#where the coast faces the artic sea

[himitsu-medusa]

It's nice seeing that a place in the world still has snow, even if it's a fictional one

[chappedandfadedvds]

Jan 19th, Tuesday 18:08

„What would you like to drink?“

Jens went over towards the kitchen, followed by cautious feet behind him, as he tried to recount what Lies had bought on the weekend.

„We don’t have a lot of alcohol,“ the boy went on, „but I think we have some beer and there should be an opened red wine from Saturday, if I’m not mistaken.“ He opened the fridge, scanning the items, while his finger tapped across the cold frame of the door he hold onto. „Other than that, orange or apple juice, and like icetea or water.“ 

„Water will do, and some of the wine. We don’t want it to go to waste, right?“

„Of course not.“ Jens replied, grabbing said bottles to carry them over to the table. He took a deep breath. He closed the fridge. Jens was incredibly nervous. Had been for hours today. It just had gotten worse, once the doorbell had rung five minutes ago.

His father stood by the set table, tall and sturdier than Jens had remembered him to be. Still the man had the same face, the same wandering eyes, that constantly seemed to examine everything it could catch. Hendrik was older, his hair giving in to grey strands that fell into his face again and again, only to be tugged behind the ear.

His father looked lost in this house. Familiar and yet an intruder in the home, his mom had created for her and her three children. The image was off, tilted and skrewed.

„If she isn’t down in a couple minutes, I’ll go up myself. Seriously, ever since she started playing Mario Maker 2 with Olivia last week, she had barely done anything else.“ Jens complained, brushing off the slight discomfort, because what else was there to talk about. Everything he wanted to say, was too much, too personal to bring up over dinner. He’d ask his father to stay a little longer, once Lotte would be in bed.

„I’m trying hard to keep it in, but I remember another eight-year-old, who refused to put his gameboy away for anything but to sleep. Throwing a tantrum whenever it was gone.“ 

Hendrik laughed, his eyes crinkled in kindness despite the jab at his son’s expense. Jens felt the awkwardness rise to his cheeks, while he grinned back at the man across of him. He had a point, Jens guessed. 

„Do you still need help with anything?

„No. It’s in the oven to keep warm. Just waiting for Lotte.“ Jens explained and waved off the kind offer, that fell completely short in Jens’s eyes. He also viewed his father to be more a guest than a member of this family. A person who just dropped by as it was convinient. „You can already sit down, though, if you want.“

If Jens was honest with himself, he would have loved to despise his father and scream at the ease of the situation they found themselves in. It went against what Jens would consider to be the normal reaction. He shouldn’t be smiling with a man who choose his work over his children. 

But all these late night talks with his mom had somehow helped to accept it. 

Jens still felt anger, still felt the abondoment and sadness that came with his father’s leave.

He wondered if he should sit here at this table with the man, who even after everything made Jens more serene to know to have around than not. His heart was torn by the duality of his fellings.

„How long have you been on sea this time? And where have you beenin the first place?“ Jens asked, for a lack of a better topic. He also was curious to be a child again and marvel at all the things his father had heard and seen.

„It was the first part of an artic expedition along the Greenlandic coast. I was on this big icebreaker, crushing through the tall waves and large ice floes. Enwrapped in total darkness for the last couple of weeks. Any second spend in a night that never ended. But the stars on cloudless hours were fantastic to see. And the northern lights, I certainly have photographs with me to show you. I’ve seen them before, but it had been years and it completely captivated me again to see the colours dance across the black sky. Absolutely worth giving up the sun for a while.“

His father poured himself some wine and some more for his son, who had just brought them glasses to fill. It wouldn’t hurt to enjoy at least a little bit of gentle drunkness. At least enough to hopefully drown out the faint panic at the conversation ahead of them later that night.

„However, that were just the last three month. I was on a submarine before then. That lasted over the whole summer. I was assisting an old colleague of mine. He is from Irkutsk north of Mongolia in Russia. One of the most brilliant people I had the fortune to meet. He is studying deep sea creatures. And it allowed me to refresh some of my russian. So I obviously took six month of intensive deep diving lessons to further my skills and got my fitness up to be able to go with him. I can hardly put in words how humbling and how extremly frightening the whole experience was. Dangerous to be under so much weight of water and the pressure pounding in on the vessel. No light, only low rumble. Eery.“

His father’s pitch dropped as he spoke. It caught Jens to listen in to every word with intent.

