New Years Day

Fireworks and karaoke characterise most celebrations in the Philippines, and none more so than at new year. Most nights there have been both in evidence, but on new year's eve there was renewed enthusiasm! 

But not by us. We were tired and were anticipating an early start next morning. So amid the bangs we slept until midnight. Then it was impossible to ignore the fusillade that was unleashed so we gainfully got up for a while and watched from the balcony. 

In the morning we were of to Pampange, some 3 hours by bus, so when Evangeline's brother Roger said he would give us a lift, we readily accepted. It is 1 1/2 hours by car. And so we arrived in light traffic just after 9am at brother Roger's in-laws. The pictures are from there. 

The purple dish is obi-cake and the colour is natural. It tastes like rice cake with sprinkled nuts. The house is brick built but no internal ceilings, at least in the part we were in that consisted of a kitchen/dining room and a bedroom off to one side. But there was much more house beyond my view that I did not see. 

Tradition has it that an abundance of food should be served on new year's day so that there would be prosperity for the rest of the year. So loads of food was laid before us for breakfast. The family had been up until 3am celebrating and had only just got up. 

There were 4 generations in the house. Roger's wife, her mum and gran and their child. In the picture with Roger are the 3 older generations. Incidently, Evangeline consistently called her brother "manon" and when I asked why it appears this means "older brother", and if younger, it sounds like the English for "add in". 

The situation looked a little rough, but all were healthy, especially gran who shuffled around in a spirited manner, and who insisted in giving us each a warm and affectionate hug as we left. Later on we called on the other daughter, Roger's sister-in-law who was living in a makeshift house beside the main road. The call was brief but from the outside you could tell that things were poor and I was told that health here was an issue. We left some "Christmas money" before we drove off. 

Today it rained. We were so glad of the car! 

Terence Westoby

terrywestoby@gmail.com

+33 6 75 91 87 71

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