The Bride Left Behind

the bells pealed



and the carriage drawn



yet no one's there



but the lone flower



waiting for her groom

Simulang Muli - Start Anew

From City of Friendship

Mabuhay at manigong bagong taon, mga kaibigan! Dahil freestyle ang tema ngayon, eto po ang punong wala masyadong dahon. Kung iisipin napakalungkot naman nito para umpisahan ang bagong taon pero ating tignan ang positibong aral nito - ang pagsisimulang muli ng pagtubo ng mga bagong dahon. Maligayang LP! :)

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Happy New Year, everyone! Because LP's theme today is freestyle, here's a tree with a few leaves. It looks quite sad to start the new year this way but if we see this in a positive light, it's a lesson of starting anew in growing new leaves. Happy LP! :)

Old Church

Four You and Me

Happy 4th monthsary! And we're not only celebrating my four months in photoblogging but also Galleria Neri's achievement of PR4! Yay! Cheers to all!

I just wanna take this opportunity to thank all of you guys who continue reading and anticipating the posts here. I'm really sorry if I haven't updated regularly like before because I am not able to shoot pictures as I did back then. Rest assured, I'm still continuing with this blog even if I have my own domain.

Sorry for the pic because I took this using my cellphone again as I wasn't carrying my digicam at the time my friends and I ate over Grill 99 in Pampang, Angeles City. The shot didn't capture the sumptuous dish but here are 4 bacon-wrapped chicken pieces surrounding the mashed potato for us to share. Yes, those are mango slices on top. ^^ Mangan! (Let's eat!) :)

Tech Tags: digital photography, Grill 99, Pampang, Angeles City, Pampanga, bacon, chicken, mango, mashed potato, dish, dinner,

Alone Time

Update: I only noticed now that it's published that it's actually my header, ei? Hahaha. Nice. :D

***

Sorry for this pic because it was only taken using my cellphone so I tweaked a little on the brightness and contrast. ^^

This was taken in Mimosa Leisure Park while I was waiting for a jeep ride. I've always wanted to take a shot on this lone bench and tree (but from a different perspective) since the moment I first saw it on my interview day (before I got the job, of course). However, I don't bring along my camera to work because I'm still shy to get it out and shoot on the grounds.

Hopefully, someday I'd get the courage and the chance to take my dream shot here. Happy weekend, guys! :)

Tech Tags: digital photography, Mimosa Leisure Park, Clarkfield, Pampanga

Pace Your Race

My internet connection now is so slow; I can't upload my supposed photo post for today. So here's a picture I took on my first "in-transit" photo shoot a month ago, which was previously uploaded already.

Of course, the jeepney will soon overtake the bicycle in front of it. But what's important is that the bike rider will get to his destination, as slow as it may be compared to the other automobiles behind it.

We have our own pace to accomplish our goals. Don't fret. :)

I hope I can get to my usual blogging and blog-hopping activities later when my connection goes back to normal. Sorry, guys, if I can't visit you right now. I am currently at pains posting this short article, so you can imagine how browsing can go into oblivion.

Have a happy Monday! Start the week with a smile. :)

Tech Tags: digital photography, bicycle, jeepney, San Fernando, Pampanga

Pasan Ko Ang Daigdig (The World On My Shoulders)

Ikatlong lahok ni Neri sa Litratong Pinoy (English translation below.)

Ang lahok ko ngayon sa LP ay hindi lang tatak Pinoy, kundi tatak Kapampangan pa! Hehehe.

Kung tutuusin marami akong pinagpilian kung alin sa aking mga litrato ang aking isasali ngayong Huwebes. Pero para maging kakaiba naman at hindi gaanong ma-drama ang aking lahok, eto na lang. (Hindi raw ma-drama pero hindi ba't ma-drama na ang mismong larawan? :D) Pansin ko kasi sa nakaraang dalawang linggo ko sa LP, masyado akong ma-drama, baka akalaing seryoso ako. Hahaha.

Kinuha ko ang litratong ito nitong Mahal na Araw ng nakaraang Marso sa Barangay Panipuan sa San Fernando, Pampanga. (Gamit lang ang cellphone dahil wala pa akong camera noong panahong ito. Ni hindi ako makalapit sa mga nagpepenitensya dahil nahihiya ako kumuha ng mga larawan; ako lang ang gumagawa noon.) Naging tradisyon ko na kasi na dumalaw sa aking kabarkada rito tuwing Mahal na Araw dahil parang fiesta rin kapag ganitong panahon sa barrio.

Maliban sa kasiyahan at kainan sa gabi, syempre andyan ang mga nagpapasan ng krus, namamalaspas ng likod at gumagapang sa kalsada upang maaliw ka. Parang may pagka-sadista ang dating, ano po? Pero hindi naman. Hehehe.

Pero ang talagang pinupunta ng mga turista sa Pampanga tuwing Mahal na Araw ay ang pagpapapako sa krus ng mga nagpepenitensya sa Barangay Cacutud, San Fernando. Sayang lang at hindi pa ako nakakapunta rito dahil walang gustong sumama sa akin. Alas dose ng tanghali kasi nagaganap ito; mainit daw at maraming tao. Hehehe.

Maligayang LP, mga kaibigan! ^^

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Neri's third entry for Litratong Pinoy

My entry for LP isn't just Philippine-branded, but Kapampangan-branded as well! Hehehe.