„There was like this gripping loneliness at the bottom of the ocean. We just had each other in an environment that would be lethal for us to be in. Just narrow rooms and halles, wrapped in equipment. I am so grateful to have accepted to go. For a month we even had someone of the BBC with us to film some footage for a documentary.“

And there he was. Hendrik Stoffels. Always something to say, and show, and explain, and ponder over. Eager to get a grasp on the vastness of the sea and the depth of the water beneath him.

Sometimes Jens found himself wishing to be as passionate about anything in his life, like his father was about the marine wildlife and his adventurous expeditions. 

It was hard to hate someone, who has found so much happiness and love outside of traditional metrics. Hendrik hadn’t wanted to settle down and he hadn’t wanted fame nor monetary success. He wanted to explore, Jens’s mom had told him. That was what fullfilled his father, and Jens would be lying if he said he didn’t yearned to figure out what would make him feel like that too.

„Lotte.“ Hendrik proclaimed bright, ripping Jens out of his thoughts, as the girl appeared next to them to take her usual seat. 

She had the switch with her, but the screen was dark and she had placed it next to her plate. Her eyes were stuck on the strange man, she had no recollection of. She had been two when Hendrik had left, who could hold that against her. This man may as well be a random person Jens had picked up on the street.

„My god, Jens had grown, but you, you actually turned into an actual human being.“ Their father chuckled, his gaze transfixed on the girl in wonder. One day a toddler and the next an eight-year-old child. The six years almost non-existent, Jens guessed by the look in their father’s expression.

His words hold the same sentiment that he had brought against Jens on the doorstep into the house. When it had taken Hendrik a long minute to process to have found a young man in the place of his son he had left behind. 

If Jens would be asked, he’d say, that for once his father had been rendered speechless.

„Shall we eat?“ His father went on, when Jens had been to busy with his thoughts to pay attention to the reason they had met in the first place.

„Yes!“ Lotte loudly declared, already wiping the napkin off of her plate.

„One sec.“ Jens replied amused, before he turned to get the baking dish out of the oven.

__ __ __ tagged: @odi-et-amo85, @tayspots

[nabeelnajibportfolio]

Live Performance Project

I’ve been assigned to do a performance using new media technology and will be evaluated based on my understand of real time performance and the ability to implement what have been taught in the past few weeks. Based on my research on two artist who have incorporate new media technology in their artwork installation.

The perception of art has change from the evaluation of art is based by the context provided by the commissioner. it then changes to the perspective of the artist what the message he or she trying to convey and for the past decade the majority of people approach art using contemporary art philosophy. Where the interpretation of art is subjective rather than objective based on what the audience perception on the visual and the personal understanding.

Ideation

Based on the previous studies I was tasked to create a proposal that uses the technical concept of a real time live performance using new media technology that the subject from the previous studies used. That is Bodo Korsig and Tan Sher Lynn.

Resonance by Tan Sher Lynn

Resonance is a virtual projection mapping installation programmed which showcases George Town’s diverse cultural and historical landscapes through pulsating lights and swimming patterns projected onto a small mockup of George Town city.

Surviving by Bodo Korsig

Installation of abstracted brain structures on the surface of a cube using projection and motion sensors allow the artwork to interact with viewer’s behavior and their presence creating a dynamic interaction.

Using new media technology, I want to create artwork that can be interacted with, in real time. For this project I will be using data on and research on the climate change issue. I want to create a conversation and pull more people thinking of a solution of facing the problem.

For this project the new media technology I used to create a real time performance is Resolume, a live video mixing software to create the artwork. My intention behind this project is to spread awareness on the current climate change issue that we are facing.

Using new media technology, I want to create artwork that can be interacted with, in real time. For this project I will be using data on and research on the climate change issue. I want to create a conversation and pull more people thinking of a solution of facing the problem.

