Visiting the Cemetery
Posted on October 21, 2009 by Ching under Family.
We initially planned to visit the cemetery on Wednesday, October 7, Papa Osing’s birthday. I had borrowed a couple of umbrellas from Tito Ope because I couldn’t get my hair wet. I was ready to go, but the weather would not cooperate. The rain continued nonstop. No else one wanted to go that day. I was a little disappointed, but they promised me that we would go before we left.
We planned to postpone until the following Monday, our last full day in Tanjay. However, we had nothing else on Saturday as my power plant tour was moved to Sunday, October 11. Saturday turned out to be a somewhat nice day. It still drizzled a little, but it was nice enough (compared to the torrential rain we’d been having the previous days) that we were all able to go. Manong Jovilo, Auntie Inday, mom, dad, Brian and I all went. We piled into Manong Jovilo’s Easy Ride.
We figured we might as well go while we can, instead of waiting until Monday. You never know what will happen. If it started raining again, then we might not get to go at all. That would really be disappointing.
There used to be only one cemetery in Tanjay. Now there are two because the original cemetery had gotten overcrowded. Here are some photos from the old cemetery, where my great grandparents are buried…
Overcrowded is not an exaggeration. Graves are literally stacked one on top of another. So when Mama Priscilla passed, she was buried at Serenity (the new cemetery). Papa Osing was buried there also.
Serenity is a lot less crowded than the old cemetery. Actually, it wasn’t crowded at all. Half of the cemetery was still open so there were tons of plots available and then there is vacant land adjacent to the cemetery so there is further room to expand. Serenity is a lot nicer so I can understand why people are choosing to be buried there. It is much more expensive than the old cemetery.
The plan is to build a mausoleum around Papa Osing’s grave. The mausoleum is yet to be designed, but I think that shelves will line the walls so that the urns of those who plan to be cremated (like dad and some of his other siblings) can be stored in the mausoleum with their parents. Mama Priscilla’s grave is located at a different part of the cemetery, but after five years they can move her remains next to Papa Osing’s so they can be together.
I think mom and dad both want to be cremated so it will be easier for us to bring them back home to the Philippines. I told them that they will need to leave detailed instructions so Jenni and I don’t mess anything up. LOL.
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Rain, Blech
Posted on October 19, 2009 by Ching under Travel.
It did not stop raining at all, the entire time we were in Tanjay. =P
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Cousin Gladys
Posted on October 19, 2009 by Ching under Family, Travel.
This is a photo of mom with my cute cousin, Gladys. She is now 13. The funny thing is that Tito Ope keeps calling Gladys “Ching” because he remembers me from when I was 13, the last time that we really got to spend time together.
I suppose Gladys is a lot like me at age 13, except she’s probably more well-behaved than I ever was. She is very quiet and respectful, and doesn’t ever forget to mano. I was kind of a pain. LOL.
It rained nonstop during the week of our stay in Tanjay so we were pretty much stuck at the house. I had all of these things I wanted to do, but the weather wouldn’t cooperate. It was quite boring.
On Tuesday afternoon we decided to go to the salon to get our hair done. We were all pretty bored at this point. Even Brian came with us.
We decided to hail a cab (not a taxi cab, a pedicab – LOL) to take us there. It was a modified pedicab (a motorcycle with an attached sidecar) that could fit half a dozen people at least. Normally, these cabs can only accommodate 4 or 5 people at the most. I suppose the more people a driver can fit in the pedicab, the more money they can make.
Here are some pictures of us taken at the salon:
Gladys and I both had our hair rebonded. This is a Japanese hair straightening method that turns wavy or curly hair straight and it lasts 6 to 8 months depending on how well you take care of your hair. The process and products used are slightly different than hair relaxing.
