125.7 x 87.6 cm
I wandered from place to place, camera in hand—an old Nikon, loaded with whatever film I could find: B&W or color, new or expired. Bahala na si Bathala.
Twenty years later, I finally processed the rolls. Some shots were overexposed, others may mold na—parang may second story na idinagdag. These photos offer a glimpse into my travels during the late ’90s to early 2000s—getting lost across Europe and Asia, piecing together my way back home one city at a time.
With a 3-week Eurail pass and a half-German, half-shepherd passport, I had no idea how massive Europe was. Naligaw ako—every day, a new city. I survived on bread and cheese, and once a week, nakaka-tsamba ng kanin from random Chinese restaurants. I hung out in plazas and small cafés, watching the world through my lens, waiting for a moment to click—when something unseen would guide my finger. That sound—the click of an old camera—captured the light, the person, the leaf, yung eksaktong sandali na 'yon.
Each frame froze a moment powered by light. Parang magic.
From “first world” capitals to “third world” alleyways, buhay ang constant. As Lakay John Lennon said, “Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.”
From sleeping dogs at Sechen monastery in Kathmandu to a painted lute player on a Lisbon wall, these photos are time portals—taken 20 years ago, completed today. They show the diverse and beautiful COOL-TURE of this world.