Abstract 24/NF Abstract

Russel Hotel in London, 2005

"It is the eye of ignorance that assigns a fixed and unchangeable color to every object; beware of this stumbling block." 

~ Paul Gauguin

Linking to NF Abstract

Batik/Mantsa [LP]

Kanina ko lang napanood ang Sherlock Holmes at naalala ko ang mga litrato ng Tower Bridge at Tower of London sa aking archive. At tamang-tama naman, wala pa pala akong litrato sa tema ngayong Huwebes.

Niluma na ng panahon ang Tower of London---halata naman sa mga lumot at batik sa dingding na bato.

Itinayo noong 1078 ang makasaysayang Tower of London. Buhay na ba ang lolo mo n'on? Ito raw ang pinaka-haunted na lugar sa Britain---marami kasing pinahirapan, pinatay at binitay dito. Itinayo ang Tower of London bilang isang fortress, palasyo at kulungan ng mga VIP. Naging armory din ito, taguan ang pananalapi ng hari, at mula 1303, dito nakalagak ang crown jewels ng UK. Sayang at hindi ko napasok ito, kulang kasi sa oras.

Ito naman ay hindi istatwa na puno ng grasa...s'ya ay isang mime artist sa sidewalk sa Paris. Gumagalaw lang ang mime artist kapag naghulog ka ng pera sa batya n'ya. Naligo yata ito ng pintura para magmukha s'yang tansong rebulto. Sa tingin mo, kaya pa kaya ng Tide Ultra tanggalin ang mantsa sa damit n'ya?

Posted for Litratong Pinoy

Litratong Pinoy: Pangarap ko [My dream]

Trafalgar Square in London

Libre ang mangarap. At ang sabi nga ni Paulo Coelho, kapag nais mo ng isang bagay, ang sandaigdigan ay magtutulong-tulong upang makamit mo ito. Sa totoo lang, ang dami kong pangarap---isa na d'on ay ang makahanap ng girlfriend para kay Fritz na magugustuhan din n'ya. Medyo pihikan kasi ang alaga ko. Pangarap ko rin na magkaroon na ng katatagan pang-ekonomiya ang buong mundo sa lalong madaling panahon. Kung hindi man yon mangyayari agad, sana mananalo na lang muna ako ng lotto jackpot para makapag-shopping ako ng todo-todo at makakatulong sa pagpapasigla ng ekonomiya.:D

At kahit medyo imposible sa ngayon, pinapangarap ko rin ang araw na magkakaisa ang mga Pinoy, hindi lang sa mga rally at laban ni Pacquiao kundi pati sa pagkakapit-bisig para sa kabutihan ng karamihan na walang pulitika. At syempre pa, world peace---o di ba, pang Miss Universe?

Pero sa aking pagninilay-nilay habang sinusulat ko 'to, pangarap ko talaga ang makabalik muli sa Europe bago ako magkarayuma at mawalan na ng gana sa pamamasyal. Taon 2005 pa noong ako'y napadpad doon at sana mabibigyan uli ng pagkakataon na maranasan ko ang ibang parte pa ng Europe. Ang mga litratong ito ay kuha nong 2005.

Big Ben in London

Dreams are free. And according to Paulo Coelho, when you want something, the entire universe will conspire to help you achieve it. Truth be told, I have a million and one dreams---one of which is to find a girlfriend for Fritz, I'd like to see his pups soon. I also dream of a global economic and financial stability, but if strategies wouldn't work soon enough, I fancy of winning a lotto jackpot so I could shop till I drop, at the same time help stimulate the economy.:D

It may sound impossible, but I still dream of the day when Filipinos unite, not only at rallies and boxing matches but in working towards the common good sans politics. And of course, like any other beauty queen, I aspire for world peace.:D

But reflecting on what I really wish for most of all, it's my fervent hope to return to Europe before arthritis spoils my appetite for travel. It was in 2005 when I first got the chance to visit Europe and I hope I'd be given an opportunity to experience Europe once again. These photos were taken on that 2005 trip.

