Wherever they may be, many travelers look for nice spots to
witness the sun’s rising and setting. I took the photo below of tourists who
had to wake up very early in the morning to catch the sun’s rising over the
famous Angkor Wat.
And my spouse and I, of course, like all of the other tourists there, tried our very best to get a good shot of the Angkor Wat during sunrise. We did not have the most spectacular sunrise, I must admit, yet we (all the tourists there), went out very early in the morning, squeezed through a crowd, to be able to capture that hoped for spectacular view. Below are our shots that day.
What is in sunrise and sunsets, that many of us are so
captivated by it? Or rather, what is in us, that is fulfilled by the sight of
the sun’s setting and rising?
And why are our souls not yet satisfied with witnessing one
beautiful sunrise or sunset? Some of us are always looking forward to this
experience – might it be that the sunrise and sunset stirs something in us,
that no other thing or person could?
Some of us end up with a huge collection of photographs of “sunrise-sets”
– and often, it is hard to identify a photo taken at the break of dawn and one
that is taken at sundown. And in one of my travels, before departing from Siem
Reap, Cambodia, I wrote this:
Sunrise-sets
I watched the sunset and the sunrise
They did not seem different at all
Might it be true
That they are one and the same
And might it be better
For us to realize
That within our sunrise is the sunset
And within the sunset is the sunrise
Watching the sun set and rise makes me understand SIMPLE ABUNDANCE. There are many things in life that are available for many
of us – like the sunshine, or rain, or water, or air – yet we often fail to
acknowledge these gifts. We somehow take for granted what is just there –
simply there for us – even if we did not ask for it, even if we do not realize
its importance or value in our lives.
Try for just a minute or two to ask yourself:
- “Who or what is there for me, even if I did not
ask for it, yet it gives me life?"
- “Who or what is there constantly for me and
makes my life more meaningful?”
Here are some of my favorite sunrise and sunset shots taken
in different places. I chose some shots from my and my partner’s collection and
also photos recently taken by my nieces on our Christmas day walk on the beach
last year.
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| Year 2008 - Waiting for the sunset at Panagsama Beach, Moalboal, Philippines |
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| Year 2008 - Celebrating the sunset at Panagsama beach |
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| Year 2012 - at Pandan Island, Mindoro |
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| Year 2012, at Pandan Island, Mindoro |
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| Year 2012 - On the other side of the Pandan island, Mindoro |
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| Year 2010 - Daram, Samar |
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| Year 2010 - Coron, Palawan |
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| Year 2010 - Coron, Palawan |
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| Year 2010 - Coron, Palawan |
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| Year 2010 - Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte |
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| Year 2010 - Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte |
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| Year 2014 - Batanes |
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| Year 2013 - Nepal |
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| Year 2013 - Nepal |
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| Year 2014 - Mt. Teidi, Canary Islands, Spain |
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| Year 2010 - Bonn, Germany |
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| Year 2012 - Dauin, Negros Oriental |
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| Year 2013 - Surigao City |
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| Year 2013 - Surigao del Norte |
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| Year 2011 - Nepal |
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| Year 2011 - Poon Hill, Nepal |
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| Year 2011 - Poon Hill, Nepal - with lots of early risers waiting for sunrise |
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| Year 2011 - Poon Hill, Nepal - at the sunrise viewing area |
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| Year 2011 - Watching the sunrise at our bedroom window - Nepal |
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| Year 2011 - Boracay |
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| Year 2011 - Boracay |
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| Year 2005 - Apo Island, Dauin, Negros Oriental |
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| Year 2005 - Apo Island, Dauin, Negros Oriental |
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| Year 2005 - Apo Island, Dauin, Negros Oriental |
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| Year 2005 - Apo Island, Dauin, Negros Oriental |
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| Year 2013 - El Nido, Palawan |
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| Year 2013 - Coron, Palawan |
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| Year 2013 - Coron, Palawan |
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| Year 2012 - Dog sound asleep as the sun was setting at Malapascua Beach, Cebu |
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| Year 2012 - Malapascua, Cebu |
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| Year 2013 - Southern Leyte |
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| Year 2013 - Southern Leyte |
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| Year 2013 - Chitwan, Nepal |
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| Year 2013 - Chitwan, Nepal |
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| Year 2013 - Chitwan, Nepal |
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| Year 2013 - Chitwan, Nepal |
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| Year 2013 - sun down fast approaching, locals on their way home, Chitwan, Nepal |
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| Year 2013 - Nepal, just after sunrise |
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| Year 2013 - Nepal |
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| Year 2013 - Lichtenborn, Germany |
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| Year 2013 - Lichtenborn, Germany |
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| Year 2013 - Lichtenborn, Germany |
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| Year 2014 - Panglao, Bohol |
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| Year 2004 - Anilao, Batangas |
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| Year 2004 - Krabi, Thailand |
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| Year 2009, Grand Canyon, US |
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| Year 2006 - Panglao, Bohol |
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| Year 2014 - Mt. Bagarabon beach, Surigao City |
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| Year 2014 - Mt. Bagarabon beach, Surigao City |
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| Year 2007 - Sipalay, Negros Occidental |
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| Year 2007 - Sipalay, Negros Occidental |
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| Year 2015 - waiting for the sunset at Panagsama beach, Moalboal, Cebu |
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| Year 2015 - waiting for the sunset at Panagsama beach, Moalboal, Cebu |
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| Year 2015 - Warrior pose with nieces at Panagsama beach, Moalboal |
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| Year 2015 - waiting for the sunset and walking at Panagsama beach, Moalboal, Cebu |
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| Year 2005 - Matabungcay, Batangas |
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| Year 2005 - Matabungcay, Batangas |
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| Year 2005 - sunset view of Manila from Antipolo |
I wish you a daily dose of sunrise and sunset and simply, an abundance of blessings!
SIMPLE TIP FOR TRAVELERS:
How to differentiate the sunset from the sunrise is one
topic that scientists have written about. It is indeed very difficult to
distinguish one from the other. One simple trick that will help you sift through your photo collection is by accurately setting the date and time of your camera.
Often, when changing batteries, your camera will flash a message like this one:
“Please set date and time” and in the rush to take your photos, you simply
ignore this message. I’ve been through this challenge – trying to recall when a
photo was taken - not just once but a number of times. So take time to respond
to your camera’s request!
Would you know which one is a sunset or sunrise photo from those that I shared with you?
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