" Tsinelas "

Tsinelas or Slippers is one of the must-have of Pinoys. ^0^
This might look ordinary slippers, but its funky unique faux corduroy design and criss-cross pattern is esp. made from Laguna.(a province here in the Phils.)
You can have it for less than a dollar and even lesser if you know how to haggle for a good price, these are cheap-finds you'll find along the streets of *Divisoria.

*Divisoria is known for its crowded, boisterous, uber cheap finds district.
I'll expand more of it on the next few days.


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" Bleu sunset rendition "

I'm lucky I live in a country that has the best sunset.
This was taken outside my bedroom window and still on a late afternoon, though no sun was gazing out, i do admire the blueness of the sky above that seems to go along with the bay and in between is nothing but pure white clouds which almost looks like a mountain from afar.
to tell you the truth, i couldn't ask for a better view. ^0^

skywatch entry!
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" In search of an Artist "

The streets of Malate used to be known for its night spots and bar hopping, but that was before Makati and some high end districts came into town.
A lot has changed since then, but if you're in for a good find like antiques and paintings.
There are still quite a few shops worth taking a look.
Like this store for example, it offers an eclectic collection of canvasses for you to choose from.
Mostly for sale here are scenic sights abroad and local.
You can also have it made to order depending on your preference.

see anything you like? ^0^
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" Edifice "

Another structure that's worth taking a second glimpse is this building right infront of Plaza Lacson and "Santa Cruz Church.
What used to be Prudential Bank is now owned by the Bank of the Philippine Islands
(managed by the Ayala's).
I've been searching for the name of this edifice, but somehow can't seem recall.
Not to worry, i'll re-visit it again one of these days and get a closer look to it.

It's inspired by neo-classical architecture and the piece de resistance would be the ornate and figurative designs and the main clock on the middle.
Back in the old days, the clock used to be in good condition, but ever since the refurbishing of this place which has been converted so many times.
I guess, they forgot to reset it again.

A Street that's ultimately busy and chaotic at the same time, located in Santa Cruz,
so believe me when i say, it's pretty hard to get a good shot, much less the right timing.

The colorful buses you see on the forefront would be the usual transportation via Manila to Las Pinas, this is the main stopover.



and just as i was about to get a shot clear shot, this oblivious conductor came blocking my sight again. ^0^


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" statues "

Of all the history that's left around Manila and with no plans of restorations.
I chance upon this old edifice in Juan Luna, Binondo.
* The street Juan Luna was named after a famous painter and a political activist. *

Apparently this statuesque still exist in this area, which nowadays is over populated and busy esp. during the weekdays.

and because I have a thing for old structures,as i'm fascinated by its elegance and history, seeing this even in its dilapidated state instantly caught my sight.
Believe me, it's like digging up an old treasure chest. ^0^

I think you will find these statues interesting, they're 4 of them, symbolic imitations of gods and iconic figures, and each in different meaning, as to what's the significance between them... it will remain a mystery, i haven't had a chance to asked the owner of this edifice and assuming so much has changed as years went by.

this first foto looks like a male greek god, looks like Mercury the way i see it, but i'm not sure if i depicted it right.


this 2nd foto looks like david and goliath, i'm assuming it's holding a sword.


and this is a female statue, covered in robe, not sure what's she holding in her hand, but beside her feet is some sort of a helm.


an this last foto clearly depicts the statue of Liberty.


sharing with you a monochromatic monday.
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"a different kind of sunset"

I know i've posted a lot of these sunset scenes already, but each time I passed by, there's always a different shade for me to look out for... and why not, with an impressive view like this, it almost made me forgot where i really was. ^0^

Sharing you today this "just-about-right" sunset at Manila bay.
It's best view around 5-ish noon and the timing couldn't be perfect.

Happy skywatch friday! ^0^
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"Purple Mangosteen"

This sweet tangy taste is always great for dessert or whenever you're craving for one.



A tropical fruit originated from the Sunda Islands and the Moluccas of Indonesia.
This tree is fairly common only in the provinces of Mindanao and Sulu.
It's called "superfruit" as presumed to have a combination of:
1) appealing apects such as taste, fragrance and visual qualities,
2) nutrient and antioxidants
4) potential impact for lowering risk of human diseases.

