April 2008 Archives

INQUIRER.NET executive editor Leo Magno goes to the highest point in the state of Illinois at the viewdeck of the Sears Tower, 1,353 feet from street level (the building itself is 1,451 feet high, 1,730 feet if the antenna is included). Magno visits the restroom at the skydeck which, according to Sears, is the highest restroom in the world from street level, excluding restrooms inside airplanes flying overhead at 30,000 feet. Video taken in Chicago, Illinois.

INQUIRER.NET executive editor Leo Magno accelerates from zero to 160 kph in less than three seconds onboard the tallest Slingshot in the world. The amusement ride, the tallest such Slingshot at 390 feet, is at the Midway Arcade on International Drive in Orlando, Florida.

By Candice Montenegro, Contributor INQUIRER.net FOR SOMEONE like me who lives right smack in the middle of Quezon City, the Alabang area is practically unknown territory. Malls, restaurants, and other commercial establishments are within a 30-minute drive, so except for the occasional road trip to visit friends, there usually is no need for me to travel down south. Café Año gave me a reason to. The quaint little restaurant is hard to miss. Located in Westgate, Filinvest Alabang, Café Año is right next to Alabang Town Center and is just a few kilometers away from nearby village Ayala Alabang. I interviewed Café Año president Dionnie Guerrero. Check out the video. Formerly known as Café Adriatico, the restaurant is now under new management and was re-launched on the first day of April 2008. The restaurant still carries some of Adriatico's all-time favorite Filipino dishes, but the recipes were modified to carry its own Café Año twist. A new menu was developed to include a wide variety of Italian, American, Japanese, French and Korean dishes. Still, Filipino dishes remain the most requested from the menu. Some of their kitchen bestsellers are the Alugbati Salad (red spinach with bagoong, lemon and chicharon), Lumpia Mais (corn, shrimps and onion, wrapped with rice paper and deep fried) and the Pata Bawang (deep fried pork leg topped with savory garlic bits). The relaxed ambience gives off a fine dining vibe, but the prices are definitely not as steep. Guerrero said the restaurant is not marketed for fine dining. The main entrées and even the house wine are priced reasonably to make sure that guests enjoy both food and wine. Guerrero said people are ordering more wine because the prices are "hindi harang, hindi mabigat." And that's why it appeals not only to foreigners and expatriates living in the vicinity but also to families, couples, executives and even call center agents who enjoy the wide assortment of breakfast meals after an early morning at work. But what really keeps guests coming back to Café Año is their very own rendition of well-loved dishes. Unique to the restaurant are dishes like Pork Chop Bulgogi (with kimchi and sprout rice) and Pinangat na Tapi ng Bangus (bangus belly wrapped in fresh Taro leaves simmered in gata). For dessert, enjoy the popular Maruya ala Mode and Turron Manga at Suman. Guerrero said an expansion is part of the plan, but this all depends on the development of the Makati-Parañaque-Muntinlupa area. Meanwhile, they are enjoying the patronage of guests from nearby villages. In the meantime, I guess "north dwellers" like me would have to make that trip to the south. Editor's note: Video taken by INQUIRER.net community evangelist Alex Villafania.

INQUIRER.NET multimedia reporter Erika Tapalla tries out the unique spiral escalator at Caesars Palace. Video taken by Eribelle Tapalla in Las Vegas, Nevada.

