Sunday Photo Challenges

For the challenges this weekend, I am using images taken inside the Festival Mall in Alabang which is near the government's testing laboratory where I went for research regarding the bread concern I posted a week ago. I decided to go to the mall nearby to take a breather (from the frustration of my research and to escape the sudden heat of the day) and possibly to have lunch (since it was an Ash Wednesday, I decided to abstain from lunch and all the delectable offerings around the mall) and decided instead to just take photographs while waiting for my ride back home.

For Ashley's Scavenger Hunt Sunday:

Vanishing Point

The train inside the mall goes a long stretch of the mall's ground floor for a relaxing and fun ride for both kids and adults! Sorry for having to stretch a vertical shot to a horizontal frame! ;-(

Under

Underneath the trail tracks is a fun playground where kids can ride around a virtual playland!

Welcome to the Jungle

And who can forget the carousel ride (this one is on the top floor!) with all the "jungle" characters. Ha! I brought a lot of kids on play tours on these areas so I know the excitement and thrill they had!

Square Crop Format

And this is my friend's favorite ride! I hope they accompany the ride with fun music. ;-)

Calm

And in the midst of the noise and movements in the mall is the crossroad/rail. The calm amidst the storm. The crossroad of reflection. It took me just a second to stand and shoot this scene and realized a lot of things running wild in my head. It made me ponder and smile. It clarified certain issues at this junction! What an abstract method!

For Jan's SOOC:

My favorite ride: the Elephant! And nope, I did not ride that day. ;-(

For Amy's Color Splash Sunday:

I simply adore this Amy! Sorry but no bokeh today.

Actually, most of these themes can be summarized in this picture taken OUTSIDE of the mall as I was leaving and forgive the grainy, foggy (dirty windows of the van): welcome to the jungle, vanishing point, calm, straight out of the camera and I don't think I want to crop it into a square:


The property that surrounds the mall was once a jungle (sort of) in the 90s and you have to traverse a long winding dirt road in between tall trees and the hush of the forest-like atmosphere to get to government offices like Bureau of Food and Drugs, Forestry, Fisheries, and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine where I brought artists for the Art Manila project focusing on AIDS. In the early 1900s, this property belonged to the Madrigal family who donated it for government use and should revert back to the family if the government will not use it anymore. However, in the 90s to the present, the area underwent several constructions and development to pave the way for commercial establishments like the mall and business hubs.

I would like to thank and acknowledge the generous support and assistance of Mr. Ricardo Suarez of the Filinvest Corporate City for allowing this cranky, impatient and hyperactive blogger (ME!) to take photographs around the vicinity. There are stories about bloggers who misuse and abuse this privileges so I think it is right for him and commercial establishments to be cautious.

I should say this: there are plenty of people taking photographs around malls and places which are PROHIBITED (unless you are taking photos of yourself in the mall, please ask for permission!) and just BECAUSE nobody is calling your attention to it or the guard is not looking does not mean it is allowable.

UPDATED! I scheduled this post early Saturday so I was not able to update regarding the Tsunami in Japan which did not affect us even though we were given alerts especially for those living near the shorelines! Our prayers for the victims and for their recovery and comfort!