DCruzin' Seattle

Moving to Wordpress

2008-02-04T22:48:00.000-08:00

This post is just to say that I've exported all my older posts from this blog and moved them to my new wordpress blog back at my old domain (yay, I finally got it back!). I won't be posting here on blogspot any more, so for future updates, go to: http://www.dcruzin.com

And if you've been wondering what my countdown is all about, you can head over to my new blog and find out!

what makes you happy?

2008-01-23T17:34:00.000-08:00

My friend told me about a blog post mentioning this fact:

In their fascinating study “Would you be happier if you were richer?”, published in Science, Princeton professors Alan Krueger and Daniel Kahneman, winner of the 2002 Nobel Prize for his work in behavioral economics, found that perhaps the best indicator of happiness was frequency of eating with friends and family.

While the paper is pretty academic, it does raise some interesting questions for why we (of course I'm included) seem to always be striving for more money. But I think all we're really looking for is love. Not the romantic kind necessarily, but the kind that true friends and family can give you.

dcruzinphotography.com launches!

2007-12-17T00:25:00.000-08:00

I've been passionate about photography for the last 5 years or so, and only recently did I think I could potentially turn this into a business. Right now it's still just a hobby, but who knows what crazy plans God might have for me. Anyway, I just launched my own photography website at: http://dcruzinphotography.com/. Right now I am selling prints online through a website called Imagekind.

Since that site charges quite a bit for printing, and most of you who read this blog are friends or family, I'd be happy to do the printing and shipping myself for at least 50% off. So, if you see any photos you'd like to order either framed or unframed (maybe as a Christmas present for someone ;), send me an e-mail and I can hook you up!

As my last post alluded, to I'm trying to brainstorm ways to make a difference in the world, so I'm donating at minimum 10% of all profits to help Filipino street children go to elementary school (Yes, even elementary school there has tuition!). My aunt in the Philippines works with these kids through her church, and I'd like to lend her some support. I hope to either start a non-profit or partner with an existing one in the upcoming months, with the tentitive name flYp: Filipino Local Youth Project. Plans are still developing, so stay tuned (and let me know if you'd like to be involved!)

As for the photo site, here are some previews:

The sunset at Carmel Beach in California.

A jetty jutting out into the Pacific Ocean at Point Reyes National Seashore, north of San Francisco, California.

Sunlight streaming through the clouds from the Seattle waterfront.

Let me know what you think, and I'll be updating that site regularly with new photos and also posting the bigger updates on this site as well.

Enjoy, and feel free to join the Facebook group :)

A date which will live in infamy. . .

2007-12-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

Usually I don't think much about December 7th (except that it's my friend Elaine's birthday - happy birthday , btw!), but today I wanted to reflect a little bit on the 66th anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Earlier this year I was lucky enough to visit a couple friends in Hawaii and one of the places we went to was the USS Arizona Memorial which was built over the sunken battleship that serves as an eternal grave for 1,102 of the 1,177 sailors killed on the USS Arizona that day. It was a pretty moving experience to stand over the submerged wreckages and gaze down at the rusted hull housing all those soldiers' bodies.

I'm not a huge history nerd (yet), but World War II has always fascinated, frustrated and challenged me. Perhaps because of its role in Filipino history like the Bataan Death March or maybe it was when I visited Hiroshima while studying abroad in Japan and witness the place where 70,000 Japanese died instanaeously. I won't try to compare the two tragedies since I don't beleive human life can me measured like that, but after being dramatically moved at Hiroshima, it was thought-provoking to see Pearl Harbor and the site that marked the United State's entry into the war and let to the inevitable bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Destroyer USS Shaw exploding after her forward magazine was detonated. [source: wikipedia]

The USS Arizona Memorial.

The inside of the memorial, with the names of all those who gave their lives that day.

Looking up at the sky from within the memorial.

