Barong

During our trip to Bali, my parents scavenged for a special souvenir to bring back home. We decided to go to a painting collection store to find something distinctively Balinese. There were some striking paintings, but they actually look very similar to traditional Filipino paintings, which we have an ample amount of exhibited in our house. Then I saw the Barong paintings... Before going to the store we watched a dance-drama about a Bali-Hindi myth, which I did not quite understand. Even though I couldn't really follow the play, I was intrigued with the mythological Barong character. He is the leader of the forces of good and an enemy of Rangda, the demon queen. Barong and Rangda balance good and evil in the world. Apparently, each region in Bali is protected by their own Barong, modeled after a different animal. Up until now, I cannot make out what animal the Barong is and the mystery makes the character so appealing. As soon as I laid eyes on the first Barong painting, I had to tell my parents to get it. My parents ended up getting the painting above (second picture). Imagine that painting framed on a white wall... I tell you, you can feel the life and energy! Having the Barong on our wall reminds me of my spiritual journey to Bali. The Barong represents the traditional cultural values, such as animism, that the Balinese cherish to this day. I feel like we did not only bring home a masterpiece, but also our own Barong protector.

Salam dari Bali!

I feel so fortunate to be able to escape the country so often with my family. I love traveling to the most unexpected places like Turkey, Russia, Hungary, and Czech Republic. After every journey, I always feel enriched with the different cultural values and lifestyle I was so graciously exposed to. I always believed that opening yourself to other cultures, other than your own, elevates your individuality to a completely different platform. Being recognized as a global citizen is something that I've always wanted to attain.

Three months ago, my family and I embarked on a journey to a neighboring country, Indonesia. Although, we only stayed in Bali for a few days, it was well gratifying. I must say, I was impressed with how the Balinese strongly incorporate their traditional values into everything, specifically their art, theatre, dance, clothing and architecture. In this time-changing world, we only get to see small glimpses of our old ways. In Bali, the centuries-old tradition and culture remains vivid everywhere. Thousands of these antique temples still stand in the island. The unique style is strongly characterized by their religion. Balinese temples are not closed and are rectangular courtyards open to the sky. The shrines and altars are dedicated to the various Hindu gods. These temples are clearly valued by the locals; therefore, replacing them with contemporary buildings is not an option. The spirituality they infuse in their architecture creates a peaceful presence that can be felt by all. No wonder artists and performers around the world travel to Bali to be inspired!

The Great Rockies

The Rocky Mountains, or the Rockies, is one of the major mountain ranges in North America, stretching from New Mexico all the way up to Northern British Columbia. The mountains were sculpted millions of years ago by water and glaciers, forming graceful valleys and chiseled peaks. Up to this day, the Rockies continues to transform into its finest form. After years of exploitation by several European visitors, the mountain ranges, particularly in the Canadian side, remains in almost a pristine form. Driving up around the Rockies, I was astounded by how well the Canadians preserved their beloved mountains. Although it is a popular tourist destination, prohibitions were strictly yet understandably applied particularly in the forest lands and public parks. No one can just go mountain climbing or glacier hiking in the Rockies without a special pass by the Canadian government. The animals, such as brown bears, moose, mountain goats, and etc... were often seen around the highway, without harms way. They built bridges and tunnels to allow the animals to relocate more conveniently and also to prevent road kill incidents. Hunting in the Rockies is also banned anytime during the year.  Canadians are no doubt expert at conserving their sacred lands. Keeping their mountains away from further exploitations is clearly their utmost priority, because they're aware that it was generously bestowed to them by God. I just wish Filipinos would have the same values.

My trip to the Rockies was the perfect way to end my four years in Canada. Gliding along the glaciers in Banff was definitely my favorite, because it was something you couldn't experience anywhere else. Finally, I got to see the real Canada in its most natural form. Canada is genuinely a beautiful country, filled with beautiful landscapes and amazing people. I will be coming back one day and I hope the Rockies will still be as immaculate as I last saw it.

Singapore Lah!

      I haven't been to Singapore in years so when I visited the country 2 months ago I was in awe of the change! First of all, the architecture was simply stunning. The buildings are a brilliant fusion of science and art! It amazes me how these engineers and architects create these masterpieces from scratch! I was so captivated with the new Singapore to the point where I was seriously considering moving there! But family will still remain in our definition of home, the Philippines. So for now, I'm not going anywhere!