April 7th, 2005
BICOL TRIP 2005 ~P1~
I know it’s been really a long time since I last updated. So without further ado, (okay, I’ll drop the theatrics. Hehehe!) Here’s the 411.
I left Cubao at around 8pm. I rode the Philtranco Gold Service-8; I was on seat #3 (ala penny and me). Grabe, ang luwag ng EDSA!! We reached the Shell Station in Magallanes in record time! The stewardess got our dinner there, courtesy of Chowking. As I looked at the window, I saw Cinnabon, which made me think of ham and cheese croissant and coffee. Sigh! I’m starting to miss manila na agad.
The stewardess tried talking to me. She was talking in bicol. I can understand and speak bicol, though only the bicol - sorsogon – bulan – dialect only, and not as fluent as I want to be. But it’s still comprehensible (Hehehe!). And as the stellar witch aptly puts it, she misses my “barok” bicol.
The trip was rather dull, boring, and uneventful, though I noticed someone eyeing me. I looked at him too, for a couple of times. He looked familiar. Maybe that’s why he’s looking at me too, maybe I seemed familiar to him too, though he can’t place it. Later on, I realized where I saw him before. It was in a group picture. The primary photo in friendster of an ex S.O., I might add. Seems weird that I saw that guy, and remembered where I first saw him. Hmm.
I listened to the player all night long. Thank the lucky stars it was an mp3 player, at least no hassles in changing cd’s or whatsoever. The only consolation I had was Jiselle; we exchanged text messages until around 3am. I was in Naga then, 2 hours away from my destination. I kept on teasing her about her suitors. Hahaha! She has a battalion of suitors, and rather impatient ones too. And I’m beginning to think that she’s a hopeless case in romance, like me. Hahaha! Oh well, as the terrestrial adage goes, “birds of the same feather flock together” girl!
I reached Sorsogon at around 6. It was raining, unlike here in manila. I liked the weather there. It’s damp. Here, it’s really dry. Anyway, it was pretty cold when I got out of the bus. The rain was really pouring hard that Saturday morning. Shaking seemed to be an understatement. Well, what do you expect me to feel? After more than 10 hours of sitting in an extremely cold air-conditioned vehicle, and stepping out in a downpour, I don’t think you’ll be having the best feeling in the world too.
But it was worth it. I had a grand time there, even for just a week. Though I didn’t get to have everything that I wanted. It was ok.
After I got home (Lolo’s house), I dropped my stuff and headed out again. I was hungry. I went to manoy’s and had tapsilog and milk. No coffee’s that morning cause I wanted to get some sleep. While having breakfast, I told my mom and other close friends that I got there safely (well, they insisted that I text them). After having breakfast, I went home and tried to catch some sleep. But unluckily, I didn’t get any that morning.
I went out that afternoon to check if there we’re any emails for me, or any messages in friendster. When I opened my messenger, I saw that a friend of mine is online too. I asked her where she was; she told me that she was in another net shop. We decided to meet up after that and chatted till 7pm.
After that, I didn’t go directly sa house. I went to a friend’s house muna. (Hi Jo! MissYah buOg!) I got an interesting welcome. It went like “ oi bAm! Musta? Bakit ang payat mo lalo? Nag chOngkeE ka ba?” what the heck! Nice greeting, no? I just laughed it off. And just for the record, no I don’t. And then, another question was thrown at me. And it was as unpleasant as the first question. Jo asked me about someone I’d rather not talk about. Sigh! Moving on.
I got home at around 8 and slept the night away.
~ THE NEXT DAY ~
Innah kept on pestering me. She kept on telling me that we should go to church later. No, Innah’s not the religious type. She just wanted to hang and talk and get together that day. The church was just her excuse to get out, I think. Or is Innah really changing? WOW! That would be – I can’t seem to find an appropriate word – weird? Hahaha! I told her, no. I wasn’t interested on going and hearing mass. I know it sounds so rude and bad. But I’m just trying to be honest. I’m not like those other people who just shows up in church just for a show, or just to look for someone cute, or just because they were forced to go. I will go to church when I want to, when my soul tells me to, when my spirit will rejoice with the holy one, and not because someone asked me to. I want to go there willingly. When would that be? I don’t know.
Anyway, I decided to give Apple a ring. Her mom answered the phone and talked to me casually. She asked how I was; I told her I’m fine. And after a couple of pleasantries, she passed the phone to Apple. I asked her if she wanted to hear mass later. She wasn’t keen on it too, but for another reason. No, she’s not a Muslim, or a protestant or whatever other religion there is. She went to mass earlier. But she agreed to meet up with me later and we’ll check for emails together. We settled at 3pm, in the bakeshop.
Innah did not give me an exact time for the mass. And I assumed that it would around 5. On my way to the bakeshop, she asked me where I was. I told her I’m on my way to the bakeshop. Coincidentally, it was near the cathedral. (Yeah, I know.) She waited for me there, with Macon on tow (I met up with her the day before. I forgot to mention earlier.). Innah called Apple and told her to just head to the cathedral. They kinda dragged me till we reached one of the side doors of the cathedral. (It kinda resembled a kidnapping, d’ya reckon?)
And during the middle of the mass, Apple made a grand entrance, just after the offertory. (Yeah, I still know the parts of the mass. I used to play the organ during mass back in my high school days.) So, there were four.
After the mass, we went on to my original plan, to the net shop! After logging on to YM, I started my web cam and just couldn’t resist taking a snapshot. And after that, it was pure pandemonium. The girls joined me in the unexpected, but rather enjoying, photo shoot. (You can check my friendster account for some of the pictures. It’s correction_fluid09@yahoo.co.uk and marviedejesus@yahoo.co.uk) Lizette arrived a couple of minutes later. Damn! I did miss those muffins! (Hi babycakes! Pang ilang alias Na ba ‘to? Hehehe!)
After two hours there, they decided to go home na. Innah, Macon, and Lizette lived in the same village. So technically, they rode the same tricy. Apple and I weren’t very keen on going home yet. It’s been ages since we last saw each other. We decided on walking and talking. We reached the pier and talked some more. (I heard some startling facts actually.)
It was a beautiful night, very beautiful. Sitting in the side of the pier, just looking at the round moon, its light giving the waves a sort of mystifying glow, just talking with one of the best people I could find, it could be very well one of the best moments in my life. It was such a spectacular view from the pier, with the glistening sea, and the clouds hovering by the moon. It was simply enchanting. And it’s not yet the witching hour.
Then the rain decided to fall. I just couldn’t resist. It felt so good to be out on the rain. But Apple dragged me into the nearest shelter. That night was simply wonderful! It’s like one of those scenes in an award-winning movie - best in cinematography. It was pure poetry, the scenes going in slow motion, just like it was made for the audience to be in that moment, to really relish the moment.
I wish you were there, and have seen what I have seen. It was extremely captivating. (obviously!)
It was one of the perfect moments in life to be with someone you love, really. It was a romantic place in an old-fashioned and almost corny way. But I guess, even if there is no special someone with me then, it’s good to spend moments like that with a very good friend who appreciates the beauty of life and the creation the same way I do.
Oh well, there’s a lot to tell pa. But I’m just gonna end this update na. Stay tuned! Hahahaha! Escape, Kathryn, Nico, Al, Legaspi, Gaisano, Innah, Mcdo, Daraga, Mercury Drug, Renaissance, Shell Station, Amihan Bus, are the keywords. Peace Out.
