“When Moses was alive, the pyramids were a thousand years old . . . . Here people learned to measure time by a calendar, to plot the stars by astronomy . . . . Here they developed that most awesome of all ideas – the idea of eternity.” ~ Walter Cronkite
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, Petra was named among the New7Wonders of the World in 2007 and chosen by Smithsonian Magazine as one of the “28 Places to See Before You Die”.
“Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small.” ~Anthony Bourdain
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.
“Children are happy because they don’t have a file in their minds called “All the Things That Could Go Wrong.”― Marianne Williamson
“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
“Imagine if trees gave off wifi signals, we would be planting so many trees and we’d probably save the planet too. Too bad they only produce the oxygen we breathe.” ~ unknown
The stunning and serene Hibiya Park was designed and constructed as the first westernized urban-style park in Japan. It opened to the public in 1903, and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2003.
“May every sunrise hold more promise and every sunset hold more peace.” Stop the War.
My photos were featured on July 2015 issue of Silkwinds Magazine, the Inflight Magazine of Silkair (Regional Wing of Singapore Airlines)
“There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow. Today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly, live.” ~ Dalai Lama
“We do not remember days, we remember moments.” ~ Cesare Pavese
Here’s a beautiful sunrise captured in a different side of Dahican beach in Mati, Davao Oriental.
Regatta de Zamboanga is a colorful banca race (carera de vintas) depicting colorful sails designed by the fishermen themselves and proudly displayed during the competition.
This Bitaog tree (Calophyllum inophyllum) in Brgy. Caloc-an, Magallanes, Agusan del Norte was officially declared the oldest tree in the country in June 1998 by the Dept. Of Tourism.
One particular sandstone head fell into the roots of a banyan tree they call a Bodhi Tree, considered sacred and symbolic to Buddhism. Over the years, this head became miraculously embedded in the tangled overgrowth, which created a stunning and powerful imagery to what the historic war represented.
The historic City of Ayutthaya (1351-1767), was the second capital of a flourishing Siamese Kingdom (Thailand’s old name). For 417 years from the 14th to the 18th centuries, it grew to be one of the world’s largest and most cosmopolitan urban areas and a most important center of global diplomacy and commerce during its time. It was said to be beautiful, luxurious and fabulous… think wild Paris of ancient history.
The playful Badjao kids of Zamboanga will jump overboard and retrieve the coins you throw at sea with remarkable agility and ease in a matter of seconds, earning the nickname “sea gypsies” for a reason.
I visited Zamboanga before and after a rebel siege in the city a year ago that left a portion of the central town bruised and battered, and kept many wary visitors away and in fear. Foreign travel advisories stay adamant. I expected to focus on remnants of a combat zone, but there were other things that captivated me more.
When it comes to street and documentary photography, I am a huge fan of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Steve McCurry, and the enigmatic Vivian Maier. Watching her documentary Finding Vivian Maier was overwhelming for artists like me, inspiring yet saddening to be discovered posthumously. We are so moved by the stunning photography that this quiet, reclusive nanny has sprung upon us unsuspectingly. And yet, where now is the privacy she so wished until her end?
Vivian Maier’s works are gaining recognition worldwide, yet the artist isn’t there anymore to accept or decline her fame. This very private person who grew old alone and died alone suddenly has her life exposed to the world, a past she so mysteriously guarded when she was still alive.
Launched on April 10 of this year at the Tapas Bar of the Makati Shangri-La Manila hotel, the first travel coffee table book of its kind with a quirky and confident title of The Best of the Best of the Philippines was recently unveiled to the public.
There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart. Pursue those. Fly free. Don’t let fear of what may happen hold you back from following your heart.
