Loy Krathong: The First Experience

I had long been intrigued by Thailand's famous Loy Krathong Festival. I first heard of it some years back during my first visit to Thailand.  I didn't witness it because we had to leave weeks before  the festival was to be held then.

Having moved to Hua hin as a temporary resident,  I couldn't  help the excitement of finally being able to witness this cultural event for the first time.

Loy Krathong,, which happens in November with no specific date depending on the appearance of the full moon, is touted to be one of the two most important festivities in the whole of Thailand, the other being the Songkhran which happens in April.  

Googling for more understanding, I discover some important details about this much-talked-about happening.  Loy Krathong is translated in English as "the festival of lights".  There had been various folktales about who started it and how, but the most important thing is that the Thais do it annually as a spiritual thing: to thank the Water Goddess for the gift of the water.  Indeed there's a bounty of bodies of water in all of Thailand from the vast sea to the mountain springs, not to mention ponds, lakes and rivers, and then there are the natural  canals that run parallel to paved roads.

"Loy" means " to float", and "krathong" refers to any round objects decorated specifically for the ritual.  A krathong is decorated with banana foldings all around, and filled with flowers inside, along with a candle and some incense sticks.  At some point, the Thais used round styrofoam base because it is light and floats easily.   However, these days, krathongs have taken on various innovations leaning toward more eco-friendly concepts.  Coconut husks, banana trunks, bread and other organic materials are being used.

Traditional krathong made of coconut husk, banana leaves and colorful flowers.

Eco-friendly Krathong made from flour.

Traditional krathong of banana trunk, leaves and flowers,
 and an innovative one made of ice cream cones!
Photo courtesy of Jocyl Surdao

The ritual is very simple, actually.  One  lights the candle and the incense sticks, cups the krathong in his palms as he quietly says his prayers, and releases the krathong cafefully into the water. Supposedly, he must follow it with his eyes as it glides downstream or away from him. Probably in contemplation of the past and the future.  

Bye-bye, bad luck; hello good luck!

The sight of flickering lights and their reflections in the water lends magic to the evening, and one can't help but be reflective, indeed, as he gazes into the romantic picture laid out before him.

Photo by Jocyl Surdao

The pond looks dreamy as the krathongs sail away and their lights flicker,

 dancing with the soft evening breeze.

Aside from a prayer of thanks for the abundance of water, the Thais also pray for  better fortune in the coming days. And as they release the krathong, it is said that they are also releasing all the misfortunes or bad vibes that have  happened in the recent past.  The ritual is also meant to bring the family closer together as it is considered as a family event.  

On our way to Korsor Resort for dinner, we pass by  the Loy Krathong parade at Phetkasem Road.  It causes a little traffic,  but gladly, it is on the opposite direction. And being that, we are able to catch a glimpse  of each beautiful float and the beautiful ladies on top of each.  People, locals and tourists alike,  line up the middle of the road to watch and snap pictures.

At the  resort, which seems like a wonderful place for casual dining or coffee, we share a sumptuous dinner with a couple of friends. After dinner, we are asked to join in the traditional dance, which is fun!   I mean, you don't know the dance and you just mimic those who knew, and you don't really mind if you looked silly or not. Just wave your hands every which way. :-)

Dancing to the tune of Loy Krathong chant

After the dance comes the floating of krathongs.  Every diner gets one for free.  It is indeed an experience  to cherish.  

As mentioned earlier, Loy  Krathong is a family affair.  The other guests of the resort are families. And they would light and float krathongs together.   On our way home  later that evening, we fleet by sporadic groups of people, obviously families, hunched together as they light  and release beautiful krathongs  into the canals that run alongside the road.

A single lighted lantern slowly rises up into the dark sky.  It is a delight to see one, and more if there have been a hundrred. The Thais used to be generous with lanterns as these were part of the past Loy Krathong festivals, but the government recently issued a ban on lanterns for safety reasons. 

Hopefully, I would be able to experience this festival again, next time in a  beach, just to see another side of it.  Till next year! :-)

There's Jocyl, a former student of mine enjoying the festival in a faraway part of Thailand.
Three years, she says, and still enjoying it. So I'm looking forward to my second. :-)

Betrayal Is Most Bitter When It Comes From Friends

   No, it's not a tearing pain. It's like an aching tooth. Or a nail embedded in your sole. It hurts at every move, at every step.  That's the kind of pain you feel when a friend betrays you.  It IS so unfair because you know you don't deserve it.  It is so confusing because you know that's not the way it should be, but it came to be.  You really can never tell. An elderly friend of mine once said, you don't know the real motives of people who come into your life.   Don't be surprised when they pull out a stunt. Just be ready when they do.  But hey, that's easier said than done. We are always caught off-guard by these things. It's when you thought things are going so okay that the fiends strike. Yes, fiends. No longer friends. An unexpected blow from an unexpected source.  Hits you white-hot in the jawline. and you get knocked out.  Leaves you utterly dumbfounded. With the birds and the stars fluttering land twittering like crazy all over your head.

