Seoul Gate

pixel skylines
Stranger Things

#extradirty

Product Placement

Origami Around
art blog(derogatory)
Claire Keane

izzy's playlists!

JVL
2025 on Tumblr: Trends That Defined the Year
taylor price
Jules of Nature

if i look back, i am lost

No title available

Andulka
AnasAbdin
Xuebing Du

No title available
Game of Thrones Daily
Peter Solarz
seen from United States

seen from United States

seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from Canada
seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from United States

seen from Germany

seen from United States
seen from Canada
seen from Canada

seen from United States
seen from Argentina
seen from United Kingdom

seen from Portugal

seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from Saudi Arabia
seen from Canada
@androdelacruz
Seoul Gate
Final Approach to Iloilo.
What “Undas” Means to Me.
Whenever I visit our family mausoleums, i do not think that i am there to visit our departed family members. I know that they are not waiting there in their lonesome. I always believe that my ancestors did good when they were alive: brave freedom fighters, helpful teachers, honest and fair public servants and businessmen. I believe they are in a better place. I believe they are enjoying God' reward for a life well lived.
So why do I still visit their graves? I believe that i am doing this because I miss them. Maybe by going home to Kalibo and making the annual cemetery rounds, I honor their memories.
Every time I see their gravestones, i can remember their faces, smiles, voices and laughters. I also remember that we were once doing the cemetery visits together and would troop to our ancestral mausoleum to cap the day. This has become a family practice. We all hope that this will be continued so our smiles, faces, voices and laughter will always be remembered.
Super Market Series (Part 1)
I always find it challenging to shoot market scenes. Subjects are dynamic and dramatic. I am familiar with the Iloilo Super Market as my family used to have market stall there. I love going around the market and see people from all walks of life. As a tribute to the colorful and hard working people of the Iloilo Super Market, I have started a photo blog about them.
(above) A young vendor skinning onions. Vendors are usually family members who help out at their store.
(above) Just a few meters inside the northeast entrance of the market is the vegetable section. Fresh produce from neighboring towns like Leon, Tubungan are sold here.
(above) An elderly vendor removes the peas from dried pods.
(above) A dried fish vendor. Dried fishes from Northern Iloilo towns like Carles and Estancia make their way to the Iloilo Super market. In outlets like these, price is still cheap. Once dried fishes are packaged, prices soar.
(above) The province of Iloilo is best known for dried fishes and other aquatic produce. This is because of its pristine fishing grounds in the northern part of the province.
Black and white photography by Huawei P9 Camera Phone.
I was fascinated by the new Huawei P9 camera phone that I got from Globe Telecom. It has Leica optics for its main camera. As such, I started shooting to test whether it gives better black and white as advertised. And it does!
Amsterdam (2016).
I love street photography and I think shooting in Amsterdam is challenging. Not only that it offers a lot of subjects to photograph, getting people to agree to have their pictures taken can be challenging.
One time, i passed by a group of people at the Rijkmuseum and i had an opportunity to take a photo. To my surprise, one of them did not like being photographed and seemed to run after me. Another was in a bar where i took photos of the architecture of the place. One of the guys serving food did not like being photographed. Poof what a killjoy.
But Amsterdam is a gem whether it is street landscape or architecture photography that you are into.
The Great Three Island Adventure of Kobe and Milo.
For their summer break in 2014, Kobe and Milo embarked on a three-island road trip. Starting from the tip of Panay island, they first visited Jawili Beach in Tangalan, Aklan.
(above) Kobe and Milo enjoying Tangalan, Aklan’s Jawili beach. One of Aklan province’s upcoming tourist attractions, Tagalan boasts of the multi-tiered Jawili falls and the soft sand beach of Jawili.
(above) The kids have been to this beach twice already. In both occasions, they immensely enjoyed their experience. This time Kobe brought his mountain bike and practiced along the road.
We then travelled to Iloilo City where we started our adventure to the tourist town of Oslob in the southern tip of Cebu.
(above) Our jump point is at Dumangas pier where we took a roll on-roll off (RORO) boat to Bacolod City. The Roro left at around 8 o’clock and reached Bacolod in about an hour and a half. We are lucky the sea was smooth.
(above) Milo who wants to be a Boat Captain like his maternal grandfather is a natural traveler. He stayed up the whole trip -observing the activities onboard.
