We will. We Will, ROCKIES you!

You have to forgive my punny snides. Please don't stop reading my posts. Hahaha. 

Anyway, desperate pleas aside, another mountain has been asking for a piece of me and I am much honored to answer its call so off I went to Mount Maculot with Clemenz (who is starting to become my hiking buddy) and another close friend, Dena, who came all the way to Cebu for this (and to attend a conference, too)!

Mount Maculot is located at Cuenca, Batangas and is just a few hours from Manila so it's another respectable dayhike for people who can't get more than a day's off from their busy schedule. Aside from its summit at 930 MASL, Maculot offers a known spot, like Pico de Loro as to Mount Palay-Palay, and it is the Rockies at 706 MASL. For the more seasoned adventure-seekers, you can take the traverse route where you can visit the summit, the Rockies, and a Grotto which has stations of the cross that end with the trail. But for us, we opted to just enjoy the view from the Rockies and saved the traverse trail for future hikes.

The Beauty Queen from the Queen City of the South gracing the Rockies

From Buendia where bus terminals abound, you can just take a Lemery-bound bus for 150 pesos and drop by the Poblacion near the highway. But since we love to sleep, we got an hour off our schedule and just rode a Lipa-bound bus for 99 pesos. Ask the conductor to drop you off near the Lipa/Tambo exit and cross the road to ride a jeepney bound to Cuenca for 20 pesos.

Ride a tricycle and tell you're going to hike the mountain. For 15 pesos, it will drop you by the Barangay Outpost where you register in their logbook for 10 pesos, surrender an ID which you will get back on your way back, and get a mandatory guide. From the Outpost, the tricycle driver will drive you up until the jump-off point where a marker signifies the start of the trek.

Dem jeje hikers. Again. This time with Dena!

The hike is quite an easy climb with a bit of the concrete road at the start of the trail. However, you can feel the difficulty starting when you start with the slopes. Good thing, there are rest stations after almost every challenging slope. One of them even has a buko juice stall where you can buy the refreshing drink while enjoying a wonderful view of the Taal Lake.

One of the many rest stops along the way
(c) Kuya Guide using Clemenzar's phone

Dat lake.

Near the start of the trail and just after the 'easy hiking' starts is a rocky path which used to be, according to our guide, a river. However, the rapid waters have eroded the soil down to its rocky bottom. This is a landmark for downhill hikers signifying that they are near the jump-off point.

Rocky river bottom

For those having problems with balance, it would be best to bring a hiking stick if you're planning to conquer Maculot soon. Aside from the steep slopes, some parts of the trail have loose stones that can be a problem when you're downhill as this may cause you to rollerblade downwards and to fall flat on your butt (a scenario my dear friend has been a poor victim for several times). So better strap on good hiking shoes and hold on to plant roots so you can balance yourself on these parts.

View of Taal Lake from the campsite

The hike to the campsite is about 2-3 hours and from here, you have two options: a short trail on the left that will lead you to the Rockies in a few minutes and a trail on the right that will lead you to the summit and continues to the traverse trail to visit the Grotto. There's another store here that sells a more varied choices of drinks and food and the view of Taal Lake is more superb from the hike below.


Since we're here for the Rockies, we took the left trail and a few minutes of ascent and descent along the trail, we're there! The Rockies stood up to its name: it is rocky. A quick climb among the big rocks will take you on the top of it and you're in for some sweet treat: A panoramic view of the Taal Lake and, of course, its gem - the Taal Volcano.

Grassy with a chance of Rocky

Yep, definitely grassy up there.
We asked our guide to pose by the edge where he said it would be
a good place to take a picture. He always delivers.

You just gotta have balls and will of steel to
hold your position while winds batter you and threaten
to outbalance you.

Once on the top, you just feel a sense of fulfillment for being able to witness such a grand scene before you. Grander still are the views at the edges where you have to leave your fear of heights (I did. For a few seconds.) to enjoy the green plains of Batangas below. These rocky outcrops allow just a foot so be careful which one to rest on these outcrops. Nothing good comes without a risk, they say, so you are rewarded with wonderful views at these edges (I have to say it again because the view is really majestic from these spots).