By Izah Morales INQUIRER.net THRILLED yet scared. These were the mixed emotions of a first-timer in Quiapo. The place is known as the playground of those who like to slash bags or pick someone's pocket. In spite of these risks, however, people from all walks of life still visit Quiapo because it simply has a lot to offer. Every Friday, Black Nazarene devotees flock to the Basilika ng Nazareno to hear Mass. A few who seek other answers stroll outside the church, where fortune tellers await them. Here's a video I took showing faith and fate co-existing in Quiapo. Here's a photo of fortune tellers waiting for customers in their designated area, a few steps from the church. For professional photographers and photography enthusiasts, R. Hidalgo Street is the destination. Known as the photographer's haven, R. Hidalgo Street is a shelter of stores that sell anything that has something to do with photography. Here's a video of my visit to R. Hidalgo Street, where I interviewed Ogie Almoniña, president of the Hidalgo Business Organization and owner of the M20 store. In September 2006, R. Hidalgo Street was rehabilitated. Vendors in the streets were relocated. But after two years, they were back selling ukay-ukay and other wares. You will also find street kids running here and there. Here is a little boy trying to protect himself from the heat of the sun. "Sa pagbabago ng kalye, naging hazard, inconvenient sa customers," says Pining Latupan, manager of Columbia. She recalls that this is a far cry from the scenario in the 1970s. Back then, the streets were clean and peaceful. There were no vendors in the area. Times are changing, and one must learn to adapt. That's one of the things a first-timer learned as she wandered around Quiapo. Still thrilled, and also relieved that she left Quiapo with an unslashed bag. Editor's note: Photos and videos taken by INQUIRER.net multimedia reporter Izah Morales.

By Izah Morales INQUIRER.net ASK for a P1,000 bill. Browse your old Araling Panlipunan book. Surely, you will see the sketch of the Banaue Rice Terraces. Yet seeing the greens with your own two eyes would mean a guessing game on which is which. You will be surprised to see many terraces in Banaue, Ifugao. The one sketched in a P1,000 bill is the terraces located in what they call the view deck, near the town proper of Banaue. You would not only have the chance to see the staircase-like mountain, but you may also walk directly into the rice paddies. The view deck at Banaue View Point can be easily accessed through a short tricycle ride from the town proper. Aside from this attraction, a bahay kubo beside the deck would catch your attention because of its unusual decoration. You might wonder why bones are used as decor. According to the Ifugao woman living in the kubo, hunting is a way of life. Displaying the skulls and bones of animals is a sign of bravery and serve as status symbols. Not only do the bone decors embellish the Ifugao's dwelling place but the bundles of harvested rice grains also add appeal to the facade. They may remind you of miniature versions of Cousin Itt in "The Addams Family." But there is more to these grains than a cartoon show look-alike. You will know why when you visit the rice terrace in Barangay Batad. You need to go up a steep, slippery, and stony mountain -- and that is a thirty-kilometer walk. That makes 60 kilometers back and forth. Imagine how sweaty you can get. Just tell yourself that you're burning your calories. Not only that, you're also lucky you have shoes to protect your feet while the natives walk barefoot. It will also surprise you to see them carrying something heavy like an LPG cylinder. It seems dangerous but to them it is not. You will notice that even children are climbing up and down the mountain. Though exhausting, you will not regret it once you are rewarded with the breathtaking sight, and welcomed not only by the cooler temperature but also the warm hellos of the natives. It is also surprising to learn that they are very fluent in English. An aged native carrying her granddaughter on her back shared that they learned English from the foreigners who visited the place. Beyond the greens of Banaue are the Ifugao -- the people who molded and cultivated the mountain with their bare hands.

