People cry not because they are weak.

It's because they have been too strong for too long.

All the pretty horses

She loves rock music and keep it loud even with earphones. You fear that one day, she’ll have a problem with her sense of hearing because of that habit. Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Pepper, Nirvana, Eddie Vedder. What are the odds? She loves books and traveling.

But most of all, she loves all the pretty horses and have been a great rider.

I am all that. Except that I’ve never ridden a horse.

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Last night, I went to see the movie, “Shaolin”. I thought it was a Jacky Chan film, it turned out that he was only playing a supporting role to Andy Lau. I never really expected much from the film as I just went there to be entertained. I never really had a plan of watching it. I just want to treat myself to a movie after going through a rigid exam. Surprisingly, I went home satisfied. The film imbued some nice realizations. Some really nice things to think about. What goes around, comes around.

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My boss confessed something that made me go through a lot of thinking lately. She asked: What do you value the most, loyalty or friendship?

We do what we do because of a certain conformity to what we think (and believe) is the best (or what is right). Not only because of self-preservation but because it is the right thing. But sometimes doing the right thing is the hardest thing.

Never saw it coming

I guess I was too busy swimming under water that I have forgotten I need to breathe out.

How presumptuous of me to think that everybody plays for comfort and that being “friendly” towards one another could somehow lead beyond being “just” an acquaintance. It's a shame that at this age, I still don't know the rules. I am always being played out.

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[postscript]

... his mom calls me "anak" so many times that I cringed so many times as well. geezus, i've never been this uncomfortable in my life. i felt silly feeling good and awkward all at the same time.

... i went to see "here comes the bride" twice. just because the past few days had been (so) stressful for me and i needed a dose of laughs even for some fleeting moments.

... my niece Fiona is going to school this June. she's 4 and she's already been accelerated to kindergarten. she's smart. (perhaps) like her aunt. i am so attached to this kid, i needed to get my own, hehe!

...work is an ass. it's piling like hell. it never runs out. and the "supervisor" (always) needs to ask for my opinion. not that i am complaining. but i was used to the former "s" that we give each other a space. do your things and and let me do mine. that way---we accomplish more. you need not ask me about a decision that has already been made. we've talked about it and here you go asking again. we need to move on.

Another "good" reason to be a vegetarian

A butcher chopping a chunk of meat from a head of a cow. This shot was taken in a well-known meatshop in Tagaytay City.

While I was making a series of shots, his colleagues started to gather round us wondering why I was taking photos of this butcher. I caught him saying: "Papanakot n'ya yan sa mga tao!" (She'll use it to scare people away!).

Well, he has a point. For one, butcher scares the hell out of me. Second, I was never fond of beef. Third, I hate seeing a live meat being forcefully hacked by someone. It reminds me of one of those bad horror flicks that require to be "gory" enough to sell.

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Wat Phnom: A temple on top of a hill

Located at the intersection of Street 96 and Norodom Boulevard of Phnom Penh, we found a temple rested on top of a hill. This is Wat Phnom (literally means “hill temple”) is considered as one of the most important temples at the heart of Phnom Penh.

The establishment of this temple has its beginnings tied closely with the history of Phnom Penh. According to the legend (as re-told to us by the ever accommodating Toe during our night tour), in 1372 Daun Chi Penh, a wealthy widow more known in the history as “Lady Penh” (got the connection?) discovered four Buddha statues in a koki tree floating on the Mekong river. In 1372 she built an artificial hill and a placed a shrine on top to house some precious artifacts. On that artificial hill (phnom), she built a small temple (wat) at what is now the site of Wat Phnom. In 1434, King Ponhea Yat came and constructed the city which he gave the name Phnom Penh ("Hill of Penh").

There have been many additions to the original shrines over the centuries. The site has also undergone various restorations and reconstructions the latest was in 1926. In fact, when we got to the temple, there were still some restorations and reconstructions going on. We saw some new stupas being rebuilt at the back. Some of the sheds were also being repainted.

Inside one of the large stupas, located at the front contains the remains of King Ponhea Yat, one of the kings of the Khmer Empire from 1421 to 1462 who ordered the construction of six Buddhist monasteries around Phnom Penh.

Wat Phnom is now the center of various activities in the Phnom Penh like the Cambodian New Year (Chaul Chnam Thmey) and the Ancestor’s Day (Pchum Benh), which according to Toe "are moveable holidays." The place is visited and flocked by visitors and tourists from all over the place and a favorite hangout of faithful trekkers, fortune tellers, vendors, and motodups (motorcycle taxi driver). *Thanks Toe for the corrections and info*

The main entrance going up to the temple is via this grand eastern staircase, which is guarded by lions and naga (snake) balustrades. We paid $1 each for the entrance, not bad for such a fancy-looking temple on the hill (27-meter high).

