The reason for the season

The simple cross at the top of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish church, set off by bougainvillea which blooms throughout the year in the Philippines.

Happy Easter!

A journey around the parking lot

The Way of the Cross is a devotion that many Filipino Catholics go through during Lent, especially during Holy Week. So people can do this mini pilgrimage to the scenes of Christ's sufferings and death without disturbing those attending other Holy Week services inside the church, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish closed off its parking lot and set up the stations around it.

Zen

Kimpura is one of Manila's oldest Japanese restaurants. What look like screens at the back are bamboo sliding doors which lead to private dining rooms, most of which have teppan grills built into the tables.

Compare and contrast

Anthropologist Fernando Zialcita and Chef Gene Gonzalez's "Exploring Filipino Taste in Seven Courses" is always fascinating, even though we've gone through it several times. For the appetizer, we compared the flavors of Davao's Kinilaw na Tuna (fresh tuna with sea salt, radish, shallots, cucumber, coconut cream) and Mexico's Ceviche (with lime juice, orange juice, chili, ginger, garlic, onions, corn on the cob). What I like most about the program are the historical, cultural, and culinary anecdotes from Dr. Zialcita and Chef Gene. Although the food's pretty good, too.

What a mess!

How our utility men can make sense of this jumble of cables—power, phone, cable TV, internet—I have no idea.

Moving on

After a light rain shower in Quezon City.

Fans

This was the scene at Trinoma mall's Activity Center last Saturday, where the young stars of the Tagalog romantic-comedy "It Takes a Man and a Woman" were having a show to promote the movie. The rail on the second level—where I took this photo—was three people deep. I'm sure the two higher levels were too. The movie opens in theaters nationwide on March 30.

P-Noy

Last Thursday, my husband and I went to the wake of the mother of a friend who, it turns out, is a good friend of the President of the Philippines, Benigno Simeon Aquino III.
  I'm afraid this isn't a very flattering photo of the President, but it was the clearest of several photos I took. I discovered that the man moves a lot and has a very animated face.

Starting the day right

Champagne for breakfast at Sofitel's Spiral Buffet Restaurant.

Fringe

There are many lovely modern interpretations of the Maria Clara gown, a Spanish colonial-era style of dress now considered formal Filipiniana attire. Unfortunately, I don't consider this one of them. This would make me feel like I was wearing curtains or a bedspread! I am not going to identify the designer, for obvious reasons.

Chinese Ho-land in Manila

If you ever find yourself in Binondo, Manila's Chinatown, and see this sign for Ho-land Chinese Delicacies, run inside and grab a pack of freshly-baked hopia, flaky puff pastry filled with a sweet mung bean paste. It's delicious.

Painstaking

The next time you eat Chinese dim sum dumplings, slow down and savor every bite. A lot of effort goes into making each small piece—from the finely minced filling to the delicate, translucent wrapper.

Colossus

The Rizal Library at sunset. I like how the tree's shadow on the wall makes it seem more than five stories tall.

Veneer

The St. John the Baptist Parish Church, better known locally as Pinaglabanan Church after the street in San Juan City where it is located, dates back to 1896 but has been damaged, restored, renovated and expanded many times since then. Of the church's exterior, only the facade remains of the original structure, which is quite evident when the church is viewed from the side.

Blue wheels

For only Php700 (US$17.25) a year, Wheelers Club International assures members of 24/7 road assistance, towing, and ambulance service when you need them. In a city where government towing services are more expensive, it's a fantastic deal. And if you don't use any of their services within the year, then say "thank you" to whatever gods are out there. I don't know where the "international" in their name comes in, though—the company only serves Metro Manila and Metro Cebu.

Bump

 
During weekends, all the roads which lead to SM Megamall, which has three other malls nearby (Shangri-la Plaza, St. Francis Square and Robinson's Galleria), have bumper to bumper traffic. In Manila, the phrase is almost literal because only a foot or two separate cars from each other.

Inspiration

Every three years, the Ateneo de Manila University awards alumni who excelled in sports during their school days. They are inducted into the Ateneo Sports Hall of Fame, which has a room named after it in the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center. Some awardees donated their sports memorabilia—medals, trophies, jackets and jerseys—which are displayed in cases with their photo and a write-up of their sports accomplishments. Aside from recognizing the men and women who played for the school, the award, the room, and the displays also aim to inspire current student-athletes who train at the center to excel in their own sports.

