Five Things I learned From a Fisherman

It was a rainy day at this village where fishing is still done the traditional way – with hook and line.

The boats were safely on shore, but I noticed someone working in his boat and he was gracious enough to share some of his time. Here are some of the things I learned.

1. Even when it’s stormy, you still have to work and prepare for when the sun comes out. Preparation is part of catching the fish and takes as long as the time at sea.

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2. Chicken feathers make good bait. Never underestimate the hidden treasure in ordinary things – they can be the secret to a livelihood.

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3. If you don’t get out and catch some fish, you don’t eat. The world doesn’t owe you a living. But it isn’t always stormy and the sun does come out.

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4. Don’t be afraid of the waves when you go out to sea, you will get used to them. But watch out for the clouds and rain that hide the stars and mountains that guide your way home.

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5. There is always reason to smile.

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I thank Mr. Fisherman for the lessons I picked up that day.

 Traditional

(On the island of Mindanao in the Philippines.)

Fragrant Surprise from Ylang-ylang

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The essential oil from Ylang-ylang is highly valued and used in perfumes such as Chanel No. 5.

Its fragrance is described as “rich and deep with notes of rubber and custard, and bright with hints of jasmine and neroli.”

No wonder the garden smells heavenly when it blooms!

The name ylang-ylang is derived from the Tagalog term ilang-ilang for the tree that is a reduplicative form of the word ilang, meaning “wilderness”, alluding to the tree’s natural habitat… The plant is native to the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia and is commonly grown in Madagascar, Polynesia, Melanesia, Micronesia and Comoros Islands. It grows in full or partial sun, and prefers the acidic soils of its native rainforest habitat. – Wikipedia

Fragrance
Unusual

Venus of Willendorf

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(Venus of Willendorf on display at the Natural History Museum in Vienna, Austria)

The Venus of Willendorf is a 4.4-inch figurine made around 28,000 years ago, a famous example of “Venus figurines” from the Old Stone Age (Upper Paleolithic). (Archeologists associate this period with the earliest appearance of modern humans — this is where “Paleo diet” comes from, also called caveman diet or hunter-gatherer diet).

The “oldest undisputed example of a depiction of a human being yet discovered” is the Venus of Hohle Fels dating as far back as 40,000 years ago.

These figurines, no more than a few inches high, are carved from stone, ivory, or molded from clay. Many depict women with exaggerated sexual features, faceless heads and missing arms and legs. Their use and meaning are naturally subject to much speculation and nobody will probably ever know.

The exact purpose of the carvings aside, it is worth noting that they show such detail and craftsmanship. It is mind-boggling that such artifacts of great creativity and symbolism already existed in the Stone Age, a manifestation of culture at the dawn of human history.

The Venus of Willendorf, like other Venus figurines, is unusual. But maybe we can also take pride that our species is truly unusual too.

Unusual

Balance and Symmetry at Taipa Village, Macau

Taipa Village is one of the few places in Macau where one can see an authentic slice of this former Portuguese colony. Though casinos are sprouting in the main city, Taipa Village has been preserved for a step back in time.

I like this vantage point where the old is mixed with the new, it almost looks like a collage.

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Just a few steps away and one can enjoy history preserved. East and west co-exist. This is where the locals go.

 

More information about Taipa Village here.

Collage

A Different Take on the Lowly Rambutan

The rains have come, and so have the fruits. This year, the rambutans are already bearing fruit!

Fresh from the tree, to the plate, to the… lens?

 

Rambutan, like most tropical fruits, is eaten by opening/peeling the skin, hence it can be eaten fresh.

 

These look like eggs in a nest… or aliens waiting to hatch…

 

Who thought rambutan could be so… wet? No wonder ants like them!

 

As kids we were told not to play with our food — but who listened anyway? 🙂

I better get to them before the ants do!

Collage
Savor

A Painting I Would Be Happy to Sign

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If this was a painting I would be happy to sign it. I don’t mean just the scenery on the wall, I mean including the people and everything in it.

I’ve posted about how I wanted to be a painter but couldn’t draw straight lines. I continue to admire creations by hand.

In case you’re wondering, they’re creating this mural out of colored pieces that they stick on the wall. A collage in the original sense (from the French: collier, “to glue” – Wikipedia).

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Sometimes the camera can be handy too, if only to capture a work of art being created by hand.

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(In the province of Bataan in the Philippines.)