No To Mining in Palawan

The moment we set foot on Puerto Princesa for a well deserved break, my wife and I know that this is the place we want to live. The weather is perfect, the air is clear and the people seems friendly. We stayed for four days and three nights in this island strip of paradise and have learned so much for this place rich in culture, heritage, natural resources, biodiversity. Palawan is home to the world's longest underground river, a contender to the new seven wonders of the world. Home to two UNESCO world heritage sites.



We enjoyed our brief stay in the island, toured most of the sites where tourist visit, tasted the food everyone recommends but the short time we stayed is never enough to explore the wonders of Palawan. We vowed to return and even plan to stay for good after our responsibilities in Manila is done.

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New Year in Eastwood City

All my life I had been celebrating New Years Eve in our house or someone else's house. The usual noise making and firecracker lighting, following Feng Shui rules and traditional Filipino customary, it becomes boring over time. Now its time to break the old habit and start a new way of celebrating the start of the year. We are torn between viewing the city's merriment over the cliffs along Sumulong Highway in Antipolo and the hurly-burly of Eastwood City. Since we have no available transportation, we opted for the second.

Eastwood City is located along C5 Road in Quezon City. Another ecozone, buildings in this center is the home for top oursourcers IBM and Dell and first class restaurants and fast food. The newly opened Eastwood City Mall has a park with dancing fountain, amazing landscape and an area easily convertible to a stage for mini concert. Witness the fun we had, it sure beats cooking at home, and eating dinner, watch the fireworks then sleep after the clock strikes twelve.

A digital countdown at the stage.

Eastwood City is one of the foremost pet-friendly places in the city.

R& B singer Kris Lawrence

Coke Zero is one of the major sponsors of the event

Four more hours to go to midnight.

I wish there's a hydrant around in here.

Artwork along the hallway of Eastwood Mall.

Half past three Kyla entertains the crowd.

I want that shirt!

I'm tired!

Gigantic floral mobile hangs from the mall's ceiling.

And so is a gigantic golden wreath.

Journey front man Arnel Pineda rocks the night.

Coke Zero's resolution wall.

Write on the wall, get a balloon for your resolution.

Eastwood's Walk of Fame.

One of the country's biggest star: Tony award winner Lea Salonga

And the biggest of them all: Manny Pacquiao.

Orbs and stars along the Citywalk.

Hey, look at me!

Pet owners

I know talent when I smell one.

Human mannequins and mime roam the streets of Eastwood

00:00:00 Happy New Year!

Confetti!

And fireworks!

Coke Zero balloons released

   

A Harlequin joins the crowd

More photos of the night's revelry

                                     

A Stranger at the Novaliches Grotto

I have long heard of the Novaliches Grotto where a shrine of the Lady of Lourdes, similar to hat in France, where Our Lady appeared to a peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous. I know thousands flock to the northern once Bulacan town, every Holy Week, but I have never been even 5 kilometers near that area.

We were given a chance to visit that place when the uncle of my wife took us to visit the place with most of his family. It was a sweltering hot summer day, about a couple of weeks after the Holy Week when we made a travel north of Manila to visit the famous pilgrimage site which is equally as miraculous, said to cure people who are both physically and spiritually sick.

The still unfinished Basilica

The Basilica's facade

 Inside the Basilica

Right side of the Basilica leading to the Via Crucis and the Grotto

Southern corner

The Grotto. Note how it resembles the original in Lourdes, France.

See http://www.galenfrysinger.com/french_lourdes_grotte.htm

The stairways to the fountain said to be miraculous

The left part leads to the church

As in every church in the islands, this one is also a popular dating spot.

The good versus evil. St. Michael

The vast land area could accomodate hundreds of vehicles and thousands of devotees.

And their pets. What are you looking at?

How to get to the Grotto in Novaliches:

From Cubao, Quezon City take a bus along EDSA that has the signboard Novaliches Grotto. Be prepared for a long trip and traffic congestion along Valenzuela.

Photos taken using HP Photosmart R927