I'm not sure if Hasbro made this 'pinoy transformers' for real as in real tangible toys a child can play with but I got these images from an email forwarded to me. Nevertheless, if these images were done from scratch using an image editor like Photoshop, then these are some amazing work of art that truly came from a super talented artist and at the same time a serious Photoshop expert.
The vehicles depicted here are the most common modes of transportaion in the Philippines and it just brought some memories of anything related to 'driving' back there and that includes traffic, road, people, travel and places. I have always believed that any Filipino driver especially a city driver can drive anywhere in the world due to the 'expertise' they attain in time as they drive through some quite hazardous and horrendous driving conditions that can exist anywhere in the world. I know, I drove in Metro Manila for almost 15 years before I moved to America. When we went home a few years ago, it took me two days to adjust with my driving but after I 'adapted' my driving and mindset back to the old days, it was smooth sailing for the next 6 weeks.
On the way home from Everglades City, we decided to look for this national landmark in Ochopee via Hwy 41 or Tamiami Trail. I haven't traversed yet this portion of Hwy 41 going to Miami and I am always open to driving through roads I haven't used in the past. Knowing now that the smallest post office in the US is not that far from where we were, it was very easy in deciding this will be the road we'll be travelling on. I also have a hunch the distance back to our home is less than the route we used that morning.
So probably less than 10 minutes from the junction of Hwy 29 and Hwy 41, we saw the landmark. Well, since it was a Sunday, it was closed but that didn't stop us from stopping and have some souvenir shots even in mid-day heat and high humidity. We felt like it was a close 100 deg. F. but since it was our first time seeing this landmark, we had to 'sacrifice'. After all, people are always amazed to see the biggest, the smallest, the fastest, the slowest, etc.
I got the ff. info from the internet and you can also read more info from the first photo below. It is readable if you click it.
This closet-sized, 7x8-foot building used to be an irrigation pipe shed for a tomato farm. It was pressed into service after a fire destroyed the Ochopee general store -- which also housed the post office -- in 1953. The town, which sits on the edge of the Everglades, and which reportedly has a population of 11, has been happy with it ever since.
Shannon Mitchell works in this tiny place as its clerk, and she says that she has the coolest job in the world. She has a phone, a computer, an air conditioner, a fluorescent tube for light, and a pair of tiny sliding screen doors to keep out the giant horseflies. Everything that she needs is obviously within reach. The job is quiet, as you might expect, although she does get occasional visits from people from all over the world who stop by to get something postmarked. Shannon has a stack of Ochopee Post Office post cards on the counter, pre-stamped both domestic and international, for when the tour busses pull up.
The person who delivers mail from this post office has a daily route that stretches across three counties, 132 miles long.
Yesterday, we left home at around 5:30am and headed for Everglades City, a kind of sleepy, rusting town on the gulf coast about 100 miles from our place. Edna Trepanier and family have invited us over to their condo there to check out the place. It was Edna's birthday the previous day and the trip was kind of an extension of her birthday celebration.
The NW entrance of Everglades National Park is situated there and we already know we'll be touring the Ten Thousand Islands. This was our first time there and although we have been to the park several times, we have always used their Florida City entrance which is actually more popular among visitors.
It was just a day trip although several families have already gone there Saturday afternoon ahead of us. The Trepaniers have two 3BR condo units so accommodating all of us was not a problem.
We spent the early morning trying to catch some fish but since it was low tide, the odds of landing one is just so great, in short 'no fish' but a lot of bug bites from the 'no see-ums'. That bug repellent spray we used was lousy.
After breakfast, I did some driving around with Glenda and Gail who used to be Ophine's college teacher and now working with her in Memorial Regional Hospital. We went to Chokoloskee Island which is just about 5 minutes away then drove around the town center of Everglades City. The city itself is just 1.5 miles across at it's longest. No way we can get lost here. Chokoloskee was even smaller. We saw a cute small white church and took some photos there. We were looking for the Everglades city post office which I thought was the smallest post office in the US but we didn't find it. I realized later upon inquiry from a restaurant waitress that the smallest church was in Ochopee and not there. Ochopee being only 10 minutes away via Hwy 41 south made me decide to pass that route on the way home instead of going back to Hwy 29 and then I-75.
Anyway, around 9:30am we all went to the Everglades National Park and got tickets for the boating cruise through the Ten Thousand Islands and the gulf coast and of course we had a swell time during the 1.5 hour trip. We learned so much from the guides about the place. Saw a lot of pelicans, ospreys, snow egrets, herons and even the roseate spoonbills. We just didn't see any manatee really up close but they were there. Anyone can easily get lost among the mangrove islets and one should bring a GPS if you want to go kayaking or canoeing.
After eating lunch at the Seafood Depot Restaurant, a local landmark operating since 1928 that serves all you can eat 'peel and eat shrimp' and/or fried chicken, salad bar and assorted side dishes for the buffet, we all headed south for home, full but feeling great.
As usual, any trip will be more memorable with photos so here they are.
Edna and youngest daughter Gail.
Jing and Edward.
Glenda, Edna, Ed and Gail.
Roseate Spoonbills.
The mangroves up close.
In case of emergency...
Gail (another one) and Glenda.
Missy, Kayla, Beverly, Christian and David.
The kids with a big 14' gator, stuffed and dead of course in the restaurant where we had lunch.
