Johor Bahru, Flying Coasters

Riding the Flying coaster of Johor Bahru in Malaysia, i remember some of this experienced way back my childhood. We took some palapa or coconut trunk leaf and use it as a glider down the Sierra Madre mountain about 60 degree angle elevation. Although a bit dangerous as we have to make sure we wont hit some of the trees along the slope but it was fun and truly a nature experienced.

Sentosa At Palawan Beach, Singapore

A life size stone pirate and lifeguard sculptures at Palawan beach in Sentosa, Singapore. A good materials for landscaping especially for theme parks. Missed this day, i always visit the beach for swimming and fishing during weekend when i was there working. Here in the Philippines..a kind of this beach is Boracay Island, you will find beautiful hotels and beach sand sculptures good for tourism, simply one of the best.

Singapore Botanical Garden

Partly French and English, this area in the Singapore Botanical Garden capture my interest. The so called dry garden with a sculture of transfer of wisdom is quiet impressive. Built around the dry rock garden, it become the focal point in the garden. This is just one of the best part of the Botanical with this influences.

A trellises with plant creepers capture your attention at the end of this dry garden. This structure is a good termination for another type of garden behind this walls. Serve as a shelter also, this trellis is also a place for birds and small animals like squirrels. A type of this garden in the Philippines can be found in Chateau Royale in Batangas.

JERUSALEM Walls and Garden of Getsemane

 Looking over Jerusalem Temple, showing the walled city. This is consider the most Holy city with Abrahamic religions, such as judaism, Christianity and Islam. Garden design are totally rock strucutures with spots of potted plants for cactus family, fig trees and Date Palms. It was ruled by many neigboring countries during wars which resulted to abropt and confusing landscape design. You will see ruins of such influences as Greek, Romas, Ottoman, Islam, English and even Americans around the area.

A sample and typical garden in Jerusalem temple. Potted cactus and grasses.

This is the garden where Jesus weep with blood according to the bible and to Jewish historians. This fig trees are the witness to that event. Garden around this area are actually with arab and Islamic influence.

Israel Garden and Landscaping

This photo was taken last Janurary 2007 during my visit to Israel. This is the graden courtyard where we stayed. Date palms, with fruit bearing trees is being use for planting. Israel art and culture was actually influenced by many period but this one was more on the Greek and Romans influenced.  The photo shows a columnar Agora during Davids time, called Davids Temple, it was a civic center, with stoas, shops, meeting places, Odenion and part of the government buildings such as Bouleterion and Tholos, but are now all in ruin. To compare this with our own, Philippines has structures and buildings such as this located in the urban manila. Manila City Hall, Museum, Manila Post offices are some of this type of structures.

Orange fruit tree used for landscaping in Hotel Tiberias.

Ruin of David's Temple, Israel.

Pyramid of Egypt, Gizah

When it comes to Ancient Architecture, Egypt was definitely rich in this culture.  Consider as under Golden Age, this structure stands proud along the Egypt Cairo Desert. Landscape is more on the use of sand and rocks, with small area for dates palm, ivory plants, sycamore and fig trees. This structure was actually use for tombs, astronomical observatories, for a calendar and survey device of astronomers. Amazing work of art. Recommendable for tourism. This photo was taken on July of 2002 during my visit to West Africa.

Hamilo Coast Batangas, SMDC

This photo was taken last July 2010 my visit with SMDC Hamilo Coast. Its actually within the cove of Batangas seashores and the place was quiet impressive. They created a modern landscape out of the stone rocks, natural and picturesque style with modern and clean line design. A creation of landscape romantic landscape especially at night by the projection of lights was also achieved. Great place to go and unwind.

Cultural Center of the Philippines

Located in Pasay city, this structure and garden preseve and promote the culture of filipino arts, and was become the Mecca of Arts in Asia during the 70's. It has a water fountain and lagoon in front with an American type landscape design of an 88 hectare complex. This area serves as a mark of Philippine true and pure art then and even today.I took this picture on Legaspi Tower roofdeck during my visit to my client last August 2010.

Joloholms Slott, Sweden

This photo was taken in year 2004 during my visit to Sweden. Its a kind of English garden with columnar shape trees, sculptures shrubs, castles, flat land and geometric patterns.

Balibaguhin River, Real Quezon

This photo was also taken last summer May of 2010. You will notice that algae are actually a lot within the water bodies. You might wonder why and how this happen. Well, as usual - people within the barangay use this are for livelihood. Rivers of this was actually rich in fresh shrimps and fishes but due to a wrong way of fishing, they died and so no more eat fishes who will consume the moss and algae. People ont his barangay uses poisons to kill the fishes on the rivers. Result, insects and infestation of the waters. Another, wrong action which need a proper education. This only shows that government agencies are still lacking of protection and notices how we can preserve this wonder. If we didnt then, how we can sustain the rivers and where we will get the food needed for our future?

Sierra Madre Mountain Ranges

Real is a small town facing the Pacific Ocean, approximately 133 kilometers away from the Quezon capital Lucena City and 145 kilometers from Manila. Real has 17 barangays: 14 rural and 3 urban which located along the Sierra Madre Ranges and Pacific Ocean bay. Its total land area is 563.8 km², the second largest in the province after General Nakar.

Real has many tourist spots, the zigzag road views, river scenery, Baluti Island and the beaches that attract tourists during summer time but the most important visit is to trek in lush forest of the Sierra Madre mountain.

This photo was actually taken during my visit in that mountain last summer. The area is rich in clear water rivers which is actually a source of life in the province. But now is being treathened by many illegal loggers, kainginero and mag-uuling or coal making operations. Im just wondering what will be the future of my children if we cannot stop this people in using the mountain forest as a source of their livelihood. There's this one time that I've met a father and sons who is actually cutting trees inside our forest farm. I warn them and tell them that what's they're doing is illegal. I ask the father why, the kids is not into school since its school days when i met them. The father said, they have financial problem to bring the kids in school. In short, the boy become one of my schoolars and brought them to school . I actually taught them of the importance the trees and remind them of the 2004 Typhoon Winnie that flooded the town which killed hundred of lives. The boy is now studying and hoping to pursue his dreams to become a protector of the environment.

If we act now, even small things will definitely contribute to the overall wellness of our environment. This is not only for us but for our childrens future. Let's protect Sierra Madre and all other mountain within the Philippine 7,107 Islands. If not us...who?

Real Quezon, Philippines

Reál is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Quezon, Philippines.  This coastal town, located on the eastern shores of Luzon facing the Philippine Sea is noted for its rural beach resorts. This is where I grew and this is where i will start this blog. The view was taken from Sierra madre mountain, opposite our Kaingin. Its about 1 1/2 hour trek from the main road. You will see the Pacific Ocean, with small Resort island called Baluti. This is where all my memories in preschool and secondary was developed. I took this photo a week after i arrived back from Singapore, where I worked as an architect and landscape designer. After 7 years of giving my talents to foreign projects, Ive thought its enough and time to go back and build something for my country. i beleive that there's a bright future for the Philippines in Tourism and Green architecture and this is where I'm gonna explore, study and promote the beauty of the Philippines.