Today the Philippines, Tomorrow the World

As part of our highschool evaluation, we had to answer a set of questions which would more or less give us an idea of what our work would be in the future. My probable future would involve lots of traveling. At that point in time, I did think that the evaluation was wrong. I hated shuttling back and forth Manila almost every week. It triggered my vertigo so much that I slept most of the trips and woke up only when we reached our stop-overs or destinations. I never did foresee myself living in Manila my college years and more. I did outgrow my vertigo although it was replaced by migraines. I preferred to travel in daylight so that I can see the places around me and everytime I wished I could drive and stop more often than a bus taking in passengers.

Had I discovered that I could go into photography before I finalized my UPCAT, I would've entered UP Diliman as my first choice instead. I could remember placing architecture as one of my choices but I qualified for my primary choice. Two diplomas plus a year or two, not forgetting a detour I took, I'm finally rekindling my passion for photography and learning that traveling is something that I'd like to do.

After winging it at Anawangin and wanting to go back there again, I decided to see how much of the Philippines I've been to and be graded. It never changed from the first time I took it around a year ago.

My Lakbayan grade is D!

How much of the Philippines have you visited? Find out at Lakbayan!

Created by Eugene Villar.

I'd rather have a higher grade not because I like having high grades but because I'd like to go around and see the Philippines more. Bakpacking would be a great way to do it, haha, but well, let's just see.

Finally climbing out of the grave I've been digging myself realizing that I can have something positive out of what I've been through, I've decided to make the most of this year (before throwing myself back into residency) and the years to come. I'm listing down places I'd like to go/return to (some for personal reasons) and hopefully ,one by one, blog about it.

Anawangin

Angono, Rizal

Antipolo

Batanes

Balatoc

Corregidor

Banaue Rice Terraces

Batan Islands

Caramoan Peninsula

Chocolate Hills, Bohol

Davao

Hundred islands, Pangasinan

La Union

Legaspi City

Malapascua, Cebu

Mt. Pinatubo

Mt. Pulag

Pagudpud

Palawan

Pescador, Cebu

Sabtang, Batanes

Sagada
Siquijor

Subterranian River National Park, Puerto Princessa

Taal lake, Batangas

Tawi-tawi city

Vigan
Zamboanga

Hmmm, now where to go next...

Links:

1. Backpacking Philippines and Asia

2. Vistapinas

3. World Reviewer

4. Lakbay Pilipinas

5. Travel Philippines

6. Addicted to travel

7. Lantaw

8. En route

9. Philippine weather
10. Tropical Paradise of Asia

Filipino Cuisine, Nationality or Identity?

A brief background. Anthony Bourdain is revered when it comes to food and everything that surrounds food. He is the host of No Reservations which showcases a variety of cuisine. I'm not going to speak like I have known of him and the show for months and months. I have learned of him when Marketman wrote about Anthony Bourdain visiting the Philippines. Marketman being involved was enough to pique my interest in the episode which aired February 16. Having no cable, I had to wait for blogs to come up with their reactions and of course the ever reliable youtube for the video. Hearing that the lechon came out number one in AB's heirarchy of pork was enough for me to be proud of the Filipinos behind this episode. What I didn't expect was the whole lot of reactions that stemmed out of the episode. While some of them are true, a lot of the comments were unwarranted. I won't write them here. One comment though was enough to cause a deluge of reaction that I wasn't able to read (some of them were deleted by marketman) and another post by Marketman.

Here are my reactions (edited to some extent) to some of the comments:

1. Reading through the comments from AB’s blog reminds me of what happened to the Philippines which I’ve learned in history class, where the government had to build walls and paint over them to cover the shanties.

2. If AB really liked to showcase the “lively” Filipino, I think his research would have shown the countless fiestas the Philippines have, and he would have gone to one. Could it be said that there are also the “timid” Filipino? We have are term “Maria Clara”. Isn’t that part of being a Filipino?

3. Kudos to Augusto for having enough Filipino Pride to send his videotape and represent the Philippines. If I was a follower of AB, I wouldn't even think of sending a video or if I did sending another after I have been rejected.

AND who would be comfortable in front of the camera and having relatively strangers around you watching and listening what you do and say? I know I wouldn’t.

4. Honestly, the reactions and Calfran’s comment, made me think if I could represent the Filipino heritage well. I can’t. It also made me think how very much of a Filipino I am. I’m writing in english and that says something.

P.S.

I'm laughing at myself now. And here we are Filipinos, couldn't agree about something and endlessly criticizing someone who's brave enough to call himself one. No wonder, the Philippines couldn't move forward as a nation.

I do agree with Calfran in that when AB said "“the problem is is that Filipinos are too damn nice…to forge an identity". It hits you in the gut. But I'm not going to blame other people for this. I blame myself.

recall

We cannot change our memories, but we can change their meaning and the power they have over us.

-=David Seamans=-

In times when the day goes sour I favor shutting up going home and going to sleep... and most of the time I wake up refreshed and with a good sense of judging what have happened. That's most of the time... some times I'd need to go out and take photos, detoxify myself...