Mount Pinatubo Trek in Pictures (Zambales, Philippines)

Trekking Mount Pinatubo
February 2013

Here's a travel guide in pictures on what to expect when you go on a trek to see Mt. Pinatubo's crater lake.

The gateway to Mt. Pinatubo Trek is in Sta. Juliana Capas, Tarlac, Philippines.  You'll know you've reached the right place if you see the sign above. Register right away and rent a 4x4 all terrain vehicle to take you the the trek start point.

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Intimidated Yet?

Fiddler crabs are known for having one big and one small claw.  You would think that they use the bigger claw to catch prey, but no, they would use it to wave at females in order to attract them for mating.  This guy certainly knows his priorities.  They also use the larger claw to fight off other suitors.  

A little intimidation is necessary.

While you would think that having a larger claw would be best, I read somewhere that larger claws actually tend to snap easier compared to smaller but more compact claws.    

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When Enemies Abound ...

"When enemies abound it is best to lay still and be quiet."

That's one thing I learned from observing these newly-hatched chicks.  One moment they were calling out loudly for their mom to bring them food, but the moment they saw me, in a split second they remained still and quiet.  That's how I was able to take this shot.

More pictures of these lovely birds after the jump.

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Spotted in Italy! Rome Artifacts ++

Spotted in ROMA! 

Some cool things and artifacts I've spotted on my recent visit to ROME, ITALY! 

SUNJUN is GOING GLOBAL woohoo!

Art vendors at Piazza Navona.  Buy one to take home as souvenir!

This is what happened to David after Michelangelo made a statue of him!  Even him couldn't escape the effects of too much spaghetti!

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Spotted: Holding Ahhhhmmm ...

When your sweetheart longs to hold your hand when 

they are not free, opt for the alternative ....

Holding Legs 

... Hold legs (interlock legs) instead! (^0-)v

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SPOTTED: MOSQUITO in the BIG CITY

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The Early Birds

I couldn't sleep and so i went out of the room and lazed around at the beachfront huts at The Villa Amparo Resort in Samal Island.  Thought I could get some shut eye while enjoying the cool breeze but as it turned out, the birds were busy and chirping away. 

More pictures after the jump ...

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Peek-A-Boo!

Peek-A-Boo! A hermit crab checking out another shell.

Happy Halloween!

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A Chick's Story

This was originally posted in my old Photography Blog: Samurai of Light.  The tree where this nest was found has already been cut down.  It's a sad thought that I wouldn't be spotting a similar kind of nest anytime soon.  If ever I do see one again in the future, I promise to leave it alone.  I'm posting this again here to commemorate one of my greatest finds ever.  

A CHICK'S STORY

On the start of the month, we noticed a small bird building a nest on the tree that's closest to our house. We left it undisturbed so that it would push through with its plans of laying the eggs there and rearing its young. 

This picture shows how the nest looked a week ago (May 2008). It got bigger and bigger as the days progressed and as strong winds challenged to rattle it off the tree's branch. Our constant peeks and glances must have contributed to that as well.  Although we didn't touch it or anything, it must have despised the extra attention.  At one point, I even tried feeding it earthworms!

In this next picture, I was able to capture one of the parents.  It's the closest I could get to the nest without scaring them off.  And I was only able to take a shot like this with the help of my new lens the Sigma 80-200mm Telephoto lens.  ^^

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A Picture Paints a Thousand Words

The picture above was taken in New Delhi, India.  I was on the bus when I noticed this guy riding his scooter with a cool mask on.  I snapped the photo and was glad to see that the guy I wanted to capture was in focus.  Technically, I liked the picture because I was successfully able to use the auto-tracking auto focus feature of my Lumix LX5.  This feature allows you to keep moving subjects in focus while you compose your shots.  I never realized the full potential of this picture until I snapped this specific photo.  This fact alone made this photo great for me.  However, posting it in Facebook revealed a much more intriguing concept that made this photo even greater.  Read on to know the full story.

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Spotted! Your Majesty, the Queen!

We were so lucky to have the Queen grace us with her presence on our summer outing trip to Villa Amparo Resorts in the Island Garden City of Samal. Before I introduce her to everyone let me just segue a bit on how a close friend described this beautiful resort.

