holy manille

almost every easter break, i fly away (i have wings. may lahi kaming aswang. that's why the smell and especially the taste of garlic repels me to death) to somewhere far to rest my mind and soul. quench the urgent, persistent, ancient thirst for some place very, very quiet, restful and stress-free. like a monastery. or a cave hidden in a forest.

it's always nice to get out of the crowded city. stay in a place that the annoying tourists have not yet heard of. a place where the sky kisses the sea and embraces the mountain. inhale the unpolluted air. swim on the sparklingly blue sea. feel the ticklish, coarse, white sand underneath my bare feet. watch the angry sun slowly burn my pale as a paste skin.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

or simply lounging on the pool side by my lonesome reading the swimming pool library. with only the trees and the birds for company.

or with these two luvly kids. my sister's.

or traversing the deeply mysterious seas on the way to an exotique island on a boat.

or visiting an old church, lighting candles, silently praying not for miracles but just for a good weather, in a far away, nearly forgotten place.

or checking out the remains of an old lover, who died after breaking my heart and emptying my savings. i swear i had nothing to do with it. 

or cocooning on top of a mountain in a very native hut, resting, cooling off, after a day's climb under the unforgiving heat and glare of the sun.

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but this time, i stayed in the city. because i had some commitments (chos!) on maundy thursday and good friday, and most especially due to budgetary constraints as well. hey, didn't you get the memo yet? i am jobless.
i haven't experienced being in manille for the holy week in a long time. it was glorious and divine!
quiet, traffic free. most malls were closed. it was like waking up after the apocalypse and everyone else was gone. chos.
it's hassle free. no need to line up at the airport, immigration. no need to worry about losing my passport or worse, being mistaken for a dvd pirate and ending up in prison. no need to fret about arriving late for my flight. i'm a big worrier, isn't it obvious yet?

&&&&&&&&

to say that it was wondrous is an understatement.
i spent the days wandering around, walking along the tree-lined streets of the ccp complex, watching the sunset near where the boats dock. cruising along the dirty waters of manila bay at dusk.
praying at a nearby church in malate afterwards.
then dinner at favourite sanctuary a few steps from the church.

i am a provinciano at heart, so i luv the greens, the trees. i totally agree with joyce kilmer : "i think i shall never see..."

&&&&&&

manille when everyone is away is indeed a bliss.

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what about you fairies,  princesses, queens, pa-queens, ladies, pa-ladies and pa-gentlemen, how did you spend  your (un)holy week?

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