(above) Of course, we have to sample Bacolod’s chicken inasal at the reclamation area. For a change, Kobe sample another way a chicken is cooked.
If only the Navy SEALS were taught decision-making skills given to CEOs, this movie won't even come to being. Why didn't they just tie the Taliban goat herders to a tree while they hunt down the main bad guy (who ironically looks like Saddam Hussein).
Every once in a while, a good movie comes along.
The Twinkle of Hope in Carles, Iloilo.
(top) Calm after the Storm. How can a peaceful sea turn into a destructive force of nature?
After typhoon Haiyan barreled through the country last November, national and international interests were predominantly focused on the city of Tacloban and municipalities like Guian and Ormoc in Leyte province. As such, few is written about equally-devastated areas along super typhoon's path. Unknown to most Filipino urbanites, also badly hit were the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz and Aklan. Fortunately, people were spared from the horrors of belated relief goods. Unlike Tacloban City and the rest of Leyte province, Iloilo, Capiz and Aklan are rice granaries that fortunately just had their harvest season. But then there are areas that were not as that lucky. The worst hit are the fishing villages in Northern Iloilo that rely heavily on the sea for livelihood. The fishing industry in the coastal towns of Carles and Estancia suffered severely as hundreds of fishing boats were destroyed by the storm surge. This is despite the fact that most fishermen dry-docked their fishing boats days before the typhoon struck.
(top) New Hope for Carles. Islander kids play innocently in the disaster's footprint.
Last summer I featured in this blog the beautiful Higantes islands of Carles. This time, however, my blog will report the devastation that befall the islands and dedicated effort by kind souls in rekindling the lives of its inhabitants. Super typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Typhoon Yolanda) battered the Higantes and nearby islands for several hours. In one strong swoop, it decimated the islanders' source of living. The once picturesque coves and beaches are now full of debris.
Last Sunday, I witnessed a group of philanthropic siblings and their admirable effort to bring aid to the far-flung islands of Carles.
(top) Oplan: Causing Relief. Admirable private sector effort by the Causing siblings exemplifies the Filipino Bayanihan spirit.
The Causing siblings (Twinky, BG, Prince and Kryza) heeded the call of the local government. They organized continuing relief operations that brings relief goods to the out-lying islands of Carles. Headed by Twinky who is currently connected with De La Salle University- Dasmarinas, they solicited donations from co-workers, friends and relatives in order to buy rice, canned goods and basic necessities that are badly-needed.
For this leg of the relief operations, they invited me to tag along and take photos of the devastation. Feeling the need to contribute to an admirable effort, I quickly agreed.
(top) Private Sector Initiative. De La Salle (DLSU) alumna Twinky Causing distributing goods to the islanders of Sitio Batuan, Barangalan, Carles.
We left Bangkal Port in Carles early in the morning. Our group consisting of nurses and volunteers took two motorized bancas to reach two island barangays. Sharing the boats with us are sacks of rice, packs of canned goods and medicines that Twinky and her siblings gathered and repacked. Thank God that the vast east Visayan sea was calm and nobody got sea sick. We reached the first island barangay in about an hour. Sitio Batuan in Barangay Barancalan beckoned like post-atomic bomb wasteland. With houses flattened and fishing boats turned upside down, it is a glaring footprint of the super typhoon. Just after we landed, Twinky gathered the islanders in a makeshift stage and started distributing relief goods. Aside from basic goods like rice and canned goods, she brought slippers, undergarments and kids clothes that were very much appreciated.
(top) Big Help from Big Brother. Hovering overhead our motor banca are British Royal Navy Sea King helicopters air dropping supplies to far-flung islands.
After Barangay Barangakalan, we proceeded to Isla de Cana that is around half an hour away by sea. En route, we saw the British Royal Navy aircraft carrier, HMS Illustrious with its helicopters busy taking off and landing. We also saw impressive flying machines like the Sea King and Lynx helicopter bringing supplies to other islands. The British military was one of the first to arrive in the country. HMS Illustrious or the "Lusty" was the second ship that arrived to deliver relief goods in Northeastern Iloilo. It must have cost them millions to fly those helicopters and ferry relief goods. Bless these men of the Union Jack for being helpful.
(top) They came like mountains. This is how islanders at Isla del Cana described the storm surge that leveled their village.