Actually I had several pictures to choose from, which I would like to join for this Thursday. However I wanted my entry to be unique and not so dramatic, so I picked this one. (But then ain't the picture itself dramatic? :D) I noticed that I was being dramatic for my last two weeks in LP, that you might think I'm too serious. Hahaha.

I took this picture at Barangay Panipuan in San Fernando, Pampanga last Holy Week of March. (Using my cellphone only because I haven't got a camera then. I was embarrassed to take pictures because I was the only one doing it; so I couldn't even get near the penitents.) It was already my tradition to visit my friend here every Holy Week because it seems like a feast in the barrio during this time.

Besides the merry-making and feast-like activities in the evening, of course there were those who carried crosses, those who scourged their backs and those who crawled on the road to keep you entertained. Sounds sadistic, ei? But it isn't. Hehehe.

But what the tourists really anticipate in Pampanga every Holy Week is the crucifixion of penitents in Barangay Cacutud, San Fernando. It's a pity I haven't gone there yet because no one wants to accompany me because this event commences at twelve noon; they say it's too hot plus a lot of people go there. Hehehe.

Happy LP, my friends! ^^

Tech Tags: digital photography, Holy Week, tradition, cross, crucifixion, Panipuan, Pampanga, Philippines

I Missed Church

Click here to view inside this church.

I wasn't able to go out today because of the storm. Well, I can go out but I don't want to be drenched. Thus I missed Sunday mass as well.

It's not that I'm a devout Catholic. (Sorry, but I'm not. Really.) I'd rather think of myself as a spiritual person than religious.

But there's that gnawing mindset that you've grown up into, which in turn molded part of your conscience. So I've grown up reminding myself to attend mass every Sunday and feeling empty when I don't.

Why not Monday?

A Huge Symbol of Fil-Am Friendship

So as I said yesterday, here's the big salakot stage situated in Bayanihan Park, in front of Clark Main Gate and SM Clark. You will notice our previous bartending boys doing their show in front of the stage. :D

I've done a little bit of research on The Salakot and found this info:

...this monument stands as a sign of Philippine-United States friendship over the years. It was originally built to symbolize the historical signing of the Republic of the Philippines and United States Military Bases Agreement in the early 1950s.

Source: Clark Air Base History Guide

Before the Bayanihan Park was constructed (in line with SM Clark), there was the Salakot Arch and not this stage we see now. This has become one of the attractions in Pampanga already. Sa bagay, who has seen a bigger salakot than this? Moreso, who will wear it? XD

The salakot is a common symbol for Filipino identity. It is often portrayed as the hat worn by Juan de la Cruz, the symbol of the collective Filipino psyche equivalent to Uncle Sam of the Americans.

Source: Wikipedia

We need a humongous Juan dela Cruz for this salakot then. :P

Tech Tags: digital photography, structure, Filipino, Bayanihan Park, salakot

Salakot

Enough of Bayanihan Park's grass for now. Hehe.

I don't know the exact English word for "salakot". Hat is not enough. It's a native hat used by farmers here in the Philippines.

And I also don't know why there's a big salakot in Bayanihan Park. It's like a symbol already here in Angeles/Pampanga. I should research it I guess. Tomorrow I'll show you the huge salakot stage. :D

Tech Tags: digital photography, structure, hat, Bayanihan Park, salakot

Flying Bottles

I'm having a hard time picking out which picture stands out and depicts the flying bottles so I just gave you the slideshow. Hehe. Anyway, at least you can see everything that happened. From the two bartenders-to-be (I think) to the two peanut vendors.

Ironic that there are two college students practicing their field in front of two out-of-school youths peddling for income.

Tech Tags: photography, bartending, vendors, out-of-school youth, Bayanihan Park

Back-to-School

It's the first day of classes for most schools today. (Therefore it's also my sister's first day as an official teacher. :D)

But of course, I'm not affected by school stuff for four years already. *sigh*
When I was young, I loved the smell of new books and was excited to read them all. I glowed looking at my new notebooks and fought with myself over which notebook goes to which subject. Those were the only complications in life then. *sigh again*

So how's all this back-to-school reminiscence related to the picture? Nothing much except that these angels were taken from the top of the Main Building in Holy Angel University, my alma mater.

Eight years. Eight years I've stayed in the university. Four of which I met some of my life-long friends. Another four of which I rode into the roller coaster of love. Haha. Funny how I did not mention studying here. XD

Let's stop this reminiscing already before it gets worse. Hahaha.

Tech Tags: photography, statues, school, angels

Holy Angel, Holy Angel

When our battles won you'll see
Banners high we'll wave for thee
In our hearts thy name will be
Holy Angel dear.

That's the last stanza of the Holy Angel University hymn, which almost always gets salvaged when it reaches its crescendo.

This is the much-anticipated library building that looks like a mall. Hehe. I don't know much of the full features of the San Francisco de Javier Building since it was finished four years after my graduation. So it's my sister who benefited from this.

Tech Tags: photography, places, Holy Angel University,school,building

June Bride

I dreamt of a wedding last night. Sadly, I wasn't the bride.

But recalling the dream, I refused to be the bride for the groom there. Hmm...

Tech Tags: photography, Holy Rosary Parish Church, wedding