you are my sunshine

happy 1st anniversary

Yehey! Today is my blog's anniversary and I cant believe that its been a year now since i've started this blog... have thought of quitting more than once but here i am still posting erratically! I want to thank you all for accompanying me in this journey and leaving your footprints behind, i'm sorry if i dont answer your comments or return the favor of visiting your blogs but i really do appreciate your visits.

I was really having a hard time trying to choose which photo i should post today since this is a special day for Maynila Daily Photo and i've decided to share with you my "favorite strangers"

I've mentioned here before that the Filipinos love having their pictures taken, even by strangers like me, and i've encountered a lot of different people from different walks of life while traversing the city looking for a photo to post here. And i guess it is only fitting that i give these "street people" a tribute, for making my life easier, brightening up my day whenever im out and about the metropolis.

These kids were playing in front of the Tondo Church, and i saw them trying their pose while i was taking pictures of the church, so i turned my camera to them and clicked away.

Found these girls watching a ferry pass by inside the Aroceros Park when it was reopened to the public sometime in July, i chose this photo instead of the one where all of them were looking at me and giving their brightest smiles, coz in this photo they were playing a part for me, but the girl on the right cant resist looking at the camera =)

This photo was taken inside the Binondo Church, i also have several photos of these kids... the girl in orange shirt asked me if i can take her picture once i said yes and she saw her picture she called up her playmates and they all posed for me and were just happy to see their pictures from my camera's lcd.

These boys almost knocked me off, they were all running towards me when they saw me with a camera and proceeded on smiling and posing while i clicked away.

I love these 3 boys, i was busy trying to find a nice angle of the Manila Cathedral and they were like my tail, following me around and suggesting this and that, then after i'm done taking photos of the church, they asked me if i could take their picture, who am i to decline?

He is the first grown up person who approached me to have his photo taken since i started doing this blog and i really have to go back to escolta and give him a copy of this photo, yeah i promised him i'll give him one, and i intend to.

I really hope that i was able to impart with you a bit of Manila, Philippines - the place that i love, my home...

THANK YOU!!!

the simplest thing

"If one could only learn to appreciate the little things ... A song that takes you away, for there are those who cannot hear. The beauty of a sunset, for there are those who cannot see. The warmth and safety of your home, for there are those who are homeless. Time spent with good friends for there are those who are lonely. A walk along the beach for there are those who cannot walk. The little things are what life is all about. Search your soul and learn to appreciate." ~ Shadi Souferian

stick it out

"Have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books written in a foreign language. Do not now look for the answers. They cannot now be given to you because you could not live them. It is a question of experiencing everything. At present you need to live the question. Perhaps you will gradually, without even noticing it, find yourself experiencing the answer, some distant day." ~ Letters to a Young Poet

go green

red leaves

earth day

help save the earth... remember we do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

slide

look at these children having fun, dont you get envious? when was the last time you slide?

great sunday

have a great sunday everyone :)

this photo was taken inside the happiest place in manila, the children's playground at luneta, which i've featured here before and yes that is still the same squash you used to hang out when you were still a kid! :). sorry i dunno what is the name of the flower but i find it beautiful, anyone knows what kind of flora it is?

grand boulevard hotel

malate church

This section of the city dates back to 1588. The titular patroness of this church is Nuestra Señora de los Remedios whose statue was brought from Spain in 1624 by Rev. Juan Guevarra, OSA. The British landed their troops near these shores in 1762 and used the Church of Malate for protection for their rear-guard in the capture of Manila. This church was greatly damaged by the June 3, 1863 earthquake.

The facade of Malate Church, in the foreground is the statue of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (Our Lady of the Remedies) believed to be the patron saint of women who just gave birth.

rajah sulayman

The statue of Rajah Sulayman is located in front of the Malate Church at its namesake Plaza near the huge fountain at baywalk along Manila Bay.

Rajah Sulayman was a native Muslim king who, together with Rajah Matanda and Rajah Lakandula, the king of the Tondo area, ruled a large population of Tagalogs in the southern part of the Pasig River and the city of Manila during the 16th century.

pamantasan ng lungsod ng maynila

The Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), is the largest city government-funded, tuition-free, university in the Philippines. It also holds the distinction of being the first Philippine institution of higher learning to have its official name in Filipino.

Exactly ten years ago today I graduated from this school and yeah i'm a proud isko =)

cowboy grill

The Cowboy Grill at Malate, the bar looks so laid back when i took the photo but at night, this place is thriving with young people who wants to enjoy.

upside down

Round and round and upside down, who's to say what's impossible and can't be found...

manila bay cruise

Manila Bay Dining Cruises gives you a chance to enjoy fine dining and live entertainment, and see Manila from a rare and moving vantage point. There are 3 trips on weekdays and 4 trips during weekends, less than two hour ride to enjoy the scene and the food. Current cruise rate is at 250 pesos for cruise only and 495 pesos with dinner. You can check out the the cruise at Harbour Square CCP complex.

It has been years since i tried this cruise, it was just a spur of the moment decision and i guess it pays off to be crazy sometimes, we have the boat all by ourselves since we're the only crazy ones who braved that stormy night.

PS. if you take a closer look at the photo, you'll see a man waving to the sunset spectators :)

sorry sunset again

another sunset

Want to but I can't help it.
I love the way it feels.
This got me stuck between my fantasy and what is real.
I need it when I want it.
I want it when I don't.
Tell myself I'd stop everyday,
Knowing that I won't

bless the children

"Bless the beasts and the children
For in this world they have no voice
They have no choice"

i would like to apologize for not posting for quite some time now, yeah i'd been lazy and a bit sick the past few days and i really seriously thought of quitting this blog, but thanks to all of you who convinced me that i should continue this journey... thank you.

manila is such a beautiful place and it's people and culture are so diverse that you need a lifetime to discover its wonders, but all things beautiful have it own flaws too and manila is not exempted to this. whenever i wander around the city and get awed by its beauty, this scene among others made me stop in my tracks... children playing in the streets, toddlers making the street their playground.

yes, manila is full of street children and vagrants that it'll make your heart bleed. and im worried about them, i know i aint superwoman and i cant save the world but that doesnt stop me from feeling guilty because there's nothing i can do to help these children. and im worried that i'll get so numb seeing them in this state, i have learned a long time ago not to look in their eyes because those solemn eyes can really haunt you. these children are so helpless and i cant help them...