Street Art Love

I recently took a fancy on street art and murals. Enough that I started a Facebook page dedicated to it. I called the page Writings On The Wall. Writings on the Wall is a tribute to public art and their artists (unknown, in many cases ) "because they would be soon gone before we know it." 

Murals and street art are fleeting- it is the sad fact of it. But they do a lot to make an otherwise drab place beautiful and artsy.  It will be a shame not to have a memory of these work of arts painstakingly painted by their artists.  

For my first street art photography, I went to Bonifacio Global City. Being a new business center with new, beautiful buildings, it seemed an unlikely place to have street art and murals. Surprisingly, for 2 consecutive years, they have commissioned  local and foreign artists to paint lovely murals.  Here's my top 10 favorite (not in particular order) :

(1) A boy and a tiger
Location: Lane O (back of fully booked) , Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines

Artist – Nate Frizzell

2) Called "DAVID'S HAND" in the artist's website, but is referred to as "IN THE CLOUD" in most blogs I read
Location: 7th Avenue (at Mango Tree Bar) , Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines
Artist – Bunnie Reiss

3)  A girl and the birds
Location:Near Timezone , Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines
Artist – Nate Frizzell

4)  "BETWEEN THE LINES"

Location: 7th Avenue corner Federacion Drive , Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines

Artist – Cyrcle

5) A friendly bear in the city ...

Location: 7th Avenue corner Lane O (at R.O.X.) , Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines
Artist – Nate Frizzell

6) "MAY YOU FIND COMFORT HERE"
Location – B-1 Parking, Bonifacio High Street , Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines
Artist – KFK

7) "PILANDOK"
Location - Lane P, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig,Metro Manila, Philippines
Artist - Egg Fiasco

8) "ART MURAL"

Location: 5th Avenue corner 25th Street , Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines
Artist – Faileart

9) 'MAGIC OWL"

Location: B-1 Parking , Bonifacio High Street , Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines
Artist – Bunnie Reiss

10) "Charlotte"

Location:Near Timezone , Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines
Artist – Nate Frizzell

And of course...there are those beautiful "art in trash".

So..head over to BGC before they are gone!

Applying for Australian Tourist Visa (Philippine Nationals)

I got my Australian visa in just 2 working days!  I expected a three week turn around time- but what a pleasant surprise!  A few tips for those applying for Australian Visa:

1. Prepare and scan (in jpeg format) the following documents beforehand:

• Current passport
• Passport photo page
• Entry /exit stamps of current passport
• Copy of visas for USA, UK, European Countries, Australia, New Zealand (if available)
• Previous passports
• Entry/exit stamps
• Copy of visas for USA, UK, European Countries, Australia, New Zealand (if available)
• Proof of financial capability (to show how you are going to finance your trip)
• Certificate of Employment which shows the salary received
• Bank certification and copy of bank statements
• Credit card statement showing the credit limit
• Proof of assets, if available
• Car registration
• Title of properties
• Proof of invitation , if applicable
• Invitation letter 
• Copy of passport photo page of the person sending the invite
• Proof of identity
• Birth certificate

2. Apply online. There are 2 ways to file for the visa- through a 3rd party, VFS Global, or through the online channel.  I went for the online channel.  It is faster, more convenient and you save on VFS' service fee and courier cost. 

• Click on this link:

https://online.immi.gov.au/usm/alertPreferences

• Register
• Fill in all the required information 
• Attach the documents mentioned above
• Pay using credit card (I paid approximately Php4,800)

Wait for the visa grant notice which will be sent to your email. 

3. Upon receipt of the visa grant notice, print it. This is what you will show the immigration officer when you travel. 

Hope this helps, and goodluck!