Symbols

A curious find at the University of the Philippines - Diliman: the silhouette of the statue "Oblation" standing on a stylized eagle, painted on the road. I have no idea what it's all about.
 

See murals from around the world in Monday Mural.

BKK: Fit for a king

The Rama IX Bridge over the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, Thailand is named after King Bhumibol Adulyadej. He is known as Rama IX and is Thailand's longest-reigning monarch, having occupied the throne since 1946. The Chao Phraya is one of Thailand's major rivers, and in English, it is called the River of Kings. The bridge was built in 1984–1987, and was renamed during King Bhumibol's 60th birthday in 2006.

It is the first cable-stayed bridge I have ever seen, and we saw it only once, during an evening Chao Phraya River sightseeing cruise. I was completely awed.
 

Bridges around the world: Sunday Bridges

Exchange deal

Two of the Philippines' most popular mobile phone service providers have cell sites inside the Quezon City campus of Ateneo de Manila University, located on a field near the Manila Observatory. Part of the deal is, the observatory gets to place some of their weather and atmospheric instruments on the towers. The spindly tower on the right, as well as the white and brick building beside it, belongs to the observatory.

Smitten

The Delta Lambda Sigma sorority of the University of the Philippines - Diliman is more than 65 years old. The wooden frame of their cork board in one corridor of Palma Hall looks like it's as old as the organization. I like it.

Sweet notes

The tables of Cafe Mary Grace are decorated with pebbles, insightful quotations, shells, lace doilies, and notes of appreciation from happy customers, both children and adults.

Gone

Back in January, I posted a photo of the overgrown yard of a house across ours that had stood empty for more than a year. A week after that post, the new owner began the demolishing of the house. It's gone now, and the only thing left is the foundation. And a lot of debris.

I dedicate this post to childhood friends who used to live with their aunt in the now demolished house, and who studied in the same elementary and high school my sister and I did. We spent many happy days playing in their house and garden.

Live to dive

The Oceana Maria Scuba (OMS) is a live-aboard dive boat that can accommodate up to ten people in five cabins, aside from the captain, crew and divemasters. I guess it's the only way to go to dive spots that are not accessible by any other means, especially in the vast emptiness of the Pacific Ocean. Caught empty of divers and crew while docked beside Harbour Square in Manila Bay.

Self-offering

The mural on the second floor of the University of the Philippines - Diliman's Palma Hall features scenes from the country's long history of fighting for freedom—against the Spanish, Japanese, and Americans, then against the Martial Law regime of Ferdinand Marcos. The figure in the middle is the sculpture called the Oblation, which has become the state university's symbol.

See murals from around the world in Monday Mural.

BKK: Dazzling

Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang—the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand—is a complex of buildings that was the official residence of the Kings of Siam/Thailand from 1782 to 1925. The many temples and palaces within the complex are all decorated in the most intricate and dazzling array of gold leaf, glass mosaics, and porcelain tiles. We hired a guide for our tour, but there were so many buildings, my poor brain didn't retain any of the explanations. So I hope you will be content with this small glimpse of the magnificent Grand Palace.
    Yes, it's real gold, and it covers the entire building.
  A scale model of Cambodia's Angkor Wat.
  Figurines and sculptures of Buddha can be found everywhere in the complex.
  As can Hindu gods and guardians.
  The marriage of East and West in this palace is gorgeous.

Though the royal family no longer lives at Phra Borom Maha Ratcha Wang, the temples and palaces in the complex are still used for official and religious ceremonies, so there are days when it is closed to the public and to tourists.

The ram, ruled by Mars

The roof deck of the cylindrical Manila Observatory has a metal rail running around it with all the signs of the Zodiac, which I thought really cool. Of course, I had to take a photo of my sign, Aries. The building in the background is the rear of the former residence of the Jesuit scientists assigned to the observatory, and the taller, farther one on the left is one of the residential condominium buildings along Katipunan Avenue.

Red plastic

CITY DAILY PHOTO THEME DAY: CAFE CHAIRS • Nothing pretty today, just some of those uncomfortable plastic monobloc chairs. At least they're a cheery, cherry red, and not the plain white ones that get so dirty-looking after only a few weeks. Metro Manila has lots of these tiny, streetside eateries which we call carinderia or turo-turo (from turo, to point, because that's all you have to do to tell the server what you want to eat), especially around public transportation terminals, whether for taxis, buses, jeepneys or tricycles. Obviously, you won't find them in posh neighborhoods.