Sunday, January 21, 2007

A Random Walk in Cubao @ 12 Midnight

Cubao at midnight assumes a different personality. The darkness gives way to interesting characters in the night. I often walk in the darkened alleys and lonely side streets of Cubao, and each time is an experience of mixed fascination, disgust, and ultimately, admiration.

I belong to Cubao. No other place gives me a sense of being at home. In Cubao belongs my past, and my present. And maybe my future.

Cubao is indeed a place of utter contradictions. On one part is the new Cubao, as represented by the newly-built Gateway Mall and the new condominium buildings. But on the other part lives the old Cubao, as represented by the old familiar establishments as Ali Mall, the old Bus Terminals, the dilapidated arcades, and the side streets filled aternately with houses and bars.

Now, I take you on a tour to the Cubao that I know, the Cubao of my childhood, and the Cubao of my future.

My portraits in this series are all par below what a professional photographer could do. And maybe some images may not take your interest, such as the photo of a spilled softdrink can in a dark alley, or a scavenger dog digging the garbage, or a man pictured peeing in the public urinal.

This is what I know as Cubao, and this is what I want to share with you...and maybe through this you will have a better knowledge of what Cubao is like.

I am not a professional photographer, and my pictures lack dramatic compositions, the accepted rule of thirds, or other accepted norms of photography.

But I will let you see Cubao from the eyes of one who has been living with it....But in the end I hope you will realize that I, too, have also acquired a personality of Cubao.

Aurora Boulevard Cubao at midnight


A massage spa


Disposing the day's garbage


Time to clean the sewerage


Farmer's Plaza an hour after closing


A street kid saw me photographing at night. He ran to me and asked to also be photographed. He did not ask for any money. Maybe he just felt proud to have his photo taken.


Maligamgam KTV Bar in Stanford Street


Midnight rush to go home


In the dark alleys of Cubao, sleep is where you can find it


A street kid sleeping in the stair of the MRT Train station.
Trying to make a kumot out of his shirt


I was taking this picture of the male public urinal when this man suddenly
sensed he is being photographed. I walked away immediately.


An Ukay-ukay store


Trying to sell the unsold meat at bargain price in the
Farmer's Market, a few minutes before closing time


Farmer's Market closes


An arcade in Cubao


The young Chess players of Cubao. They are burning the midnight
oil to learn the strategies of the game.


Midnight scenery


Losing Lotto tickets near the closed Lotto outlet in P.Tuazon st.


An alley in Cubao


A street scene in Gen. Araneta street


Waiting for the midnight express bus


A spilled softdrink can


The vagrant man of Cubao


Old cinema in Cubao, with Rated "R" movies. 35 pesos
entrance fee, and you get to see two movies. What a bargain!


A Bahay-Kariton found behind the old COD building


A sign to remind people


...and the garbage.....A scavenger dog, scrapes for
left-over foods..shot near Stanford street


Beside the famous Cubao overpass


A closed arcade


Call boys of Cubao


Aurora Boulevard


Chris sells cigarttes and candies to midnight workers and passersbys.


Selling Taho at midnight

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