My SUPERWISH for my family this year

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Is there a perfect plan? Maybe but sometimes things don’t go as planned. It is one lesson I have learned when making travel plans. It was Lao Tzu that said ““a good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.”

When my daughter made plans to take a short vacation back to the Philippines,I started to create travel itineraries for Cebu and Baguio. It’s been my SUPERWISH to travel together once again as a family, after all my second daughter has been away for a year now. Baguio is my husband’s place of birth while it is Cebu for me. Visiting our birthplaces is something I want my daughters to experience once again. They used to visit Cebu and Baguio as kids but this time around, they are adults. Since my father-in-law turned 80 this month , a reunion was planned way ahead of time for Baguio on the first week of January. Sadly, my eldest daughter got the flu and didn’t want to travel to Baguio as she recuperated. It was more important that my daughter recovered quickly than insist that she travel along with us. Her grandfather would understand.

It was just my husband, my second daughter and myself. My father in law’s birthday celebration brought a lot of good cheers and laughter among the family members. The cold Baguio air added a more holiday feeling to our vacation as we warmed ourselves by the fire. I was missing my eldest daughter yet it has always been my wish that my family members are well. We can always travel some other time. There was Cebu.

Our Cebu vacation was planned by my second daughter. Much as I wanted my husband to join us for the Sinulog Celebration, I was unable to book a ticket for the weekend. This time around, it was just me and my two daughters. Our plan to travel as a complete family fell through again but it was still no big deal.

My two daughters do not really know Cebu , my hometown. The last time we stayed here for a long vacation was when they were toddlers. Sinulog is also something they have never experienced. In fact, the last time I experienced the Sinulog was twenty seven years ago when dad was one of the organizers. I made sure to get them photo IDs to capture the festivities. It was overwhelming to see the huge crowds that gravitated to Cebu. Never have I seen so many people in Cebu. I explained to my daughter that Sinulog festival is recent but the “Sinulog dance” existed a long time ago.

Visiting the Sto. Nino Church, I showed the woman vendor selling candles offering prayers to the Sto. Nino. The vendor does the traditional version of the dance when lighting a candle with a prayer. I asked the woman for prayers for my family. As I watched her dance, all I could think of is my wish that my family is healthy and well.

Check this video that I took of the prayer-dance.

With a little help from Wikipedia, I found the origins of this dance.

The Sinulog dance steps are believed to originate from Rajah Humabon’s adviser, Baladhay. It was during Humabon’s grief when Baladhay was driven sick. Humabon ordered his native tribe to bring Baladhay into a room where the Santo Niño was enthroned, along with the other pagan gods of the native Cebuanos. After a few days passed, Baladhay was heard shouting and was found dancing with utmost alertness. Baladhay was questioned as to why was he awake and shouting. Pointing to the image of the Santo Niño, Baladhay explained that he had found on top of him a small child trying to wake him and tickling him with the midrib of the coconut. Greatly astonished, he scared the child away by shouting. The little child got up and started making fun of Baladhay. In turn, Baladhay danced with the little child and explained that he was dancing the movements of the river. To this day, the two-steps forward, one-step backward movement is still used by Santo Niño devotees who believe that it was the Santo Niño’s choice to have Baladhay dance.

It was fascinating to watch .

The prayer dance is so paganistic despite the Catholic origins of the Sto Nino but I believe it is faith too.

As I reflect on our two vacations this month, it may not seem perfect but what is most important to me? True, I still wish to pursue travel plans this year with my family. Now if it doesn’t push through, it is not a big deal. I can adjust. I’d rather get up in the morning, knowing they are happy and well.

My SUPERWISH for my family is love, good health and happiness.

Just the two of us. More Fun in the Philippines #ItsMoreFunInThePhilippines

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“FUN is a very simple word that everyone in the world understands.” Secretary Jimenez

My husband and I hied off to Boracay last Summer. We had so much fun. It was just the two of us having fun. Our children are all grown up and it gives us the chance to travel places in and out of the Philippines. Just the two of us makes it even more enjoyable as we venture out to new places in the Philippines. I have been to Boracay alone but never with my husband. Lounging by my chair and enjoying the soft cool breeze , I spot him strolling along the shoreline of the white sandy beach. Walking barefoot on this powdery white is therapeutic.

