Weekend in BUDA

My Blog has fallen asleep for a few months now, I admit that I really missed posting some of my photos here in my blog. I had a few local travels for the past few months that really made summer worth remembering. I was browsing my blog and was inspired to do some little posting once again.

One of my recent trip was just nearby home, the family stayed at Alice Log House, located in Baganihan, Marilog District, still in Davao City. Just along the road before reaching Seagull Mountain Resort. For a weekend my world stopped, just in time for my needed breather.
Me and family time... period.  

It was not all for pleasure though, since we had our location shoot for my brothers engagement session. But that doesn't mean that I haven't been able to enjoy the beautiful sight beneath me. See that top photo? That's the sight you see upon waking up. How I wish to get lost there for sometime and never come back (chos lang hehe) . And yes, I did took time to steal some photos of what mother nature can best offer me and my eye. I must say the locals/ neighborhood are very friendly too.

Here are some of the photos that  I took.

Who wouldn't not visit the BUDA (Bukidnon-Davao Road) without taking their very own road shot. I just got myself one. :)

And here's everyone before heading back home, taken at the Log House's frontage. 

Air Supply - Live in Davao Videos

For those who have missed the Air Supply show last Tuesday, I uploaded 2 video clips taken during the concert. This one goes out to my tatay, who is miles away from home, and wishes he was there to watch it live. Our sincere apologies for the loud screaming and singing. Finally we were able to sing a long with them, because I thought hanggang videoke lang. hehe The videos were taken with my ever realible Lumix LX5! =)

Hope you'll enjoy it! 

Making Love Out of Nothing at All

Lost in Love

Air Supply Live in Davao

If you are a 90's kid and grew up together with your dad by your side, well in more ways than one, you'd definitely be introduced to the beautiful ballads of Air Supply. Looking back during my school days, I'd remember my tatay playing their tracks in the morning and at times during Sundays. Since, internet downloads are not yet available during that time to play my favorite artists' music, I have no choice but to play what my father listens. True enough as he what he always tells us, that the music of yesterday never fades, because up until now they still have a great number of following. Walang binatbat ang mga current artists, well I guess, you know who they are. hehe

So much for justifying how I started to love and appreciate their music, I am still in awe up until now that I was able to witness the group to perform live here in Davao City at the USEP Gym. For those who don't know the men behind the music, Air Supply is a soft rock duo that originated in Australia, Russel Hitchcock as their lead vocalist and Graham Russel as guitarist and singer-song writer, they were also accompanied by various accompanying band members over the years. They started during the late 70's and make it real big during the 80's and even 90's, with so many hits, I just lost my count.

During their concert, they played mostly the best of their ballads. Starting with their opening act, "Even the Nights Are Better" along with their other hits like Here I am, Just as I am, Goodbye, Sweet Dreams and so many more. Well my night wouldn't be complete without them playing one of my favorite karaoke song "Making Love Out of Nothing At All" which was also very popular with the crowd that gained a standing ovation.

Me and my Air Supply-loving colleagues

The certified hit maker duo, has definitely proved not just to the Davaoeno crowd but to the world that their music will forever live on,  it has been more than 30 years and they are still here to entertain us giving us quality and relevant music for the present and upcoming generations to enjoy.

More photos from the concert:

Regards na lang ko kay "Papi" hehe

Graham now reaches out to the crowd

Who says the Air Supply concert is for the oldies?!

Serenading one of the lady audience

Graham's solitary moment on the stage

Russel, jamming with their young and talented guitarist

Waving their last goodbyes to the Davao crowd

'Til we meet again!

Meet Lolong the Crocodile

Saltwater Crocodile "Lolong" measures 20 ft. and 3 inches making him the world's largest

Last weekend, I headed off  for a brief road trip, just to say hello to "Lolong" the Crocodile. It was a 4-hour drive coming from Davao City, to Bunawan, Agusan del Sur, Philippines, where the World's Biggest Rescued Crocodile is being housed. I came from a night shift that day, so I literally slept for almost the entire trip. The Ecotourism park has been opened for almost a year now, it's better late than never. This is another rare opportunity that I couldn't miss. 