On top (after traversing the staircase) you'll be greeted by this beautiful structure, the main tempe. On each side are two lion guards. At 27 metres above sea level, it is the highest point in the area. The huge clock, illuminated at night, found on the base of the hill at the southern side has become one of Phnom Penh's night-time landmarks.

Inside the temple are worshipers and petitioners offering flowers, food, candles, incence, etc. Many people come here to pray for good luck and success in whatever endeavors they have in life i.e., school exams or business affairs.

One of the beautiful sheds being repainted located at the front, left of the temple.

When a visitor's wish is granted, he or she returns to the temple to make the (promised) offering in the form of garland of jasmine flowers or bananas, of which the spirits are said to be especially fond of.

There is an altar for Yeay Penh ("grandmother Penh") between the stupa and the Vihear. People from the city consider her as a powerful protective spirit of the town and they will offer for her and request her help for any major decisions.

One of the stupas is undergoing restoration. The large stupa contains the remains of King Ponhea Yat (1405-1476) and his royal family. Inside the stupa, there is a Buddha statue from the Angkorean period.

At the foot of the temple hill, we found monkeys climbing on a huge tree. Some are scattered on the grass and some are being fed by children and families. To feed the monkeys, one has to buy a bunch of bananas or this particular plant ( i don't know what it is called) which can be bought from vendors around the area.

One of the monkeys having a fun time eating.

Although this temple is famous for 'wishers' I never had the chance to wish for anything. I chose not to. My reason was, well I am not a worshiper of Buddha so he might not grant my wish (lame huh?). Two, everything in the area looked phony to me. Everything looks too commercial. Everything is for sale (including the offerings) and vendors were taking advantage of selling whatever they can sell especially the I-will-make-a-wish-and-I-will-buy-an-offering-in-exchange thingie that I couldn't choke at all. I termed it as "a temple that has gone commercial".

The weather was (so) hot that time we visited so much so that I got dizzy going up and down the hill. Oki and I had a separate route going through the temple (as I wanted to take as many photos as I could) and we just agreed to meet at the foot of the hill where the monkeys were being fed by kids.

By the time I got here, I wanted to vomit due to heat exhaustion and hunger. My stomach was begging for food (and it was way passed lunch time). I had fun watching the monkeys though that I decided to sit on the grass and take photos. I wanted to feed them but I don't like buying them bananas either so I just sat there and watched (like a beggar with a camera, I looked really wasted).

According to Tourism of Cambodia:

"Wat Phnom is the only attraction in Phnom Penh that is in danger of turning into a circus. Beggars, street urchins, women selling drinks and children selling birds in cages (you pay to set the bird free locals claim the birds are trained to return to their cage afterwards) pester everyone who turns up to slog the 27m to the summit. Fortunately its' all high-spirited stuff, and it's difficult to be annoyed by the vendors, who after all, are only trying to make a living out of it."

Of bucks, does, and kids

Hullaballoo. This is the multiplier farm project which was launched that day. The weather was really insane. It was hot the first time I got there, then it rained during the middle of the program, and then it got hot again, then rained again, and then warm again. What a day.

Spotting Peter. There he goes at the back still trying to make sense of what is going on. :-)

Spotted does. A doe is a female goat. A buck is an adult male goat. Kid is a young goat. Chevon is the goat's meat. Anglo Nubian is a goat breed for meat. Alpine is a goat breed for milk. There goes my Goat 101. I need to learn more. They have what they call as F1, F2, and F3...and they are not for racing. These are upgraded goat breeds.

A young farmer. Arnold, 30 is managing his 13-hectare land. Aside from raising goats, he also plants veggies and rice, has a little fish pond at the back, and raises cattle and poultry on the side. You'll never get hungry in his farm.

We've visited at least 6 goat farms in different sites of Pangasinan wherein our farmer-partners are located. Two days of nothing but goats got me all fed up. Our project is on enhancing goat breeds. The first time I stepped into the farm, I can't even recognize what is native from a pure breed; what kind of goats are raised for meat and what are for dairy. I did learn a lot from this visit. Although after rubbing elbows with at least a hundred herds, I don't feel like seeing some more of them for at least a few days. Meeeh!