Pahiyas 2010

Last May 15 I and some fellow Courage brothers went to Lucban, Quezon for our outing to join the celebration of Pahiyas - a festivity in honor of San Isidro Labrador, patron saint of farmers, and whose wife Maria dela Cabeza I found out later is also a canonized saint. In the center of the town is the Parish Church of St. Louis Bishop of Toulouse, literally a stone's throw away from Bro. J's house. It is a magnificent structure that gives you the impression of a colonial Spanish stone church on the outside but not quite so in the inside. I was quite surprised to find out that he is the patron saint of that place and not San Isidro.

The main event is the Pahiyas walk, where we got to see entire rows of houses ornately adorned with multi-colored leaf-shaped edibles called kiping, various fruits and vegetables, coconut and rice products. It was a visual treat and you would regret it if you did not bring your camera as virtually everyone hops from house to house to have their photos taken despite the scorching heat of the afternoon sun.

And oh the food! I liked the longganisang Lucban with matching vinegar, the delectable pancit habhab, the crunchy 'kipings', mangoes, fruit salad, and cassava cake. Nabusog ako grabe!

Perhaps one of the more memorable event that happened to us was the unexpected jeepney ride from Quezon to Laguna. It was already the last trip for that night and we had no choice but to board on top of the jeep. It was my first time to do so and heck what a rollercoaster ride! The jeep drove along zigzaggy roads at speeds that would rival the fastest cheetah in Africa, unmindful of the deep ravines on both sides of our track that kept us at the edge of our uncomfortable seats and holding very tight to steel bars for the duration of the travel. The night sky was lit by a constellation of stars you don't normally see in the metro with the cold evening breeze pounding our faces. It was pure adrenaline rush and I loved every minute of it! We even had a picture-taking of this crazy ride. I would love to have the same kind of adventure next time. I dunno where but this experience gave me that exhilarating feeling of being fully alive - a far cry from my everyday routine and secluded existence. Gosh, can I not have this kind of experience more often?

A million thanks to Bro. J and his very hospitable family. I truly enjoyed the stay and the food and I am looking forward to returning next year (hopefully). Meanwhile, here are some of the photos I took.