Visiting the MV Logos Hope

Just recently, we were able to visit the World's Largest Floating Book Fair the MV Logos Hope! You could say this is a dream come true in it's own way because I've always wanted to see and get inside this since MV Doulos was still around. But I never got to get on board that ship because either: some weird circumstance would happen and prevent me from going there or I will, for some reason forget to go there on the day I planned to go there!

The ship's or the organizational vision is quite simple and easy to remember (but very profound as well):
Bring Hope, Help and Knowledge to the people of the world! This time around though, I was with my co-Industrial Engineers who were also somewhat free and a little bit of a bookworm/s. :3

Cultural Cafe Ticket (Not included with the Entrance)

Cultural Interaction during the Cultural Cafe

Here are some videos you can find the rest in my Youtube Channel for the Cultural Cafe Presentations:


More Videos:

• Logos Hope AVP
• African Song 2, African Song 3
• The Haka Dance -  ; Haka Explained
• Tinikling danced by foreigners
• American Swing Dance
• Mexican Folk Dance
• Switzerland Yodeling
• Cultural Interaction with Karla

Faith and International Volunteerism:
It is not just a ship that contains books, not just an international traveling community. We are also here to bring good news of God, ~mentioned one of the volunteers. The ship has been regarded as a genuine expression of international good will and understanding.

Most of its crew members are in their 20s or 30s. The volunteers, who are not paid, include seafarers, engineers, electricians, nurses, teachers and cooks. They only get sponsorship from friends, family members, and civic organization which enables the crew to serve on board. There are three Filipino volunteers on board in which, two come from Luzon and the other one is an early 20's Cebuana.

Book/s Inventory:

The ship carries a stock of half a million books with thousands of titles and topics. These include literature, music, science, technology, sports, hobbies, cookery, the arts, history, and languages. Majority of the books found in the ship are for children. Logos Hope also carries instructional DVDs and VCDs.

International Cafe

International Cafe Menu xD (Prices may change depending on location)

White Chocolate and Cinnamon Cakes!!!

International Crackers!!

About the MV Logos Hope:

MV Logos Hope is operated by the German charitable Christian organisation GBA Ships e.V. As the fourth
ship operated by the organisation, she follows in the line of MV Logos, the wrecked hulk of which now sits on a rock shelf on the Chilean coast, MV Logos II which was retired in the fall of 2008 and which Logos Hope was designed to replace, and MV Doulos which was sold to a Singaporean interest in 2009.

Twice as big as any previous ship operated by the organisation, the ship was completely refitted over a period of 5 years. Logos Hope provides a better quality of life for crew as well as a wider range of activities for visitors and guests. The publicly accessible deck offers visitors an introduction to the vessel and the organisation, a book fair featuring around 7,000 different titles, a visual presentation called the Journey of Life and the International Cafe. All volunteer crew and staff of 400 people, represent around 50 different countries. Unlike the crew during her original use as a car ferry, crew and staff normally join the organisation to live on board for two years. --wikipedia

There is also a History Wall within the Ship :D

Quick History: 
In 1973 the ship was commissioned as the car ferry Gustav Vasa running between Malmö (Sweden) and Travemünde (Germany), a route she ran for 10 years. In April 1983 she was sold to the Faroese ferry company Smyril Line and renamed Norröna. Sailing from Tórshavn, the Faroese capital, to Lerwick (Shetland Islands), Bergen (Norway), Hanstholm (Denmark) and Seyðisfjörður (Iceland) each summer, she was often chartered in the winter to cover other operators’ overhaul schedules. When Smyril Line delivered a new Norröna in 2003, the old vessel became Norröna I and was put up for sale. After much deliberation, inspection and prayer, the current owners purchased the vessel in March 2004.--wikipedia (For more detailed info. visit their website HERE).

Share your Experience!

Logos Hope will be open until Feb. 13 in Pier 1 area (Behind Malacañang sa Sugbu --viewable from the SRP). The ship is open on Tuesdays to Saturdays at 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Sundays. An entrance ticket costs Php20.00 and children below 12 years old can enter without charge. The next stop will be stops in Manila and Subic Bay in the next few months.

Special thanks to photogs~lalyn and VJG ++Anamams and Shem :P

By Vernon Go with No comments

Random Roaming in Dumanjug, Cebu

Dumanjug is located in the south western part of Cebu facing the Tañon Strait. It is about 2 hours ride from the Cebu City. I've been to this times multiple times since I was little and it is only recently that I began actually documenting the trip there. It is the hometown of my mother and her parents which is one of the prominent clans of the area: the MELGARs.

