With a 7am-10pm work schedule, hours of talking non-stop, you can just guess how bored and drained I was. I felt the need to go go somewhere quiet, peaceful, and just isolate myself from all the hustle and bustle. Yes, I desperately needed a break! 

In came Seollal (Lunar New Year), one of the few (emphasis on few) holidays that our company recognizes, and thus my first solo camping trip. It's almost a year since then. 

I went on a friday so I got the whole resort to myself. The stillness of the surrounding was de-stressing in itself. I was finally able to relax without anyone nagging me, plus I got to pitch my tent whenever I want. Hehe. By noon the following day, this side of the island already resembled a tent city. 

I went solo but was I really alone? No, I wasn't. Some of the guests were really friendly and easy to get along with. We shared stories about anything under the sun. Not bad for a first timer, eh? 

Before I went camping, a  Korean friend told me that watching the day break on Seollal will bring you luck the entire year. Good thing, I woke up just in time even though I lacked sleep for days. Ha-ha.

Right then and there, I fell in love with the sunrise that I almost forgot the take a picture.  I have seen a hundred sunrises in this lifetime but this was different. The way the cloud burst while the sun slowly peeked through the mountain, it was overwhelming. I can't even describe it enough. 

So, did the Seollal sunrise bring me luck? I believe so. :)

__________________________

How to get to Magalawa Island:

(1) Ride a bus/UV express bound to Iba/Sta. Cruz and ask the conductor or driver to drop you off at Radio Veritas in Palauig. If there are no direct trips to Iba from your area, you may ride a bus/UV express bound to Olongapo. From there, ride another bus bound to Iba or Sta. Cruz.

(2) From the drop off point, ride a tricycle going to the port. Be sure to tell Manong driver  which resort you'll be staying at as there are different pick up points for the resorts. 

(3) While enjoying the bumpy trike ride, contact the resort's boatman, so he can pick you up at the port. 

Parola, Tanay, Rizal

Liwanag-Dilim-Liwanag (Light-Darkness-Light), the tripartite view of Philippine History as explained by Andres Bonifacio in his essay Ang Dapat Mabatid ng mga Tagalog (What the Tagalogs Should Know), was used as an analogy to describe the conditions of the country during the 1890's. The first Liwanag refers to the Pre-colonial period. Dilim, on the other hand was used to describe the struggle of the Filipinos against the Spanish conquistadores. The latter Liwanag, however, has yet to come when the essay was written. Hence, the call for enlightenment, the call for action, the call for Liwanag. 

With that, allow me to use the same analogy to describe the evolution of my blogs. 

Liwanag

I started blogging in 2007 when everything was still free and easy, when there was still nothing much to worry about, when I was still starting to love Philosophy, and when my favorite pastime was to contemplate about the universe and everything in it. Thoughts were a bit much to contain that I found the functionality of a journal limited. Contents were mostly about metaphysical ideas in relation to daily life/personal experiences. 

Dilim (and fade-out to Liwanag)

How would you feel if everything that you have taken as true and beautiful was actually otherwise? Well, whether we like it or not, we will all pass through that period in life which we'll consider as the "dark ages'. It's just a matter of who goes first and who'll make it through stronger and wiser. No, I didn't write about my problems as such, Instead, I wrote about the complexity (and a bit of analysis) of the emotions that I was going through. 

Liwanag

"...and there was light."

I wish I can say that everything is perfect and that it is where it's supposed to be, but everything is definitely a lot better now. I cannot thank the heavens enough for this day. This is me now, talking as a better person. Ergo, the title Book III: the latter I. Unlike the other two, though, this page intends to focus mainly on  photo narratives acquired from travel experiences and random photowalks. 

(hi)Stories neither end with the slightest ray of light nor the ability to see things clearer. There will always be more to this light and hence the constant need for its quest. 

Note: This is not to claim that I am a photographer because seriously I am nowhere near one, rather , I'm just another shutterbug. All images are taken and or processed by me, unless stated otherwise. 

-Ang Kaliwete