Viva Cebu

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Worldwide | Friday, August 27, 2010 | flickr photos

These photos were taken during our trip to Cebu on May 2009. Cebu is well-known to both local and foreign tourists as a beach spot and a province rich with history. It has several islands good for relaxation and other water activities such as snorkeling and diving. It also has the oldest city in the Philippines, Cebu City, which houses the Basilica de Sto. Nino symbolizing the birth of Christianity in the Philippines and in Asia. The set also includes photos of Cebuanos that depict the warmness and relaxed lifestyle of Filipinos.

Travelling and photography was not on my ‘to-do-list’ when I was growing up. I only discovered my love for these two activities when I went on a family trip to Bangkok, Thailand on April 2008. There I discovered the heart-warming feeling of discovering new things about the human race and the world in general. Travelling has widened my perspective in life. I also discovered how photography makes moments more beautiful given the right angle, lighting, and timing; and how a photo can communicate a certain feeling or idea across. Ever since this discovery, I saved up to buy my DSLR and have travelled to a few places in the Philippines and countries in the Southeast Asia.

I hope to win this contest and be given a chance to visit one of the most isolated countries in the world. I hope to given a chance to witness how its predominant religion (Buddhism) influences the daily lives of the people; and to witness its rich intact culture given that it has long been isolated. I also hope to catch a glimpse of the Himalayas and visit a temple on top of a mountain. I also hope that this opportunity be the start of a career in travel photography.