Voyage Of The Balangay

Most of my last two weeks was spent sweating out in this humid weather in a makeshift dry dock at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. I was shooting the construction of a replica of the Balanga, an ancient wooden boat used by early Filipinos. Members of the Everest Expedition Team, lead by Art Valdez, will sail this boat and attempt to go around the Philippines, through South East Asia, and eventually all the way to Africa. I will try and follow, and shoot photos of the journey, as much as my time and resource would allow. Check my story in Demotix for details.

Back On The Grid

I won't even bother to explain my absence, not just from this blog, but also from my typical life. Except for some professional engagements, I have not really been traveling or doing a lot of photography. It can be called a lot of things: getting some space to gather myself, a major time management crisis, or just plain lethargy. In any case, it's time to get off the bed and step outside again.

Desperately Seeking Mongolian

I visited Ulaan Bataar for two nights early this week, a trip that was too short to even have a general impression of an otherwise interesting place. I was not there for a shoot, but some other business that was mostly spent inside the Resident Mission office of the Asian Development Bank.



Often served as an eat-all-you-can buffet, Mongolian barbecue is a popular fare in Manila. With only a few hours of free time to spare exploring the city, I was determined to try authentic local food. I walked a few blocks around the main business district looking for a place to eat around lunch time. After a few minutes, I started to get the impression that it's difficult to find a Mongolian restaurant in the capital of Mongolia. My search only yielded a large proliferation of places for European, Korean and Japanese food . I was cold and hungry so I settled for the Genghis Kahn Irish Pub. I ordered pasta with meatballs and washed it down with a bottle of Heineken.

Later that evening, my travel companion suggested that we head out for dinner at the Modern Nomads, an authentic Mongolian restaurant according to a tip given by an expat. When we arrived, I noticed that we were the only foreigners, and non-smokers. It was inspiring. We ordered roasted lamb chops, a plate of assorted dumplings, paired with milk tea. The lamb was awesome, done with nothing else but salt and roasted slowly until it was cooked in its own melted fat. The dumplings were larger than the Chinese Dim Sum, with more meat packed into it. The milk tea helps cut the taste of lamb fat that solidifies around your lips as you eat. After going through whole menu, I could not find the Mongolian Barbecue that they served in Manila. Something tells me that one isn't really Mongolian.

The following morning, I had 4 hours before I had to leave for the airport, so I went out hoping for a quick shoot. The temperature was -10 degrees Celsius, and there was ice on the side walk. I walked a block, snap a few shots, and decided to just head back to the hotel. It was just too cold for my Pinoy blood.

Jaunt Ilocos

I only had two weeks to prepare for the exhibit in Laoag. Somehow, in the middle of an already hectic schedule, I was able to find time to frantically select the images that was printed and mounted. After getting everything ready and packed for the plane ride, a Signal 3 typhoon made a stop over Manila on the day of my departure. I called the airport to check if the flights have been canceled but the person who answered seem unaware that there was even a storm. There is really nothing much that a disappointed photographer can do, except to sit in Starbucks, sip a double short mocha, and toy around with Dreamweaver. Fortunately, the storm died down by mid-day and headed off for Taiwan. I flew on a very rough flight with the "fasten seat belts" sign staying on the whole time. The cabin crew never had the chance to do their work, but they were kind enough to distribute small packs of wafers a few minutes before we landed.




(From top to bottom) Paoay Lake; The Cathedral of St. William;
Calesa in Vigan.

I did not really get to see much of Laoag, but then again, according to popular opinion, there is really nothing much to see in Laoag. After mounting my prints along the walls of the conference hall, I spent the rest of the day listening to several speakers evangelizing about the benefits of sports tourism to the local economy, and talked about the fine art of hosting sports events. I met tour operators and local government staff from various provinces, and even had quick reunions with several people that I met during my travels. It was very interesting day, and despite getting only three hours of sleep the the night before, I was able to remain energetic the rest of the day, with the help of several cups of strong local coffee.

The next day, all the delegates were given a tour of the neighboring towns of Batac, Paoay, and Vigan. It was a typical whirlwind trip with 10-20 minute stops on relevant locations. The best part of the journey was our compelling and energetic tour guide, Pepito Alvarez, a prominent figure in local business and politics, who kept us entertained with history, gossip, anecdotes, song numbers and a load of dirty jokes. If you ever come to Ilocos, I really suggest you look him up. I don't think my trip would have been so memorable without him. (Sorry, I was not able to take his phone number, but everyone in Laoag seems to know this fellow, so it won't be hard to find him.)



(From top to bottom) Night market; empanada stand in Laoag.

There may not be a lot of things do in Laoag, but there are certainly a lot of things to eat. This region is known for salty dishes, such as pinakbet and binagongan, that are among the staples on the dining tables of most Filipino households. Among the specialties is the empanada, a mixture of papaya shavings, longanisa and eggs, wrapped in a sheet of flour, and deep fried until it becomes a crispy shell. One piece is large enough for a meal, but I think I ate more than a dozen during the four days that I was there. It's definitely one of the reasons why I would go back to Laoag again.





The Emapanada that's worth going back for.

It's Showtime!

A selection of images that I took while covering action sports around the Philippines will be displayed during the Sports Tourism Conference in Laoag on October 2 and 3. Drop by the booth if you are around. I am trying to avoid alcohol, but you all know that I can easily be tempted.



For those who can't make it there, you can view the images here

Off Season

I have often worked on assignments covering guided media trips, and I find these gigs pleasant and relaxing. I just go along with the ride and shoot whatever is on the program. So when I was putting together a story about the Coffee Farm Tour offered by the Philippine Coffee Board, I did not really bother to prepare. I should have considered it an omen when the tour was canceled because there wasn't enough participants. Apparently, the writer and myself were the only ones who signed up for it. Being persistent journalists, we were still able to hustle a private tour. On our way to the farm, we learned that it was not yet the harvest season. Aside from coffee plants, surrounded by shrubs, and bearing fruits that were not ripe enough, there wasn't really anything worth a picture.


The only ripe fruit the I saw during the tour.

On the bright side, our guide took us to a market side eatery and we were able to pull off a quick story for Table for Three.


Preparing Bulalo at Len's Kitchenette in Tagaytay.

It Happens

While I was on assignment in Agusan a few months ago, my Nikon D70, a trusted workhorse that has served me for years, finally broke down. It refused to focus the lens, just I was trying to shoot a group portrait, under a natural light that was changing fast from sunny to overcast. Like any human faced with the prospect of screwing-up, I immediately felt cold and gripped with panic. I had enough instinct left to walk calmly to my gear bag, pretending that some spontaneous creative impulse made me decide that the image would look better if I use my D40 back-up body. The photos from this assignment are featured in the August issue of Marie Claire Philippines, including the group portrait in question.

Caraga Kids: A World Vision Foundation sponsored group of talented
children from the Caraga region of the Philippines. They have done
theater performances in Germany, Netherlands and Singapore.

Jefty, a member of the Caraga Kids, singing a song with his father.

Beach Not

I've always wanted to shoot a beach volleyball game. Just like surfing, the game is part of the laid-back beach bum lifestyle that I very much appreciate. A few weeks ago, I was finally invited to cover an inter-collegiate game at the Cantada Sports Center. Even if it was played on a huge and elaborate sandbox instead of a real seaside location, I was still hoping that I could get images of sun-tanned female athletic bodies glistening under the sunny blue sky. Unfortunately, a tropical typhoon was approaching Manila on that day, and it was overcast with occasional rain showers.

Beach volleyball action at the Cantada Sports Stadium