Mug shots: San Diego Zoo souvenir

We close the month of March with another mug - this time a souvenir from the San Diego Zoo when we traveled to San Diego, CA back in 2015. The mug is currently in use as a pen & pencil holder - one of many we use to hold our accumulated stuff at home.

The mug featured one of the baby Pandas at the time

San Diego Zoo printed on the mug

The same Panda on the other side of the mug

Handle

The price tag is still on the mug, which has never been used for drinks. We got this for 9.95 USD back in 2014 at one of their shops.

 

There are no more Pandas at San Diego Zoo as the last ones were returned to China in 2019. We were lucky to have seen the Pandas when we were there and hope to see them somewhere in our future travels.

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Mug shots: Blugre Coffee stoneware

I got this mug not in Davao, where Blugre Coffee was established and thriving, but it Taytay, Rizal where they have a branch at the building across the Municipal Hall. The buidling hosts the Regional Trial Court where we had more than a few visits for a case that had been filed back in 2015 but had only been resolved recently. Though I have been in Davao so many times, I have not gone to a Blugre there (or even other local coffee shops except going to a Bo's Coffee once).

The Blugre mug is a good example of finely made stoneware. It is also big so you can get a good amount of coffee, tea or hot chocolate in it. I also use it for taho and sometimes, soup.

The other side of the mug has the same design. I'm not sure how they were able to carve their logo on the mug. They must have had used some precision instruments and this could have involved a computer for a mass production.

 

The coffee and food was good here and they do have specialties with durian (one of Davao's signature fruits). I think there should be more of these around to promote local brews and home-grown businesses.

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Mug shots: Congress of the Republic of the Philippines

I received this mug as a gift from my wife who used to work at the House of Representatives. The mug was sold at the souvenir shop there but I'm not sure it's still there. The last time I was at the Batasan before the pandemic, they only had a coffee shop but no souvenir shop at the lobby.

The photo is of the old Congress Building, which also used to be the Senate Building and now houses the National Museum of the Philippines.

Side view showing the center/front facade of the building

The other side view showing the rest of the facade

Mug handle

The mug has never been used and is kept at my display cabinet at my office along with other mugs in my collection. I don't know how many mugs like this are around. I'm sure if one has a similar image of the building, it can be printed on a mug but then it is unlikely for people to want to have something like this for them to have one made.

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On neighborhood sari-sari stores

There was a short but lively exchange in our community Viber group about neighborhood stores. These are the sari-sari stores that you typically find around the country that have served as the local version of convenience stores. Even before there were 7/11's and Family Marts, there were already these neighborhood stores that sold a variety of items including bread, softdrinks, alcohol and even medicines like paracetamol and loperamide (common, over the counter meds for typical ailments like headaches, colds and fevers).

One of the sari-sari stores along our street that closed during the first lockdown and remains shut at present. There is no indication this will open again.

A small store on an informal settlement inside the village

A larger store that also serves quick hot meals like noodles (pancit canton) and porridge (arroz caldo).

If you wonder why I took photos of mostly closed stores, it's partly because I took these photos during my early morning walks. Another reason is that I didn't want people to be suspicious about my taking their photos. Some store owners can be upset as our village has been reminding them about health protocols. The latter was the main topic of the Viber exchange but discussions quickly revealed there were those who were against the existence and operations of sari-sari stores. My take is that these have a role to play and contribute to the vibrance of a community like ours. I grew up experiencing this first hand where we lived with my parents in Cainta as well as in my father's hometown in Iloilo.

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Vintage Poljot chronograph

I have a few watches from the Soviet era. These have the 'Made in USSR' (or equivalent in Russian/Cyrillic) on their dials. The USSR produced many really good watches including iconic ones such as the Sturmanskie, which Yuri Gagarin wore as the first man in space, and the Scuba guy dive watches that has somewhat of a following for those into dive watches.

The Poljot featured here is among the more desirable chronographs produced in the USSR. This has Strela and Sturmanskie versions that were standard issues for cosmonauts and air force pilots.

The watch features a white dial with a sub second on the left and the chrono sub dial on the right. There is also a date feature at 6 o'clock.

