Semi Retired Foamer

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)

Sunday, 15 January 2023

PIO DURAN - ALBAY - PART 2

Hello/Kumusta

Welcome to our first posting for 2023.

This time we finally get around to the second half of our visit to Pio Duran (Albay) back in August 2022.

I pretty much covered much about the location in the first part of our coverage, so there is no point going through it all again.

So sit back and enjoy a few more photos taken at this fascinating little port town where fate would see us stay for 12 hours awaiting on the next ferry to Masbate City.

Philippine Ports Masbate City.

The waiting room for those awaiting island ferry services.

View from the balcony of the nearby accommodation.

You can just see the water in the distance.

Photos: Brad Peadon

Port of Pio Duran.

Photos: Brad Peadon

Exploring some back street to pass time before dinner..

Photos: Brad Peadon

Pio Duran college.

Photos: Brad Peadon

Iglesia Ni Cristo church in Pio Duran. Though far from the massive church they have on Commonwealth in Quezon City, it still is an attractive stucture.

Photos: Brad Peadon

Almost bordering on a copyright infringement is the large chain of burger stands called Big Mak :-) .

However, the name is where the similarity ends.

The hotdogs are the preferred choice should you find yourself there.

If after something more substantial, there is a great restaurant opposite the 'Grand Sapphire Store' on the south side of the main road on approaching the port.

There are a couple of roadside carinderia on the north side right at the port, the food looking pretty awesome also but sadly some rather abusive young kids lurk there and get rather abusive if you don't give them funds.
I often help, but will not tolerate violent verbal abuse in order to try to get it from me.

This isn't an issue in the restaurant opposite the Grand Sapphire Store and I totally recommend it.

Photos: Brad Peadon

Pio Duran at night.

Photo: Brad Peadon

Balconty view again, this time at night while awaiting the ferry.

Photo: Brad Peadon

About 10pm and we finally get the call to come and board the ferry.

Our ferry was the M/V Don Eduardo (on right). I think the one on the left was a slower service to Masbate City. I stand to be corrected on that fact.

Some bad weather was moving in, lightening beginning as we departed port, and some very rough weather on the way to Masbate City.

This will be covered in future posts, as well as some video on 'Semi-Retired Foamer TV'.

Photo: Brad Peadon

Pio Duran (Albay) - Part 1.

Sunset Villa (Lantangan Masbate)

Lantangan: Masbate Paradise

Grand Sapphire Store - Facebook

Video: Plaridel Buses & National Park Drive

Video: Philippine Airforce Museum

Video: Aussie Slang in Quezon City

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 :-)

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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.