For over four decades I have been a rail and bus photographer.
However, during this time I have aimed the lens at other subjects, be they different transportation, scenery, buildings and other bollocks.
Given these do not really fit the scope of my other sites, I felt compelled to set up a new site so as to inflict my other photographic garbage upon the world.
While primarily Philippine and Australian content, there will be the occasional forays into Fiji and Hong Kong. Perhaps other locations should the current pandemic ever allow it.
So sit back and enjoy, or hate, even be indifferent. That choice is purely up to you.

Official Home Of the 'Brad N Virls Adventure Series' - Images are copyright, so contact us if you would like to use any photos on your site/video! (We don't bite)


Thursday, 8 December 2022

2009: MORE RANDOM PHILIPPINE IMAGES

 


It has been a good while since I threw up a random selection of photos taken while photographing around the Philippines.

Given this is likely my last entry for 2022, and that I haven't had time to complete the Pio Duran and Lantangan series, I hereby convey another grouping of unrelated images just so it does not appear I have gone missing.

I promise to get stuck into the above, and other, series early....ish in the new year.

Promise :-)

------------------------------------------------------------------


A ride around Manila in a traditional jeepney.
A pleasure we will soon no longer be able to have.
Photo: Brad Peadon







Above: Views of Recto Avenue in Divisoria, not far from the former railway station, now mall, at Tutuban.
I covered the area more indepth HERE!
Photo: Brad Peadon


Carriedo Fountain in Santa Cruz.
Named after Don Francisco Carriedo y Peredo, benefactor of Manila's pipe water system
Photo: Brad Peadon


A lonely looking jeepney sitting behind a wet Calamba railway station in Laguna.
Photo: Brad Peadon



Heavy lift truck awaiting its load at Manila Port.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Manila is truly a wonderful looking city from above.
Taken while pretending to be interested in a penthouse apartment. :-)
Photo: Brad Peadon


My nieces enjoying the long since removed fun part at SM Fairview (Quezon City). We were greatly disappointed to find it gone following extensions and renovation work.
Photo: Brad Peadon



Yep, another jeepney. Regular readers would be well aware of my obsession with the traditional jeepney.
Photo: Brad Peadon



It hadn't rained all that long, but when it does rain, it rains hard.

A kid searches for frogs around the Tutuban railway yard. There was no shortage of them to be found.

Photo: Brad Peadon


The lovely foyer of the current Tutuban station.
Looks nice, but has nothing on the original.
Photo: Brad Peadon



Local commuter train at the time. A northbound powered sled approached Lutucan station in Quezon.
Today, a real commuter service serves this location eight times a day, four in each direction.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Philippine Airlines RP-C8168 was one of a fast dying breed that is the Boeing 747 Jumbo.
Built originally for Philippine Airlines, it was not taken up and was subsequently delivered new to Canadian Airlines International (C-FGHZ) in 1995, passing to Air Canada in 2001 following their acquisition of the former.
In 2003 she was leased by Philippine Airlines, where she remained until 2013.
Sadly, this 'Queen Of The Sky' has since been scrapped.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Pandacan Transport bus somewhere in Manila.
I believe the company still exists today, albeit with far more modern buses.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Houses in Carmona (Cavite), opposite the now closed Carmona railway station.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Los Banos (College) railway station in Laguna.
There are two tracks under all that grass and today again sees train services.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Above: This one has an embarrassing/humourous story to it.

Despite, at the time, my having been going to the Philippines for a decade, I had not come across any of the rituals that go on at the time of someone's passing.
So, on this visit to a rather dark and wet Los Banos station, while going about getting a heap of photos, I find myself gravitating slowly toward a very bright section.
Being very bright due to the lighting, and colourful due to the hanging sheets, I quite ignorantly walked up to it taking photos.
Just after taking this shot, I noticed everyone looking at me. Not unusual over there, where I am stared at almost 24/7.
But then I noticed a coffin.
Ahhhhhhmmm opps.
I walked backward out of there and took off.
I have come across these rituals many times since then.


