Beating the blues. Away.

Hoho. how is everyone's vaycay? You are very much welcome to share to me those skinny dippin' / getting wasted story of yours because as for me i will be doing same old shit stuff on holidays.. uh Pinas' holy-days that's what i meant. Not even feeling the "mahal na araw" so to speak. So what am i gonna miss this time? Let's see..

It is holy Wednesday already [when i started writing this], so if i were in Pinas that would mean last working kick ass day. Me and Ts should have gone to Puerto already [or not hehe.], worked on our tan, ate halo-halo and iskrambol, get a massage from the ates offering their services to my voluptious body, have your hair braided, or have some henna tattoos by kuya in gecko's, wandered in the cave and have photo ops, and partey-ed [pinipilit talaga!] on the beach front drinking some free Mindoro Sling or beer [no choice hehe] with some local acts playing on the background. We usually go to Galera before the holy week and after the season is over. We do not enjoy crowded resorts and the high accommodation rates! hehe. We always preferred (and would definitely Loove) staying in Tamaraw resort instead of White beach but we never did because we want the trip to be hasel-free. So everyone would have voted to stay in White beach and Kris and I will stay in Tamaraw. haha. "I would love to spend that night with you Kris, alone in the serene island baby.. Just You and me!" [kinikilabutan na si Kris!!! haha] And we will stay there for 3 days and 2 nights. Great great quality time [:

Or..

I could have gone home and spend some time with my old buddies, drinking gin over some kropek or mani, star gazing in the palapag with some videoke singing our hearts out all day and all night! Along with that, we will be planning to go to either Majayjay or Quezon to visit that fag who never dared to see us! haha. Gaad, i really miss Kebs - being the chef of the tropa and me being his all around assistant! I miss cooking good foods for my friends in panguse - Ukoy, Sinigang, Adobo.. Adobong Sitaw!! haha. Kahit low budget lang kadalasan! I miss inihaw na bangus! And i've been craving that for months now...

On Good Friday...

Eversince we always spend semana santa in Taytay where most of my mom's relatives are there. It is always like a reunion when holy week comes almost everyone in the clan prepares some food like ginataang bilo-bilo, lumpiang ubod, and fish, fish, fish. It has been a tradition for us to fast in observance of the holy days especially Good Friday so it's a hell-no for pork and the like.

In Taytay they build this "alta" (or altar) on every street corner. There is the altar as you enter where anyone can sing the pasyon in front of the image of Jesus. At the back will be the kitchen and pantry where the free food will be prepared, cooked, and eaten. The alta is usually made of light materials - wood and coconut leaves for the walls and the roof and will be dismantled on Easter Sunday. Unlike in Cardona, the pabasa is being sponsored by the hermano/hermana in their own homes. And by the way, the best food being served in the alta is the famous caldo! Yum [:

The penitensiya is also my favorite tradition during holy week. Where groups of men depicts some scene in the bible and reenacts it on the street. The exact scene on how Jesus was seized and punished by carrying the cross. Drum rolls and beats are the signals that a penitensiya is coming. Some of its members will collect small amount from the spectators as donations and based on that they will decide if the designated "Jesus" will be reprimanded in front of the audience [anu bang english ng "hatol"??]. He will be hit by the hudyos with a number of belts clustered together. Aww it does hurt. And he will carry this huge cross made of solid wood and walk some kilometers barefooted and sun baked. Sometimes some "Jesus" lose their conciousness during the penitensiya. But among these acts comes my favorite character: Judas Iscariot! They always make him uber scary! He scares kids. Even me! hehe

Before three o'clock hits the clock, we should hit the road going back to Cardona to attend the procession at night. And then spend the rest of the holidays with my family. Since there is no regular programming offered on the tivo on these days except for The Passion of the Christ or The Seven last words, we usually watch tons of dvds while eating whatever the craving of everyone would be.

Then comes Easter Sunday! It is one of my favorite among the festive holidays because it is just like Christmas minus the gift giving and aguinaldos! hehe. Mas tipid pero masaya! haha Haay. how i miss home. Just being there. Being complete is something that everyone should treasure!