Pandoraspace

I am filing this article under “The Baguio I Remember” because recent events have reminded me that, Baguio is not only about the place where I spent my happy childhood, but also, about its extraordinary people.

When my Baguio friends heard about the devastation wrought by typhoon Ondoy, they called on all Baguio people to donate relief goods for the victims of the flood.  I then found myself picking up from Victory Liner in Cubao boxes of relief goods that my Baguio friends had pooled together  and delivering them to the Don Bosco relief center in Makati.

The Baguio relief operations for typhoon Ondoy had not yet ended when Baguio itself was hit badly by typhoon Parma, a.k.a., typhoon Pepeng.  As I was still reeling from the effects of typhoon Ondoy, I immediately asked Padma how she was doing. Her text message to me read “Baguio has experienced worse weather”.  That was the first day of typhoon Parma in the Philippines.  Little did we know then that typhoon Parma was a slow moving typhoon that dumped a lot of rain on the first few days it was in the Philippines.  As we all know, things took a turn for the worse when typhoon Parma took a U-Turn as it was leaving the Philippines and came back for a second visit.  To everyone’s horror, typhoon Parma not only caused massive floods in many Philippine provinces up north, it also caused multiple landslides, which led to the isolation of many areas in Benguet, including Baguio.

For many days after typhoon Parma fled the country, northern Philippine cities and towns, were isolated.  My Baguio friends advised me that as no supplies could be brought into Baguio, there was a food shortage and the prices of goods increased. Although Baguio is now open to light vehicles, there are still many places beyond Baguio that remain isolated.

As soon as typhoon Parma left Baguio, the Cafe by the Ruins, began its relief operations.  From its own funds, the Cafe by the Ruins purchased available food from the Baguio Market to feed the victims and rescuers.  I cried when I found out that the meals consisted of boil bananas, rice, monggo and dried fish.  Meat and other fruits and vegetables were too costly to include as part of the meals.  I laud Padma and the others who are heading the Cafe by the Ruins relief operations for their creativity in serving healthy meals on such a tight budget.  As days passed, my admiration for the Cafe by the Ruins team and the rescuers grew tremendously when I learned of the efforts they took just to bring food to the people in isolated areas.  The volunteers had to trek over landslides and walk through mud and dangerous terrain carrying relief goods that will save countless lives.  This video and this video just shows how difficult the relief operations are.

I am reminded that nineteen years ago, when that terrible earthquake had isolated Baguio, the Cafe by the Ruins also conducted relief operations and the same people were out there helping people.  Once again, in times of tragedy, I remember that the Baguio is composed of these extraordinary people whom I grew up with.   In this respect, I can honesty say that Baguio has never changed.

And so, I am appealing to all of you to help the the victims of typhoon Parma.  You can do so by sending donations in cash or in kind to Cafe by the Ruins.  I assure you, the people there will make sure your donations are given to the people who need it most.

BAGUIO & ITS SURROUNDING AREAS STILL NEED YOUR HELP.  CASH DONATION MAY BE MADE THROUGH  CAFE BY THE RUINS MOBILE SOUP KITCHEN. INT’L: SWIFT code BNORPHMM ROUTING# 0210-0001-8. DOMESTIC: RUINS INC savings account #940060574 Banco de Oro (BDO) Legarda Road, Baguio City.

DONATIONS IN KIND MAY BE BROUGHT TO MARTHA LOVINA AT NO. 1 CAIMITO, MCKINLEY ROAD, FORBES PARK, MAKATI.  MARTHA WILL ARRANGE FOR GOOD TO BE BROUGHT TO BAGUIO.

Star posted a comment about my 29 April 2009 article, Borobudur has taught me Buddhism. I was about to reply to her comment and post several pictures. Alas, this dinosaur does not know if it is possible to post pictures together with a comment and does not have time to learn about it now.  I am, therefore, posting my reply (with pictures) to Star.  You may find this bit of information interesting as well.

Star -  Wow!  I did not realize there is so much one could learn from a lotus.  Incidentally, I learned a pose in my yoga class some time ago.  The pose is called Padmasana.  Padma means lotus and asana means pose.  In his book, Light on Yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar says that Padmasana ”…is one of the most important and useful asanas.  It is the posture for meditation and the Buddha is often depicted in it.”  While the position of the hands of the buddhas in Borobudur change depending on the direction they face, all of them sit in Padmasana.  This is yet again another reason for me to believe that Borobudur takes its inspiration from the lotus.  

Incidentally, I find Padmasana very difficult to do.  I always feel as is my legs would get stuck in that position and I would not be able to untangle myself.  As a result, I have yet to be able to meditate in this pose.

 

The Best Memory of the 1990 Earthquake: The Café

People I know that have visited Baguio would inevitably tell me that they ate at the Café by the Ruins. Whenever they would rave about the great food and ambience, I would nod my head in agreement but would seldom tell them of my intimate relationship with the Café.

