Every cigar that I breathe represents the times you’re near with me
You’re sending chills so unique, now I wanna think it’s just the wind
I’m not that stupid to dream that anytime soon you’ll comfort me
There’ll be no happy ending; your love’s been always so out of reach
Uh, I can see that you’re intoxicated
Wonder if you know I’m wasted too
But one thing’s got my mind in deep amazement
How come my body’s drawn too close to you
Up from the ground, underneath the night
I’m sitting here waiting for you
Up for the rounds, getting so high
It’s a little late, where are you?
There’s so many strings attached in your heart
And so many apples stuck in those eyes
I can cut ‘em all and spoil ‘em all, but I wasn’t raised like that
So I’m letting this feeling pass ‘til it dies
The sands of time have started to move
In every second, there’s one chance to lose
Are you gonna let this thing go on, won’t you even do nothing at all
Let go of the one who cares for you the most
When I met you, I right away knew you would get me good
And when I talked to you, that’s when I knew this feeling might be true
And I got noticed, friends keep on asking if I like you
I can’t deny it, can’t seem to fake it ‘cause I really do
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Date Taken: December 28, 2011
Location: Lahug, Cebu City, Philippines
![Pirates Of The Caribbean [On Stranger Tides] (2011)](http://lh3.ggpht.com/-oFDX_6EoRDw/T89UBeGm_QI/AAAAAAAABA4/CdGLvBSESu4/s1600-h/Pirates%252520Of%252520The%252520Caribbean%252520%25255BOn%252520Stranger%252520Tides%25255D%252520%2525282011%252529%25255B3%25255D.jpg "Pirates Of The Caribbean [On Stranger Tides] (2011)")
Sitting on top of the Beverly Hills Subdivision in Cebu City is Cebu Taoist Temple, a well-known tourist stop-off and religious spot among worshippers of Taoism.
During my most recent excursion, I was able to go back there and take cool pictures. Though I’ve visited the place five times, I still couldn’t help myself but be attracted with its beauty and grandeur. I also got fascinated with the many dragon statues placed in various portions of the temple.
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Date Taken: December 28, 2011
Location: Cebu Taoist Temple, Cebu City, Philippines
A Taoist Structure
This is one of the noticeable structures inside the temple. Here you can throw a coin and make a wish. I can’t personally consider it as a wishing well as it doesn’t look like one…Kinda like a wishing pond. But never mind ‘cause it’s beautiful in its way. Now can you read the Chinese characters on the pillar?
This year, I am proud to say I justifiably observed Good Friday as I managed to participate in the “Stations of the Cross” (also known as “Via Crucis” or “Way of the Cross”), a Catholic practice remembering the Passion of Jesus Christ.
My legs (plus my faith) really did their best as I walked, together with my friends, from the first up to the last fourteenth station. The trek was not that easy because aside from the scorching weather, the place, which is officially called Celestial Gardens, was situated on some limestone hills in uptown Cebu City. Most locals though are familiar of it with the name “Good Shepherd” (originated from the religious congregation “Good Shepherd Sisters” which is based in the said area as well).
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Date Taken: April 6, 2012
Location: Celestial Gardens, Cebu City, Philippines
The Gateway to Celestial Gardens
This is where we began our journey…Well, not really because we walked a kilometer or two prior to reaching this landmark (LOL). Celestial Gardens actually serves as a memorial park; or without the euphemism, a cemetery…a beautiful one. As engraved on the top portion of the gateway, the place is owned and managed by Tanchan Foundation, Inc.
And here’s another remake y’all!
But first and foremost, allow me to express my thanks to all who lent their ears and listened to my previous work “Lanog-Lanog (Super Bass Bisaya)”. I was really thrilled to see the number of views rise so fast just days after I released it. You gotta know it means a lot to me. Woot!