Just the two of us, strolling and letting our feet enjoy and sink into the fine white sand as our eyes feasted on the crystal blue ocean and the coastline of the other island. So much fun to be together in a beautiful place.

When my siblings visit me here, I hear the words “oh it was so much fun.”

Department of Tourism announcement of the slogan “It’s more Fun in the Philippines” last Friday felt true. What is even remarkable is that the campaign slogan is we are all part of the campaign. You and me define the true meaning of fun and happiness. It does not mean closing our eyes to the sad realities of the Philippines. It does not mean that our government shouldn’t fix our airports, the infrastructure and other support systems. There is nothing wrong about the showing truth. There is nothing wrong about highlighting what is GREAT in our country.

“It’s more Fun in the Philippines” works especially when you know how to balance work and fun. When you know how to be part of the solution

The Filipinos are already known around the world to be one of the happiest and warmest people on earth. The campaign hopes to enjoin the whole country in creating positive buzz of the tagline. We can fix the negatives and focus on our positives. There’s more than 7,107 awesome reasons to love the Philippines, so my friend Ryan says.

I support it because I travel a lot and know how to have fun. “It’s more Fun in The Philippines” works especially when you know how to balance work and fun. When you know how to be part of the solution

The response of most netizens have been overwhelming and enthusiastic that creative ways of showing how #itsmorefuninthePhilippines are being displayed here.

You can also do it like my image above. Try the MoreFunMaker.com (If you have photoshop skills, check out Jayvee’s How to make your own ““It’s More Fun in the Philippines” Meme.

What about you? How can you make the new Philippine slogan work?

How can one be involved?

To Join in the Campaign, just tweet about things that are more FUN in the Philippines and tag it with #ItsMoreFunInThePhilippines #1ForFun

Be part of the solution. It is up to Filipinos themselves to defend and make the campaign true.

In an aquarium-themed room reviewing a Samsung Smart TV

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I feel bad when I leave my hubby at home whenever I travel. Not that he doesn’t want to travel with me, it is just work sometimes prevent him from being with me. Well, no excuse this time because my next adventure is just around the corner. It feels like an out-of-town trip considering the one hour travel time.

He worries “what if there is a typhoon?” recalling the time Sofitel Hotel got flooded during Typhoon Pedring. I worry too but I have learned to let go, and let God.

So what were we up to?

I normally review gadgets (which I return after a period of a week or two) at my home. This time Samsung thought of inviting us to check in a hotel to review their latest offering: Samsung Smart TV (UA60D8000) and the latest blu ray player (BDD5500). Considering the size of the TV, I think this is a good idea to have the review done in a hotel. I get to focus on the review and have fun at the same time.

While I am enjoying this ultra-slim Smart TV, my husband is mesmerized by the aquarium walls that surround our room .

Our Aqua supreme room at the Hotel H20 in Ocean Park was simply amazing. Our room had no windows except these aquarium walls. Watch this video:

I let him be as I work a bit on my own. We own some Samsung products (we bought all of them in case you are curious…) like kitchen appliances, PC monitors and an LED TV set and I am quite happy with the quality and performance. I knew I will not be disappointed.

It was a bit intimidating at first getting to understand all the controls at the remote. With a bit of knowledge from our own Samsung TV remote, I managed to get the Smart hub. I recalled Jayvee telling me that I can use my iPhone as Samsung remote pad.

For this flat TV segment, connectivity is key. Apart from being able to connect to the Internet and do your standard browsing, you can also use your Android device or iPhone as a remote controller via Bluetooth. If you don’t own any of these, you can also buy a QWERTY remote controller that connects via Bluetooth. That means you can have a QWERTY / smartphone side by side your IrDA remote control.

I will soon find out how to do this.

I have not tested everything yet. I am just getting a feel and if it is easy to set up. My husband wants to nap first before doing anything else. Let me give you just a preview .

I did some tests using Skype calls, ““Social TV” updating my Twitter, and Facebook, web browsing and getting awed with the preview of videos at the Blu Ray DVD.

I called my sister to do a quick skype chat and show off our aquarium themed walls.

