My Year-2018 Highlights

at Bryggen, Bergen (Norway).  Using a small 2x2ft rain puddle to create this reflection effect.

Once again, the whole year zoomed by so fast that I barely had enough time to plan for everything in my to-do list!

But I can’t complain – it was but another good year with a good mix of planned and unplanned surprises.  So time to do my short version of introspection by revisiting some highlights of my 2018.

Wacky shots with fellow supporters and the marathoner - Louie.

Learning session on winter survival.

1.       FWD North Pole marathon support and campaign.  On the personal side, my desire to ‘feel cold’ and see the Northern Lights was partly rekindled by participating in this campaign, and which led me to travel to the north of Norway.  On the campaign side – it was good to be part of a worthy campaign to support a Filipino athlete especially the kind where participants are challenged by nature’s extremes.  I like my role as a sort of mentor on winter survival and I do hope that I was able to help a bit.  And it was good to mingle with other supporters and know some of them for the first time – DJ Sam, Coach Ani Deleon-Brown, Maricel Pangilinan and son Benjamin,   I again, congratulate Louie Sangalang for finishing the “coolest marathon” on the planet, the second Pinoy ever to do so.   

Aurora - the mysterious beauty of the Arctic.

Short hike just outside Tromso

2.       Norway Travel.  Although I have to postpone my Iran travel plan to climb the highest volcano in Asia,  I at least was able to do quite a bit of travel this year albeit ‘easy and relaxing’.  I was after all on a family vacation and nothing very risky is allowed.   Norway – although extremely expensive,  was all worth it!   The Northern lights has been in my bucket list for quite a while and I was able to finally experience the magic!  It was definitely “ulitable” (repeatable).   I like Tromso and the “quainty” feel of the city (more like a big town for me), the short hike that we did, the sudden snowfall which was well-loved by the family members (who have not  seen falling snow in their lives), the experience of having a short daylight which means some tours, cafes and walks were sometimes done in the dark.   Bergen was our next city – which offered lovely pictures of the fjords and the famous Bryggen architecture.   It was unfortunate not to have taken a fjord cruise due to lack of time and bad season, but still didn’t’ disappoint especially with a nice hotel called Thon -offering us free breakfast and light dinners during our entire stay!    

      Oslo was our last city in Norway and was punctuated by the maritime museum visits.  Fram and the Viking ships and the stories behind them were simply amazing!   Being a fan of exploration stories,  the Fram visit completed by stories about Amundsen and Nansen.  And of course – who doesn’t know Thor of Asgard – a by-product of the Viking-dom!  (Well, he was not there, but I meant ‘they’re famous” and already well-known).

Appreciating a Rembrandt painting in Rijks Museum

Windmills of Zaans Schans, Holland

3.       Netherlands - Amsterdam and Zaans Schans.   This leg was short and sweet.  I’ve passed by Schipol Airport in Netherland several times in the past and I thought – it was about time I do a proper stop over.   I like Amsterdam’s architecture,  the Van Gogh and Rijks Museums, and café shops, the canal trips and the busy city life.   I didn’t like the fact though that people smoke cigarettes everywhere!   (What do I expect from the Sin City anyway).  Smell of weed is fine, but tobacco smoke is bad and disgusting.   I also didn’t like the transpo system where cash payment is not allowed – for me, it forces tourist to buy ‘tourist card’ (although I perfectly understand the need for efficiency, but there should be an easy alternative for tourists).   Going out of town is a must lest you only see both the beauty and ugliness of Amsterdam.   We went to Zaanz Schans – a village to the northwest of Amsterdam (an easy 30-40min bus ride from Amsterdam) to ‘experience true Holland’..  To see the windmills, buy and eat REALLY GOOD types of cheeses, see how the wooden shoe is made, and breath fresher rural air.   See, I’m lactose intolerant but somehow – I’ve eaten their aged cheese with no bad consequence!  That’s called true quality.

"Seasons" - the 4th column representing impact of Climate Change (my very first painting c/o Sip and Gogh art shop.

"Lagablab sa Mt. Apo" - part of my forest fire prevention campaign in support of my own Mt Apo 25,000 Trees - reforestation project.

"UP in Everest"  12x14" Acrylic on Canvas board

4.       I got into Painting!  I’m not obviously an artist, nor may never will be – but you know what, I fell in love with this ‘static sports’.  Now my small place is kind’a littered with painting objects, 30+ brushes and both finished and unfinished artwork.   But at least I got a few already framed and hanging on the wall – may not be real beauties to others, but those definitely bring smiles or bring back good memories to me.  “Love your own” as they say- ha ha! This is a kind of de-stressing, meditative exercise where one can spend a couple of hours of single-mindedness.  Being a left-brained dominant person (“Math- IT”-coded), painting became a good right-brain and ‘shallow-left’ brain exercise.  Try it!

Unfinished artwork - "Star of Bethlehem".  I still need to add a 'twist' in this image :)

So that's my short summary of my 2018.  I've had 2 cancelled or failed projects which could have been good items in my list (but life has its shares of setbacks),  missed opportunities (like 2 promotional tourist campaigns), postponed trips (to pursue my 7 volcanic summits).  But you know what,  a short list simply means that I was able to spend a good quality time doing the more important things in life - like taking care of the family and spending time with friends.  :)

Cheers for the coming year!