The girl who touched my heart in a special way.

As I was going through my photos, this one brings me back to rethink about life...and I strongly felt that this must be shared...I started by posting this on my Facebook wall.

This is a story of a girl whose young life never ceased to haunt my innermost being. I met her at a cemetery where my beloved father was buried in Manila, while my sisters and I went to lay bouquet of flowers and lit candles a day after Dad was laid to rest.

I could not help but look at her with curiosity as she played on the tombs, jumping about as if the graveyard was her playground. Quite unusual, isn't it? I caught her attention when I aimed my camera at her and she started to blush when I asked if I could take her photo, she looked a bit afraid, as if she did not trust a stranger like me. But it only took a little while after she settled on one of the tombs and shyly posed for me. This girl told me later that her family lived in the cemetery and that she's got friends and relatives living there, too. This is the only life she knew. This photo is a tribute to her and all the other homeless children who may have shared the same fate as this girl.

Thank you for reading her story.

Just Smile

One of the rewards of being a photographer is being able to capture different types of 'smiles' from people who may be your friends, relatives and even strangers...then later, just by looking at their photos they make you keep on smiling, too....This album was from my recent trips to Philippines...hope this will put a smile on your face...

a smile of contentment and inner peace

time passes by quickly and joyfully with her favourite pastime

 such a joyful and ticklish smile

 'cuddle with mommy' smile

young and pretty, 'being with close friends' smiles 

camera shy

'i like my photo taken' smile

best friends, sweet smiles

'let's pose for the camera' smiles

 this is her usual smile for the camera

 and when i told her not to smile

enjoying the warm weather, loving each other's company

 just bought some flowers, 'being with cousins' smiles

jolly(bee) smile - after a meal of chicken and palabok at jolibee restaurant

after a feed

 trying my new camera lens, trying to smile just for me

'loving the music' smile

 'a job well done' smile - the tomb maker

thoughts of his girl make him smile

 ' being with her baby' smile

happy at work, always smile...

just a plain, sweet smile

just cannot smile

trying to...

'walking in the rain with a big wide umbrella' smile

'just being with her kids' smile

'mother and daughter' smile

'having just sold' smile

my dad had eyes that always seem to smile, this was taken just over a month before he passed away in June.

"Smile"
Smile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by...

If you smile

With your fear and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow

You'll find that life is still worthwhile 

If you just...

Light up your face with gladness

Hide every trace of sadness

Although a tear may be ever so near

That's the time you must keep on trying

Smile, what's the use of crying

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just...

Smile, though your heart is aching

Smile, even though it's breaking

When there are clouds in the sky

You'll get by...

If you smile

Through your fear and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just smile...

That's the time you must keep on trying

Smile, what's the use of crying

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just smile 

Snippets of my trip to Manila Part 2- breathtaking Tagaytay

This is probably my first visit to Tagaytay, 55 kms south of Manila,  a two-hour drive depending on the traffic in Manila. I went there with my two sisters, a cousin and my sister's friend who was kind enough to drive us down in his car, after a sumptous lunch in Sta. Rosa, Laguna hosted by another lovely cousin.

At picnic grove, you can get a breathtaking view of Taal Lake and Volcano 

the place has a zip line and cable car for the adventurous

a boy with a wild cat for sale, just P2000 (pesos) or AUD45.

you can see that this couple was about to break-up in Tagaytay, i overheard them arguing while taking photos of the volcano

a tourist shop

overlooking the hanging bridge

my cousin walking nervously on the hanging bridge

a nice hat to try on