January 28, 2013

2012 Trips

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.

Lucban, Quezon

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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