I am sailing...

I won’t be here for the next two weeks (or more).

I know some of you already know where I am heading so, no need to elaborate. I hope to be back in one piece. Save a slice of cake for me. I’ll treat you to a drink when I come back. Ciao!

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Dull and broken

I found a butterfly hovering around the garden. It chose to perch on a plant with no flowers. No flower to sip some nectar from. I wonder. It's dull and its other wing is broken.

I notice that I am attracted to everything that is dull and broken. I don't know if it's a bad thing or what, but I am definitely seeing a pattern.

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Just don't ask me about the knife, alright?!

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Don't ask me. I am bothered too. But I have no time to ask. I just spotted her from afar. It looks near from here, but the lens made it happen. I could ask but the boat was leaving. Maybe she'll try to catch a fish, or scrape some seaweeds, or shells.

"No. Maybe. Just maybe. She'll stab her reflection on the water."

That was exactly what I was thinking.

Can't chase butterflies forever...

...especially the dull ones.

Who would even notice in the first place? A dull-looking butterfly, perched on the most frequent foliage. Who would even stop and take a glance? Even for a brief moment? Who would even care? For a butterfly, small and ordinary. Hanging so languidly at the tip of the most common leaf.

"Please look. Just once. Please do!" plead the lone, dull-looking butterfly.

Having children is always one's own risk...

My children are my own risk? Good thing I don't have any.

I found this sign during a visit in a fishing village in Lawis, Calape. The sign was all over the place so I can't help noticing (and scrutinizing) it.

We had to cross a narrow bridge made of a bamboo to get to the middle of the sea where the fish cages are being tend. The bamboo creaks and sways as I stepped on it, so it's a bit wobbly getting by. Thus, the precautionary signs. Your Children Are Your Own Risk, when translated literally in Filipino: Ang Iyong Mga Anak Ay Iyong Peligro (Panganib). One gets the whole idea of the sign but reading its sense makes one thinks of other things aside from keeping your kids out of the danger zone.

The oldest stone church

I rarely enter a church to pray, but I know how to look up and appreciate a great architecture when I see one.

This is Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Baclayon, Bohol considered to be one of the oldest stone churches in the Philippines, built by the Jesuits in 1595. This is located at the front of the Blood Compact Monument (adjacent street), a tribute to the sealed friendship of Chieftain Rajah Sikatuna and Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.

I am into old architectures, especially those that are close to ruin. Such structure excudes so much historical value and great stories to tell. If only these walls could talk, they'll tell me everything. But I must admit, taking photos of old structures is quite difficult for me. There's this challenge of making a dull-looking building look great and alive in photos, making other people see what is difficult to see in a one-dimensional image. Choosing the appropriate angle is crucial.

Photography is just an approximation of reality, one may not show everything, but at least, showcasing its best façade becomes a great challenge.

I took this shot using a Nikkor AF-S 55-200 mm lens, but still got uncomfortable with the chosen angle. The church is in front of a national highway and the space was not enough to get a long shot so I crossed the street and took the shot from there.

The lantana

The world sees what it chooses to see.

Have you been at one point in your life really became desperate for someone's attention? Attention as simple as a nod or a text or a simple "hi" and suddenly you've become the happiest fella in the neighborhood. That sounds crazy (or maybe not) but lately, I've been longing to be noticed.

I hope the image is visible this time but in that photo, it's all about the lantana and not so much with the butterfly. It takes some guts to notice the lantana because most people are bound to appreciate the beauty of a butterfly but that's exactly the point I was trying to drive at. One can never really notice the noticeable unless you make an effort. Now when does the time come when the "unnoticeable" becomes noticeable without much of an effort?