Fall 2011

My first-ever fall seems to be the shortest season of the year. As early as October 29, snow was falling the fall skies of DC. And by now, we are experiencing a pre-winter temperature, ranging from the high-forties to the low sixties. Brrrr...

The shot above was taken in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. We went there to see its famous foliage in the fall, as the season helps shave off the leaves of the trees. But to our surprise, as we were only going on our second month of the fall, leaves have already fallen, and trees are now on winter mode. There were very few leaves left on trees, and a couple of them we see above.

Is the earth really shifting, or is it really just the time of the century where seasons change and weird things happen?

*Photo taken using Nikon D3100

Osama Bin Laden - 2 May 2011

It's hard not to write about one of the most significant events in world history. The person behind the series of terroristic attacks in the US and around the world, the leader of the infamous Al Qaeda, the world's public enemy number 1, Osama Bin Laden, was killed in an operation lead by the US Navy Seals. He was 54.

Osama Bin Laden claimed to be behind one of the most destructive terroristic activities in history, the September 11, 2001 strike at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. He was also behind other bombings and killings in other areas around the world. Now, he was silenced, killed in a way that he has predicted: violently.

Is the world a much safer place now? Definitely not. Are we still under threat? Indeed. So what now? We remain vigilant.

Bin Laden's death brought as much worries as relief in the international community. At one side, we are happy that he can no longer make videos of instructions to his operators of which embassy, country, or building to bomb next. On the other hand, we are also cautious and afraid of further activities from the people he left behind.

Bin Laden's death was a big leap towards quelling terrorism. President Obama scored big on this one. But still have a long way to go to wipe it all out. I wish we could just all wake up one day and forget that we are fighting one another. But of course, we do not live in a dream.

The Philippines in DC

Where can you not find Filipinos around the world? Much like our Indian friends, Filipinos can be seen anywhere and everywhere. A Filipino became a starting pitcher for the 2010 Major League Baseball championship. One Filipino of four Black Eyed Peas played during the US's most watched sports spectacle this year. "Just the Way You Are" has been sung many times by American Idol contestants, and this song was composed by a Filipino. President Obama's appetite is ensured to be on high by a Filipino Chef. I wouldn't be surprised if there are Filipinos invited to the Royal Wedding. A Filipino is truly emerging among many races around the world.

The Philippines and the United States have long been related in history and development. The US, after the Spaniards have inhabited the Philippines for quite some time. During the War of the Pacific, the US liberated the country from Japanese rule. The US gave the Philippines its independence on July 4, 1946. The US also gave the influence of Basketball, reality shows and Lindsay Lohan...

Washington DC is one of the many melting pot cities in the US. You can see a lot of different cultures from every corner of the city. This is why everytime I stroll the Nation's Capital, I try to see if there are any monuments, objects, signs, or sights related to my beloved hometown. And I was surprised to see that there are places and sites in DC that highlights or mentions the Philippines.

Just across the Philippine Embassy to the United States along Massachusetts Avenue, there exists two (2) streets named after two Philippine places liberated by the Americans. Beside the Embassy there is the Bataan St., while across the rotunda there is Corregidor St. Bataan is a province in Region 3 of the Philippines where the infamous Death March started. The Fall of Bataan, or better known as the Araw ng Kagitingin is still being commemorated in the Philippines until today. On the other hand, Corregidor is an island off the coast of Manila Bay, which was an American stronghold during the second World War.

We have been strong allies with the US during the Second World War. This made us worthy to have our country's name etched in one of the pillars of the World War II Memorial, which is found just across the Washington Monument.

Etched on the "Pacific" side of the WWII Memorial are some Philippine provinces were much battle took place during the war. Places mentioned were Bataan, Corregidor, Leyte Gulf, Phillippine Sea, and Manila.





