Bohol Tour via Vest Pension House / Paul Julapong

Upon arrival at Vest Pension House, I arranged our Bohol countryside tour. According to Vest's Web site, the tour costs P3000 if via car, P3500 if via van. I paid P3000 since there were only 4 of us and we would fit in a car, but it was a van that serviced us the next day, so we were much more comfortable during the tour. The entrance fees and other miscellaneous fees were paid directly upon arrival at the different tourist spots.

The countryside tour would last for 9 hours (7am-4pm). We were advised by the Vest receptionist to call the front desk at 6am to have our breakfast prepared early. The following morning after breakfast, our tour operator arrived and we were off to see the sites.

From Vest Pension House, it took about an hour of traffic-free ride before we began seeing Chocolate Hills. The Hills looked magnificent when viewed on a high area, but driving close to individual mounds was exhilarating.

The tour's destinations:

1. Sagbayan Peak
Here you can have your pictures taken with a T. Rex dinosaur, Ironman, and several Disney characters. You also get a good view of the surrounding area, including the Chocolate Hills.
Entrance fee: P30/pax

Ambeth Ocampo's "Fernando Amorsolo" Lecture

Yes, another Ambeth Ocampo post.

This time, it's about the Philippine's first National Artist Fernando Amorsolo in Ambeth's lecture titled "Fernando Amorsolo: Portrait of the Artist as Historian".

I have to admit, I only know Amorsolo by name. I did not know much else about him, but after the lecture, I had a newfound respect for his talent.

Ambeth Ocampo's "Before the Japayuki: Japan in Philippine History" Lecture

Many Filipinos are familiar with the Japanese culture. We watch tons of anime and eat lots of Japanese food. However, when it comes to the intersection of the Japanese history and our own, many Pinoys are limited to talking about World War II or some girl they know who became a Japayuki (a term which originally referred to Filipinas who went to Japan to be cultural entertainers but later came to refer to Filipinas who went there to prostitute themselves).

In Ambeth Ocampo's recent lecture titled "Before the Japayuki: Japan in Philippine History", I learned about the karayuki-san. They were poor Japanese girls who went to East Asia and Southeast Asia (including the Philippines) to work as prostitutes during the 1800s. According to a Japanese sociology blog, many of these girls did not really set out to sell their bodies, but were made to believe by mediators that there were many good working opportunities in other countries and that they could make enough money to support their families. Heavily indebted to the mediators for transporting them out of Japan and not knowing the language of their destination countries, they were forced to work as prostitutes to pay off their debts and to be able to send money to their families.

White Knight e-Chariot Tours in Intramuros

One item on my bucket list is to ride a Segway, so when I found out about the White Knight electric chariot tours in Intramuros, I was thrilled. The tour is provided by White Knight Hotel Intramuros which is in Plaza San Luis (same complex where Barbara's Restaurant is located).

On the way to the tour, it suddenly rained and since we were scheduled at the last tour of the day, I was worried that our tour would be rescheduled. When we arrived at White Knight though, thankfully, the rain had stopped. The skies were still cloudy and there was a slight drizzle during our tour but the light rain was manageable and White Knight was equipped to handle that.

Aside from the tour fees, there is a P100 insurance fee for each person and you will also have to sign a waiver. Small sling bags are allowed but since the e-chariots are controlled by the rider balancing his weight, heavy bags have to be left at the White Knight Hotel's front desk.

geared up and ready to go

Food for Thought: A Celebration of Good Taste Exhibit @ DLSU Manila

I was at the De La Salle University (DLSU) Manila yesterday afternoon to view the Food for Thought: A Celebration of Good Taste exhibit honoring the late author Doreen G. Fernandez. I had not been able to visit DLSU since I graduated yearsss ago and it was nice to finally see the university again. A lot of things have remained the same but a lot of things have also changed. Back when I was still studying here, the Yuchengco Hall was still non-existent and there were no turnstiles yet at the entrance.

Who is Doreen Fernandez?

Doreen Gamboa Fernandez (born Alicia Dorothea Gamboa) was born in Manila but grew up in Silay, Negros Occidental. She graduated Cum Laude from St. Scholastica's College in 1954 with a degree in English and History. She earned her M.A. in Literature (English) in 1956 from the Ateneo de Manila University and got her Ph.D. in Literature (English) in 1976, also from Ateneo. Doreen married architect and interior designer Wili Fernandez, who shared her passion for art and good food. She wrote many books about Philippine art, culture, and food and received praises and awards for her work as a writer and as a teacher. She passed away last June 24, 2002, surrounded by family and friends.

