/Cebu, Phils.
insecurities
and all of the missing toenails of your youth
the plague of our age
comes in perceptions and not in death
but eventually
Just a little reminder that school is trying to block me from the creative wonders of my dreams and aspirations to create, live, prosper in pursuit of a happiness no education system could give.
Namaste.
Day Three
I met Baguio with a beautiful sunrise. The sun rose up like it was eager to see the faces of the new visitors, at the peaks of the mountains and steep overlapping houses of the city.
When we arrived in Baguio, we went straight to our very beautiful hotel—Hotel Supreme. For the first time, we can rest in a bed and not just in a bus seat and relying on stopovers to pee and take a dump. We can have the most beautiful bath in the world. Hotel Supreme was very comfortable even though they don’t have air conditioners. The room and the hotel itself didn’t use any ACs because the Baguio breeze is already a relief of comfort and the temperature was cool enough. It was like an alien planet to me. Ha-ha! Baguio City is located between mountains and mountains of trees and landscapes, hence, the very beautiful weather.
And look at their houses!
It is such a nice place (ugh, I miss Baguio so much right now). If you breathe in the air of Baguio, it feels like breathing from a Vicks inhaler. That’s how cool it is. And if you sweat, you don’t sweat hot body water but cold sweat. Ugggh.
Since we arrived in Baguio just in time for breakfast, we were given the rest of the morning until 9AM to check into our rooms, wash our faces (but not take a bath), change clothes and eat our served breakfast buffet. My roommates and I were a little bit tired from the trip and we dug deep into a beautiful slumber while taking turns in using the bathroom. I only washed myself (half-bath) and changed clothes but my roommates couldn’t take it any longer and took a bath. Ha-ha.
We were already called by our bus mates but Isabelle hasn’t finished yet so the three of us stayed and waited for her to finish, until one of our friends from the bus called and told us we are to take a cab instead because they already left to start the Baguio tour. Bummer.
They started the tour without us. Ha-ha. We are so hardcore.
They left for Tam-Awan Heritage Village and when we were done eating our breakfast, we went out into the city and hailed a cab. Thinking about the unexpected turn out of the events, with Sarah deeply hurt by the misfortune, I was rather happy because I think among all of the other tour participants, we were the only ones who experienced the taxis of Baguio. Well, that’s optimism kicking right there. He-he. Their taxis weren’t cabs but vans, you know the bigger ones. (or FXs) And they don’t have air conditioners!
It was really soothing being able to breathe in the air of Baguio from a running vehicle, with your head peeking out through the window and your eyes closed. Ahhhh, if the air has a flavor it would be chocolate—sweet!
We arrived at Tam-Awan Heritage Village from the hotel through a taxi ride for only 60++ pesos. What’s more delighting is the fact that we arrived first than the bus that left us. Ha-ha! Which also triggered the anger of one of my roommates, Sarah. She even backfired at one of the tourist guides who decided to leave us instead because the itinerary time should be followed, and they’re already late if they waited for us.
It was a nice feeling being able to be right this time. Ha-ha.
The village is a heritage village of the Igorots of Baguio. There were real Igorots in the place but I wasn’t able to see their dancing because I went up to trek to the peak of the mountain with another group instead. It housed different katutubo sculptures, houses, historical artworks and different developed leisure centers of activities like the restaurant, souvenir shops, traditional houses for rent and a spring(?).
The guide told us that these tiny houses were houses of ‘fertilization’ where the mothers bore their children and the couples made love. It is tradition not to ‘disturb the house’ so that the gods’ blessings would remain inside the house and the people inside it.
After we were toured around the houses, our guide asked us if we wanted to go to the peak. Because Sarah and I were fortunate enough to be in front, he spoke to the few remaining of us because the others separated and join the other groups to the Igorots dancing. We were very eager to go there because he also suggested that we can shout at the top and hear our own echoes coming back to us like boomerangs. Geez, excitement brewing!
Few people from other groups joined us upon hearing that we were going to go to the top.
The going down part was a bit tricky. Since it was a slippery road, there were times I almost fell out of a rock and got my shoes soaked with dirt. We were also being pressured by people saying that the buses are leaving soon so we hurried down and I had to shut up and concentrate and hold onto leaves and branches to keep myself from falling down. Ha-ha!
