I can proudly
say that 2012 had been a very busy year for me, at least in terms of traveling.
From the country’s capital in Manila to some places north, some areas in the
south and even some other nations, which are more than a thousand miles from
here. What did I find out? Well, at least I realized some things that no books
or any other publication can offer. I found another life.
First time to experience a fiesta from another town far from Metro Manila, I went to Lucban, Quezon to grace the annual Pahiyas Festival, a celebration in honor of San Isidro Labrador. Aside from mingling in the town church and seeing almost all of the houses decorated in fresh fruits and veggies, we also went to the Kamay ni Hesus, a shrine of the Christ the King situated along the way to the town proper of Lucban. From the top of the two-hundred plus steps, a nice view welcomed us and made me realize that nature indeed is amazing.
Laguna
Working in the
company where I am right now, it took me almost two years before I finally
managed to sneak out of the office, from the walls of the former capital city
or the nation’s center. My first work-related destination was to the hillside
of Mount Makiling in Laguna.
From a
community that hails the national hero as their God, I realized how religion
can alter your entire personal belief and make you give up all that you have,
just to live in a much simpler life, until final judgment comes. And if end
indeed comes, I’m pretty sure that those people living in Barangay Lecheria,
who exist peacefully will surely get the eternal peace that they very well
deserve for keeping up a well-mannered life.
Cabanatuan
Looking for a
missing person is hard but finding someone without a name and all you have was
an unruly photograph taken more than two decades ago is so much harder.
This statement
proved true to me and my co-worker, but it also made us believe that some
seemingly impossible tasks can be attainable, provided that you would not give
up. Patience is the key and with it, our goal was achieved just within two
hours or faster than the 3-hour travel time that we had to arrive in a humble
community in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija.
We talked to
an earthquake survivor who did not give up, even during her most difficult
moment. By enduring all the hardships, it made me note that good times will
come just after we get over the dark times in our life.
Corregidor
Once an
American base before and during the years of the Second World War, this small
island situated in Bataan inhabits one of the oldest and most promising remnants
in Philippine history. A good location for scenes featuring the good old days
of the country, one only problem being faced by this area is its slow decay due
to pollution coming from the city and being diverted to the island.
From this
beautiful island, you will notice that the small trash that you throw can reach
a far place and harm an entire ecology. Being green is not just by sounding
green, we have to really act now before it gets too late that we will no longer
have a planet to save.
The pollution
in Corregidor was so disturbing that it will make you realize how other can
boast of a fun place when all they can get is dirt.
Malolos,
Bulacan
Every year, it
has been my tradition to visit a church that I have never been through to
celebrate my birthday. Last year, I went to Barasoain Church and Malolos
Cathedral in Bulacan. This part of Region IV is a humble town and everyone is
peacefully living and minding their own business.
During my
visit to the Barasoain Church, the film crew of the Metro Manila Film Festival
entry, El Presidente, was shooting for I thought was one of the most important
scenes to be carried in the film. The story was about the life and journey of
the country’s first president Emilio Aguinaldo. Malolos, Bulacan had been the
historical place where the Philippines as a republic was established.
I have never
been to this historic Church even if I was always seeing it from the back of
the then ten-peso bill. When I arrived in the place, I realized how historic it
truly is for it is still being preserved, not only by the Church officials but
also by the national government as one of the country’s treasures.
After seeing
the film crew, I also realized how I miss being part of the production team and
getting stressed just to follow the deadline technically imposed to us by the
producers. Oh well, I had my share of knowledge in the field of production and
if given a chance, I would always try to impart it to those who wish to know my
experience.
Davao
My first time
in Mindanao and I landed in the south’s capital city. Although it wasn’t a
work-related travel, I enjoyed every moment that I had while being alone in the
foreign place. Davao is a lot different compared to Manila for in this place,
you can freely walk alone without the fear of being held-up, kidnap or killed.
They said that Mindanao isn’t a happy or safe place but I say otherwise. It is
much peaceful in Davao and you can enjoy every moment while in the area.
In Davao, I
learned to be courageous in terms of standing up for yourself. I also learned
how to finally take risks and do the seemingly impossible things, especially if
you know that it can best define you and make you happy. I made friends in
Davao and even if we’re almost caught in a storm while in the middle of a not
yet advanced island, I realized that life and its every moment is important that
we must seize it always.