Meet Manila's Tertulia Night for #ThoughtfulTourism at Adarna Food and Culture Restaurant

I remember when I was a kid, people back then mostly relied on TV and friends for information about tourist destinations. Nowadays, thanks to the Internet and social media, one can readily access a wealth of information about our local destinations. There are tons of awe-inspiring images of these places thanks to photographers and travel bloggers, and it's not just about Mount Mayon, Chocolate Hills, Banawe Rice Terraces or other "household names" anymore. You can go as near or as far as you want within the country and still find an amazing place. It is very encouraging that nowadays, our enthusiasm for our country's attractions is very much heartfelt. It's as if every travel photograph has a caption saying "This is paradise" and the seen/unseen photographer screaming "Ang ganda rito!!!" Pinoy pride indeed.

pic from Meet Manila FB page

Local tourism is certainly a cause I can get behind. So when I was invited to the launch party of Meet Manila, I was happy. Meet Manila is a new and comprehensive Philippine travel portal which aims to promote our provinces and top tourist destinations as well as the very catchy mindset called #ThoughtfulTourism. #ThoughtfulTourism is not just tourism for the sake of attracting tourists but also involves educating and helping people to uplift small communities, conserve and ethically use our wildlife and natural resources, and promote far-flung provinces.

The event gathered together online travel groups and companies, bloggers, government officials, and other groups and individuals passionate about Philippine tourism. The party's theme was Tertulia Night - a social gathering that focuses on art and literature and that has evolved from being a regularly scheduled public event in the Spanish tradition to a celebration through poetry, song, arts, and dances. Optional but recommended attire was modern Filipiniana.

Ambeth Ocampo's "Doble Kara: Rizal in Art and Monuments" Lecture at the Ayala Museum

Dr. Ambeth Ocampo's "Doble Kara: Rizal in Art and Monuments," lecture last December 3 was the last in his 2011 History Comes Alive! series. David Beckham was in the Philippines, playing with the Azkals, but Ambeth's loyal fans couldn't care less. (FYI: I mean no disrespect. For some reason, I feel more comfortable calling him Ambeth rather than Dr. Ocampo -- well, probably not to his face hehe). Anyway, the lecture was still well-attended and was as lively as the previous ones (see here and here).

Ambeth's slideshow included photos of several Rizal monuments. Before seeing those pictures, I did not know that there were so many Rizal monuments around and that some of them looked a bit goofy.

The history of the Rizal monument in Luneta was also discussed, from the time it was commissioned to the time it was modernized. It was my first time to see that towering steel pylon they erected in the 60s. Good thing they removed it a few years after, since it looked out of place and made the Rizal statue look like a footnote.

Cultural Dinner Show at Barbara's Restaurant in Intramuros

We dropped by Barbara's Restaurant for a dinner buffet and their cultural dinner show. It was our first time in Barbara's and to be frank, I was not expecting much, but the night turned out to be a lot of fun! I had been seeing buffet offers left and right and that somehow conditioned me to expect a lot more food in any buffet, so I was a bit disappointed to learn that there were only a few dishes available in Barbara's buffet. The cultural show, however, that one I completely underestimated. I was expecting one or two numbers with the dancers in an elevated and faraway stage. Boy was I wrong! That cultural show was the best part of the evening.

facade

exterior walls of Plaza San Luis

When we arrived, a band was playing. We were ushered to our table and the band continued playing with their stringed instruments as we ate, performing songs such as A Little Night of Music, Let It Be, Yesterday, and Dahil Sa 'Yo.

At around 7:15pm, the musicians were replaced with dancers. Soon, everyone was crowding around the group to get a better view as these dancers swayed to various traditional music. They danced continuously for about an hour, with costume changes in between numbers. Some of the dances they performed: Binasuan, Tinikling, Pandanggo sa Ilaw, La Jota Manileña, and Sayaw sa Bangko. Up until now, I never really got excited with folk dances. As a kid, we had to learn them at school but I never really appreciated them (and I hated Binasuan because the glass on top of my head fell and shattered during freshman high school!) but seeing them being performed by graceful professionals with colorful costumes, impeccable hair, and a perpetual smile made me swell with nationalistic pride.

dancers with their colorful costumes

Ambeth Ocampo's "Queridas ni Rizal" Lecture at the Ayala Musem

Bf, ever the fanboy, wanted to attend Ambeth Ocampo's new lecture. I was impressed with the famed historian's previous lecture so I readily agreed.

Ayala Museum was already bursting with people when we arrived. We had no choice but to stand at the back.

All of us Pinoys know who Jose Rizal is. We've been taught stuff about him since we were tiny snotty brats. Still, Ambeth had to clarify:

No, Rizal was NOT Hitler's dad.

(But he might have or might not have been Jack the Ripper.)

