Destination: Virginia

There’s a building called Torpedo Factory in Old Town Alexandria. I have always seen it, but I have never been curious enough to step in until recently. I didn’t know back then that I was entering this beautiful warehouse-like gallery with little rooms featuring different artists doing their craft: painting, sculpting, pottery, photography, jewelry making, mixed media crafts and more.

These people so passionate about their craft made me think about mine. It brought back my curiosity and bravery that dwindled in time. I realized I am good at taking candid photos of people. So, I am refocusing my work to be about travel and street photography. 

Of crowds and busy folk

This is an extension to my earlier post on my trip to New York. I have found that candid moments of strangers make the best photographs. My favorite photographers have always been able to capture the human element so well. I aim to be one of those one day. In the meantime, these are shots of crowds and busy folk:

Destination: New York

I am really happy that I was able to start off my year by traveling. I originally wanted to go somewhere new but with some work constraints, New York became the best place. I have nothing against visiting one of my favorite cities to start off 2013. I think the best part of revisiting a place you love is that there are just certain things that never go old like dark beer at McSorley's, tram rides to Roosevelt Island, vinyl records at Bedford Ave, trinkets at Brooklyn flea, photo-ops at Chinatown. I really could go on and on...

Back in Time

I love going to events like different types of festivals. I usually find such interesting people which make for beautiful moments to photograph. Yesterday, I went to the Renaissance Festival in Annapolis. I have never seen or heard of it before. So, it was nice to see they went all out to relive 16th century England.

Destination: Ontario

Our trip to Ontario was fueled by the initial idea of going to Boston. Why not go to more places? And, to more places we went! We rode the L and L tours from Chinatown, New York to the Corning Museum upstate to Niagara Falls to Toronto and to Thousand Island. It was an awesome three day trip in a bus filled with people from all over the US, Europe, Asia and Australia. We made friends, traded stories and took pictures. Niagara Falls was really beautiful. It was a misty day so I was glad we ate at the revolving restaurant at Skylon tower so we were able to see the great view we couldn’t from below. Although Toronto is a famous city and I think of myself as a city girl, the place did not appeal to me as I thought it would. I found it a little lacking in culture or maybe the place was too neat and clean for my taste. I guess if you are a lover of Manila and New York City, a city that is perfectly shaded in the middle without stray marks is just odd.

Destination: All over East Coast

When I meet my friend Dane every year, we have this pattern of who visits who. We usually start our adventures in Maryland and move up to New York and wherever else we feel like going. We pretty much covered the usual tourist spots in the past. So this time, we mostly explored the Naval Academy. We were able to eat lunch with the students, a cool privilege if you know someone from the inside. After that, majority of our vacation was spent in New York. I feel like there is so much to document in this city, and I come home with so little. One of our more notable destinations was the Brooklyn Flea Market, supposedly one of the biggest in the area. If only I had means to bring home those trinkets!  After settling down for a few weeks, we decided we wanted a bigger adventure. Dane wanted to go to Boston, and I wanted it to be cheap. Haha So, I scoured the internet for the best of both worlds and stumbled upon the Chinese bus tours. The Boston deal was a two day trip that stops over Rhode Island and Connecticut. So, three state visit for cheap was a no-brainer.  In Massachusetts, we were able to visit a few areas. We visited famous schools in Cambridge, area of first settlers in Plymouth and tourist spots in Boston. The downside of joining a bus tour is the limited time. It was such a short visit that I was unable to really document the city and others we visited. Good thing I was able to visit Massachusetts before. I must say that I find Boston to be one of the prettiest cities. This place has a quaint charm unique only to Boston. Our visit to Connecticut was brief. I honestly don't think there is much going on in Connecticut. We made stops at the Submarine Force Library and Museum and Yale University. We then stopped over Newport, Rhode Island. This small city is home to dozens of mansions of prominent American families in the Gilded Age. We visited The Breakers, the grandest “summer cottage” of the area. I have never seen such an elaborate and beautiful place. They put in so much detail from whatever metal that doesn't tarnish to both electricity and gas for fixtures to a dozen intercoms to just the finest materials out there. This was all done in the 1800s. So yes, I tried very hard to keep my jaw from constantly dropping. Unfortunately, no pictures inside. As for exploring New Jersey, I am happy to report buses were not involved. Haha We mostly had food trips in Jersey City and Atlantic City. If you are in an area without Filipino food, Jersey City is the place to go. If you are into shopping, gambling and partying, given you have money to burn, then, Atlantic City is for you. I had fun in Atlantic City but I think a really long stay would not appeal to me. I guess I am an up and about kind of girl.

Destination: Quebec

My trip to Montreal earlier in the year was so unexpected. It was a school trip by the French Club. I was so excited to travel again. It was such a beautiful place specially architecturally.

I was surprised to find that there were also many churches there. Each had its own unique flair. Of course, the best place was non other than Basilique Notre-Dame de Montreal. It was breathtakingly beautiful. It was one of the most amazing places, a great place of worship.
  

Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is a daily admission of one’s weakness. It is better in prayer to have to have a heart without words than words without a heart.

I also saw interesting snacks along the way...

Destination: Washington, DC

Numerous events take place in Washington, DC every year. The photos here are a collection of my time spent watching bystanders during these events. These were moments I could understand every photographer’s fascination with candid photos. Indeed, the beauty of strangers.