Wish you were here

Monday, December 31, 2007

USHERING IN A GOLDEN NEW YEAR

posted by Señor Enrique at 6:25 AM | 12 comments

Sunday, December 30, 2007

111th JOSE RIZAL DAY

posted by Señor Enrique at 5:33 PM | 6 comments

Saturday, December 29, 2007

PORT OF MANILA

This is the country's most active port. The width of its entrance measures 19 kilometers and expands to 48 kilometers. Its anchorage is at Mariveles, Bataan which is just inside the northern entrance.

However, long before the Americans built Port of Manila in Manila Bay, all ships docked at the mouth of the Pasig River at its northern bank in Binondo. Ships back then were able to sail up to where Jones Bridge is now.

The old port also served as the staging point for the Manila galleons during the Spanish era. Supposedly, there are historical findings that indicate even before the Spanish rule, the original port had already been frequented by ships from various Asian countries.

The old names of some streets near the north bank of the Pasig River reflect this area as a maritime hub -- Muelle del Rey (King's Wharf) and Muelle del Banco. There were also facilities for repairing ships including a shipyard, as well as the customs house or Aduana which is located over on the southern bank. It has since been abandoned and probably demolished.

Nowadays, the old port is still being used mostly to load and unload barges.

posted by Señor Enrique at 10:35 AM | 10 comments

Thursday, December 27, 2007

i-MAG PHOTOGRAPHY - STILL LIFE

The way I understand it, still life photography is the grouping of inanimate objects -- such as decorative items, freshly-cut flowers or various fruits -- arranged in such a way as to resemble subjects for fine art paintings. It can be challenging, for the photographer must have fundamental knowledge of photography, as well as basic skills in lighting and compositional techniques.

I was one of five photographers invited by i-Mag Photography Magazine to submit a couple of photographs for its article, Still Life Clinic (Volume 1 Number 12 issue). The submitted images were then scrutinized by two seasoned professional photographers, Noli Gabilo and Mark Floro.

It wasn't a photo contest by any means; rather, the intention was for everyone to learn from the pros' critiques.

The photograph above was one of two I had submitted that were included in this tutorial article. I must admit, the merits and faults pointed out by Noli and Mark were humbling yet enlightening. Certainly, many readers learn from their insight as well.

If you're a budding photographer, I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of this issue. Who knows? What you gain from it may someday help you grab a top prize in a photo contest.

posted by Señor Enrique at 4:40 PM | 20 comments

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

A SWEET HOLIDAY TREAT - BALICUTSA

If the Tagalogs have their tira-tira, the Ilocanos have their balicutsa or balicutya. And while the former are in stick form, the latter are shaped like curlicues; both are sugar candies made from sugarcane.

Tira-tira I had a lot of as a kid. It was always readily available at Manong's sari-sari store in the neighborhood. But the balicutsa I tasted for the first time only recently when a friend gave me a pack this Christmastime. It's incredibly sweet and tastes very much like a piece of panocha. As many know, panocha is a sort of brown sugar that is crystallized with limewater and poured into a coconut shell until it hardens. It is then cut into smaller pieces and used primarily to sweeten a cup of tea or when frying those banana-cues or kamote-cues.

And unlike the panocha and tira-tira which is available year-round, the balicutsa is only plentiful after a sugarcane harvest. Incidentally, you don't bite into a balicutsa as done with a tira-tira stick. You simply allow the whole piece to melt in your mouth. A sip of water is recommended immediately afterwards so as to wash away the excessive sweetness from the palate.

So while a typical holiday buffet table may be loaded with the usual sugary fare such as the creamy fruit salad, ubiquitous rice cakes, traditional leche flan, and various sweetened pastries from Goldilock's or Red Ribbon, a plate of balicutsa could certainly elicit just as much much curiosity, especially from the kids with a sweet tooth if not from the older folks with fond memories attached to it.

