Filed under: Travel
So, I got to experience December 22nd twice. Which is kind of cool when you think about it. Landing at SFO around 10:00 in the morning, I thought of my first brush with 10am of December 22nd, 2008 – a mere 12.5 hours ago (seriously). The Boeing 747 just arrived and was offboarding passengers. Someone wheeled in an elderly woman to the space next to me. The flight crew walked in, first in pairs then individually until all eight were there. Over the intercom a woman announced final boarding for a flight to Taipei, first in English, then in Mandarin and finally Tagalog. I glanced again at the floor to ceiling-sized poster of various Filipino entertainers and made a mental note to Google one of them later after I got home. It was 27°C and balmy and I was wearing a sweater.
Thank you, International Date Line, for giving me two shots at the same day.
I’ve been out of the U.S. for nearly a month. My solo overseas excursion took me only to two countries: Hong Kong and the Philippines. But what a joy these two countries were! If you’ve never been to Hong Kong or the Philippines, I strongly suggest you go. In that order. Hong Kong will amaze you with its densely packed skyscrapers, rich culture, delicious cuisine and impressively efficient public transportation system. It’s a good way for Westerners to “baby step” into the awe-inspiring world of Southeast Asia. And when you’re ready to dive in, fly to the Philippines. It may not get as much attention or hype as other countries in the region, but the weather’s just as nice, the people just as friendly, the prices just as appealing and the environment just as colorful and lively and unique.
My return to the Philippines was more a reunion to my roots and to members of my extended family – most of which I have not seen in over twenty years. In that span of time I’ve forgotten much of my last visit. I remembered the Philippines back then, recently rid of the Marcos regime. Hopeful and optimistic, yet rundown and polluted. Frenetic. Twenty-one years later many things have improved but some things remained unchanged. But at least I have felt the love and warmth of my fellow Filipino throughout my extended stay. It was infectious.
I could write pages about my trip, but so much of it was meant for me alone to savor. There will be other opportunities for sharing later. After all, I’m home for the holidays and the new year is just around the corner. There’s still much left to do for 2008.