Now, back to the main game…
You see, for around 5 years now, I’ve been remaking songs by translating them from English to Cebuano (or Bisaya—my mother tongue). But the one that I’ll be presenting to you now is a bit different ‘cause I did the other way: that is lyrical translation from a local language to English. It’s not a Cebuano song though but Tagalog. The song, by the way, is called “Hindi Na Bale”, which was first popularized by Jessa Zaragoza, then lately by Bugoy Drilon.
I admit it took a while for me to finish this one but finally it’s done and out!
This time, I took a break at remaking pop divas’ hits and instead, explored a more challenging and fast-paced tune by the Trinidadian-born American rapper Nicki Minaj.
“Super Bass” is undoubtedly Minaj’s most successful single worldwide including the Philippines, wherein at one point, it was heavily played on the radio, clubs, TV shows and local dance competitions. Well, with its captivating musical and lyrical arrangements, I must say it does deserve the fame it has achieved thus far…just as deserving to have its own Cebuano remake (with all humility. LOL!) from me. It was quite a challenge though but I made it.
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Date Taken: March 16, 2012
Location: Town plaza of the City of Naga (Cebu), Philippines
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Date Taken: March 16, 2012
Location: Town plaza of the City of Naga (Cebu), Philippines
Aside from swine, poultry and cattle, goats are also considered a chief livestock in the agriculturally dependent nation of the Philippines. Goats are raised mainly for their meat and milk. Filipino dishes such as kaldereta and kare-kare employ goat’s meat as a main ingredient.
Lately, I got to observe a goat pen owned by a certain Cebuano family man. He’s not really a farmer by profession but does raise some goats as sideline business. This is how it looks like.
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Date Taken: March 11, 2012
Location: Sangat, San Fernando, Cebu, Philippines
Goat Pen
His goat pen is basically made of indigenous and recyclable materials like bamboo, coconut wood and used tin roofing. Albeit being simple and small, it in fact serves its purpose (big time) as it houses around 10 goats of various sizes. The pen is guarded 24/7 by a dog.
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Date Taken: March 11, 2012
Location: Sangat, San Fernando, Cebu, Philippines
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Date Taken: October 23, 2011
Location: Metro Market, City of Naga, Philippines
Located on top of a sanctified hill in Barangay Perrelos, Carcar City, Theotokos Diocesan Shrine is one of the many religious Roman Catholic sites in Cebu province. Just like its more famous counterpart, the Monastery of the Holy Eucharist in Simala, Sibonga, the shrine is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and serves as a Marian pilgrim site.
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Date Taken: October 23, 2011
Location: Theotokos Diocesan Shrine, Perrelos, Carcar City, Philippines
The Towering Sign
Once you manage to climb up the hill and reach the main gate, you will be seeing this pillar-like structure bearing the shrine’s name and logo. Now, try to look at it without raising your head up. :)
The bougainvillea is considered one of the most familiar ornamental plants in the Philippines. When I was young, I could get to see this plant almost everywhere…from our garden, to our neighbor’s front yard, then to our school’s porch. It seemed at one point, this easy-to-propagate shrub had been a gardener’s favorite.
Bougainvilleas come in many colors, with dark red ones being the most common (I think). As I was paying a visit at a shrine last October, I was able to observe some of them and take pictures at close range.
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Date Taken: October 23, 2011
Location: Theotokos Diocesan Shrine, Carcar City, Philippines
Dark Red Bougainvillea
Here’s a close-up pic of a dark red bougainvillea. Just in case you don’t know, the dark red parts are botanically not classified as flowers but bracts. Bracts are modified leaves that surround the plant’s real flower. In the case of bougainvilleas, the real flower is situated in the middle of the bracts and is tiny and yellow.