Rizal has always been put on a pedestal by most teachers and historians. He was the perfect son, the perfect student, yadda yadda. He was virtually untouchable. Anyone who disagreed would be struck down and taken to a private field trip, never to be heard from again. Sure, Jose got involved with several girls but those girls were more of admirers who our hero found impolite to turn down. Jose was always serious and pure. He wouldn't have become as great as he was if he wasted time with vices or clowning around.

In Ambeth's lecture, he took Rizal off his pedestal and put him in the same room as us. We realized that Rizal was not perfect. He was not a demigod, but a human being just like us. He joked around, ribbed his friends, engaged in activities his parents would not have approved of. He didn't walk majestically, living and breathing heroism every freaking day. He also had his share of doubts and regrets, as well as cowardice when it came to romantic matters, which led to a string of broken-hearted women.

In short, he was normal.

The audience appreciated this approach in tackling Rizal's private life. It was refreshing and inspirational to know that we flawed mortals could be awesome too. After all, Rizal is a hero, not a god. What good is a hero if his greatness can't be emulated, right?

---

Aside from the lecture, we also got Ambeth's new book Chulalongkorn's Elephants.

You can find pictures of the Queridas ni Rizal lecture at the Ayala Museum's Facebook page.

Ambeth Ocampo's "Queridas ni Rizal" Lecture
Ayala Musem
Makati City, Metro Manila
September 10, 2011

SM and QC: Visions of a City Exhibit in SM North Edsa

Okay, this is not going to be pretty. I know the people behind this event are rich, important people, but I promised no sugarcoating: I hated this exhibit!

Bf, being his usual Filipiniana buff self, wanted to see this exhibit titled SM and QC: Visions of a City. It was held in SM City North Edsa and would later be moved to other SM malls in Quezon City.

What was the SM and QC: Visions of a City exhibit about?

The exhibit showed the development of Quezon City from the 1940s (when Quezon City was being planned to be the new capital of the Philippines) to the present time, with a special focus on SM City North Edsa. Our country's participation in World's Fairs during the pre-war era was also shown. The exhibit was a partnership between Bluprint magazine (a design and architecture magazine) and SM.

The good things first.

• The exhibit was free and open to the public
• The exhibit was held in SM North Edsa, so very accessible and convenient.

Now the bad things.

Ambeth Ocampo's "Mukhang Pera" Lecture at the Ayala Museum

I've never been into Filipiniana stuff. I became conscious of that in college, when I was in the Filipiniana part of the campus library, looking at the books, and all of a sudden this thought flashed in my head: "These books don't interest me."

I've always been a book lover. I'm not a history buff but I could see myself poring over world history books, just not Filipiniana stuff. I guess I was one of those people who overlook things in their own backyard.

So when bf expressed his interest to attend Ambeth Ocampo's lecture (it was already expected that I would be coming along), I wasn't exactly jumping for joy. Ambeth Ocampo's name was familiar but that was it. The ticket was at P350. A complimentary book was included, which surprised me -- P350 was already more than affordable for a popular historian's lecture; a free book sounded too good to be true.

Bf was excited to go to the lecture so we ensured seats by paying in advance. Unfortunately, the lecture had to be rescheduled due to bad weather. So we went July 9 instead of June 25.

We were 20 minutes late. I was expecting the Mukhang Pera lecture to start a little late since the weather was bad, but I was mistaken. By the time we arrived at the Ayala Museum, the place was already jampacked with people. Since we were late, we had to stand even though we had prepaid tickets. It was understandable that our seats were given to others; however, when a group of guys arrived later and insisted to be seated, the ushers were somehow able to point them to vacant seats. This annoyed me so during the first few minutes, my attention was not completely on the lecture. A few minutes afterwards, the ushers, probably seeing my sour face, brought in some seats for us. That changed my mood and I was able to enjoy the lecture then.

A big part of the audience was composed of students and young professionals. A good thing, definitely. It was reassuring to know that kids nowadays still care about substantial and intellectual things.

The lecture was very informative and interesting. Ambeth Ocampo delivered some humorous quips every now and then. He had a good way of telling stories. You won't be tuning out or surreptitiously looking at your watch, waiting for the lecture to end.

What can I say, I'm a convert! Now I look forward to more of his lectures.

And yes, there really was a complimentary book, his recent one, Meaning and History - The Rizal Lectures. So let's see, for P350, you get to listen to an acclaimed historian's lively and intellectually stimulating lecture about currencies, you're free to roam around the Ayala Museum, and you get his latest book. Quite a deal, huh? And if you're a student, a teacher, a senior citizen or an Ayala Museum member, you only pay P200, so even more sulit!

Prof. Ocampo is also a columnist for the Philippine Daily Inquirer. He regularly posts interesting tidbits and pictures at his Facebook page. The poster pictures used above were copied from his page.



Ambeth Ocampo's "Mukhang Pera" Lecture
Ayala Museum
Makati City, Metro Manila
July 9, 2011