MERENGUE DREAMS

Sweet, dreamy merengue
(Available at all Max's Fried Chicken)

Anyone of my age (and older) would probably count the dreamy merengue as one of their childhoold pleasures. It remains to be to this day, I suppose.

MAYO NA! (IT'S MAY!)

FIESTA by Carlos Francisco (1946)

May, the fiesta month in the Philippines, is already upon us. Time to roam the metro - and the islands - for fun, laughter, and food!

MANILA VOICES: LUISITO BAYANI, 23

My Labor Day turned entered a bizarre twist when after work and after a quick visit to Divisioria, I decided to rest on a bench at Plaza Lacson, besides the Carriedo Station of the LRT Line 1.

Around me were tired protesters grabbing quick naps, women selling Japanese sweet corn, men selling cold juices, water and C2. 15 minutes into my rest, a very thin boy - nay, a man - sauntered towards me and was gesturing for something. He first appeared to be mute but he can hear me alright. I offered the rest of my bring-home pizza but he didn't seem hungry and returned them to me. He gestured towards the man selling cold juices, and I gave him Php 5 and he bought himself a nice cup of buko juice.

He seems to be well known around these parts as kids were calling out his name - Lui. He sat beside me and I offered him the pizza again, which he accepted. He just kept gesturing and making the sign of the cross and pointing towards the general direction of Quiapo. I suppose he goes there a lot.

(photo here)

Luisito, with the Carriedo Station behind him

The woman selling corn, who was seated besides me, said that Lui - actually, Luisito Acunsion(sp.?) Bayani, 23 years old - already had a full meal before he left the house. The woman, who called herself Manang Sally (real name: Salud), turned out to be Lui's mother.

Lui is the youngest in a brood of 7. Manang Sally confided to me that she wanted to abort Luisito long ago because after having had 6 children, she didn't want another kid. She said she took several medicines, citing Medicol (a paracetamol) as an example. The baby wasn't aborted but he turned out to be like what Lui is now - a bit retarded, with a mind-age of 5 or 6 by my calculations.

The family are from Valenzuela originally, but moved to Villalobos (Manila) upon the invitation of her eldest son, who has a stall selling mangoes and corn. She was complaining about her husband, who now is living with his mistress. He has 5 more children with the other woman - and he is already 59. "I guess there are men who really are virile even at an old age," Manang Sally opines. She says she doesn't want to creat a ruckus by making her husband come home. After all, she is old now and wants to enjoy life more with her grandchildren - all 15 of them (the eldest son alone had 8 children!).

She also told me an interesting story of how Lui once disappeared from their house in Valenzuela and wasn't seen for three days. They searched for him everywhere until one day, Manang Sally received a call from her daughter in Carriedo that Lui is with them. Apparently, Lui remembered the way from Valenzuela to Carriedo from their constant trips, and may have walked all the way to Manila. Amazing, isn't it?

It isn't difficult to like Lui. He always raised my arm so it can rest around his frail shoulders, and he'd lean his head on me like a kid wanting to be hugged. He makes it a point that my hand would rest on his sternum. Very unusual but because of this, I can feel how thin he really was. Except for some rashes on his inner arms, I am thankful he isn't sick of anything related to the lungs given his obvious frailty and malnutrition. Manang Sally said people would always take pity on Lui - the saleslady at the nearby Isetann would always sneak out to give him a cone of sundae, or somebody would give him a shirt, or offer money, even if just coins.

(photo here)

Lui's hand on my knee

Since it was getting late and I had to go home, I said my goodbyes to Lui and thanked Manang Sally for her time. I promised to visit them again since we always hear Mass in Sta. Cruz Church.

ZE TRUTH IS OUT!

ZSAZSA ZATURNNAH ZE MUZIKAL
AT THE PETA THEATER CENTER'S "Red Box"

The blockbuster musical that ran to full houses during its world
premiere last February at the Cultural Center of the Philippines will
have a rerun at the PETA Theater Center's "Red Box" at #5 Sunny Side
Drive, Bgy. Kristong Hari, Quezon City (at the back of Quezon City
Sports Club) from April 21 to 30, with matinees at 2:30 PM (Sat/Sun)
and evening shows at 7:30 PM (Fri/Sat/Sun).

Presented by Tanghalang Pilipino and the Bright Eyed Boys Events and
Ideas Inc., the voluptuous and fearless superhero, returns for a
limited engagement due to insistent public demand. Catch the original
cast with the addition of stage thespian Joey Paras alternating as the
frilly-mouthed parlor assistant, Didi, in this extraordinary story
about sincerity, love, hope and faith.

This may be your last chance to see this fabulous production so don't
miss it! Watch ZSAZSA ZATURNNAH (ZE MUZIKAL) and laugh and fall in
love as a parlorista superhero(ine) saves the world!