I feel it’s time I hit the road today
So I’mma leave, I’m packing up my bags and say
“Farewell, my friends, I’m gonna miss you
It’s not the end, I won’t forget you”
And things may get so tough along the way
But I believe in me, won’t ever lose my faith
You are different, you’re exceptional
You’re the same as my ex-loves I met somewhere before
They just broke it, unrequited love
Thought you could be the next thing to knock me down the floor
The time we met, it was the time you said you’re into me
And then you said that you like my body and nothing else
I try to let it flow, hoping that one day your love will grow
‘Cause the time we met was the time I came to love you
Towns and cities in the Philippines typically have plazas that are, more or less, surrounded by interesting and significant edifices. And among these cities, The Heritage City of Carcar in Cebu island is no exception.
The town plaza of Carcar is enclosed mainly of historical, governmental and educational establishments; most famous of which is the church of St. Catherine of Alexandria.
Nonetheless, this post is meant to put the spotlight over those nearby places that are not quite well-noticed. Moreover, this will put emphasis on the fascinating and not so fascinating (it all depends on you) stuff that you may see once you get to pay a visit there.
It begins here. :))
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Date Taken: October 23, 2011
Location: Carcar City town plaza, Carcar City, Philippines
The Plaza Portal
The way to Carcar’s town plaza is a bit pitched, but all types of vehicles, as well as your feet, can manage passing through it effortlessly. :)
Along with Carcar Rotunda, the parish church of St. Catherine of Alexandria is one of Carcar City’s two most visited historical landmarks. The church is located at the city’s main plaza, wherein the city hall, gymnasium, museum and some leading schools of Carcar are also found. It is one of the oldest churches in Cebu province.
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Date Taken: October 23, 2011
Location: St. Catherine of Alexandria Church, Carcar City, Philippines
St. Catherine of Alexandria Church
This is the picturesque beauty of the church one sunny afternoon. The design certainly depicts the period when it was built, which was during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines. The said period lasted for 333 years, ending in 1898.
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Date Taken: October 23, 2011
Location: Carcar City town plaza, Carcar City, Philippines
I’ve heard one of these before. I just didn’t think it’s already available in the market.
Just recently, I came to purchase a product called Fresh Malunggay Juice. I bought it out of curiosity since malunggay, though a very popular vegetable in the Philippines, isn’t commonly processed for beverage manufacturing.
If you get to visit the City of Naga in Cebu province, don’t you dare leave without tasting the city’s most celebrated foodstuff: siomai.
Siomai is actually the localized version of a Chinese food known in Japan as shūmai. The city of Naga, on the other hand, is not the first place to promote siomai on a large scale. Tisa, a village in Cebu City wherein a famous siomai entrepreneur once lived, was considered as the place where the siomai craze initially kicked off.
To indulge yourself in this meaty dumpling, just go to the Naga’s seaside plaza and look for stores offering it. Two of the most renowned siomai stores there are JB Siomai and Flor’s Siomai which, are adjacently situated just at the entrance of the plaza.
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Date Taken: October 23, 2011
Location: JB Siomai, town plaza of the City of Naga, Philippines
Siomai with Hot Sauce
Siomai is best dipped in its special hot sauce. The hot sauce is made of certain spices, which I’m still about to find out (LOL!). This is then mixed with soy sauce and calamansi extract to further enhance the flavor.
The seawall at the town plaza of Naga (not to be mistaken with Naga City in Camarines Sur) is perhaps the most familiar feature of the city. Fronting Cebu Strait, the place is mistakenly called the “baywalk”, probably due to its resemblance with the more famous Manila Baywalk in Luzon.
The seawall is popular among locals who seek some time to unwind in an inexpensive way. Most of the visitors come during late afternoon when the sun is at its low. After each mass at the nearby Saint Francis of Assisi Church, mass goers also flock the place usually after a hearty meal featuring Naga’s popular food: siomai.
Above all, the seawall is a chief nighttime destination for families, friends, lovers and the lonely. :D
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Date Taken: October 23, 2011
Location: Seawall at the town plaza of the City of Naga, Philippines
Seaside Scene
This is how the walled seaside of Naga looks like during nighttime. Aside from the beautiful by-the-sea scenery of moored ships and streetlights of adjacent towns, colorful lamp posts along the seawall are also fun to watch.