But as we reached lower grounds, the drums have just been starting to beat to start the Igorots’ dance. Bummer. We were fooled. But Sarah and I were just too tired to take a look and we went straight into the bus after cleaning up our shoes with a roll of tissue (yes, we finished a roll, that’s how dirty we got).
We waited inside the bus listening to our teacher singing karaoke and we just listened to karaoke music until we reached our next destination: BenCab Museum. (My favorite part of the whole tour.)
The national artist Mr. Benedicto Reyes Cabrera or popularly known as BenCab is widely hailed as a master of contemporary Philippine art. He was born in Manila on April 10, 1942. BenCab began carving a niche for himself in Manila’s art circles shortly after receiving his bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of the Philippines in 1963.
The museum houses most of his works from paintings, sculptures, sketches to installations, photography, assemblages and furnitures. I love his very fresh, unique and world-class point of view in art. The museum when you enter the facility, is art speaking itself because the architecture and the huge garden landscape outside is such a beautiful sight to behold.
Most of his paintings, as what the guide told us, are inspired by this mentally incapable woman named Isabel, that BenCab used to see in the streets of Tondo. When I asked if BenCab ever had an emotional attachment to the woman, the guide told us that the artist just did what he do best and there wasn’t anything between the two of them. Oh and BenCab named the café of the museum, Café Sabel. I am so curious, there must have been something. I stopped asking questions because the guide wanted to convince me that BenCab really didn’t have any feelings for Isabel and I don’t want to be convinced. There is a room for possibilities really and the guide failed to say more to convince me. He-he.
The museum is composed of not only BenCab’s works but national artists from all around the Philippines for exhibit.
The building’s entrance is the topmost floor so the galleries were located below. We had to go down a stairway to enter a gallery, each floor holding a different kind of gallery. Feed your eyes with pictures of objects and things that interest me as I walked alone appreciating art. Enjoy. #char
The following photos were taken on that “erotica” gallery of the museum.
**end**
Another set of erotica, in the field of Photography:
*Enjoy the rest of the exhibit*
After we finished all galleries, we went outside to the garden and rested for a while, enjoying the beautiful breeze of the mountain museum. The landscape looks like a tiny paradise with ponds and flowers of different kinds giving color to the green contrast of the fields. The place looks so beautiful.
If you want to visit BenCab Museum, it is located at Asin Road, in an area known as Km. 6, Tadiangan, Tuba, Benguet, which simply means its six kilometers from the center of Baguio City. You can visit their website at: http://bencabmuseum.org
Oh and yes, I bought a bag for P450 because I am now officially a fan of the place. 🙂
There were slight changes for the bus assignments due to an unexpected accident that happened in bus 2 after they departed from Tam-Awan Heritage Village. I heard their front window got busted and is brought immediately to their station in exchange of a new bus. But I don’t understand why they decided to get our bus and we have to get on the new bus instead. Unfortunately, my things were still inside bus 1 so I got worried and started to call my friends from bus 2 to moderate my things. What would I do without my things! Ugh.
The worry went with me from the museum until we went to the Cathedral in Baguio. Because our bus had such religious teachers on board, the attendance was necessary since it’s Palm Sunday which I hated very much because this activity wasn’t on the itinerary, and I’m sure of it even though I haven’t read it. Our teacher suggested it on the bus ride before we went to BenCab. I hate church. And I feel so bad convincing my friends to ditch mass and eat somewhere (since the church was just a 3 minute walk to SM Baguio) because I think this shit is unnecessary and God can understand how hungry we were. Lol. So we ditched mass and went outside. Called the boys and told them we were in this tiny mall just outside the church, eating siomai and drinking gulaman juice. After we ate, we went out and proceeded to where the others were, just outside the church but still they were attentive to the mass. Ugh. I can’t escape here. This is a comfort zone. So okay, we stayed there until the mass ended.
The mass ended and we walked to the bus.
Before going back to the hotel for dinner and a full-night’s rest, we stopped by Burnham Park to buy our pasalubongs. Since all of the buses were already there, I had the chance to go back to bus 1 and get my things. Fortunately, I recovered all of my belongings and my mood came back. I was happy again.
And because I was happy, I bought everything that caught my attention. I bought every piece of delicacy that I haven’t tasted yet and that I think would be good gifts for my family. I figured I don’t need to spend much on my friends so I bought everything for my family only.