I'd like to think that, thank God, that war is over, and we don't have to deal with anything like that today. But the truth is that our world is broken and that tragedies due to war are still happening every day. Struggling to grapple with each of these realities, I want to forget about the past and close my eyes to the atrocities occuring each day. Yet, I think we're all called to take action somehow, but it seems overwhelming to think about it all at once. For me, the least I can do is keep these people, countries and political leaders in prayer and trust that God's master plan is being worked out somehow. I have to pick my battles carefully and figure out where I can make a difference (even in the smallest way), today. I have a little project I've been working on and in the next few days you'll hear more about how I'm trying to change the world, even one person at a time.

STANFORD WINS BIG GAME

2007-12-04T23:51:00.000-08:00

I know a lot has happened since my last update, and this isn't even new news anymore, but after 6 years (last win was in 2001), Stanford FINALLY beats Berkeley at Football. We have the Axe back and all my tears throughout the last 5 years are redeemed. I really wish I could have been there to witness it in person, but the next best thing I could do was go crazy in my living room in Seattle and take a video. It's about 10 minutes long, but well worth it if you want to see me act like a fool, or just want to enjoy Stanford beating Cal :)

First Flight

2007-10-02T00:50:00.000-07:00

I took my first plane flight this weekend. No, I'm not talking about the standard jumbo jet kind of flight. I'm talking about taking off in basically an aluminum soda can that barely fits 4 people. My uncle Jeff is part of a flying club and has his pilot's license, so when I was down in the Bay Area this past weekend for my grandma's 87th birthday, he took my cousin, my sister and me on a tour over the Bay Area. It was a great experience, sometimes a bit bumpy and scary, but overall just amazing. I'll let the photos speak for themselves :)

My uncle Jeff, cousin Greg, Adrienne and me in front of the Cessna 182.

Alcatraz Island.

Of course, the Golden Gate Bridge.

Downtown San Francisco.

Golden Gate Park is pretty big, isn't it?

Stanford campus from the northwest.

Overlooking the Main Quad.

From the southeast - you can see the new stadium in the top right.

From the south, notice the Dish at the bottom of the photo.

More California coastline.

I think this crazy neighborhood with a canal in it is Belvedere, with Tiburon next to it.

To think, these three pieces of metal were all that kept us propelled in the air :).

You can see a few more photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/dcruzin/SFBayStanfordAerialShots.

I have more to upload later, too, but those were some of my favorites from the 400+ shots I took while in the air 1.5 hours. Now flying in one of those planes on a clear day with light wind is definitely something I want to do again. Hope you enjoyed these photos as much as I enjoted taking them!

Mt. Rainier

2007-08-13T00:43:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I went to Mount Rainier National Park for the first time. It was pretty much a perfect day as far as weather - just a clear blue sky with just enough clouds to make things interesting. I went with Derek, Ayako and Ken and we hiked the Skyline loop in the Paradise area of the park. It was about a 5-6 mile trail, and we took our time to just take in the amazing views and get photos of all the nature and wildlife. I'm just gonna post a few photos for now, and soon I'll add a link to a whole album's worth of photos.

Okay, that's the best I could do for limiting the number of photos I post. Amazing views, huh? Stay tuned for more photos :)

starvin'

2007-08-10T23:23:00.000-07:00

I know it's been awhile since my last post. I think I've resolved to make my posts more frequent but also shorter. I'm gonna try posting the all the photos on a separate page w/ captions, and just including a few in each post.

Anyway.... today I got a colonoscopy. Since Oliver had colon cancer, everyone in my family gets checked every 5 years or so. Good news - it was normal, so I definitely thank God for my health. The doctor even gave me a little printout with photos from inside my colon:

Pretty cool, huh? I had to censor out photo number 4, since, well, you know... just look at the diagram. The whole procedure wasn't bad at all since I was heavily drugged and basically unconscious the whole time. I actually don't remember changing back into my clothes from the hospital gown which is both scary and cool at the same time. I wasn't allowed to drive after the procedure, and they even told me not to go to work - so I didn't. I'm not one to break the doctor's orders now.

