Dwarf Roses/Red Hot Thursday

@ mirandablue

"To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, wait occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common---this is my symphony."

~ William Henry Channing

@ mirandablue

Linking to Red Hot Thursday

Drive-by in Calamianes/Watery Wednesday

Drive-by shots of limestone mountains and islands in Calamianes while were in an outrigger boat. Most of the islands are uninhibited, some are privately-owned.

Calamian Group of Islands, northern Palawan

Linking to Watery Wednesday

Crisologo Museum/Monday Doorways & Our World-Tuesday

My first contribution to Monday Doorways---another meme to enjoy.

The main door of the Crisologo Museum in Vigan, Ilocos Sur.  It is housed in a century-old mansion of the Crisologos, a prominent political clan in Vigan.  The museum was established after the patriarch of the family, Floro Crisologo, then a Congressman, was gunned down inside the cathedral in 1970 just as he stood up at Sunday mass to fall in line for communion.  The murder hasn't been solved.

The rooms in the Crisologo mansion exhibit family photos, book collection, antique furniture and china, gowns and shoes of the widow, religious artifacts and other memorabilia.  It basically shows how the family lived in those days---the 20-seat dining table fits the life of a political family.

Crime scene photos, the slain politician's bloody clothes and shoes, news clippings of the murder occupy the former office at the ground floor of the mansion.  They are too gruesome to be posted here.  Crisologo's widow Carmeling, then the provincial governor, promised she wouldn't take any action to exact revenge and she didn't.  But her eldest son Bingbong did, infamously burning down a village occupied by supporters of their family's political opponent.  He went to jail for that and became a born-again Christian.  Some years after his release from prison, he was elected to Congress. Source

Receiving/Living room

The master's bedroom

Vigan is now a safe place, with its 18th century ambiance and calming rhythm of  kalesas clattering on cobblestone streets.  But long before Ninoy Aquino's murder on the airport tarmac, Crisologo's killing inside the cathedral symbolized just how bloody Philippine politics is.  Source

Linking to Our World Tuesday

Circular/Saturday Photo Hunt

Circular concrete culverts at the embankment of a river in Manapla, Negros Occidental.

Linking to Saturday Photo Hunt

Lunch @ Mey Lin

Kangkong with Garlic

Met a girlfriend for lunch after Christmas to shop for our wedding gift for our friend's son.  I skipped breakfast that morning and I was starving by 11 am.  Our first choice was Man Hann but it was full, Mey Lin was a good second choice.  Besides I have been craving for clams in oyster sauce, and I got my wish.  The fried salted spareribs was a compromise.:p

Fried Salted Spareribs 

Clams in ginger and oyster sauce

Linking to Food Friday and Food Trip Friday