Ooops…Time to go (my husband wants to cuddle in bed) …

Butch ended having a nap while I wrote this entry.

A few minutes later, we strolled around the hotel to look for our dinner.

An array of DVD titles were provided but we picked up Resident Evil to try out Samsung’s featherweight 3D glasses converts pictures to 3D in real-time!. For some reason, the 3D image didn’t work so we ended up removing the 3D capability.

I found out there was a switch to turn on right there on the top of the glasses.

Shrek (4th episode) was just so sweet and romantic. I was quite amused at some of the lines uttered by Shrek. It quite reminded me of Butch.

I was about to test more of the Smart hub but the breaking news of Gadhafi’s death was all over the news. Images of a dead or injured Gaddafi seemed larger than life in this 60 inch TV.

There is more to explore in Samsung’s Smart TV like the online interactive media as well as on-demand streaming media. For the kind of online work that I do, a Smart TV makes multi-tasking so much faster. Definitely the TV of the future with the rise of emerging media.

Do you imagine a Smart TV inside your living room?

Read more of my review of the Smart TV in my tech blog , The Samsung Smart TV is beauty and brains indeed.

Enjoying hometown Cebu at Radisson Blu Cebu

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My beloved Cebu is my hometown, the city where I grew up till I moved to Manila in 1975 for college yet my childhood memories leave a soft spot in my heart. These days, I travel to Cebu for business or meet up for high school reunions. I often stay at hotels or at a friend’s place since our family sold our home in 2003. The Cebu I know is not the same sleepy Cebu thirty five years ago. I do not recognize the landscape especially with the new buildings, flyovers and widened roads. I usually fire up google maps to determine my location at any point in time.

The invitation to visit Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu came as a pleasant surprise since I am not known as a travel blogger. Yes, I travel often and share my adventure here but travel blogging is not my main focus. Of course , I jumped at the invitation. Who wouldn’t anyway? Any opportunity to visit my hometown Cebu is very much welcome.

My excitement turned to horror as soon as I arrived at Terminal 2 last September 29. Check in took almost two hours due to the PALEA strike.

Radisson Blu Cebu was gracious enough to book us at Philippine Airline’s Mabuhay class. Waiting for our delayed flight at the Mabuhay Lounge made it a bit easier. A cup of coffee perked me up as I started to work on some of my blog entries. Together with fellow bloggers, Nina and Melo, we boarded at around 10:30 AM but the 747 did not leave an hour later. PAL just had to fill up every seat in this 400 capacity plane. I didn’t complain because I knew a lot of frustrated passengers wanted to get on a flight. PALEA may think PAL customers don’t care about their plight but really do we know every story of each passenge? The Philippines is made up of islands which make the plane a convenient form of transportation.

Arriving at the beautiful and stylish Radisson Blu Hotel made it all worthwhile after waiting hours on end at the airport. My spirits were soon lifted as the van arrived at the impressive driveway punctuated by a fountain . The lobby is gorgeous. The expansive space of the lobby is surrounded with monumental granite gilded pillars and marble floorings to the understated onyx wall leading to the 21 floors. The flower arrangement is simple yet classy. I get the feeling of “welcome back to hometown Cebu”, my home away from the home I once knew.

I was here exactly a year ago when Marget, a high school classmate treated me and our fellow classmates to merienda. Mina Gervacio, the new Asst. Director of Marketing and Communications of the 5-star Radisson Blu Cebu explained that the hotel is positioned as the premier and preferred 5-star Hotel in Asia Pacific.

Can I say I was thrilled to stay two nights in this elegant and iconic new landmark in Cebu City?

My business superior room is impressive . I spot the Nespresso® coffee machine and iPod® docking entertainment that I rarely see in other 5 star hotels. I don’t even need breakfast as long as I can get a cup of Nespresso coffee every morning. I tried this in Singapore two years ago.

I explored the rest of the room and as always, paused to take a photo of my reflection. The bathroom is not that impressive considering the size of the room (61 square meters) is spacious. I guess, business people do not have the luxury of indulging in a bath tub. I heard other rooms have a bath tub with a splendid view of the city. The office amenities more than make up for it.

