I was still reeling from the changes of
2016, and I was mostly on coping mode when 2017 arrived. If not for the grand
family vacation in Cebu for Katkat’s destination wedding, I would not have
psychologically moved on and realized it’s a whole, brand-new year.
At our annual Leonin reunion, which we
hosted at our house for the second straight year, all talk was about flight
numbers and accommodation arrangements in Cebu. Besides the pre-wedding dinner
and wedding reception itself, we thought about possible free time to go around
and see the sites. The Cebu trip really began the year for us with a big bang
and it felt like an extended family reunion.
For all the times I have been in Cebu, I
thought there was nothing more to see. But there is always something new in a
place like Cebu which is urban and cosmopolitan enough, while being close
enough to nature’s best offerings. Although the family bonding moments and
wedding preparations ate up almost all our time, we were able to squeeze in a
visit to Fort San Pedro and the newly-minted tourist spot - “Temple of Leah”
owned by actress Ellen Adarna’s family.
Temple of Leah was built as a memorial
to a much-beloved deceased wife, much like a Taj Mahal. The spouses were avid
travelers and brought home numerous souvenirs as remembrances of their trips to
other countries. Temple of Leah was designed to look like Europe’s famous
sites, with Roman and Greek pillars, beautiful sculptures and fountains, as well
as a spacious courtyard with that Paris or Rome-feel.
On the other hand, my earliest memory of
Bacolod when I was around 9 or 10, was also my first plane ride. We had come
over to Negros upon the invitation of my soon-to-be brother-in-law who was a
native of San Carlos City. Succeeding visits to Bacolod as an adult and DSWD
staff only got me as far as the seeing their San Sebastian Cathedral and their
famous grilled chicken restaurants. This time around in 2017, I finally got to
see the very popular “The Ruins” in Talisay and Campuestuhan in the hills just outside
Bacolod City. The Ruins was originally a family home of a wealthy sugar baron,
dedicated to the memory of a deceased wife. Its design was very European,
characterized by majestic arcs and portals, high pillars and walls. While only
the restored concrete skeleton remains, it has been said the house had narra
hardwood floors which took days to completely burn after the Americans burned
the whole house down to prevent the Japanese from using it as a headquarters
during World War II. But as much as I was impressed and awed by the Ruins, I
could not resist going to see neighboring Silay City’s heritage site of
ancestral houses. A true heritage site, Silay and its old Spanish-era houses
did not disappoint. Unlike the Ruins which was just an empty shell, these
ancestral houses were actually lived in and hence, preserved, by descendants of
the original builders. Grandest of them all was the Balai Negrense, former home
of the Gaston family, but now a museum since it was donated to the government.
Since I was also working with COSE on a
manual for senior citizens that year, I got to visit some new places around the
Philippines. The first time I was in Bukidnon, I only remembered Dahilayan
Adventure Park which had the “longest” zipline at the time. My second time in
Bukidnon allowed me to enjoy the cross-country travel from Cagayan de Oro. I
viewed the coastline scenery of CDO until we reached the mountains and rivers
of Bukidnon. From Manolo Fortich to Malaybalay to Valencia until Maramag, home
of the world’s cleanest wet market. The land was rich and fertile, with water
sources truly abundant, from rivers to waterfalls. It is difficult to
comprehend why most of its populace remain poverty-stricken. But then again, it
is a region known for some peace and security issues. That long bus ride was
also punctuated by several check-points, requiring all passengers to alight and
show IDs to the soldiers, plus there’s that occasional agricultural quarantine stops.
Meanwhile, my first time in Camarines
Norte brought me to Daet and nearby Talisay. I got to see Bagasbas Beach known
as a prime surfing spot for some avid wave riders. But since we visited late in
the year, when the rains and the amihan
weather was blowing, the waves were scary HUGE that there were tall billboards
warning inexperienced beach-goers to avoid swimming in the rough surf. Still,
some locals were crazy enough to go out there and brave the waves. Through the
rolling, roiling surge, all I could see is “white” water as wave upon wave came
and crashed.
So Wifey and I simply walked the beach,
enjoying the salty breeze, as the strong tide came and went with the rain
clouds hovering above us. Together, we mulled over the past year, its gifts of
successes and accomplishments, but also some prayers and wishes which were not
yet granted. In the midst of this meditation, only a feeling of gratefulness ultimately
prevailed.
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