It certainly needs no introduction, surfers have come and gone to this hotel to enjoy the services they offer and the stunning views of the Pacific Ocean/Philippine Sea that it affords. I for one need not write a glowing review or give any recommendation of this hotel, nevertheless it cannot be helped and I really enjoyed the beauty of the hotel.
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My trip into this beautiful seaside town north of the Philippines continues with a trip down the wonderful natural resources the province has to offer. Our second day included many of the rich sites that draws a lot of backpackers and tourists to the beautiful town, I also got the chance to see wonderful vistas of the town itself and its surrounding areas. It was a breathtaking and memorable trip.
*for the purpose of safety, security and confidentiality, I have not included any pictures with my students' face. I have been a teacher for the past four years of my professional career (graduated back in 2011), two of those years have been spent teaching in the IB - PYP and another two teaching History. So far I have enjoyed teaching history the most enjoyable part of my working life. The challenge in teaching my subject is how to make sense of all of these past events and make it relevant to students who don't know much or any about our country's history. To make events in history exciting and relevant, research has suggested that students should go on field trips to have a first hand experience of the lessons they have learned in class. Hence, last Thursday and Friday, I along with three other members of the school, my grade 6 class and some parents, took a historical and geographical tour of Aurora Province, specifically the surfing municipality of Baler.
*for the purpose of safety, security and confidentiality, I have not included any of my students' faces. This entry is now more than a week late, nevertheless, it is still a great way to talk about a place in Tagaytay that undoubtedly evokes a lot of memories. Though the flavors might not be as fresh as the day or at least the first few days after eating in Tagaytay's Memory Lane. It is still worth reminiscing and writing about this unique restaurant just a little bit off from the main road of Manila's weekend getaway city.
Metro Manila explores the gray realities of a life in Manila. Far from the simple and almost naivete life in the province, Ellis' film takes his viewers on a morally ambiguous ride into the city's darker and seedier side. It is not a happy film as Oscar Ramirez (played by Jake Macapagal) struggles and learns, in the hardest way possible, that the city life isn't a happy place. Characters from all stereotypes are well represented: the well-meaning wife who has to whore herself, the morally ambiguous partner, and the typical Pinoy packed to the brim with his fatalism and his own odd morality. At 115 minutes long the film breezes by, exploring the life of Oscar Ramirez's problems in the province that eventually magnify and explode right in face when he migrates to our dear old city. The sights and the sounds are not pretty but it sends out a powerful message about the cycle of poverty. Despite being gritty, Metro Manila is also a story about redemption and also of hope. It plays the latter very well, exposing the characters to their barest and in the most depressing way only to yank the viewers out of this miserable stupor into believing that all will be well. Being the first Cine Europe film in over 8 years, I was certainly not disappointed by this art film. The production was well made and the scenes and landscapes of Manila were arresting. Sean Ellis brought the city to life without having to play the usual cinematic tropes of washing it down and making the city seem dreamy. Though sometimes it plays the "poverty porn" too much, it certainly did not distract me from enjoying the film. If you have nothing to do, check it out in this month's Cine Europa event at the Shangri-La Mall cinemas. Growing up in a very traditional schooling system some of my early projects were dioramas. Shoe boxes were transformed into creative set pieces. Some of my early dioramas were always related to the geography of the Philippines, presentations of some of the country’s land and water forms. The entire activity was very interesting and quite an enjoyable experience. As I grew up, the dioramas faded away into memory and were replaced by papers and presentations. Last Saturday, with nothing else to do, Tricia and I decided it was time to visit the Ayala Museum.
Tucked away in the misty hills and mountains of Tagaytay is the Museo Orlina, a new addition to the many sights that dot the roads of Tagaytay. Like the BenCab Museum in Tagaytay, the Museo Orlina houses the veritable works of renowned glass sculptor Ramon G. Orlina.
Lately, the Bio channel has been showing this documentary titled "Destination Flavor: Japan" wherein host Adam Liaw goes all around the wonderful and mystical islands of Japan. In each episode, Adam samples different regional dishes that have tickled my senses and most definitely my stomach. Again, the urge to eat something authentically Japanese has once again led me, Tricia and her friends to the enclave of all things Japanese---Little Tokyo. In this enclave, is Izakaya Kikufuji, voted by our country's version of Esquire Magazine and considered by Spot.ph as one of the best places to eat Japanese cuisine.
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AuthorMy name is Alfonso your nerdy history teacher, bookworm and lover of all things cultural and exciting. You can find me in a weekend market, in a bookshop, or eating in Japanese restos during the weekends. Archives
September 2015
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