Isla de Cana reminded me of a scene straight from the Terminator movie. It was like a horde of cyborg soldiers has routed it. Houses are torn down, trees uprooted and fishing boats thrown several meters inshore. We interviewed islanders who still have traces of terror in their eyes. "The waves came like mountains!" One lady added that she had to crawl in order to get to a secure area and not to be carried by strong winds.
(top) No Class Today and Tomorrow. Destroyed elementary school building at Isla del Cana.
Again, Twinky and the Causing siblings did their thing: distributing rice and canned goods to the islanders. All were gathered at the village's basketball court and happy about what the relief volunteers brought them.
(top) Relief volunteers posing for souvenir photo after distributing goods at Isla Del Cana.
At the end of the day-long relief operation, I stared at Twinky and her tired crew. Even before i get to ask her how she was feeling, she lets go an untiring pledge - to come back after soliciting more donations from her friends in Manila and overseas. Whatta gal, Twinky!
(top) The Beauty and Kind-Hearted. Twinky Causing vowed to continue soliciting donations from friends and co-workers and bring relief goods to more devastated areas in Northern Iloilo. (Photo from Twinky Causing's Facebook Account).
Photos by Andro C. dela Cruz
This is How We Roll...
Movie Night and Cheetos. My kids and I started this bonding ritual " Movie Night" two years ago. While they were in Kalibo for the summer vacation, we made every night as Movie Night. Thanks to Samsung (our LCD TV), National (our electric fan), and Cheetos, our official snack! Anywhere we go and there is an opportunity to do a Movie Night, even my Apple MacAir serves as our movie screen.
For the initial salvo of Kobe and Milo’s summer vacation, we went to Islas de Gigantes, a booming tourist enclave off the northern tip of Iloilo province. We left Iloilo City at around mid-morning and arrived just before lunch at the Estancia wharf. From there we boarded a motorized banca (which I like to consider as our very own private yacht!) for a nearly 2 hour ride to Islas de Gigantes. There are two main islands - Gigantes Norte and Gigantes Sur. We were accommodated at the Gigantes Hideaway Resort (a mom and pop kinda of resort) at Gigantes Norte. Although the resort is yet to blossom into a tourist class accommodation, we were amazed by the hospitality of its owners and staff. For our two day stay and island hopping we were even accompanied by a friendly tourist guide.
Bringing my two sons to these islands is somewhat reliving my own childhood when my parents brought us to exotic vacation destinations that later become world class tourist destinations. Just like visiting Boracay in 1978 when there was only a lone resort at the island (no electricity no and running water).
The trouble with techie kids :)
Wishing to be on a Loop...
The best times on this earth are when I’m with my kids.
I saw my brand new niece for the first time this evening. She was my cousin Reina’s daughter. She’s one pretty and adorable little person. As I watched her, i could not remember the last time I came that close to a baby. My idea of babies has always been that of my two kids…Jakob Emilio (Kobe) and Mikhail Aloysius (Milo).
I have two wonderful children whom God gave me effortlessly. Their mother never had any problems at childbirth. As they grew up, the two wonder boys never have problems (well, maybe when my eldest Kobe had stomach pains and was brought to Medical City or my bunso, Milo -above- had high fever and has to be confined). That is why I always count myself as blessed, lucky and never forgotten by the Almighty. Having been given the opportunity to raise them is sharing God’s chores. I always find meaning in my existence when I realize God made me participate in the honing of young minds. The first time I saw my kids when they were babies, I promised God to make me fulfill this responsibility the same way my father was able to do his.
As I am captivated by my new niece’s cute face, I streak of biting pain rushed inside me. I miss my kids like crazy.
If God can give me one wish tonight. I really wish he would send me back to that time when I would come home dead tired from work and be resuscitated back to life by the warm embraces of my little babies. And wish that I would go on an eternal loop.
Christmas break photos with Kobe and Milo
Disappointing!
What i dread whenever traveling to Kalibo is to be part of the captured ( helpless) lunch crowd of Pengee’s Restaurant courtesy of Ceres Bus liner. Located at Barangay Tinaytayan, Dumarao, Capiz,this shack is a poor excuse for a restaurant or a stop over for those who wants to answer nature’s call. If im not mistaken Pengee’s has been in existence for more than 2 decades and has been successfully cornering helpless travelers since it is a favored lunch stop for Ceres drivers and conductors. Now that several foreign tourist are plying the Caticlan-Iloilo City route, Pengee’s should at least improve its piss-against-the-wall stinking toilet ( where did your profits go, Pengees?) Calling the Region 6 tourism office!