Created by Carlo Vergara
Stage Adaptation by Chris Martinez
Music, Lyrics & Musical Direction by Vincent DeJesus
Directed by Chris Millado

Tickets prices:

Orchestra P700
Lower Balcony Center P700
Upper/Side Balcony P600
Upper Monobloc P500

Original Cast Recording CD P350 (Limited Copies Only)

For ticket inquiries, bookings and reservations, please call the TP
office at 832-3661 or 832-1125 locals 1620/1621 or 0920-9535419 and
the Bright Eyed Boys Events & Ideas Inc. at 521-0412 / 0922-8712001 to
2004.

I SLEEP, THEREFORE I AM

The Mayor would have been tickled pink.

Baywalk, Manila

WITHOUT A CARE IN THE WORLD...

Manila Central Post Office, Liwasang Bonifacio

Baywalk, Manila

Street lamp, Baywalk

Tierra adorada
Hija del sol de Oriente,
Su fuego ardiente,
En ti latiendo está.

¡Tierra de amores!
Del heroismo cuna,
Los invasores
No te hollarán jamás.

En tu azul cielo, en tus auras,
En tus montes y en tu mar
Esplende y late el poema
De tu amada libertad.

Tu pabellón, que en las lides
La victoria iluminó,
No verá nunca apagados
Sus estrellas y su sol.

Tierra de dichas, del sol y de amores,
En tu regazo dulce es vivir.
Es una gloria para tus hijos,
Cuando te ofenden, por ti morir.


by Jose Palma; became official in 1899

HEAR, HEAR!!!

"AS SEEN ON TV!"

(BAD) SIGN OF THE TIMES

Any takers?

PLAZA DE ESPAñA

King Philip II of Spain, who never saw the islands named in his honor

ANG ASONG HINDI

Was amused by dogs being sold infront of Baclaran Church so I decided to cuddle one - this dog in particular. Well, what can I say, he just won't let go! So I brought him home with me (I smuggled him into the airconditioned bus hidden inside my mailman's bag).

Meet Turnip - The mixed-breed puppy (Pinoy-Pomeranian daw) from Baclaran.

The first night, I let him sleep on my bed. The next morning, I discovered that my bed has become the repository of the by-products of his last night's meal.

Ah, the perils of having a dog!

OPEN 24 HOURS

Somehow, that's really hard to believe.

Location: besides the Metropolitan Theatre, Manila

...I'VE GOT ALL MY SISTERS WITH ME!

Location: Baywalk, Manila

COMING HOME TO MEXICO, PAMPANGA

Went home to my Mother's hometown of Mexico lately. With the excellent newly-refurbished North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Pampanga is now just an hour away from Manila. I visited the balen (town center) to see how it has changed since I lived here as a kid. Some sad images of dilapidated pioneer buildings here but it doesn't seem to have changed much. The banana-cue stand is still there, the market, the slowly vanishing Klingler Park. Nevertheless, all sad events were esrased by a most wonderful summer lunch of seafood, sinigang na baboy, and fresh mangoes.

On my next visit, i'd be posting photos of beautiful Capampangan old houses.

STA MONICA PARISH AND BENEDICTINE CONVENT

Formerly St Benedict Institution; eventually closed to become a convent

All that remained of the former Augustinian-run church is this belfry

The town center at dusk; this road leads to San Fernando, Pampanga's capital

Mexico's wet market; new facade. The welcome sign is not Capampangan although if it is Tagalog, it would be ackward to translate to English, which would mean either, "You live in Mexico" or "Long Live in Mexico". Whatever.

FARMACIA OCAMPO



Farewell, Farmacia Ocampo!

LUNCH

Sinigang na Baboy (Pork in sour soup)

Inihaw na tilapia

Nilagang hipon

Fresh baby "lobsters". I don't really know what they are exactly. They look scary!

GOING BACK TO MANILA

Locals call this the "junction". 4 roads meet in this area: Forward, to Olongapo. To the left, San Fernando town center; to the right is Angeles City. Going back towards the photo is Mexico and Arayat, home to that famous mountain that rises from the heart of this great province of cooks.

Travellers always stop here for many reasons: Freshen up at Mcdonald's; wait for a bus back to Manila, or visit Pampanga's Best or Tita's for that yummy tocino and longganisa pasalubong!

Until next time, cabalen!

SALUBONG 2006

EASTER DIP

After attending the Easter Mass and Salubong at the nearby Malate Church with Mom, we decided to stroll along Baywalk when we chanced upon this man giving his dog a good scrubbing and forcing it to go dipping in Manila Bay.

The poor thing. Well, what she doesn't know won't kill her.