The descent, as always, takes a shorter period of time. Just be careful of the loose stones because they prove to be a challenge when you're on your way down. Before you know it, the 'To Mt. Maculot' marker is within view and our guide fetch us a tricycle which took us back to the highway with a stop by the barangay outpost to retrieve our IDs. We paid the guide 500 pesos before we parted ways and the tricycle back to Cuenca costed 20 pesos per person. 

Before heading back, we decided to have our lunch at a carinderia which offered meals as low as 40 pesos (30 pesos for the viand and 10 pesos for the rice) and of course, water which we exploited by refilling our water bottles. After having a hearty meal of pinais na dilis (a local delicacy made of anchovies cooked in a tulingan way), we went back to Lipa/Tambo exit by way of jeepney for 20 pesos and waited for a bus bound to Buendia for 99 pesos. 

For newbie hikers like us, Maculot is one of the good hikes that will leave you accomplished because of its relatively easy climb. Easier and more satisfying still is the mountain's trail leading to the Rockies because of the beautiful views from it despite being a few hundred meters lower than the summit. I encourage people who want to be in touch with their hikers' side to choose Maculot as their first hike so they would continue to build their love and appreciation for the discipline. And hey, it's just a few hours from the Metro; a day's work-off is more than enough to scale this beauty and get back to your bed, dreaming about your next mountain hiking experience.

P. S. Look at the beautiful views from the Rockies! Don't you want to have a picture of you taken up there, too? :)

P.P.S. Again, check out Pinoy Mountaineer's take on Maculot for more hiking tips and itineraries.


Until the next trip!

- Paulo 

I think I'll make it a thing to do an Oble pose every time I hike. Because honor and excellence
should be brought wherever you go. But I think Dena does it better (see below), right?

Up to the Monolith We Go!

Aside from my love for running, another outdoor activity that I am fond of (or trying to be fond of) is mountain hiking. I guess it started during my Scouting days back in high school where we used to trek Mount Makiling to the Jamboree site. Maybe something's in the air when you trudge along a rocky path with the sky above blotted out by the canopies of great trees. My community immersion during my senior year in college intensified my love for hiking when my groupmates and I were assigned to Barangay Hugom in San Juan, Batangas - home to its resident land mass, Mount Daguldol. As if to entice me more, one of the BHWs in Hugom resides in Sitio Catmon - one of the seven sitios of the barangay - which is located near the Campsite 2 of the said mountain. So it did not come to me as a surprise that now that I have the time and money, more mountain peaks call me. And one of these peaks is the great Pico de Loro of Mount Palay-Palay.

Pico de Loro is a singular structure known as the Parrot's Beak (or Monolith to some and to most Space Odyssey fans ;)) as it rises solidly beside the summit of Mount Palay-Palay, the latter standing at around 664 meters above sea level (MASL). It is also known to be one of the popular dayhike destinations for newbie hikers (like me!) who can't spare more than a day away from Manila. Located at the border of Ternate, Cavite and Nasugbu, Batangas, Pico de Loro surely enchants the outdoors-y in you to climb its summit and challenges you more to conquer its (parrot's) beak.

Just imagine a parrot, okay?
(c) allen3ya.blogspot.com

Since it's going to be a dayhike for me and my friends, DJ and Clemenz, we opted to stay in the latter's house so we can be in the bus terminal early in the morning. Let's start from Buendia where you can ride a bus bound to Coastal Road for 20 pesos. Alight at Coastal Road near the overpass where you can ride a bus with the signs 'Naic' and 'Ternate' for 90 pesos. Tell the conductor to drop you off at Ternate bus terminal. Sleep, you may need it. Scratch that. You NEED it. You can grab a quick snack at some of the stores in front of the bus terminal in Ternate. There's an especially kind store owner who would let hikers use their bathroom to do a quick pee before they continue with their journey. Ride a tricycle for 75 pesos and tell the driver to drop you off at the DENR jump-off point or simply 'aakyat po ng Pico de Loro'. They would know that already and drop you in the right place. Register in the DENR logbook and pay the registration fee of 25 pesos. There's another registration site a little ways into the trail where you have to pay 20 pesos. Now you can start the trek!

BUT WAIT! You forgot one thing. The very thing our group decided not to do which led to a very unforgettable experience on our way down from the summit: HIRE A GUIDE! I can never stress this enough but please DO GET A GUIDE, especially if you're a newbie hiker or unfamiliar to the trail. Yes, the trail is well marked with arrows and markers but it's better to cash out than to get lost (which we almost did). 