Climate Change

In the past decade, the consumption of energy has been increasing rapidly as used oil and gas to generate the energy need to improve our live but it come with a cost. Which is the increasing amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. The different between carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas like oxygen or hydrogen is that it stored the energy from the sun rather that reflecting the energy or just simply let it past. The store energy(heat) then increases the temperature of the earth atmosphere. The increased of the atmospheric temperature will then melt the ice in the artic sea. Sea ice’s white or light gray surface reflects up to 80 percent of incoming sunlight, deflecting additional heat away from the earth atmosphere. With less ice present, the dark surface of ocean water absorbs considerably more sunlight energy, leading to further warming of the sea surface and overlying atmosphere, which leads to more melting of ice, which leads to more warming, and so on. Which create a not so positive feedback loop. It also melts the mountains of glaciers around the world causing sea level to increase at a much faster rate. Globally, 8 of the world’s 10 largest cities are near a coast, according to the U.N. With a large percentage of people lives in relatively high population-density coastal areas, the rising sea level threaten infrastructure for local jobs and regional industries. It also plays a role in flooding, shoreline erosion, and hazards from storms.

New Media Technology Incorporated

Resolume

Resolume is a live video mixing software package, that is used worldwide to deliver high quality performances, from club DJ-Ing to cutting-edge audio-visual shows and stadium concerts. Resolume also allows for immersive graphics and projection mapping workflows, utilizing SDI inputs from cameras and more.

Projector

output device that takes images generated by a computer and reproduce them by projection onto a screen, wall, or another surface. In most cases, the surface projected onto is large, flat, and lightly colored.

Visual Text

Part 1 - lead to Rising Global Temperature

If yearly emissions keep increasing, as they have since 2000, the models project that by the end of this century, global temperature will be at least 5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the average, and possibly as much as 10.2 degrees warmer. If annual emissions increase at a slower pace and begin to significantly decline, the models project temperatures would still be at 5.9 degrees warmer but possible to reach as low as 2.4 degrees warmer.

Part 2 - lead to Melting ice in artic sea

Sea ice's white or light gray surface reflects up to 80 percent of incoming sunlight, deflecting additional heat away from the earth atmosphere. With less ice present, the dark surface of ocean water absorbs considerably more sunlight energy, leading to further warming of the sea surface and overlying atmosphere, which leads to more melting of ice, which leads to more warming, and so on. Which create a not so positive feedback loop.

Part 3 - lead to Rising Ocean Sea Level

Globally, 8 of the world’s 10 largest cities are near a coast, according to the U.N. With a large percentage of people lives in relatively high population-density coastal areas, the rising sea level threaten infrastructure for local jobs and regional industries. It also plays a role in flooding, shoreline erosion, and hazards from storms.

 Execution

As the artwork is playing in the background, a text on what subject is being presented will be show on the front and I will explain in more detail what it represents and how climate change effect the world we live in. The artwork will reflect and create an effect on the artwork based on the volume of my voice.

 Working process

·        Collect data on climate change

·        Find footage, clip and audio to use for the performance

·        Create and edit the effect using Resolume Arena

·        Set the sequence with shortcut key

·        Perform

 Precedence Studies

The reference that are taken for this project have a sense of movement and fluid like. I want to create a ripple effect based on the subject movement and play with the color and effect of the ripple.

Improving new media technology medium in art scene

incorporates new media technology in digital performance - By using new media technology performance artist can now tap into the world of digital and have an installation on the internet where everyone can interact with the artwork.

Improve Performance art - new media technology offer a new way to express and allow the viewer to interact with the artwork and also adapt and react with the surrounding condition.

Improving the accessibility - Like other mediums, digital media has its benefits. Like kinetic art where the form changes influenced by the surrounding condition, digital art provides artist with having artwork that can be view and interact from anywhere around the world.

Conclusion

The adoption of new media technology in art broadens the option on how artist want to express themselves. Although it has its benefit it also has a drawback. Depend on how the artist want to express themselves, now artist have more option of medium and can pick one that suit for their artwork the most.

[fericita-s]

Widow’s Walk

This is my Kristanna Christmas in July gift for @minnothebunny​!  

It was inspired by her post here

You are such a huge part of this fandom - both as a creator and an encourager to others and I hope you like your present!  You deserve all the good things!

Author’s Note: A widow’s walk is a balcony thing on the top of a house along the coast like this  This takes place in the late 1800s, takes liberties with actual real world events and ship names, and was written to make minnothebunny happy.

