My First Fiesta in Years

When I was much younger back in the late '90s and early 2000s, I used to look forward to the town fiesta where my grandparents lived. I remember the games that we would play outside on the streets such as basag palayok (is that even right? lol) pasabit, and the paagaw. HAHA! I am so bad at remembering the names of the games, but you probably know what I am talking about. It was so much fun that I am finding it hard to believe that I actually experienced those things.

It's weird to me because when I started college I was repulsed by the idea of a "fiesta". I have no idea why, but for some reason, I just eventually thought I had outgrown it or perhaps I thought it sounded too corny to me back then given the fact that I have just moved from the heart of Metro Manila to the more rural Rizal.

But I guess my dislike for fiestas actually grew when I started working as fiesta's mean that there will be very limited public transportation which means I'd have to walk a few kilometers in hopes of getting a ride home. (Insert memories of walking from Ortigas Center to Tiendesitas every May 1st since 2013). As you can see, fiestas became more traumatic for me over the years.

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However, last December I witnessed my first fiesta in years and I was surprisingly amused. It may have been the sea of tiangge that flooded the road or the blinding lights of the SumBingTik decorations. (a portmanteau or word-blending of suman, bibingka, and latik, which are the town's native delicacies).

It might even be the repetitive recording of the History of Cainta that played for hours outside the school next door. The parade of local politicians in superhero costumes on their laughworthy floats. Whatever it might have been, I guess it's safe to say that I enjoyed my first fiesta in years. It was all new to me so my husband and I did not prepare anything for it, in fact, we went to watch a Counter-Strike Tournament all afternoon, but we got home in time for the parade that evening. Maybe this year, I'll consider preparing for the town's fiesta.

Sa inyo ba, tuwing kailan ang fiesta at ano usually hinahanda ninyo? ^_^