MEN CAN WEAR PATADYONG

Weaving in Panay, particularly in Iloilo, dates back to the pre-Spanish times. By the half of the 18th century, Iloilo already experienced the advent of large-scale weaving. It was already referred to as "the textile capital of the Philippines" by the 19th century.

The most popular and still existing finished item of Iloilo's weaving industry is the patadyong or wrap-around because of its encompassing bearing and meaning in the life of the people. The patadyong is more than just a garment as a skirt or wrap around for women. It serves as an umbrella to protect one from the heat of the sun and the onslaught of the rain. It also serves as a towel and apron combined. It functions also as a one-piece bathing suit when bathing outdoors and is worn when washing clothes in the river. It can be used as a private nook by which one can change her attire. It also functions as a crib for the baby when hooked to a beam in the wall or the ceiling and can be used as a sling to carry the baby while walking or moving around.

As with many Filipino traditional crafts, textile weaving has become marginal in Panay. At present, it worn only in the rural areas and, at times, in cultural presentations and generally only by mature women yet it has not lost its utilitarian value. With the growing market in Manila and abroad, weaving has made a limited but successful comeback, particularly in Kalibo, Miag-ao, Bugasong, Sibalom, Arevalo, and Oton. Most Panayanon weavers do not seem to fear that it will disappear someday. To them, the patadyong will always be needed and use of it cannot be filled by anything else. With this, I support my fellow Panayanons. I utilized patadyong as boxer shorts since I love wearing boxers. So it's not only useful to women now.

my new patadyong boxer shorts

Afterall, the patadyong is not just a fabric but is part and parcel of the Panayanon history and culture.

Thanks to NewsToday for the information.

I CAN SEE THE NEW MOON OVER THE WOODEN FENCE

I must admit, what I want, I always get. It is in terms of material things and with money involved. The secret is, I only dream of things I can afford to buy at yung mga pangarap na madali kong maabot.

Pero aminin ko rin na may mga bagay na hindi ko rin makuha. Gaya ng pagsulat ng tamang grammar (obviously nakasulat sa tagalog). Kailangan pa mag-nosebleed muna ako. May mga ideya na biglang pumasok sa isip ko but I don't know what to do. It's like I am in limbo. I even can't remember the password of my other blog now. So I decided to create a new blog. I searched for a unique free blog template. However, I don't know how to unzip and how to get the html code. I also want to have my own domain name but I don't know what's the best webhost. Back then, I spent some hours working for the blog template pero wala pa rin nangyari. Medyo na-frustrate ako. I comforted myself na lang. I told myself, "Kung hindi ko makuha ang magandang template, idaan ko na lang sa content at gagawa na lang ako ng sariling art. Kumbaga, kung hindi makuha sa palakasan, ikimbot mo na lang. Kidding! I think of NEW MOON instead. I can't wait to watch it!

This is the template I really wanted to have: wooden-fence

THANK YOU FINLAND!

I once told here that I was surprised to receive a "thank you" postcard from Finland. Moreover, another Finnish gave me a pin holder. I just met them through postcroosing. I cay say people from Finland are really nice and also sweet. And I am not surprise that BBF housemates treated Cathy warmly during her stay in Big Brother house Finland.

This video makes me admire Finns more! Thanks to Fikavi for sharing this video.

ILOILO'S SKYLINES

I admit, I don't like the city views before. It is because I can't see the overall view of the sky above. Big and tall buildings block the beauty of the clear sky at night surrounded by stars and the full moon. Awoooooo! Kidding. Until when I was looking for nice city views to shoot for this week's photo assignment theme "skylines" (by Kate) that I appreciate the beauty of the city.

The Castle Hotel


Iloilo Provincial Capitol- Exit gate

Iloilo Provincial Capitol- The entrance gate

Days Hotel

SM City- Iloilo

Gaisano City

Out-of-Town skyline- surrounded by tall trees

Now, join me to roam the cities around the world and see skylines through FSO. Let's go!

POSTCROSSING PROJECT 01

I am still active in postcrossing. Every week, I receive some postcards from different countries. I send some postcards in return to continue the postcard project. I have already more than a hundred postcards from all over the world. Most of them came from Europe. I'm so glad I found postcrossing.










Last week, I received a postcard from China. The view of Hutong Panjia. I liked the Beijing Olympic 2008 stamp very much.


