Coron an enchanted island

Home of the Tagbanua Tribe, haven of biodiversity and of enchanted places






Ten years ago I did a solo trip to Coron, as a gift to another year towards adulthood. Armed with borrowed diving gear and a few pesos in my pocket and a lot of luck, I was able to explore the islands. This year I came back with my little girl and the hubby to celebrate yet again another significant year in our lives. And yes, the island is as beautiful as the first time I laid my eyes on its shore.

The warm ocean water calling you to her embrace, the mountains staring at you with delight and the wind playing with your hair, whispering. The sun kissing your skin that has been pale for so long. A smile in my heart wrapped my being just being there. And much more that leave me speechless.

It took me hours to choose which photo to share, I have hundreds and these are the few that can capture a portion of those moments. Just looking at them brings me much joy.

Tour of the Fireflies (Part 3) 2011 until the next flight

In my mind we are all nomads. Some people to a greater degree than others. Our pace may be different from others, at times faster and at times slower. My feet either want to hike, walk and as in the images below pedal away.

Today am at a halt and here now remembering the sense of being able to travel with the ones you love, near or far brings much joy. Way after, months later and years later these recollections will be a source of inspiration. Indeed.

Manila City Hall
Cultural Center of the Philippines, Manila Bay
Tiendesitas, Pasig
Photos by Dino Leoncarlo Calderon

Tour of the Fireflies (Part 2) The birth of Duncan

As we ride out from Tiendesita's, I realized I am cycling together with my childhood Asian superheroes-- the Power Rangers. They were in complete uniform... i can hear them shout out "Pink 5". We were in a level of energy that can emanate from 10,000 plus bikers.



As far as you can see in this photo, those are all bikers. Quiapo area proved to be one of the most challenging sectors of the route.

It was also Palm Sunday and we passed by the masses sprawling on to plaza Miranda. From these photos you can just gauge the number of participants to this year's Tour of the Fireflies.


This stretch of the Quezon bridge is where I literally and figuratively flew out of control while full speed downhill. This baptized my then unnamed dslr...split into two and when I realized that it is still alive-- I named it Duncan MakQuiapo after the immortal Duncan MacLeod. Ayos!

Tour of the Fireflies (Part 1)

Woke up early to prepare everything that we need for our first cycling adventure as a family. Bikes checked, cycling gloves check, arm protectors check, helmets check, giant kid carrier seat check, ice cold drinks in coolers check. For those who know me and climbed mountains with me, they know my philosophy. One should find a way to reward one's self upon reaching the summit or destination. An ice-cold rootbeer or gatorade, the drink of your choice is the best. The reason why I made sure that there is a cooler attached to my bike come the day of the Tour.

Got a new folding bike, named it Hannibal after the ancient general of old. Hannibal is one tough cookie I must say, you will know in the coming post why. That bit of the story deserves its own entry. Our maiden voyage was a great adventure--42 kilometers from Ortigas, Pasig to CCP, Manila Bay and back. Let me just say that I haven't a done any cycling for a long time until this day of the tour.

This adventure deserves a space in this blog for the ultimate experience that it is for me and our family. This is my little girl's first long haul cycling tour with Nanay and Tatay right here in one of the most challenging roads in the world - Manila, Philippines.

Angkor Wat

The second cake

The little girl turned five. I just want to thank God for the blessing that she is.

Seafood Kare kare at Kanin Club

sleepy na this was intended for my other blog Pinay Mountain Chef

Meteor Showers

"Spectacular" Double Meteor Shower This Week

Many years ago more than a decade I should say that I witnessed a meteor shower that up to this day, I have not seen anything like what I saw in Baguio one cool crisp night up in the cordilleras.

The sky was literally raining with shooting stars. We had to spread a "malong" in the parking lot to be able to have the widest view of the sky.

Sigh...

wondering when will I ever see that kind again?

Rainy days are here again

Drove through traffic at a crawling pace. I am literally swimming in traffic this morning. When you are driving alone at this kind of pace, the mind tends to wander.

Nothing is permanent but change. The wheels of change are turning, fast. Faster than I think I can keep up. In my mind I am thinking that things need to change in many aspects of my life.

Been wanting that dream house. Should I just settle for a house house? I want a garden, a house I can call home with a great view. I want my own room with a bed that is huge and comfortable. Sigh these are my dream now.

Been dreaming of other things too. Of course you would have guessed. Yes that trip to Europe again Greece and specifically Santorini. I should be writing these really to make them manifest. And yes, South America Brazil, Argentina. Sigh.

I want to make small changes too. In my everyday life, change the time I go to work, meditate more, write more of these thoughts before I completely forget that I have these small dreams too.

I want a clean house. no clutter. I want a walk in closet with just enough clothes that I don't get confused what to wear. Haha.

