FIESTA PILAR 2012 ACTIVITIES

Taken at the Zamboanga City International Airport... readying for the Fiesta Pilar 2012

I just want to share Promding Chamimay's site on the Fiesta Pilar 2012 activities. 

http://www.promdingchamimay.com/2012/09/fiesta-hermosa-2012-zamboanga-fiesta.html

It is very informative! Look it up!!!

PASEO AT THE ZAMBOANGA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

It is October 1, 2012... eleven days to go before the Feast of the Lady of the Pilar 2012!

I just arrived at the Zamboanga International Airport and I noted a new look welcoming passengers to Asia's Latin City, Ciudad de Zamboanga.

They said it was just put up a day earlier. I am sorry I couldn't give any specific congratulations to the "conceptualizer" and "designer" but this is spearheaded by the Department of Tourism.

It is streamlined and clean, but still depicts the essence of Zamboanga City.

We see the whole Paseo scenario with the iconic lamp posts and benches at the Cawa-Cawa Boulevard http://inpinaysfootsteps.blogspot.com/2011/09/images-of-zamboanga-city-circa-2011_23.html or presently named R.T. Lim Boulevard plus the colorful accent of the Zamboanga vinta.

 

Interestingly, did you notice that the lamp posts really light up?!

And here is the real thing! They caught the scene, right!

The center board caught my attention with its curved  appeal and the vibrant vermilion color (did I get the color right?)

And focused on Zamboanga City landmarks...

Sta. Cruz Island with the vinta in the backdrop! 

I guess the Metropolitan Cathedral is covered by the plants...

Do you think they missed any landmark?

I can already imagine the tourists coming over and have a really great photo souvenir as soon as they step in the airport.

I am sure the Ciudad De Zamboanga sign would be picture-perfect! So too, with the lamps, benches and vintas just like at the Boulevard and the Paseo!

I ♥ it!

Viva Fiesta Pilar 2012!!!

JOIN BC BLOGGERS

It is October 1, 2012. 

I am now entering a new phase as a blogger… my joining the BC Bloggers as in “busy” bloggers and Blog exChange as founded by Paula of http://www.mommydiary.net!

I heard about this from my friend, Charm, who also encouraged me to start blogging actually!

She told me it increased her network, thus, her stats and most of all, she found bloggers with like-minds and who she developed friendships with!

I just had to find out about this… and indeed, I found BC Bloggers!

This started out as personal blog focused on travels I have had throughout the years, many of which were incidental to other things I did. I do want to share my experiences, thus, I hope to have a wider reach!

Want to have more links? Let’s all join BC Bloggers!!!

COKE AND ORANGE SOFT DRINKS: THE VARIANTS

Coca Cola has always had the trademark soft drink bottle, wherein others use the term "Coca-Cola body" to mean a sexy lady!

We are so used to the usual 8 oz. and 12 oz. bottles and later the "Litro" (I L bottle) , then the 1.5 L and even the 1.25 L ones! 

In the recent years, the Coke in Can has also made its mark.

So whenever, we see an unusual size, shape or label, it easily catches my attention, and of course, my lens!

In Davao, the smaller version of Coke, the Coke Sakto (200 ml!) and the small Royal Tru-orange bottle.

compared to the 12-oz. Mountain Dew

237 ml Royal Tru-orange and 200 ml Coke Sakto

237 ml Royal and Coke Sakto 

We used to have the Coke Sakto in Zamboanga and eventually no longer distributed in ZC, thus, looks unusual for me again! 

They said, maybe, the Zamboangueños are Coke drinkers and the Coke Sakto is not "sakto" since too small to satisfy! (hahaha, just a thought!)

Other Cokes in Can and Bottles!

Coke bottles in Thailand.

Coke in can in Thailand.

Coke bottle in Paris.

Coke bottle in Rome.

the Coke bottle is just in the background.

Coke in can in Rome.

in support of Italia and the soccer cup!

Coke bottle in Korea.

I didn't realize I had all these pictures of Cokes of varying sizes and shapes and from which countries.

What may seem unusual to us is actually, quite normal to others!!!

RED RAMBUTAN

I visited Sr. Dilla and Sr. Gloria on the day of Mama Mary's feast day and they offered to me the red rambutan!

I was "shy" at first, but since I remembered the durian, I thought it was also timely to introduce the Rambutan.

So, I couldn't help but take the picture of the vibrant rambutan. I guess it is the color of this fruit that makes me feel this fruit is "vibrant".

I took a few fruits just so I also have pictures of the opened Rambutan.

Unlike the durian, the rambutan spikes are soft and not prickly, so it is easy to open with the fingers.

It isn't so messy although slightly sticky and a bit juicy.

I like this fruit, which is a relative of the longan and the lychees.

I feel it is cool to the palate and just a bit sweet, so it feels refreshing to eat this fruit.

This is what I googled about RAMBUTAN! from Wikipedia.

The rambutan ( /ræmˈbuːtən/; taxonomic name: Nephelium lappaceum) is a medium-sized tropical tree in the familySapindaceae. The fruit produced by the tree is also known as "rambutan." The name rambutan is derived from the Malay wordrambutan, meaning "hairy": rambut the Malay word for "hair", a reference to the numerous hairy protuberances of the fruit, together with the noun-building suffix -an.  Rambutan trees also found growing naturally in Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and elsewhere in Southeast Asia, although its precise natural distribution is unknown.^[3] It is closely related to several other edible tropical fruits including the lychee, longan, and mamoncillo.

From: http://www.cookingmail.com/rambutan/

Health Benefits of Rambutan

Rambutan fruit contains carbohydrate, protein, fat, phosphorus, iron, calcium and vitamin C. Skin tanin and fruits contain saponin. The seeds contain fat and polifenol. The leaves contain tannin and saponin. Skin stem contains tannin, saponin, flavonida, pectic substances, and iron.

There are usually a light brown seeds are high in some Fats and oils (mainly oleic acid and eicosanoic acid) valuable to industry, and is used in cooking and the manufacture of soap. Rambutans roots, bark, and leaves have various uses in the production of dyes and drugs.

I am actually wondering if this fruit is really common to other areas in the Philippines or in other parts of the world. 

Does this fruit have any other name in the English language?

I know it is seen in Zamboanga City (not necessarily very common) but I don't think it is as commonly available in Cebu.

Anyway, I hope that at one time in your life, you can also try the RAMBUTAN.