Friday, October 8, 2010

A Repost From Travel Life Philippines

Lost in time in Lake Sebu (South Cotobato, Philippines)

Travelife
Travelife Magazine Editor at Large Gabby Malvar discovers the hidden paradise of the T’boli tribe.



The countryside unveiled itself incessantly as we pushed onwards down the road, and my eyes traced the horizon and scanned the fields, ever thirsty for scenery and points of interest. My world was green. The stacked rice paddies, however, seemed misplaced: this was not the Cordilleras. Peculiar and out of place as they seemed, appearing in this part of the country, they still afforded a visual treat.

My partner Ginggay and I were en route to picturesque Lake Sebu in South Cotabato, traditional domain of the T’boli minority. Lake Sebu is both the name of the lake and the municipality around the lake.

Were it not for the generosity of friends, the Antonina-Custodios, who provided a Nissan Navarra pick-up truck, we would be covering the distance from General Santos City in a cramped bus or jeepney. This was a welcome luxury. Ginggay manned the steering wheel; I rode shotgun, enjoying the continually changing backdrop. We drove westward along a wide cemented highway, our patience and tolerance ceaselessly tested by motorcycles bearing enough passengers to constitute a small township, antiquated vehicles better displayed in museums and hogging the road at turtle-pace, and utility jeeps with wanton disregard for safety, making U-turns as they pleased along the main thoroughfare. Road trips in the Philippines are exceptionally gratifying provided you survive the harrowing side.

A few kilometers past the town of Surallah, we diverted from the main highway, into a narrower albeit well-maintained road, with sections draped by canopies of leaves and tree branches. Rolling hills flanked the countryside in the distance. The road meandered upward gradually. We knew we were approaching our final destination, 300 meters above.

No signposts announced our arrival or welcomed us. It was the renowned bright red abaca turban upon an elderly woman’s head that indicated to me that we had reached Lake Sebu. The T-boli and Lake Sebu are invariably linked. For 600 years, they have stayed here and their culture and craft—weaving and metalwork primarily—have flourished. Numbering over 60,000, the T’boli are of the lake and land. And the lake and land are theirs.

Face to face with the T’boli

I was lost in the dance.

The beat was muted, originating from taut deerskin stretched over an understated drum, gently pounded by a T’boli mother’s soft hands. Her child, not even ten years old, bounced on one foot to another, spinning leisurely around, yet firmly transfixed on one spot. Bright, colourful beads dangled from her hair, creating monotonic swish, not unlike the sound of rice hurled into space then caught in an abaca basket. Her hands and arms sliced the air in deliberate and precisely choreographed movements. I wasn’t certain whether she followed the rhythm or dictated the pulse.

Mother and child were garbed in ancestral dress, a signature blend of colours and intricate patterns seemingly pulled from a prism and woven into T’nalak cloth, further adorned with an elaborate yet controlled mayhem of rings, necklaces, bells, and anklets.

This was T’boli culture in full display. I patted the child on the head, charmed by the slight imperfection of her eyes.

The T’boli are a fascinating people whose heritage and culture has remained intact. Perhaps the most visually arresting of all indigenous tribes in the Philippines, one could even accuse them of vanity. They are preoccupied – almost obsessed – by all things aesthetically pleasing. Which is a good thing: their zeal is evident in their intricate, elaborate metalwork and textiles, crafted from techniques handed down through generations.

The T’boli are found everywhere around the lake, whether on the roadside, or in the Saturday markets where they display wares for sale. They are hard to miss, and if you overlook the colorful garb, listen. The jingling of bells heralds their arrival.

Time has come to a full stop in Lake Sebu. For that reason you come here because you seek contact with an unblemished past and an innocence intact, perhaps to remind you of when you were a lot less jaded and when you liked yourself a little more.

At ease in a dream-like place

There was no single vantage point to take in the lake in its entirety. We followed its contours, occasionally stopping to glimpse its qualities – clusters of huts on stilts, restrained carabaos grazing close the water’s edge, or the lonely silhouette of a paddler gliding over the fluid plane. Yet each viewpoint offered a different feature. There was no postcard shot, and for that, the possibilities were as numerous as the vantage points. Discovering the lake was a personal experience uniquely one’s own.

