Sorry for not updating since Day 6. I did mention that it was going to be busy.
As some of you are already aware, I’m back in the U.S…arrived last Monday. Technically, I was back in the U.S. last Sunday (in NY), but didn’t get back to Dallas till Monday. During the last couple of days of the trip, I caught some sort of bug, and I didn’t succumb to it totally until the day I got home. Since then, I’ve been under the weather and in bed, sleeping it off. Right now, back at work, I’m still not feeling up to par, but getting there.
I guess, right now, I’ll give a gist of what happened the remainder of my trip:
Day 7 & 8 – That night we did a bunch of rehearsing for the upcoming event. It was also getting together days with other relatives. Can you believe there are 40 of us in all in the immediate family? It boggles the mind.
Day 9 – We had a one-day family outing to a place called Villa Escudero. It was an old plantation that they made into a resort park. It was interesting also to find an old church in there filled with different antiques. They even had an old love letter written in the deepest Tagalog I have ever read. They could’ve done better as far as preservation of the artifacts (some of the old pictures were deteriorating). The place also had a restaurant where you could dip your feet in the water while you eat. A nearby waterfall was also a treat, for both children and adults.
Day 10 through 13 – Luci, my mom, my nephew Jorvin and I went to Banaue (also known as Banawe) to see the famous Rice Terraces, the 8th Wonder of the World. The hotel we stayed in overlooked the terraces and it’s always an amazing sight especially when you see them first thing in the morning. I was quite disappointed with the weather, though. Being in the mountains, we were told it would be a lot cooler than Manila, but it wasn’t even cool enough to give me a chill.
Also, I had the misfortune of tripping and grazing my knee before the trip, so my movements were limited though I did go up and down one of the cave sites we went to in Sagada, another town we went to for their famous hanging coffins. This picture was the exact place we went to. The way down was treacherous and you really have to use both hands to climb up and down most times. Of course, I had trouble but, I’m proud to say, I managed to do it.
Day 14 & 15 – Back to work for the event. This time, we went to a recording studio to record most of the songs we needed for the big day. It was also a chance to have all of my siblings, nephews, nieces, etc. together in an album full of Filipino folk songs and ballads.
Day 16 & 17 – I don’t know what we did during these days, but I do know that ever since I came back from Banaue, I was hooked to a local telenovela or soap opera called Full House. Actually, it’s a Korean soap opera, dubbed in Tagalog. :P My sibs keep laughing at me because of this, but I can’t help it because the story is so good. :) I even went and bought the complete season VCD of another Korean soap opera dubbed in Tagalog called Endless Love. I’m also waiting till the Full House one has come out with its complete season VCD so I can buy it. I even asked my sister back in the Philippines to let me know when it comes out. I laugh at myself by doing this, but I can’t help it, hehehehe.
Day 18 – Day before the big day. We finally get our outfits for the event, but still needed a little alteration on part of it. There was a little melodrama that went on that I can’t share since I don’t know most of the story (must be the soap operas I’ve been watching! :P), but later on, everything was okay.
Day 19 – Finally, the big day! I think I spent most of the time on my feet than sitting down as we did a lot of performing and other stuff for our grandparents. I hope they loved every minute of it. :) By the end of the day, I was dead beat, but then it was also the last day before we left for home, so almost all the sibs spent the night at our hotel room until we left for the morning. My sister Jeanne did a very touching speech followed by a likewise touching prayer.
Day 20 – That morning was the day we left for the airport. My other sister Leke and hubby already went ahead of us since they had an earlier flight.
That’s about it. Also some tidbits that went on during the trip: had some work done on my teeth, bought some contacts before the big day came, Luci lost his eyeglasses in Banaue so we had to get another pair made, watched Star Wars (of course!), I got together with a couple of my bestest friends in New York (Luke and Gayle) and had a short jamming session, and so on. I also learned that my mom and my sister Leke caught the bug also on their return to Dallas, so I wasn’t alone. Just wish it didn’t happen, though, because now I’m feeling tired all the time. Just hope I get better the next few days.
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed my somewhat summarized version of my trip to the Philippines. It still left me hanging, though. 3 weeks is too short of a stay. Oh well, someday, Luci and I will be back.
I Have Cramps 