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

Some months ago, on a whim and egged on by a newspaper promo published by a local airline company, Cecill booked a four-day trip to an island just north of Batanes Islands - Taiwan, the place which became a refuge for Chinese escaping from the juggernaut of communism enveloping the entire continent of China in the 50s. The Taiwan capital city of Taipei is located at the north end of the island and is about an hour and a half away from Manila on a non-stop flight which makes it nearer to Manila than even some of the Philippine cities in the south such as Davao City. Taipei is the proud city that hosts the 2nd tallest building in the world - Taipei 101 (it was the 1st in 2004 but has been recently replaced by Burj Kalifa Tower in Dubai). Taipei 101 truly dominates the Taipei skyline and acts as an orientation structure that can guide people in determining their location/direction. I took the photo above on the way from another Taipei attraction, the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial....

With a couple of old time buddies in tow, I boarded what may be a  historic run of the Bicol Express marking the much awaited final test run of the Philippine National Railways final simulation of an actual commercial run, i.e. leaving Manila (Tutuban Station) at 6PM with a six-car configuration (3 Family Sleeper,  1 Executive Sleeper, a Reclining-Seat car, and a Dining car). The family sleepers (FS) car is one where the passenger can lie down on a full-body bed-like seat with a curtain which can be drawn close to provide privacy. There are four of these "beds"- two on each side of the open-cabin, one above the other. The executive sleeper (ES) car is an enclosed 1.5 by 2 space where a small bed and a small table can be found. It's height is about 5 feet. And this is because another such cabin is located above it ala mezzanine. Each cabin has a door which can be locked to afford total privacy (unlike that in the family sleeper where only a curtain keeps away the pr...

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-...