Orchids for Easter

Easter spells beauty, the rare beauty of new life.

~ S.D. Gordon

Linking with Today's Flowers

Shrine of Our Lady of Charity

Today is the first day of the Holy Week or Semana Santa, a significant religious observance for the Roman Catholics and most Christian groups. And being a predominantly Christian nation, many Filipinos would be busy with church activities this week.  The pious would fast, attend masses and processions; some would take the opportunity of the non-working holidays to go on vacation.  I will be in Cebu for work and some R and R.

Although I'm not a Catholic, I have always been fascinated with old churches and rituals.  This is the Bantay Church in Bantay, Ilocos Sur, also known as Sanctuary of Nuestra Senora de la Caridad and Shrine of Our Lady of Charity.  This was one of the churches we visited during our Ilocos road trip that I forgot to post.  This church houses the image of the Virgin Mary that is believed to be miraculous, and St. Augustine of Hippo, the Doctor of Grace.  The original church was built in 1593 and considered as one of the oldest parishes in the Ilocandia.  It is also famous for its scenic bell tower that sits on a hilltop; it was also used as a watch tower during World War II.

The church was built by Augustinian friars in 1593 and has survived many attacks during the Spanish colonial times, wars and calamities.

Truth, in matters of religion, is simply the opinion that has survived. ~ Oscar Wilde

Linking to Blue Monday

Monday Mellow Yellows

Our World Tuesday

Maki/Mandarin Orange Monday

“I've long believed that good food, good eating, is all about risk. Whether we're talking about unpasteurized Stilton, raw oysters or working for organized crime 'associates,' food, for me, has always been an adventure.” ~ Anthony Bourdain

Linking to Mandarin Orange-Monday

Silence is golden.../SWF

Silence

It has a sound, a fullness.

It's heavy with sigh of tree,

and space between breaths.

It's ripe with pause between birdsong

and crash of surf.

It's golden they say,

But no one tells us it's addictive.

~ Angela Long

Linking to Sky-watch Friday

Quesadillas

Mushrooms and Spinach Quesadillas---our appetizer at Cadi Shack Diner in Cebu last week.  This was a scrumptious vegetarian quesadillas.  I didn't know mushrooms and spinach go well together.  The tomato, onions and cilantro salsa was addicting.  The flavors of the salsa were reminiscent of Vietnamese nouc cham.  

Linking to Food Trip Friday

Food Friday

You're an island/Watery World Wednesday

Your life is an island separated from all other islands and continents.  Regardless of how many boats you send to other shores or how many ships arrive upon your shores, you yourself are an island separated by its own pains, secluded in its happiness.  ~ Kahlil Gibran

Linking to Watery World Wednesday

Abstract 13/NF Abstract

Fear is nothing but an indication of the presence of ignorance and absence of knowledge.  Knowledge is the Sun in whose presence the Dark Mist known as Fear disappears instantaneously, resulting in perfect clarity of thought and profound wisdom. ~ Unknown 

Linking to NF Abstract

Rocky coast/Mandarin Orange Monday & Monday Mellow Yellows

A rocky coast near Edgewater in Subic Bay. 

"You are only as strong as your purpose, therefore let us choose reasons to act that are big, bold, righteous and eternal."  

~ Barry Munro

Linking to Mandarin Orange Monday and Monday Mellow Yellows

Casa Manila/Mandarin Orange Monday & Blue Monday

 straight out of the camera

Arched passageway at Casa Manila that connects the patio to a museum, a restaurant and hotel.  Casa Manila is inside the fortified city of Intramuros, a meticulously reconstructed replica of a mid-19th century home that would have belonged to a wealthy illustrado (middle class Filipino) family.  

There was a bunch of construction workers in blue shirt working on a portion of the patio--my contribution to Blue Monday.  The second photo was enhanced to highlight the terra cotta pots for Mandarin Orange Monday.

adjusted colors and saturation

Hole in the sky/Skywatch Friday

The soul can split the sky in two and let the face of God shine through. 

~ Edna St. Vincent Millay

Linking to Sky-watch Friday

Club Sandwich and Caesar Salad

Met an old friend for lunch last week, and I ordered just a salad with a sheepish little speech about my cholesterol.  Y gave me a dirty look and insisted on ordering a Clubhouse sandwich, afraid I might faint from hunger.   I almost yelled, "Somebody get me a cheeseburger!" :p

@ The French Baker

 

Linking with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday

Abstract 12 /NF Abstract

“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it. People think pleasing God is all God cares about. But any fool living in the world can see it always trying to please us back.” ~ Alice Walker

Linking to NF Abstract

Pink/Watery World Wednesday

Blushing Sky

@ Manila Bay

Linking to Watery World Wednesday

Salmon Sashimi/Mandarin Orange Monday

Salmon Sashimi for Mandarin Orange Monday

"Sashimi is velvet dust, verging on silk, or a bit of both, and the extraordinary alchemy of its gossamer essence allows it to preserve a milky density unknown even by clouds...my cheeks recalled the effects of its profound caress." ~ Muriel Barbery

Bird's-eye view/Sky-Watch Friday

On a late morning flight to Cebu.

Look closely at the second photo---there's Taal Volcano down below.  

More photos of the volcano here.

  

“The reason birds can fly and we can't is simply because they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have wings.”

~ J.M. Barrie, The Little White Bird

coast of Batangas

Linking to Sky-watch Friday