Take the TPLEX for Your Next Visita Iglesia

Holy Week is fast approaching. And this usually involves, for a lot of Filipinos, a form of Visita Iglesia (also called the Seven Churches Visitation). (If you are not familiar with it, this pilgrimage involves visiting seven churches on Maundy Thursday. To check out the history behind this practice, check out the Wikipedia link here.) And to easily travel from one church to another, a group of friends and I took the TPLEX to see if we can accomplish such a feat.

The first on our list was the Church of Padre Pio. This church is just starting out and its quite apropos that we began our journey here. The church is not yet finished yet you can see the pride in the faces of the people taking care of it. They beam with pride when they talk about the accomplishments that they were able to do in the past year alone.

Next up was Our Lady of Manaoag. Aside from its beautiful architecture, Our Lady of Manaoag has a museum where you will be able to see centuries old images of saints and old gowns and dresses used to dress up the image of the Lady of the Church. It also has a lot more artifacts that were used when the country was still a Spanish colony. This church is considered one of “the greatest Marian pilgrimages in the Philippines.” It was also bestowed the title of Minor Basilica so any Catholic devotees should have this on their list.

If you want to see official replicas of the Shroud of Turin and the Veil of Manoppello, then a visit to a small, very unassuming church should be on your list. The Immaculate Conception Parish Church of Nampicuan houses such two Holy Relics. We were told that the church parishioners prayed two thousand Hail Marys so that their church will be the recipient of said Relics and the town of 20, 000 people celebrated when their prayers were answered.

The Church of Nampicuan not only houses two Holy Relics, but it also has a small chapel where it has, on its altar, the bones of nine Saints. Really, this church is my favorite in this particular road trip.

The next on our list was the Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus. This is a beautiful church and is considered the “Wedding Capital of Tarlac”. It houses the bones of St. Therese making this a Holy Destination for devout Catholics. And being a wedding capital, if you ever decide to have your wedding rights performed there, then you can take advantage of one of the church’s halls. You see, they rent out said hall to wedding receptions so that, after the wedding rites, you just need to walk about a hundred steps and you’re already where the dining and the dancing will be done. You won’t have to drive anymore and you won’t have to worry about where to park your car for a second time!

The last church we visited was the Parish of St. Josemari Escriva. The church has a gold motif and the architecture is really wonderful. This church also has a painting on the wall of its small chapel that depicts country life in Tarlac. I was greatly fascinated by that.

Unfortunate, we were not able to finish all seven churches but it was because of two things. Okay, several things…

One, we were so fascinated by the churches that we really took our time photographing the architecture, the artifacts, the churches’ surroundings…

Then, we visited a swordsmith, Blade Culture International. Yep, one that makes blades! The company sells commissioned swords like the kinds used in Hollywood movies and TV shows. They actually do not sell locally in bulk, but if they have extra pieces, you might get lucky and get a piece of sword that’s actually designed for, say, Braveheart... The company also plans to put up a museum where they plan to showcase the swords they have already made. Oh, for future blade smiths out there, the company also gives certifications when you train under them. Time to bring out the inner “Panday” in you!

You can contact Mr. Renando De Guzman of Blade Culture International, through their website, for details.

Also, when we got hungry, we went to Ruperto’s for lunch. We enjoyed the food so much that we lingered longer than we planned! I especially liked the garlic longanisa! And I think I’m not alone in that... Ruperto’s is not only a restaurant, though. If you get tired from your Visita Iglesia and decide to not go back home immediately, then Ruperto’s has rooms for you to stay overnight. Or two!

Finally, one other place we visited was a place where oils from ylang-ylang flowers (scientific name: Cananga odorata) are extracted. We learned that there are three extractions done and the first, second and third extracts have their own specific uses. And then, after the tour of the extraction facility, we went to the gift shop where we got ylang ylang products like perfumes, lotions, hand soaps, car fresheners, etc. I love visiting places like this and I love it even more that this venture has the full support of the local government, particularly from the town mayor of Anao, Mayor Betty Lacbayan.

So, all-in-all, despite not being able to go to seven churches, this road trip had been a success thanks in part to the efforts of our tour guides. They made sure that this road trip would be a worthy one and they showed a lot of patience when the group sometimes (ok, a lot of times) exhibited our “kakulitan”... Also, getting on and off TPLEX easily afforded us the opportunity to travel to places that would have been difficult if the expressway hadn’t been there. So, on your next venture north, especially this coming Holy Week, consider using the TPLEX and the trek would be a lot easier and safer.

————————
Keep the conversation going! Contact me via my Twitter or Facebook account. You may also email me here!

Want to get the latest and greatest gadgets? Check out shoplite.com and sign up so you can be an owner of the latest gadget that you desire!

