The Journey

I took this photo early this year. This is on the road that cuts through Tarlac or Pangasinan. I remember looking at the moon, and to me it seemed like it was watching us until we were out of sight.  It may seem a bit eerie, but riding on the back seat of the car with a long road ahead of home, it kept me still and calm.

For this Baguio trip with other members of our clan,  my younger sister flew in from Boracay to join us for the long weekend. We all had the best time ever. My cousins and I went out to a jazz bar named Overtones. The band playing that night was amazing! After that, we walked around Session Road looking for a midnight snack. I think we ended up in Volante (?), this sort of 24-hour pizza place.

I will always love Baguio. I have a lot of amazing memories there.

***

With news of Baguio and other places in northern Luzon submerged because of the recent typhoon, please please, I hope that more people survive and are carried out to safety. People can only take so much pain. I pray that spirits are not broken.

***

Here is a poem by Mary Oliver that I’ve been meaning to post for a long time. Nothing feels as great as knowing yourself and being true to that.

The Journey

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice–
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do–
determined to save
the only life you could save.

by Mary Oliver

Return to Cambodia

Exactly one month from now, my younger sister and I traveled to Thailand and Cambodia during her Habagat leave from work in Boracay. My brother and his girlfriend joined us for the trip, therefore completing the four of us as a fun and crazy group.

I’ve already been to Cambodia in February this year. Last time I was there I traveled with my friends and boyfriend from work (and play). While we were there, there was something that I wasn’t able to do in Angkor Wat – climb Ta Keo.

Ta Keo is this temple that requires you to conquer a steep climb. I wasn’t too confident back then, so during my second trip to Cambodia I was determined to, well, conquer that fear of heights. My siblings were toughies! They weren’t scared at all. When a young European guy saw me debating with myself whether to climb or not, he just nonchalantly said, “Oh don’t be scared, be brave.” And then he skipped his way up the very steep steps. (I wonder, do Europeans always have this fearless spirit?) Emboldened by the very tall dude and his effortless way of getting to the top, I struggled to begin my ascent. It was a slow crawl to the top, but hey, I made it there eventually! Yey!

I would love to return to Siem Reap. Angkor Wat is amazing, hanging around Pub Street, walking around town, and meeting such wonderful people along the way. I’m glad I was again able to visit Cambodia, this time with another amazing set of fellow travelers. Never mind the scam bus trip from Bangkok to Siem Reap that took forever, I had great fun!

Cherry Blossoms

our time is made short
love ripens, then falls away
like cherry blossoms

d. s., 2009

(above is a screenshot from the movie, “5cm Per Second”)

***

We watched a japanese anime movie last week entitled “5cm Per Second”. The film consists of 3 segments, all beautifully drawn and colored. From its wikipedia entry, it explains that the movie’s title comes from “the speed at which the cherry blossom petals fall, petals being a metaphorical representation of humans, reminiscent of the slowness of life and how people often start together but slowly drift into their separate ways”.

A friend of my boyfriend, an American living in Japan, was here for the week to visit the Philippines. While we were watching the movie, she noted the fascination of cherry blossoms in Japanese culture. Interestingly, she said that the cherry blossoms ripen in a week to 2 weeks, then all  the flowers fall from the trees like snow. Locals and tourists come out at this time of the year to stay under the trees and experience this surreal and beautiful event. She added that as much as they celebrate the short span of time these flowers bloom, they too mark its sweet passing.

After watching the movie, it again reminded me that our time is short and things will continue to remain uncertain. There may be nagging questions about the future, but I guess it is always best that we continue to remain mindful and expressive of our love. Cheesy, I know.

I wish I can be in Japan next summer and experience this phenomenon myself. I would really love to be there. I want to see the flowers in full bloom and wait for them to fall on me like pink snow. That would be really amazing.

Hello World!

And we sail on to 2009!

I’m really looking forward to this year. I’ve got lots and lots of plans, ofcourse. Looking forward to more adventures, travels, lots of art and love!

“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” Omar Khayyam

I hope all your dreams come true.