From the DENR registration area, you walk a few hundred meters of concrete road to the real jump-off point (see happy faces at the jump-off point below). From here, the trek is quite easy. Better bring the essentials like arm covers and gloves to brush away branches and a thumbstick is quite a help especially if you're having problems with your balance. 

The jump-off point is just a few minutes walk along the Ternate-Nasugbu highway and a marker that says "To Pico de Loro" will tell you it's the  right trail. Oh, look at those happy rested faces.
(c) Ate Fellow Hiker using DJ's camera

Le Bamboo Archway. Pardon the pose.
(c) Agullana

Being the enthusiastic newbies that we were, we set off at a fast pace, bypassing other hikers along the trail. However, we decided to stick to one group of experienced hikers since we didn't hire a guide. Despite this 'precaution' we still got a bit lost while we were almost near the summit. We missed a marker and followed another trail marker (an arrow carved in a tree trunk) which eventually led to a dead-end. Good thing we found our way back a few turn-arounds (and a trickle of fear-induced sweat) later. Just make sure to follow the markers and you'll find yourself to a bamboo 'archway' which is a sign that you are near the campsite near the summit.

When we were there, the campsite was packed with overnight hikers preparing for their brunch. We arrived at the place around 9 in the morning which made it a decent three-hour hike (which includes the turn-arounds from getting lost from the trail). The view from the ridge is spectacular and you can see the Monolith standing mightily next to the summit of Mount Palay-Palay.

Dem jeje hikers.
(c) Lopez

LOOK AT THAT BEAUT! The Monolith is the one on the left and 
Mt. Palay-Palay's summit is the one on the right.
(c) Lopez

The campsite serves as a resting place for hikers before they conquer the summit and the Monolith. There are stores here that sell goto (rice congee) and bottled water and drinks...but for a hefty price. A 500mL Gatorade drink can cost you 60 pesos and a 350mL bottled water for 30 pesos. So better bring your drinks during your hike or pay the price. Quite literally.

The Parrot's Beak/Monolith as seen
from the summit
(c) Lopez

After resting a bit, we went to conquer the summit of Mount Palay-Palay. The slope in this part of the trail is steeper and it will get your heart pumping especially if you're doing it at around high noon (which was what we newbies did). Hard breathing and sweat trickling be damned but the view from the summit is breath-taking. Even if we reached the summit with a thick blanket of fog covering the view of Cavite and the South China Sea, this was an experience on its own. Imagine teeny drops of water welcoming you on top of the Monolith, seemingly congratulating you for accomplishing such a feat. Lovely on its own way.

Down the Summit. Up the Monolith
(c) Your truly using DJ's camera

They say you don't take a picture against the light. So we didn't.
Hello, High Noon Sun. Hello, unflattering derp faces.
(c) Lopez

To get to the Monolith, you have to go down the other side of the summit which is quite easy because gravity is on your side. Still, be cautious. Then a quick ascent along the side of the monolith is in order. I actually have to hug the rocks at some of the bends to keep my balance. Then comes the hard part: roped segments. It's not for the faint of heart and of weak upper body strength. Basically, you have to pull yourself up but if you're lucky (like myself!), you can have a friend with the said upper body strength to help in pulling yourself up in this portion. A little more rock-hugging and you're on top of the Parrot's Beak! Congratulations!

Make other people feel small with your accomplishment with forced perspective.
Hahaha! Kidding.
(c) Your truly using Clemenzar's phone

We haven't stayed long on top of the monolith nor in the summit because the threatening rumbles of a nearby rain cloud can be heard. So we headed back down, still without a guide but with fellow newbie hikers. This proved to be perfect ingredients for a steaming disaster that is getting lost. On our way down, we missed the marker leading back to DENR - the one made with eye-catching explosive yellow-green bottles of Mountain Dew arranged in an arrow shape. Yep that one. And for the next two hours, we continued on our way "back" (or so we thought) and only until we were REALLY sure that we didn't pass a place that we made our way back, desperately checked every fork (and getting more hopeless if it led to a dead end) and gleefully seeing signs that we're actually making our way back to the right trail. To add to the gloomy situation that we were in, the skies decided to make it more apt to rain on us. Thankfully, on our way back we met hikers on their way back from the summit and they have a guide so we tagged along them. Just imagine how grateful we were to trek the right way down the summit. Still can't imagine it? Look at the pictures below.