The name of our country can also be seen in the Korean War Memorial, located on the left side of the Abraham Lincoln Memorial. If we recall our history right, the Philippines sent the 4th largest troop under the United Nations command. Around 7,420 Fillipinos participated in the Korean War. Former President Fidel V. Ramos was among the soldiers sent to Korea.

Various Filipino-sounding names can also be seen in the name wall of the Vietnam War Memorial. The Philippines, just like in the two previous wars, participated in the Vietnam War, which took place from 1964-1973. Around 2,000 Filipinos participated in the Vietnam War.

The Iwo Jima Memorial, or the US Marine Corps Memorial, is located in Meade Street in Arlington, Virginia, just a few miles from Downtown DC. The monument depicts the flag-raising Iwo Jima island, much made famous by the Clint Eastwood movie "Flags of Our Fathers." The US Marines participated in what the United States call the "Philippine Insurrection," a more politically correct terminology for the US regime in the Philippines.

In the Arlington Cemetery, where the famous Tomb of the Unknown Soldier can be seen, there is a museum that features military decorations from all over the world. There, the Phillippines' Medal of Valor is exhibited. I have to brag that ours is one of the most beautiful military decorations. :)

It is also exhibited in the Cemetery the several plaques of appreciation and commemoration to the Tomb of the Unkown Soldier. In 2009, then AFP Chief of Staff Narciso Abaya and Army Chief Gen. Delfin Bangit offered their respective plaques. 

On matters of faith, of course the Philippines is famous for being the only Catholic country in East Asia. Here in DC, the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception houses many chapels of images of the Virgin Mary from many countries. Of course, the Philippines has its share of image. The replica of the image of our Lady of Antipolo can be seen in the beautiful crypt church at the basement of the Basilica. 

 

The paintings on both sides of the chapel were painted by the famous Blanco family of Rizal.

Also, thank God for stores like the Manila Oriental and Fiesta Oriental, where we buy our stock of Stik-O, Lucky Me Pancit Canton, Choc-Nut, Patis, Sinigang Mix, Tocino, and Pan de Sal, we wouldn't have to be uber-homesick after all.

Sing Forever - Bukas Palad US+Canada Concert Tour

I'm so blessed to have had the opportunity to watch the soulful concert of one of my favorite choral groups, the Bukas Palad Music Ministry, who recently held a US and Canada concert tour in commemoration of their 25th anniversary. Wow, 25 years of lovely original Filipino spiritual music for us to enjoy, reflect on, and pray with. They spent their last leg of their tour in Virginia, held at The State Theatre in Falls Church.

The Bukas Palad Music Ministry is a collaboration of music lovers from Ateneo: Academicians, professionals and students, who wish to serve the Lord and the church by singing beautiful music originally composed by their members. Founded by musical geniuses Fr. Manoling Francisco, Jandi Arboleda and Norman Agatep, Bukas Palad is now on it's 25th year, alongside several volumes of CDs and music books, continuing to serve the Lord and the entire Ateneo community through its beautiful music of praise and prayer. 

I was lucky to have watched them here in the Metro DC area. It made me feel so much at home. Back, in the Philippines, I attended 1st and 3rd Sunday masses at the Ateneo, and most of the time, Bukas Palad sings in those masses. Their songs give me the needed atmosphere for reflection and prayer, that is why I always loved going to mass during these days.

Bukas Palad sang around 22 of their famous hits, plus a bonus performance of the "Hotdog" medley. Their singing simply gave me a flurry of goose bumps, plus some moments of tears when Jandi and the rest of the gang sang my favorite "In Him Alone."

It felt good to be in the theatre watching Bukas Palad. For a time, I felt I was back in the Philippines. I was surrounded by Filipinos speaking the native language, and I was surrounded by Ateneans, young and old. And of course, I felt the mighty and loving presence of God through the entire show. The 2-hour event gave me the needed relief, comfort, joy. Indeed, God was watching that night. 

I also had the opportunity to meet my former teacher who was part of Bukas Palad. Sir Lui Morano, it was good to see you! Bubbles was also able to meet one of her former classmates back in AJSS. 

