Hippy Happy Beng-Beng

Somehow spending New Year's Eve alone will kinda skew your perspective on things. Or perhaps it might have been something I ate . . . .

Niways, NYE started off slowly with me spending it in our office in Makati waiting for incoming faxes and preparing my gear to shoot the fireworks over the Makati Skyline. Good plan but wrong gear though. I overestimated my capabilities and physical condition and somehow used the wrong gear with the fireworks. Should have used a tripod and not a monopod, totally forgot how heavy an 80-200/2.8 lens feels. Factor in also that I was way out of practice with photo skills and getting a bit on the "oinky" side. Will post some pix If I remember how . . . .

This year's beng-beng was somewhat bland but it was a new experience seeing all the way to Cavite (our office is on the 32nd floor). Somehow it looked like a very light version of what war correspondents might have experienced in Baghdad during 1991.

The skyline was aglow with twinkling lights (prolly "kwitis or kwitons") while nearby a 1,000 or more piece "sawa" was being ignited adding a staccato accompaniment to the pseudo-war scene. A metallic flower blooms followed by a gut crushing explosion. Gahh, neighbors next building using a geenormous mortar-like tube. In fairness, it was a thing of beauty that lasted mere seconds. Yup there goes your 5k. Poof!! But hey, is it even legal to launch that thing so close to the rooftops?