Not all hotels provide free high-speed wireless Internet but Radisson Blu Cebu delivers. Not only that, I noticed there are four outlets for my gadgets. At a hotel in Singapore, I had to request for an extension cord to accomodate the charging needs of my phone, the mobile power pack, the battery pack of the DSLR and the video camera.

Looking down from my 14th floor window, my view showed part of the Mactan channel, and the harbor. Cebu has indeed grown so much yet tall buildings do not clutter the landscape.

I revisited the Feria restaurant from a year ago. The interiors are modern and the lighting exudes calm ambiance. That is the general feeling when you are here at Radisson Blu. Every corner is just too pretty. If you look closely, the materials used in this luxury hotel utilize locally sourced materials like bamboo and mother of pearl.

Lunch and dinner buffet is served daily. My absolute favorite has got to be the homemade ice cream particularly the orange chocolate and avocado flavors. The ice cream is such a best seller that if you dilly-dally, you will ran out of your share.

I didn’t get cooped up in my hotel room. Radisson Blu arranged an island hopping tour with Islands Banca Cruise. I’ve been to an island banca tour in 2009 and imagined it would be the same kind of banca. I was surprised to see a saucy looking banca which is actually a traditional pumpboat outrigger, with an expanded sundeck, cushioned seats, and crisp white exteriors. This couch lulled me to sleep during my return trip from Pandanon Islands and Gilutungan. There are other islands but didn’t have time. Other island destinations are Talima ,Nalusuan , Olango.

We were also there to witness the launch of Amazing Taste of Thailand” a two-week Thai food festival from Sept. 30 to Oct. 9, 2011.

Not only did I get to feast on my favorite Thai dishes , Radisson Blu also brought in cultural dancers from Thailand for the authentic feel to the food fest.

A few hours before we flew back to Manila, we talked to Mr. Lyle Lewis as the Hotel’s new General Manager and Vice President – Philippines and Japan, Carlson Hotels. Mr. Lewis focuses on strengthening Radisson Blu Cebu’s strategic positioning as the first Radisson Blu brand in Asia-Pacific. He also hopes to introduce exciting new innovations and key differentiations for delivering the Hotel’s characteristic ““Yes I Can” service philosophy in a vibrant, contemporary and engaging hospitality environment. No wonder Radisson Blu is the number 1 out of 62 hotels reviewed at Trip Advisor

It was an interesting conversation as we exchanged tips on social media and his experience as a hotelier. I proudly showed him that I am the “Mayor” of Feria Radisson Blu in Four Square. I wonder how long I will hold that title in cyberspace.

They say the Radisson is reputed as the Hotel that “Loves to say Yes”. I have yet to experience if this is true because I am an invited guest here and of course I will be biased towards the service. The staff are just wonderful though. I will surely come back when a business trip calls for it. With an SM advantage card, there is a 20% discount and locals rate starts at a low of 4,500 pesos for a de luxe room.

Cebu’s landscape has indeed changed the past 35 years and along with it, a fresh new landmark and high standard of excellence arrived in Radisson Blu . And all because Radisson Blu dares to say “Yes I can” .

More photos of Radisson Blu Hotel and Islands Banca Cruise in my Facebook

Charmed by Marzipan, the celebrity cat at Astor Theatre

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The ideal of calm exists in a sitting cat. ~Jules Reynard

I am not easily impressed with celebrities, whoever they may be—actors, actresses, politicians or what not. But meeting Marzipan was different. It was my daughter who told me all about Marzipan when she watched a movie at the elegant Astor Theatre. If you are in Melbourne, you probably know about the Astor Theatre built in the 1930s. It still retains the old-fashioned double-bill format. The original art-deco furnishings create a unique atmosphere for movie-goers.

As I walked past the winding staircase of the theatre, my daughter caught sight of Marzipan snoozing on her basket. She patted the furry ball and pretty soon, Marzipan stood up posed like a queen.

What a cutie. There she stood with her haughty yet regal cat look.

Her paws were crossed just like a fine lady. How regal.

I felt honored when Marzipan jumped up to my lap. You know that feeling when your celebrity-idol smiles at your direction? That is how I felt when Marzipan snuggled on my lap and allowed me to caress her. There are few things in life more heartwarming than to be welcomed by a cat. Simple joys, I know .