Close to the furthest point southwest, a tower provided an elevated view of the lake and the jagged mountains beyond. It entailed clambering up three flights over creaking floorboards and ladders. Fishpens inundated the glassy surface of the great, tranquil pond. From above, crossword puzzle-like shapes, from the formations and placements of bamboo spokes were discernible. Beyond the lake, a collection of peaks beckoned to be trekked and explored.

We raced to the opposite end of the watery basin to catch the sunset. Twilight arrived carrying early evening breezes that formed clouds of mist as it flirted with the lake’s waters. This was not a place defined by activities and a list of things to do. No jet skis or kite boards were present to mar the tranquillity. Silence and contemplation was the main preoccupation here and it filled up the day completely. We gave in to meditative musings as the mountains and the wide sky watched their reflections in the magnificent looking glass.

How do you capture the essence of a place in a photograph? To experience Lake Sebu and its magical allure, you need to be there, not merely to perceive it as a static, frozen image on matte paper.

Bingeing on Tilapia

I stared at the menu of one of the numerous lakeside restaurants, knowing that a more intimate encounter with the lake could be had over a meal. Tilapia was the primary offering but the choices revolved around its preparation – sinugba (grilled), con chicharon (pork crackling), or sweet and sour, among many others. We decided on the sinugba and con chicharon. Amidst mouthfuls of rice and fish soaked in my sawsawan (dipping sauce), a mixture of calamansi (Philippine citrus), suka (vinegar), toyo (soy sauce), and spiked with dinikdik na sili (crushed chilli), we savored the lake. Eating by ample handfuls, we partook of the lake’s bounty, toasting it and washing it down with calamansi juice -- a communion of sorts – thereby making our experience much more complete.

Into space



Strung between two platforms on the opposite ends of a chasm, a steel cable spanned the gap, two hundred meters short of a full kilometer. I was on the zip line’s receiving end, awaiting one raring-to-go “flyer,” strapped securely to a harness attached to the line. On the launch point, a guide radioed in the send-off and after a hefty shove, gravity took over and the spread-eagled rider hurtled across the divide. The squeaks of the spinning pulley were drowned by the shrieks of an ecstatic passenger. Thirty-two seconds later, Ginggay turned up after tearing at speeds of up to 60kph. The excitement on her face spoke volumes. “I want to do it again!”

I had crossed the rift earlier, albeit more liesurely. I preferred images to thrills, scenery to speed. I halted midway and took photos, the Sony Alpha’s variable angle screen coming in quite handily. I hung the awhile, simply enjoying the panoramas and the anxious thrill of being suspended over 80 meters in the air, swinging above the tree line.

This was neither the longest, highest, nor fastest zip line in the country (although it does not lag behind). What distinguishes this is the view it affords the flyer. Other zip lines only fly over canopies, and a canopy is a canopy is a canopy. One tires of it. No other zip line in the country can fly you over waterfalls and follow the drop at close proximity from its source. Three of the renowned Seven Falls, a series of waterfalls cascading from a single source, can be clearly seen from this unique perspective.

Immediately after leaving the base, you soar over falls number two, the highest and most dramatic of the seven, experiencing its power and grandeur even as you move away from it. Two-thirds of the way, falls number four and five materialize. Plummeting through notches the rock, gushing streaks of white cut through dense forest cover.

A second zip line brought us to the base of the second waterfall where a thundering boom and frail spray says nothing of the force that formed the deep pool below it. A motorcycle-ride and a short walk later, we were soaking relaxing our weary limbs in the gentler waters of falls number one.

Lost in time

After loading our packs into the truck, we took a long last look at the lake. Lake Sebu will not be free from modernism for long. Change will come. It always does. The zip line will attract more tourists. I wondered whether the fine balance between development and tradition would be kept. Will it be able to keep its traditions and innocence as modernity encroaches? For now, I was fully caught in the time warp, mesmerized as I was in the little girl’s dance. Nothing else mattered.