It is also popular for its very tasty "Bisayang Manok", a native chicken deliciously cooked and you can only find the best in Dumanjug Town. (Well I ate one for breakfast but failed to take a picture of it since I got too excited)

Churches were one of the 1st structures erected by the spandiards --Dumanjug Church

Quick History:

It is also the hometown of the Garcias, the present ruling political family of the province of Cebu. The town was established in 1855 by Capitan Pedro Ricamora and Padre Agustin Melgar. It is 74 kilometers southwest of the provincial capital, Cebu City. It has a land area of 11,958 hectares. It is bounded on the, north by the town of Barili, on the east by the town of Sibonga, on the south by town of Ronda, and on the west by the Tañon Strait.

This scenery never changes, but what did change was there were more foreigners living here, I asked around and found out that many balik-bayans and foreigners are choosing this as a retirement place. Well I can't blame them, this place is very peaceful [except for the occasional entertaining locals running around with a 'sundang' :D] and soothing.

Town Fiesta:

Dumanjug celebrates its town fiesta every October 4 to honor Saint Francis of Assisi. During the fiesta one can witness the Sinanggiyaw Festival ("sangi-sayaw" meaning "dancing while harvesting"), a colorful and festive way of giving thanks to the patron saint for the good harvest of corn, fruits and vegetables. [It is participated by students from the schools of the different barangays of the Dumanjug] It could also be said that this ritual is of pagan origins and was later 'Christianized' during the Spanish occupation.

Name Etymology (How the Town Got Its Name?): 
The Dumanjug Etymology is quite an interesting name and several sources have claimed its etymology. Here are some of the stories that tell the history of the name. Below are three versions I have come to research:

1st: As the legend states, there was once a very brave chieftain who had a very loud voice. His voice is so loud that even in far-flung places surrounding the village, his voice can be heard. In his memory, the village was called “Dumahunog” which means “loud” in Cebuano language. Eventually, the name evolved into “Dumanjug”.

2nd: During the time when Spaniards took control of the land, the village was famous for its tuba, a strong yet sweet alcoholic beverage derived from coconut juice. Duman was the most famous among tuba gatherers in the village and raised several coco trees in the village, One fateful day, Duman fell from the coconut tree while gathering for his tuba. It was also that day that Spanish Civil Guards visited the place, asking the name of the town (pueblo) in Spanish language.

The natives failed to understand the foreign language and misinterpreted the question. Thinking why the people were gathered in grief, the natives replied, "si Duman nahug" which means “Duman had fallen”. The guards thought that the name was "Dumanjug" and recorded it as it is.

3rd: Another version emerged. Duman was the mighty king and ruler of the municipality. Similar to the 2nd version, "Nahug" means “had fallen” which was the cause of the king’s tragic death. As years passed, it evolved into the name Dumanjug.

The newly renovated plaza dedicated to Doña Josefa Paras Garcia and also the local Farmers

Dumanjug Today:
Dumanjug is one progressive town in the south. It has gained importance for the traders as the “transshipment point” and the gateway to the neighboring island, Negros Oriental. Commerce is promising in the area while other industries like fishing and agriculture also flourished.

More information about Dumanjug can be found via wikipeda.

FOODIE TIP: Also, the halo-halo stores right beside the Plaza are really awesome, you should give it a try!

How To Get There: If you are coming from Cebu City, you can 1st go to the Cebu South Bus Terminal where you can get a bus that can directly take you to the town of Dumanjug or via Hired Vans. Reaching the town may take 2-2-1/2 hours land trip. Tangil Dumanjug, also has smaller ships that transport passengers from Negros to Cebu

By Vernon Go with No comments

Ritz Azul on Artistry, Normality & Public-Service

Towards the Sinulog Grand Parade Celebrations, there are many events going on around town and this includes TV5 having their own activities and hosting “Sugod mga Kapatid sa Sinulog Show,” a gathering of the brightest Kapatid stars a few days before the Sinulog Festival 2012. Their I met Kapatid stars but due to time constraints, it's impossible to talk to all of them, so I'll post about my quick yet entertaining encounter with Ms. Ritz Azul. 


Here's a short video of the interaction (though there were other topics that were talked about though):

*with special appearance of Libotero.com xD

While talking to her, she is really soooo mahin-hin, she reminded me of a friend of mine who is some-what the same (you can't help but smile & giggle as well while talking to her). On being an Artist, she also shared her experiences in acting, taking lessons, difficult scenes and the like (it made me think, maybe I should be a celebrity too? nahhh). Also, she is enjoying the new things she is experiencing and that she looks at it as a blessing.


