Campuestohan: Road Pictures Included

Qualitea

Macmac's First Exposure

February 14, 2013 - I held my newest toy. I named it Macmac.

Photo courtesy of Daister Marie Decinal.

Inspired by the biggest crocodile in Puerto Princesa, I gave the name Macmac to my new travel buddy, my Nikon D5100. Macmac's first public exposure was yesterday at MO2 doing what I love to do - my greatest talent!

The Earth is Disposable?

24 December 2012. Few hours from now, it is Christmas. So by now, the streets that lead to Supermarkets, Malls, and Bazaars are jammed with people. Well, we all call it the Christmas rush shopping. Today after breakfast at Mcdo, I changed my plan of going to SM. Instead I will just cross the narrow Luzurriaga St., and will walk a few steps to Gaisano to buy little presents for my friends working at Quick and Easy Laundry.

Few days ago, I passed by Bacolod plaza. My attention focused to a very humongous poster that says: Bacolod No To Plastic. Bring your own bag. I cannot simply ignore what I read for the reason that I am GUILTY. Few years back, I started my journey closer to the environment when I enrolled in UPOU for my Masters in Environmental Management. And I am disturbed again after seeing that poster. Maybe its time again Jay!

I am very happy when Watsons and Booksale started using the brown paper bag. This is already in itself a huge step. Although up to now, when I buy my groceries at SM, I still use the yellow plastic bags. So Jay it is time! ( i am writing this to remind myself). And by the way my Mcdo Pancakes still are contained in a styro plate. This battle will be long and bloody but at least, initiatives are starting to crawl and somehow people are becoming more aware that this is an urgent cause for everybody.

My hands are not clean. I do not speak because I am an all-out champion of protecting nature. In fact I am very far from it. But I think it all should start in recognizing that we can still do more. My hands, your hands, our friends' hands, our family's hands - this will matter. This already is a challenge I embrace. Or to be more radical, a challenge I impose to myself. And hopefully this will be transformed into actions, even the little ones, to create an impact and will eventually influence others.

Day by day, nature has its ways of revealing its wrath. Storms like Sendong and Pablo, 7.2 magnitude earthquakes, a hot december, a cold Summer. These are revelations that nature is in big trouble. Hopefully it only needs first aid. Not an overhaul.

Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus. We all agree on this one. However, I hope that in this celebration we don't forget that in the midst of the merrymaking, we are not causing more damage to the environment. Remember too that the Earth is DISPOSABLE! Merry Christmas!

Going Around Bacolod!

To begin with, Bacolod means food. Tourism in the city is defined by the deliciousness of its food. To sum it up, the experience is totally gastronomic!

Discovering Museum Cafe!

Because I want more, Churros is here!

Still at C's. Enjoying every bit of having a holiday. Or a day-off. I know this comes very very rare. And when it comes, the spontaneity of events unfolding is beautiful. And the appetite is not an exeption.

Beef Tapa at C's!

Tourist Attraction in Bacolod - FOOD

What to do in Bacolod? Eat. Eat. Eat. The magic of three. Forgive the redundancy. I mean food of sheer extravagance. Food is Bacolod's main tourist attraction. That's the point.

And I realized that these photos are not mere food presentations. They are testaments of friendships gone deeper. Of lengthy, carefree exchange of unadulterated, uncensored thoughts. Of reverberating laughter sometimes if not all the time scandalous. Of sobs and tears. Of life that's so sweet or so bitter. Of getting-to-know-each-other the nth time. Of just being there, peace and quiet, because its the presence that matters. Of wanting to be heard. Of wanting to listen.

Tuna Fettucini at Bobs SM



Baby back ribs at Lord Byrons, Homesite (Models; l-r, Emmylou Iman (PP of First Farmers TMC, Razelle May Villanueva (SMBI Chemist). Are they camera shy?




Baby Back Ribs at Cookies and Crumbs in front of Bacolod's New Government Center.



Beef Salpicao, Cookies and Crumbs

still at cookies and crumbs

Chalet at L'fisher

Chalet, L'fisher with Jabez Oberes (Humorous National Champion)

Mud Pie at Calea. Model is Ma. Adee Light Elumba Hilado-Loquellano (SMBI Microbiologist).

Beef Salpicao and Grilled Chicken Salad at Pepe's.

Calea again. With Marely Pajaren-Cerdania (Coke Chemist).

Oriental Chicken Salad at Bascon Cafe

Roast Porkloin at Cafe 1925

INVADING BACOLOD, RECOUNTED; A STRANGER'S TALE

I have figured out two reasons for writing this. One, which is more important, is to make you laugh or at the very least smile. Second is to bring some information which you might find apropos. A good laugh and a good thought are a perfect combo to kick off the year of the Ox.

Warning! Don't underestimate the power of words! Before you know it, you are already giggling in laughter 'til your lungs burst, God forbid.

Born and raised in Dumaguete, I am a certified "Bisdak", a contraction of the cebuano phrase "Bisayang Daku". I speak and know the dialect by heart. As time evolved, the word "Bisdak" has acquired a lot of connotations, two of which are glaring not just exclusive to the circle of pure Cebuanos but reaches as far as the Manileños or the Ilonggos alike. One is called Bisdak if one enunciates wrongly. For example, the Tagalog word "ate" is enunciated with a long "e" which makes it "ati". Or one is called Bisdak if one dresses out of fashion. They try to figure out Bisdaks as people who do not know the difference between straight cut jeans and skinny jeans. People who only have a slim chance of visiting shopping malls. But I will not extract a single sweat to prove that these are all fallacies. However, allow me to articulate that one should not make a generalization unless otherwise proven.

I could still remember that one fateful day when I was asked by my manager why I wanted to be transferred in Cebu. (That time, I was in Bacolod.) I paused. I thought very hard to make myself as persuasive as I could. It's going to be a make or break decision. A critical one. Life-changing maybe. I gave three reasons of decreasing importance. With eagerness and decisiveness I said "Sir there's no language barrier, Cebu is a really familiar place, and its nearer to my abode. Now, I am still in Bacolod. Could somebody tell me any reason more convincing? Who knows that question might come to me tomorrow or next month.

Since I was made to stay, I can't possibly beat all Ilonggos in Bacolod, so I have to join them. This means I have to learn their dialect, the Hiligaynon.

I was utterly lost when I set foot in the city in 2006. With no relatives around, I know I am in for a big challenge. Lost because I didnt even know where to start. My first unforgettable moment was when I rode a jeepney. A passenger with a roaring voice said, "Bangga lang". I thought, what? It made me panic! What the hell is that? Why would he want this jeepney bumped! So I waited. But nothing notorious happened. We just halted beside the street. I felt relieved. When I got home, I hastily asked my landlady what "bangga" means and to my surprise its not to bump. Thank goodness my panic did not manifest! It could have been a Bisdak moment?!

I was with my colleagues when we were about to cross the street, I declared "labang", but nobody crossed. They just gave me a pensive stare. To cross in Hiligaynon is "tabuk". Now I know!

I saw this miniature animal trying its way near us when I exclaimed to a friend, "ok-ok". To my surprise, that friend did'nt even react. Cockroach in the dialect of the Ilonggos is "tanga".

I almost quarreled a colleague because she said she'll be around in a while. I waited for minutes before she came. What she said to me was, "Coming nko karon". Trying to settle things, I came to know that "karon" in Ilonggo means later but in Cebuano, it means now. How contradicting words can get!

All of these mishaps are already etched in my mind. Inseparable! Who to blame? No one! Not my manager of course! (I hope he can read this.) Because whenever I look back, it always gave me that beaming, contagious smile. Now I am smiling!