MS L'Austral Cruise Ship Maiden Voyage in Philippines (BOHOL first port of call)

March 13, 2015 @ Tagbilaran Seaport, Bohol Philippines
By: Ma. Julie Bee A. Unlayao

After a series of various cruise ship arrivals in the island of Bohol, here comes another one, the MS L'Austral cruise ship operated by the French cruise line company Compagnie Du Ponant carrying 264 passengers mostly French nationals and 150 crews and staffs. The cruise ship dropped anchor from a distance from the city port and ferried its passengers by its water taxis. 

They were hospitably welcomed by the Boholanos with dances and warm lei reception sponsored by the DOT. The Provincial and City government were also there to warmly greet them. The cruisers are having their countryside tour in the island for the entire day.

Welcome to Bohol M/S L'Austral cruise ship! !

(From the Department of Tourism Central Visayas)

                                          (From the Tagbilaran City Tourism Office)

(The It's More Fun In the Philippines Dancers by the CCAD)

(The DOT, ADB-Canada, USAID-COMPETE and the Bohol Tourism Office)

(The 200+ passengers/cruisers of the MS L'Austral Cruise Ship)

(Photos courtesy of DOT Bohol Satellite Office)

Cruise Ship Info:

Launched into service in 2011, L'Austral is the second in a series of three 264-passenger, 10,600-ton cruising yachts commissioned by Compagnie du Ponant. Its identical sister, Le Boreal, 

being the same weight, length and breadth, along with having 132 cabins and suites for 264 passengers and 140 crew members like the other two ships, debuted in 2010, and the third sibling, Le Soleal, which will launch in July 2013.

On board, L'Austral has 6 passenger decks, two restaurants, the Gastronomic restaurant, and the grill restaurant. It also has one pool, an internet station, and a library. Alongside this, it has panoramic lounges and a theatre. It also has a beauty center with fitness equipment and a spa, and a Wii games area.

According to a Cruise Critic contributing editor Mr. Sue Bryant in his review : "L'Austral is, without a doubt, a stunning vessel, with sleek lines and an unusual dark-grey hull that makes it stand out in port. The interiors are like those of a minimalist boutique hotel. Everything is taupe, cream and white, with emphasis on luxurious textures, from leather-fronted white drawers in our cabin to taupe silk cushions on the bed. Black-and-white Philip Plisson photo art lines the corridors. A cascade of glittering Swarovski crystals lights up the small atrium. The whole package is unashamedly French: it's chic, the service is a little arrogant at times, and the passengers are a well-heeled, savvy crowd of experienced travelers."

Restaurants:

Theater:

Pool Area:

The Library (Favorite)

The Information Desk and it's rainfall chandelier (that's what i call it) at the front..

Cruise Ship Bridge Control Area

Lounges

Sports/Fitness and Recreation Center

Other awesome facilities:

I feel so grateful today for being one of the few lucky people who were given the rare chance to set foot and have an onboard tour inside an international cruise ship , the MS L'Austral. The crews are so nice and the cruise ship itself is WOW!...That was a great and memorable experience.. And I am sooo proud being a Boholana, after a series of various cruise ship arrivals in the island Bohol, here comes another one, and probably more to date...Bohol is definitely getting back on its feet...

That's all for now, see yah!

Yours truly,

Julie Bee

Pinuga sa Hunahuna 16th Year (2015)

(An Annual Art Exhibit of the University of Bohol College of Architecture and Fine Arts --- Again, they nailed it! Awesomeness to the highest level)

I am a dreamer. I dream that someday I can be an artist like those AWESOME----COOL----TALENTED and AMAZING painters and visual artists out there! You know that feeling when you're looking at the paintings or any visual artworks hanged on the wall, each with its different colors, medium, sizes, style or whatsoever portraying different emotions, it feels like they're pulling you towards them until you're drawn and BOOOM "hey wake up!"--- you're just simply mesmerized and charmed? ? ? I hope you know what I'm talking about, I'm kind of like weird sometimes, but yeah, seriously, that's what I feel everytime I'm in an art exhibit hehehe. For short, I'm LOOKING at THOSE ARTWORKS LIKE I'M LOOKING AT THE MOON AND STARS...breath-taking...

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” 

― Edgar Degas

Today, February 24, 2015 I visited an annual exhibit at the University of Bohol where the Bachelor of Fine Arts Major in Advertising Arts and Interior Design students showcase their best artworks, it's the PINUGA SA HUNAHUNA 16th ART EXHIBIT by the UB-College of Architecture and Fine Arts (located at the 4th Floor of the UB ST Building (CAFA Atrium). 