Villa Amparo Resort in the morning - Samal Island

Summer is all about the sun, the sea and great times outdoors! Again, we're so lucky to live in a city where a wide range of options are readily available. How can we forget the torture we endured last year where we had to line up for 10 hours for the barge going to Camiguin Island? Hah! This time, all we needed was a 10 minute barge ride to Samal and a 20 minute ride to reach our new discovery. 

With a recommendation from a good friend, we visited Villa Amparo Garden Resort. It's one of the many resorts being constructed in the Island. The development is still ongoing, but you can see that they will soon become one of the must visit resorts in Samal. 

There were a few disappointments but I am sure these can be well managed when they go full blast. Nevertheless, we all had a great time! Pristine beach. Superb food. Reasonably priced amenities. Clean and cold rooms. Best of all: They have Video-Singko! 

-Bunny Sy 

Villa Amparo Resort at night - Samal Island

The resort is pretty small. There are not much open spaces to roam about but if you can get the place all to yourselves, it's a very nice place to chill out and relax. I also liked the fact that they preserved a portion of the corals found at the boundary so one can still go snorkeling without having to go way out into the open sea. I hope they can truly preserve this as the corals are getting a lot of damage already from being easily stepped on during low tide.

With such a scenic view, it's no wonder the Queen, herself, would visit such a place. She had a suitor stalking her though - he even tried to steal a kiss! Not just once but thrice! Check out the pictures after the jump.

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Hermit says ...

Hermit the Crab says ....

BE PATIENT  

There's no need to rush.  Be patient.  

It may just save your life.

STOP LOOK & LISTEN

Learn to assess the situation before taking any risk.

It pays to be well-informed.

FIND A BIGGER SHELL

Continuously look for a bigger shell.  It is by looking for a bigger shell that we allow ourselves to grow.    Aim bigger and never stop growing!   

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Predators and Preys

Just a lovely yellow-leafed shrub that I had been successfully replanting around our garden.  It's quite easy to do as you only have to cut the stem, shave some of the outer layer to expose the white part of the stem, and then dig a hole big enough to insert it.

While I was wondering around it, I noticed a small yellow butterfly fluttering from branch to branch.  It was so hard to get a decent picture as it was constantly moving.  Well, patience definitely has its rewards.  Soon it tired out and rested on one of the branches, just long enough for me to take a snap.

Just when I was reviewing the photos I've taken and having been contented with them,  I noticed that I was inches away from an ambush!  It was then that I realized why the butterfly didn't want to rest in that part of the shrub.  Did you notice anything in the first picture above?  If you'd care to take a closer look at it, I think you'll know what I mean.

Two spiders, well camouflaged in its surroundings, have taken strategic positions on the upper right and lower left corners.  I don't really know if these spiders are working together as a team - I don't think I've heard of spiders being groupies like lions - but they certainly are in a classic ambush position.  One predator scares the prey to the opposite direction not knowing that another predator is just conveniently waiting over there.  Too much analysis on my part already, let me just show you where they are hidden. hehehe.

The world is full of predators.  And when there are predators, there will always be preys.  Each one though is blessed with their own skills and abilities enough to survive, especially us, humans.  Use yours wisely.  (^o-)v (Why can't I write without having to sound like a prophet?  My real intentions really were just for you to enjoy the pictures taken with my Lumix LX5. ENJOY!)  

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Snail Bites

Lessons from my friend the Snail.

Life is not a race.  It is a gift.  Take your time and enjoy it.

Smile!
Laugh!
Play!
Smell the roses!

There is love and beauty everywhere! There is beauty in you.  
Strike a pose, show them what you've got.  Show them what you're made of.

And ... don't forget to take a POOP every chance you get! (^o^)/

Release not only waste but all that anger, hatred, bitterness, and negativity in you.

Most importantly, remember to leave it where you left it! Don't carry it around!




Photography tip: Spray water on your subject (when applicable) to make it look fresh and vibrant (^o^)/

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Spotted! Gadget Girl in the City!

You may think you already own all the cool gadgets there is out there.  Wait until you see Gadget Girl! She makes unannounced appearances in the city from time to time.  You'll be lucky to spot her really, for with all her gadgets come great powers, and you'll never know who she'll come as.  She can even turn herself invisible with just the twitch of her Gizmo watch.  Luckily, I spotted her one cloudy afternoon in Davao!  See how she looks after the jump (^o^)/ 

From afar, it should be easy to spot her with her black hat with white stripes (see bottom left side of picture) that completes her look.  I love her! (^O^)/

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