Yep, here we have another jeepney.
This time in a rather wet Sampaloc.
Photo: Brad Peadon


This poor ol girl needs some work.
Alas, that work would never come and she would eventually be scrapped.
Believed to be of Hino manufacture.
Photo: Brad Peadon



Some older bus models passing through Sampaloc in Manila.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Cats and railway stations seem a common thing worldwide. This pusa watches over the shed in Calamba yard.
Photo: Brad Peadon


The historic 'Horace Higgins Hall' in Caloocan (Manila).
Named after the engineer, who was General Manager of the London based 'Manila Railway Company' (later 'Manila Rairoad Company') 
Photo: Brad Peadon






Four photos above.
While the family partook in the delights of the local Jollibee, I prefered to brave the rain for some shots of the main road through Candelaria.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Above and below, Candelaria railway station having been taken over by trespassing market stall holders.
Photo: Brad Peadon



I guess it is airconditioned at least.
Passing through the main shopping strip at Candelaria (Quezon)
Photo: Brad Peadon


The inlaws prize cock.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Thank you:

Planespotters.net
Wikipedia
------------------------------------------------------------------






Thursday, 3 November 2022

LANTANGAN MANDAON MASBATE PT1

 




Way back in August, we ventured back to the little seaside barangay of Lantangan, a part of Mandaon, on the island of Masbate in the Philippines.


It was my first time back in 15 years so that which I could remember had undergone a lot of change. Foremost amongst these changes was more housing than I remember, some of this wiping out some nice ricefield views I photographed in 2007.

But possibly the best development of all is a new road, well half road, half goat track,  that allows you to get from Masbate City to Lantangan without the need for a boat from Mandaon.
Back in 2007, we accessed Lantangan via a large Bangka from Roxas City via Jintololo Island, a service that looks to no longer exist. Then, to get to Masbate City, it was a small Bangka to Mandaon, then some form of road transport onward.

The Lantangan Motorway outside the Lantangan High School.

The road junctions from the sealed Balud Road and is cemented for a portion of the way to Lantangan. Beyond that, it is a very narrow dirt track that, while drivable, can prove to be a problem when two vehicles need to pass.

I am led to believe that cementing the rest of the road progresses, but at a speed that makes Carabao look like a Melbourne Cup prize winner.

Photo: Brad Peadon


Entrance to the 'Lantangan National High School'.

This must be a newer addition to the school as it does not appear on Google Streetscape.

Photo: Brad Peadon



Carabao Liner. :-)

The local commuter service around Lantangan.

Photo: Brad Peadon



Red Shirt: Darly Santiago
White shirt: No Idea
Photo: Brad Peadon



Barrio Site* is the first place we stopped on our Lantangan adventure. A bit of a trial given we had been up all night trying to get there, and really just wanting to get to our accommodation for some rest and Tanduay Rhum.
Twas a bit of a hot, humid, and muddy walk. But worth it for a bit of an explore away from the normally traveled Lantangan Motorway.
*Barrio Site is what my asawa tells me it is called, so no whinging if that is wrong as I really have no clue. 
Photo: Brad Peadon




Unidentified Rugrat.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Nhing and Tin catch the hourly Carabao Liner service towards Lantangan proper.
Being kuriput, they weren't going to pay for the aircon service. :-)
Photo: Brad Peadon


A random house, with some Caldereta walking around out the front.
Photo: Brad Peadon


A random jeepney opposite the school.
I am very jeepney obsessed, so was pretty well wrapped to find one there.
Photo: Brad Peadon


An impressive-looking fighting cock.
Photo: Brad Peadon


Love these provincial huts.
Photo: Brad Peadon



Left to right:
Virginia (Lago), Tin Tin, Nhing, Basyon (Lago's Mum)
Photo: Brad Peadon



-----------------------------------------------------------------
Links Of Interest:



-----------------------------------------------------------------