Now, for a bit of the sugarcane's history:

In the beginning, sugar is believed to have been widely used in Polynesia, and then in India. The Persians discovered it when Emperor Darius of Persia invaded India In 510 B.C. The Persians kept sugarcane a closely guarded secret as they amassed exorbitant profits from exporting its products.

When the Arabs invaded Persia in 642 A.D., they found its sugarcane fields and eventually learned how sugar was made. The Arabs were responsible for developing its early refining process and for establishing sugar production in other lands that they conquered, including North Africa and Spain. It was also the Arabic writers who first documented the sugarcane's refining process.

The western Europeans discovered sugar in the 11th Century AD when crusaders returning home talked of this "new spice" with a pleasant taste. The first time sugar was recorded in England was in 1099. Subsequently, the country's importation of which developed and grew when it established trade with the East. Records also indicate that the price of sugar in London was at two shillings a pound in 1319 A.D., which equates to about US$100 per kilo at today's prices. Obviously, a purchase affordable only by the rich.

The Chinese, on the other hand, as early as around 1800 B.C. was already cultivating the sugarcane. Sugar had become a popular part of the Chinese culture when some of its products were created as wedding and holiday gifts. It was also the early traders of China who were responsible for introducing sugar to its neighboring countries.

Sugar supposedly reached the Philippines when a sailing vessel from Celebes brought sugarcane to Mindanao some 4,000 years before the Christian era. However, no hard evidence is available to support such claim. Neither is there any verifiable record as to when sugar making came to the knowledge of the Filipinos.

However, according to the chronicles of Pigafetta, when Magellan arrived in the Southern Philippine islands in 1521, the natives, headed by Rajah Calanao, served them refreshments made of sugarcane. The same thing happened to other Spanish explorers in Northern Luzon.

New World sugar later came about when the Portuguese and Spanish navigators introduced the cultivation of sugarcane in the 15th Century, and it was generally presumed that it was the Spaniards who introduced the Filipinos to its cultivation as a means to minimize the importation expenses from China.

Yet sugar was not produced in the Philippines for quite some time because it was being imported from Mexico until the early 16th century. It wasn't until the early 17th century when sugar plantations began to emerge throughout the Philippines and became a thriving industry. And with the proliferation of the local sugar supply, the foothold of the Chinese on the sugar market declined. During that period, the Chinese sold rock sugar called cande for 8 reales per 25 pounds, which was a steep price back then.

Nowadays, although its price would go up now and then, sugar remains affordable by the general public. And contrary to common belief, eating too much sugar does not cause diabetes. But eating too much of it can cause obesity which can trigger the development of type 2 diabetes in some people.

However, much like opiates and nicotine, sugar is highly addictive. And the only thing good about sugar -- as some practitioners in the medical field will point out -- is that it tastes good. Hence some of our medicines, including most of our cuisines (besides the sweet desserts), wouldn't be as palatable without their sugar content.

Sadly, however, some historians claimed that the most brutal slave trade in the history of man -- in massive scale across international waters -- was boosted by the growing demand for sugarcane products.

posted by Señor Enrique at 6:39 AM | 20 comments

Friday, December 21, 2007

CHRISTMAS 2007

posted by Señor Enrique at 7:39 PM | 31 comments

Thursday, December 20, 2007

MANILA'S ENCHANTING EVENING

posted by Señor Enrique at 9:02 PM | 40 comments

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

MANILA'S GIANT LANTERNS

posted by Señor Enrique at 8:14 AM | 37 comments

LUNETA AFTER DARK

posted by Señor Enrique at 6:04 AM | 18 comments

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

NOONTIME LUNETA

posted by Señor Enrique at 8:50 AM | 20 comments

Monday, December 17, 2007

FORMERLY ISAAC PERAL

Isaac Peral was a Spanish scientist, inventor, and military man. He invented the submarine -- the first U-boat in naval history -- that was able to fire torpedoes under water while maintaining full propulsive power and control.