Many know that Astor Theatre is known for its unique programming to the legendary Astor Choc-Ice but the celebrity of the house is what everyone loves most about the theatre. That is what I want to believe. I am such a cat lover.

They say “a meow massages the heart.” Marzipan can’t make purry sounds. She is close to twenty years old and may be even deaf.

Playing both well-loved classics and recent releases, the Astor Theatre offers a variety of films. I came an hour before the film began (though I didn’t watch any) and snuggling up with Marzipan in their sumptuous couch and eating Choc-Ice is just so heavenly.

There is more to the Story of Marzipan.

Some nineteen years later, after startling a variety of viewers each and every time she runs across the banister during Poltergeist or sashays up and down the auditorium steps during 2001‘s Dawn of Man, after achieving a level of local fame long-standing members of staff could only dream of, not to mention playing to the sympathies of passers-by who then feed and provide an excess of blankets for her, Marzipan is still able to scale the theatre walls and somehow mysteriously hears the FOH Supervisor call her for dinner despite her being apparently deaf.

And what of it? Marzipan is the kind of kitty who adores everyone’s endless and unbridled attention. What cat wouldn’t? She has a whole team of ushers to clean out her kitty litter, not to mention more than five hundred friends on facebook. She’s the only one at the theatre who’s received postcards from patrons when they’re on vacation and she’s usually the only one the journos want to feature in their photographs of the theatre too. Receiving the biggest cheer of all at our 75th Anniversary Celebrations in April of this year, Marzipan is Melbourne’s little darling and yet she remains as down-to-earth as ever. Well, maybe every now and again she has a moment of diva about her…

I am so charmed with Marzipan as with all cats. Marzipan sat on my lap as long as she could while I patted her neck. She didn’t want to play favorites she jumped on to my daughter and other movie-goers who were seated in other couches.

Oh , cats are just so independent. Cats come and go without ever leaving. With a sigh, I let her go.

When I went back to my hotel, I added myself as one of her fans in her facebook page, Marzipan the Astor Cat.

There are two means of refuge from the misery of life – music and cats. ~Albert Schweitzer

Saving the (Tassie) Devils and other threatened species of the world

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I never really knew much about the animal kingdom outside of my country not that I was indifferent. I was just unaware of the endangered species of other countries. I knew our Monkey eating eagle is one of our more endangered species but other countries? I never even knew much about Tasmania until I visited my daughter in Melbourne. It was her idea to see Tasmania. My travel to Australia drew out my curiosity of the unusual flora and fauna of this continent. One of them is the often misunderstood Tasmanian devil. Being aware about the care of these animals will surely give me a deeper understanding in caring for our own Philippine animals.

My fascination with the Tassie devils and other natural Australian animals prompts me to write this entry but there is more than that. The fact remains that National Threatened Species Day which happens to be on the 7th of September each year is just two days away. The day is to commemorate the loss of the last known Tasmanian tiger in captivity, which sadly occurred in Hobart in 1936.

It was a tragic loss and everyone in Australia is working hard to make sure the Tasmanian devil doesn’t follow in the tiger’s footsteps.

I have been to two animal sanctuaries here in Australia but the Bonorong Wildlife sanctuary gave me the opportunity to be up close with the animals.

Bonorong houses 17 fantastic devils. A number of their devils are hand-reared and have amazing personalities. I thought these devils were evil animals based on their namesakes. Devils are a very misunderstood animal. I was utterly amazed when I saw how friendly and playful the devils were with their keeper.

As you can see, this devil lost one of his legs. Bonorong assists injured and orphaned wildlife and even gives support line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

I spotted this devil with a joey. Population of devils were not a problem before the Europeans arrived. Traditionally their numbers were controlled by food availability, competition with other devils and quolls, loss of habitat, persecution and roadkills. But the greatest recent threat to devils across Tasmania is the Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD).

Around 70 percent of the Tasmanian devil population disappeared as a result of the disease, and if the current rate of decline continues, devils could become extinct in the wild in 30 to 50 years, says Elizabeth Murchison, now a postdoctoral researcher at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Hinxton, England. Murchison, a native of Tasmania who grew up seeing devils in the wild.

