Quote 161 - Light, Faith, Hope, and Love

Random Thought 81 - Gimme a Break

There are some instances when challenges become too much to handle.  And at times when we are at our worst moment, challenges keep on coming.

Gimme a break and definitely, we need some break.  When challenges are overwhelming and they are too much to handle, we need to take some time out.  We need some breathing space and we should find one in order to recharge our mind, body, and spirit.  Even if it is just a temporary escape, for sure, it is much appreciated.

Gimme a break and find one that can help you.  In order for you to sustain the duration of the challenges, a good break spells a big difference.

Food Trip 80 - Indian Mango

I don't have any recollection about the first instance when I started to like indian mangoes, ripe indian mangoes.

Most of the time, I see people enjoying their take on green indian mangoes with anchovies (bagoong). The way I see them indulging on this food, it felt like it is one of the best moments in their lives.  But when I tried it, I can't picture myself grimacing because of the sour taste of green indian mango.  Unluckily, I am not fond of sour tasting food.

But I did despise indian mangoes. I just prefer the ripe one, the ripe one which is almost yellow in color.  Others cannot stomach the taste of ripe indian mangoes because according to them, the smell and  taste is like that of a certain medicine.  For me, the taste is simply amazing.  

During summer time, the right season for mangoes, we have several trees of indian mangoes that bear fruits.  From time to time, some vendors would often pass by and buy 1 peso a piece which they will sell in return.   During the season of plenty, the ripe indian mangoes would just fall to the ground and the chicken will have a party to their hearts content.  The fowls at home really enjoyed the ripe indian mangoes.

Whenever I go home for a summer vacation, I would not miss an opportunity to enjoy this stuff.  At times, I'll climb the tree and find a comfortable spot among its branches while enjoying the freshly pick ripe indian mangoes. 

Exploring Philippines 80 - Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro (Post 1)

I was suddenly invited by my friends for an out-of-town escapade. I tried to asked them about our destination but they were still in a limbo about the exact place. They originally planned to go to Zambales and there were more than 20 of them. When I came over to their place after midnight, the group was trimmed down to 9 and they had not yet made up their mind about our place of destination.  They were eying for a beach activity and the choice changed from Zambales to Batangas until someone suggested Puerto Galera. Since majority of the members have not yet visited Puerto Galera nor ride a boat, they readily agreed and were quite excited. For the two of us who had experienced Puerto Galera before, it was not a good idea because at this particular time of the year, everything is expensive.  But since majority of them already agreed, I was hoping that something wonderful will happen in the course of our stay there.

We took a bus at EDSA in Kamuning area, JAM transit to be exact. The bus fare from the bus station to Batangas pier is 175 pesos and it took us nearly three hours to get there. At the pier, we rode a boat to Puerto Galera with a seating capacity of more than 120 passengers. A round trip fare costs 500 pesos while a single trip is 275 pesos as of this writing. There are other charges like the entrance fare and environmental fare that costs 10 and 80 pesos, respectively. 

Since we will travel in the morning and our boat was bigger, there was an air of comfort to some of our group mates. During summer, most of the time, sea travel is a comfortable and enjoyable one. Though in our experience here, there were some slight bumps on the water because of the open channel between Batangas and Mindoro.

After an hour, we arrived safely at White Beach, a tourist haven in Puerto Galera. Several years after my last visit here, the water in the beach is still crystal clear and one can literally see the bottom of the ship and the sand below which is several meters deep.  When we arrived, the whole stretch of the beach right after the docking area was populated with tourists until the rocky portion at the end part of the beach. It seems that day in and day out, tourists never sleeps and keep the beach alive nearly 24/7.

Poem 80 - The Most Beautiful Thing

I've been searching for long
For things that can make me happy
At times, I took for granted
Those little things along the way.

Maybe, I tried to outgrow myself
And yearn for things out of my league
Just to find out if they're worth it
But I tire myself and gone fatigue.

One day, I came to realize
The things I chase are just fantasies
I know they will never be real
And they will compromise my happiness.

You make me come to my senses
And let me see things I surely missed
I am a lucky one to have you
Truly, I feel so much blessed.

The most beautiful thing in this world
Are not the ones I used to chase
I was so blinded with my own make believe
I felt lost in a fantasy of haze.

The time I spend with you
Is the most beautiful thing ever
It is way beyond a fool's paradise
And it will stay in my heart forever.

Quote 160 - Precious One

Moment 80 - Young Vendor

Still at Tondo, right after the steps leading to the main entrance of Santo Nino de Tondo parish church, we meet a young boy who sells religious items. It was lenten season that time and as expected, some visitors who passed buy will eventually buy an item or two.

After we bought puto bumbong and tasted a couple of it, we no longer had an appetite to finish the remaining ones because we were already full.  As we looked around, there were no street kids loitering in the area.  Since it is not a good idea to throw away any food, we tried to look for someone who will accept our unspoiled and untouched leftover food.  After some idle steps, we came across the young vendor again.

I tried to do a bargain with the young vendor. I asked him for a barter, our puto bumbong in exchange of any of his religious items.  He looked at me and he smiled while nodding his head.  I laughed at him and I told him that I was only joking.  I then handed him over the puto bumbong to which he readily accepted. 

Quote 159 - Death

Random Thought 80 - Shaken Not Stirred

Have you ever watched any James Bond movie?  If yes, his ever famous line "My name is Bond, James Bond" will not escape your ears.  But I don't know if you also have a recollection of his other line whenever he is asked of his favorite drink and he is always quick in saying "shaken not stirred."

How many of us can actually say the line "shaken not stirred" whenever life delivers something out of proportion?  How many of us can actually maintain our footing despite of the shake ever forceful?  And how many of us can actually maintain our poise and confidence despite the intensity of the shake?