He was sent in mission to the Philippines in 1881, first as a geographer and later as an officer of a gunboat. During his stay in the Philippines, he received seven patents between 1887 and 1891 for his other inventions.

A street in Ermita, Manila was named after him, which unfortunately, was changed to United Nations Avenue.

Historian Gregorio Zaide once called the indiscriminate changing of our old street names as “bigoted nationalism and jingoism” -- merely advancing the interests of certain politicians and public officials whose names have been used as replacements. The adverse effect of which is the erasure of historical heritage from our national consciousness.

Perhaps, Mayor Lim ought to seriously consider restoring the old but historic names of our streets and boulevards. And as fellow blogger Urbano de la Cruz had once suggested, the mayor should just simply add a special name for certain major crossroads of Manila. For example, the name Claro M. Recto Plaza for the corner of Rizal Avenue and Claro M. Recto instead of completely renaming the entire stretch of Azcarraga to Claro M. Recto Avenue.

Anyway, I was in the old Isaac Peral the other day and took pictures of some structures along the street such as the Philam Life Building, Doctor's Hospital, the hotel that houses Casino Filipino (its original name was the Manila Hilton; changed to Holiday Inn; and now, Waterfront Hotels & Casino).

The last photograph is the quaint Jade Vine Hotel. Its restaurant serves the best kare-kare in town along with its delectable special bagoong.

Labels: life in Manila, photography, street name change

posted by Señor Enrique at 8:52 AM | 34 comments

Friday, December 14, 2007

DIVISORIA CHRISTMAS SHOPPING RUSH

posted by Señor Enrique at 8:38 PM | 32 comments

Thursday, December 13, 2007

A DIRECTOR'S LIVING MOVIE SET

Auraeus Solito, popularly known in the neighborhood as "Direk" more so than by his boyhood nickname of Aris, gave as a guided tour of the block where he was born and grew up on. It's in the area better known as Guipit in Sampaloc, Manila.

Two of his films, Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros and Pisay, were shot in this neighborhood with some of the residents playing bit roles.

A full length interview with this award-winning director conducted by Isabel L. Templo will be featured in the maiden issue of Art-in-Site Magazine. For inquiries and submissions please email Patricia Laurel, editor-in-chief, at ptrclaurel@yahoo.com.

posted by Señor Enrique at 8:05 PM | 14 comments

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

EARLY FILIPINO APPAREL AND GEAR

Contrary to the manner in which they were depicted as uncivilized jungle clods during the 1904 St. Louis World Fair, the Filipinos, prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, had a thriving civilization of their own. Various aspects of which were derived from the Malays who settled in the country.

Traces of their early customs and traditions remain evident in some rural areas. They were marks of success in resisting the impact of modern civilization. Therefore, many pre-colonial Filipino customs and practices are still operative in many parts of the archipelago -- giving observers first-hand materials for reconstructing the nation's distant past.

Take for example its tradition of clothing. The male attire usually composed of the upper and lower parts. The upper was referred to as kanggan. It was a short-sleeved black or blue collarless jacket. The chosen color signified the wearer's rank -- the chief wore red, while those of lower stature wore black or blue. The lower part of the attire, called bahag, was usually a strip of cloth wrapped about the waist, passing down between the thighs; thereby leaving the wearer's thighs and legs exposed.

The women's dress was also comprised of the upper and lower parts. The upper was called camisa or baro. It was a jacket with sleeves. The lower part, on the other hand, was a loose skirt called saya by the Tagalogs and patadyong by the Visayans. A piece of red or white cloth, called tapis, was often wrapped about the waist as an accent.

A headgear made of cloth, called putong, was worn by the men. It was wrapped around his head. Its color signified the "manliness" of the man. Red usually indicated that the wearer had once engaged in a battle and victoriously killed an enemy. But for someone who had slain at least seven was entitled to wear an embroidered headgear.

The women wore no headgear; they merely wore their hair gracefully knotted at the back of the head.

