Diving in Anilao, Philippines

Had a few more days after the trip to Japan. Decided to use the time for a short visit to the Philippines to check in on Steph's family. :) All's well on that front. Pretty impressed by Mom Luz's embrace of IT! Manila's pretty much the same way as I'd left it. The crowds at Ayala Center/Greenbelt have thinned... probably due to newer joints and hangout places emerging in the competing Fort area. And the renovations to Greenbelt One haven't helped. I hope they keep the chapel in the middle of old GB1 though.

Didn't really have much time to visit all my old shopping haunts... but I did pass by the Luk Yuen and the link between Ayala Center and Park Square One... the same place that an explosive device went off a week later, killing 11 and wounding dozens :(. The Rajah Solaiman Group has claimed responsibility and the police have downplayed them again, preferring to implicate the ASG and MILF. Ostrich-in-sand reaction again? Like I said, despite the economy being in better shape since I've left, nothing much has changed in the Philippines beneath the veneer of new buildings and new names in the Senate/Congress. :(

Anyway, this post is not about politics and my personal views. Managed to squeeze in a short dive trip to Anilao... glad to say that its still in pretty good condition, unlike the much overdived Dayang/Aur sites. Took the chance to try out a new camera/strobe combination after a friend flooded my old stobe. This is Steph's second dive trip and I must say she's gotten a lot better. Looking forward to more dive trips! Here are the pics taken from a panasonic fx30 (with u/w case of course!) and Sea & Sea YS110 strobe:

Dive Trip - Anilao 12102007

Japan

Sorry for the disappearance from the blogging scene. Been busy with life... the usual. As some of you may already know, I'm headed for some major changes - particularly a new overseas assignment. But thanks to these new assignment, I had the opportunity to clear some leave and get some much needed R&R. :)

Anyway, the Stephie and I decided to use the leave for a vacation in Japan. It was a really good trip :) Loved the place. Contrary to expectations, Japan wasn't that expensive. In fact, I discovered that digital cameras and made-in-Japan hifi electronics were significantly cheaper than in Singapore. The mark-up from local distributors (whom I shall not name) for a popular brand of hifi tweaks was apparently nearly 60% - and this is based on Japanese retail (albeit Akihibara prices)!

Visit Kyoto as well. Lovely shrines. Stayed in a family-run Ryokan in a town off Kyoto called Inari. Its was good to get away from the hustle and bustle of big cities... Inari was a perfect getaway. Here's a pic of the family we stayed with... a Mother-Daughter team.

Many more pics can be found at my picasa album at

Trip to Japan - Oct 07