We were lost. And we were found.
AND DAMN ARE WE DEAD TIRED BUT HAPPY TO BE BACK ON TRACK!
(c) Agullana

After getting our bearings straight from just what happened, we went back to DENR to ride a tricycle back to the Ternate bus terminal for another 75 pesos. The way back to Manila is basically the reverse of what we did this morning (Clemenz and I went to a getaway with officemates in Tagaytay as a side trip so we weren't able to get back to Manila that same night but we made sure DJ was on her way home :D).

Despite everything we've been through on our way down, the trek to Pico de Loro is worth it. Even getting lost is an experience. It's not everyday you get to say that you almost got lost in a mountain. And also, looking at the Parrot's Beak and saying to yourself that you conquered that bitch is really really satisfying. So don't get discouraged by what happened to us but be challenged to conquer Pico de Loro. It's just a few hours from Manila and it may provide you the much-needed respite from the chaos that is the metro. 

P.S. Shots from atop the Monolith are awesome. 

Clemenz doing an awesome high kick.....at this high altitude.
Forgive me, I just have to say that.
(c) Lopez

P.P.S. Visit Pinoy Mountaineer's page on Pico de Loro. He's been our source for tips and even itineraries when it comes to conquering mountains. The hiker in you might just be awaken after reading a few of his posts.

Until the next trip!

- Paulo

Because you bring honor and excellence wherever you go. Even on top of the Parrot's Beak
(c) Lopez

All the Diliman Foods: Intra-Campus Edition

Remember how I venerated UP Diliman for all the beautiful and picturesque places it has inside its campus (it's just an article away, go read 'All the Diliman Feels' :D)? Now that my eyes have feasted on these sceneries, it's time to give my belly the gastronomic treat it deserves after all that walking.

This list will probably grow in the future as these places are the ones I frequent the most whenever I'm in UPD. Prices of items in their menu might probably change when I update this entry when I return to these places and find the effects of price inflation. Also, I am no food connoisseur but simply someone who loves to eat.

Without further ado, let's now check out the places inside the campus where you can munch. 

All the Diliman Feels

Don't worry, UP Manila. You have already secured a spot deep in my heart despite all your peculiarities and nuances. So don't get all jealous with this post about UP Diliman, yes?

That was just me reassuring myself of my love for my alma mater before diving headfirst into this UP Diliman post. BECAUSE I MIGHT FORGET ALL ABOUT UP MANILA AFTER WRITING THIS! (Kidding, UPM. Love you!)

For most aspiring seniors in high school, what enters their mind as they fill up their UPCAT form is a scene including Oble backdropped by the stately-looking Quezon Hall with inspirational blue skies in the background.

Basically this.
(c) Bulanhagui

I'm part of this dreamy seniors who daydreamed of being welcomed by Oble on my way to class everyday despite the funny little fact that I didn't even write UP Diliman as one of my campus choices back then (it was either Los Baños or Manila for me). Hence the frustration (which I have brought upon myself) of not being in the campus and absorbing as much of UP Diliman as possible as I can, seeped into me when I first encountered the topsy-turvy Manila. Perhaps until now, the unending want to run around the Oval, eat somewhere in Area 2 and just enjoy the landscape is never truly gone. 

Manila, Manila I keep coming back to Manila - Part 1

I wrote a draft post about Manila months ago but I wasn't able to finish it and it has been giving me the Devil Eye every time I open my 'Posts' page and more so when I finished a post whilst it remained being a draft. Here's what I wrote so far before Procrastination, Tiredness and Excuses took over.

The walled city of Intramuros has literally stood the test of time. Dear Wiki says Intramuros

"is the oldest district and historic core of the City of Manila, the capital of the Philippines."

Basically, it is the heart of Old Manila which is an apt venue for Pasyal Sundays of #VivaManila, a cultural revival movement spearheaded by cultural activist Carlos Celdran. Pasyal Sundays is a monthly free public event within the Walls that showcases the lush community potential of the city in the forms of local performers, artisans and businesses, as well.

Now, I have a more resolute writing soul to finish it and the reason behind it: Manila Day 2014.


