I did one last summer. It’s not as remarkable as a pro’s work, but as I was looking at it the other day, it became clear to me why I chose this particular subject and picked those hues from the box of watercolor tubes, gathered  several paintbrushes, and started working.

Flowing Leaves (9x12 watercolor on paper)

This piece, which I named “Flowing Leaves,” was done almost four months ago, the same time I had to make a major decision. It is now that I realized why I picked those leaves from the garden and painted the watercolor pad in blue: because at that time, I was turning over a new leaf; taking my life in a new direction. I thought that although the water in the stream has a particular destination, I have decided to go against the current and create my own channel.

So far, I’m loving the decision I made. Life is good (and the Almighty’s making it even better). I couldn’t be more grateful.

My work has given me the chance to visit one of the city’s tourist destinations: World of Butterflies, run by the local government of Marikina. WOB’s main goal is to conserve the habitat of the butterflies. Aside from its butterfly garden, it is also a sanctuary for breeding them. Here, one can see the different stages of a butterfly’s life cycle.

Among the insects, butterflies have one of the most complicated life cycles. And unlike the other creatures under Class Insecta, they do not undergo a nymph period before becoming an adult; instead, a butterfly changes appearance when it becomes an imago. So, there’s no such thing as baby butterfly.

Did you know that butterflies are indicators of pollution? If a place is polluted, you will seldom see butterflies in that area. They can be a pest in crops also, since their larvae (caterpillar) feed on a number of citrus plants (larval food plant). Hey, larva’s the longest stage in the life cycle and entirely spent eating until it becomes a fully-grown caterpillar.

The saying that “a butterfly only lives for a day” is not really true. Their average life span is two weeks. But some butterflies can survive for months. If a butterfly only lasted for a day, it must have been attacked/eaten by a predator.

Photos from left – right: (a) larvae feeding on citrus leaves, (b) preparing to become a pupa, (c) a pupa, (d) comparing a male from a female butterfly–the female have more dots on its wings. (All photos taken by the author at World of Butterflies)

Although WOB is not as magnificent as I was expecting, it was a learning experience. It has reignited my curiosity in this peculiar insect. And maybe it will be worth exploring again, now that I have more knowledge. You do not need a large area at home to create a habitat for butterflies. A little garden with lots of flowers will do (tip on flowers: butterflies prefer non-fragrant, clustered ones like santan). It’s also a way of contributing something to Mother Nature.

Yesterday (April 5), together with some friends from work, I spent a whole day at Avilon Zoo for the second time, and boy, I had a wonderful time! As they say, the second time is always sweeter, well in this case, much, much better than the first since a lot of improvement had been done by the administration of the zoological park (and still doing more until now, kudos to them).

Unlike my first visit, our small group didn’t hire a tour guide. Since I’ve been there before, maybe I’ll just be the tour guide (minus the explanation about the animals, of course! ). Avilon Zoo is a seven hectare park and it’s fun to get lost at such a big place when you’re with carefree, good-tempered people. Nobody complained about all the walking, the heat or to those who arrived a little late. All of us just had fun! And I’d like to share just how much fun we had.

Look who loves being cuddled!

This baby tiger doesn’t have a name yet, but it’s been making friends with the visitors. Really cute and cuddly.

Meet Camille and Louie (and the rest of the family! )

These two are the sweetest! And they have manners. They shake the hands of everyone they meet. Louie loves to be cuddled. Look how he clings to “mommy” (peace, señora ).

This summer, going to the beach is not the only thing you can do. Avilon Zoo is an alternative, so put it in your list. It’s less crowded at this time since school term’s over. Besides, it’s very accessible from the metropolis. Avilon Zoo is located in Rodriguez (Montalban), Rizal—thirty to forty-five minutes drive from Quezon City. Or you can take the PUJs/PUVs from Cubao and Philcoa, tell the driver to let you off at Eastwood (subdivision), then ride a tricycle and ask Manong driver to take you to Avilon Zoo.

