Category Archives: Travel

Jingle Bells

Posted on December 18, 2008 by greenbucks| 8 Comments

“Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way…”

“Pasko na naman, o kay tulin ng araw…” (hindi po ito translation ng Jingle bells, lol)

These are what we usually hear the carolers sing. Happy songs, they almost invite the listeners to join in the fun, making us remember that Christmas is near.

Masaya, kaiga-igaya and nagpapa-alala sa atin na malapit na ang Pasko.

Last weekend when we went to The Fort, we saw several wonderfully dressed and happy people singing carols and greeting people “Merry Christmas” It sure felt great to see them.

Nung isang linggong napadpad kami sa The Fort nakakita kami ng mga taong me magagarang damit. Sila ay masasaya at nagbigay ng ngiti sa mga labi ng mga taong kanilang binabati ng kanilang American accent na “Merry Chirstmas!”

Ayan, medyo nahiya pa ang aking unico hijo, napilitan yatang ngumiti 😀

There are my two younger children with Julian a bit apprehensive.

But do you know that there is another face to this happy caroling?

Alam nyo ba na may ibang mukha ang pagkakaroling na ito?

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Posted in family, Litratong Pinoy, Philippines, Photos, social consciousness, Thought Bubbles, Travel

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Pang-aabuso, Nagwagi nga ba Tayo Laban Dito?

Posted on November 27, 2008 by greenbucks| 16 Comments

Thinking of a photo that will go with this week’s theme was very difficult for me.

Ang pag-isip kung anong larawan ang ilalagay sa temang ito ay sadyang napakahirap sa akin.

First because there was no photo in our archives depicting something that has been won, or anyone in the family winning anything.

Una dahil sa tila ba walang larawan sa aming mga naipong pondong larawan ng may nanalo o may nanalong kapamilya ko sa kung ano pa man.

The truth is, I have already made entries in advanced, till December 4, EXCEPT this theme.

Sa totoo lang, nakagawa na ako ng entry hanggang December 4, pwera ito.

So I thought long and hard and waded through photos dating back from April 2008 till I reached August when we had a family field trip to Luneta and Fort Santiago as part of my twoyounger children’s homeschool lessons in history.

Ako ay napa-isip nang matagal at naghanap ng larawan mula April 2008 hanggang dumating ako sa Agosto 2008 nung ang aking pamilya ay pumunta sa Luneta at Fort Santiago bilang parte ng lesson sa Kasaysayan ng mga anak kong nagho-homechool.

Was freedom won?

Nagwagi nga ba tayo talaga at nakuha ang kalayaan? Tunay ba tayong nakaalis na sa mga nagbabanta ng ating kalayann sa panahong ito?

Ang kalayaan ba ay tunay ngang nasa isip na lamang, isang mindframe na siyang humuhubog sa ating pamumuhay?

Marami pang lakbay ang ating gagawin upang masabing tayo nga ay nagwagi laban sa mga sumusupil ng kalayaang ito. Ipagpatuloy lang natin ang ating pakikibaka.

Posted in Environment, Interesting Topics, Litratong Pinoy, Memetag, Philippines, Photos, social consciousness, Thought Bubbles, Travel

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Lunch Picnic

Posted on November 17, 2008 by greenbucks| 10 Comments

Weekend was spent quietly in a place where trees abound and where cool air blows on our faces. Lunch was served on a mat under a tree.

We had a lunch picnic, two hours of quiet time of lunch and snacks even before the lunch remnants were placed in the trash bag that we had. Yes, we do this, put everything in a bag to be thrown afterward.

Scratch the quiet since there were workmen milling around, getting the remnants of an obstacle course’s thingies lying near where we found our perfect spot. Still, it seems that time stood still for a while there.

The kids had fun and I had loads of photos. Here is another photo from this picnic.

I got interested in taking photos of these nearly leafless White Calachuchi trees:

But wait, I had to get a photo of those flowers in the middle, above the letters “uc” of greenbucks. So I decided to zoom in and take a closer photo:

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Posted in blogging101, Environment, family, Philippines, Photos, Travel, Urban Living, Weekend Snapshots

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Maalaala Mo Kaya?

Posted on November 6, 2008 by greenbucks| 46 Comments

“Maalaala mo kaya…? so goes a soulful song, asking the listener to look back and reflect on the promises of love that were made.