Nighttime came and we went back to the hotel. After dinner, I took a very beautiful bath and put on my favorite night sweater dress then went to my bed, covered myself with the blanket to rest. I was so ready to sleep when the front desk called us on the phone to inform us of a meeting at the hall requested by our teachers. I decided not to go and asked my roommates to take over for me because I am in my pajamas already. But seriously, I didn’t really want to go.
So I stayed in the room with Jonna and ate junk.
My two other roommates came back and shared what they were called for. They also told us about a drinking party in a room 711. Oh, that’s… hardcore. Anyway, I didn’t feel like going out of the room anyway. Might as well indulge myself with Discovery Channel and eat junk until I get drunk.
But we did have a drinking session in our room, with just a few of my friends, few beers and a lot of jokes. Ha-ha! Verga! It was such a chill sesh. We slept at around 1AM already. And I wouldn’t tell if we got wasted or not….. I probably won’t remember. Ha-ha-ha!
Hello. My name is Charmie and I don’t know why I find patterns, floorings, stones, messy things and all things abstract, quite fascinating and peaceful. Maybe it has something to do with the rhythmic element they have, that makes them harmonize and create a peaceful effect on my eyes, or maybe… just maybe… it has something to do with my left temporal lobe.
Of course, I’m just saying that to make me sound intelligent.
I just like taking pictures of things with patterns especially floors and repetitive stuff. It makes me feel a little artsy.
I have a lot of stuff here, but I’ll show you the recent ones I took:
I decide to take more from now on.
xoxo
I may as well write while I’m still at a full-inspiration mood.
These might as well be helpful for future preferences. 🙂
*****************
I may have consulted the internet because I blocked out on some ideas, but all of the 100 came from a sincere heart. I don’t really know if I can do these things. And I’m not really sure to whom I may want to do these things with, but for sure.. all the odds will be on my favor someday.
Date a girl who takes photographs. Date a girl whose favorite sound is the click-click of the shutter as it closes and opens to capture a memory. Date a girl who sees the wonder in the simplest things. Date a girl who looks at the world and wonders how to put a little of herself in it.
You might find her in the park, lost behind her lens, the world a blur around her as she tries to capture a single moment in time. You might find her in an exhibit, a look of concentration on her face as she contemplates a photograph that called out to her as she was passing by.
Or maybe you will find her in a bookstore, a book in her lap as she pores over photographs of weddings all the while wondering what hers would look like.
Take her out to photo walks and laugh as she tries to take a picture of you. When she gets tired of walking, buy her cupcakes but wait until she has taken pictures of them before proceeding to eat them. Listen as she tells you her ideas for a photo shoot on the ride home.
Take her to a restaurant and wait patiently as she surveys the menu carefully, appreciating the food photography. And again, wait until she has taken a photo of your food before digging in. Allow her to introduce you to Ansel Adams while you both eat your lunch. Introduce her to your favorite musician as you wait for the bill to arrive. When you get home, change your Facebook profile picture into a photograph she took of you. She silently hoped for it.
Take stolen shots of her. Compile it and give it to her on her birthday. Tell her you love her over and over until your voice replaces the click of the shutter as her favorite sound. Kiss her after she lifts her head up from the camera. Give her camera-shaped necklaces. Go places with her.
You will never be bored again.
Date a girl who takes photographs. She will never whine about a little dirt on her favorite pair of jeans as she kneels down to get a better angle of her subject. She will never be afraid to take adventures with you. She will take photographs of you not just with her camera but with her mind as well and keep it to herself to admire at night. But above all, she will teach you how to look at the world with a brand new perspective and she will do that unknowingly.
Marry a girl who takes photographs. Ditch those wedding photography books and give her the most beautiful wedding you could. She will teach your kids to find the beauty in everything just as she had taught you.
Every day will be an adventure as she tries to create photograph-worthy memories with you. She may wake you up in the middle of the night because she is buzzing with ideas but she will make it up in the morning with a stack of hot pancakes beside a steaming cup of your favorite coffee blend.
Grow old with a girl who takes photographs. Sit with her on the front porch as you both pore over the bits and pieces of the moments you’ve had together. Stroke her hair as you both relive the photo walks that you took and the places you have been when you were both young. Smile as you both reenact your clever wedding vows.
Date a girl who takes photographs because she will always see that “something” in the most “nothing” of things. She will never let anyone take you away from her like she never lets anyone steal her photos and that is just one of the evidences that she loves you.
xoxo
alien making earthly notes 