Side view with the crown and chronograph buttons

The other side view showing a case in relatively good condition with all the scratches and dinks of a vintage watch. This indicates use of the watch.

Case back with what looks like a serial number

The watch is powered by a Cal. 3133, which runs at 21,600 A/h with a potential power reserve of 51h when fully wound. Manufactured since 1976, the 3133 is said to be a copy of the Valjoux 7734.

Wrist shot

Close-up of the dial

The watch runs well and I have observed it to run for 2 days straight though I haven't done a stricter observation how many hours it would run when fully wound. I had wanted to post about this watch earlier this year but I left this in one of my offices and only recently was able to take it home. And then Russia invaded Ukraine and somehow I lost appetite for posting this. Well, here's hoping for cessation in the war and that peace may return soon in that region.

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Back at Italianni's in the time of Covid-19

We celebrated our daughter finally completing her Covid-19 vaccination with a weekend overnight in Bonifacio Global City (BGC). We've already set up our small home away from home so we can go there instead of doing hotel 'staycations' before the pandemic. We also got to do some simple pleasures like eating out for lunch and dinner. Lunch was at Italianni's at the Uptown Mall where we ate some of our favorites from the Italian restaurant.

Grape shake for the daughter and me

 

Truffle fries and calamari for starters

A single chop of our favorite grille pork chop meal at Italianni's - I think I missed this more than the pastas and pizzas.

Truffle chicken and mushroom

This was definitely a great lunch for us as we had limited our eating outside our home (counting my parents' home here) and mostly ordered if we wanted to satisfy our cravings for certain foods. We hope that the specter of Covid-19 will soon pass and some normalcy will return for good for everyone.

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Framing the moon

I took this photo a week ago during one of our late afternoon/early evening walks as the moon formed a nice crescent in the sky. I thought I could get a nice shot using the Narra trees with their newly grown leaves to frame the moon. Here is the result:

Though the photo could have been better with a better camera, I am content with what I took. The leafless branch is a dead one but the tree is well and alive. In fact, the Narras are now in full bloom with their yellow flowers.

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Easing back to the office

As the threat of the pandemic seems to be easing, offices are already recalling their employees to their offices. Apparently, many offices are raring for people to 'return to work' despite the fact that work from home arrangements have revealed many to be more productive with the set-up. In our case, that is despite the relatively bad internet services (paano kaya kung parang sa Singapore, Korea or Japan yung internet services?) and other constraints or challenges posed by the pandemic and the WFH set-up (e.g., mix-up of home and office hours and commitments). 

I took a few photos near my office in UP to take in the campus ambiance. We are still at 50% capacity until at least March 15 and classes are still home-based for most students. That means few people on campus though many show up for exercise and recreational activities during the morning and afternoon/evening windows at the Academic Oval.

The UP Diliman Academic Oval during the start of easing of restrictions using it for exercise and recreation

It started with few walkers and joggers. There are now more people walking, jogging or running along the oval. Cycling is still prohibited for now.

The unrestricted parking lot at the back of Melchor Hall had no vehicles. Many of those who walk, jog or run along the Academic Oval do not live on campus. Many take their vehicles to come to the campus for their exercise.

More photos around the Oval soon!

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Waltham A-17 watch, ca. Korean War

I wrote about another A-17 watch I got late last year that was manufactured by Bulova for the US military around the time of the Korean War. I acquired another A-17 early this year but this time one made by Waltham. I thought this was a more refined piece with a fluted bezel and back.

Waltham A-17 watch issued during the Korean War - no day or date complications

Side view showing the big crown

The other side view showing a well preserved case and dial

 

The movement inside this watch is a Cal. 6/0-D that runs at 18,000 A/h. I have timed the watch and it currently averages 50 hours when fully wound.

Case back showing the watch specifications including serial, order and stock numbers.

Here's a clearer view of the inscription on the case back taken from another angle.

Wrist shot of this rather small timepiece (32mm wide excluding the crown) but I am not averse to small watches. You can actually changes bands to make the watch appear bigger than it really is.

