Eid in Baguio...

My friends and I got back from our Baguio trip yesterday. We got here (Quezon City) at around 9:30 in the morning. At around 10:00, I fell asleep and I woke up in the evening! I was dead tired!

It was a fun, fun, fun trip! I really loved all the places we went to. It's always nice to go to places just to unwind, relax and look around. And, it's doubly nice when one goes with good friends. Although we never found the cheap second-hand books I've been hearing about, I really enjoyed the whole trip!

What made the trip extra special and unforgettable for me was that I spent the Eid'l Fitr (the End of Ramadhan) there. The Eid, of course, to the Muslims is what Christmas is to the Christians. It's a very special day for families. In my case, since my whole family is back in Mindanao, the next best thing is to spend the Eid with very good friends, and in a place I don't really get to go to often, too.

There are actually lots of Muslims in Baguio. Even before we left Manila, I was really looking forward to praying with the Muslim community in Baguio. That was one of the things I was so excited about. So, on the Eid, at about 5:30 in the morning, my friends and I went to look for the masjid (mosque). We found it in no time. It was big. And then, a young Muslim guy saw us and informed us that the Eid prayer was to be at the Melvin Jones Field at Burnham because there wasn't enough space for everyone in the masjid. I was actually expecting that because I knew that it's always better to pray in the open air and, of course, that's what we do back in MSU (we pray at the soccer field).

When we got to the Melvin Jones Field, we didn't see Muslims anywhere. We went around and waited for the nearest McDonald's to open and got some food. We went back to the MJF and it turned out that we were actually too early. More and more people came, so I decided to finally go and join them as my friends also left to get more sleep. As usual, I cried while we were doing the takbeer mursal because that was when it dawned on me that Ramadhan has really ended once again and I remembered my family and friends back home especially when I saw families gathered and taking pictures of one another. Also, I thought of all the things I should've done, but didn't do, during the past month. I was happy and sad at the same time, the Eid always gives me that feeling.

As I was looking around and watching the young kids laughing and running around and the adults greeting, hugging and kissing one another, my thoughts brought me back to past Eids in MSU. I knew how those kids felt. Muslim kids always feel so excited during the Eid because it's the time to wear one's best clothes (usually new ones) and the time to eat special food and spend wonderful time with the rest of the family (aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, grandmas, grandpas included) and friends. I also knew how the adults felt. Muslims feel really happy and peaceful on this day because it's the time for asking forgiveness from one another and to forgive one another for anything and everything. I really felt the spirit of the Eid embrace my whole being.

The only thing I didn't like much about the whole thing was that I couldn't hear the imam (the one who leads the prayer) very well because the sound system was not good. It was difficult to concentrate when I couldn't hear the imam. When the kutbah (sermon) started, I went closer to the speakers. I stood alone by the side of the men's area. It was okay because a lot of people at the back were already moving around and preparing to leave. I just couldn't leave without hearing the kutbah because it'd feel weird and incomplete. It wasn't the best kutbah I've heard, but it was good. All in all, I really liked my first Eid in Baguio!

After that, my friends and I went to a lot of places and ate a LOT! We stayed in Baguio for three days and three nights. We slept late every single night (never before 3:00 in the morning!), spent the whole day going around, sang soooo many and different kinds of songs (to the amazement of our Japanese friend), and just laughed and laughed and laughed! We went to many places - Burnham (where we went boating), Camp John Hay (where we played Golf, Mini-Golf that is!), the Ukay-Ukay place, Tam-awan Village (I really loved this place. There's this viewdeck that they have where one can see the contrast between the old Cordillera and the present or modern one!), the Manor (my favorite among the places we went to!), the Philippine Military Academy at the Fort del Pilar, etc. We also went bar hopping and listened to many kinds of singers and bands. The last one we listened to (at the Pilgrim's Bar) was a group composed of three singers (two females, one male) and a pianist. They were great! I was so happy, too, because they did an APO Hiking Society medley and a Broadway medley! We went back to Sibby's place with huge smiles on our faces! I really thank God for times like these. They make life so much better and worth living.


To Erik (Sibby), Bok, Dada, Mimi, Lachi and Hide: doumo arigatou gozaimashita!


This is our group...


...and Hide is our Japanese pet, este, friend!^_^


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20 Random Things About Me... :)

01. I love chocolates.
02. I do not eat vegetables.
03. I hate being late, but when my friends (or whoever I'm meeting) are late, I don't mind waiting.
04. I love to take pictures of sleeping people. I actually collect pictures (I take) of sleeping people.
05. I love poetry!
06. I am willing to die and/or kill for a friend... and for my family.
07. I can run really fast. Sometimes, this surprises people bacause they never expect someone my size to run as fast as I can. (I actually did track and field back in high school!)
08. I have been an insomniac since age four!
09. I have sixth sense, i.e. I can feel "their presence".
10. I do not like cooking, but I love to eat!
11. When I love/like people, I really love/like them. When I hate, I really hate!
12. I use only Dove and Cetaphil on my face, but I use any kind of soap for my body.
13. I love combing my hair and brushing my teeth. Both totally relax me.
14. I like to do things on my own.
15. I am very emotional!
16. I love to learn about different cultures and languages.
17. I ususally don't have breakfast.
18. When I was younger, I used to destroy stuff just because I felt like it. (Yeah, I was totally mental!)
19. I am often lazy!
20. I'm usually good at reading non-verbal language.


I was tagged by Toni!

Whoever wants to be it is tagged! ;-)