Even though I’m not really an island girl, I have spent my fair share of time hanging out at the beaches in southern California. They’re a perfect combination of warm water, sand and air. Once I moved to the Monterey Bay region, going to the beach was all about bundling up against the cold.
So, it was with delight that I packed my bathing suit for my trip to the Philippines, in anticipation of enjoying the warmth of the sun, sand and air that tropical islands are known for.
I was headed to the Philippines with my boyfriend Rick, his sister and his sons and their spouses to visit family members he hadn’t seen since his last visit, 63 years ago. Rick’s dad, who sadly passed away when Rick was 18, was born in Consolacion on the island of Cebu where much of his extended family still lives. This was a trip about reconnecting with family for him and introducing his children to their Filipino heritage.
The family gatherings were lively, joyous and so much fun. It was, without a doubt, the best part of the trip. There were first and second cousins and children of those cousins, all wanting to celebrate Rick and his family. It was a tremendous privilege to be part of it. Every occasion was a celebration filled with warmth, fondness, deep affection and … lechon! Yes, lechon … a roasted, suckling pig.
At each get together, the centerpiece of every buffet table was a whole, roasted pig. I’ve eaten Filipino food many times with Rick … but never a pig right out of the oven, the skin still crackling from the heat. It was so delicious. But let me tell you, I had to be quick to get some of that skin; it was gone in the time it took me to lick my lips while the savvy kids knew to dive in immediately for a handful.
In between family gatherings, we did manage to squeeze in some touristing. We climbed to the top of Osmena Peak, the island’s highest point; had an invigorating swim at a Kawasan falls … the ice blue water was as cold as it looked; we went snorkeling in much warmer water at a few of the more than 7,000 islands that make up the Philippines; we received an emergency alert on our phones about potential danger from Bulkang Kanloan volcano; we went to museums; stood on the sight where Magellan was killed by Filipino chieftain Lapu Lapu; we took a river cruise; saw Tarsiers, the world’s smallest primate with the largest eyes; we saw the Chocolate Hills, which were actually green since in was springtime; we walked, experiencing the uniqueness that is the city and island of Cebu.
And I spent some time on the beach in the warmth of the sun. A reconnection for me too to a time so many years ago!