Bukas Palad also left me with a few lines to reflect on everyday:
In Omnibus, Amare (In everything, love)
In Omnibus, Servire (In everything, serve)
In Omnibus Amare et Servire Domino (In everything, love and serve the Lord).

Mabuhay, Bukas Palad! Here's to many more years of prayerful and powerful music! 

Here are some pictures:

Classmates

Student and Mentor

Here's a short clip of Tanging Yaman from the concert: 

The Eastern Market

For food and "tiangge" lovers like Bubbles, one will surely enjoy the weekend flea markets of the Eastern Market in downtown washington DC. The Eastern Market is located just more than a mile away from the US Capitol. The Eastern Market proper is open daily, while the weekend markets are, obviously, open on weekends only.

Inside the Eastern Market, there are food stands where one can have his lunch, meryenda, or dinner. One of Bubbles' colleagues tipped that the Market's crabcake sandwich is a winner, so we immediately tried it out. And indeed, it was the best I tasted so far. I also tried their fried shrimps and fish and they were also good. The crab cake sandwich, though, was exceptional. We're definitely going back for more!

Indeed we did go back! When my good friend Jayvee came to Washington last week, we took him to Eastern Market to buy a crab cake sandwich to go so he could have a meal on his way back to his sister in New Jersey. In just a few minutes, he already texted me and provided rave reviews about the sandwich! He mentioned that he should have bought two sandwiches. It was the epitome of the Filipino term "bitin." :)

We'll go back to Eastern Market one of these days to shop for food that we can cook at home.

 A few pictures (taken using my BlackBerry Bold 9780):

Hat Sale

Posters, paintings, and all others artistic

The Happy Missus

Cheers!

Spring is Here!

People from in and around Washington DC look forward to spring time, a season when flowers bloom the prettiest. One of the most talked about festivals in the US held during springtime is in DC: The Cherry Blossom festival.

The festival takes place from the last week of March up to the first week of April. This is when the cherry trees from the sides of the Potomac River, or what they call the Tidal Basin, bloom altogether, a beautiful sight to see for residents and tourists. The Cherry Blossom festival in DC is the closest thing to the original festival in Japan, from where the Cherry Blossom festival originated.

Since last week, the streets of DC near the Tidal Basin are clogged in traffic, people walk from faraway parking areas just to witness the cherry trees bloom. We went to the festival last weekend, and even if the trees have not fully bloomed yet, it was already a beautiful sight. I'll try to go back to when the cherry trees have fully bloomed to see how it looks like. :)

Here are some pictures: 

(taken using Canon Powershot A590is)

This year, spring time is already here, but the winter temperature hasn't left! Temperature dropped from a high of 70 degrees during the 3rd week of February to 35-40 degrees in the 2nd week of March. Just when you thought you're back to normal clothing after your annual spring cleaning, you'll then wake up to find out you need to dig up your thick jackets in order to see the cherries bloom! :)

www.cherryblossom.com

The National Mall and Smithsonian Institute

Being a Filipino, I am used to the Mall that we have in the Philippines: restaurants, department stores, boutiques, gift shops, cinemas. Here in DC, the Mall is none of what we know about malls. It is a long stretch of land surrounded by Smithsonian Museums. It is in the East wing of the 4-sided sights of the DC area. On the leftmost portion of the Mall is the Washington Monument, while in the right, you will see the towering beauty of the Capitol.

View from the Mall

The Smithsonian Institution's 19 museums are the major sights to see in the mall. Whether you're fascinated in American History, art, archaeology or space, Smithsonian offers a museum that best fits your taste. So far, I have seen 4 out of its 19, and I shall try to visit all these museums in my stay here in DC.

According to the Smithsonian, before anything else, a visitor should plan his visit to the museums by visiting the Smithsonian Castle first to get the necessary maps and tourist guides.

