I've been to Thailand several times but have never been to Lumphini Park. The sprawling 142-acre park right in the heart of Bangkok is a lush oasis built by King Rama VI during the 1920’s. Being the city’s first park, it is probably the equivalent of Manila's Rizal Park. It is one if Bangkok's go-to places, and yes, I've never set foot on it. Until now.

VIEW OF BANGKOK FROM MY ROOM AT CROWNE PLAZA

CROWNE PLAZA’S UPPER FLOOR LOBBY

From the province of Nakhon Pathom, from the peace and quiet of Sampram Riverside Resort, we headed to the bustling metropolis that is Bangkok. We went straight to Crowne Plaza Hotel, checked in to our posh King Bed Superior Rooms overlooking the modern skyline of the city, and surrendered our weary selves to the soft comfort of our beds.

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I was buying something from a sari-sari store somewhere in Bataan, a quick stop before we go to the site of this year’s Pawikan Festival, when the proprietor suddenly pulled up a basketful of pawikan eggs. Do I want some, he asked. I didn’t know what to say. I was shocked, to say the least. We were, after all, celebrating these gentle creatures' existence and promoting their welfare. The exchange was a total opposite of why we were here.

A SEA TURTLE HATCHLING, OFF TO THE SEA

But this is not new to me. I actually know someone close who used to eat pawikan eggs as if it were the norm. Well, to be fair, it was something natural to them, his uncles and aunts, heck, the whole town, was doing the same until it was banned. They really didn’t know that the practice wasn’t good until someone told them so. Now, they know otherwise.

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Garbed in a velvety maroon dress and embroidered with glittering gold flourishes, the dark-skinned Poong Itim na Nazareno of Quiapo is currently making its rounds across the streets of the country’s capital, Manila. Surrounding the caroza where the venerated icon with its black cross is precariously perched, is a roiling sea of devotees in maroons and yellows chanting Viva Senor! Viva! Viva!

The morning was just starting as I arrived at Quiapo Church in the heart of Manila. The historic Plaza Miranda was already filled by people from all walks of life; barefooted devotees, street vendors hawking shirts and white towels, media outfits covering the event, religious cults, and the usual bystanders curious about the biggest religious festival this side of the Philippines.

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The crowd moved like the ocean, waves upon waves of people swept by the fervor of moving the image of the Virgin back to the Roxas City Cathedral. It was sweltering hot but I swayed slowly along with the Capiznons—from the historic Roxas Bridge, where the statue of the Immaculate Conception rose, around the now barely seen rotunda fountain, and all the way to the city’s old graceful cathedral.

It was almost evening as we alighted from our van back at Roxas City, our group has just visited the nearby town of Panay to see the largest Catholic bell in Asia. We arrived to a city filled with people. The roads have been closed and swarms of people were milling about the town hall area in anticipation of the fluvial procession that would cap this year’s Sinadya sa Halaran festival.

Colorful scarves painted in blooming flowers sailed through the scorching air of Capiz Province as contingents of the annual Sinadya sa Halaran showed their flair to the throngs of Capiznons eagerly watching the festivities. Gals dressed in traditional Filipiniana and guys garbed in barongs marched and danced at the avenues of Roxas City, totally unmindful of the sweltering heat of the midmorning sun.

I was taking photographs inside the Roxas City Cathedral when drum beats boomed and horns suddenly blared from bands accompanying the Sinadya sa Halaran Festival. I immediately went out, swam through the gathering crowd and looked for a good vantage for the festival.

I was supposed to eat breakfast first and join my companions, but all plans were thrown out the window as the contingents of the Capiz Festival started to mobilize.

The drums beat, the sun flared, the crowd gathered and the dancers marched forward with their fancy, shiny festival dresses glinting in the hot afternoon light of Dipolog City. Zamboanga del Norte’s Hudyaka Festival commenced!

Hudyaka which means revelry in Bisaya is an annual festival that is attended by contingents from the whole Zamboanga del Norte province. The festival celebrates the founding of the province and the cities and municipalities of Zamboanga del Norte usually send in contingents to compete.

Water splashed on both sides of our jeepney as it crashed through the water-logged streets of Obando. The day was overcast but it wasn’t raining. The streets we passed are permanently below water due to its proximity to the flooded plains near Manila Bay. The passengers off to visit the annual Obando Fertility Festival were undaunted by the water however as our jeep continued its slow pilgrimage to Obando’s San Pacual de Baylon Church.
A mass was being celebrated as I entered the crowded front court of the church. The mood was festive and the plaza was loaded with people readying for the festival’s second day. A traditional band was waiting in line with ladies dressed in traditional colorful Filipiniana garbs.

I can hear the Holy Mass starting again at the old Lucban Church as we finished our silog breakfast at the Sucre et Sel Café. The pavement was wet and muddy as we emerged from the ancestral house-turned-eatery and walked with the throngs of tourists visiting Lucban for this year’s Pahiyas Festival.

Every 15th of May, the town of Lucban in Quezon celebrates the feast of San Isidro Labrador, the patron of farmers. The tradition started way before the Spaniards conquered the Philippines.

Bright reds, warm yellows, cool greens; imagine all the hues of the rainbows on different shapes and sizes all slowly flying upwards on colossal balloon canvasses. Backdropped against the orange light of the morning sun as it peeps on the sides of Mount Arayat, this is how we were welcomed to the 15th Hot Air Balloon Festival! 

We left Manila at 2am, hoping to not get caught at the traffic as we’ve been hearing horror stories regarding the jams during this event. We arrived at Clark at around 4am and lines were already forming at the gate.