2024

97-2941-2 – Hours at Batangas ferry port

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Batangas Port 14 hours to get to Puerto Galera

After our Christmas celebrations we took a trip to Puerto Galera (on Mindoro Island) for a little holiday. We travelled via the Ro-Ro (roll-on/roll-off) – a ferry that takes cars, trucks, and buses – from Batangas port. But what was supposed to be a trip of a morning lasted all day, because at the port there seemed to be some typhoon damage to their ramps and they could only use one, shared between several ferries. Why this information couldn’t be shared online so that passengers would know of the delays in advance, I don’t know…we ended up waiting about 6 hours to get on the ferry (when I did the first of these two sketches).

Finally on the ferry – 2 hours of waiting to depart the port

Then we sat on the ferry for a further 2 hours (when I did the second sketch) waiting for it to depart! You’d think, given the Philippines is a nation of more than 7,000 islands, that by now the ferry system would be efficient and well run…but no, it’s all rather haphazard.

Fri-27-Dec-2024

97-2940 – Horse and Mt. Malarayat

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The grounds of the resort we stayed overnight in for our big Christmas family get-together has lots of concrete statues dotted about including this one. The horse was actually pulling a cart but I wanted to include the mountain and trees in the background. You can tell by the sky that we were having rainy weather – I was lucky enough to have time to do this before I got rained on. Our stay in the resort was paid for by my sister-in-law as a Christmas present to us all…so thank you very much @mariarey1010!

Thu-26-Dec-2024

97-2939 – Christmas at Pueblo del Amor

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Here is a sketch of the resort we stayed overnight in for our big family get-together on Christmas Day. According to the owners blurb on Facebook the resort is a “7 hectare multi-functional resort at the foot of Mt. Malarayat for recreation, peace and relaxation”, near Lipa City. We rented a house big enough for all of us (30 plus these days), which included this pool. It was a bit rainy so I don’t think anyone went swimming until Boxing Day.

Wed-25-Dec-2024

97-2938 – Measuring cups extra fine

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We celebrated Christmas on two days – first on Christmas Eve with a big meal followed by opening presents to each other. Then on Christmas Day we went to a resort and had a get-together with the whole family (my sketches of the venue are coming next). This lovely set of measuring cups was given to me by my daughters partner. I drew them with my new fountain pen (a gorgeous TWSBI Eco with an extra fine nib…. a present from my wife).

Tue-24-Dec-2024

97-2937 – Mall Christmas decor

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This sketch was done at the local mall (Market Market!), when we stopped for a light lunch (at Beiruti Bites) while we were doing a massive Christmas shop for all the ingredients we needed to cook our Christmas dinner. I added all the sparkly lights with a Posca pen.

Mon-23-Dec-2024

97-2936 – Bowling party

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This quick sketch was done when we had a family tenpin bowling get-together to celebrate our youngest daughter’s birthday. As you can see from the table, plenty of beer and soft drinks were consumed as well as mountains of food. We hired a VIP space at Studio 300 Pioneer, which was perfect. I haven’t been bowling in years…it turns out that I am still rather rubbish at it…but at least I was consistently mediocre!

Sun-22-Dec-2024

97-2935 – Frangipani / Calachuchi blossom

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Here is a quick sketch of a blossom I picked up the other day. There is a lovely Frangipani tree growing near where I take out our cartons for recycling and the blossoms smell wonderful, so I often pick up one or two for a good sniff! In the Philippines the tree is called a Calachuchi, but is more scientifically known as Plumeria (and is a genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Rauvolfioideae).

Sat-21-Dec-2024

97-2934 – Old city hall

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This isn’t my favourite activity just before Christmas, but by paying our property tax early (in December), we get a discount. I first headed to the new city hall (ugly, partially finished …maybe they ran out of funding), near our apartment, but then had to take a tricycle to the old one (which I thought had been closed) and did this sketch while I waited. I don’t know how good the municipality of Taguig are at providing services, but when it comes to collecting taxes they are really efficient, so I didn’t have much time to do this.

Fri-20-Dec-2024

97-2932-3 – Sisters again

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Chryzzel and Haia

Here are the last two sketches done when I joined the last #LifeDrawing session of 2024 with Eric David and the #SilawArtistCollective. In these both sisters Chryzzel (@chryzzelle) and Haia posed again. The two sketches are done with ink and watercolour, plus a few highlights and emphasis done with a white posca and a UniBall pen. The first of these is the one I was most satisfied with… I think I got their faces right, even if they look a bit too dark.

Sisters again

Thu-19-Dec-2024