By Fung Yu, Contributor
INQUIRER.net

Author’s note: This article uses QuickTime and Adobe Flash in providing an immersive experience by means of virtual reality technology. QuickTime and/or Flash 9.0 are required to view the 360-degree VRs. Average VR size is 2.3Mb each.

WHEN news first broke out that Manila will soon have an oceanarium at par with those in other Asian countries, I just couldn’t contain my anticipation! So after a long construction wait, and a few supposed openings that got postponed, the Manila Ocean Park finally opened its “waters” last February 28.

The park’s journey starts with “Agos,” one of the seven water environments. This exhibit simulates the flow of fresh water from the land out to the seas. Other environments include “Bahura,” the reef with its myriad of colorful corals and fishes; “Laot,” the fishing ground features mostly bigger fishes, including some that you’ll find in your tables; “Buhay na Karagatan,” the living ocean is the main attraction of the ocean park, with its 220-degree tunnel, where you will witness the interaction of many marine animals in their natural habitat; “Ang Kalaliman,” the deep ocean, which displays the pelagic barracudas; “Pagi,” stingrays viewed from an overhead tank; and “Pating,” with young sharks that seem to fascinate just about everyone.

Agos (The Flow)

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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.

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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 2MB each.

IT was just prior to the Christmas season last year that I took a trip to Shanghai and Beijing with my friends. Although this was my second time to China, it was my first time to visit these cities. We took advantage of Cebu Pacific’s “One Peso” promo fare from Manila to Shanghai. The smooth flight took about three hours, touching down at Pudong International Airport in Shanghai just a few minutes before midnight. The outside temperature was in the range of 7 to 10 degrees Celsius; thank God for the cheap winter jacket I bought at our local “ukay-ukay.”

Being a modern cosmopolitan city with a rich history, Shanghai has become a fusion of Oriental and Western influences. The city is dotted with marvelous skyscrapers, towering infrastructure, and contemporary architecture. Likewise, its old streets boast of neo-colonial buildings, ancient temples, and old traditional houses.

The highlight of our Shanghai tour included: The Bund, the heart of international settlement along the western banks of the Huangpu River; the Oriental TV Tower; the Huangpu River cruise and the sight-seeing tunnel underneath it; People’s Park; jade and silk factories; Yu Yuen Garden; and of course bargain shopping among the “secret shops” of the old districts which my female companions enjoyed so much.

Pigeons in People’s Park

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Performances at Sian Tian Ti

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Shops outside Yu Yuen Garden

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Fishes inside Yu Yuen Garden

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Compared to Shanghai, the capital city of Beijing is a sight of endless wonder. Apart from the rich historical heritage of ancient dynasties, a journey in Beijing is one of visual spectacle as well as a gastronomic experience.

Being higher up in the North, the temperature was of course a lot colder than in Shanghai; and since it was the winter season, most trees looked barren with their leafless branches. Gone were the lush greenery, with very few birds in the sky, and the lakes were frozen. Even with a noontime sun above, you didn’t feel its warmth; sunsets came much earlier as well, setting around 4:30 p.m. local time.

We spent our first day scaling the Juyongguan Pass section of the Great Wall, said to be one of the steepest portions of the Wall. Then there was the Summer Palace where Emperors spent their summer months. The last stop of the day was at the Temple of Heaven where the Ming and Qing Emperors prayed for good harvest.

The Great Wall

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Summer Palace

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The following day was a walking tour of Tiananmen Square; directly behind it was the Forbidden City. As China will be hosting the Olympic Games this year, a lot of renovations were ongoing inside the former imperial grounds. The site of the Ming Tombs was the final stop. Here, people who are more attuned to their surroundings can experience an eerie feeling.

Tiananmen Square

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The Forbidden City

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Imperial Wedding House

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Ming Tombs

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Although I truly enjoyed this trip, I was actually looking forward to having my first snow experience. Alas, it just wasn’t cold enough for one during the time we were there.

VRs taken from December 13-17, 2007. The author can be reached at fung@firefly.ph

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 2MB each.