How is wish I have the same trait as James Bond. Though I don't envy his looks nor his impossible stunts and tactics, I do admire his character.  I know that even in the most difficult situations and in the most challenging times, even in my ordinary form, I can still manage to get through.  I might drop to the ground and crawl my way out perhaps will all sorts of pains and scratches, but as long as I have faith and the will to live on, I might be shaken and stirred.  

I am no agent 007 to say the line "shaken not stirred."  I cannot brag that I will not be disturbed and affected by the challenges along the course of my life.  But for whatever reasons there may be, these challenges will prepare me to be tough and ever faithful.  And perhaps, when similar challenging situation will arise in the future, I can also deliver the line "shaken not stirred."

Food Trip 79 - Suman

I guess Filipinos are no strangers to suman.  Suman are prepared in several varieties depending on the region.

In our region, I am particular with at least four types of suman (though three of them do have different labels in our place).    We have suman in bilao, suman sa ibos, suman sa dahon ng saging.  The suman sa dahon ng saging could either be made from malagkit na bigas or kamoteng kahoy (cassava). And cassava happens to be my fave.

In the province, we had to open a used medium or large milk can and drill even holes into it. The undrilled sides of the milk can will be nailed into a pair of wood. And there goes our homemade grater.

The grating of cassava is a tedious process. We have to continuously rub the cassava (stripped of its skin and cleansed thoroughly) against the grater to transform it into a powdery like substance.  After grating, a modest amount of muscovado is now added and mixed into the grated cassava (usually, we had to dip a finger to taste its sweetness). In order to enhance its taste, strips of fresh buko meat plus a teaspoon or two of vanilla flavor are added.  Then, we have to roll into a banana leaf an estimated amount of the cassava mixture which is then carefully folded and neatly tucked inside a large cooking pot. Afterwards, water is added into the pot and cook it for a couple of hours.

The moment suman is serve, we would gather around the table and feast on the food. The smell of vanilla always invite a pleasurable moment to the excited and waiting mouths.  Sometimes, due to excitement, somebody get burned with hurried eating.  And since it is much better to savor suman while it is hot, every eager and hungry mouth has its own puffing style.

A couple of a large serving of cassava suman always make our day.  And as long as there's something left in the pot, when our stomach is no longer full, we would always dig in for another round.

Exploring Philippines 79 - Marinduque (Post 14 - Beheading of Longinus)

We were only able to cover the parade of Gasan-Gasan festival.  We no longer witness the exhibition of the participants because we were in a hurry to cover the beheading of Longinus in Mogpog which according to the locals of Marinduque is one of the must see event during the Moriones festival. And shortly before 11am, we were already in the town plaza of Mogpog.

Upon our arrival at the plaza of Mogpog, the court was already covered by spectators - young and old alike.  The parade was over and everyone was anticipating for the grand event that day, the beheading of Longinus.  But prior to the beheading, prizes were given to deserving Morion participants in various categories.

Since the plaza was already crowded with spectators, I was hesitant at first and I find it hard to squeeze myself with the crowd.  But since I was with a reporter and we had our cameras, upon seeing us, the locals easily provided as a narrow entrance towards the middle of the court.  The moment we set foot on the court, we content ourselves taking pictures of the Morion participants while they await for the announcement of winners.

While we were busy taking pictures and the winners were receiving their plaques and cash rewards, I was surprised when there were some commotions inside the court.  With the outburst of shouting and people scampering away, I was trying to figure out what was happening.  I was oriented by sir Pete that the person the people were trying to avoid was Longinus.

According to what had happened from the past, Longinus was a Roman guard who was assigned to Jesus Christ.  When the side of Jesus Christ was perched by a spear coming from another Roman guard, a drop of Christ's blood landed on the deformed eye of Longinus.  After that incident, Longinus deformed eye was cured and became a believer of Christ.  After becoming a believer of Christ, he was hunted by the Roman soldiers, lost his sanity, until he was beheaded.

Here in Mogpog, this tradition is very much alive and is always the main attraction during the culmination of Lenten festivities.  And for a visitor like me, it is a spectacular event to witness first hand.

People were screaming every time Longinus "harassed" them.  I could not blame them because at that particular moment, Longinus had already "lost his sanity."  He had been seen rolling in the mud in order to effectively play his role. And every time he held a person, it was a moment of "getting dirty" with Longinus.  As for us covering the said event, we'd been warned to keep our distance because Longinus will not spare us, likewise.

After the awarding ceremony, at around 12 noon, Longinus was caught by the soldiers and brought to the stage for beheading.  Upon seeing Longinus up the stage, the crowd suddenly rushed to the front of the stage to have a better view of the proceedings.  All of a sudden, I found myself squeezed by eager spectators.  Since I was near the stage where the beheading would took place, I tried my best to capture the moment.


And without warning, the head of Longinus rolled on the stage's floor.  Everyone were shouting.  The moment I felt the liquid squirted, I docked and hid my camera behind a lady photographer.  When I looked around, everyone near the stage were literally covered with "blood."  I, too, had a share of the squirt but not that much.  Those who were in front of me got most of the red liquid coming from the beheading of Longinus.  The moment the head of Longinus was held up, everyone exclaimed joyfully.


The event ended upon loading the lifeless body of Longinus into a truck to be brought to the cemetery.  Behind the truck, the local band marches while playing tunes befitting the event.

I would like to express my gratitude to the Magturo family for the warm reception and accommodation during our five days stay at Marinduque.  Indeed, this lenten experience proved to be meaningful, soul enriching, enjoyable, and full of surprises.