Aside from being a Celebrity, she tries to find time to be 'Normal' as well, spending time with family is also a priority. And add to that, she's in a way, a Politician (She prefers 'Public Servant' though :3) and find time to fulfill her mandated role on being an SK Chairwoman which includes meetings, project planning and implementation (I'd say she's already a Super Woman at such a young age and I feel like that I'm too lazy compared to her) in her area --Pampanga.


She's still quite young since the day she arrived in Cebu was the 1st day of her being "18" hehehe, she has everything going for her, I wish her the best of luck!


Quick Facts about Ritz Azul:

• 4th Final Star via TV5's Star Factor
• SK Chairwoman in her hometown of Pampanga
• Stopped schooling due to her booming showbiz career (BS Accountancy - Lyceum of the Philippines University)

About Ritz Azul:
Ritz Ann Riggie V. Alzul, commonly known as Ritz Azul, is a Filipino television actress and homegrown talent of TV5 from the network's Talent Search program Star Factor. She was born on January 11, 1994 in Diladila, Sta. Rita, Pampanga and later moved to Quezon City. She is one of the network's Primetime Princesses which consists of Herself, Alex Gonzaga, Danita Paner, Arci Muñoz, Jasmine Curtis-Smith and Eula Cabellero.


She had recently won 2 awards for 2011, the Outstanding Breakthrough Performance by an Actress from the ENPRESS Golden Screen TV Awards and the Amazing Female Newcomer from Yahoo! Philippines OMG Awards (via wikipedia).

By Vernon Go with No comments

UnBoxing Sony Ericsson Xperia™ Ray

Last Holiday season of December, I got to unbox this really cool android powered Sony Ericsson Xperia™ Ray!! Though I really prefer the Sony Ericsson Xperia™ Active, this one still packs the same power but in a much more sleek, elegant and with a bigger screen kind of way!

Stand-Out Features:

• 3D Sweep Panorama is a camera shooting mode where users can capture a scene in true 3D with a sweep of the camera. When pictures are played back on a compatible 3D TV, the images come alive with depth, clarity and realism.
• Despite the fact that Sony Ericsson Xperia™ ray was basically designed for girls, it still packs an 8.1-megapixel camera with Exmor R™ for mobile, a technology that makes pictures a little bit awesome even in dim lighting situations. (IN WHICH MAKES THIS REALLY AWESOME for mobile Photography!!)
• Add to that a Reality Display with Mobile BRAVIA® Engine from their TV-line, you can literally view awesome videos in it!

DESIGN:
Compared to other or "REGULAR" Smart Phones in the market, the RAY is somewhat smaller or you could consider using the word 'Thinner' or having a smaller waistline if you compare it side-by-side with an iPhone4S or the Samsung Galaxy; And once again, I find the steel-ish color casing awesome but for this one I got, it's tooo girly.

very slim!!

On a positively-manly note, I find the minimalism of the design soooooo awesome! It's like a dream come true for Minimalistic people like me. There's 1-2 buttons on the right side (which is used for the camera zoom), then the power button up top and 1 home button at the bottom of the touch-sensitive screen for menu/home. That's l;ike less than 4 buttons!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Well on the left side there's this 1 HDMI port (YES It's HDMI DAMNIT or is it a micro hdmi?!).

HARDWARE:
The Ray has a 1GHZ processor with a 3 inch-so screen which I one can find a bit small and cramped if your used to the normally bulky-standard size of a smartphone. After I was able to hold a Sansung Galaxy S and the iphone 4S, the screen is indeed quite small (but you'll get used to it) otherwise, it's amazing!

The screen is very nice to use and it's easy to do SMS on it. Calling was also one of the Xperia Ray's strong points, with conversations conducted without any groaning or moaning, simply put-good sound quality.

BATTERY:
I was able to handle Smartphone support when I was working for a local BPO firm and just like then until now, I'll still say this; the more you use it the higher the energy consumption and the more power it will drain the battery. Though there are apps that can help manage multi-tasking and what-not, energy consumption and battery life will still vary on usage.

So if you use too much browsing, and photo-video usage is too much the device does heat-up considerably. Other than that, it's stand-by mode is relatively awesome.

SOFTWARE:
Under that hood, you'll find a not-too-shabby Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread with five home screens (or what others may also call--extendable desktops). Pre-loaded software/s are pretty basic, if what's in there isn't enough, well--go download apps for it via the Android Market.

