The C-Spot: A Photography, Travel and Culture Journal

First of all, I'd like to say that the beach is not really that good for swimming, although puede pa din, i.e. the water is calm but the white sand is too soft and has a consistency of mud (due perhaps to the absence or lack of strong waves). The waters in El Rio Y Mar is better for snorkeling (at the pier head area). The food is not really spectacular but it's not that bad either. I like their bread. It is sooo delicious, and is baked right there in their kitchen. So it's always freshly-baked, literally. The accommodation is very good (air-conditioned rooms, hot and cold water available, showers are working). The tap water is fresh and clean and not your usual sea-side hard water where the soap hardly makes lather. There's a daily fresh supply of instant coffee and relatively new water heater. Drinking water can be had via room service. The large orange-roofed building houses the front desk, guest services, a small clinic with a stay-in doctor, two pool tables, a...

Well, that's supposed to be an airline joke relating to lost/misdirected or delayed luggages. While this is not exactly what happened to me recently, the anger, the depression and over-all stress is nonetheless the same. And the stress level could even be more considering the circumstances, i.e. most cases of lost/misdirected/mishandled luggages occur in long international and complex route plans (several transfers), and when passengers have very short transfer intervals. But my problem with my luggage involves a local under-an-hour flight from one airport to another. How complicated can that be! But that's exactly what happened to one of my luggages (my check-in luggage) in a recent Cebu Pacific flight from Busuanga airport to Manila. I checked-in earlier than most to avoid the usual queue and not to rush with the check-in procedures (I've been warned that checking-in near closing time may give problems with seating arrangements, luggages, etc.). After checking in, I waite...

Rating: ★★★★ Category: Movies Genre: Drama Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet Based on a novel written by Sébastien Japrisot Stars: Audrey Tautou, Gaspard Ulliel and Jodie Foster. (Yes Jodie Foster plays a minor role as one of the many characters in the story. And she speaks French). Summary This is a film set in France in the last days of the First World War and one woman's unrelenting search for her beloved fiancé who was among those reported to have died in the war in the most unusual way. In her heart she truly does not believe his death and she has hired a private investigator to search for him. In their search, they discover contemptible practices of the the French army which exposed their own soldiers to their death. They also hear several versions of how he died. My Take: It is both an excellent portrayal of the cruelty of war and the unusual force that binds lovers and make a solemn vow to be together even in death. The flashbacks to the war provide vivid and cle...

The night sights in Igang are as fascinating as those in daylight. I was fortunate (again) to see a quarter moon and her constant companion star, the afternoon star, at dusk. I remember that most of my beach trips gave me the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the quarter moon and the star just after the sun has set in the horizon. This album also shows three sunrise photos which I was able to take because we had to wake up early (around 4:45AM) to catch the 7:30 Cebu Pacific flight back to Manila. One shot taken at Twin Rocks Resort and the two others along the way to the airport. I actually have more night shots but my unsteady hands blurred most of the resulting shots. (NOTE: My camera is a point and shoot 8.0mp Ixus only). Most of the shots were on auto-settings with little or no ISO or shutter speed manual adjustments.

Most popular angle After a day in Twin Rocks Resort, we decided to do a day trip to some of the places we've heard of and read about that a traveler to Catanduanes could visit. We then arranged for a vehicle and a driver that would take us to some of those places. After an early breakfast of the usual Pinoy fare, e.g. daing na bangus, beef tapa and longganisa (all with the usual fried sunny-side-up egg and rice), the driver, Mang Romy, picked us up in a relatively new and air-conditioned 4-wheel drive Isuzu diesel DMax pick-up truck/SUV. Since there were only the three of us, we have enough space for ourselves for the day-long trip. We visited six sites (seven if you include a stop by a place to eat called Blossoms Restaurant which declares itself as "a place for fine arts, good food and good times). We saw two beaches, two churches, a cave and a waterfalls, each one having a unique character that distinguishes it from the others. It was a mix of the spiritual, super-...

We arrived in Virac as the sun was rising and it was drizzling with a bit of wind. As a matter of fact, our plane had to fly in circle twice because of the wind before we were able to finally land. A 20-plus minutes trip by van brought us to Igang. It was no longer drizzling but it was still overcast. Hoping to see a nice sunset on the sea, I asked the beach guard if the rising or setting sun is visible from the beach area. I was told that both are actually not directly visible to viewers from the beach, i.e. sunrise was obscured by the rock on the far left end of the beach while the sun sets down beyond the hills behind the resort. He, however, suggested that we try going up the Zipline tower because there's a bit of a view of the setting sun there. I was quite disappointed upon hearing this. Nevertheless, I and Cecill climbed up the 40-foot Zipline tower (while struggling with our acrophobia) at around 5:30 PM to see what the view really was. Below is what we saw. It was n...

Mostly day-trippers Early in the month of February, we went to one of the two island provinces that comprise the Bicol region (at the lower end of the Philippine island of Luzon) - the island of Catanduanes (the other is the island of Masbate). Catanduanes is located at the eastern side of the the Philippine archipelago. It is an island accessible by watercraft or ferry from the port of Tabaco in Albay province. It can also be reached by plane in just about over an hour from the Manila domestic airport. It is currently served by two airlines - the Cebu Pacific Air and Zest Air and has two flights daily (morning by CEB, and afternoon by Zest). But Catanduanes is known more as the "entrance door" of typhoons entering the Philippines. It is a usual point of reference in most typhoon bulletins, much like Boronggan, Samar. The relative isolation (not being part of the main Bicol peninsula), and it's reputation as a storm-frequented area has somehow positively impac...