The Tasmanian devil can still be saved from possible extinction. Securing a population of healthy devils, away from disease, in zoos, wildlife parks and free range enclosures around Australia is something that is being done now. Looking after this population over the next 25-50 years, while continuing the fight to maintain devils in the wild may help but it costs a lot of money. There is this one site that shows you “How can we save the Tasmanian devil? One devil at a time!”

I wonder if these devils will suffer the same fate as the Tassie Tigers. It would be sad to see animals get extinct. I hopped on to Kangaroo country which lifted up my spirits. The kangaroos seemed a bit intimidating at first but I got the hang of it as soon as I knew how to feed them.

I learned females are safer to feed but I caught a male kangaroo wanting to be fed. Scary so I just threw food in his direction.

It is amazing how these kangaroos can be friendly. They are also gentle with the children.

Seeing a baby kangaroo is just so heart warming. The joey seems so cozy with her mommy.

It would be great if the Philippines have an animal sanctuary instead of a zoo. People will learn to appreciate the animals and learn to protect them.

I would have never appreciated any of these experiences if it were not for my daughter  who wanted to visit these wonderful animals.

The Philippines should have a similar sanctuary and wildlife park for all our threatened species.

Wait, our marine life is already threatened. When is the Philippine’s National Threatened Species Day ? Do we even have one?

Most of the photos here by my daughter using a Nikon D7000. Some photos are from my iphone though

There is no must in art because art is free

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Art is not what you see, but what you make others see. Edgar Degas

The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) at Hobart, Tasmania is just amazing and thought provoking. It is not art for arts sake. The MONA is a $200 million, quixotic project of Tasmanian businessman David Walsh. He commissioned the Museum from architect Nonda Katsalidis, filled it with his own art and made admission free. You know how they say “The object of art is not to reproduce reality, but to create a reality of the same intensity.” As I moved from one art piece to the next, I often ask myself “what is the message here? or what is the artist trying to convey?”

Whether I’m painting or not, I have this overweening interest in humanity. Even if I’m not working, I’m still analyzing people. – Alice Neel

Visitors to MONA get iPods when they enter the museum. As you walk around, ‘The O’ displays information about the works near you and plays you interviews with the artist.

I am not visually literate but so this nifty iPod help me understand some of the ideas. I have seen the case of the closure of Mideo Cruz exhibit by the bishops and other creative expressions whose concept and presented ideologies they do not agree with. Some of the pieces can come off disturbing and interesting at the same time.

I am interested to see the perspective of the artist and their thought process. “Walsh, the owner of MONA has a scientific mind with an artistic temperament. In Andrew Frost’s interview for ABC TV, David Walsh says that if he could make art, he would. He has an intellectual fascination with Darwinian evolution, time, ancient cultures and the dark areas of our humanity.”

I’m painting an idea not an ideal. Basically I’m trying to paint a structured painting full of controlled, and therefore potent, emotion. Euan Uglow

At MONA you are invited to physically and mentally relax. On the main floor, there is a bar and lots of cool furnitures to lounge about on. My daughter and I are lucky that there was no entrance fee but soon a $20 fee will be required from visitors aside from the fee of the ferry boat. The Os invite you to listen to the commentary and absorb yourself in a private bubble. Nonda Katsalidis’s grand architecture is modest and calming in the exhibition spaces.


(White library by Wilfredo Prieto. White books, shelves, tables and chairs. Born 1978, Sancti Spíritus, Cuba; lives and works in Havana, Cuba, and Barcelona, Spain 2004-6)

“In the interview on The O with Monanism artist Jan Fabre, he says that ““art makes us understand we are unbearable”.
In another context, Australia’s only living Nobel laureate writer, J.M.Coetzee, asks ‘Where does the discontented feeling come from, unique to mankind, that we are not well, and what is it that we desire to be cured of?’ (In ‘Italo Svevo’, Inner Workings: Literary Essays 2000-2005, Knopf: North Sydney, 2007, 1-14)”


(Cunts and other conversations by Greg Taylor and friends. 150 life-size porcelain portrait sculptures of women’s cunts. Born 1959, Bega, NSW, Australia; lives and works in Melbourne, Australia. 2008–9 . A gallery of 150 vaginas from all ages 18 to 78 years old .)