I am a true-blooded Rosenian since I was a kid. Born in Santa Rosa. Studied there. Lived my formative years there. And even dreamed of not escaping this dreamy little city down South. But college pushed me (literally) beyond the confines of my comfort zone and threw me in the chaos that is Manila.

Welcome to Manila
(c) Yanidel Street Photography

My first weeks in Manila were hell. Sensory overload from the cacophony of sounds from the jeepneys in the street, the LRT overhead, and the peddlers with their wares on their shoulder. The unsightly sights of sidewalk gutter brimming with brownish muck hitting your nose down to your stomach with its putrid odor. I lost my naïveté and trust when my laptop got stolen. The fast-paced living pushed my poor promdi soul to adapt lest perish. Slowly, I have come to scorn Manila until I found myself lost within the Walls of Intramuros.

Within the Walls
(c) Wikipedia Commons

Inside the Walls of Intramuros, specially along General Luna Street, you feel yourself transported back in time with its cobblestone-laid street and old ancestral houses refurbished back to their glory days. These sights alone will sweep an old soul off his feet and forget about the stresses outside these moss-covered walls.

Just my luck last Manila Day when the infamous Carlos Celdran (go search him up!) opened a barter tour schedule for his Intramuros Tour to the public because of the holiday. For a lower cost compared to his regular tour rates and by trading in anything (I bartered a coral paperweight I made the very same morning), this is one activity I surely wouldn't want to miss!

For Intramuros "virgins", taking this tour is one of the best ways to learn more about the Walled City. But for the many living souls wandering the place for sometime already, joining Celdran's tour gives you a refreshing take of the various establishments around Ciudad Murada. So let's start the tour: "WALK THIS WAY!"

WALK THIS WAY!

The magic starts in Plaza Moriones where Celdran gives an introduction of Manila, which became more relevant considering it was 443 years since that very same day that Miguel Lopez de Legazpi encountered more Moros after his forefathers fought them less than a century ago in Grenada. With splashes of santan buds accompanying his old-school flipchart visuals, he entertained the crowd and educated them about the history of Manila from pre-Hispanic times until the present. You change your view about Manila literally every step of the way because in every tree-shaded stops along the tour, he gives a refreshing lecture whilst occasionally shouting at the Manila Cathedral or throwing away Chocnut to the crowd. 

Or wearing an Uncle Sam top hat to drive the point home.
(c) crappy phone camera 

Lectures range from introducing pre-Hispanic Manila to the crowd (the particular crowd last Manila Day was a mixture of Filipino and foreigner people), Manila as a province then a colony of Spain upon entering Fort Santiago, a Rizal lecture before being ushered inside the Rizal Shrine, Manila during American rule before exiting the Fort Santiago then segueing to the fate of Manila during the Second World War while passing through ruins said to be Macarthur's HQ during the war and aptly ending the multi-cultural tour with a halo-halo in the patio of Casa Manila. It was hard-earned money well spent, indeed. But this was just the morning of my Manila Day. I still had half a day to be spent for my shenanigans.

The fan and the idol in his bunny ears.
(c) crappy phone camera 

The National Museum, housed in the Old Finance Building, opened its doors for free because of the same holiday. Despite being here for several times already, the beauty of walking along the silent corridors (albeit it was a bit 'packed' this time because it's basically an open-house event that day) and taking in the rich history and culture of our country is an energy-revitalizing activity for an introvert like myself. One of my favorite spots inside is the Baybayin exhibit housed at the fourth floor of the Museum.

Will have these panes installed in my (future) kids' bedroom.

Sadly, just a reprint.

Here, my childish desires to learn about Baybayin resurfaced. The sablay display did not help with these desires. First off, it's not Alibata but Baybayin. Second, it's so beautiful, I have irrationally used this to make a second point. Third, there is none because it's just goddamn beautiful. Period. Ironically, the largest collection of surviving documents written in Baybayin is in possession of a Catholic institution instead of the Museum of the Filipino People. *le grand sigh*

The capiz-looking thingamabob is a key.
At least according to the display's card.

 Moving on, the Museum offers different exhibits to satiate the varying taste of its tourists. For shipwreck lovers (if there are any), there is the San Diego exhibit in the second floor housing the salvaged wares from the trading ship. Wooden sculptures, earthen jars and blue-and-white china are just some of of the displays in this exhibit. There is also a Linnean exhibit on the same floor showcasing the wide variety of flora and fauna of our country. Hoping this one gets expanded because we have the Verde Island Passage (that China can NEVER EVER get its dirty hands nor nine-line dash shittery on) dubbed as the "Center of the Center of Marine Shorefish Biodiversity". 

