It was a tiring getaway, but it was well worth it. It's been two weeks since I was back in Cubao, but the fascinating experience of travel, sun, sand, and fun, still lingers in my mind and soul.
I prefer road trips than airplane trips. Road trips are cheap, exciting, and gets you closer to the sceneries and people; it also offers great opportunites for photography.
Airplane rides, on the other hand, are costly, short, and offers only photography from the sky. And what if the day was cloudy? or the fellow sitting next to you abhors photography?
I always adhere to the maxim that the joy of travel lies not in getting fast to your destination, but the joyride of getting there.
I traveled to the southern places in the Philippines, particularly the Samar and Leyte islands. But Samar may not be in the itinerary of the easychair traveller. Maybe it is because it is out of the way of the more famous tourist destinations like Bohol, Cebu, Palawan, or Panay, where throngs of tourists go all year round. Yet, this in itself is a blessing in disguise to the people of Samar. By less contact with westerners, they retain more of their culture, their simplicity, and their complacency.
Whenever I travel, I remember to bring a few essential things: a boxful of first-aid kit with the usual medicines Bonamine (for bus lag), and Diatabs (for diarrhea, because you'd never ever want bus rides with LBM).
I also only drink bottled distilled water when travelling. I never drink tap water especially on the food stops where passengers dine.
I also remember to bring along my OFF lotion, to protect me from the mosquitoes. I noticed that in the provinces, mosquitoes are more numerous, larger, and more aggressive (though may not be deadlier), than their Manila cousins.
I always kill mosquitoes whenever they happen to pass between the palms of my hands. I will be in this muderous rampage every night I sleep in my in-laws house in Calbayog.
I have decided to stay for a few days in my in-laws house in a deep village in Calbayog City. Unlike in the past when I stayed in hotels, I decided that now, it was time to spend time with my wife's family.
I wanted to feel what it would be like to live among my in-laws and perhaps understand or absorb a few of their cultures. After all, I'm married to a Waray, so I better understand fully their traits and culture.
Also, I felt that with my limited funds, I could save a lot by not having to pay accomodations. The money saved could be used to buy provisions for our daily meals.
As a city fellow, I must adjust accordingly to what my hosts will offer to me, otherwise, I might suffer culture shock. However, I never felt being a stranger. I was welcomed warmly. I felt that my wife's family and relatives were very polite and hospitable, making every effort to make me feel at home.
My in-laws live in a nipa house which is still common in the area. Wide and spacious, it is a two-story house made of unhewn wood, bamboo, and nipa grass. During the day, there was no electricity, but the abundance of trees sorrounding it made it cool and relaxing.
During evenings, electricity was restored and the whole family will watch news on TV. The family dinner followed afterwards, with some fantastic adobo cooked by my mother-in-law.
I also got to know better my father-in-law. A true blooded Waray, he never had been to Manila, and had lived all his life in Calbayog. He marvelled at my photography equipments, at how heavy and expesive they were. I noticed that he didn't know what a digital camera was like. I demonstrated to him my Nikon D80, how it works, and how it didn't need films. When I took his picture, he was amused to see himsledf in the LCD monitor.
We also talked about the things that a son-in-law and a father-in-law usually talked about: how to prevent our wives from staging a coup de etat, and gain full control of running the house. It was something that a Waray man must never let happen...
My father-in-law liked to sing videoke, and he would slowly torture me by singing endless songs by April Boy Regino and Renz Verano. While singing, we would drink Tuba, a local sap wine.
Actually, I rarely drink liqour. For me, they all tasted like bitter medicines, like Tanduay or Ginebra. But Tuba was different, it tasted a little sweet to the tounge, smelled like strong vinegar, smooth, and easy on the throat.
For the Warays, the Tuba is the standard liqour. They drink it regularly like a Pepsi or Coke. I was amused how my father-in-law would gulp straight one full glass during his turn. I was a man also, so I imitated him and drank the same amount. But I must have underestimated the power of the Tuba. After a few glasses, I got drunk, and fell asleep. My father-in-law, however, continued on his singing and drinking galore.
Getting to know one's in-laws in their own territory may be one of the most culturally shocking events one can experience in life. You meet several uncles, aunts, cousins, lolos, and lolas. Although they are nice and hospitable, meeting them for the first time can be both intimidating and fascinating.
I have made a conclusion that when you marry a Waray, you marry her whole family, for the Warays are some of the most closely-tied families you could ever meet. Yet, as a Manileno, I was treated well, and everyone's helpful.
After several days, when it was time for me to leave, everyone came to see me to give me several gifts bid, a few chickens, a boxful of suman, a pitcher of Tuba (hehehe), and other small souvenir items. My grandfather-in-law, 92 years old, gave me a latigo of Manta Ray which he had kept for several years. He said it is an effective weapon against the aswang in Maynila. Although I thought it was very thoughful of him, personally, I would have preferred a weapon against the buwaya in Maynila.
While on the bus headed to Tacloban, I thought of the wonderful and fascinating experiences I had with my wife's family. I thought I'm blessed to have them as my family, and maybe who knows, I may come back frequently, and maybe build a house there myself in the future.
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