40 minutes hike up to the summit, with the last few meters having two options: one being a steep assault to the summit and another being a less steep but longer route. The sun had already started to rise as we got to this point, but we opted for safety over speed.  After a couple more minutes of climbing what turned out to be a not-so-easy route, I found myself in the summit.

Freezing cold in the summit, I still couldn't help but think to myself -- "You made it!".

The iconic bed of clouds may have been distant that day, but it was a grand sight to behold. Bearing the cold that night along with the physical and mental effort it took to get to this point were worth it.

On the way down, with the sun up and warming us up, it was a much more pleasant experience.  Seeing the mountains around the path we crossed earlier in the dark, I was in awe. There were actually layers and layers of what seemed like hills around us. Reaching the campsite, we had a quick breakfast, broke camp, and headed back down.  It was actually during this time that I got to appreciate the beauty of the trail more, losing the stress of catching up to everyone [and probably along with the thought of finally going back to the heat of Manila. :)].


It was an absolutely worthwhile experience, and one I would recommend that everyone experience at least once in their life.  The fulfillment of overcoming the obstacles and getting a glimpse of the greatness of God overshadows the challenges and fear you go through to get to the top.  


Here are a couple of tips for my fellow novice mountaineers, I hope you find them helpful :)

#1 - Physically prepare yourself for the climb.  If you have time to exercise, do so -- it's for your own safety.  Climbing a mountain has its dangers.

#2 - Prepare a checklist, or better yet, have an experienced mountaineer give you a checklist.  We brought the wrong kind of sleeping bags, resulting to a tough and terribly cold night.  Reality check -- people can die of hypothermia.

#3 - Know your limit.  If you think you'd be better off with a porter, avail of their service.  You're better off seeking help from someone at the beginning rather than having a fellow climber carry your bag because you can't go further anymore.

#4 - Be with the right people.  Mountaineering is fun, but has its dangers.  There is a method to mountaineering that has to be followed to ensure the safety of everyone in the group.


Side-trip

On your way back to Manila, you may want to drop by Ambuklao View Deck to see one of the most picturesque dams I've seen to date.

..or drop by Baguio City to have a taste of the delicious strawberries.

Oh by the way, Yes, I did get that 'I Survived Mt. Pulag' shirt.  

Everytime I wear it, I'm reminded of this blessing and accomplishment -- never failing to bring a smile on my face and a whisper of 'Thanks' to God.

I hope you get to chance to see and experience all these, if not more. :)

Hala Bira ILOILO: Dinagyang Festival

Dinagyang is a celebration and thanksgiving for Sr. Sto Nino, similar to Sinulog of Cebu and Ati-Atihan of Aklan.  Held on January, this is an activity-filled month for both the locals and tourists.  Highlighted events include the Fluvial Procession, Kasadyahan, and the Ati-Atihan Contest - all of which are held on the fourth week of the month.

Some bits about Dinagyang


The Fluvial procession, held on a Friday, involves devotees carrying images of the Sto Nino on motorized boats.  They travel from the mouth of the river towards the pier area where the parade starts, and then back to the church.

The Kasadyahan, held on Saturday, is a cultural parade featuring folk choreography which is both theatrical and extremely lively.

The Ati-atihan contest, held on Sunday, is a widely-known and anticipated event.  This year thirteen tribes performed, dancing to the beat of their drums in unique and colorful costumes.  Each group follows a parade route, with four pit stops serving as judging areas for their presentations and pre-determined street dance areas between each stop.

Food festivals and concerts are held during the evenings, to let loose with good food, company, and booze.

We were there.

Having been in Guimaras on Friday, we unfortunately missed the Fluvial procession.  Cameras on-hand, we were ready for the next two days - Kasadyahan and Ati-atihan contest.  Unable to purchase tickets for these events, we settled along J.M Basa corner Aldeguer Street which is one of the areas for the Street dance.

Dancing to similar tunes during the street dance, what makes this event stand out is the opportunity to witness their interpretations of the song or beat of the drums.  Each group had a unique way of portraying their culture and history through dance and colorful indigenous costumes.

All the costumes were so vibrant!  Definitely a feast for the eyes... not to mention the camera lens.

Despite the scorching heat of the sun, it was worth the sunburnt skin to witness their tenacity and smiles as they danced along the streets of downtown Iloilo.

By night time, we were off to Delgado St for the food festival.  Century 21 was our home for the duration of our stay.  We were extremely pleased with its location since all the places we wanted to go to was just a few minutes away by walking.  This was extremely convenient since a lot of roads were closed to make way for the parade.









The People.

Dinagyang may be the festival that pulls tourists to visit Iloilo, but I have reason to believe that it's the people who will make them want to come back.

Ilonggos are known for their "malambing" (soft spoken melodious) accent.  From the few days of being there, we were met with so much hospitality and kindness.

During the Kasadiyahan event, my camera had malfunctioned, thus I was unable to take photos of the parade.  Wanting to have it working in time for the Ati-atihan contest the next day, we went to Camerahaus in SM Iloilo where we met Kuya Jet.  He immediately knew what was wrong and said it would need parts replacement. Unfortunately, this meant it will be available the next day since it was 6:00pm already.  Upon explaining that we were hoping to get it working in time for the contest the next day at 8:00am, he actually went the extra mile by bringing the camera to the hotel in the middle of the night soon after it was repaired.  Hence, the photos in this blog.  Thank you so much Kuya Jet!






At the food festival, on our first night, we opted to order from a food stand called Monterey which was located a bit far back from the stage (we did not want to squeeze in with the crowded area up front).  Their Chicken Inasal was fantastic, and this was where we met Marei Mae Casilao, who was part of the crew.  She had a good sense of humor and made sure everything was taken care of at our table.  With the good food and service even better, we decided to eat there again the next night.

This was when we got to into talking to Kuya Butch Ramos.  We actually ran into each other the first night at a convenience store where he recognized us and invited us to try gelato the next night at the Fiorgelato stand right by Monterey, which turns out is owned by his relative.  We were enticed by the thought of gelato and were not disappointed.  I personally enjoyed the Chocolate flavor. Yum!

We were pleased to get to know Kuya Butch and Mae.  They were extremely kind, genuine, accommodating, and have a way of letting you feel welcome to the place. On our last night for dinner, we went back to the place and they welcomed us like family, with warm smiles on their faces.  We even exchanged contact information to keep in touch.  Such lovely people.


Tips

After four days in Iloilo, here are a few things learned which hopefully you find helpful when planning your trip to watch Dinagyang:



1) Book early! We booked our hotel November 2011, and we almost ran out of rooms.

2) Wear sunscreen. Bring a hat. Stay Hydrated.  It can get really hot.

3) If you have the budget, buy tickets.  This year, one ticket was good for both the Saturday and Sunday events. The show should be worth it.

No budget? no worries, do as we did and check out the street dances.  The performance may not be as grand as at the judging areas, but it's still an interesting show.  Plus, you get to take photos with the dancers up close.

4) Into photography? They hold a photo contest where you can register and get an access pass to all or one of the judging stations.  You should be able to get really good shots.

5) Check for information and updates on the event by visiting the official Dinagyang website.








Heat.


For the duration of the event, the sun was unwavering.  As troublesome as it may be, it was interesting to see the various ways that the crowd dealt with it - kids and adults alike.  Here's a look at some of them to cap this blog post off.

Getting the most of the shadow casted by a sign near-by

Pretty in Blue

Genius!

now that's a HUGE fan!

The Tiniest shade counts!

Towels to Protect, not just Dry

I hope to see you next year! :)