The brilliance of MONA’s sex art is that it brings a wider audience to have this impolite conversation about ourselves, sharing one of the most powerful insights in the history of ideas.

“Walking around MONA, you see $200 million dollars worth of private wealth and it is shocking. How can any mortal accumulate such an obscene fortune? Then you think a little more on it and see the positive side. Can MONA provoke Australia’s winging, polluting mining magnates and other billionaires to do something meaningful with their lives and all that damn money?”

I heard David Walsh was a gambler , very gifted with Math and this made him acquire so much wealth which he used to buy Art pieces.

At the MONA, I am lost in my thoughts, often wondering how artists thinks. Here are just bits and pieces of the rest of MONA.


(SCHATTENSPIEL (SHADOWPLAY) HANS-PETER FELDMAN Trestle tables, turntables, lamps, electric motors, plastic figurines. Born 1941, Düsseldorf, Germany, where he lives and works 2005)


(Fat Car, by Erwin Wurm. Porsche Carrera chassis, body and interior, with polystyrene and fibreglass. Born 1954, Bruck an der Mur, Austria; lives and works in Vienna, Austria 2006)

Painting is so poetic, while sculpture is more logical and scientific and makes you worry about gravity.- Damien Hirst

I’m painting an idea not an ideal. Basically I’m trying to paint a structured painting full of controlled, and therefore potent, emotion. – Euan Uglow

You come to nature with all her theories, and she knocks them all flat. Renoir

Here is a video done by my daughter while I finish the rest of this entry.

Museum of Old and New Art on Vimeo.

I am not much of an art critique so let me give you a Review of David Walsh’s Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania from a MONA visitor.

Review of David Walsh’s Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania

There is no must in art because art is free. – Wassily Kandinsky

A Sunday stroll with native Australian animals

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I am fascinated with native Australian animals. I know this peculiarity has something to do with its location in the Southern hemisphere. The best place to see these animals is Healesville , well known for the Healesville Sanctuary, a nature park with hundreds of native Australian animals displayed in a semi-open natural setting. My daughter and I spent most of Sunday here at the park.

I adored the koala, the wallaby, the dingo and I even chilled with Josie, the kangaroo. There was a wombat but he was at the Healesville Health Centre for observation. Lucifer , the Tasmanian devil kept hiding but I managed to spot him towards the end of our sunday stroll.


Much of what is now Healesville lies on the ancestral land of the Wurundjeri people.


A dingo is fascinating. Is it a wolf or a dog? Dingoes have three basic forms of howling (moans, bark-howl, and snuffs) with at least 10 variations.


Watching a dingo. Villain or victim? Controversy has surrounded the Dingo in Australia but new research suggests that this iconic predator could be an ecological saviour and help to restore the natural order of the Australian bush.


The Australian Wildlife Health Centre at Healesville Sanctuary treats sick and injured animals.


A wombat is being taken cared of at the centre. Aside from treatment to the sick animals, the centre provides vital veterinary support for Healesville Sanctuary’s threatened species conservation programs, conducts cutting-edge wildlife conservation research, and is an important centre for wildlife disease surveillance.


Watching the Koalas eating Eucalyptus is so enjoyable.


So cute to watch the koala recline and enjoy his meal of leaves from eucalyptus trees. There are about 750 species of eucalyptus but these cute koalas find 60 of them tasty to their palate.


The Koala knows he is cute and stares at the ooglers so they can take a shot at him.


The highlight of the day was a magic moment with the red kangaroos where we are allowed to feed them. We are only allowed to feed the female red kangaroos because the males can be quite aggressive. They also have larger claws.

As I took photos of my daughter, Josie sniffs at my direction because I had carrots wrapped on my left hand. It wasn’t my turn yet to feed them.

The kangaroo keeper briefed us on how to feed the kangaroos. The carrots should be placed flat on the palms and almost ground level. Crystal takes some carrots on my daughter’s palm while Josie insists on the carrots still clenched on my hands.

It is now my turn to feed Josie. I didn’t realize how eager she was to eat carrots and points to my clenched hand.


