that is a portion of a truly world class island that received unfair publicity by some (not all) media persons... Boracay... when you are in Boracay or "Bora" you will see and feel that not all countrymen believed the negative publicity it received and is receiving.
i also have great affinity for people (kababayans & foreign visitors) who appreciate our GOD given tropical paradise. Palawan alone has 1700 GEMS from mother nature.
i agree. it depends on one's view. kaya i often use a wider lens so to speak to catch more of the landscape. the wider the more real and more balanced the perspective.
i also agree that such travel is expensive to some... but taking pictures of ordinary street event(s) can be as positive as well.. i guess some have taken night pictures of the rejuvenated and redirected ermita & malate... or an early morning picture of baklaran or central market manila...
historians... i was surprised when i was in Bohol. a young local tour guide knew more of our part of history. instantly, i felt guilty that for more than 40 years i was NOT giving our INANG BAYAN the much needed attention, appreciation and interest.
internet is an effective, powerful, cheap and fast way to discover (and travel)... far reaching info highway indeed... thru this modern tool we (can) share beautiful aspects of our planet , P.I. included. pictures like this one balance the news and views. many of our balikbayans (will) surely run back home upon seeing these "other side" of P.I... i have seen this happen again & again... friends, relatives and strangers attesting to this fact... all due to simple pictures...
politics and leadership in an awesome beautiful paradise or thousands of tropical paradise is another topic... sometimes opposing... let us pray (and try to work out some means) that someday politics (and our people) will go along the same direction. in fairness, there are some local places that have commendable leaders and citizens atypical to what we knew thru the regular traditional media mode. davao is one. marikina is another. the fast growing Pangasinan as well. other places too that i (we) have not yet discovered. not perfect places but just better. people and local leaders working hand in hand amidst the chronic dark clouds that repeatedly pervade.
we can all be tourists' ambassadors for our INANG BAYAN. i struggled to start and be one since i felt that guilt i mentioned in this thread. i know this is still small and almost nothing. maybe & just maybe we may someday be able to reach and touch more lives to go along this positive direction, ordinary folks & leaders alike. protect our islands, improve further, appreciate, spread & share the news and better views... the elusive dream to "real progress" might just be around the corner... who knows... not much lost in trying... Gat Jose Rizal, LapuLapu, Andres Bonifacio, et al may have done the same had modern computer tools (WS forum included
) been available for them... right?
here are more "different views" of INANG BAYAN... i hope you will like them. please feel free to share these (&/or pics of same positive tone) to more kababayans, balikbayans & friends..
thanks to WS for allowing me to post here
with very kind regards,
fer
[/img]http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb298/fermacarayomd/IMG_0277eDw.jpg[img]
[/img]http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb298/fermacarayomd/bohol_MG_0033eW.jpg