"American Women in Hollywood Film" to be exact. I just find this video amazing and whoever did the editing/sequencing has a keen eye and understands women's facial features very well. The transition as one face morphs into another gives the viewer a little suspense on whose face will be next. As a photographer, the portraits of these women interest me a lot and one can see the changes in style including lighting from portraits of long ago to the present.
The kids are back to school again today. David is now in 3rd grade and have transferred to another building while Missy is in 1st grade. Gone are the jitters for them and coming back to Somerset Academy is quite something they were looking forward to.
We left home early since the traffic on the first day of school is always heavy. We had more than enough time when we got there. Parents and guardians are allowed to go inside with the kids to drop them off and meet the teachers during the first week only. Here are some photos while we were waiting for the classrooms to open.
I have been an avid boxing fan since I was probably 6 years old. I share this passion with my Dad who I remember seeing on TV as a boxing judge in the old days of 'Fistorama' when I was very young. Growing up, I engaged in neigborhood boxing bouts (with gloves of course) with my playmates especially during summer.
After Manny Pacquiao sort of opened the door to Filipino boxers who are now fighting regularly here in the US, I began to follow the journey of these up and coming Pinoy boxers. Most of them are poor and boxing was a way out. In their quest to be one of the best especially in the lower weight classes, not only did they inspire the Filipino people but instilled pride in all of us.
Yes, it's a violent sport but many people who are just not inclined to watching boxing will never understand why boxing is such an endearing sport to so many people. No use trying to explain but boxing will always be here to stay.
Yesterday, the Philippines vs. Mexico World Cup of Boxing was held in Sacramento, California. Two years ago, Mexico defeated Thailand with a score of 5 to 1. Last night, the table was turned against the Mexicans and this time it was also 5 to 1 with the Filipinos claiming the overall victory and the trophy. Unfortunately, it was the co-main event of Rey 'Boom Boom" Bautista against the champion Ponce de Leon that prevented the shutout. Boom Boom got knocked down twice in the first round with the referee stopping the bout after the 2nd knockdown at 2:30. Boom Boom is just not ready yet to face a boxer in the caliber of Ponce de Leon who continues to improve skillwise with every fight that he does. Combine that with his power punching and that becomes a lethal combination. Their record now, Boom Boom at 23-1 (17 KOs) and the champion, 32-1 (29 KOs). Rey is still very young at 21 and give him 2 or 3 years and he can become a champion. Of course, he should learn from his mistakes and continue to train hard and smart.
Before the event, I surmised that the possible outcome are quite even, that is 3 to 3 looking at the match-ups. In my opinion, Domingo, Penalosa and Bautista are underdogs but fortunately Domingo and Penalosa prevailed. Penalosa's win was quite emotional. He used to be the WBC super flyweight champion ten years ago and at 35 now, he's not getting any younger. He still has the skills which I admire the most among technical fighters like him. He caught Johnny Gonzalez with a perfect punch to the liver section with a left hook after ducking from Gonzalez'z right hook in the 7th round that ended the fight. Gonzalez was ahead in two of the judges scorecards and that's how I felt too after 6 rounds. Now that he won, I don't believe he should fight Ponce de Leon as his final fight which he's planning to do. If he was at least 5 years younger, maybe. In being a champion again, Penalosa improves to 52-6-2 (35 KOs). Gonzalez, 25, drops to 34-6 (29 KOs).
The pinoy boxers fighting in the undercard were all impressive in their respective bouts. Clearly, our boxers have arrived and are a force to reckon with in international boxing. Kudos to their trainers too, Edito Villamor and of course Freddie Roach for believing in the pinoy boxers. That goes to their managers as well.
Here are the final undercard results:
Z. Gorres (27-2-1, 15 KO) TKO 8 Eric Ortiz (26-7-1, 17 KO). TIME: 2:15. A.J. Banal (14-0-1, 11 KO) TKO 3 Jorge Cardenas (9-4-3, 6 KO). TIME: 0:28. Michael Domingo (32-14-2, 12 KO) W6 Miguel Roman (22-1, 16 KO). Unanimous decision: 60-54; 60-54; 60-54. Diosdado Gabi (30-3-1, 21 KO) W8 Angel Beranza (30-10-2, 25 KO). Unanimous decision: 80-72; 80-72; 80-72
Now for some highlight videos.
Michael Domingo and Diosdado Gabi's Fight Highlights
Heading for home after leaving our friends' place in Okeechobee, we stopped by the tracks near Pahokee. We passed this scenic spot as we travelled along Lake Okeechobee earlier that day and I knew it will be a great spot to shoot some photos of the kids.
It was indeed a great spot but the kids were not too happy about it. There were a lot of pesky bugs, very small fly-like bugs that kept bothering all of us. Anyway, we have to rush the shots and although I would like to have shot more, the "models" were already complaining and were no longer cooperating thus the end of the impromptu shoot.
Today, we went to Okeechobee. It is a small rustic town situated near the banks of Lake Okeechobee (thus the name obviously) and is two hours away from home to visit TitaCherrieUrbino and Ate Marilu Gutierrez. They are leaving for the Philippines next week. Too bad Kuya Vic can't make it since he was in Ocala working as a medical doctor there. Anyway, we haven't seen TitaCherrie the longest since she's been staying in the Philippines for some time now. We have known them for more than 10 years now and have been to their home in Ocala quite a number of times.
We had a sumptous lunch and the kids enjoyed playing with their 'keyboards' and had a swell time with their indoor putting green. We didn't venture anywhere since it was so hot and humid. Florida summer is just not a comfortable season to engage in any outdoor activity.
As usual, made a few photos to remember the event!
Skywire