Here is the result:
The result of hair rebonding is stick straight hair. My hair pretty much dries completely straight right now, without the use of a flat iron. It’s awesome. I have heard/read that hair rebonding is bad for your hair so I’m kind of scared to flat iron my hair because it might not be as strong as it once was. I was told I can’t flat iron my hair with the flat iron set above 180 degrees. I think the lowest setting on my flat iron is 300 degrees. Still not sure what to do about that. So far I’ve just been air drying my hair for the most part. Although, I did use a hair dryer once at Plantation Bay.
Anyway, time for me to get ready for work. Stay tuned for more trip recap.
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Arrival in Tanjay City
Posted on October 18, 2009 by Ching under Family, Travel.
We only spent a couple of nights in Bohol. The first night at Alona Tropical in Panglao Island and then we moved to Chriscent Ville Hotel which is in Tagbilaran City, just a few minutes from the fast ferry pier. The accommodations were modest (as can be expected based on the room rates), but the service at Chriscent Ville was fantastic. Since we were busy sightseeing on Sunday, the concierge actually bought our Ocean Jet tickets for us and had them ready when we arrived back at the hotel that evening. Besides that, Chriscent Ville had free wireless internet so we were able to check email and upload some pictures over breakfast the next day. The hotel also arranged for a complimentary transfer to the pier. The location of the hotel isn’t great, the rooms were dated, and there is no view, but the customer service made up for everything.
We left Tagbilaran early on Monday morning and arrived in Tanjay around noon. We went straight to mom and dad’s house in Opao to drop off our bags and then went to Scooby’s for lunch. After a quickie lunch, we went to visit our family in Tabuc.
Opao and Tabuc are both in Tanjay. Opao, where dad is from, is located in town or lungsod; while Tabuc, where mom is from, is across the river. Incidentally, tabuk means to cross. LOL.
This is my grandfather. His name is Jose, but we call him Papang Joe. He is much thinner now than when I last saw him over a decade ago.
Papang Joe speaks English really well. I had hoped that he would be able to converse with Brian, but his hearing had deteriorated so much that he can barely hear anymore. Bungol na.
It had been almost twelve years since I had been back. I was so overwhelmed with emotion upon seeing everyone, specially seeing Papang Joe so old and frail. He is 86 now. I also felt somewhat guilty for not being around all these years. I think Tito Ope cried a little bit, too.
Brian saw I was crying and asked why. After I explained it to him, he asked me why I wasn’t over there talking to my grandfather. “He can’t hear me,” I replied and we both laughed. LOL.
This is a photo of me with my grandmother. Her name is Maria, but we call her Mama Iyay or Yayicks. 🙂
I felt guilty for my last words to Mama on our last visit in 1998. It was during the month of July and we stayed for a month at that time. However, after two weeks I was ready to leave because I was so tired of the heat. We stayed at Mama Iyay and Papang Joe’s house and they have no AC.
I was young and impulsive and I had told her that I hated it there and I would never return. “Dili na ka mo balik?” she asked. I told her, rather insensitively, I’d probably return if someone died. It made her cry. I had no idea then, but I understand now how much that hurt her.
Having lost both of my paternal grandparents this year (Mama Priscilla in March and Papa Osing in August) and not seeing them at all in the years leading up to their passing, I know now how much it means to Mama Iyay to be able to see us. I want to visit as much as I can because Mama Iyay and Papang Joe are getting older each day. I don’t want to have the same regrets. Boy, I’m getting sentimental in my old age.
We did visit the cemetery where Mamang and Papang are but visiting graves is not the same as visiting the living, who are able to hug and hold you and look at you with joy in their eyes. Though, I must say, Papang Joe didn’t recognize me at first. It wasn’t until our second visit to Tabuc that he realized who I was. LOL.
Parting this time wasn’t as doleful because I knew that we’d return in a couple of years. That is a promise I intend to keep.
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Vacation Mixbook
Posted on October 18, 2009 by Ching under Family, Travel.
I hope you like the photos. Enjoy!
P.S. If you can’t see them, you’re probably viewing this post from Facebook or a news reader. Click here to see the original post so you can see the Mixbook preview.
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