Thought of coming home

One of the best things about long wkends and holidays is coming home to an old familiar place..   To unwind, to relax and to be with family and friends.

I grew up in an island where everything is so simple.  Small-town affability, fresh air, quiet and peaceful environment.  You can have your windows open at night even if your house is not heavily gated.  We don't have malls; movie houses; jollibee and busy streets. 

  

It's not easy to be an islander, especially during "ber" months to February and during typhoon season that before was normally from July to December.  But nowadays weather is more unpredictable.  Just like now winds and rains in March? What's happening?  

Coming home is always something to look forward to.  

lezz go (read: let's go). Will give you a little tour.

Of course from mainland I will need to ride a motor banca to get there. When the water is calm(like the one in the picture) a small motor boat ride will do, we call it L300.  We can wear a big smile while sailing.  

But, when the water is rough /wild then we need to ride on a big motor boat (below).  This is not even a violent waves this is just the normal waves during the "ber" months to February (September to February). (Brown un kulay ng water kasi maulan galing bundok un tubig)

Nervous attack!!!! Pray!!  Sleep (if you can)!!  kwento to lessen the kaba haha; Afraidy Aguilar (read: afraid) pag maalon

As we all know an island is surrounded by water.  So ours Lamon Bay  in front

 and Pacific Ocean  at the back.  We are under the Pacific Ring of Fire and typhoon belt. 

A beach getaway  is just a click of a finger.   There are a lot of ways to enjoy the beach.  Like, having a quiet moment with my self (emotera); going for a walk by the sea shore or dancing with the waves with friends.  Hearing ocean waves splashing on the shore gives me a different kind of  feeling, very therapeutic. And I will never get tired watching how the waves touches the sand. Home is, where I can appreciate the beauty of warm orange smile of  the sun and not getting nostalgic after

 In our beaches there's no hopping nightlife; no beach restaurants and no water modern day activities.  It's a  bring your own baon type of beach but a barbecue party will do.

My dear alma mater! Clean and Green! .. . 

♪♫ How we wish dear alma mater ♫♪  Memories sweet round thy name  ♪♫ Always and forever ♪♫  You guide and lead on our way

Below are some of the meriendas in the island.  Sarap mga paborito ko. (From upper left corner to the right down to the left down to the right).

** Snowball ** - Shaved ice with food color (read: syrup) + evaporated milk upgraded version.  I couldn't find snow ball in the city or even one that is close to its taste.  Snow ball is love it may look ordinary and the ingredients are ordinary but the taste is not. **   Butsi ** (our town/local version) - deep fried mashed sweet potato (kamote); **  Sumang saging ** - steamed mashed banana (saba) wrap in banana leaves; **  lipute  ** - a black color fruit when it's already ripe.  You can eat it with just a salt or "kalunggo" way.  not familia? never  heard?  then feel free to ask me  ** bbq **  (sa isla lang ako bumibili ng street cooked bbq) arte arte lang; .** sugarpritong saging and native bibingka  **   sinukmani, pancit and bagkat na saging **  pilipit ** balinsuso **

Living in an island is so laid back, every day is a lazy outfit!  Since we don't have malls; coffee house; movie house and resto bars in the island bonding with friends means:

Strolling (read: mamasyal) around the town with friends pwedeng lakad pwedeng nakabisikleta while having kwento.

Visiting a friend's house to have some catching up at maglagay ng bangko sa kalye para presko.  Hanggang madaling araw na yan.. Same old kwento and yet still crack us up.  

and tambay sa pantalan (wharf) ang tambayan ng bayan .  Bawal ang alcoholic drinks diyan.

 Boring?  It's not.  Try it the probinsyana way.  You can have fun without being drunk. :)  Note: Town's curfew for minors is 9:00 PM

a child-like an "anytime-anywhere" moment with friends!  Playing tubig (read: patintero) at our age?! haha why not?  Pose anywhere we want even having election campaign tarpaulin as our background showing the  L sign of the political party; hiding in an electric post but showing our heads ; strike a dance pose while holding on to fence; posing in the middle of the road and in the police vehicle parked outside the municipal hall. ..... ahhhh a child in every grown-ups moment

And yes family.  How I wish I spend every single day with my family. For sure coming home from a minimum of 8-hr work is something to look forward to everyday.  It is very comforting having them around me beside me. Having kwentohan at the dining table. Light moment after meals.  "Never ending "batusan" and down memory lane.   Happy family = happy life.  I love them 

Coming home is a reminder to me of who I am.  A short escape away from the corporate world and away from the citylife  truly .. there's no place like home.