“The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides and in its depths it has its pearls too.” Vincent Van Gogh This is my childhood beach, back in our ancestral home where we live so close to the sea, we smell of salt and ocean all day long.. © Jojie Alcantara Ferrando Whitesand Beach, San Ignacio Manay, Davao Oriental In photo swimming : Kuya Meric Yumang * * * * Advertisements
This Centennial Dao Tree in Brgy. Magdug, Governor Generoso of Davao Oriental stands over 260 feet tall with massive branches — quite an imposing 300-year old character by the highway.
On July 7, 2007, the ancient city of Petra in Jordan became one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and an even more famous tourist destination than when it was first shown in the movie Indiana Jones. Dating back to the first century AD, its design achievement reflects the advance civilization of the Nabataeans who perfectly carved their city in the rock mountains. The Treasury (Al Khazna) is the first stunning structure upon entering Petra. This masterpiece stands 150 feet tall and 100 feet wide. Petra is famously referred to as a “rose-red” city, but its reddish hue comes in the late afternoon. In midday, the monuments appear pinkish or yellowish depending on sunlight. ©Jojie Alcantara 2017
Halong City in Quang Ninh Province of Vietnam is a quiet but blossoming town right in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Halong Bay. Quite laid back from other touristy cities, the roads are wide and without traffic (maybe peak season is different). Apart from popular Ha Long Bay cruises, it also offers beach activities, nature treks, local food and night markets. Divided into two main areas: there is Hon Gai on the other side of the bridge where local life, culture and food can be experienced. These are Vietnamese girls in traditional dress called “ao dai”, in a backdrop of Ha Long Bay. Bai Chay is the central tourist area on the other side where Ha Long Bay is filled with luxury cruises or traditional junk boat tours. Other options are: an artificial beach, restaurants, cafes and varying structures from high end resorts to boutique hotels lined along the bay. © Jojie Alcantara This January, Vietnam was the host country of the 38th ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2019. Held in Ha Long, …
“The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious.” ~Albert Einstein
Binintiang Malaki is this most photographed false volcano that is often mistaken as Taal Volcano in pictures. The dormant Binintiang Malaki crater was the center of the 1707 and 1715 eruptions.
“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” ~ Martin Buber
“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.” — Elliott Erwitt
This year alone I rode in a chopper three times over Davao region, doing aerial photography in the traditional way.
“Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.” ~ Pamela Vaull Starr
“Peace is present right here and now, in ourselves and in everything we do and see. Every breath we take, every step we take, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity. The question is whether or not we are in touch with it. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment.”
The Tojoman Lagoon is home to the stingless jellyfish within the Sohoton Cove National Park. This is situated in Bucas Grande Islands of Socorro in Surigao del Norte, a fast rising tourist destination and exciting foray for adventure seekers.
“Every time I stand before a beautiful beach, its waves seem to whisper to me:
If you choose the simple things and find joy in nature’s simple treasures,
life and living need not be so hard.” ― Psyche Roxas-Mendoza
“It was sunsets that taught me that beauty sometimes only lasts for a couple of moments, and it was sunrise that showed me that all it takes is patience to experience it all over again…” – a.j. lawless
“Children are happy because they don’t have a file in their minds called “All the Things That Could Go Wrong.”― Marianne Williamson
“Our memories of the ocean will linger on, long after our footprints in the sand are gone.” ~ unkown
Skimboarder at sunrise in Dahican Beach
Mati, Davao Oriental
© Jojie Alcantara
“At the beach, life is different. Time doesn’t move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides, and follow the sun.” — Sandy Gingras, Writer
“Life is a lot like surfing… When you get caught in the impact zone, you’ve got to just get back up. Because you never know what may be over the next wave.” ― Bethany Hamilton, Soul Surfer
“Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” ~Lao Tzu
“Women need real moments of solitude and self-reflection to balance out how much of ourselves we give away.” ~ Barbara de Angelis
I wanted to delve back into that world that cradled us when we were young enough to still touch it, when trolls lived under creek bridges, faeries fluttered under mushroom caps, and the Tooth Fairy only came once you were truly sleeping.