“Maalaala mo kaya, ang sumpa mo sa akin, na ang pag-ibig mo ay sadyang di magmamaliw…” Ayan, awit mula sa puso, para sa isang puso, tila ba naninisi, nagpapaalala kaya dapat hindi sumusumpa ng pangako eh 😀

My photo for this week’s theme would not be about love nor about family matters because not only are these personal topics but about the nation’s history.

Ang aking larawan ay hindi tungkol sa aking pag-ibig o pamilya dahil mga personal itong usapin. Ang aking entry ay tungkol sa kasaysayan ng ating lahi.

It is funny to see people answering questions about the country’s history with wrong information. Sure, as time passes by and we become busy and preoccupied with so many things, we forget about history facts and trivia.

Nakakatawa kung minsan panoodin sa TV ang mga tinatanong tungkol sa kasaysayan natin kasi mali-mali ang sagot nila. (nangyayari ito kapag me mga selebrasyon o holiday ang ating bansa) Hindi natin sila masisisi dahil sa pagdaan ng panahon, sa dami ng dapat asikasuhin at gawin, nakakalimutan na ang tungkol sa kasaysayan ng bansa.

But for us to grow not just individually but grow as a nation, we should at least have a clear understanding of how our nation was before and what it has to go through to be what it is today. Never mind if we do not particularly like what is happening.

Pero para sa ating paglago hindi lamang bilang mamamayan kundi bilang isang bansa, dapat me alamtayo sa pinagdaanan ng atng bansa, sa kasaysayan nito na siya namang naging  daan kung ano ito ngayon.Kahit pa nga ba hindi tayo sang-ayon sa naging kinalabasan nito sa panahong kasalukuyan.

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Posted in blogging101, Litratong Pinoy, Memetag, Philippines, Photos, social consciousness, Travel, Urban Living

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May Liwanag Nga Ba?

Posted on October 23, 2008 by greenbucks| 40 Comments

Its Thursday once again. Time for Litratong Pinoy which serves as my “weekly editorial” for this blog.

The theme for this week is LIWANAG meaning light or the absence of darkness.

I thought that this post’s title “May Liwanag Nga Ba” reflects best the global financial crunch that we are experiencing.

People are losing their jobs, their homes, and their bright futures are suddenly dimmed. The financial woes are not stopping.

People are altering their lifestyles to be able to survive with lesser resources and if possible, save some for the rainy days.

People are panicking, withdrawing their investments and bank deposits and putting these in what they think are “safe” places, away from the banks whose integrity they now doubt.

The worst is not in sight and if what the financial analysts say that this is just the beginning of a financial Armageddon, how would we know the answer to “Where do we go from here?”

I hope you have not felt that you have over-extended yourself during these times.

Huwebes na naman, araw ng Litratong Pinoy, ang aking “lingguhang editoryal” sa aking blag.

Ang tema para sa linggong ito ay Liwanag o kawalan ng kadiliman.

Naisipan kong gawin ang titulo ng aking lahok na “May Liwanag Nga Ba?” upang magnilay-nilay sa pandaigdigang krisis sa usapin ng pananalapi at pamamalakad ng kalakal.

Maraming tao ang nawawalan ng trabaho, tirahan at ang kanilang kinabukasan ay tila ba isang madilim na pangitain. Ang problemang pang-pinansiyal ay tila ba wala nang katapusan.

Ang mga tao ay nag-iba ng pamumuhay gamit ang mas kakaunting ari-arian na kung maaari sana ay makapag-ipon para sa kinabukasan.

Naguguluhan ang mga tao. Marami sa kanilang may naitatabing salapi sa bangko ay kinukuha na iyon at inilalagay sa lugar na sa kanilang paniniwala ay ligtas sa mga bangkong ito, ano’t anuman ang mangyari.

Hindi pa yata natin natatanaw ang pinakamatinding dagok. Wika nga ng mga eksperto sa pananalapi, ito ay simula pa lamang ng Armageddon ng Pananalapi. Paano natin sasagutin ang tanong na “Saan tayo patutungo?”

Posted in blogging101, Current Events, Litratong Pinoy, Money Watch, Philippines, Photos, Thought Bubbles, Travel, World Watch

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