I've always been a fan or a SUKI visitor in their exhibits since 2011 and now 2015 on their 16th year I DEFINITELY WON'T MISS IT FOR THE WORLD... (just thinking of missing it this year kills me, :P ) . So I just wanna say "KUDOS! Professors and Studes of UB-CAFA, you nailed it and shook my world again.

“The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work.” 
― Émile Zola

The artworks in the exhibit are all AWE-INSPIRING and MAGNIFICENT (you should visit them some time) as in ALL OF THEM, i can hardly choose what's the best because all of them are THE BEST, my goodness why are they making it soo hard for me,.. hehe! ! My friends and I have different favorites actually, they like some artworks because they're striking or enticing while me and my other friend like the other ones because they're kind of like mysterious and deep..You know, beauty is everywhere, it's just a matter of how you see it----whether with eyes wide open or heart fast pounding (hehe just a thought)...

So here are some of my TOP FAVORITES ( i love all of them actually ).. I'm sure that you'll love them as much as I do... :)

                              “To be an artist is to believe in life.”Henry Moore 

Title: BEGGAR'S HOPE by Student Artist Elvin P. Vitor

I haven't seen any artist note or the description of the artwork, so I'll just say what came into my mind upon seeing the painting. When you look at the painting closely and see that smile from the old man's face (yeah, that's it,  you see that? ?" I call that HOPE! That's how I relate the painting to the title itself.. I've never experienced begging in the streets so I can never fully understand how it feels to be a beggar but it doesnt mean that I've never been one before (maybe I've been a beggar sometimes, i just didn't notice it--beggar in some other ways perhaps). To beg means to ask something you need, something you lack...that means your life is hard, painful maybe or empty-----if you would imagine the life of a beggar and experience walking on their shoes, I think projecting a genuine smile is hard to do, but that man on the painting manages to do so...Isn't it what we call HOPE?.. (Well, that's how I interpret the painting, how about you?).. I was really amazed, the painting, the artist and the way he made me feel..Heart-warming....Extraordinarily detailed artwork..

“Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.”Stella Adler 

Title: VICTIM OF LOVE by Student Artist Mario Ingking III

When I first saw this painting my jaw really dropped. This painting speaks a lot to me. The emotion is pure---it haunts me. The rose the girl is holding tells me how our hearts can be deceiving sometimes, sometimes our heart makes LOVE looks so beautiful, full of happiness, nice, fragrant and alluring but the end thereof is PAIN, Great pain like what you feel when you're being stabbed, pierced or lacerated...Maybe that's why the girl is deeply tore. Maybe the girl in the picture didn't choose to be the heroine of her life, maybe, she rather chose being the VICTIM of what they call LOVE...maybe it's the wrong kind of LOVE, coz love originally doesn't work that way..LOVE IS PURE AND KIND. Isn't it? (Shoot, another opinion---- what's yours?) By the way, this artwork is TERRIFIC. It has a lot of emotions and it kills me to the core. The artist must have put his whole heart, mind and soul to it. Great work of art indeed.

“Every good painter paints what he is.” Jackson Pollock 

Title: _____________ by Student Artist Gleemar Redillas Barte

This painting is quite INTERESTING huh like "hello dude, I think I already saw this face in the campus, seriously! The rapper one---yeah!"..That really caught my interest, my attention, my excitement name them all! The artist is who you are looking in the painting, that's kind of amazing for me. I didn't know the title but I think it talks something about his past ( I actually read the word "kagahapon" which means PAST but I'm not quite sure if that's the right TITLE. hehe)..In the painting it shows how much the man struggled from that veiny chains rooted in his past, it was like it's impossible to get away and the sand of time is nearing it's end. I believe everyone did struggle historically, everyone suffered from that deceitful pull of temptations, past mistakes and the lingering pains but how you deal with it makes the difference. If you will let your past pull you then you're a prisoner of it, if you chose to break that chain and move on then that's what we call VICTORY and I believe that the artist chose to become a  victorious one. Look at him now! Everyone must be so proud of him...

“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”Aristotle 

By Student Artist Darwin Alingig

Probably the most colorful and heart-touching artwork I've ever seen and classy at the same time. I was drawn by this painting and it made me feel all the feels in the world. I felt sooo captivated and amazed on how the artist made me feel that the closer and longer I look at the it, the more it becomes real (it's not an abstract though) but I just felt these variety of emotions battling in the inmost part of my being. Those adorable-innocent green eyes create a sweet lullaby to my soul. The artist is quite sentimental in nature and I think he really did an excellent job.

“The painter has the Universe in his mind and hands.” 

