A Day in the Life of Manila [true story]

Just another day in Manila: Novita took the car so I grabbed a taxi home from work. Traffic in Manila was so obscenely terrible that I decided to get out and walk. Only after exiting the car did I realize the entire street was lined with gates – meaning it was completely illegal to be on the busy street vs the sidewalk. (Ayala Ave / Paseo) Nice of the taxi driver to mention that. WTF? So just as I’m ready toRead more

Two typhoons hit Manila in less than a week

In less than 6 days, two separate typhoons have rolled through Manila. These hit almost exactly two years after Ondoy ripped through killing many and leaving devastation and horrendous flooding in its wake. Fortunately these have been relatively mild in Manila compared to Ondoy, but with heavy flooding occurring in some areas nonetheless. My neighbor and coworker had a massive tree get ripped out of the ground during the heavy winds. I believe it knocked out his power for a few days.Read more

Back in Manila in a new role

Phew – it’s been a while huh? A tremendous amount has happened since my last update, with the most important change being the start of a new role at work. I’ve now taken on the position as IT Coordinator for the HS and program leader for the computer dept. It’s a highly demanding role, but a challenge I welcome and was ready for. I’ll continue with technology integration but in correlation with the coordination. I haven’t had a moment toRead more

Sunset in Manila – taken with iPhone 4 and Camera+

There are tons of everyday shots that I take with both the iPhone 4 and Canon S95 that never make it to the blog. Generally if I post any of them, they go onto Facebook or Twitter. I’m thinking about posting more of the everyday stuff on this blog. Here’s an example, this sunset taken last night on High Street, Fort Bonifacio with the iPhone and the Camera+ app. If you don’t have that app, I highly recommend it overRead more

Is Manila ready for an earthquake? A study states up to 38% of the capital may be devastated

“CNN’s Anna Coren revealed that the Philippine government commissioned an Earthquake study several years ago. The results of the study made by the Japanese hinted that up to 38 percent of the capital would be devastated, and the projected death toll to be at least 50,000 people.” Also read: “UN to Metro Manila: Ready for Big One?” And here’s the “Earthquake Impact Reduction Study for Metropolitan Manila” [PDF] The scary thing is I can see the fault line from myRead more

“Blow-Up Babies”: Quite possibly the most inappropriate name for a business? [photo]

Throughout Southeast Asia the English language is often misinterpreted, misrepresented, or massaged into new forms of communication through humorous signage. Take this one I captured as an example. Throughout the Philippines, and Manila especially, English is widespread and I have yet to see many humorous examples as I have so often seen in Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, and Japan. Until today. Let me introduce you to a photo studio by the name of “Blow-Up Babies”.  Read more