The worst part was the day before when I had to drink basically a gallon of this gel-like liquid which was supposed to clean out your bowels. It came in fun flavors that were supposed to improve the taste, but I'm not 100% sure if they made it better or worse. And then I wasn't allowed to eat anything for the whole day. It was only one day - and I could drink clear fluids like water and gatorade. Still, being around food and watching other people eat definitely was challenging. It really made me a lot more thankful for the fact that anytime I want to have to have something to eat, I can. And I can even eat good food now that I've escaped the mass produced dining hall food from college. It definitely let me reflect on other people in this country and around the world who can't necessarily say the same.

More than that though, this whole experience really took me back to when Oliver was sick. From the simple act of wearing a thin, cold hospital gown in a very air-conditioned hospital to being wheeled around on a bed with an IV in my arm, electrodes on my chest, oxygen in my nose and a pulsemeter on my finger - it all reminded me of Oliver. I'll admit - there were a few times when I almost lost it in the hospital. The nurse and doctor saw on my records that I had an older brother who had colon cancer at age 25. They asked me how he was, and I would simply reply that he passed away last year. I was barely in the hospital for 2 hours. I bet Oliver spent over 2000 hours in a hospital bed. I didn't eat for one whole day. Once his digestive system couldn't handle anything anymore, Oliver didn't eat for a month.

It's been over 13 months since his passing, and though I still have some low moments like I did today in the hospital, when I think about Oliver's story overall, I still can't help but smile. My experience today gave me a snapshot of what his life was like for almost 3 years. And yet he was able to persevere through it all. He stayed strong and had hope. And though he's no longer with us today, his hope lives on. He had hope in Jesus, who who had giant "needles" pierce his hands and feet when he died for us. I think when Oliver was facing all those needles, wires and treatments, he thought of the cross and knew that the pain is only temporary. One day without food followed by a few hours in the hospital has helped to remind me of what truly is important in this life.

Thanks Oliver.

Back in Japan

2007-06-21T16:59:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted - and I have some catching up to do, but in the meantime I figured I might as well live in the moment. I'm currently sitting in a youth hostel in the Asakusa district of Tokyo, Japan. We flew in yesterday afternoon and had dinner with our students from last summer. That's why I'm here - along with a few other Stanford students, I was a host for the American Language and Culture program, part of VIA (Volunteers in Asia). We hosted about 75 college students from Taiwan and Japan during the month of August. We were kind of like RAs, helping organize activities and trips for them, and helping them with their English homework. As part of that volunteer program, each host gets to go on a trip back to Japan and Taiwan the next summer, and the program will pay for part of the trip. So that brings me back to Japan - the first time I've been here since August 2005 after my internship.

So far, things have been a bit nostalgic. It's cool to be here with Adam who was also here in 2005 when we worked in Tokyo. It is a bit different though, since I'm no longer a student, and also since we have tons of Japanese students here to help show us around. My Japanese is pretty bad though - but I guess that's what happens after 2 years..

Anyway, here are some pictures from the plane ride and dinner last night. I'll try to post a bit more frequently during this trip so my posts are super long..

Julie and Wei Wei on the plane.

I was sitting across the aisle from them. It was a long 10 hours...

We met the students at the giant lantern in Asakusa.

Taking the obligatory tourist shot.

And then proceeded to go eat okomiyaki (a kind of savory pancake omlette).

Adam eating with Manabu and Takayuki.

Okonomiyaki is basically one of my favorite Japanese foods.

I watch the master chef Saori mix the batter before she cooks it on the table.

A similar dish, called monzayaki - just a little bit more runny.

The guys got a little crazy with the sake - already.

Adam and I relive old memories of Pocari Sweat (kind of like gatorade) in the Konbini (convenience store)

We've got a pretty busy day planned today, so hopefully you'll see some more interesting photos soon. See more photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/dcruzin/ALCJapanTrip.

Happy 29th Birthday Oliver!