User-Interface for the Photo-video

 CAMERA:
It has a 8 mega pixel camera which I will prefer to use as a substitute for my current point and shoot camera and even sometimes my DSLR! On this note, I'll let the pictures speak for itself:

You may click on the image to see a larger version of it! xD [outdoor shot]

the front Cam is usually not the same with the one at the back~same here with the RAY

[Indoor shot] - via the atrium of the Santo Niño Basilica

[Night-Shot]

mmmmmm

 On videos, well HD is already awesome, but to have that power in this small device? seriously? See below for a sample [1st impressions] review from a female blogger friend {myfruitsbasket.com/} taken with my FLIP MINO HD CAMERA:



Now compare that with a video I took during a Novena Mass during the Sinulog 2012 pre-activities at the Basilica de Santo Niño using the Xperia Ray:



Usage Critique:

• The camera gives you scene modes, although curiously, only three: Normal, Smile Detection and Automatic. All seemed to work OK, but we just kept it on Automatic for best results.
• You can also select the photo size (8MP, 6MP and 2MP) but, for some reason, you can pick between 4:3 and 16:9 in 2MP mode but not the others. You take pictures by tapping the screen :).
• Annoyances--I figured that there was a zoom after a while; the camera software will automatically change modes for you; Can't seem to turn off the shutter sound (I WANT MY NINJA MOVES!); also I want to take 'snap photos' in video mode in which I can't do in this one [I thought it was built-in :-(]; And for some weird reason, although you only get three basic scene modes to pick from in the standard camera app, when it comes to the video camera, you're presented with lots more (Landscape, Beach, Party, Portrait, Night and Sports modes).

~other than that, with some degree of skill+patience, the photo-video results are to die for!!!


Xperia™ ray is ideal for a mainstream user with particular appreciation for meticulously crafted design and finish in a sleek format. For me, I desire it's media features but I still want the Xperia Active :3

Check out these posts wherein I took video shots using the Xperia Ray:
UnBoxing Sketchers GoRun! & ProSpeed SRR running shoes

By Vernon Go with 1 comment

Molave Milk Station in Barili, Cebu

Stop Over

Going towards my mom's hometown in Dumanjug, Cebu, we had to pass through Barili first before reaching our target destination for the vacation/visitation of relavies/All-souls-saints-days. We first had our 2nd pit stop, aside from buying some snacks in Car-car's street-take-out-food; we first got down to relieve ourselves and had a quick snack at the Molave Milk Station in Barili, Cebu.

You can't miss the signage!

The Molave Milk Station is a popular stop-over for travelers going to and from the western coastline of Cebu island. The Molave Milk Station is part of a bigger property which is a private farm where animals graze freely in the fields.

Follow the CR Sign!

We were surprised to see the sudden arrivals of people

No worries, there are plenty of spots to choose from (eating spots)

The place is very nice to just eat away and observe nature

After many years of going to western Cebu, this place has always intrigued me until now. It is totally the perfect location for travelers who need to stretch their legs while gobbling down a frozen treat.

Check out their Menu, Note: There specialty are dairy products--so just stick with those choices :D

About MOLAVE MILK STATION:
They sell cow's and carabao's milk, ice cream and shakes there. The ice cream is of course their popular product and it comes in soft serve as well. You have flavors like chocolate, buko pandan, vanilla, mango, strawberry and even pandan chocolate and buko chocolate.

We bumped into these really huge Rooster

It is actually a private farm and the place had these picnic tables and a shop where you could buy dairy products and food ranging from roasted fishes to meats. You cannot enter the farm to interact with the animals (unless if the Chicken comes to you!) but other than that, you can enjoy a very good view of nature and of the farm.

Me and my sister had some Milk, Ice Cream and Soft Drinks

One needs to schedule a private tour to be able to check out the stables, but the milk station is completely open to the general public (yey!!!).

This is our spot

HOW TO GET THERE?
You just have to make a right turn when you reach the road intersection in Carcar, and move on for some 13 kilometers or so; Basically just follow the western coastline of southern Cebu ‘til you get to Barili (past the Mantalongon Public Market) then keep your eyes peeled for unusual yellow street signs such as chickens, cows, or horses or the like or the best 'moving' landmark to tell you if you're close, is basically an OSTRICH!!!

Nature Trolling

That means you’re fast approaching the Molave Wood Farms and Stables. And then you’ll be able to spot the signage of Molave Milk Station at the right side of the picturesque road (if you are coming from the North/City).

Back to the road and off we go!!

You can think of this place as an open-air (EMERGENCY) food trip by the side of a quiet and secluded national road. Downhill, you can see some farm animals freely grazing in the open field while YOU or your group is slurping away a dairy product of your choice!!

By Vernon Go with No comments