The watch is currently strapped to the bomber bear I got as a souvenir in Arnhem a few years ago.

War is never a good thing no matter how their instigators try to paint them. While we are familiar with both romanticized and brutal depictions of war through film, print or other media, it is something that one should not wish for especially for our children. All that pain and suffering because certain leaders choose this path rather than diplomacy and cooperation escapes reason or logic perhaps because the responsible individuals are just plain evil. I learned about war firsthand from my uncle who was a veteran of the Korean War, being part of the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK) with the 10th Battalion Combat Team (10th BCT).

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Healthy snacks?

The wife bought some snacks that we generally regard as healthy compared to the usual junk food that we buy. These were packs of dried tropical fruits.

Sunkist tropical fruits blend

This was produced in Thailand. That came as no surprise as the country is well-known for the high quality of dried fruits they produce. We usually bought dried fruits as pasalubong from Thailand. This was very enjoyable but definitely on the sweet side. You can end up eating a lot if you didn't pour some on a small bowl or plate instead of just opening a pack and eating directly from it.

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Food for lent

It was Ash Wednesday last March 2 and that ushers in the Lenten Season for Roman Catholics. This means Fridays one has to observe fasting and abstinence. Fasting here means only one full meal that day (as opposed to the stricter water only rule observed by some and different from the no eating and drinking during the daytime but meals at nighttime practiced by Muslims) and abstaining from meat (beef, pork, chicken and others). 

Due to this latter rule about meat prohibition, most Catholics opt for seafood, particularly fish. But is it really a sacrifice as what abstinence is essentially about? Fish is particular is quite enjoyable as a meal and many people will choose a variety of seafood over common meat dishes anytime. I, for one, would prefer seafood over beef or pork dishes. Grilled fish? Definitely! Tuna or salmon sashimi? Bring it on! Prawn tempura? Why not! So much for the sacrifice aspect of abstinence...

Dried fish for breakfast?

I think regardless of the food we eat during Lent, we should make some sacrifices as we reflect on the themes of this season. We should practice restraint versus excess and do our part fighting temptations of the material and even carnal kind. After all, 'food' should not be limited to its literal meaning but perhaps be understood or accepted for its deeper aspects.

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Catch of the night - fishermen return to Laiya, Batangas

There is a fishing community at Laiya in San Juan, Batangas. A spectacle during the early mornings is the arrival of fishing boats with their catch of the previous night. The fishermen likely do their fishing in Tayabas Bay and perhaps the Sibuyan Sea, safe from the poaching of a foreign country in the West Philippine Sea. Here are some photos I took last January 2022 during our quick post-New Year vacation.

Motorized banca arriving at the beach

A fisherman picks up the first few fishes from the banca to be hauled to waiting fisherfolk with their pails and other containers. Many surrounding the boat appear to be family members getting their respective shares of the catch.

Onlookers and those purchasing one or two fishes for their personal consumption

Most of the fish will go straight to the local market where they will be sold for a profit. I assume there will be fish dealers there who will buy by the 'bulk' (or pakyaw) to bring to the larger markets where they can be sold for higher prices and profits.

The fishermen of this boat caught a lot of yellow fin tuna of various sizes. These fish are popular for grilling among households and restaurants or eateries.

The fish are sorted according to type and size

A person with a bamboo pole arrives to pick up a container that he and another will balance using the pole. I can imagine that each container is quite heavy; perhaps weighing between 30 to 50 kilos depending on the weight and number of fish per container.

I wonder if some of the fish are headed for the resorts along the beach. At the resort where we usually stayed, they don't have much seafood in their menu. This is unlike resorts and resorts in Cebu, Bohol or Palawan where seafood are prominently featured in the menus.

Containers full of fish await pick up as more fish emerge from the boat

There were already 3 boats on the beach when the one I observed arrived. I saw at least 2 appearing in the horizon that were also arriving with the night's catch.

The fishermen also caught a big one that appears to be a blue marlin. They divided it among themselves.

Hauling fish from the beach to what is likely a waiting vehicle bound for the market

Fishing boats lined along the beach at Laiya

 

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