Found at the southern tip of Negros Island, Dumaguete City serves as the provincial capital of Negros Oriental as well as one of the chief port cities in the Visayas, being linked by sea routes to nearby provinces like Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor and Zamboanga del Norte.
Last week, I went there, but not according to plan. I was actually going to Siquijor from Cebu City, but the fast craft that I was supposed to ride in cancelled its trip due to heavy waves. And with that, there I found myself in Dumaguete, taking the only chance I had to reach my destination.
Unfortunately, the last boat bound for Siquijor that day had already departed by the time I arrived in Dumaguete. And so, I had no choice but to stop off and spend the night in the city, and wait for tomorrow for the next earliest trip.
Though it was evening when I came, I somehow managed to find time to roam around the city and look at some interesting sights. The first that I checked out was the city’s wall-protected seaside.
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Date Taken: February 9, 2011
Location: Seaside of Dumaguete City, Philippines
The Moon, the Sea and the Seaport
It was a moonlit night then, and this was the scene from the sea wall near Dumaguete’s main seaport. The weather slowly shifted from fair to so-so as dark clouds started to drift by and waves forcefully hit the embankment.
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Date Taken: October 23, 2011
Location: Carcar Rotunda, Carcar City, Philippines
This rotunda (rotonda) found in the city of Carcar is a famous landmark which serves as the gateway between Metro Cebu and southern Cebu province, and a symbol of the city known for its rich cultural heritage, native delicacies and shoe industry.
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Date Taken: December 30, 2011
Location: In front of Gaisano Grand Panabo, Panabo City, Philippines
Though identified as a city since 2001, there are still things in Panabo that remain unchanged which make people reminisce at how the place used to be—a humble municipality of Davao province. One of them is the huge number of public utility pedicabs and trisikads that still rule the streets of the city, serving as a major means of transportation.
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Date Taken: October 22, 2011
Location: San Fernando Central Elementary School, San Fernando, Cebu, Philippines
My present employer, Taiheiyo Cement Philippines, Inc. usually holds a series of medical missions every year as part of its Social Development and Management Program (SDMP). In collaboration with its raw materials supplier, Solid Earth Development Corporation, these activities are strategically carried out to any of the barangays being identified to experience impacts of our plant’s operations.
In 2011, four medical missions were conducted and one of these took place in Barangay North Poblacion, San Fernando, Cebu. With the active participation of the barangay council, barangay health workers (BHWs) and volunteers, the event was positively received by the residents.
And with my Sony NEX-C3 camera, which was new and just about to be used for the first time at that time, here are some of the catchy pics I had taken.
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Date Taken: October 22, 2011
Location: San Fernando Central Elementary School, San Fernando, Cebu, Philippines
Blood Pressure Check
There’s definitely no medical mission in history in which, the checking of vital signs was excluded. One of the significant points of this checkup is the use of sphygmomanometer and stethoscope to check the patient’s blood pressure (BP). The woman who does it in the picture is actually my officemate, and you have to know she is not a nurse but rather a hardworking employee of our purchasing department. Competitive!
I think a lot of my friends have been waiting for this since I started generating buzz as early as 3rd quarter of 2011. Well…feels right now. Ha!
Being Lady Gaga’s most successful track, and a song covered by a lot of artists and artist wannabes, not to mention the inspiration it has brought to listeners esp. the LGBT community, “Born This Way” really deserves to be in the spotlight for quite a time upon its release. And the moment it went #1 in almost all charts and achieved uber-popularity, I was like, “this has to have a Cebuano version”. Then, the translation process went right away, which didn’t take so long.
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Date Taken: December 28, 2011
Location: Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, Cebu City, Philippines
This minor basilica of Santo Niño is probably the second most renowned religious and historical landmark in Cebu City. The topmost of course, is the nearby Magellan’s Cross which is actually steps away from this place of worship.