With gold and precious stones abundant in the local mines and rivers, both male and female Filipinos wore ornaments or jewelries -- kalumbiga (armlets), pendants, bracelets, rings, earrings, and leglets.

As for their footwear, everyone walked barefoot in those early times, for the use of sandals and shoes didn't come about until the arrival and rule of the Spanish.

posted by Señor Enrique at 1:51 PM | 22 comments

Monday, December 10, 2007

THE PHILIPPINES IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

In December of 1904, Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor, editor of National Geographic was told by his printer that he was short on copy for its next issue. What made matters worse was that Grovesnor had no other manuscripts on hand to fill the space.

However, by sheer chance, he had received in the mail 50 beautiful photographs of Lhasa, the mysterious capital of Tibet, on the very day that he urgently needed eleven pages of material for the January 1905 issue. The Russian explorers who took the pictures offered them free; thus, he was able to fill the entire eleven pages -- with photographs.

Grosvenor expected to be fired by the magazine's board of directors for filling so much space with just photos. But when the magazine was published, people stopped him on the street to congratulate him on the Lhasa photo spread. Hence he started to run more and more pictures in National Geographic.

A cousin of his, William Howard Taft who was then the governor general of the Philippines, sent him 138 pictures depicting the Philippines, which he published in the April 1905 issue. It proved to be very popular that a second printing was immediately ordered. The discontinued left over "wine colored" cover stock was used to fulfill the rushed demand for a second printing.

Thereafter, membership in the National Geographic Society soared from 3,662 in January 1905 to 11,479 by the end of the year.

A mint copy of National Geographic April 1905 issue was sold on ebay for $120.00.

But nonetheless, it would be nice if somehow National Geographic could share with us, even in digital format, this particular article with those photographs of the Philippines taken during the American colonial era.

posted by Señor Enrique at 3:37 PM | 28 comments

Sunday, December 09, 2007

FEU CHAPEL'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY

This art deco chapel was designed by architect Felipe Mendoza who also designed the other buildings within the FEU campus such as the Arts Building and the FEU Hospital (which was torn down some years ago and replaced with a new structure).

What has now become a landmark, the chapel took two years to build and was inaugurated on Dec. 8, 1957. The blessing was conducted by then Manila Archbishop Rufino J. Santos (who would later become cardinal), with former first lady Luz B. Magsaysay as one of its principal sponsors.

Since it can only seat about 300 people, the altar area was elevated by 5 feet so that those standing outside can still see it unobstructed. It has a spacious choir loft, an adoration chapel, and so as to give the interiors a soothing and natural illumination from the outside, huge Romanesque glass windows were installed on its frontage.

The chapel has also become a repository of sort for some artworks by Carlos "Botong" Francisco -- an image of the crucified Christ on the altar, a Station of the Cross mural, and on its facade is a mosaic image of Our Lady of Fatima.

At the back of the church are seminar rooms and offices for the campus' church-oriented student organizations whose activities are coordinated by the Archdiocese of Manila’s Campus Ministry and the University’s Office of Student Affairs and Community Services.

posted by Señor Enrique at 7:05 AM | 10 comments

Saturday, December 08, 2007

OVER SOME ILOCANO WINE

Last Thursday, Bong Bong Marcos hosted a reception in the South Wing Gallery on the fifth floor of the Museum of the Filipino People. It was to commemorate the short-lived Basi Revolt that happened 200 years ago on September 16 to 28, 1807.

It was a wonderful gathering of many Manilenyo and Ilocano culturati -- from the academe to the performance and visual arts. Although not a member of any these groups, but nonethless a son of an Ilocano from Zambales, I went. I must admit, the abundance of basi and hors d'oeuvres (comprised of authentic Ilocano fare) certainly kept everyone's spirit bouyant; hence a splendid time was had by all.

Incidentally, untll next Friday, December 14, in the South Wing Gallery is a two-man exhibit, Aklasang Basi by Esteban Villanueva, an early 19th century Ilocano artist, and Roberto Feleo, a contemporary Tagalog painter and sculptor.