Appreciation handed down from one generation to another.

On the third floor, people wanting to know more about the diverse culture of the Philippines can step right in the ethnography exhibit. Displays range from simple agricultural implements of our farmer brothers in the Central plains to bulul statues of our Igorot brethen up north. Traditional dresses of the Tagalogs down to innately-designed royal attire of the Muslim people are also on display. One cannot help but stare in awe in the cultural diversity of this little archipelago in the Pacific Ocean and how it is aptly termed as the Pearl of the Orient.

If given the chance, I would have used my
bus ticket as canvas and draw something on it
and post it there along with artworks of other kids.
HAHAHA

Alongside the Baybayin exhibit that I just fanboy-ed, the fourth floor contains a recently installed exhibit that will surely capture the hearts of the children and children at heart. Its theme is the biodiversity of the Philippine flora and fauna and it contains children-friendly activity areas and audio-visual presentations that will surely keep the kids engaged and educated at the same time.

Just across Finance Road and what used to be the Old Congress Building stands the National Art Gallery containing Luna's 'Spoliarium' to greet you upon entering the building. I have been fooled by pictures of the world-famous painting as a kid, particularly the ones without any person as a reference for size, thinking it's a "normal-sized" painting placed on the floor because it's a goddamn hipster. Just imagine how my mind blew upon seeing it in real life. The artwork towers over the people around it and it almost touches the ceiling of the main atrium of the National Gallery. It's not a hipster. It's a behemoth chained to the floor to keep it from eating you.

Now this is how it should be shown: with possible painting victims/people as reference for its humongous size.

The exhibits are divided according to eras when the artworks were made. Aside from the "Hall of The Masters" containing the works of Luna and Hidalgo that garnered distinction during the Madrid Exposition of 1884, the National Art Gallery has 10 other galleries open to the public containing artworks of different media made during different periods of time. Some galleries contain colonial and religious art, several showcase the works of classical masters like Juan Luna, Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo and even Jose Rizal, contemporary successors of the mentioned like Fernando Amorsolo and the great modernists Vicente Manansala, Ang Kiukok and Carlos "Botong" Francisco. Must-visit is one of Francisco's work, "The Progress of Medicine in the Philippines", in Gallery X as it used to adorn the lobby of the Philippine General Hospital. Aside from these halls, I particularly like a gallery dedicated to the works of Guillermo Tolentino and the pictures below will show you why:

From paper to bronze, this man used them all and deserving to called as the "Father of Philippine Arts". Without him, we wouldn't have the Bonifacio Monument nor Oble in existence. Without him, we wouldn't have any father to our arts. 

================

Procrastination, Tiredness and Excuses are in the horizon. Better post this before it becomes another draft that gives me the Devil Eye! See you on the second part of my Manila escapades (because one entry is not enough to describe how much I enjoyed Manila that it trampled my scorn for it).

Samar: Through the Lens (and Photoshop)

Six Months After 

All For Them

Somewhere in Samar

In Quinapondan, to be specific.

Volunteering is buffet for your soul and, boy, is my soul stuffed! Health Futures Foundations, Inc. recently launched Kalinaw Samar!, a program centered in providing psychosocial relief alongside the continuous rendering of medical missions to Yolanda survivors. 

'Kalinaw' in Waray is 'peace of mind' (or something of that sort).
It's quite a deep word, that Kalinaw.

Ever heard of the municipalities of Giporlos, Marabut, Quinapondan, and Salcedo in the news? Nope? What sets this program - and other post-Haiyan rehabilitation programs by HFI - from other medical missions is that it caters to municipalities that media coverage fails to shed their saving light on. This only reflects the principle of the NGO's founder, Doc Jimmy Galvez-Tan (for passionate people who wan to serve in the community, this website is a must-read), which is to serve the poorest of the poor.

Aside from feeling fulfilled and perhaps checking an item off your bucket list, another pro of joining this mission is that you practically spend nothing and receive all the love and gratitude from the people you help. Feeling psyched (pun unitended. Promise.) to join? Here's how:

Bataan: Through the Lens (and Photoshop)

Bitch by the Beach

Bubbling Waves

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