This is the third straight year that I was able to celebrate the feast of our town's patron saint - St. Michael the Archangel - with my colleagues from Cebu Office. This year though is quite different. Different because i) we didn't stay in the Mahayahay Beach Resort (we just stayed in our house); ii) there were four of them who were first-timers to visit Argao; and iii) we have taken more pictures of our escapade. Few of these pics are shown below :)
If I count it right, it's 10 years that I was absent in the town fiesta --- from the time I moved from Cebu to Manila in 2002 until the time we came back from the US in 2011. Argao town fiesta is celebrated every September 28-29 of the year. There were stories told that every time the Parish tried to change the dates of the fiesta (e.g., fixing the days to Saturday/Sunday), it always rained on those days. The folks believe that St. Michael doesn't like changing the dates.
I got to celebrate the fiesta and enjoy the food again starting in 2012. It was the first time I invited my Cebu colleagues to our place in Argao. In 2013, only the Cebu guys went. This year, my guests were a mixture of old and new faces. Special mention though to these guys who were never absent these past three years: Karl, Rendol, Aldrin and Xenon. I had been enjoying the company of these guys who gladly shared their talents in singing, playing cards and of course the timeless game of drinking. :P
Another memorable experience while I was in Argao was meeting important people again. After 12 years, I met my Auntie Susan and Uncle Mars again. We last saw each other in 2002. With them were Auntie Vangie and Uncle Felix whom I did not see for almost a year now. They still did not age. Haha.
Hope to see all of you in 2014!
If I count it right, it's 10 years that I was absent in the town fiesta --- from the time I moved from Cebu to Manila in 2002 until the time we came back from the US in 2011. Argao town fiesta is celebrated every September 28-29 of the year. There were stories told that every time the Parish tried to change the dates of the fiesta (e.g., fixing the days to Saturday/Sunday), it always rained on those days. The folks believe that St. Michael doesn't like changing the dates.
I got to celebrate the fiesta and enjoy the food again starting in 2012. It was the first time I invited my Cebu colleagues to our place in Argao. In 2013, only the Cebu guys went. This year, my guests were a mixture of old and new faces. Special mention though to these guys who were never absent these past three years: Karl, Rendol, Aldrin and Xenon. I had been enjoying the company of these guys who gladly shared their talents in singing, playing cards and of course the timeless game of drinking. :P
Another memorable experience while I was in Argao was meeting important people again. After 12 years, I met my Auntie Susan and Uncle Mars again. We last saw each other in 2002. With them were Auntie Vangie and Uncle Felix whom I did not see for almost a year now. They still did not age. Haha.
Hope to see all of you in 2014!
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| At the Pier.....with lights coming from our cellphones. |
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| Picture taken under a kalachuchi plant. To our left is the bell tower of Argao Church, which has three levels supporting a single large bell on the second level and with 8 smaller bells on the third. |
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| At the back (or atop) is one of the four gates of the Pueblo called "Puerto Marina". Legend says Maria Cacao would sail to the Americas to sell her freshly harvested cacao and would come back with new plates and utensils she would freely lend to the townsfolk. |
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| Picture picture while the guys were playing Pusoy. |
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| I lost in all the games. Do you see who's too relaxed here? It was confirmed that Cess plays so well and so fast. :P |
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| It's evident in this pic and the three pics that follow everyone's tipsiness. |
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| This and the next two pics were taken early morning while still figuring out whether to go to the beach or not. |
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| ...and finally we decided to swim. :) |
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| With my mama and my younger bro before heading back to the city. |