Vietnam
Another
country, I arrived in Vietnam not because of work but because I want to
understand their culture and make assessment about how they differ from us,
which is another Southeast Asian nation. People of Vietnam don’t have some of
the qualities that we, as Filipinos, are proud of like being hospitable to
guests but they can surely teach you how to appreciate life in a different way.
In the foreign
country, I realized what I was worth in the eyes of some people. Not that I experienced being a millionaire literally in Vietnam, I
realized that similar to ordinary people, who are fighting with their best to
strive in the competition of life, I am just nobody. In this area of the world,
I understood that in my current lifetime, I still have to find a way to matter
in the lives of others.
Cambodia
Stepping to
another area and passing through the two countries’ borders was still an alien
idea to me until I finally experienced how possible and easy it is to land in
another nation—with an entirely different form of government, currency, and
culture—without even flying.
I stepped in
Cambodia to see one of the world’s seven wonders, the Angkor Wat and other
outstanding temples that make the country unique. Back when I was in my college
days, I immediately became fascinated by these wonders when it was discussed in
our Art Appreciation class.
To cynics,
perhaps nothing is unusual with Angkor Wat plus the fact that Cambodia’s
temperature is extremely hot. However, seeing the sun shines while its ray of
light slowly touches and runs through the edges of the temple; it’s just so
magical. Seeing this, I instantly realized how great our Creator is in perfectly
aligning the world’s beauty to awe us, while feeling down caused by life’s
imperfection
The people of
Vietnam and Cambodia are almost the same only that they speak of different
languages. I realized that we just have to understand their culture and respect
our individual differences.
Hong Kong and
Macau
Hong Kong and Macau are two different entities linked to the People’s Republic of China and compared to Vietnam and Cambodia, glamour will highlight your travel to this part of the world. If Vietnam to Cambodia is a travel by land, Hong Kong to Macau is through a ferry that passes through the body of water that divides that two region. Hong Kong and Macau are also comparatively small compared to our country but to enjoy it, a single day is not enough for there are a lot of things to do.
In Hong Kong, I realized how many Filipinos try to risk a lot of things just to give their families back in Manila a decent life to live. Even though Hong Kong is a very pleasing place, some Filipinos, particularly the OFWs, hardly enjoy their stay because for them, they have to work their butts off for their relatives who rely on them.
But of course,
since Hong Kong is the home of one of the oldest Disneylands in the world, one
can totally forget his normal life and enter a world of fantasy that we earlier
believed to have only live in our dreams. In Hong Kong, particularly in
Disneyland, you will enter the world of yesterday, today and tomorrow, and
surely leave with a smile in your face.
In Macau, I
experienced living like the prosperous people in world. I slept in an executive
suite of one of the world’s most expensive hotel and got drunk while jumping
and dancing in one of the softest bed that I’ve seen so far in my life. In
Macau, I realized that happiness is surely a part of life and we must always
look for it, instead of always being down by the critical times that life gives
us.
Macau is also
the home of the famous tourist attractions in Asia and it also serves as the
converging area of the world’s different religions, including Catholic,
Christian, Buddist, Taoist, Hinduism and others.
Ilocos Region
In most of my
travel, I arrived in my destinations alone. But in this part of the country, I
brought my mother along. It was her 60th birthday and as she turns
to the senior age, I thought that it’s only fitting for her to celebrate it by
letting her experience her firsts in life.
It was her
first time to travel by bus for almost 12 hours. It was first time for her to
get out of the metro and arrived in a province with a completely different
dialect. It was her first time to see a Philippine president at a close range.
It was her first time to see some of the country’s hidden beauty that only
foreigners and travelers can enjoy. Most importantly, it was her first time to
be a tourist and enjoy a plane ride, even if it is just for an hour.
I chose Ilocos
Region, particularly Vigan and Laoag, because it is a place where religion and
natural beauty meets. Since I wanted to thank my mom for all the hardships that
she had in raising me as a civil man, it made me chose Ilocos because of the
amazing feeling that it also gave me when I first traveled it some two years
ago.
When we
arrived back home, I realized that it was again my time to return to work and
studies and hope that these travels will also be repeated some time in the
not-so-distant future.
Postscript
I
am a cheap traveler and I seldom spend too much in my every destination. If
there is something that I can be proud of in my travels last year, it is the
fact that I started my leg work from June to December—mostly during the last
two months of the year—and spent not more than P50,000 for everything.
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