Photoworld Asia 2018

I went to Photoworld Asia 2018 yesterday. It was a nice place to chat with photographers and other people who are equally passionate about the industry. It was also a feast for the eyes and the mind as I was able to try the different cameras, lenses and other accessories! There are also workshops so I was also able to increase my stock photography skills.

If ever you happen to like something, remember, most items sold on site are given discounts up to 30%!

So, if you happen to be in the Ayala/Glorietta area from February 2 to 6, then pass by the Glorietta activity center to check out all the action.

————————
Keep the conversation going! Contact me via my Twitter or Facebook account. You may also email me here!

Want to get the latest and greatest gadgets? Check out shoplite.com and sign up so you can be an owner of the latest gadget that you desire!

The Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra Phone Review

I've always been a big fan of Sony. For me, it's among the top ten when it comes to really good and trustworthy tech brands.

So when I got the Sony XPERIA XA1 Ultra to review, I expected nothing less.

But first the basics:

The phone is huge!!! Yep, that's the only specs that you need to know! Ok, I'm just kidding. But the phone is really huge. I am using an iPhone 6s+ and that is dwarfed by the XA1 Ultra. The screen measures at 6-inches and even if the display is almost edge-to-edge on the left and the right side of the phone, operating this with one hand is close to impossible. Well, unless you are playing center or power forward in the NBA. Definitely, for mere mortals like myself, this phone requires two hands.

But that display, it is gorgeous. With this phone, movies and tv shows and YouTube videos are just begging to be watched - that's one of the advantages of using a phone with a big screen. The colors pop up and the contrast is really good! And you should watch high-def movies if you really want to see what the screen is capable of. It is one amazing display!

Another good thing about this screen is for composing your photos and videos with. With such a big screen, you definitely can pre-plan how to exactly capture the image that you want. You basically can see the kind of photo that you want to make.

And speaking of pictures, this phone has an excellent camera. First off, this is the first smartphone that I have tested that has a dedicated camera button. And you know that Sony is serious about photo captures and creations when you can actually half-press that dedicated camera button to focus on your subject. This smartphone, when it comes to picture taking, actually behaves like an actual, dedicated camera. Sweet!

Aside from the half-press, the XA1 Ultra actually uses a camera sensor that has the same size as that of a traditional point-and-shoot. The reason why dedicated cameras still take better photos is because of the size of the sensor inside them; the bigger the sensor is, the better is the photo taken. Traditionally, smartphones have really small photo sensors. But in the XA1 Ultra, the sensor size is bigger.

This bigger sensor means better photos: better photos in low-light conditions, better HDR photos, and creamier bokeh. Yes, other smartphones can mimic the bokeh effect via software, but nothing beats the real thing. There’s only so much what software can do...

The Xperia XA1 Ultra ships with Android 7.0 Nougat. It charges via USB-C and you can quick-charge the 2700mAh battery. Yes, unfortunately, the battery of the phone is on the small side considering the overall size of the phone. It is a dual-sim phone so you don’t need two phones for your different networks here in the Philippines. It has 4GB of built-in RAM and the 32GB internal storage can be expanded via microSD. And the octa core processor makes this phone really sing!

The Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra is Highly Recommended!

————————
Keep the conversation going! Contact me via my Twitter or Facebook account. You may also email me here!

Want to get the latest and greatest gadgets? Check out shoplite.com and sign up so you can be an owner of the latest gadget that you desire!

The Sony HT-ST5000 7.1.2ch 800W Review

When using a dedicated surround sound system is not feasible in your home, then a sound bar is the next best choice. There are a lot of brands out there but the Sony HT-ST5000 7.1.2ch 800W can stand out from the rest.

Find out why in the link below:

Make Your Home a Mini Theater With This Sound Bar

The photo was made with the Canon G7x Mark II. You can find my review of that camera here!

The Tern Link C7 Review

I have always been fascinated by bicycles. I have had one for most of my life. And so I got greatly surprised by how much I enjoyed riding the Tern Link C7. However, for me, the folding bike is something that I greatly enjoyed using for short rides. For long rides, I still prefer using my road bike.

Though don't be fooled by this bike. A lot of people have used it cycling for more than 60 kilometers! It can function as an endurance bike, as well as a leisure bike. The choice is up to you!

Check out my full review at the link below.

This Folding Bike is Made for City Dwellers

The video was made with the Canon G7x Mark II. You can find my review of that camera here!

Photos edited using the iOS app VSCO

The Philippine Launch of the Samsung Galaxy Note8!

The long wait is over for Samsung fans. Samsung's latest flagship phone, Galaxy Note8--successor to last year's unsuccessful Galaxy Note7--has been revealed.

