Biographies of world figures

The month of May has been declared as Philippine Heritage Month. And what better way to celebrate this is by having my favorite Harry Potter Funko Pop visit 11 Cebu Heritage sites. One Sunday afternoon, I decided to spend it by going around the city of Cebu bringing with me one of my Funko Pop figurines. I wanted to highlight the various historical sites found in downtown Cebu. I wasn't able to cover all the places that I wanted to focus on since I started a bit late. Watch out for a second edition. Most of the places that I took photos of are located in the Parian District of Cebu City. During the Spanish Colonial period, Chinese merchants, traders, and their families were segregated to areas known as Parian. In Cebu City, the Parian District was founded in 1590 and was placed under the supervision of the Jesuits. In Cebu, every last Friday of May has been earmarked as Gabii sa Kabilin or Night of Heritage. From 6 PM to 12 AM, people are encouraged to visit participating museums, ...

Except for the flying dragons, wight-walkers, and the never-ending snow, HBO's Game of Thrones was mostly inspired by England's the Wars of the Roses . It all started in 1399 when Richard II was deposed by Henry Bolingbroke Duke of Lancaster . This triggered a change in the Royal succession. Henry Bolingbroke, who would be crowned as Henry IV, essentially stole the throne from Richard II and his chosen heir Edmund Mortimer Earl of March.  This paved the events leading to the Wars of the Roses which pitted members of the Plantagenet Dynasty against each other. Family intrigue, warring relations, and changing loyalties marked one of the bloodiest chapters in British history. Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, and Daenerys Targaryen The red rose became the symbol of House Plantagenet who descended from John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster, the third son of Edward III. While the House of York can trace its origins from Lionel Duke of Clarence and Edmund Duke of York, the second and fourth s...

“I love quotations because it is a joy to find thoughts one might have, beautifully expressed with much authority by someone recognized wiser than oneself.” ― Marlene Dietrich For those who belong to my generation (or older), you might recall the Quotable Quotes section of Reader's Digest. To practice my handwriting (which is still atrocious), I would copy all the quotes found on that page.  That memory came to my mind one day as I was taking photos of my Funko Pop vinyl collection.  I've decided to combine my love of Pops and quotes. Here are some that I made based on popular pop culture icons. James or Jim Moriarty is the arch-nemesis of Sherlock Holmes even though he only appears in one story. The quote comes directly from Holmes as written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. James Moriarty Here's the eccentric detective himself, Sherlock Holmes . The Funko Pop is based on Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of the modern-day Holmes. He is holding his favorite violin which he p...

"The others in the village --- they thought this was something I wanted. Something I chose to do. But it never felt that way to me. No, it was not a choice. It was an obligation." Ratonhnhake:ton (Connor Kenway) Connor Kenway is an ancestor of Desmond Miles through the paternal line. He is also half-British and half-American Indian. He  is the son of Master Templar, Haytham Kenway and Kaniehtí:io. His grandfather is the renowned Privateer and Assassin, Edward Kenway. Connor Kenway is the featured Assassin in Assassin's Creed III. He comes after the Ezio Auditore trilogy. In the historical context of Assassin's Creed, he brings back to life the devastation that rogue Assassin, Shay Cormac, brought to the American branch of the Assassins. He revived the interest of Achilles Davenport and was trained by him to become  a Master Assassin of the Colonial Brotherhood of Assassin, He showed agility in manning a ship just like his grandfather, Edward. He renovated the Assassin...

"WHEN YOU PLAY THE GAME OF THRONES, YOU WIN OR YOU DIE. THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND." In just a few hours, the season finale of HBO's most popular series, Game of Thrones, will be aired. The tenth episode is titled, "Winds of Winter", which coincidentally is the same title of the unpublished book six. George RR Martin is definitely putting some sweet time in writing the novel. Some fans consider last week's episode as the anti-climactic one since it showed the epic Battle of the Bastards. And saw the demise of the much-hated character of Ramsay Bolton. For me, I'm both excited and a little bit sad that the season will be drawing to a close and that we have to wait another year for the next one. Some rumors are spreading that the last two seasons will have fewer episodes since they've almost extinguished the book materials that they have on hand. In season 6, we've seen a lot of stories of redemption from unlikely characters. Previous villains came ...

Mr. Holmes and his complete works and stories My first literary sleuth, Sherlock Holmes , has been brought to life countless of times through the decades. In the 21st century, there have been 3 popular portrayals of the 19th-century detective. And each depiction has its own pros and cons.  I've seen all three depictions of Holmes by these actors and each one of them bring a different perspective on the sleuth.  While reading these stories created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, I couldn't imagine how popular he would become once again in the new millenium. Sherlock is timeless. Robert Downey Jr. played  him in the movies while American television reincarnated him as a New York inhabitant with Jonny Lee Miller and a female Watson to boot, played by Lucy Lui.  Downey showed Holmes as an action figure who dresses like a hobo. Miller's Holmes is more neurotic and rich. But the most enjoyable and quintessential British portrayal would be BBC's Benedict Cumberbatch . That dist...

Last year when I began collecting Funko pop! figures, it was for fun and cuteness. But after months of being immersed in the culture, I have taken my Funko Pop! photography seriously. The World of Harry Potter  A lot of the collectors will tell you that these are not toys but collectibles. They won't even take them out of the box. For me, collecting them tells my Pop Culture history. My favorite book series, Harry Potter, had an original lineup of 9 figures, They're so popular that they're coming out with a new collection this month. The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, they're not only popular TV shows but also as Funko Pop icons.  Whether you go to Instagram or Pinterest or Facebook, you'll find pages or sites solely dedicated to Funko Pop characters. Here are my 5 reasons why I love to take photos of Funko Pop figures. 1. The models are photogenic. Side-view, top-view, flat lay, low light, sunlight---whatever lighting or angle that you use, your Fun...

"You humbled me once, and I took that hard lesson, and I bettered myself. Die knowing that for all of our conflict, you helped make a soldier out of a scoundrel." - Edward Kenway One of the best Assassin's Creed characters in the series, Edward Kenway, is the lead protagonist in AC IV also known as Black Flag. Edward is both a pirate and privateer who accidentally became an Assassin when he got stranded on a Caribbean island with Assassin traitor, Duncan Walpole. He impersonated Walpole in order to infiltrate the Templars and find out what their plans are. But changed his allegiance when he met the other Assassins.  Edward in his Assassin's Creed robe with a flintlock pistol and pirate sword. Gameplay setting spans a decade and takes place in the Caribbean. Edward is the father of Haytham Kenway, Master Templar of the Americas during the events of the American Revolution. He is also the grandfather of Connor Kenway who appeared in Assassin's Creed III.  With his t...