Fishing and Parking

Fishing first. I have decided, together with friends, to have my very first fishing adventure here in Cebu two Saturdays ago. Before you let your imagination run wild, it was just an activity held within the assuring waters of a commercial fish pen here in the island of Mactan wherein one is almost always assured of a catch - or we just thought so.

We all agreed to avoid the sun and to go around mid-afternoon. As the weather would have her own way, she decided to pour out a torrential rain during noon. I have decided to cancel but one strong optimist prevailed (since our food were already packed and prepared) and eventually the rain stopped at the appointed time of our group's meeting.

We went to the Kalawisan Fishing Village. There were several pens to choose from - containing milkfish, tilapia, crabs and sea bass.



High with excitement, we immediately settled and scouted for positions to taunt the fishes with feeds and dough on a hook.



After two hours, the excitement wore off. The fishes were there alright, but they are far too intelligent to know that they will probably end up in live coals if they decide to take a bite off the dough. But to break the unlucky streak from all of us, Providence probably allowed one and only one catch by the hook.



So as not to spoil the original intent of eating fresh fish, we decided to buy some from their aquarium and had it grilled along with the one and only catch.



Never disheartened, we still had a sumptuous dinner to cap the afternoon's adventure and some poses on the sides didn't hurt.



Now for "parking". Last Saturday, I decided to visit D' Family Park in Talamban, Cebu City. The last time I've been to this park was about 5 years ago together with my fellow cadet engineers from the company where I currently work. They have a mini-zoo and the last time I went there I had no camera.

The mini-zoo is still there but I think it lacked proper maintenance. Some animals looked ghastly and dirty. Some cages are already empty. The dead animals were not replaced with new ones. 

But there are always saving graces.

I particularly liked the Brahminy kites (Haliastur indus). There were many of them lodged inside a cage. They all stood very honorably despite being captives. Only one was out of shade and I decided to take a photo through the screen.



Beside the kites' cage was a big Rufous Hornbill (Buceros hydrocorax). This is also known as the Philippine Hornbill and locally as "kalaw". The hornbill was very active. I find it hard to take a picture since the bird has the tendency to quickly bend its head and body and look directly into the camera as if curious of it.  It would have been good if its movements were slower. I ended up taking several blurred pictures.



I then moved on to the pond. I was expecting to see ducks and geese there since there were many during my last visit.



Instead, I find a pond on the verge of eutrophication. There were so many carps and tilapias and kids trying to fool them with pebbles for food.

As I stayed there, I liked the reflection of the nearby trees as well as the lotuses. I ended up composing for reflections.



I call this next one as "Quartet". I liked the clustering of the lotus leaves as well as the minimal reflections of the closed lotus buds.



This is my favorite shot.



I always have this silent respect for water lilies and lotuses. In a way, they remind me of what our ideal should be: to rise with dignity above mud and dirty water.

Maligayang Pasko!

For the past several days, I have received many emails from readers asking about my latest adventures. I am grateful for the interest in my blog and I am happy that there are really people who go out of their way to read about my short trips and enjoy my shots. Thank you so much for taking time to visit!

When I transferred from Blogspot to Wordpress several months ago, I decided to focus on a theme: a blog about short travels to near distances. Thus, from the title "A Serving of Grace", I changed it to "Nooks and Crannies". I decided to unpublish blog entries that would not be related to the new theme. From so many reflections and rantings, the entries are now down to less than thirty adventures - and still counting. Inasmuch as I want to update this site weekly, time and resources do not allow me to do so. Sometimes, it is also a struggle to update every two weeks.

Although the future may look stark and clouded as of this time, the Christmas season always brings hope. There is no time more appropriate to cling to hope for Emmanuel - God [is] with us.

To more adventures for the coming year - be it in actual travels, or in financial and work-related matters.

 Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

This is a sticky post, for now until the Christmas season ends here in the Philippines. Regular posts start below...

Strolling within Kan-irag

Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time...

-Steven Wright

After a short hiatus due to a change in my work shift, I need not press myself to explore... My feet were itching for a walk.

And so for the first day of December, with some of my friends, I paid Kan-irag Nature Park a visit. This park offers a one kilometer walk through a forested area.



The cemented trail is well covered by trees young and old. The ground is overlaid by grasses and fallen leaves.



We started early: dew drops are still evident as can be seen in the fruits of a hagimit tree (Ficus minahassae).



No, I did not classify the tree on my own. Scattered along the trail are useful information on the flora and fauna of the area. Most trees have labels - local name and scientific name.

Furthermore, the droplet on this taro leaf is not coincidental. It was purposely put on to check if the taro will hold it.



For tired feet, several stops are being offered. Cozy cogon huts like this one below bid shade and rest. Comfort rooms with sufficient water are also strategically placed along the trail.



Even though the leaves of this plant could well serve as a fan for the perspiring trekker, respect for the flora is strongly encouraged.



We passed along a lily pond and some hedges of birds of paradise, with several in bloom. With the dappled lighting, some rays chose to fall selectively on a bloom for each kind, and I am grateful to the Divine for allowing me to capture them.





Towards the end of the trail lays a wooden watchtower that allows a view of the mountainous region.



We stayed on the watchtower for about an hour listening to low, soft music, savoring the cool kisses of the wind and remembering our younger days while being joyfully disturbed by the noises of the birds.

The sun was already high, casting warm hues, when we returned to where we started.



Kan-irag is not as "easily" picturesque as I have imagined it to be. One would need to really open one's eyes to the small wonders it offers. The comforting serenity of walking its trail has added tension between my want to take pictures and my want to stroll. Halfway through, the latter won: I strolled along actual paths and along memory lanes while occasionally taking pictures...

Note: I have known of Kan-irag through a very prolific blogger. He has literally been to almost all of the "nooks and crannies" in Cebu, and still continues to discover new ones. Although I have taken less photos in Kan-irag, those photos would have been enough to provide you, dear reader, of the different sceneries along its one kilometer trail. Also, I could have detailed out the location of this park. However, I chose to post a different set of pictures and withhold additional details in honor of this proud son of Cebu.

See and let him tell you more of Kan-irag through this link.