Have you tried one today? ^0^
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"Only in the Phils."

Only in the Philippines can you find such ingenuity where nothing's gone to waste.
Take this one for example, an overused vehicle that's been abandoned for sometime but this vendor, instead of putting up a stall, she had this re-modeled and made it into a petite "kainan" (eatery).



look closely... she's got sachets of power drinks, coffee and a string of ballpen hanging, well, that's for her to jot down those who made their orders and stuffs.

I wonder what's for lunch? ^0^


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"Hope"

At the back of this Post office building, along the flow of the Pasig River....



A glimpse of what it looks like...
unfurnished, vandalized and already grubby.
How i wish the new "hope" that we're looking for this coming may(election) can do something about it.
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"Do you need a ride ?"

This morning, i saw this girl riding on this makeshift "Calesa".
This is what it usually looks like,
Those who are training to be a "kutsero" or coachman, would normally go around on this one before riding the real thing.

I wonder what's this little girl doing in there ? she's obviously too young for it,
I think that's his brother beside the horse, regardless, I think she's having a good time. ^0^
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" Year of the Tiger "

And so we celebrated the year with a Bang.
Last night, we had dinner at Hyatt hotel yet again and had a sumptuous dinner and get together with our relatives. ^0^

This "golden" coin is part of the many traditions during this festive week.
It's meant for prosperity and luck.


This is the lavish interior of our room.
Inspired by oriental motif which is perfect for this event.



For starters, we had the traditional cold cuts platter,in it were "siu yok" or crispy roasted pork (among my favorites), "海蜇"(hǎizhē) or jellyfish, white chicken and "char siu" or barbecued pork.


then, it was the pekin duck,thinly sliced, separating the meat from the skin.



and then wrapped into this kind of mélange, which is so fattening and oily
but truly scrumptious.



this is an O-kiam chicken, a typical one but with a twist, bec. a salty preserved bean curd mixture was added in this dish.
It sounds weird, but believe me it's tasty. ^0^


next,was the sticky rice or "ma-chang" as we call it here.


biggie prawns paved the way for our next dish, sauteed in garlic.


green peppered shrimps and scallop with celery and zucchini.
It's very light as it balances well with the heavy dishes that we had.


broccoli and straw mushrooms


oysters and black mushrooms


and last bit, an assortment of fruits


we were so full that when the last dish was served, only a few have tried it.
Of course, the night's eve wouldn't be complete without the red packets.
It used to be our granny who would gave us, but now, it's more like exchanging
red packets among cousins. ^0^ (thanks unc E. and aunt T.)


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"red lanterns"

Two days before chinese new year, festive red lanterns are seen hanging around chinatown.
The belfry seen in here is the other side of Binondo Church, which i've posted a couple of times already.
I've always fascinated in old churches, though i know so little about its details.
I'm hoping to catch traditional lion dances tomorrow, people in Red outifits, receiving 紅包 (red packets) from grannies and aunties and yes, extreme traffic in this area as we're also celebrating valentines day as well.
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"look up young man, look up! "

As the title suggest, ever heard of this familiar phrase ?!
People who often pass by this bridge would be...



Or maybe not...
It's the official slogan of a university here called FEATI.

Overlooking Sta. Cruz bridge, The Far Eastern Aeronautics School, as it was named before, is a private institution built since 1946, it was founded by Dr. Salvador, who had this great vision to improve the aeronautical standards here in the Phils.

Over the years, this institution has undergone major architectural changes, but still maintained its 5 hectare campus and its well (almost) famous slogan.
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"Reflection"

This is the closest shot I could get...a fountain and its still waters.
seen outside the museum of Ayala in Makati.
Pepperoni and i were silently capturing these reflections, seconds later, a security guard calmly arrived and told us...
"ma'am, sorry but no picture taking...the facade of the edifice, not even this fountain... unless you have a valid permit and reason to..."
I never let him finish his sentence, we smiled and said "never mind, it's okay..."

It could've been an interesting one to post to, sadly, even the facade is off limits... is there so much "treasure" inside that's too valuable to share?
do we look like paparazzi/terrorists?