Sometimes Anna stood there, holding Baby facing out and pointing out the harbor seals or a surfacing humpback whale.   She kept up a steady stream of words and songs, trying to fill up the empty spaces his leaving left behind.

Sometimes she tucked Baby against her, and walked up and down the wooden planks.  When Baby was fussy or teething, it was the one spot that always calmed them both.  They would walk and walk, breathing deeply of the salt air.

Sometimes Anna cried, grateful that the sounds of the waves washed away the sound of her tears. She’d wipe her eyes quickly, take a deep breath, and return inside to check on Baby.

Always, always, she scanned the horizon one last time before going back into the house, searching for his ship.  

----

It always seemed windy up there on the Widow’s Walk.  When she and Elsa were young, it felt like an exotic place – a secret clubhouse their parents never intruded.  Elsa would go up there even in the winter; the cold never bothered her.  Anna loved to go up when it was sunny and point her face to the sky, open her arms wide, and say “AH!  It’s a BEAUTIFUL day!”  She would go up when it was cold too, though she was more often looking for Elsa and companionship on those days.  

Often the Widow’s Walk was the only view the girls had of the town – their parents, overprotective and rich, had a rotating cast of nannies and governesses keeping them inside and away from the rough sailors just visible from their home.  

---

She first saw him from the Widow’s Walk.  She watched as he loaded up cargo onto a ship with Maud inscribed on it.  She asked Elsa about it that night.

“It’s an explorer vessel, going to the Artic to look for a northeast passage.  Not one of our ships.  They will be in port for a while.”

Anna thrilled at this. An explorer!  Going to new lands!  Learning new things!  Would they find people living there?  New animals? It was so much more interesting to think about than their family shipping business.  She knew she should help Elsa more, but it was so boring to look at the same crates every day and make sure the right number got on the right ship at the right time.  She thought she might go cross-eyed if Elsa put her on inventory again.

She went for a walk the next day, after spotting him from the Widow’s Walk.  She rather awkwardly ran into him, and then rather awkwardly grabbed his forearm and then his shoulder as she tried to keep from falling over.  He stammered an apology and steadied her on her feet.  

“I see you are with the ship going to the Arctic!  What do you think you'll find there?”

He looked at her, a bit longer than was strictly polite she thought, and answered “Ice.”

She laughed and he smiled, and then they talked until the lighthouse flickered to life and reminded them of the world outside of themselves.  She came the next day and the next, and it turned into her daily routine. Each time she expected him to be tired of her chatter and questions, but he never was.  He always turned red a bit at the sight of her, and two times now had held his coat over her head when rain surprised them.  

“You know Mother and Father never liked us talking to sailors,” Elsa reminded her at dinner the night after the second rainfall.

“He’s not really a sailor, he’s an explorer!  A scientist! He knows so much about the Arctic and the flora and fauna and he even lived with the Inuit for a time – those are Eskimos, but the right word for them.  He knows it because he’s a scientist!”  

Elsa smiled and rolled her eyes playfully.  “How long is this vastly important and impressive expedition?”

“A year.  Maybe two depending on weather and whether or not they find the passage and if they can go through it, and if they can make it back before it gets even colder, or if they have to trek inland and stay for a time. So.  We thought we could get married now, and not wait.  I love him and he loves me and we have a month before the voyage and I worry about him sailing of course but it would be worse if we hadn’t made promises to each other first.   Mother and Father …well I never said goodbye the right way and I want to make sure Kristoff knows exactly how I feel and what he is coming home to before he leaves.”

Elsa’s eyebrows shot up during this speech.  She opened her mouth to interrupt, and then sighed, seeing that it was useless.  

“I think I know where to find Mother’s wedding dress.”

Anna jumped out of her chair, knocking it over in her haste to hug her sister.

-----

The wedding was small and beautiful.  Right after, Elsa found a reason to travel further down the coast to oversee the business and Anna and Kristoff had the house to themselves.  They saw the sunrise from the Widow’s Walk the morning after the wedding, after staying up all night.  

“It’s kind of a sad name, isn’t it?” Kristoff asking, standing behind her and wrapping his arms around her middle.

“Well I suppose.  But I always thought of it as a hopeful place. A place to watch and wait and think about the good things that are coming.”  

Kristoff gripped her a little tighter and said “I think we have a lot of good things coming.” Anna turned into his kiss as the wind whipped her hair around them both.

