59: about having the Ilocano blood and narrow roads

Yesterday we left the resort compound in search of cheaper food.

As expected, the resort had a limited menu and was expensive. Spending a meal or two outside would save us maybe around a thousand pesos so off we go.

I was a bit worried at first. The maps showed no pathways from our beach front to other more populated spots. There was only this one post saying there IS a way, but you have to exert effort as it was difficult to find.

So first we walked along the shore, past the fishing village, through narrow elevated ledges separating sand and soil. It was a picturesque one, this village sprayed with both torn down and freshly painted boats. Here and there a group of fishermen playing mahjong, burning time. Children playing along the shore.

After asking for directions, we were led now to a wide road leading inland. Relatively new, this smooth road had steep slopes and curves, and at places were filled with dried coconuts that fell and were ignored a long time ago.

M and I can't exactly recall, but for a while now we were walking behind a kid, a carefree one at that, touching trees, picking things on the road, greeting people he met. We asked him for directions. He's on his way to La Laguna beach too, so it's best that we follow him, he said.

From the wide road we exited a very steep path, down and through narrow passageways. It was a long long walk, with only the kid and a blue dot on google map to affirm us that we were heading near the beach (no roads showing on the map).

We finally got to our destination, and this kid Lito (Flores apelyido ko, marami kami Flores dito) just left us, continuing his walk, reaching for things that caught his attention, running and jumping.

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I love long walks. Wether lost or heading somewhere, it really doesnt matter as long as I get to see new things. These little splices of life I wont see on the tv or the net. And a wonderful time too to chat with M.

Along the way I vividly remember these things:

A fresh makeshift boat halfway painted blue

Skeletal remains of an old boat swaying with the waves

Men playing basketball, and the neighbors watching, as if frozen in time; one even stopping halfway on his step, waiting to see if a score was made. Women carrying big loads of laundry stopped in their tracks. Children suddenly quiet. Then after an attempted dunk on the court, everyone resumes, life continues.

A mentally challenged woman, all smiles, following us with her gaze, and as if hesitating for a long time, says "hi" with a big grin

Very unique fiesta decorations made from coconut husks


Maybe i'll add to this list when I recall more things.

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Okay upload, commit to blog, commit to memory.

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58: about stretching my mental jaws and reviving this blog for the Nth time.

Two years after my last post and here I am again, going back to this blog.

I've been trying to soak everything in these past 2 years - books, songs, experiences, faces, thoughts, clouds, horizons, traffic, food. But maybe for lack of access to the right stuff I seem to continue to be hungry for something.

Something to read actually.

God I miss those days. Those days when online blogs were the thing;  before FB and all these shitty social apps were born. Most of my friends had their own blog and it was kind of fun to spend a night backreading posts/thoughts/poems of a friend, or even someone I barely knew.

Now it's all about where to eat where to go what to do who to vote what to buy.

Or maaaybe I'm just hungry for words.

Nowadays, it's a photo of someone's kid dancing.

But how I wish in another time and place, instead of a photograph, it's a whole paragraph or two about how one's kid danced, how clumsily she swayed, trying hard to keep up with the beat but nevertheless enjoying every step she's making. How the afternoon sun makes the child's sweaty forehead shine.

Something like that.

Hrrrrrrrr.rrrrrrrrrr

Consider this 65th post my way of stretching my jaw, vocalizing and grinding my teeth. I've got to warm my mental self up, I have a lot of stories to tell to my future self.

57: about getting married.

It has been 2 weeks since we got married last February 6.

Things are starting to slowly fall back into place now- little adjustments here and there.
Nothing monumental, but everything taken with a slow and steady pace.

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I will always remember this:
M and I in our designated spots at the opposite ends of the aisle.
It was a mess - lot of friends were caught in heavy traffic, and we were told that we had to start the ceremony with or without them. Proxies were pulled to fill the entourage, etc.
But the memory I have of that moment is entirely different.

It was of us laughing.

We didn't have the chance to talk once we arrived at the church ( We were together earlier, checking the reception venue preps- yes M with her dress :P), and as she slowly walked towards me we were looking at each other, and we were laughing.

Hello Hurricane, you can't take anything away from us.

Here's the hopeful us, looking forward to buckets of laughter in the midst of whatever's ahead.