Regarded as the first historical paintings in Southeast Asia, these fourteen paintings that depict the Basi Revolt -- from the formation of the contending forces up to the defeat of the rebels -- were created in 1821 by the self-taught painter Villanueva. On the other hand, Feleo's two large murals and other works on display were inspired by Villanueva's paintings.

posted by Señor Enrique at 8:56 AM | 30 comments

Friday, December 07, 2007

ON PADRE FAURA AND FATHER HEYDEN

I was negotiating out of a traffic snarl one afternoon in Ermita, Manila when my nephew asked who Padre Faura was. I was startled. At that very moment, I had just made a right turn to a street named after that man, while my nephew, prompted by the sight of the street sign, posed the question. I grappled for an answer but only lost my driving concentration in the process; almost running over a cigarette vendor who suddenly crossed our path.

Just as I suspected -- based on the wide grin on my nephew's face when we found the entrance to the parking area of Robinson's Mall -- his asking about Padre Faura was nothing more than a means to arrest a growing boredom from sitting in a car stuck in traffic. However, curiosity stayed with me throughout the rest of the afternoon. I could only guess that Padre Faura was probably someone of an authority on our judicial system since the Supreme Court is located on a street named after him. Nonetheless, I promised myself I would find out more about the man behind the name even if only for personal edification.

Padre Faura, as it turned out, was a Jesuit priest acknowledged for having founded the Manila Observatory (Observatorio Meteorologico de Manila) with the help of his fellow Jesuits. The observatory was to serve as his laboratory to predict the passing of typhoons.

The 1913 edition of the Catholic Encyclopedia documented the early successes of Padre Faura in meteorological forecasting. On July 7, 1879, it noted that he predicted a storm would pass over northern Luzon; it proved to be accurate. This incident marked the first time that the existence, duration, and course of a typhoon had been duly documented in the Far East.

On the following November 18, Padre Faura predicted a second typhoon, which he said would pass through Manila. The announcement enabled the public to take proper precautions; thus comparatively little damage was experienced in Manila. Unfortunately, due to a lack of telegraphic communication, other regions suffered enormous losses. Forty-two vessels were wrecked in Southern Luzon alone, and many lives were lost.

Eventually, the Manila Observatory began to provide other services: time in 1885; seismology in 1887; and astronomy in 1889.

In 1901, the Americans named the observatory the country's official weather bureau. For the next 50 years it would pursue numerous studies, win many awards, and receive inclusion in a 1940 National Geographic article on world-famous observatories.

Regarding its early days, Ambeth Ocampo wrote, "Imagine the Manila Observatory during Padre Faura's day perched in the pigeon coop atop the Ateneo in Intramuros with a thermometer, hygrometer, a barometer of oil (not mercury!) and an anemometer (a piece of cloth tied to the end of a pole to get direction and force of wind)."

The services provided by the Manila Observatory has since been taken over by PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration), PHIVOLCS (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology), and other agencies in and outside the Philippines.

Now, here's a very interesting addition to this tale of Padre Faura:

The construction of a 19-inch refracting telescope and dome in 1897 in Manila marked the first big step in astronomy in the Philippines. Unfortunately, Padre Faura died before its completion, but his successors pursued his plans.

In 1926, Spanish astronomer Father Miguel Selga from Georgetown University Observatory was assigned to the Manila Observatory. The first professional astronomer to work in the Philippines, Father Selga studied the speed, color and rotation of variable stars, gave the first precise latitude and longitude of Manila, studied lunar and solar eclipses, and improved the time service.

In 1938, another young priest from Georgetown was assigned to Manila, the German-American Reverend Francis J. Heyden. After having served a few years in the country, he was sent back to the US to pursue his doctorate in Astronomy. However, he returned to Manila and rejoined the Manila Observatory in 1972 after his retirement from the Georgetown University Observatory. He was later named the new Chief Astronomer of the Manila Observatory, as well as its subsequent chief of the Solar Studies Division.