----

The month was quickly over. Anna saw the Maud off from the dock, then raced home to watch it as long as she could from the Widow’s Walk.  Elsa stood next to her and held her hand.  “You’ll see him coming back from this same spot before you know it.”

Months went by, and though Kristoff didn’t come home, Baby came and looked so much like Kristoff, Anna couldn’t believe it. “Who would have thought my handsome husband looks like a baby girl?!”  

Baby turned a year and Elsa said “Don’t you think it’s time to pick a name?  She’s going to think her name is Baby.”

“Kristoff and I will name her together.  I promised. He’ll be home soon and we’ll pick one out together.”

Baby turned two and called Anna “Mommy” and Elsa “Auntie” and herself “Baby.”  She pointed out to sea and said “Dadda!”

“That’s right, Baby, Daddy will come home from the sea.  He can’t wait to meet you.”

-----

Anna had imagined the Maud coming in to view so many times, and dreamed of it so many times, that when she actually saw it, she called for Elsa to make sure what she was seeing was real.  Elsa came out just in time to catch her as she fainted.  

She roused to the sound of a foghorn and Elsa wiping her brow.  She stood up quickly, then leaned heavily on her sister.  It was the Maud, but not the gleaming, lacquered ship of which Kristoff was so proud.  The crow’s nest was gone, and one of the masts was broken.  The ship limped along, listing to one side, trying to catch wind with two large holes in the remaining sails.  

Anna ran inside, grabbed Baby from her crib, and hurried down to the dock.  Elsa trailed behind, saying “You just fainted!  Slow down!”

The ship had now docked, and Anna’s eyes passed over the departing sailors, eagerly looking for the one with his head tilted down just so, his shoulders squared against the cold. Kristoff stepped off the ship, bearded and gaunt, but still so Kristoff.  He saw her and she felt as if her whole body was looking back at him.  

Baby waved and said “Sea! Dadda! Dadda from the sea!” Kristoff’s eyes left Anna’s and looked in wonder at the small child she was holding.  He swallowed and stammered.  “She’s, she’s ours.  Our baby. What’s her name?”

Anna was nervous and not quite sure why.  Would it be awkward to touch his shoulder, his arm?   She did both.  “I call her Baby.  I’ve been waiting for you to get home so we can name her together. “

Kristoff gathered Baby and Anna in a tight hug.  He burrowed his head into Anna’s hair and said “I’ve spent nights dreaming of your smell. Seeing your freckles in the stars. Hearing your laugh on the wind.”   Anna sighed into him, nestling deeper.  Baby squirmed and they all pulled a bit apart.  Kristoff put his hands on Baby’s head.  “I didn’t know to picture you.  But I am so glad to know you now.”

Anna shifted Baby’s weight so she was closer to Kristoff.  “So what should we call her?”

Baby rubbed her nose against Kristoff’s.  “Anything but Maud,” he said.  

@----

@michaela-armstrong-paul did I tag this right?

[kapampangan-traveller]

The Romblon Signage (Photo by Makoi Matutes)

The Island of Romblon is part of the mini archipelagic province of same name, Romblon, in spite of its smaller size compared to its gigantic island neighbors, Tablas and Sibuyan, still has many adventures and experiences to offer to its visitors. Famed for its rich marble supply, the quarry industry has provided livelihood to the locals and littered the main alleyways with marble souvenirs. The small island is also dotted with beautiful resorts at its fringe, offering views of its next door islands. Romblon Island excites me with its off-beat yet serene vibes, would be happy to take the long road to this another paradise island in the Philippines.

with Co-travellers, Francis, Mel and Makoi

Taking the night ferry from Batangas Pier, we nonchalantly perched on one of the cold seats in the passenger-packed departure area while waiting for the boarding announcement. Despite the late hour, the airconditioned chamber is buzzing alive with many TV monitors exhibiting different locals channels, passengers chitchatting, the in-house food stalls apparently awake with their catchy signage and children running around freely. There was a momentary delay, however, shortly, we found ourselves queued to board. passing through a platform, and then, laying our bags down meters away from us for canine sniffing before the actual embarkation.