Basilique du Sacre-Coeur in Paris

a scary statue at the Duomo in Milan

Buckingham Palace Gardens

Posted for Litratong Pinoy

Litratong Pinoy: Liwaliw

the famous junction of Piccadilly Circus

Ang mga litratong ito ay kuha noong ako ay nag-“liwaliw” sa London mahigit 2 taon na ang nakalilipas. Isang linggo lang ang itinigil ko sa London at may kasama pang trabaho kaya sinagad ko ang pamamasyal. May nabasa ako dati na ang sabi ay, "The way to see London is from the top of a bus." Kaya naisip kong subukan yon---at para makatipid na rin, bumili ako ng London tour bus ticket. Sa halagang 20 pounds, umikot ako sa London mula umaga hanggang gabi---may 24 oras na bisa ang ticket. Ang mga tour buses ay may 90 stops sa buong London, pwede kang bumaba sa mga lugar na gusto mong puntahan at aabangan mo ang susunod na bus para sa susunod mong pupuntahan. At may kasama pang libreng Thames River cruise!

Gumising ako ng maaga at sumakay sa double-decker bus. Ang ganda ng panahon pero ang panahon pala sa London ay mabilis magbago, bigla na lang kumulimlim at umulan. At dahil walang bubong ang itaas ng bus, lumipat sa ibaba ang mga kasama kong turista. Gusto ko rin sana sumunod pero naisip ko, minsan ko lang naman ginagawa 'yon kaya itinodo ko na. Naiwan ako sa itaas, mabuti naman at may dalang kapote ang konduktor/tour guide. Sabi ng kasama ko, para daw akong baliw na nagpapaulan para makakuha ng litrato. Natatawa rin ako pag naiisip ko---naka-kapote ako ng pula at nangunguha ng litrato habang umuulan at tumatakbo ang bus. Di ba bongga?!

Russel Hotel at Bloomsburry, one of the grandest exteriors of any London hotel

The Palace Theater, a West End theater in Westminster, open since 1891

The Royal Opera near Covent Garden

These photos were taken when I wandered around London more than 2 years ago. My stay in London was only a week so I made sure I had time to see the city. I read that “The way to see London is from the top of a bus” so I thought of giving it a try---and to save money, too, I bought a London bus tour ticket for 20 pounds which was valid for 24 hours. The tour buses had 90 stops all over London and you can hop in and hop off at any place you’re interested in. A free Thames River cruise was included…great deal!

I woke up early and hopped in a double-decker. The weather was perfect that morning but with the unpredictable London weather, suddenly it became cloudy and rained. Without a roof, the tourists ran downstairs to avoid getting wet. I almost ran downstairs, too, but when I saw the tour guide had some raincoats, I grabbed one and stayed on top of the double-decker. It’s not everyday that I’m seeing London from the top of a bus! My colleague told me later that I looked like a crazy woman on top of that bus---there I was, in a red raincoat, taking pictures under the pouring rain. Well, what’s a little rain? The experience was well worth it! :D

bagong gising at excited sa pag-liliwaliw

More "liwaliw" photos at Litratong Pinoy.

Photo-Hunter: Support

Hungerford Bridge

For Photo-Hunt’s “support” theme this week, I’m posting photos of a few London bridges crossing the River Thames. The weight of a bridge, and of any traffic on it, is carried directly to the ground by the “support”, often called piers. The piers take the full weight of the load, and support-piling depth is one of several factors that determine a bridge’s load-carrying capacity. These photos were taken in 2005 while I was on a cruise along River Thames from Tower Bridge to Greenwich Pier.

The top photo is Hungerford Bridge, a steel truss railway bridge, sometimes known as the Charing Cross Bridge. This bridge was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and opened in 1845.

Westminster Bridge

Westminster Bridge was built in I862 and was designed by Thomas Page. The Gothic detailing on this seven-arch wrought iron bridge was designed by Charles Barry, the architect of the Palace of Westminster. The first bridge was built between 1739 and 1750, designed by a Swiss architect, Charles Labelye. This is the oldest bridge in the central area of the River Thames.

Southwark Bridge

Southwark Bridge is an arch bridge designed by Ernest Goerge and Basil Mott, and was opened in 1921. This bridge was notable for having the longest cast iron span ever made at 73 meters.

Lambeth Bridge

Lambeth Bridge was opened in 1932 and has a five-span steel arch, designed by engineer Sir Geroge Humphreys and architect Sir Reginald Blomfield. The most conspicuous color in the bridge’s current paint scheme is red. The bridge was used for the movie "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" for the scene where the Knight Bus must pass between two Routemasters.

Waterloo Bridge

Waterloo Bridge was built during World War II by (mostly) female labor---a quirk of the War as the men were away fighting for King and Country. The name of the bridge is in memory of the British victory at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. The original bridge on the site was opened in 1817 but serious problems were found in its construction. The first bridge was demolished in the 1920’s and replaced it with a new structure designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott.

For more Photo-Hunters, please check out http://www.tnchick.com/.