At the same time, I received another postcard from Canada. It's Toronto's Chinatown. What a coincidence!


Today, I sent 4 postcards to four different countries- Germany, The Netherlands, USA and Finland. I send a postcard depends on the postcrosser's choice.

Writing a a message adds to the beauty of the postcard the beautiful stamp(s). I wrote about the BBF housemate Katlin on the postcard I sent to Finland.


The postcrosser from USA wished to have a nice stamp so I put President Cory Aquino's stamp.
Postcrossing is a fair postcard project. In order to receive some postcards, you will send 5 postcards first. It makes you excited everyday. You don't know what postcard you gonna receive. It just surprise you. You give the same feeling to other postcrossers. I am enjoying the project. I am already a year member. Thanks to postcrossing!

AFRIQUE'S SPECIAL

Gourmet pizza, pasta, steaks, more...

I just came back from a Halloween-out-of-town vacation. While on my way to the city, my high school classmate and friend Harry texted me. Namgamusta lang naman. Fresh from vacation daw ako. "Tired from vacation siguro", I replied.

I am not used to post my photos here anymore but I wish this will be the last. We decided to dine after our spa session on Sunday evening.

Parang epal lang

Harry and I used to see each other lately. Talking about everything like life, relationship, career and more. I even asked him: When you remember the weird things you've done, natatawa ka rin ba? It was just a one line question but he answered longer than the pasta we ate. When I am with him, tumataas ang self-confidence ko. Ma-PR yan kasi. He talks a lot and I am a good listener.

Harry- pang-celebrity raw name niya

And I am not used to post foods here on my blog for the fact that I don't know how to cook. Moreover, I am too shy to take photos in a restaurant or in public places. Talagang mahiyain ako in person. Dito lang ako madaldal. Trivia 'yan.

I love pasta ever!

This is Afrique's special

With the paper cloth that served as the table cloth, I wanna share you the things written on it:

You know you're a Filipino if...

*you nail all photographs on your walls in the living room
*you say comfort room instead of rest room
*you say for take out instead of to go
*you point with your lips
*you nod upwards to greet someone
*your nickname is Boy
*you ask for Colgate instead of toothpaste
*you eat underdeveloped duck eggs
*you pronounce the word ALREADY as OLREYDI
*you say KODAKAN instead of take pictures
*you refer to your refrigerator as PRIDYIDER
*you have a Last Supper quilt on your dining wall
*you hang a rosary on the rear view mirror of your car
*you have a Santo Niño shrine in your living room
*you say "HOY" to get someone's attention
*you call somebody "pssst"
*you say kutex instead of nail polish
*you put hands together in front of you as if to make a path and say "excuse, excuse"
*You dip bread in your morning coffee

AFRIQUE'S
107 Castilla St., Jaro, Iloilo City (0335092811)
242 Gen Hughes St., Iloilo City (0335096092)

CASPER AND FRIENDS

Last Thursday my office mates and I went to Christ the King Memorial Park to light up a candle and to offer a prayer for our boss who died nearly two years ago. We reached the place passed 5 o'clock in the afternoon and it was already dark.



I took photos everywhere but one of my office mate told me not to. Baka raw may ma-kodakan akong kakaiba. Oh-oh. And whose pair of eyes was that?

Maybe it was Casper's

I set the camera mode into sunset because I still saw the sunset's beautiful color. Si Casper and friends ba yan? Or si bosing at mga parents niya? Yung puntod kasi na binisita namin ay tatlo. Hala!

It was just a camera trick not a Halloween trick. My hands were kinda trembling when I took the photo above. But when I changed the camera mode from sunset to night mode, the photo below showed the real view of the place. The three casper-look-alike above were actually the lamp posts.


HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE! awooooooo!!!

P.S. This is a scheduled post.

GOLD COIN & GOLD BULLION COLLECTIONS

My online friend from Florida have gold bullion and gold coin collections. I was really surprised when he showed his gold bullion collection on cam. Gold is indeed a great investment. It's value increase from time to time. In fact, my sister also has a collection of Chinese gold. Now, I am convinced to start collecting gold coins too. I have already a list of gold coins to collect such as Liberty Quarter Eagle, Saint Gaudens Double Eagle, Gold American Eagle, Gold South African Krugerrand, Gold Canadian Maple Leaf, American Buffalo, Australian Gold Nugget, Austrian Gold Philharmonic, Chinese Gold Panda and more.