How I Spent Holy Week 2016

It was weird, how I spent Holy Week this year. Usually, my sisters and I, we just go to mass on Maundy Thursday then watch The Seven Last Words program on the local channels and hear mass on Easter Sunday. We never go out on vacations during this time because we're conservative in this aspect. 

However, this year's observance was mixed with a little bit of pleasure. Which is ironic because we were with my uncle who's a priest. 

Maundy Thursday. We had planned a Visita Iglesia in lieu of our usual activity which was hearing mass in the village church. AC wanted to do it in the Rizal area but since it was also the day that people walk going to Antipolo as their panata (or penance?) and traffic was supposedly horrendous, so change of plans... to Manila we went. May plano na kami eh- San Sebastian Church, the church in Adamson University, Malate Church, San Agustin then last is Manila Cathedral. But uncle pari had different plans. Akala namin we were going to fetch him lang from Paco Church. Turned out that he was concelebrating a 3-hour mass. THREE HOURS! And to think nagrereklammo na ako sa two hours na misa sa village. So napurnada ang plano. AC and I ended up doing the Way of the Cross in one church.

San Francisco de Dilao in Paco, Manila

Paco Church from another perspective

the Church at night

The mass ended at 8pm and it was already time for dinner. AC treated us to dinner in Bayleaf Hotel. I was soooo tempted to have a pork dish but uncle pari was there so chicken na lang. And pizza margherita and pesto pasta. The main attraction was the view of Manila at night. 

the Manila Cathedral at night

Manila City Hall

panoramic shot of Manila City, Intramuros side

and the photobomber

Food was okay. View was breathtaking. I want to go back to try their bestsellers which were all meat dishes so we can't have them at the time and I'll be bringing a more powerful camera. All photos were taken by my camera phone. 

I worked on orders on Good Friday.

Black Saturday we went to Regina Rica in Tanay, Rizal. It was a three-hour travel going to the place. I didn't expect it to take that long but it was worth it.

LUNCH!

So okay, I felt guilty that we had lechon on a Black Saturday. But to be fair, we asked uncle pari if we can already eat lechon. Puede naman na daw. But still there's still a little nagging feeling of guilt inside. Inihaw na baboy (or lechon) is reserved for Easter Sunday lunches.

the road to forever. char.

the image of Mary from afar

on our way up, I stopped and smelled the flowers...
or took pictures

and there were sheep!!! it was my first time to see a sheep

and there plenty of sheep grazing us with their presence
nyahahaha

Finally.

view of the mountains

Glad we didn't go on Good Friday or else it would have taken us 3-4 hours to go inside the mantel of our Lady, And because I was with senior citizens, we actually didn't have to line up. 

Another 10 minutes spent inside the holding area where we prayed a decade of the rosary and a little orientation from a Dominican nun who must have taken her charm lessons under Mar Roxas. She had no charm at all. They have this fundraising where they're asking for 90 pesos donation for the construction of Mama Mary's mantel and more rooms (I suppose to be used for retreats, etc), and sister said eh kung ang pera niyo ay isang daan, eh 'wag na ho kayo mag-expect ng sukli. In fair, magalang pa din pero parang her manner of speech was unbecoming of a servant of God. I feel there's a much nicer way to say it. 

Easter Sunday we had lunch at Yabu in SM Aura. We were supposed to hear mass in the San Pedro Calungsod chapel but it was overflowing with churchgoers and daddy was uncomfortable in the heat and can't bear standing for an hour in his condition. We planned to hear the 7pm mass at the village church, but we were already 45 minutes late. Ayun. Hindi kami nakasimba. 

I'd rather stay home next time.