The Georgetown University Observatory was later renamed Heyden Observatory in his honor. Also, New York City's famed planetarium was named after him.

Personally, I have many fond memories of the Heyden Planetarium, especially its Saturday night series of dazzling light shows set against a soundtrack of awesome, transporting music. Henceforth I remain indebted to my nephew's smarmy cerebral proclivities, for it incited me to learn about Padre Faura, as well as discover Father Heyden's connection with Manila.

posted by Señor Enrique at 6:43 AM | 22 comments

Thursday, December 06, 2007

ON PAOLO COELHO

It took him only two weeks to write The Alchemist in 1987. It is about a man who dreams that he must leave home to find a treasure and, upon arriving at this destination, discovers that the treasure is in fact buried all along in his native land.

Since then, the book has been translated into sixty-four languages and has sold more than twenty million copies. A movie deal has also been acquired in which Laurence Fishburne -- who played Morpheus in the movie The Matrix -- will star as the alchemist. Fishburne also wrote the script and will direct.

The New Yorker's profile of Paolo Coelho points out that his special talent lies in his ability to speak to everyone at once. And that the kind of spirituality he espouses is open to all comers. Moreover, his plots tend to be allegorical in which many readers can connect with -- seeing their own lives in his books. But of most interest is that many readers find Coelho's prose to be unadorned and pleasant. The actress Julia Roberts in a 2001 television documentary about Coelho said, "It's like music, really, the way that he writes, it's so beautiful."

A history professor at the University of Passo Fundo and one of the few Brazilian critics who does not reflexively dismiss Coelho, Mario Maestri, has written, "In spite of belonging to different genres, Coelho's narratives and self-help books have the same fundamental effect: of anesthetizing the alienated consciousness through the consoling reaffirmation of conventions and prevailing prejudices. Fascinated by his discoveries, the Coelhist reader explores the familiar, breaks down doors already open, and gets mired in sentimental, tranquilizing, self-centered, conformist, and spellbinding visions of the world that imprisons him. When he finishes a book, he wants another one that will be different but absolutely the same."

Paolo Coelho's books include eight novels, two memoirs, several collections of occasional writing, a volume of quotations, and Warrior of the Light: A Manual, a book of platitudes. His books have sold nearly a hundred million copies.

posted by Señor Enrique at 4:33 AM | 28 comments

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

NICANOR S. ABELARDO, A FILIPINO GENIUS IN MUSIC

Nicanor S. Abelardo was born in San Miguel, Bulacan in February 7, 1893 to Valentin Abelardo and Placida Santa Ana; both were musically gifted.

When his uncle, a painter, brought the young Abelardo to Manila to study at Quiapo Primary School, the piano at his uncle's studio fascinated him so much that he started tinkering with its keys. Soon enough, he learned to play it by himself.

Eventually, the piano player at Cinematografo Filipino, Francisco Buencamino, heard about Abelardo's talents and asked him to substitute for him. There the young boy played piano accompaniments to silent films. Buencamino also hired him to play at other venues so at the tender age of 13, the young boy was already a regular attraction at some of Manila's saloons and cabarets.

Abelardo went back home to his hometown of San Miguel and finished sixth grade. Immediately afterwards, he accepted an appointment as a music teacher in barrio schools. In 1916, he finally took up courses under Guy F. Harrison and Robert Schofield at the UP Conservatory of Music.

But nonetheless, it was Abelardo's father who first introduced him to the rudiments of music at age five by teaching him the solfeggio and the banduria. He later on picked up the violin and learned to play it without much difficulty. And at only eight years of age, he wrote his first composition, Ang Unang Buko, a waltz, which he dedicated to his grandmother.

Abelardo went on to receive his teacher’s certificate in science and composition in 1921 from the University of the Philippines. Subsequently, three years hence, he was appointed head of the composition department at the university's Conservatory of Music.