“Home, James.” I teased Ginggay after reclining in my seat.

My incidental chauffer gamely smiled and started the engine. A few revs later, our time machine was primed for the journey back to the future. I knew full well that Lake Sebu would still be calling out to me long after I was gone.

TRAVELIFE MAGAZINE is the Philippines’ leading travel & lifestyle publication. www.travelife.biz

Reposted From Travel Life Philippines

Thursday, October 7, 2010

A Repost From Izah Morales of Yahoo! Southeast Asia

Revisiting the galleon trade

By Izah Morales – October 6th, 2010
Photo by Voltaire Domingo/NPPA Images

By Izah Morales, Yahoo! Southeast Asia

The Galeon Andalucia finally arrived in the Philippines on Oct. 6, 2010 after a day of delay due to strong winds encountered from Hong Kong. It was docked at Pier 13 in South Harbor, Manila.

The history of the galleon trade traced its roots in the 16th century when Spain embarked on a worldwide exploration. It made Manila the most important port in Asia, bridging Asia to Europe and the Americas. On Oct. 8, 1565 , Fray Andres de Urdaneta discovered the tournaviaje, which was the return route from the Philippines to America. It proved that the world was not flat and could be navigated in two directions.

The Philippines is this year’s host of the Dia del Galeon Festival, which UNESCO institutionalized at its General Conference in Paris last year. The festival commemorates the glorious past of the galleon trade, which made the world a global village.

Filipinos residing in Luzon can visit the 51-meter-long replica on Oct. 7-8, 2010 from 8:00 am-12:00 nn and 1:00-4:00 pm. On Oct. 9, it will only be opened from 8:00 am until 12:00 noon.

Thirty high school students from Aurora will be joining the Spanish crew for the Viaje del Galeon, a four-day educational trip from Manila to Cebu on Oct. 9-12.

Reposted From Izah Morales of Yahoo! Southeast Asia

Monday, September 20, 2010

A Repost From Yahoo! Southeast Asia

A taste of Albay’s unique ‘sinigang sa buko’

By Yahoo! Southeast Asia Editors – September 20th, 2010
600loqal_sinigangsabuko

By Marjorie Gorospe, loQal.ph

DARAGA, ALBAY — Who says all dishes in Bicol need to be spicy? At Gotohan sa Cagsawa, I had a taste of a somewhat unique version of a quintessential Filipino dish.

Sinigang sa buko was created by brothers Beting and Zhar Solomon as they were starting up their gotohan in 1996.

According to Michelle, Beting’s daughter, her father and uncle wanted to present something unique for the tourists in Cagsawa ruins who may not be inclined to spicy dishes the province is famous for, like the Bicol Express and laing.

I love both dishes she mentioned but I can vouch that it’s really hard to eat something spicy after walking under the heat of the sun and THEN sweat some more.

Good thing someone selling souvenirs recommended their restaurant, located on the left side of the Cagsawa ruins facing the famous Mayon Volcano.

“Not everyone who visits here wants spicy after a long walk from the ruins. We also needed to have an ‘attraction’ because of competition among neighboring small establishments,” says Michelle.

Through recommendations from customers, it has become one of their most requested dish. You can choose from blue marlin, shrimp, pork and beef for your sinigang sa buko.

I picked blue marlin and I was not disappointed. Unlike the usual sinigang, it is a bit sweet because of the buko juice that blends with the tamarind and ginger. Imagine yourself drinking buko juice with its white flesh while also enjoying the blue marlin.

Michelle shares that although Mayon is still placed under threat of eruption, tourists keep coming to see it. In 2006, she recalls, they were badly affected by typhoon Reming but life must go on for them but small businesses are able to rebuild anew.

She also shares that because it has always been recommended by other people, most neighboring food establishments also imitate their recipe but they don’t feel bothered since locals would know who made it first.

If going to Albay seems like a stretch, Michelle gladly shared this sinigang sa buko recipe.

Ingredients:
tomatoes
onion
ginger
iodized salt
buko juice (with the white flesh)
tamarind
fish (beef or pork is also an option)

Boil the tomatoes with ginger and onion. When it reaches boiling point, add the buko juice and its white flesh. Add fish and enough of the tamarind to desired sour taste.

