the taste of ilocos!

ilocos is known for beautiful bridges, beaches, sticky rice cakes, empanada, tobacco and vigan trips but for me ilocos is place where another part of me lives. this is where so many of my childhood memories took place and this is where my father's live. 

its nice to wake up after a long trip here. i get to smell fresh air and i get to see different backyard buddies. and yah you're right i get to eat different kinds of eggs.

roaming around the city business district i just dont see different cultural heritage, new found business or bump along with an old time friends but i got taste a lot of sticky rice cakes.

 walking along the seashore i enjoy the big waves and swim its clean waters.

but above all i love ilocos more because of its people. not ordinary people but those of my bloodline. My ninety year old grandma lives here. She is triple my age but her wisdom is just like mine.

and not only that i get to feel the warm embrace of my father's siblings.

 and play and eat the whole day with my cousins.

Coming here has always been my plan every year but things do change and priorities too and a lot of unfavorable circumstances happens and diverted my plans to fulfill another.  I had always dreamed of eating dinner with grandma and eat mcdonalds everyday. This visit took place in an unexpected date for they too are even much surprised when i came. i just feel like waking up here and hug them tight. 

 but even so i am far away my home i got the chance to greet my friend on her special day.

back in atlanta my grands regularly drink coffee and eat fries and icecream at this neighborhood fastfood and so with my stay everyday my grandma and i visit and eat at mcdonalds. my ninety year old buddy loves staying here. 

its nice that i get to spend quality time with my relatives in this far off place. we visit a lot of spanish remnants and meet with all our relatives.

ilocos is the land of tobacco and lucky enough that this summer i get to enjoy the big leaves. it taste awful but i have to taste it and fold them into cigars of which i brought home.

i get to enjoy a lot of seafoods and had dried a lot of squids too. my uncle cooked a lot of this. i enjoy hanging them off. the smell really stinks but the taste is awesome. it took me two whole days to dry them. the summer heat here goes up to a hundred and fifteen. 

my father never taught me to speak their dialect for no reason but it doesnt matter if i really dont understand the 98% of his language but i fell love and that really matters! 

my eyes resembles them. it glitters on summer sunshine. i get to experience the love aunty lita is giving me. she is old but she is strong.

daddy lino has always been our favorite everytime we visit them. he seldom speaks tagalog and i hardly understand him most of the time but his love for us is great. he is really funny and he cooks really good. mama lita and daddy lino never had a child. 

five years ago i get to meet aunty daliah and she is still the same daliah i know. she never failed to say hello and i love that she is doing ok. her love for our family is as strong as a lion and i am thankful of that. 

the feeling i get is wonderful  and still the same way back when my father is still here and i truly feel his warm embrace. and if ever you read this in heaven papa i really enjoy my five days of stint in your place. your family gives me a happy home. i love the roads, the church, the food, the weather, the sea, the smell, the people and they love and miss me very much. it took me long five years to visit them and i dont know when im coming back so i make the most of it.i really had a great time and i know that you look down on me because i used to look up on you. 

i did visit and pray to the gravesite where lolo doming and tatay fred and all your love ones are. 

i dont know if inang will or still remember me or lao or you or mom but i love her more than i love mcdonalds and ice cream sticks. how i wish youre sitting in this bus with me. it will be a long travel for today im going home to mom and lao. thank you for teaching me how to live well and thank you for making me believe that all things are beautiful and im sticking into that.

going back to manila i meet along together with robinson and aunt natty. we went to church and pray. i headed to the bus station crying with them for i dont know when will we see and hug each other again. 

i so love your family papa and i miss you even more.