His creative genius elevated the kundiman to a veritable art form, bringing it to art-song status. Among his works were Nasaan Ka Irog, Magbalik Ka Hirang, and Himutok. He also composed the melody for the university's official anthem, U.P. Naming Mahal.

With a small grant from UP, Abelardo went to America to pursue graduate studies at the Chicago Musical College. It was there he composed Cinderella which won for him the Las Violetta Scholarship in Chicago.

Years later, back in the Philippines, he and his family ran a boarding house where students lived and took music lessons from him. Among his students were National Artist Antonino Buenaventura, Alfredo Lozano and Lucino Sacramento.

He died on March 21, 1934 at the age of 41, leaving a prolific collection of more than 140 works. The building housing the College of Music in UP Diliman, Abelardo Hall, is named in his honor.

posted by Señor Enrique at 5:42 AM | 26 comments

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

SUHA FROM DAVAO

This is one local fruit in which I am at the mercy of the vendor, for I have absolutely no idea whether they're really from Davao or not, or if from a good variety at all. Although sometimes, a vendor would offer an open fruit from which you can get a taste of (or tikim). But then again, what you're buying is still completely covered by a tough and thick peel. At any rate, the good ones that I managed to buy are, indeed, juicy and sweet.

Suha is sometimes referred to as pomelo or shaddock, after an English sea captain, Captain Shaddock, who introduced the seed to the West Indies in the 17th century from the Malay Archipelago.

It also has curative uses such as against nausea and fainting by squeezing its rind near the nostrils while inhaling. And there are some folks who boil suha seeds in a gallon of water to use as sitz-bath.

These days, suha from Davao costs 60-to-70 pesos a kilo in the Quiapo area.

posted by Señor Enrique at 4:37 AM | 25 comments

Monday, December 03, 2007

O BED! O BED!

posted by Señor Enrique at 8:37 AM | 22 comments

Saturday, December 01, 2007

MV DOULOS' FINAL VISIT IN MANILA

Bea Wessels from Austria warmly greets the visitors of MV Doulos. She is among the ship's 350 volunteers from various countries who are otherwise known as ambassadors of goodwill and peace.

From captain to cook, and from administrators to book fair personnel, every one is a dedicated volunteer. And only the captain and his immediate officers, including the ship's engineers, possess certified maritime training and prior experience; the rest are all volunteers who either undergo on the job training while on board, or bring a set of skills along with them to contribute. The Dolous has about seven Filipino volunteer crewmembers in its present roster.









Doulos has traveled to over 100 countries since 1978 and carries over 6,000 different titles of books, covering a wide range of subjects. The vessel has received over 18 million visitors; in some ports, thousands of people reportedly waited in line each day for several hours to come on board.

The official mission of the Doulos is to spread knowledge, help and hope through good education. And through its floating book fair and many cultural exchange programs, it's able to encourage international understanding and friendship.





Built in 1914 (only a couple of years younger than the Titanic) the Doulos is the world's oldest passenger liner still sailing the seven seas. She has had three previous names: Medina, Roma, and Franca C. It has also served different roles -- freighter, migrant carrier, and cruise liner.

In 1977, Doulos (servant in Greek) was purchased by Gute Bücher für Alle e.V. (Good Books for All), a private, non-profit, charitable organization registered in Germany. It is now a floating book fair.

Unfortunately, this may be the last time the Doulos will get to offer their shipload of books to Manilenyos. That is because this 93-year-old vessel, with most of its interior paneling made of wood, must retire in 2010 in accordance with the international maritime law.

The ship is currently docked in Manila's Pier 15 (behind the Manila Hotel) and will remain in the city until December 23. The book fair is open from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm.

posted by Señor Enrique at 7:36 AM | 26 comments

Life in Manila as observed by a former New Yorker who with a laptop and camera has reinvented himself as a storyteller. Winner of the PHILIPPINE BLOG AWARDS: Best Photo Blog in 2007 and three Best Single Post awards in 2008.

 

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