Snow in the Beach
Click left side of photo to go to previous entry/ Click the right half of photo to go to the next


Snowman instead of Sand Castles? Yes! Just for a few hours...


I can form the map of the Philippines from the clouds; or am I just missing home that bad?


Goodbye for now! See You Next Year!


The World is Getting Weirder
December 11, 2005

"Ang simbang gabi kung Pasko
Ay sadyang dinarayo
Ng mga taga bayan
At maging taga baryo
Ang kalembang ng kampana
Doon sa kampanaryo
Ay hudyat ng pasimula
Nitong misa de gallo"



I was awake today at 4 in the morning. Must be that my body clock has teleported itself to Manila and wanted to go to one of the traditions that our family has been practicing since we were kids: Simbang Gabi.

Trivia on Simbang Gabi:

C
Simbang Gabi lasts for 9 consecutive days beginning December 16. It augurs in Christmas and makes the Filipino Christmas season, the longest in the world, ending at the Epiphany.

Well it starts in September though when you see Christmas bazaars and hear Christmas music piped in elevators and the LRT.

A
It is in keeping with 9-day novenas that Filipinos have been known for that Pope Sixtus in the 16th century established the same tradition being done in Mexico to be practiced as well in the Philippines.

The novenas was for a bountiful harvest for the coming year. It was scheduled at dawn to allow farmers and fishermen to hear mass.

It also allowed lovers to see each other early in the morning and eat puto bumbong and bibingka.

B
The 9-morning simbang gabi, has turned out to be a novena for the faithful that whatever wish you ask from Day 1 will come true if you don't break the 9-day mass of the rooster.

The same devotees who you'd see dozing and literally bringing their pillows to mass just to make the 9-day "sacrifice".

*******

By the way, the snowman picture was taken last Sunday at Manhattan Beach. No, Virginia it didnt snow, but the council brought ice making machines to create the magic of winter to kids.

And yes, Viriginia, I'm not in Manila, but in Chicago right now, and the whole place is full of snow, not from a big machine which littered it white but from the Big Guy up there whose Son is about to be born.

9 days to go!

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