Pampanga: A Sparkling Christmas at the Giant Lantern Festival 2009

The Pampanga Giant Lantern Festival last December 19, 2009

Along with the puto bumbong, bibingka, and the traditional Simbang Gabi, the Parol (Christmas Lantern) is one of the Filipino symbols of Christmas. I remember having seen parols in Cambodia which they also display during their new year but I think the Christmas Lanterns are more associated with Filipinos. The tradition of Parol making has evolved through the years from simple bamboo and paper to a more complicated use of materials and circuitry. And every year, we see the height of Christmas Lantern reach gigantic levels in the province of Pampanga as they celebrate the Annual Ligligan Parol or Giant Lantern Festival.

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Bataan: Clam Seeding for Anvaya Cove’s Reef Rehabilitation

Anvaya Cove Tower Bar and Pool

More often than not, when development invades a place, it is the natural resources that are left to suffer when people started building structures. It’s a good thing that community developers now know the importance between the balance of nature and community. Anvaya Cove at Morong, Bataan is one such community concerned with environmental sustainability. They created the AEFI (Anvaya Environmental Foundation, Inc) and I got a chance to be part of their maiden project last December 5, 2009, which is the Clam Seeding for Reeforestation.

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Manila: Revisiting the Manila Ocean Park

Manila Ocean Park

So how is everything in Manila Ocean Park after more than 1 year and a half since it opened? I remember being proud that we finally have a world class oceanarium here in Manila. I got a chance to visit the Park again just to be updated on the development of the place. Well, as I have seen so far, things have been going rather slow.

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Manila: National Geographic’s Big Blue Exhibit

National Geographics Big Blue Exhibit Manila

They are heavier than 25 adult elephants. They have a heart the size of a car. They are larger than the biggest dinosaurs. They can move at the speed of 32km/h. They are the largest and considered one of the most intelligent mammals on earth. And they have existed for 18 million years. They are the Big Blue Whales and they are endangered.

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Manila: The Dancing Jellies of Manila Ocean Park

Manila Ocean Park Jellies Display Hallway

When at sea, jelly fishes creeps me out. When beach waters are populated by these I’m hesitant to swim through. Imagine getting scars, itchiness and even fatal wounds from them. Last thing I want is getting myself pee-ed on just to neutralize the poison, or so I heard. I know I try to avoid them when I see them but I also can’t help but be fascinated by them as well. These semi-transparent sea creatures are very graceful dancers of the sea. And I find them even more fascinating when I saw a lot of them in Manila Ocean Park’s separate exhibit, Jellies, Dancing Sea Faeries.

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Manila: Loving the Night with Sony Cybershot TX1

Love the Night in Manila

Sony Cybershot TX1 is one of the top of the line compact point-and-shoot from Sony and is one of the first digital cameras to boast a back-illuminated CMOS sensor which Sony called “EXMO R”. So what’s so special about this sensor? To make it short and easy, most sensors are designed with wirings at the front of the sensor photodiodes cutting off light passing through. With back-illuminated sensors, the wires are behind the photodiodes which makes them more sensitive in capturing light. With this increased light sensitivity the Cybershot TX1 boast impressive low-light and ISO performance for a compact point and shoot.

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