But even while I was working on the images, I began to sense that my attention was already waning, and I found myself wondering what DOT has in store next after this initial hoopla. I’m hoping that beyond promoting the country’s destinations and how its people can make the tourist’s experience more fun, DOT will also work to make sure that the local communities hosting the tourist destinations fully benefit from tourism (not just the investors who may not even hail from the area). Of course, measures should also be undertaken to ensure that the ecological integrity of the area will not be compromised by the tourism-induced developments. Boracay is a magical island and all that, but it is NOT a best practice on how a tourist destination should be developed in this country.

For now, however, I decided that I’m supporting this, and that I will try to contribute to popularizing the positive things about this country without also being blind to its negative aspects (of which, goodness knows, there are also many). Highlight the positive, while working to fix the negative. And also, have fun

Previous blog posts featuring sites in this gallery:

Bohol – Bojol!
Batanes – Batanes overload
Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro -The Mountain and I are not One
Siquijor - That rare long weekend trip
Tour of the Fireflies (event)
Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi – haven’t blogged about this site yet, but here’s a great article written by one of the journalists that joined us on a visit there: Turtles teach life changing values like patience

As these will show you, yes, it can be more fun in the Philippines!

I don't usually make new year's resolutions, but this, this I can do

“Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about.” – Linus van Pelt

We had a beautiful wedding. That’s the sort of thing that people say all the time about weddings but in our case, I like to think it’s true. I loved the casual, fun atmosphere, the wind that blew on my veil as I was walking down the aisle, the smiles captured so beautifully by the camera. But let’s see – favorite things:

• The walk down the aisle – at first I was fussing about how they messed up the sequence of the mp3s for the Prelude, but then I have been told numerous times to just let things go on the wedding day and just enjoy it. So I did. I patiently waited for my cue, took my time during my walk (to “All You Need is Love” by The Beatles), smiled the whole time, and smiled all the more as I saw the faces of the guests smiling back at me. I was a little nervous, yes, but I think the happiness overcame the nervousness, and that’s what kept me from messing up like tripping on the stairs or something. My sister said I didn’t look nervous at all; I just looked like I was enjoying the moment.
• The vows – I started writing mine the night before and finished it that morning, while Don wrote the whole thing only that morning. Despite the rush, however, the sincerity was there. They came out beautifully, and a lot of people complimented us on how heartfelt and touching our vows were. Thankfully, both our vows were not that long, and so I just barely managed to keep my tears in check. The vows are definitely going to be on the first page of our DIY wedding album.
• Posing for photos – for all the photos! Whether it’s for the official photographer’s team, or the photo booth, or little Migs with his Dad’s Canon Mark camera, I enjoyed the photos! I was thinking, with three photographers training their cameras on me and my sister or someone fussing to blot my face or fix my veil, so this is what it’s like to be the center of attention. It’s nice, definitely nice. Not my cup of tea as an everyday thing, but for one day, hey, I’m going to enjoy it.
• Watching Hermie’s one-of-a-kind video. Definitely the night’s best surprise for me, as I had no idea that Hermie was intending to finish it right away so it could be shown at the reception. The fun, refreshing video was a definite highlight of the reception.
• The little moments with Don, as we grinned at each other and reveled in the realization that we were husband and wife at last.

It’s all over now, and I’m still on a high. It’s sort of been roller coaster ride. When we started the planning process, I was excited, raring to explore ideas, then as we encountered various stresses about work, raket, and family emergencies, I increasingly felt all the pressure. It became too much of a hassle, not to mention expense, to do all the cute little details I had wanted to do. The whole process began to seem not so fun anymore, and I was really looking forward to May 2, when it would all be over and we can rest for a bit and then move on to the rest of our lives. But now that it’s all over, of course, I’m feeling nostalgic. That was it, that was the wedding. We’ll never do that again, and if we will, at our 25^th anniversary or something, we’ll be old and wrinkled, and fat besides. But then, we can always say, we had a beautiful wedding.

Now, on to the next project, which is finding a place to live, building our own little nest.

Then, an old man took his place in line behind me, and since I was facing the direction where the jeep would be coming from, I had my profile to him.  After a couple of moments, he spoke to me. Warily, I removed my earbuds so I could hear what he was saying.

“Taga-saan ka?” he asked. He looked like your typical kindly, stooped old man.

“Teachers’ Village po,” I answered.

“Ah nagre-rent ka doon?” he said. At least he didn’t ask me where in Teachers’ Village.

“Opo,” I said, wondering if I should put my earbuds back in place.

Then he said something I didn’t quite catch, something about Macapagal-Arroyo and Aquino. Something about Aquino winning, I think. I just nodded, not wanting to be drawn into a political discussion with a strange old man.

Then, without a word, he turned around, and walked away. He was clutching what looked like hotdog sandwich in a bun, wrapped in transparent plastic. My eyes followed him as he went inside Vinzon’s Hall.

I felt a little guilty for not talking to him. Maybe he just wanted a bit of company, since he apparently didn’t stand beside me to wait for the jeepney. Maybe he didn’t want to just go and eat his solitary hotdog dinner (midnight snack?). Maybe he’s just this old man who hangs out at Vinzon’s Hall and –

Then suddenly another possibility occurred to me, and I wanted to turn to the couple in line ahead of me to ask them if they saw the old man as well, or if it was just me.

I decided, I didn’t want to know. Nag-SM jeepney na lang ako. Ang tagal kasi ng Philcoa.

hello po! nakuha kpo ung number m0 dito sa nabili k0ng ph0ne. 2nd hand po ciya! Sa sta lucia ko cya binili N0kia 3650 po unit nya. naka save lang po number u dito cguro sa friends mo ito! anyway i am ellen female 20 yrs of age frm antipolo! U want trade tau ng pic? Para makita mo pic ko tnx!

Why would I want to do that? Tell me, why?

Okay, dream analysis – several possible meanings:

a.  My birthday is coming up and I’m freaking out about growing old. Sounds plausible, if a bit cliché-ish.

b.  The numerous grey hair that I can’t pull out represent the work backlog that have been piling up because of my chronic procrastination. Again, perfectly plausible, if a bit sad. I mean, if you’re actually having work-related anxiety dreams you’re probably not in good shape.

c.  It’s actually not a dream but a vision of a moment that will come in few years – kind of a déjà vu in advance. I remember some years ago when I first found a tell-tale sign of a wrinkle – I just paused, and went still for a few moments. Apparently, as I grow older my response will not be as dignified.

d.  All of the above <cue silent scream>

What would your muse say?

Image from http://www.inkygirl.com

What did they ever do to you? They’re just helpless apostrophes!