2007-05-01T02:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Oliver,

Happy Birthday! Can you believe how the Rockets pulled out a win against the Jazz last night? It was crazy. I love watching the Rockets, because it reminds me of how we used to go to games together growing up. I remember driving to the Summit with you and watching playoff games vs. the Suns and even getting to go to the NBA Finals together. I blame you for my sports addiction, by the way. I grew up always watching you cheer so hard for your teams, and I've always wanted to be more like you. While we didn't always get along - and I'm sure that I could be pretty annoying when I was little - I always felt safe when I went places with you. You would take me to the video arcade and teach me how to play video games. Of course, you were always somehow better than me. Whenever I needed advice about school or whether I should buy a new bike or something, I knew I could ask you. You loved teaching so much that you gave up pursuing a job with your Chemical Engineering degree and instead taught High School kids science. You followed your heart and gave me the courage to follow mine.

When you got sick, you refused to let the cancer beat you. You fought back with all you had and taught me to never lose hope. I learned about faith from you. Even as you saw yourself dying, your body withering away since you could no longer eat, you continued to praise God. We didn't quite understand why you got sick back then, and maybe we never truly will, but you accepted God's plan, whatever it was. I was stubborn and angry, thinking things weren't fair. But when you told me that you weren't sure if you would survive anymore, you didn't say it with despair. I'm sure it hurt you inside, even with all the physical pain you were going through, but you were certain that this would not be the end. I know I'll see you again one day. We're just here on earth as a temporary assignment. Though some may feel you only spent 28 years here on earth, we're all here for but a blink of an eye.

Thank you for the daily reminder that we should live each day as if it were our last. We should love one another openly and smile each day through our imperfections, our struggles and our pain. I love you and I miss you, but I am glad to call you my brother forever.

Love,

Darwin

The Oliver Cruz Memorial Site

my story

2007-03-27T18:12:00.000-07:00

Earlier this year, I was asked by my church to write a little story about my faith and how I found the church. I wrote two pieces, one about my first impression at Quest, and another about my personal testimony - how God has influenced my life. My pastor messaged me today that he was gonna post my testimony on our church's community blog. I figured that if it's up there, I might as well mention that here.

My faith has been growing rapidly the past few years and moving to Seattle without my college fellowship (Intervarsity) around, I wasn’t sure where I’d get my spiritual support. Though I was raised in the Catholic Church, I don’t think I really knew God personally until my sophomore year in college. That year in 2003, my older brother Oliver was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer at age 25. The doctors said he had about 2 years to live. My family was in shock, and I was struggling to find answers. . .

You can read the rest of my story here.

Han Mae's Birthday

2007-03-26T19:15:00.000-07:00

This weekend I succeeded in at least two things: taking a lot of pictures and playing a lot of basketball. I'd say that any time I can say both of those things in the same weekend, it's been a good weekend (though switch basketball with soccer and that's a great weekend).

Saturday I played in a 3 on 3 tournament with some friends from work at the Pro Club (aka the "Microsoft Gym"). Originally we wanted to play in the co-ed division so I asked my friend Emily and she got her friend Kitty to play with us. But, when they e-mailed us the tournament schedule, we saw that there were only 2 teams with girls on them. So there weren't enough teams to sign up for the co-ed division and they combined us with the men's league. Well, Steve, Eric and I thought we'd be up for the challenge.

Overall, the competition was pretty good for us. We always played with one girl on the court and two guys. Other teams would sometimes guard Emily or Kitty with a giant 6 foot+ dude for some reason, while a shorter guy would guard one of the guys. We ended up going 1-3 in the round-robin tournament. We should have won 2 games and could have won 3 but the ball didn't bounce our way you could say. Still, we had a lot of fun and considering our size and gender disadvantage, we did pretty well.

Here's a picture of our team. Yes, I am aware that I look like an idiot.

Later that day I went into downtown Seattle to Wasabi Bistro for my friend Han Mae's birthday party. We had most of the back room reserved, which was good since we had like 30 people there or so. I was official photographer for the night, and I took way too many pictures to post here, but I'll post a few.

It was a night for Wasabi.

It definitely complimented the white salmon sashimi. Oishii desu ne!

David, Randy, Nancy, and Han Mae. Some of the first people I met in Seattle when I first interview here about a year ago.

