Most of us don't think a lot about charcoal except when we need to grill our steaks. But for many folks who can't afford cooking gas, it's the only game in town.
We were at the Ulingan in Tondo Manila where discarded wood is turned into charcoal. Scrap vendors truck-in pre-loved wood in all shapes and sizes, while charcoal cooks arrange them into neat rectangular piles before covering them in sand and setting them on fire. Water sprinkled generously keep the wood smouldering instead of burning, which is how wood is turned into mounds of charcoal instead of piles of ash. Between the squalid working conditions, the soot & grime that can make you feel like you're covered in cheap make-up, and the acrid smell of smoke that stays on you for days... it's a place I won't soon forget. And we shouldn't. (Yes you can help: Project Pearls ) Enjoy.
(Pixel-peepers: When your story is in the shadows surrounded by very bright light, don't worry about blowing out your highlights. The story always comes first.)
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But wait, there's more...
For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers. Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas. No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)
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