Been wanting and dreaming. So what is the difference of wanting and dreaming?

Mt. Isarog

Mt. Isarog is breath taking. Climbed the mountain many years ago and now just looking at it makes me re-live and cherish and re-experience its trails. Moss, mossy, soft under my feet, a stairway of moss covered branches strewn by time and the elements hid the earth beneath. A green carpet to paradise. Pieces of my old recollection of the trail and the mountain.

Destined for greatness

Today I was really inspired by an article shared by my good friend Earnest. Love it so much I just have to quote it here in its entirety.

Destined for greatness

By Harvey John Garcia

Philippine Daily Inquirer

First Posted 07:38:00 03/22/2011

Filed Under: Youth, Family

DEAR MAKOY,

I hope you don’t hate me when you grow up for not being there on your birthday. I am writing this soon after your fourth birthday in a foreign land. When I say foreign, I mean that I am scared stiff and I do not know what I am doing here, but I am here and I am living.

I am in the United States right now. To be specific, I am sitting on a felled log one meter away from a river. I am feeling cold. My fingers are getting numb (another good motivation to write). The place where I am in is called Skykomish. It is up in Washington state. And I am in a forest. My crew and I are fixing a trail here, and I am teaching some young people along the way, trying to develop them into capable young adults.

Who is doing that for you? You have your Mom and Dad, and throw in your Mama Old. I am not a bit worried. They raised me, so I believe you are in good hands. It is just that I wish I were part of your life right now.

I hope that when you look back at your life some time in the future, you won’t hate me for not being there on your second and third birthdays, too. I feel horrible and useless as your uncle. Though I know that our small, tightly knit family is there to give you the warmth you need, I still feel guilty for not spoiling you against your parents’ set rules; you are a child only once. But though I may not be there for you physically, you should know that I have been always with you in spirit.

Sometimes I delude myself with the thought that it is my fate to travel far away from the people I love. I feel nomadic. At times it is a blessing. I can tell you stuff that I have done, places I have seen, people that I have met and experiences that endeared the world to me more.

I have a set of journals that I started writing after college. I hope one day to give it to you. I want you to laugh, squirm and learn from my experiences, the same way I felt when my Mom, your Mama Old, told me about hers. I want you to be proud of my accomplishments, disappointed by my failures and inspired by the occasion when I got up after each fall. I want you to see my humanity. Hopefully, this will help you understand yours.

In your lifetime I want you to learn three things. One is that love is unconditional. There is no prerequisite to love. It does not grow old, fade or want the same magnitude in return. It is a given. From the moment you were born, you became the adhesive that united us all. You are one of my inspirations to live. For this, I love you.

Don’t be afraid to love. Uncertainty is always there and nothing will change that. It is what makes the world dynamic. It is the only certain thing: change. So don’t be afraid to dive into something you are not sure of. Just make sure that you are doing it for all the right reasons.

Second is, you have the world for yourself. You only need to grasp it. Believe me, you will experience hardships in life. But that is not the hard part; you can get over those easily. You have my genes, and we bounce back fast. The more difficult times will be when you get over those bumps on the road and they lead you to peaks of success. Then you will have to decide how you will falter, fade, retain and graciously settle down into a comfortable state. Believe it or not, there is no single accomplishment. Everything is a cycle. You will have ups and downs, but as you grow old you get to decide whether the next up is higher or the next down is lower.

You will learn so much and teach so much to others. You will not be prepared for life because if you are, the whole experience will be meaningless. The most you can hope for is to have a stable footing. Always look around to see us, your family, your friends, your favorite thing in this planet. We will always be in the sidelines for you and to see where you are in the compass of life. Fill your backpack with knowledge and skills. Raise your head to the sky and dive into the ocean, metaphorically and physically. Always, always see yourself as a part of the web of life. Nature is the greatest mentor there is.

Third and last is that you will be great. Every person is destined for greatness. I know you will make your mark in this world. It does not matter how many people you touch with your light, it is the intensity that you blind them with that really matters. You will become as great in the same proportion as how much you put into the effort. But do not rush into it. Have a good start and keep a steady pace. In the end, the race is always against yourself.

I will be going back to work now and try to teach six young men some lessons. Maybe tonight, I will brew coffee and stare blankly at the sky. I will be tucked under a sleeping bag in my tent tonight, and I will be happy.

Oh, the most important piece of advice I can give to you is to always look up to the sky and realize how significantly small and how significantly big you are. Everything is a part of you. It took millions and millions of years for you to become you, and now you are alive.

(Harvey John Garcia, 28, is an assistant scientist at the International Rice Research Institute.)

Dear Isay,

When you are older I want to share these same thoughts with you. I am also excited for the many possibilities that life have in store for us.

Love you very much.

Nanay Day