That's when the hurting starts. And it magnifies, and magnifies, and magnifies at every turn. There's  the why, why, why...and then tears, anger, even loathing.  Until you learn to accept it and try to deal with it.  But of course, ties get broken.  Even if apologies are given, it could never be the same ever again. There are relationships that are  worth saving, and there are those that are not.  It depends. Sometimes you just have to learn to let go lest you get hurt again. It's hard to trust again.  Some bridges are best left to ashes. Some walls best kept up high. Some doors best kept shut. Until the right time, when all wounds are healed and the scars have faded to almost obscure.

From Broken Shards to Fairy Garden

Terra cotta jars are nice, I suppose.  They  give character to a place where you station them.  I bought some years ago, back when my children were small. Hence, my terra cotta jars are sentimental pieces. Naturally, I brought them with me when we had a change of residence.  They found their home in the outdoors, at the porch, where they would be safe from being bumped by clumsy feet or tough gadgets like the floor polisher.  Or so I thought.  A super typhoon (Ramnasun) came and brought super-strong winds and knocked three of them.  Fortunately I was left with three.  I was almost in tears when I saw the shards.  One jar was totally in shreds, one was knocked into large  pieces, and one was halved.  Here are my decade-old jars, seemingly hammered by a madman, and I didn't want to throw them away just like that.  So I had them swept to one side, piled up into a mound, waiting for some future use.

These two jars are toughies. They weathered a super typhoon named Ramnasun.  

At their feet lie scattered bits of the other jars that suffered the typhoon's wrath.  

This one was halved, but fortunately, I could still piece them together like this.  

Inspired by fairy gardens that were shown to me by friends, I decided to make my own.  

Sorry,I don't know the names of the tiny plants I used. Some of them I bought from a garden shop, some I took from the pots I brought from my old residence.

I was looking for decorations to put as accents here, and I found a broken wind chime from among my rubbles.  A broken umbrella happened to be around, so I took the spokes and some floral wires, and assembled the decorations such that they would prop up.  

So, voila, I have upcycled my broken stuff into this beautiful fairy-garden!  

Exercising My Writes: Keep Her There

Exercising My Writes: Keep Her There: So this is what it's like to lose a parent, a mother.  Out of the blue sad tears flow incessantly because in your heart you long for ...

Keep Her There

So this is what it's like to lose a parent, a mother.  Out of the blue sad tears flow incessantly because in your heart you long for  her presence, to hear her voice.  You see her in the crowd.  You feel her in your solitude.  You call out to her in your dreams.  You want to feel her in the air.  You want to see her amongst the stars. 

 No matter what had transpired between the two of you, you feel twice detached from the umbilical cord, orphaned.  One will  never know the longing that can be this deep, unfathomable, unexplainable, unless one experiences it.  One can drown in it unless one is strong enough to swim out of it.  No wonder people die of melancholy, or simply lose their marbles.  

Why you feel so helpless at her own helplessness, why you feel angered by the situation that put her there,  why you feel angry at her for letting this happen, why you feel upset because you know she didn't want to be in that shoe, why you are angry at yourself because you cannot give back life to her who gave you one, why you question Him for calling her too soon...

You wonder how time flies so fast, taking you farther away from the day she went away. Farther away from the memories...you close your eyes too tight because that's the only way to hold on to the images of her, of the time she was still there. Of the times when she was your villain.  Of the times when she was your mother.  

They say you never cease to grieve, you only learn to live with it.  You close your eyes, you touch your heart, there is that void where she had been...there is that void that tells you to always keep her there.

Tribute to a mother: Maria Carmen (July 3, 1944-June 7, 2014)

Barefoot On the Beach

Mornings look promising for a daily walk in the beach. It's a beautiful beach, ideal for early morning or late afternoon long walks, briskly or leisurely, or for jogging.  One will surely have a good dose of exercise going back and forth this more-than-a-kilometer stretch of soft sand.

As soon as the sun rises, people go out to jog or walk in the beach or bathe in the sea. Some guests are already prepared to stretch out to soak in the sun.   Especially on weekends, lounge chaises, beach mats, towels and giant umbrellas are being readied early for the influx of guests coming from various parts of Thailand.  

Business starts as soon as people stream in.  These entrepreneurs make beach life  more interesting with their goods and services, i.e., food and drinks, massage, straw mats for rent, and horseback riding.  It's fun to walk barefoot in the beach, just be careful you don't step on something round, soft and sticky.

