I have just arrived, or it feels like it. With the slight delays, mainly in
the Manila traffic, I got to bed at 3am. Still, since that was like 8pm, I
was sleepy mainly due to the travelling. It was clearly worse for the
normal house residents!
We made the effort to go to the annual town celebration that evening. There
were lots of speaches and presentations. In English, but I still had some
trouble understanding. What was clear was that many ordinary people were
singled out and honored for their hard work and service- including
fishermen and nurses. 10 were presented, one from each category.
And those overseas were honoured too. Including an Englishman and his wife.
There were named seats in the front row of our district and we were called
forward to be photographed and presented with garlands.
Perhaps the highlight, or at least it was for me, was the folk dancing
competition. There was a hat dance, with the gentlemen wearing coloured
hats, a light dance, tea-lights in hand, but also later on heads or in red
paper pockets, and a couple of bamboo pole dances. The poles represent a
rickety bridge and the dancers nimbly dance between the polls as they click
together. (Photos)
We did not stop to see the decision on who were winners, I had made up my
mind that the second bamboo pole dancers were best! As it was already very
late we returned to rest before the Bible school in the morning.
So this morning was up early to go to a village nearby where many children
gathered under the shade of a thatched home (picture). The adults were just
outside too but this was for the children. As well as Bible studies, there
were biscuits and squash, and as a special treat, little chocolates in
honour of the visitor from overseas.
And since the location was right next to the beach, we took a walk along
the deserted sands afterwards. It proved to be just a little too hot to
stay for long.
the Manila traffic, I got to bed at 3am. Still, since that was like 8pm, I
was sleepy mainly due to the travelling. It was clearly worse for the
normal house residents!
We made the effort to go to the annual town celebration that evening. There
were lots of speaches and presentations. In English, but I still had some
trouble understanding. What was clear was that many ordinary people were
singled out and honored for their hard work and service- including
fishermen and nurses. 10 were presented, one from each category.
And those overseas were honoured too. Including an Englishman and his wife.
There were named seats in the front row of our district and we were called
forward to be photographed and presented with garlands.
Perhaps the highlight, or at least it was for me, was the folk dancing
competition. There was a hat dance, with the gentlemen wearing coloured
hats, a light dance, tea-lights in hand, but also later on heads or in red
paper pockets, and a couple of bamboo pole dances. The poles represent a
rickety bridge and the dancers nimbly dance between the polls as they click
together. (Photos)
We did not stop to see the decision on who were winners, I had made up my
mind that the second bamboo pole dancers were best! As it was already very
late we returned to rest before the Bible school in the morning.
So this morning was up early to go to a village nearby where many children
gathered under the shade of a thatched home (picture). The adults were just
outside too but this was for the children. As well as Bible studies, there
were biscuits and squash, and as a special treat, little chocolates in
honour of the visitor from overseas.
And since the location was right next to the beach, we took a walk along
the deserted sands afterwards. It proved to be just a little too hot to
stay for long.
Terry
terrywestoby@gmail.com
+33 6 75 91 87 71
Sent from Samsung tablet
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