The birthday girl and me.

Flowers! For me? Aww, you shouldn't have.

Singing "Happy Birthday"

Hmm, what should I wish for?

Yeah, that's a good wish. Now if I can just blow out all these candles, I mean candle.

Don't we all want to be a princess? I know I do...

A homemade present - isn't that sweet?

Downtown Seattle at about... it looks like 10:55pm.

The guys chillin' out later at the Triple Door - a jazz bar.

By the end of the night, you could tell Han Mae had a good time, especially with Clara and Ann by her side.

We weren't able to go out dancing because of the crowd, but I obliged her a last dance of the evening.

Han Mae was the first person I met in Seattle when I came to visit over a year ago. Our mutual friend Derek G (who was in my fraternity in college) introduced us at a Swing Dance night at the Century Ballroom. She was nice enough to show me around some last year and she also introduced me to Quest Church. Thanks Han Mae, and Happy Birthday!

For your enjoyment, the rest of the 119 pictures can be found here.

Weekend in Vancouver

2007-03-19T23:33:00.000-07:00

I spent the past weekend in Vancouver, Canada as part of a trip with my community group from Quest Church. We usually meet for a few hours every Thursday night in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle to hang out, study the Gospel of John and pray together. We're only used to seeing each other in a pretty specific context. Well, we did a volunteer project at a homeless shelter awhile ago - but on this trip lets just say we go to see different sides of each other that we never knew about.

The plan was pretty simple: Drive the 2 hours to Vancouver. Eat. Eat some more. Walk around a bit. Eat again. Go out for the night, have a few drinks. Eat a late snack. Go to sleep, wake up. Eat a big breakfast. Do a little shopping. Walk around the park. Get coffee and desserts. Go out for sushi. Eat Gelato. Fall asleep on the way home.

That's pretty much what happened. Of course we had a lot of good conversations, jokes, laughs, a few crazy stories, but mostly a lot of eating.

I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

Of course we left on St. Patrick's day and I wasn't wearing any green outside of the crumbs on my face from my green bagel.

Lindsey and Han Mae are ready to hit the road.

Our first stop: Dim Sum.

Chris is ready to rock and roll.

Yeah, only one meal down and Linda and I already felt like exploding.

We definitely ordered alot, as Nick found out when he opened the check.

Of course the next stop was for some pearl milk tea.

We then proceeded to Granville Island where they had a nifty public market.

Inside they had all kinds of colorful fruits, vegetables and other foods.

Don't foget about the arts and crafts.

Did I not mention that it was pouring rain all day? Here's a shot of a metal table with a neon sign reflected on the surface.

Nick finds shelter under an umbrella.

A little rain didn't ruin the gelato for Lindsey and Crystal.

For dinner we decided on Malaysian food. Here's a sample of one of the eggplant dishes.

Chris and Laurel, our resident married couple on the trip, at the dinner table.

Me, Mark and Jeff anxiously await our food. No, we aren't falling asleep. Our eyes are just that small.

We had some fun stuffing 15 people into an elevator.

Later that night we headed out for some drinks. I chose the Granville Island Honey Lager - and highly reccommend it if you're ever in Canada.

The girls chose a little classier wine.

Lindsey and Robin with their drinks. Props to Robin for knowing how to enjoy a good dark beer.

Nick and Linda chose mojitos.

Carrie and Jeff share a Pina Colada.

At some point that night, Nick, me and Mark decided we were too cool for school somehow.

The whole group outside of the hotel on Sunday morning. Luckily the weather had dramatically improved.

Tina and I were feeling particularly gangsta before breakfast.

Han Mae eyes her french toast hungrily.

Our hotel.

Boats from Stanley Park, with downtown in the background.

I caught a sea plane taking off from the harbor.

There's a Chevron station on an island in the middle of the water. It's a gas station for boats!

The coast with a lighthouse in the background.

A family admires the crashing waves.

There was a small totem pole exhibit in the middle of the island.