*Ps: Inspired by other cdp bloggers, who can capture a good water reflection. ^0^
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" 1700 's "

the last time i posted sta. cruz church was months ago, the fotos i took weren't that specific, but last week, i did my quick re-tour of the place, better fotos eventhough, the weather was a little uncooperative,now i have more upclose and side shots of the place.

Sta. Cruz church- built and administered by the jesuits, founded by Governor Alfonse Fajardo de Latenza on Jan.9, 1724.

this is the side entrance of the church


The Church has less interior and exterior details compared to the others.
The front entrance of the church includes the belfry on the side and some ornate details and stained glass windows.




This is the 2nd time, i've visited a local church that infront of their entrance,
it has some engraved writings on the floor, they looked very drabby so, i can't understand what it means.


this is the interior of the church, a very solemn morning when i went there, the place was very silent except for the cars outisde honking like fanatics.


and the one thing that's very serene is this pocket garden on the side of the entrance, i think this is the new extension of the church.


show your world!
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"colored"

a painting depicting ordinary people and life in Manila.
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"aged"

I found this dated structure infront of Sta. Cruz church.
What used to be a bank called Monte de piedad savings and mortgage. ( see emblem cross on the middle).
It has an eclectic blend of architecture, the glass arch window, the art nouveau railings on the balcony and the classic pediments.
In some countries, this would be quite a common sight but I think in here, it's quite rare to see these kinds of structures, what with new infrastructures here and there, not preserving the old ones.

See more Monochrome renditions by aileni.
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" Here comes the Sun "

Here is another "against the light" post again.
You can see I'm quite fascinated by it. ^0^
There's a leisure park in Makati, constructed by the Ayala's.
And one can't help noticing how luscious and green this place is. It's 3-ish in the afternoon and the sun directed me to this spot, where I took this composition.

for more sky watch galore!
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" The lion and the cat "

On a sunny morning in Chinatown, while I was looking for a scene to capture and
as my eyes were wandering around.
I saw two Chinese guardian lions ( aka lions of Buddha, stone lions) infront of me,
There was nothing particularly special about them except for this stray old kitty I found hidden quietly underneath one of the sculpture.
Believe me, i'm no cat-lover as i don't hate them either, but we just got a lot of them here.
I find this very amusing and odd at the same time,
She was obviously stressed out from the heat, discovered a shaded spot where she can relax ammidst the rush of people passing by.
An onlooker was wondering what am i doing on the corner of the street ? what was i taking ?
He finally grinned and said, Ah! you were just taking a foto of a cat and I thought it was me! ^0^

see more odd thursdays...
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" quiet walks "

Jones bridge is one of the main bridges here in Manila,
formerly called Puente de España.
Neo-classical inspired built in the 1920's.
It was once reigned as the queen of the bridges spanning the Pasig River,
but fell into neglect and disrepair in the 1980s.
Partial restoration has revealed some of the beauty of this historical landmark,
but only total renovation could bring out the grandeur of its design.

I had my own quick tour around the area, used to be an isolated place, far-off
where one has to be cautious of their belongings esp. when you're walking alone
at night...
but thanks to the newly installed ferry station just beside it and some street
stall projects provided by the government.
It's way better than before, definitely needs more improvement and like i always hope... fresh renovations or restorations for that matter, to make this
place inviting.
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" Trinkets "

Two weeks before Chinese New Year, at the heart of Chinatown are these exuberant lucky charms hanging as ornaments seen on streets and stalls.
Red symbolizes luck and Gold is for prosperity.
There are a myriad of wonderful designs for you to choose from.
Find anything fancy? ^0^

more "reds" on ruby tuesday!
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"Kahoy"

Kahoy which means wood in English is the theme day for this month's cdp.



Old school chairs were piled up on the roof of one of the campuses.
I took this photo while riding the transit, it was a one time shot so i had to seize the moment or it gets blurry after.
I've been meaning to post it but somehow couldn't fit into it.
Others may interpret it as junks (which they really are), but I find it kind of artsy in a trashy way.
makes sense?! ^0^

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants
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