The Smithsonian Castle

So far I have visited The American History Museum, Freer and Sackler Galleries, and Air and Space Museums. As to why I decided to tour these museums first, I have absolutely have no idea. :)

Some pictures:

The National Mall's left end: Washington Monument

The Other Side: The U.S. Capitol Building

Black Eyed Peas in Super Bowl XLV

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xgx3ud_black-eyed-peas-slash-usher-medley-live-superbowl-2011-bmf_music
Uploaded by BlakMusicFirst. - Explore more music videos.

Mabuhay ka Apl de Ap!

Superbowl XLV - 6 February 2010

One must-see event here is the much-awaited Super Bowl event. Now on its 45th season, the Super Bowl has been the most watched sport and TV event in the US. The sport makes Americans stay home, makes advertisers spend millions more to have a slot, makes all shows get a least a word "Super Bowl" into their scripts.

For someone who has come from a country that appreciates only one team sport, basketball, I get fascinated with Americans' love for all sports, and the great American sport, their favorite. The Super Bowl's effect on roads, media and groceries, is very much similar to our craziness over Manny Pacquiao's titles fights.

Amidst the Super Bowl mania, I am proud to say that one Filipino stood in the middle of the capacity crowd, entertaining hundreds of thousands in the field, and hundreds of millions watching from around the world. The Black Eyed Peas performed during the Super Bowl half time show, which gave the crowd the needed boost of energy and excitement! Apl de Ap, we Filipinos are so proud of you! :) Mabuhay ka!

Congratulations to the Green Bay Packers fans for an entertaining Super Bowl XLV! Congrats also to the Pittsburgh Steelers for making it this far. Too bad, they came a bit short in getting the Lombardi trophy.

Now, I have to explain a bit further to my wife how American Football works...

Cheers!

Ben's Chili Bowl

Another famous eatery here in Metro DC is Ben's Chili Bowl. This is just a few stations away by Metro train from where I live, located at 1213 U St, NW Washington DC. I was fortunate to have been introduced to its world-famous half-smoked chili dog.

The Half-smoked chili dog gives you the needed juiciness of the hotdog, and the spicy kick of the chili sauce! Coupled with chili cheese fries and you're up for a delicious spicy treat! You really can't eat just one hotdog! Of course, I resisted and ate just one to avoid extra calories and pounds... Whew!

Chili Cheese Fries

Half-Smoked Chili Dog

Ben's Chili has been Washington's premiere chili dog place since 1958. According to its cashier signs, Bill Cosby and the Obama family eat there for free! I wish I could be in that list. :)
http://www.benschilibowl.com/ordereze/Content/2/Summary.

Ray's Hell Burger - January 29, 2010

One good thing about being in DC is that you get to eat in places where President Obama eats or has eaten!

Bubbles and I, along with our friends Jun and Kathy, were able to visit Ray's Hell Burger, a small burger joint just around the Arlington area. Ray's Hell Burger is always packed with people who want to grab a bite of this juicy, succulent, great-tasting burger. Coupled with its reasonable price, I can see the reason for the long lines.

On June 2010, President Obama treated Russian President Dimitri Medvedev to a traditional American lunch in this small burger joint during the latter's visit to the United States.

From the pictures it seemed that they both had fun eating at Ray's. :)

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/06/obama-medvedev-chow-down-at-ra.html

I ordered the usual burger, add on Mozzarella and free add ons mushroom, tomatoes and lettuce. My patty was done medium well so we needed to wait for 15-20 minutes. This "have it your way" style makes every burger individually interesting, depending on what you put on it. Unlike traditional "to go" orders, Ray's hell burger gives you the freedom to pack your own burgers to take out after they serve it to you. According to them, this is to ensure that you got the burger you wanted. They have lots of condiments, from ketchup to mayo to several kinds of mustard, to cajun.

I'll soon try other historical sites, eateries and landmarks here in Metro DC. I got plenty of time to do so. :)