Presenters at the Galaxy Note8 launch are Kevin Lee, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics Phlippines (third from right) and Melanie Lok, Product Marketing Manager for Flagship Smartphones (second from left).

But of course, the highlight of the event is the launch of the Galaxy Note8. And to read my thoughts about it, check out my post on EsquirePH at the link below:

First Look: The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 is Out, and It's a Beauty

————————
Keep the conversation going! Contact me via my Twitter or Facebook account. You may also email me here!

Want to get the latest and greatest gadgets? Check out shoplite.com and sign up so you can be an owner of the latest gadget that you desire!

Falling in Love with the Fujifilm X T20

When I read the Verge article regarding the Fujifilm X T20, I felt as if the writer, Vlad Savvov, was actually writing a love letter. It's as if he fell in love at first sight, but, instead of another person, he fell in love with a camera. Well, at least that's how I interpreted it.

So, I grew really curious about the Fujifilm X T20. I felt that I really had to see it for myself, if it really was worth falling in love with. So, one weekend, the wife and I went to a camera store near our place here in Metro Manila (I couldn't say it was a local camera store for it’s a franchise - I miss being in a traditional, small camera store, like the ones on Nassau Street in Princeton, NJ and on State Street in Chicago, not the big box ones. I hope those Mom and Pop stores are still in existence. But I digress...). Again, the wife and I went to a store near our place and we looked at the Fujifilm X T20.

When I held the T20 for the first time, my initial reaction was... "Meh... Is this camera really worth falling in love with?", I told myself. It didn't feel impressive in the hand. It felt like it was just a gimmick that will not last.

The wife and I went out of the store and I left the store unimpressed. The wife suddenly said, "That is not the lens you were looking for, right?" And I said, "Yeah, it wasn't." So she said, "Maybe we should ask the sales guy for the lens that you were looking at last night online…”

So, begrudgingly, I agreed to go back to the store. I asked the guy if I can look at the T20 with the 18-55mm lens. He said yes and he got the lens and put it at the T20. After he did that, the wife said she saw sparkles in my eyes!

The first time I looked at the camera, I didn't even spend 5 minutes with it. With the 18-55 lens, I spent at least 30 minutes looking, feeling and examining the camera. I asked for the battery so I could switch it on. And boy did I test it. I peered through the electronic view finder and I was blown away by what I saw. It's so realistic that it felt like I was really looking at the real world, not a miniature screen.

I asked a lot of questions and it was such a blessing to find a seller that really knows what he was selling. Coming from a different brand, I really didn't know how to, for example, get out of full auto. But the guy was really knowledgeable and he was able to answer all my questions, including that one! He even showed me his shots with a different Fujifilm model. That greatly impressed me more. He said that those shots were made with a consumer model X-series and he said I'd be able to get more from the T20. All of his shots were so clean even if they were taken in really low-light conditions (note though that he was showing me his photos on his mobile phone so things may be a bit different on print and on a computer monitor). He showed me his long exposure shot and it was really clean! Again, he reiterated that he took it using a different X-model and he said I'd be able to get more out of the T20.

My inspection of the Fujifilm X T20 didn't end there. I took shots. I felt the camera in my hand. I imagined myself using the camera. I suddenly saw myself using a different camera brand…

The 18-55mm lens made the T20 a more impressive camera. The lens felt solid and not plasticy. The lens matches the quality of the camera body itself. And it makes the camera more professional-like. With that lens, you can control the aperture from the lens itself, something that pros and semi-serious everyday users always look for.

I tried the model with the silver/metal accent and it really looks beautiful, though I would have liked to have seen the all-black model also.

Is the Fujifilm X T20 worth falling in love with? With the right lens, it is. Anyway, it is the lens that makes a camera, any camera, great! So if you are looking at buying your next camera, I suggest you go to a camera store and feel the emotion that I, and the Verge reviewer, felt when I held the camera in my hands. You won't regret it.

NB:

In the photos also is the T20 predecessor, the T10. Despite its age, (around two years old?) it still looks awesome with the 18-55 lens. If you are reading this and if you want to save some cash, then get the T10! It's still a very good camera and its a really great bargain!

I was in awe of the T20 that I forgot to take pictures of the it. Good thing the wife saw that "sparkle" so she did the photography at that time.

Also, CameraHaus manager or higher ups, if you're reading this, please promote the Fujifilm guy in SM Aura and the lovely ladies in Bonifacio High Street. We need more guys like the one in SM Aura, someone who knows how to use the product they're selling and someone who has actually used the product. And the ladies in Bonifacio High Street are so helpful and so accommodating. For me, they are the best!

————————
Keep the conversation going! Contact me via my Twitter or Facebook account. You may also email me here!

All photos made with an iPhone 6s and edited using the iOS app Hipstamatic