I stood at the base of the lighthouse until I caught a bird flying overhead.

Me, Tina, Lindsey and Esther pose by the waterfront.

Another group trekked around the island on bikes. The trouble with bikes is that I tend to fall on my face while trying to ride them and take pictures at the same time.

Another shot of the coast with downtown in the background.

You can see the convention center with its cool looking roof.

A fountain framed by cherry blossom trees in downtown.

Someone supporting the http://www.freehugscampaign.org/ cause.

Mark looks a bit disappointed with his chocolate dessert.

However, Lindsey is quite excited about her sweet treat.

Nothing like some chocolate and coffee to keep you going.

We stopped for more gelato before heading home.

It's apparently so delicious that Nick can't take his eyes off of it.

I think this is my favorite shot from the trip. I spotted a bird flying towards me and had to whip my camera out and take a quick shot. It ended up a bit crooked, but I kind of liked the effect so I left it that way.

Overall this trip was a lot of fun packed into less than 48 hours. There was definitely a lot more that happened than these pictures (by that I mean we ate a lot more but I was too busy stuffing my face to take more pictures.) But, you can see more pictures from Sunday here. I have a feeling that our C-group will have a few more fun outings before the year is over...

8 hour stopover in Taiwan

2007-03-15T02:49:00.000-07:00

When I was booking my flight to the Philippines, the travel agent told me, "Well we have this flight for you, but it requires a 8 hour layover in Taipei." Normally, spending 8 hours in the airport would be pretty boring, but I had no intention of doing that. I told the travel agent, "That sounds perfect." You see, last summer I participated in a summer program through the group Volunteers in Asia (VIA) where I was a host for foreign students from Taiwan and Japan as part of the American Language and Culture (ALC) program. Basically, I got to know about 70 different students from Japan and Taiwan during their one month program at Stanford. I thought that this layover would be a great opportunity to see some of the students again.

So I stepped off the plane in Taipei around 3pm and proceeded to customs and then the information desk where people thankfully spoke passable english. I asked how to get to Nationa Cheng Chi University, and they guy handed me two maps. I was supposed to take a bus and and then a train to the Taipei Zoo, which was very near the university, and then I could walk or take a quick cab ride. My other option was to just take a can straight from the airport. However, it's over an hour-long drive to Taipei and the cab would cost about $50. Besides, doesn't navigating the public transit system in a place where I can't read any signs nor speak to anyone sound like a fun idea? I thought it did.

I managed to make my way there through a lot of pointing and grunting, nodding and shaking my head. The info desk guy circled a couple key places on the map he gave me so I just kept pointing at those places to the different drivers, and the MRT station had some English on it. The train system wasn't quite as complicated as the one in Tokyo where I spent the summer of 2005, so I was able to figure it out. I called my friends from a pay phone once I got on campus and they proceeded to give me the grand tour.

First stop was to pick up some authentic pearl milk tea. Quite good if I say so myself.

In front of the main library with my many tour guides.

This was definitely the highlight of the trip for me. Eating lots of fresh, hot and delicious Taiwanese food. I'm not even going to attempt to explain all that I ate, but it was basically awesome.

At this point the only other guy Alex had to take off and it left me in a rather interesting position as the only guy at a table of girls. This defintely doesn't happen at Microsoft.

Sadly, the night came to an end all too soon. They walked me to the bus station and Nicki, Yvonne and Tina were gracious enough to accompany me all the way to the airport. This was supposed to be a "tough Jedi" pose. But Nicki isn't looking so tough. It's okay though.

Overall, it was fun end to a trip that was altogether too short. I am going back to Japan and Taiwan at the end of June though (all the hosts are visiting together as part of the program from last year). For anyone from ALC2, I miss you guys!

Trip to the Philippines for my cousin's wedding

2007-03-15T00:51:00.000-07:00

I just arrived from Taipei, Taiwan last night, where I had an 8 hour layover on my way back from the Philippines to be a groomsman in my cousin Eloha's wedding. I left on a Tuesday night and came back on a Tuesday night. I was gone for a week, but really only spent 5 days in the Philippines and the rest of the time I was just flying. Leaving at a 1:30am flight leaves the airport completely empty and I was totally bored and decided to pass the time with one of my favorite hobbies: photography.