― Leonardo da Vinci

Untitled by Student Artist Marco Baron

The painting is showing the simple life of the Filipino ancient family during the pre-spanish era. The family was, as it still is today, the smallest but the most significant unit of ancient society. The father and mother were accorded complete obedience and respect by the children. The father was the head of the family while the mother managed household affairs and rearing her children and so and so. The early Filipinos had close family ties and it never changed up to the present, will never change unless altered. The early Filipinos were music lovers as what you can see in the painting, they had their own musical instruments (Im not quite sure if what musical instrument the man in the painting is playing, is that the kalaleng or Tingguan nose flute? ? Im sure that the painting has a more deeper explaination in the artist own perspective. So I'll just leave the rest of the explaination to him hahaha... I just love the painting sooooooooo much.

“Imagination governs the world.” - Napoléon Bonaparte

SELF-PORTRAIT by Student Artist Joseph Ingking

This painting actually caught my attention first, this is the first painting I saw when I came into the atrium. Sooo creative and imaginative. I really admire the artist who created this, he rocks. His imagination soar beyond its limit and I love it more than the words of my brain can utter. If you'll see this painting personally, you really want to steal it just like the rest of the paintings. Hehehe..

“Every human is an artist. The dream of your life is to make beautiful art.” 

― Miguel Ruiz

STILL LIFE PAINTINGS by Student Artist Mariel Louise Cerio

Everytime I see artworks created by female artists, it makes me feel soooo proud and happy. Just looking at these two fascinating paintings wipes all my uncertainties and fear of doing some things that I love. As a woman, seeing other women who chose to shine by using their God-given talents creating something wonderful and beautiful art for the whole world to see is sooo empowering and motivating. I'm greatly inspired. I salute! Aside from pure and natural talent, I believe they have great and effective mentors as well. 


I actually have a lot of FAVORITES, some really blew my mind away and some brought me to the world beyond my imaginations. And I don't want to miss the chance of telling everyone to visit this exhibit because I assure you, your visit will be WORTH IT. A lot to expect and a lot of incredible artworks for your eyes to see and heart to feel. 


MORE FAVORITE ARTWORKS (TEASER) --- JUST WANT TO PROVE TO YOU THAT, IT'S REALLY HARD TO CHOOSE WHICH ONE IS THE BEST.... MIND-BLOWN! !

“Artists exist to show us the world. So do windows.” 

― Jarod Kintz

Climate Change by Mario Ingking III

PASILONG by Elvin P. Vitor

Minor de Edad by Darwin Alingig

THE UNBORN by Joseph Ingking

By Darwin Alingig

By Oliver Lee Estose



GUESS WHAT? THEY HAVE THESE TOOO! ! KAWAIIIIII....

Participant Fashion Gala by Christian Relator

This is sooo beautiful------ Can I borrow this one for my graduation ball? The girls would be sooo jealous! Fabulous is the word for this... :)

Participant Fashion Gala by Joseph Bustrillos

I love laces and blazers and he did a great job in this. I wish I have his talent, for the fact that I'm a woman and I know nothing about fashion tailoring (oh gosh I'm ashame of myself) hehe..


ARTISTS REALLY MAKE THE WORLD MORE BEAUTIFUL...BEYOND BEAUTIFUL ACTUALLY..... TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY! !


Lovelots,
Julie Bee :)

THE MASTER WEAVER'S PLAN ( An Inspirational Poem)

The poem The Master Weaver’s Plan is a Christian classic and was quoted by Corrie ten Boom. This is an inspirational poem that encourages and motivates everyone to stay faithful and be still in God in every pains, sorrows and even when we don't understand what is going on.  And there's always a fact that remains---> "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

I know each one of us has experienced lots of pain in their life and may be suffering at this very moment…

I hope this poem will inspire and encourage you.

THE MASTER WEAVER'S PLAN

(Author Unknown)

My life is but a weaving 

Between the Lord and me; 

I may not choose the colours, 

He knows what they should be; 

For he can view the pattern 

Upon the upper side 

While I can see it only 

On this, the under side. 

Sometimes He weaveth sorrow, 

Which seemeth strange to me; 

But I will trust His judgment, 

And work on faithfully; 

'Tis He who fills the shuttle, 

And He knows what is best; 

So I shall weave in earnest, 

Leaving for Him the rest. 

Not till the loom is silent 

And the shuttles cease to fly 

Shall God unroll the canvas 

And explain the reason why - 

The dark threads are as needed 

In the Weaver's skilful hand 

As the threads of gold and silver 

In the pattern He has planned.

(Note: The true author of this poem was not yet clarified  for there were more than one authors who were credited with authorship of this poem, so I decided to put "author unknown".)

Lovelots,

Julie Bee