Monthly Archives: February 2016

Sunset this Leap Year, February 29, 2016

I was sidetracked from logging out from work today when I saw just how dramatic the skyline looked…

Sunset 02.29 (1)

Ever the sunrise and sunset-chaser, I always take the time to catch the sun rising or setting in my corner of the world, and I’ve seen Cebu sunsets in various shades of yellow and gold and orange and red, and even in hues of purple and pink, but never in such shades of fiery reds.

Sunset 02.29 (3)

Looking at it now, I remember some lines from Passenger’s “Setting Suns.”

I felt like I was dreaming,
I’d never seen the sky so red
Gave me the strangest feeling
And a voice inside me said,

All my life I’ve been chasing setting suns
See me running up the hill when the evening comes
They get further away the faster I run
I’m getting old and tired of chasing setting suns.

Let me say though, that while I feel I’m getting old (and I like to think in a positive way, te he), I know I will never get tired of chasing setting suns (or rising ones).

Sunset 02.29 (2)

Cebu: Views from Crown Regency Towers

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views from Crown Regency (1)

While I lived in Cebu for almost a decade, I’ve never seen its cityscape in broad daylight as I live in Mactan, so I was ecstatic when a friend invited me over to Crown Regency. This 40-storey hotel is renowned for its Edge Coaster and Sky Observatory.

views from Crown Regency (2)

The hotel is right smack in the middle of Cebu City, so it granted me views of not just the mountains, but a wide expanse of the city.

views from Crown Regency (4)

Cebu is not yet a mega-city so its cityscape isn’t all towering buildings and skyscrapers. I wonder though, if the city government strictly follows its master plan. (While visiting Chicago, my host shared that she felt bad that Manila did not follow its master plan. If it did, it would have been a twin city of Chicago, as Manila Bay was supposed to be the counterpart of Lake Michigan and Luneta of Millennium Park.)

Going back to Cebu, Crown Regency’s viewdeck also afforded me views of the sea.

views from Crown Regency (5)

“That’s the pier,” my friend shared when we walked to the side of the viewdeck that’s opposite the main edge coaster line.

views from Crown Regency (6)

While I loved the views, I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of sadness. You see, when in Cebu for my practicum in 2004, a friend brought us to Tops at night to see the city’s nightscape. Then, the city, while already bustling, wasn’t as packed.

views from Crown Regency (7)

So I was surprised to see how urbanized it is now. (And look at how parts of the mountain were decimated just so they could build more houses.) 😦

At Sea

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I love the sea. I love seeing shades of blue against an azure sky.

At sea (1)
Or shades of blue against an azure sky with cottony clouds.

At sea (10)
I love how it evokes feelings of calmness and tranquility and at the same time, shrouds itself in mystery. Really, who knows how deep these tranquil waters run?

The photos were taken during one of our cruises from Cebu to Bohol. That’s one of the perks of being an island lass. I get to fall in love with the sea over and over again.

Don’t you just love this view?

At sea (11)
On this cruise, we passed by this island, which was beautifully surrounded by blue-green waters. Unfortunately, the island itself was not developed properly.

At sea (6)
Sigh.

As we cruised near this mostly fishing village, we were greeted with views of either men fishing or locals heading to another island.

At sea (8)
Imagine having to ride a banca just so you can buy necessities from another island or to go to school or work. And yet, these people weren’t complaining. They were so smiling and kept on waving at us when we passed by their banca…