Seatac airport is a ghost town at 1am on a Wednesday.

Apparently, that way is, in fact, down.

I arrived on a Thursday afternoon after a 13 hour flight to Taipei, a 2 hour layover and then a 2 hour flight to the Philippines. We soon went to the local mall where we shopped and had dinner at Pizza Hut.

Sporting my new Pizza Hut cap, my cousins Nico and Alexis wait with me for our food.

The next day I spend with my cousins Alexis, Ann, Junel and Joan. We ate at a traditional Filipino restuarant that had some awesome sauce with their fried chicken.

Next we stopped at the local SWAT team office where my cousin Jan works.

Inside the office. I'm about to get suited up and armed. (Just kidding)

The next morning Alexis and I took our Lola (that means Grandma in Tagalog, the main Filipino language) out to McDonalds because she likes the fries there.

I ordered the "McRice Burger" which comes with a bun made out of fried rice. It was pretty good I guess. The bun fell apart a little but so I had to be a little careful eating it.

That night we stayed at a local hotel in preparation for the wedding the next day. We were able to relax and kinda chill out before the next day of mayhem began. On Sunday we woke up early for breakfast and toured around the hotel's recreation area. I took some shots of my cousin's cousin (my 2nd cousin?) Jun.

This is one of my favorites. Isn't she cute?

Then the wedding preparations began in full force. An endless stream of people flooded into our hotel rooms: Flowers, makeup artists, wedding coordinators, photogrpahers. It was insane.

Here's a shot I took of some of the bride's wedding accessories.

I also had the "honor" of wearing some makeup, lucky me. By the way, I'm wearing a barong, traditional Flipino formalwear for men. It works better than a tux in a place as hot as the Philippines.

My Kuya (respectful term for older brothers/relatives) Lito poses by the staircase, a patient groom. He's waited over 5 years since they started dating to get married. He can stand to wait a few more hours.

At last, my cousin Eloha comes down the steps.

I caught another cute shot of Jun - don't you like her dress?

My cousin Engel, the Maid of Honor and bride's younger sister, and I.

Eloha and I. She scared me when we took this picture by saying, "One day you'll be the groom in your own wedding." Haha, as if that day would ever come..

The groom in the middle, surrounded by his best man and groomsmen.

The scene of the wedding - an elegant outdoor garden. The ceremony will take place at the front under the little gazebo.

There were tables set up all around the flower-filled garden - complete with a swimming pool.

The ceremony's begun and here I am escorting my partner Joy (sister of the groom) down the aisle.

*Cue Here Comes the Bride music* Don't the bubbles and mist have a nice effect?

Our part in the wedding was to attach a symbolic veil to the both of them, representing that they'll be together through the good times and the bad together.

The newlywed couple poses after the ceremony.

During the reception, they call on me to make the "Grand Toast" for the couple. I don't really remember what I said - I hope I didn't stutter too much.

The wedding was a lot of fun and it was all done so well with such a beautiful ceremony and all, complete with fireworks at the end. More wedding pictures can be found here.

The next day, I went with Eloha's family to a private island in Subic Bay where we spent the day before leaving the couple alone there to stay the night

The view from the boat as we leave the mainland for the island - a quick 30 minute trip.

As you can see, we had some fun playing in the water, riding inflatable boats while a motorboat pulled us along.

Here's a picture of Eloha and me by the water. I like the pictures my new Nikon D50 dSLR takes :).

As we left the island, I took this shot of the sun going down approaching dusk.

I had a really good time in the Philippines. Though I was just there in December, this was different since it wasn't the holidays and I got more of an "everyday" sense of the way things work (outside of the wedding preparations and celebrations). I really miss my cousins and I hope I get to go back soon. That's it for my first post about the Philippines. I'm going to cut it here and talk about Taiwan in the next one. Thanks for reading :).