More Friends

]]> http://crumb-trails.com/2008/04/06/avilon-the-second-time-around/feed/ 21 http://crumb-trails.com/2007/06/07/caleruega-philippines-weekend/ http://crumb-trails.com/2007/06/07/caleruega-philippines-weekend/#comments Thu, 07 Jun 2007 10:06:47 +0000 Salve http://salvacion.wordpress.com/2007/06/07/caleruega-philippines-weekend/ If you want to spend some quiet moments, refresh your mind, feel close to nature and God, Caleruega is the perfect place to go; located in Brgy. Kaylayaw, Batulao, Nasugbu Batangas. As described in the flyer given to visitors at the gate, Caleruga is a house (place) of prayer and renewal. It is equipped with facilities for activities like retreats, recollections, prayer and renewal workshops, and other religious and environmental-related assemblies. But you can also go for a day’s visit. Like what I did last weekend. For 30 pesos entrance fee, you can enjoy the breathtaking views, clear your mind and find peace.

I’ve been planning that trip for a long, long time and been asking some of my friends to go with me. They’d say yes but we’d end up postponing the trip afterwards. I was awed when I saw the pictures in the Dominicans’ website. I was rendered speechless actually, my breath literally taken away for several seconds. I’m really glad that I was able to visit the place this time and was able to convince one of my college friends to go with me.

It rained that day. But that did not dampen our enthusiasm to explore the place. Both Grace and I did not bring any real food, thinking there might be a place to eat inside. Big mistake. I should have realized that it’s a place for reflection, peaceful solitude, connecting with God and the beauty of His creations, not a gimik place. So we ended up eating chips (junk food) and sampalok candy, which was a little spicy but suited our taste just as well.

Anyway, we started walking the path that led to The Way of the Cross (Stations of the Cross). It’s a long, narrow road that leads to the bridge going to the camping grounds. The stations are wood-carved, each surrounded by flowering plants and shrubs. In between the stations are pahinglayan or resting areas—wood huts with swings or wooden benches. From here, we went back to Plaza de Guzmanes and climbed the few steps leading to the Dominicum, stopped for a glass of water then followed the long, ascending pathway called Via Evangelium, which means “The Way of the Gospel.” The stairway, as mentioned in the website, symbolizes the narrow path of life, which is an uphill climb and perseverance leads to the top. We actually didn’t notice how long the climb was because the place is surrounded with a variety of plants, trees and flowers in bloom. Along the Via Evangelium, at the right side, is the statue of Saint Dominic—known as the “Happy Friar.” We detoured to Plaza de Aza, rested in one of the benches there and savored some quiet moments.

Resuming our journey, we finally reached the end of Via Evangelium, which is also the highest point of Caleruega and the site of the majestic structure of the Transfiguration Chapel. You can view the expanse of Caleruega from here. I felt overwhelmed staring at the beauty laid before my eyes. It made me realize how small I am; that I am just a speck of dust in the vast the universe. The chapel’s façade is similar to the original chapel in Caleruega, Spain—the birthplace of Saint Dominic. A wedding was held at the chapel that day, so the aisle and the altar were still decorated with flowers. The stained glass at the altar is a depiction of the Transfiguration of Christ (center). Outside the chapel is a lush garden. A sculpture of Christ particularly caught my attention, His arms extended, His head raised to the heavens. It’s another amazing sight in Caleruga.

Our last stop was the Rosary Lane, which is beside the chapel and leads to an impasse where the Virgin Mary’s statue resides. Seen from here are the jagged (or their jagged peaks) mountains of Batulao. We only stayed for a while and headed back to Plaza de Guzmanes. Only then did we realized that we had been walking for almost four hours. We finally went out after a while, waited for our tricycle ride (yes, we commuted) that will bring us to the national highway.

Caleruega is just a few hours from Manila. If you don’t have a car (like us!), you can board buses going to Nasugbu, Balayan, or Calatagan. Get off at Evercrest (hotel), ride the tricycle there and ask the driver to bring you to Caleruega or you can walk if you feel like hiking. Bus fare is less than a hundred pesos, tricycle is 40 or 50 pesos. You can also ask the driver to fetch you afterwards.