DOULOS (from the Greek word meaning “servant”), the “floating library,” visited the Philippines for two months — initially for the annual dry dock maintenance in the port of Batangas, then in Manila and Subic Bay for the onboard book fair and other community activities.

Built in 1914, just two years after the sinking of the RMS Titanic, the M/V Doulos is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s oldest active ocean-going passenger ship.

I caught up with the Doulos on a fine Saturday as she was docked at the port of Subic Bay; having missed her in Manila last December, this could very well be my very last chance to tour the ship. The first thing you notice when you step aboard is her friendly crew; a smile at every turn, a greeting in every corner. With a crew composed of various nationalities, bringing to the fore social and cultural diversity, it is indeed a heartwarming sight to see them working toward a common purpose.

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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 required to view the 360-degree VRs. Average VR size is 2MB each.

YO, Joe! Some of you might still relate to that phrase on TV during the 80s. It was a battlecry for action from the animated series “G.I. Joe” in their seemingly neverending fight against Cobra. A classic tale of good versus evil, heroes versus terrorists, and justice-eventually-triumphs-over-oppression kind of plot. This was one of the many shows that I grew up with and loved. Ah… those were the halcyon days.

I’m always fascinated with military hardware; from vehicles to rockets, from the Navy, to the Army, and the Air Force; and I just love World War II movies. So when I found out that the US Marines would be exhibiting their aircraft in Clark for the first time since they pulled out their bases after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, I didn’t even think twice.

The exhibit showcases attack and support aircraft from the US Marines belonging to the “Dragon Squadron” that is based in Okinawa, Japan. This is the group that participated in Talon Vision 2007 and joined the military exercise with their Philippine counterparts. The Philippine Air Force also put on display their MG-520 attack helicopters, OV-10 Broncos, and S-211 Trainer jets.

Fancy what the cockpit of a Sea Knight transport helicopter looks like, or its interior? Step inside the Super Stallion support “chopper.” Get up close and personal with the F-18 Hornet, the C-130 Hercules, and the OV-10 Broncos. All these and more in the VRs below. Enjoy!

OV-10 Bronco

Flash: http://www.virtualphilippines.net/Panoramas/Talon_Vision/bronco.html

QuickTime: http://www.virtualphilippines.net/Panoramas/Talon_Vision/panorama/bronco.html

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By Fung Yu, Contributor
INQUIRER.net

Author’s note: This article uses Apple’s QuickTime technology in providing an immersive experience by means of virtual reality panoramas. QuickTime is required to view the 360-degree VRs. Average VR size is 1.8Mb each.

I LOVE churches, especially centuries-old ones. Apart from their religious significance, I like the tranquility of its ambiance, the intricate architectural designs of its interiors, and the historical and cultural attachment to its community.

Being the only Christian nation in Asia and with over 400 years of rich Spanish heritage, our country is dotted with an abundance of these elegant structures. Built in God’s name, and for His glory, these bastions of Christianity are a testament of man’s faith, devotion, and artistic talents.

The National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) listed the following four churches on November 6, 1992 for inclusion under the UNESCO World Heritage List: Church of the Immaculate Conception of San Agustin, Intramuros; Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción of Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur; Church of San Agustin in Paoay, Ilocos Norte; and Church of Santo Thomas de Villanueva in Miag-ao, Iloilo.

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By Fung Yu, Contributor
INQUIRER.net

(Author’s Note: This article uses Apple’s QuickTime technology in providing an immersive experience by means of virtual reality panoramas. QuickTime is required to view the 360-degree VRs. Average VR size is 1.7MB each.)

LOCATED at the southern tip of Iloilo City is the island province of Guimaras.

Known for its sweetest mangoes the world over; the pristine island also boasts of numerous fine sand beach resorts, tranquil churches and monasteries, friendly people, and tragically, the site affected by one of the worst oil spills in the country.

My trip to Guimaras started on a fine summer day from Iloilo City. We took a 20-minute banca ride from one of the several ports in the city. The fare, a mere P12 per person for a one-way trip, the cheapest by far in all my travels!

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