Queued to board 2GO Vessel bound to Romblon

It is my very first time for a long haul transit via a large ship. We found our personal nooks in an airconditioned public cabin. The first few hours is a nuisance to my ears with the cacophony of passengers around. The ship has an open bar on its stern and we chose to lounge there prior the ship left the port. With few cans of beer, we enjoyed the first few hours of the voyage, and called it a night. We returned to a now more pleasant and quiet yet artic cabin, with the aircondition units at its full blast. The free linens did not help and our “malongs” were our effective protective barrier against the cold indoor draft.

Passengers lining up to disembark at Romblon Port

Enjoying light booze before we call it a night aboard 2Go

My eyes peeled when I heard the captain’s call through the paging system – we are prepared for docking. We hurried on deck, and from there, we can see the Romblon Island, with its main town area squeezed between the mountains chock-full of thick forests and deep blue sea. The atop the hills are decked with apparently equidistant windmills. In my mind, “sure there are tons and tons of marble supply there”. The ship already on its full stop, the platform lowered, and now, passengers started pouring on the dry dock.

At the gates of the sea port, we are welcomed with abundant drivers offering their tourist services. We already had a contact arranged, and we waited for him, while we have our first Romblon breakfast.

Soon as our driver arrived on his tricycle with a back-to-back side car, enough to fit the four of us. Our heavy backpacks are bound safely on the sidecar roof, and shortly we are to circumvent the Romblon Island.

Panoramic Shot of the cathedral on its tight thoroughfares

We passed by the St. Joseph Cathedral. I am amazed with its architectural features. The thick buttress and church, along with the detached bell tower is lined with thick bricks. The second tier of the bell tower features arch windows from adobe bricks with top exterior wall overlaid with modern concrete. The large dome perched high above and is prominent structure around the town area.

Working on a white-dust laden shop

Next destination are the factories where the intricately designed marble souvenir and items are quarried and painstakingly carved. We arrived on dusty workshop littered with fine white dust and plenty of WIPs – statues, trinkets and more.

A female staff fine sanding a dragon figurine

Elephant shaped marble lined up

Different colored heart shaped paper weights

Starfish shaped paper weights

We have met a marble shop owner and sculptor, Sir Wilky Tiologo. We are happy that he had taken his valuable time to show us around his workshop and sample works. I also saw one of his staff, currently wet polishing a dragon designed figurine sculpted from a brown-colored marble. With the fine details they are able to create from an incredibly solid material, I am more than amazed with their craftsmanship – that patience and persistence to create such piece of art. Another feature of the roadside workshop is their own personal treehouse – best spot to rest after a whole day’s toil. A good tip too, it is best to purchase your souvenir here, prices are lower compared from the town center, plus, you are able to help the directly the producers. I bough leaf designed soap dish for a our kitchen sink. We bade goodbye to Sir Wilky afterwards.

The provincial road now winds through deep the mountainous core of the island. Cool wind swept our faces when we passed through a forested area. The sun has already poised itself high and the summer heat already creeping. We passed by more roadside quarry sites and spotted more on view, creating huge bald spots against the mountain slopes, exposing light brown to almost white craggy walls of marble. We stopped at one and took pictures with the barren side.

An open quarry site beside the road

Sacks of low quality marble bits sold at a steal price

We saw another marble processing center and it features a gigantic rock cutter, that has, approximately, 15 feet diameter of solid metal disk that creates inches thick sheets of marble. They are used mostly with table counter tops and other home and garden decors. We halted our drive since we want to witness the actual rock cutting. The machine released earsplitting noise as the disk starts to inch through the rock. Beneath the machine steady stream of milky white fluid, water mixed with fine white dust,  flows through the channels away from the workshop area. It was my first time to experience such process.

Noontime in Sablyan Point with Sibuyan Island at the back

I felt the thirst and we hurried to find a local store in search for bottled soda. We found one on the next community. We continued to drive southwards and, shortly, we saw the sea and the neighboring Sibuyan Island with the treacherous Mt. Guiting Guiting brimming through the horizon. Soon when we reached the Sablayan Point, we hurried to the sea bringing our cameras. We are welcomed with turquoise colored waters splashing through rocky coast on the left side, and crashing on the brown pebbly shore on the right. Beside the shore, there are huts that offers cold Halo Halo. We ordered each and consumed while we enjoy the cooler ambiance.

