January 13, Mardi Gras Day and Special (Non-Working) Holiday in San Pablo City

It’s a holiday today in San Pablo City, Laguna!

No talks about Friday the 13th being an unlucky day can hinder San Pableños to celebrate the Coconut Festival and the famed Mardi Gras (pronounced as maa-di’graa) Street Dancing Competition. And to make things enjoyable, a proclamation from Malacañang [Proclamation No. 312] has been issued declaring January 13 as a special (non-working) day in the city. This is good so that more people would be able to see the parade of dancers and floats along Rizal Avenue.

* Photo Credit: City Information Office of San Pablo City, Laguna

Dance Performance at Isdaan Floating Resto-Fun Park

Watch my video of a dance performance at Isdaan Floating Resto-Fun Park, Calauan, Laguna. I have just opened a YouTube account and I will be using it to post future videos from my travels. Enjoy!

Come Celebrate the San Pablo City Coco Festival 2012

From its simple beginnings in the 90’s, San Pablo City’s Annual Coco Festival (or Coco Fest) has grown into an anticipated event in the country due to its attractive, and indeed lavish, line up of activities (particularly the Mardi Gras). The Coco Festival is usually held in the week leading to the city’s high feast day, January 15, when San Pableños celebrate the feast of Saint Paul the First Hermit (San Pablo ang Unang Ermitanyo). This year’s schedule is fortunate as the last day of the Coco Festival would coincide with January 15. For sure, activities for this day will be made as grand as possible.

Shown below is the schedule of activities for this year’s Coco Festival. I got this from sanpablocity.net website.

January 7
- 10:00 AM (SM City Atrium) Pre-Pageant of Munting Lakan at Mutya ng San Pablo
- 1:00 PM (SM City Atrium) Pre-Pageant of Lakan at Mutya ng San Pablo 2012
- 7:00 PM (City Plaza (Main Stage) United Pastors Council (UPC) Night

January 8
- 4:00 PM (SM City Atrium) Grand Fashion Show of Munting Lakan at Mutya, Coco Star, and Lakan at Mutya ng San Pablo 2012
- 7:00 PM (City Plaza Main Stage) DepEd / TESDA Night

January 9
- 4:00 AM (ABS-CBN Studio) Umagang Kay Ganda (UKG)
- 7:00 PM (City Plaza Main Stage) Sangguniang Panlunsod / SK Night

January 10
- 8:00 AM (City Plaza in front of Library Building) Sapol sa Singko (TV 5), Opening of Coco Trade Fair 2012
- 6:00 PM (City Plaza Main Stage) Munting Lakan at Mutya ng San Pablo 2012 Grand Coronation Night

January 11
- 8:00 AM (Pamana Hall) Coco Cook Festival
- 6:00 PM (City Plaza Main Stage) Lakan at Mutya ng San Pablo 2012 Grand Coronation Night

January 12
- 7:00 PM (SM City Atrium) Battle of the Bands

January 13
- 11:00 AM (City Plaza Main Stage) Coco Carnival Queen, Float Parade, Annual Street Dancing Competition
- 7:00 AM (City Plaza Main Stage) BM Angelica Jones Alarva, San Miguel Night

January 14
- 7:00 AM (City Plaza Main Stage) Gov. Jeorge “E.R.” Ejercito Estregan’s Night

January 15
- 1:00 PM (City Plaza Main Stage) BANDA SIKLABAN
- 7:00 PM (City Plaza Main Stage) Mayor Vic Amante / Sponsors’ Night (Fireworks Display)

[For more information regarding the Coco Festival, please contact the City Administrator’s Office at (049) 503-1522.]

Hopefully I would be able take some time off to roam th city plaza in the coming nights and take some photos to be shared here.

The Curves of a Maiden: Mount Maquiling (Makiling)

Ever since I first heard about Mount Maquiling (found in the province of Laguna and Batangas) shaped like a lying maiden, I have always sought to figure out the curves of that mythical woman. But up to now I am still having a hard time doing so. And so this chance shot from Santo (Sto.) Tomas, Batangas (in particular from the Malvar Shrine which I will be sharing here soon) compelled me to think longer about the mountain’s contours. At least from this view one can imagine those peaks at the left side as…her breast. Just sharing.

An Eerie View While in Transit

I’m not easily frightened of talks or of experiences of the supernatural but this shot I made leisurely while aboard a bus definitely got on my nerves. There is something spooky with the way the hair of a female passenger flew as the bus passed a dark part of a hilly road. Fright crops up in unexpected places particularly while in transit.