Pre-Christmas in Sindalan '07

Last Wednesday December 19, we took Donna's nieces Paulette and Len and their kids, along with Sister Gay to watch the Giant Lanterns displayed at the Hilaga (formerly Paskuhan Village) across from the SM Mall in San Fernando. We were told they will be shown from 7:30 to 9 for a fee of 10 pesos each. We decided not to watch the actual competition held on December 15 because of the not so fun experience we've had last year. Check out my blog (http://www.maniagofamily.com/rey/2007/01/giant-lanterns-of-san-fernando.html) for a detailed description.

Paulette by the way, her husband and three kids arrived a few days before from Dubai of the UAE. She owns the house in Baliti that Len has been staying in all this time.

So at around 6:45 pm we left to make sure we're not late like we were last year. We got there and we found out with the added attraction of the Giant Lanterns, the fee is now 50 pesos each. It's 10 pesos to go inside the village without the lanterns. The way to justify costs around here is to convert them into dollars and things suddenly become much cheaper - 50 pesos is about a dollar and some cents, cheap enough! Len paid for us all and we got in. The last time I was here was in the mid 90's. It hasn't changed much except they no longer have the big duty free shop. They have a native Nativity set, a few shops and some restaurants.


We got in early enough so the kids had a chance to ride the calesa (Philippine horse drawn carriage) a couple of times around the village and I was able to belt out a song from the Karaoke in one of the restaurants.


The show didn't actually start till 8:30. We went into an enclosed area where the huge lanterns were located and there was barely anybody there - sweet! Everyone coming in grabbed his/her own chair, one of those white plastic stackable types. These lanterns are so big that anywhere you sit is a good spot. The night was cool, there's a pop corn and cotton candy vendor and by the time the show started, there's no more than 200 of us there. I was making fun of a couple of old ladies trying so hard to cover up their heads which will prove to be my undoing later.



Anyway, they showed the lanterns one by one and it never ceases to amaze me the way the thousands of multicolored lights dance around in sequence and in beat with the music. I shot a video of the winning lantern from Barangay Telabastagan with my Casio 5MP digital camera and I posted it on YouTube. Check the link out. It doesn't do the actual live performance any justice but for you guys out there across the seas, it'll have to suffice, won't it?

We went home satisfied, no hassles, no traffic - the entrance to NLEx is a few feet away. After we dropped off the kids in Baliti we went home ourselves.

I woke up early the next morning sort of sluggish. By the way Donna hasn't been walking with me for the last few days because her other foot's bothering her. One started to hurt before we went to Chicago and into Spain and it took almost a month for the pains to completely go away. So she wanted to make sure this one's completely healed this time before she goes back to her morning walks. So I did my thing without her again but by the time I finished my throat was really sore and I was feeling some body aches that usually is not associated with just my morning walks. By Thursday night it developed into a full blow flu. I WAS HURTING ALL OVER! My back, my feet, my legs, my toes, my joints, my fingertips, my scalp - it seems only my hair doesn't hurt and I had the shivers. Donna had to change my T-shirt about 5 times over night. It's her turn to make fun of me because I was making fun of those old ladies trying to cover up from the night before. She says it's karma! Each and everyone she talks with about my condition, their resounding response was "Miambunan ya!" which basically translates to me being exposed to the night dew unlike those old ladies who covered up! My argument was there were several of us who were there that night, five of which were children who ate a couple of cones each of ice cream, did they get sick? NO!

Early Friday morning I got a text from my nephew Mer (short for Bienamer) saying his dad Cong Romy was taken to the ICU for his heart which was enlarging! Donna had to read the message because I was knocked out with the flu, remember?

To make a long story short, he got released yesterday feeling much better. Me? I got cooped up in the house for the fourth day today with only an hour out for church this morning. Donna has been hiring someone to drive her around.

I got a text message from Ned today saying a high school classmate Eduardo Ocampo had a heart attack and has passed away. Donna is talking long distance with Emy as I write this and she's saying her Uncle has died as well. He's her cousin Kit's father. Their last name is Naval, don't know his first name. Please pray for the repose of their souls.