The great affair is to move.”
― Robert Louis Stevenson
Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes
A friend asked me about Vigan a week ago and it reminded of photos of our trip that I still had to go through. JP and I hit the ground running as soon as we got off the bus in Vigan. An hour after arriving we were in a calesa having a noonday tour of the town. Our driver, who also doubled as the enterprising tour guide, took us to the Bantay Belfry, Paburnayan or the pottery shop and the Hidden Gardens-- a lot to take in when I was shaking off the effects of the scenic 2-hour bus ride from Laoag. But it was a great way to discover the place up close in a few hours, especially for us who were only there until the next day. We also tried a few local delicacies along the way before stopping for native halo-halo at the Hidden Gardens.
The pottery shop was really interesting. You can even sit down and have a go at the wheel, see if you can make a decent pot out of a lump of clay. Looking back, I regret not taking the few minutes to sit down and get my hands dirty. One of the few things I learned on this trip: try everything! I try to apply this as much as I can when we travel, but it is easy to forget, especially when you are pressed for time, money, both, or just tired. But by golly, it is really important to try as much as you can, or you'll regret not doing it, especially when you are scrolling through photos of the trip!
Taking a calesa tour is perhaps one of the best things to do when you arrive in Vigan. For P350 a tour, you get to have a quick look-see at what the place looks like before doing a more thorough exploration of the place the next day. I would advise doing it in the later part of the afternoon, when it's not too hot and people are going home. You'll get a good feel of the town and it's inhabitants when everyone's out and about, preparing to go home, stopping by the church or the market. A few photos of our first day in Vigan. :)
“Sopping, and with no sign of stopping, either- then a breather.
Warm again, storm again- what is the norm, again?
It's fine, it's not, it's suddenly hot: Boom, crash, lightning flash!”
― The Old Farmer's Almanac
It doesn't feel like there's a storm coming. The clouds are a brilliant blue, the birds are up in the air, and the sun is doing a great job of sending a lot of morning sunshine my way. Everything's all right with the world, it seems. However, a storm is coming. I guess one of the good things to come from last year's Haiyan is that people are more prepared now--water, food, fuel, charged batteries. Preparation can make all the difference, if we learned anything from the previous storms. This is going to be a strong storm, according to the news but hopefully, it will pass without taking any lives with it.
I say short prayers to keep loved ones, stray dogs, and people living in danger-prone areas safe as I stir champorado, my comfort food of choice during rainy seasons and dull afternoons. It is warm so I'm not so sure about whether downing chocolatey boiled rice with a pinch of salt is the best thing to do, but it's here, might as well enjoy it. The tsokolate is handmade goodness by the mom of a friend and law school buddy (thank you, Carlis!). For P45 pesos a pack, it's a small luxury that I store away for days like these. It is rich and creamy-- a few minutes out of the fridge, each piece was soft enough to grate lightly with a bread knife.
Let's all pray that this storm will pass without incident. Keep safe and dry everyone!
Living in another house is making me appreciate the family and just having them around. Although I live nearby, not being able to see the dogs or hear familiar voices when I wake up in the morning takes some getting used to. Days like these I'm thankful that I got to take some shots of the dogs when I last visited home. I'm missing the furry toddler the most and his annoying persistence at wanting to play ball whenever he sees me.
Here's Pepito in November.
“Find the light. Reach for it.
Live for it.
Pull yourself up by it.
Gratitude always makes for straighter, taller trees.”
― Al R. Young
There are days when I just feel so blah although I haven't the slightest clue why I'm feeling that way. I'm sure a lot of people have those days too. I notice that these feelings come in full force when I forget to be grateful. The little things that irritate, that irk, the stuff that take me almost to the point of blowing my top, no matter how trivial or insignificant, somehow become mountains of negativity. It is easy to see them despite the mountains of goodness that are in front of me. The good thing is that saying a prayer of gratitude literally takes seconds and just like that, you can start to feel better again.
I've tried it, it works.
No need for pills, for feel-good music, nay, not even an unopened Snickers bar (*gasp!). It's amazing how switching to an attitude of gratitude can make things feel a bit better, if not so much better.
I am the least thankful person I know. It is easy for me to go into an internal monologue of complaints while waiting for a pedicab in the hot sun. I get irritated when the Internet starts to crawl, or when I'm reminded of the things I lack that could make life so much easier for me. But then, I am also fortunate in other ways than most people, and the good things outnumber the bad a hundred times over. So what is there to complain about?
Right now, I am particularly thankful that the little guy above is trying its darnedest to stay alive, despite the unceremonious uprooting and my forgetfulness with the watering. I sure hope he pulls through!
A happy Monday to everyone!