Moving on the next destination is the Apunan Lighthouse. It is situated at the lower left flank of the island. The lighthouse structure is perched on top of rocky cliff with impressive views of the clear inviting waters below. We entered the lighthouse complex whilst there is a noisy party happening nearby. The sun is already blazing on its full strength and we hurried to find a shade. The administration building seems to be in ruins, however, a family was able to maintain, if not restore its integrity. The middle aged man with identifiable sunburnt skin welcomed us with a smile and required as to register in their logbook. After which, we hurried around within the complex. The sky turned almost completely cloudless and warm humid wind started to blow. From the viewdeck at the edge of the cliff, we are able to easily spot a huge Moral Eel foraging on the rocky portion of the beach. The sea in front of us blazed between shades of deep blue to light turquoise to crystal clear at the shallowest portions. We left the lighthouse complex with now gurgling tummies.

Moray Eel foraging at the shallow portions

The Reggae Vibes would be our next destination to have our late lunch. We arrived on a huge hut structure with its facade adorned with attributable green, yellow and red cloth.

Hippy Facade of Reggae Vibes

Too sad the huts are fully booked

It is a beachfront resort with huts that millenials would love, designed with sleeping quarters at the attic and open designed living quarters below it. Upon stepping on its reception area, we are greeted with smiles and we hurriedly ordered our lunch – bowl meals. We waited outside under the shade of coconut trees, a patio just outside the reception building, perched on a raised platform and facing the sultry sea on full view. It took time to prepare but the rewarding view kept us entertained. We ended our hearty lunch with a huge bottle of almost frozen soda.

The next destination is about half an hour drive and we slog back to the tricycle and we sleepily traversed. We arrived at Tiamban Beach Resort, and excitedly ran to the shores after paying for entrance fees. There are many tourists here since of its proximity to Romblon town proper. We did not stayed long here because we are excited to see the famed Bonbon beach. After arriving finally on our last destination for the day, we excitedly alighted from our ride.

The iconic sandbar of Romblon’s Bonbon beach

Bonbon beach is one of the few public beaches I know, maintained by the government, and easily accessible from Romblon Islands town center – drive between 10-15 minutes approximately. Upon registration, you will be reminded by the resort staff of the regulations which goes around the principle of Clean As You Go.

During low tide, the sandbar extension of Bonbon beach extends reaching the nearby Bang-Og Island. It is best to marvel the sunset here while enjoying the clear waters of the public beach.  We spend most of the remaining daylight here frolicking around.

Spot Map of Romblon Island, and the spots we visited

We spent the night at El Krimphoff Resort (Contact Number +63 998 433 8937), located about 20 minutes away from the town proper. A two-storey villa fronting the rocky shore was our accommodation for the night. The following day, we left Romblon Island on a 3:00 PM Ferry via  Navios Lines bound back to Batangas Pier. Prior boarding, we visited to San Andres Fort, located on a hill offering commanding view the town proper. We bought essentials at the nearest store to the gate of the port. Momentarily, we are at the private cabin we reserved. With heavy heart, we waited for Captain’s call to disembark and take a long travel back to Luzon Mainland.

Rocky beach at El Krimphoff

Wide front lawn and hall at El Krimphoff

Romblon Island can be circumvented and explored within a day, but there are many spots and destinations that could take days just to visit all. Its smaller islands and islets its northern rim are just part of the many adventures you can experience with the province. Should you wish to visit Tablas and Sibuyan Island, there are daily public boats plying these routes, including Carabao Island. Romblon was the 80th province I visited in completing the goal to visit all 81 provinces of the Philippines.

Commanding view of the port and town center in Romblon

View from the San Andres Fort corner pillars

Photos in Navios Lines Sea Vessel bound to Batangas Pier

Private Cabin

Public Open Air

A can of booze to lighten the mood

Young passengers enjoying the fresh air on deck

Selfie with the sunset

View of from the bow

    Looking into visiting Sibuyan and Tablas? Check the blog of Joan’ s Footprints.

ROMBLON ISLAND: travel guide The Island of Romblon is part of the mini archipelagic province of same name, Romblon, in spite of its smaller size compared to its gigantic island neighbors, Tablas and Sibuyan, still has many adventures and experiences to offer to its visitors.