Ladiri-Ladidto

7:23pm
Black Saturday


Dearest Pau,

I have here a wounded finger. It was scratched when I opened the lock on my way out the restroom of Piamonte's Mansion (or whatever they call that antique house). There is a belief, which was instilled in my young mind, that once one gets wounded on Good Friday, the wound will heal a little delayed compared to ordinary days. Of course, from the scientific viewpoint that belief deviates the inflammatory process and the physiologic human function. Anyway, what happens on the other hand, if at this time, the heart is wounded?

We were both 'wounded' - due to different causes- when we reached the top up Balaan Bukid. But the simple therapy of companionship and photography gently erased the gloominess in me. How about you? I hope you are fine.

Seeing the people around Hoskyn's prepare the trail along the cross, amused me especially that it was my first time to travail the path. I have this great belief that what makes the place extraordinary are the people within the place, the person one travels with and not the place alone. The children, those who carried water up the trail captured, me. Innovative or shall I say, unusual. I should have tried what they were doing when I was young and used to water the plants in our garden. Corny...Wala lang. Baskog ang bamboo nga may kariton kag uluyatan.

What else shall I say? People there are really friendly - photo-friendly shall I say. They stopped and pose - but never blatant. I guess, it's another unique Filipino characteristics which soon we will discover if we'll be fortunate enough to travel the whole world.

I am lucky enough to see the preparations done by these people but I'm afraid that all these traditions are becoming commercialized. Stalls and stores sprouted like poisonous mushrooms after a rainy day. Mountain Dew - that mere thirst quenching drink- is VERY expensive. Nineteen pesos. Kumusta naman yun?

I seemed to equate "Ang Pagtaltal" to other festivities like Dinagyang. Both has something to do with religion but I'm afraid that most of us Catholics fail to grasp the real essence of these religious traditions. Basta ah... hehe...

Anyway, that afternoon was one historic event in our lives for we decided to make this blog. Keep writing, I'll keep writing too. We'll make writing our band-aids. 

-Daph