Local visitors who came to see Lolong that day.

I was wondering why they named it Lolong, just so I found out that he was named after a veteran crocodile hunter named Ernesto "Lolong" Goloran Canete, who led the hunt. But unfortunately died of heart attack a few days before Lolong's capture. More details here (thanks Wikepedia!)

The photos were taken by my brother Matt, I couldn't take the photos since my hands are too shaky :( These are taken with Canon EOS 7D using a Tamron 70-200mm lens, with minor post processing by me using Photoshop. I call this set "SWAMP PEOPLE" inspired, if you're watching this show on History Channel, you know what I'm trying to mean. 

I was there in the flesh, hope he won't come and find me hahaha

I hope that I have brought you to Lolong up close and personal, 

sparing you from a tedious 4-hour trip just to get there. Enjoy! =)

Ninos and Marias in Simala, Cebu

Monastery of the Holy Eucharist

Location: Marian Hills, Lindogon, Simala, Sibonga, Southern Cebu, Philippines

Today is Mama Mary's Birthday, so I thought of doing a Travel post in honor of our blessed virgin mother.

Last July, I went to the Monastery of the Holy Eucharist to visit Miraculous Birhen sa Simala in South Cebu. Initially, we were planning to visit Oslob to experience the Whale Sharks. But due to many factors, we weren't able to push through the initial plan. But, to visit Simala one more time, I wouldn't trade it for anything else.

I first heard of the Miraculous Virgin Mary from a friend, who asked for guidance and enlightenment before taking the board exams. For those who didn't know about this, the miraculous image was said to shed tears sometime in the late 90's. Last 2011, we went for a quick detour trip with my friends, and that was my first encounter. The experience was very surreal, enchanting and more like heavenly, it was more like a personal spiritual journey towards you and your God. Well, I guess we need to be mature in some ways and have a connection with GOD. I need to emphasize on GOD, because oftentimes, we've gone astray, lost and confused without him.

 The monastery has been swarmed with thousands of devotees, believers, religious, desperates, and curious individuals from locals to tourists everyday. Upon entering the premises, you will see thousands of letters, petitions, prayers, requests, thanksgiving etc. whom graced the placed and was able to have a personal experience of Mama Mary's great Miracle. Mind you, there were cabinets filled not with just letters but other stuff like clutches, cellphones, calculators and all sorts of random things that prove it as well.

As a Catholic, and was being brought up with catholic values from school and at home, I was able to appreciate the whole experience. For me it was like a spiritual detox, prioritizing the essential things in life by doing good and keeping the FAITH.

Enough of my raves with "Faith", as I share to you my collection of PHOTOGRAPHS of the Many Faces of Sto. Nino and Mama Mary being devoted around the globe. With my keen eye, I cannot let just anything pass me by. Not in my whole existence did I see with my very own eyes, so many images of them. I guess, there are more than a hundred of them. Each beautiful made and dressed. This is also one of main attractions of the said monastery.

Our Lady of Cavodonga (Not shown in photo) with Sto. Nino

Vigen Rocio

Our Lady of Good Success

Our Lady of the Abandoned

Black Sto. Nino

Mainichi Marian no Kegavenaki (Land of the Rising Sun Japan)

Mary Help of Christians

Our Lady of Incarnation (Soul of Mary)

Baby Mary - Nina Maria

Virgen de la Caridad - Our Lady of Charity

Our Lady of  China (Mary not included in the photo) with Sto. Nino

Our Lady of Lourdes

Our Lady of Snow with Sto. Nino

Our Lady of La Sallete

Our Lady of the Candles

Our Lady of Good Health

Our Miraculous Mary that Shed Tears last 1998 and 1999.

But, it doesn't mean that every wish and prayer would be granted, I still do believe that in everything we do in life, we have to earn it to deserve it.