I have now decided to tell you one of my Café stories. (more…)

I was planning to post, at a much later time, several articles on Baguio City to commemorate its 100th year as a chartered city.  Baguio bacame a chartered city on 1 September 1909.  I was also thinking of posting Baguio trivia.  For instance, according to this article, Justice George A. Malcolm wrote the Charter of Baguio. According to this article, Justice Malcolm was the first dean permanent of the College of Law of the University of the Philippines. He was also an associate Justice of Philippine Supreme Court. This is probably why that place on the bottom of Session Road that is (or was) used as a public parking area is called Malcolm Square.

As I was thinking happy thoughts about Baguio, I read Padma’s blog and was saddened to learn that a portion of the Baguio market, one of the few places left in Baguio that reminds me of the Baguio I knew as a child, had burned down a couple of days ago.  After reading Padma’s article on the Baguio market, I decided to post the few articles I have about Baguio starting tomorrow. I feel the need to be reminded of home.

The Soup Dragon

On the day we went to the Silk Farm, we asked Tony out for lunch and he recommended that we eat at the Soup Dragon. The Soup Dragon is a casual dining restaurant that serves Khmer, Thai and Vietnamese food. It is located beside the Old Market in that part of town that tourists usually visit. The waitresses were friendly and accommodating. I felt very relaxed at the Soup Dragon.

We were given a table at the second floor veranda that overlooked the street. As we were starving when we got there, we over-ordered. Of the six or seven dishes we ordered, I was only able to sample the Beef Loklak, Vietnamese spring rolls and a Khmer dish of chicken in sour pandan broth. Of course, I ate all those dishes with steaming moist white rice. My favorite dish was the beef Loklak, which surprised me. There was nothing unusual about the stir fried tender strips of beef but eating it with the dip made of lime juice salt and ground black pepper made the dish extraordinary. The tangy taste of lime and the spicy pepper gives the beef a refreshingly usual flavor and it opened my taste buds. There is no taste quite like it. If you are looking for a cozy place to eat a hearty meal, I suggest you eat at the Soup Dragon.

Reality Check No. 4: The Toul Sleng Genocide Museum

From the time Toe and D found out that we wanted to go to the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, they kept asking us if we were certain we wanted to go. Padma knew that it would be an upsetting experience but she was determined to learn more about the Cambodian people. While I doubted whether I could stomach the experience, my curiosity got the better of me and I decided to go Toul Sleng with Padma. My only condition was that no guide should accompany us. I did not want to hear anecdotes of the Khmer Rouge atrocities from the guide.

Despite all mental and emotional preparation for the visit to the museum, what I saw and experienced in Toul Sleng greatly disturbs me until today. I ask myself whether human beings are capable of such evil. (more…)

Reality Check No. 3: Taking a Bath in the Public Garden

The Cambodian National Museum is located near the Cambodian Royal Palace and houses items from temples across Cambodia. Padma and I enjoyed sitting on the veranda of the National Museum that over-looked the park. For some reason, I felt like I was in Ilocos looking out from one of the old buildings in the plaza.

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Reality Check No. 1: Gem Shopping

After looking at stone temples and stone carvings for several days, I decided to look at other stones. That is, gem stones.

While waiting for Padma’s plane to arrive, Toe took me to the Russian Market. According to Toe, tourists and foreigners living in Phnom Penh shop at the Russian Market because the vendors speak English. Other than gem stones, export overruns clothing, silverworks, wood carvings and other Khmer products are also sold in the Russian Market.

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Toe and her husband, D, are diplomats who, at the time we visited Cambodia, were assigned in Phnom Penh. You can read more about Toe, her Cambodian experience, her kuro-kuro at iba pa by clicking on this. 

When Toe found out we were going to Cambodia, she and D graciously extended us an invitation to stay at their place.  I wanted to get Toe and D something special. As I was not quite sure of what they needed, I e-mailed Toe to get a sense of what she wanted. Of course, Toe asked for the impossible. She wanted Kentucky Fried Chicken!  Since Siem Reap was our first stop, I could not conceive of a way of keeping fried chicken edible until we get to Phnom Penh. It therefore came as a relief when Toe later told me to bring Purefoods Corned Beef instead. Apparently, this is D’s favorite. So I arrived in Phnom Penh with my overnight bag stuffed with several cans of Purefoods Corned Beef and my special surprise for Toe and D – Poppycock and chocolate covered potato chips. (more…)

  Tip No. 16: Be corny and spare $ 10.00 for an elephant ride. You are sure to impress the kids at  home.  

 For $ 10.00, you can take an elephant ride from outside the east gate of Angkor Thom to the surrounding areas of Bayon. Padma, who had her fair share of elephant rides in the past, decided to forego the ride. I, on the other hand, could not help myself. I wanted to go on another elephant ride.  When I got home and showed the picture that Padma took of me riding the elephant to the kids, they were soooo impressed.