We stayed at the Kookoo’s Nest at Tambobo Bay for a weekend a couple of weeks ago. Great sunset, perfetct to sit at the end of jetty and enjoy some yoga time.
Yoga time in Tambobo Bay
One of my pictures on the RAPID programme brochure
I was very happy to see that one of my pictures was selected for the new brochure of the Research and Policy in Development programme at the Overseas Development Institute. You can see the brochure HERE. My picture is on the front and back cover.
ODI’s Research and Development programme (RAPID) works to understand the relationship between research, policy and practice and promoting evidence-informed policy-making. The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) is the UK’s leading independent think tank on international development and humanitarian issues. ODI’s mission is to inspire and inform policy and practice which lead to the reduction of poverty, the alleviation of suffering and the achievement of sustainable livelihoods in developing countries. We do this by locking together high quality applied research, practical policy advice, and policy-focused dissemination and debate. We work with partners in the public and private sectors, in both developing and developed countries.
Weekly picture for my team – My favourite place on the island of Negros
Was trying to choose the weekly picture for my team in London. Could not choose between these tow. So for this week I post two photos. A couple of weekends ago I went back together with my family to the Kookoos’ Nest, 10km from Zamboanguita on almost the southern tip of the island of Negros where we live. The Kookoos’ nest is my favourite place in Negros.
Weekly photo for my team in London – Red umbrella
Last Sunday took my bicycle and went up to to the mountain behind Dumaguete to go and see how have recovered the areas hit by the typhoon Sendong in December 2011. On the way up I saw this lady walking back home from a nearby market with a shopping bag. I liked her shiny red umbrella.
Reclining Buddha in Ubud
We stayed at a nice guesthouse in Ubud, in Bali. It was a traditional Balinese house and to get to our room we had to walk a narrow alley and pass through two small yards shared by few families. One of them was an elderly couple who lived in a small red brick house. When we came back from our day tours in the afternoon, he was normally sitting under a small porch on a confortable bamboo armchair. Sometimes reading the newspaper, sometimes listening to a radio, sometimes looking at this beautiful wooden statue of a reclining Buddha. One morning I asked him if I could take pictures of the Buddha and he happily said yes. I liked the fading colours, the frangipani flower on his shoulder which the elderly couple following the Balinese tradition changed every day. Strangely this Buddha is reclined on his left harm, while traditionally he is portrayed reclined on the right arm. Anyway, peaceful, relaxing.
Paper fan on the bus in Bohol
The bus was old. No A/C. Windows all up to have some breeze. The conductor was collecting the fare from the passengers and issu tiny colourful tickets with strange symbols on them. Some passengers paid with coins, most paid with notes. The conductor straightened all notes with quick but careful movements and folded them in between his fingers in what resembled to a small paper fan. Photo take on the bus to Tagbilaran City, island of Bohol, Philippines.
Pagodas and monasteries in Hong Kong
Pagodas and monasteries in Hong Kong. They are like islands in this city. I took these pictures in Nan Lian Garden and the Chi Lin Nunnery on Fung Tak Road and at the Chuk Lam Sim monastery (Bamboo Forest monastery) near Tsuen Wan MTR station.
Venla’s Valentine Day
It is Valentine Day here in the Philippines. It is a big day for the people in this country. It is afternoon. My daughter Venla is at home from school. Teachers spending time in their families as this is very much a family day. They are probably getting ready to go out to eat tonight. The busiest day of the year for the restaurants in Dumaguete, a restaurant owner told me once. We are in the garden. Sun is setting. Still autumn light in the late afternoon during this time of the year. The dry season is now with us. The monsoon has left us. Light is beautiful one hour before the sun will set. Happy Valentine, to all.
Painting Day
While studying at the art university I used to be creative and draw and paint all the time. Now working on the computer all day I miss those creative, offline experiences. So I recently grabbed all my art supplies and started painting a bit. It’s so much fun and a very relaxing and calming task, I love it!
Weekly photo for my team in London – Sand writing in Hong Kong
Hong Kong. Busy Sunday morning in Kowloon. Thousands of people walking in streets packed with electronics shops selling hundres of different smartphones models, Nikon and Canon cameras, lenses, TV sets, laptops, ipod, ipad, tablets. Iphones can be unlocked at the corner of the street. In all this a lady was writing using white sand on a red plastic blanket laying on the street’s asphalt. People stopped by, used their smartphones and took pictures of the lady who, I thought. was concentrated in something that seemed to belong to the past.