Reposted From Yahoo! Southeast Asia

Friday, July 16, 2010

Tommy Thompson- Upcoming Contemporary Artist

Purple Cottage - Oil on Canvas - 11" x 14" - $ 500.00 USD



Harpeth River Snag - Oil on Panel - 11" x 14" - $ 500.00 USD



Feeding The Ducks - Oil on Canvas - 10" x 20" - $ 950.00 USD



Vinalhaven Island, Maine - Oil on Canvas 48" x 60" - $ 8,495.00 USD



Old Lyme, CT Farm - Oil on Canvas - 9" x 12" - $ 550.00 USD



Natchez Trace Vista - Oil on Canvas - 24" x 36" - $ 2,400.00 USD



Blue Heron on Radnor Lake - Oil on Canvas - 16" x 20" - $ 1,250.00 USD- Sold



Reflections on Radnor - Oil on Canvas- 12" x 24" - $ 1,200.00 USD



Leiper's Fork Country- Oil on Canvas- 11" x 14" - $ 600.00 USD



Preserving Bell's Bend- Oil on Canvas- 20" x 24"- $ 1,500.00 USD



Afternoon Hunt - Oil on Canvas- 10" x 20" - $ 950.00 USD



Tuckered Out - Oil on Canvas - 11" x 14" - $ 600.00 USD



Hidden Barn - Oil on Panel - 8" x 10" - $ 500.00 USD



Harpeth at Fulton Greer Park- Oil on Panel - 11" x 14"-
$ 600.00 USD




Southern Light - Oil - 18" x 24" - $ 1,400.00 USD - On Hold





Tommy Thompson at work in his canvas



The children of Tommy Thompson ( I presume)


Personal Profile

Tommy Thompson

About Me

Although I have 30+ years of experience as an illustrator, I prefer painting traditional landscapes and portraits in oil. I have studied under master portrait artists, Daniel Greene, Michael Shane Neal, and Dawn Whitelaw. My experience in landscape painting has been enhanced through study with Ken Auster, Kenn Backhaus, Roger Dale Brown, John Budicin, Scott Christensen, Paula Frizbe, Kevin Macpherson, Ned Mueller, and Jason Saunders. To broaden my knowledge and skills in art, I have studied the works and writings of John F. Carlson, Charles Hawthorne, Everett Raymond Kinstler, Frank LaLumia, Edgar Payne, John Singer Sargent, Richard Schmid, and Andrew Wyeth. I participated in Kevin Macpherson´s "En Plein Air Masters Chateau des Arts Mentor Series," in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in 2007. I am represented by Local Color Gallery, Nashville, TN; Loblolly Interior Market, Columbia, TN; and Willis-Gray Gallery, Decatur, Alabama. I belong to the Oil Painters of America, Landscape Artists International, the Portrait Society of America, the Alabama Plein Air Painters, and the Chestnut Group, a nonprofit alliance of landscape artists, Franklin, TN.

His Blog- Paintings Under The Sun


Critique

I have never seen a prolific and compleat contemporary artists such as Tommy Thompson. With so much fantastic works of art that he churned out all these years, you can not help but be amazed at the greatness of his works which spread out to all kinds of classification. I have featured just a scratch on the surface of his marvelous works which I shall surely feature again in some future time. Although his artworks are quite expensive as compared to other upcoming contemporary artists, they are worth all the money that the art lover will pay for his exquisite and fine works of arts. His art works are a must buy to all serious art lovers and collectors.


Tags: Tommy Thompson, Upcoming Contemporary Artist, Works of Art, Masterpieces, Art, Paintings, Colors, Canvas, Visual Arts

Posted by: Mel Avila Alarilla
Philippines
Artworks/Paintings/Upcoming Contemporary Artist

Jesus Saves! Jesus Heals! Jesus Gives Eternal Life. Jesus Is The Same Yesterday, Today And Forever.

Drowning? Need A SAVIOR?


Click Here And You Will Find The answer



Followers