Ode to Summer

Summer’s gone and rain’s coming. Despite the unbearable heat and the intense sweat of my month-long vacation, I could still say that it’s the best season of the year. Days may pass, experiences may not be the same, but the memories last…

Things that reminded me of:

BAGUIO: Relatively Cool Weather, Tiny Trinkets of Rain, Justin’s Warm and Accomodating Grandparents, Soup with Mushrooms and Watercress (yum!), Retreat Houses! (I am fascinated in particular of the Assumption House of Prayer…the place is so serene!), OSB Retirement House, The Mansion, San Pablo Seminary, "Mountain Maid" products @ Good Shepherd Sisters Convent (Had my fill with baked siopao and fresh strawberry juice), Photo-ops at the Hotel Room & Lobby, Baguio Cathedral, Palm Sunday, SM City Veranda, Ukay-ukay at Burnham Park (we were sooo frustated!), St. Bernard (I mean, Huge St. Bernard!), Bling-blings (they’re actually made of silver,hehehe), Comfort Room of Andok’s (I’d rather not describe what I saw…hideous!), 7:15 P.M. Bus back to Manila…

BICOL: 10 hours bus trip, Mitch Albom’s "For One More Day" & Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s "Memories of My Melancholic Whores", Stop Over at Chowking Candelaria, Quezon Province, The Magnificent Mayon Volcano, Halo Halo of Tiwi, Albay (Probably the BEST Halo Halo in the World!), Abaca Products (From Bags to slippers to wallets to lamp shades), Karla Bonoff’s "Standing Right Next to Me (The song I listened to as we waited for our guide), Giant Boulders (Reminiscent of the chaos caused by the two supertyphoons), Boiled Sweet Potatoes & Indian Mangoes (Exposure at Social Action Center’s Sustainable Agriculture), Bigg’s Diner, Bicol Express, Linaing, & Pinangat, Acronyms such as SEDP, BCDA, BSAC, etc., Dominican Sisters of St. John’s Academy (they were very funny!), Terra Cotta wind chimes & oil burner (I bought one set each)

GENERAL SANTOS: Campaign Posters of Darlene Custodio and Pacman posted all over the place, NCC Mall, Cargo shorts with Military Print I bought at Bench and 3 Hankies from the department store, American Idol’s Country Music Week (Jordin Spark’s rendition of Martina McBride’s Broken Wing was awesome!), Freshly Grilled Tuna Panga (juicy, melts in my mouth!), Seaweeds!, Frozen Sprite, My pair of white Havaianas slippers (keeps me going!), A surprise visit at Fr. Ramil’s parish (and joined him in the celebration of his 1st year sacerdotal anniversary)

SULTAN KUDARAT: (Isulan) Fr. Jude’s ordination at Isulan, Overnight stay at a lodging house (I forgot the name), A taste of typical Ilonggo menu served during fiestas (estofado, sarciado, afritada…feels like home!), Notre Dame of Isulan, Sophisticated Muslim Dances (The dancers were good..really good!), Sound of gongs and cymbals, Met my "twin brother" (in the person of Fr. Dondi…we’re very much alike!), Esperanza Parish, Watermelon Splurge!, Freestyle’s "Before I Let You Go" on our way back to Isulan; (Tacurong) Notre Dame University Campus, J.Lo’s On the 6 Concert (I was stunned by the Flamenco!), 6 bottles of San Mig Light and I was drunk!hehehe, Idol Gives Back, Full Moon, Early Morning Mist; (Surallah) Mosques on our way to Lake Sebu, Estares Lake Resort, Boating! (and be marvelled by the tranquility of the place), Fresh Tilapia served in different viands!, Fooling around with fellow Josefinos, "Anik-anik"

MARBEL: Palarong Pambansa 2007, Haggling at the long rows of souvenir shops (indulging at the "whozits and whatzits" galore of the city plaza), sarongs, durian candies, ethnic jewelries, bagobo bells, finely woven textiles with intricate designs and patterns, noise of cheering crowds inside the stadium, Good times with Fr. Jess (sigh…we will miss his company)

SARANGANI PROVINCE: Joke time inside the bus (Andaming baon na green jokes ni Ian as usual,hehehe),Untainted and unspoiled beaches of the Municipality of Glan, A glimpse of the islands of Malaysia and Indonesia, This used to be my "playground"…(see-saw and mini slide…it’s good to bring back the memories of my childhood…), Seafoods!, Okrayan sa Dagat, Night Swimming with fellow Josefinos and Ate Gara, Aguinaldo Mass on the eve of April? (beautiful insights and reflections from the group), Deep sharing with Classmate Joy with few shots of brandy (Tipsy Turvy), My Precious!!! (I almost lost my commitment ring…)

DAVAO CITY: 2 and a half hours trip from General Santos City, Watched Apocalypto on board Yellow Bus Line, Expansive banana plantation somewhere in Digos, Beaches along Toril, PNP Check Point, Ecoland Bus Terminal, Sampaguita Tourist Inn, Banok’s Grill (unlimited rice!), Bob Marley’s "No Woman No Cry" (Courtesy of Yon’s Apple Green "Mercedes",hehehe), Bonding with Bestfriend Wewe at Jack’s Ridge, Matina Town Square, Fresh Marang and Durian at Magsaysay Park (true enough, the fruit smells like hell but tastes like heaven), Aldevinco (Bought polo shirts for papa and my brother in law; Wewe bought a nice bag for Ate Gara, malong for Ian), Ateneo De Davao University, The New Davao Domestic Airport, Chris Daughtry’s "Home" (I kept on playing this song on my way back to General Santos City…sniff,sniff…)

DUMANGAS, ILOILO: Coastal Road (quick and easy access to the town plus the spectacular view!)…Myths, folklores and urban legends (is there really an aswang in Dumangas?), The hospitality of Doyohoy Family (one of a kind! I am grateful to Nong Bong, Nanay Lydia & their folks!), Newbies for JARSEM!, Had a good laugh! (courtesy of Joeper a.k.a "Ate Glow" and Rene John Belarso), Reunion with Bolano Al, The importance of being "relational" (the thoughts of Fr. Joemarie urged me to ponder deep into myself…reminded me of M. Scott Peck’s "A Different Drum"), Cultural Night (Theologians ended up the program with a bang—dancing UD4’s "Kembot"), Pag-ibig mo Yahweh & Awit ng Paghahangad, "Hawak-Kamay", An opportunity to be familiar with my younger brothers especially those coming from the college department.

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