I didn’t want to give all the carrots at once so I had them on my left hand. Josie insisted on getting all of them so sniffs at my hands which I had pressed against my chest.


Ouch. I refuse to give the carrots all at once so she sort of claws off my hand.


The keeper reminds us to pat the kangaroo at their back not on the head like we do with dogs. Next to cats, their fur are just as soft. Joise is the oldest kangaroo at 16 years old and is almost blind. Maybe that is why she goes by her sense of smell to badger me with food.

There are other native Australian birds which are just so lovely to watch.


A yellow robin sitting comfortably on its nest.


A barn owl


I think these are pelicans. There is a fishy smell in this lake.


Lucifer, the Tasmanian devil is hard to take photos. He darts in and out. This iconic Australian animal is now under serious threat from the Devil Facial Tumour Disease, a fatal and contagious condition that is spreading through wild populations. Healesville Sanctuary is part of a breeding program to maintain a healthy population.

There is just so much to do at the Healsville sanctuary but it was a great learning experience to see them up close. A sunday stroll with Australian animals is best explored with little children. I loved watching their squeals of delight. I may not be with little kids but my adult daughter is quite an experience too especially since she knows more about animals than I do.

Most of the photos attributed to my daughter using the Nikon D7000. Some are from my iPhone

A friend hears the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails

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A woman is the full circle.
Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform. ~ Diane Mariechild ~


Rica and I go back when we were little kids romping around the school grounds of St. Theresa’s College Cebu. I thought we graduated in the same high school. It dawned on me that we had not seen each other for the last forty years but I remember her so well. Childhood memories can be so vivid. My memory fails me now but I knew there was something we had shared together in the past.


Rica is somewhere to the left and I am somewhere to the right

Thanks to Facebook, Rica found me at about the time I made plans to visit my daughter in Melbourne. What a treat I had the other day. There were just so many things to catch up. Memories to unravel. Amidst the sights and sounds of Melbourne, our stories unfolded. True, our memories may fail us now but our hearts remember as we spent the day together.

A cruise along the Yarra river of Melbourne.

Seeing Melbourne’s development.

Catching sight of the penguins by the rock.

Having lunch by the South bank

Stop to smell the flowers

It is good to wake up and smell the flowers while listening to classical music.

The stroll to the Fitzroy gardens stirred a memory.

I turned to Rica “Weren’t we mediocre students?” We laughed together, remarking how silly we were for not studying hard enough.

There you go, we had something in common back when we were little kid but not today. Rica and I evolved from being mediocre to doing what we love best. Something in her life touched me which I will just keep to myself.

Her sculpture “Joyfully Onwards and Upwards” won first prize for the amateur division. Amazing! Rica reminded me “Amatuer”. Still, I would never be able to sculpt like that. I never knew she had artistic talents. It must have been a latent gift.

We talked about the symbolism of her sculpture. It reminds me of the struggle to pass the Reproductive Health bill. Women need to have choices. Rica believes that women can empower themselves to go outwardly and move up. Both of us believe that one has to honor and treating ourselves with respect so that we set the stage up for others to treat us with respect. The sculpture also reminds me of the lives and passion we have chosen. Rica, on paying forward by helping women get an education.

I too believe that women need to challenge themselves. Margaret Sanger once said “Woman must not accept; she must challenge. She must not be awed by that which has been built up around her; she must reverence that woman in her which struggles for expression.” It can come in art, writing, advocacy, business or anything that she can be.

I asked if I could use the image of her sculpture so I could show to the world about the potential of women, that it is never too late to get out of mediocrity no matter the age or circumstance. I wanted to sit down at the hotel and write about my day with Rica.

But guess what? Rica got to me first. She painted this and entitled it “Noemi”. I am so honored.

She did this for me. I felt a tug in my heart. My heart can only sing praises she will never hear.

I wonder how she painted this. All I know is splatter paint. In her facebook note, she added this “piece will always remind me of your beautiful and lovely personality.. it connotes warmth and vibrance. I love your story and what you have done with your life.”

I don’t know who deserves the title of a “a very beautiful and warm person” . I know we all have that capacity.

Oh yes we can, “joyfully Onwards and Upwards”.

I love you Rica. Thank you for a wonderful day. Till we meet again.