By Fung Yu, Contributor INQUIRER.net Author’s note: This article uses Apple’s QuickTime and Adobe Flash in providing an immersive experience by means of virtual reality technology. QuickTime and/or Flash are required to view the 360-degree VRs. Average VR size is 2.3MB each. "A LOT of hot air!" That was what I told my friends when they asked me after I got back from attending the 12th International Hot Air Balloon Festival. They were supposed to go with us that morning, but the thought of waking up and being on the road at 3 in the morning was surely a tough one. The pleasant drive towards Clark Freeport Zone, where the festival is always held, took about an hour from Manila. Officially, this was my third time to attend the balloon festival. For the uninitiated, the balloon flight always takes place early in the morning or late in the afternoon. This is because in order for a balloon to generate lift, there should be a significant difference in temperature between the ambient air and the air inside the balloon. With hot air being lighter than cold air, the lower temperature early in the morning and late in the afternoon serves to make the balloons more buoyant. A total of 21 balloons took part in this year’s festival, majority of them foreign entries from Europe, America, and Asia. Before the start of each day’s activities, there’s always the anticipated flag ceremony. This features a Philippine Air Force skydiver, with two escorts, jumping out of a plane and unfurling the national colors while a military band plays the national anthem on the ground. Flag ceremony (Note: Turn on your speakers) View in Flash View in QuickTime Balloon preparation usually starts at around 5:30 a.m. The heavy baskets were brought to their respective setup area with the help of the Angeles City Four Wheelers Club. The balloons were then first inflated with air, and as it slowly took shape, hot air was then blown in to make it rise. Once everything checks out, the pilot released the anchored rope. Tiger balloon unfolding View in Flash View in QuickTime Octopus balloon View in Flash View in QuickTime Balloons start ascent View in Flash View in QuickTime Balloons in midair View in Flash View in QuickTime The hot air balloons may be the highlight of the festival, but certainly they are not the only attraction. Some of the activities included synchronized kite flying, balloon busting by an airplane, remotely controlled model aircrafts, acrobatic flights, para-gliding exhibitions, ultralight formation flying, and scores of other demonstrations participated by our Philippine Air Force, commercial airline operators, local flying clubs, and aeronautical schools. Weekend visitors View in Flash View in QuickTime Philippine Army APCs and tanks View in Flash View in QuickTime The annual event is held to drum up support for tourism, promote the Philippines as a sports aviation destination in Asia, and increase public awareness on hot air balloons as an aviation sport. VRs taken from February 7-10, 2008. The author can be reached at fung@firefly.ph

UPDATE: Editor's note: Added video. By Lawrence Casiraya INQUIRER.net THE HUANG Pu River cuts through Shanghai, dividing it between ultra-modern Pudong and culture-rich Puxi. After a hurried lunch, I took a quick break from the first-day sessions at the Intel Developer Forum, which was at the Shanghai Convention Center in Pudong, located near the river. Being the lone Filipino journalist, I bumped into a fellow journalist named Kema (editor of CNET Turkey) while grabbing a smoke outside. A first-timer like myself, I tagged along when he said he was crossing to the other side via this tunnel right (Editor's note: The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel) in front of SCC. What the heck, I thought, I've got a few minutes to kill and a bit of a walk would be a welcome treat because I was feeling the springtime chill. Not much walking, however, because it was actually a train ride to the other side of the river. The ride cost 40 yuans (or RMB as they call it here). Anyway, so much for sightseeing, I did expect to see the bottom of the river! It was more like a light show that reminded me a lot of Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey." "Lightseeing" tunnel then, huh? Here's a video I took.

By Lawrence Casiraya INQUIRER.net UPDATE: Editor's note: Corrected blog post. SHANGHAI, China--Shanghai is full of skyscrapers it’s a pain in the neck -- literally. Which isn’t surprising since it’s touted as China’s modern metropolis. The Orient Pearl Tower sticks out from among the rest because of how it looks. Yes, it’s that one next to Chairman Mao (Editor's note: Thanks to our readers who noticed the error and pointed out that this is a statue of Chen Yi.) the statue of Chen Yi, who was Shanghai's first mayor when the People's Republic of China was founded . It reminded me a lot of Malaysia’s Petronas Towers because everywhere you go, it’s just a head turn away. It’s actually a TV tower (third largest in Asia) but it stands out from among many skyscrapers because of its rocket-ship look. The Orient Pearl is just right beside the convention center in Pudong where I'm covering the Intel Developer Forum, so each time I go out I couldn’t help but crane my neck up. And speaking of heights, I stayed at the 26th floor of Sofitel here, which means I have a decent view of Shanghai’s skyscrapers while I’m writing this post.