Kiteboarders pretty soon set out to sea to frolic with the strong wind and the rolling waves. There aren't many teenagers coming to this area so the sight of skim boarders  is wanting.  It probably isn't popular in this area because the guests who come here are mostly in their mature years, or young couples with their toddlers. Let's wait for the coming months and see if the story stays the same.

The beach is generally clean, but not without litter, too.  Plastic straws, cellophane and lots of elastic bands deck some areas particularly where there are vendors selling food.  

Various shells are washed ashore, but not really as abundant and as interesting as one finds on beaches back home.  We  found large jellyfish half-buried in the sand, too.

The beach runs parallel with Petchakasim Road, and in between buildings along the beach are alleys that lead you to the other side.  But not all alleys are accessible, as many of them pass through private propertiy, like the one in the picture below. That one passes through Baan San  Ploen and only residents and transients of the condominium units are allowed to pass through.

 After  your late afternoon stroll, you can exit through any of the public alleys and get to the road, cross over to the other side and find something to eat at the nightmarkets nearby. There are several nightmarkets along Petchakasim Road.  

Our next quest, the nightmarkets of Huahin. #

Home in Huahin: Baan San Ploen

Home for the next few years (hopefully) is Baan San Ploen, a beachfront condominium where units are rented out to tourists on short or long term basis.  

The apartments are managed like a hotel.  Services like laundry and room cleaning are offered, except for meals.  Guests may cook their own  food since the kitchens are equipped with electric stoves, coffee makers, water heaters, blenders, bread toasters, and rice cookers.

There's a pool that runs from the beachfront to one side of the buildings, like an L- shape.  Lucky are those who live in the ground floor because the pool is just at their doorstep.

It is a desirable place to live in because of its great   location. It's right on the beach, which is a long stretch of soft, white sand.

  Baan San Ploen is  also snugly located along Petchakasem Road, a main street where all sorts of establishments are located.  A Catholic Church, a hospital, schools, hotels, restaurants, bars, markets, 7-11...what more could one ask for?  The nightmarket across the street is a very good place to try various Thai food.  One has the option not to homecook for dinner, rather, go out and be adventurous to try out Thai dishes.

 At first glance, Hua hin really seems like a peaceful place where mostly elderly tourists are seen walking around, in the streets or  along the beach.  Just make sure to apply mosquito repellant, though, as these tiny blood-suckers come out in multitude at night.

I have yet to discover other  tourist spots to visit, though hubby and I have discovered this viewpoint somewhere up.  There's plenty of time for more. Let's take it one step at a time. :-) #

Oh, My Gulay!

As soon as I arrived in Hua hin, I learned a few things about how the Thais eat their veggies.  Well, they do have  vegetables here which are found back home, but we could learn a thing or two about how these greens can be used in cooking, or how they can be eaten.

Shown below, clockwise, are green- leaf lettuce, Chinese long beans (sitaw), sugar snap peas, and cherry tomatoes.  We do know that lettuce leaves and cherry tomatoes are eaten raw, because they're common in our salads.  What's new to me is that sitaw and sugar snaps are eaten raw, just like that.  Of course they have to be the young ones and freshly picked, other wise they would be hard and difficult to chew.  They are blanched and served along with sweet-spicy dressing or dip, or nothing at all.  At first, the long beans assailed my palate since I'm really used to eating them cooked, sauteed or in broth.  But I realized that I could get used to it, but that I don't really  have to like it. Just that when it's served, I make no fuss about it and just chomp away.  The sugar snaps are a different story, though. I could eat a whole pack of it in one sitting.  Well, a pack to me means maybe twenty or so sweet, crispy  and fresh pieces.  :-)

Another kind of veggie I learned to love eating raw are the Mung bean sprouts, sweet, crispy and succulent! They are served with an order of pad thai, together with wedges of lime and green onions (scallions) or garlic chives. 

I just learned, too, that Thais do the same with iceberg lettuce, more familiarly known as cabbage, as they do to the sugar snaps and green-leaf lettuce.  They serve shredded cabbage as cole slaw, or just as is, like the lettuce. Cabbage and cucumber slices are usually served along with fish or meat dishes. I could get hooked to this kind of eating veggies the healthy way.  let's see where it gets me in  the days to come.

Next thing to discover are the spicy dishes around here. Thais love spicy food.  I have to learn to eat their kind of spicy food, or keep saying mai pet everytime we go out to eat.#

Traveling Solo: Sawad-dee-kaa, Thailand

Solo flight. That was me, some days back. I had to fly to Bangkok alone to be with hubby in the next couple of weeks.  It's not my first time to fly solo, but hey, it's my first time to fly solo out of the country. And having been used to traveling this far only when hubby takes me along with him, oh, boy, was I so scared. Scared to be alone in the crowd. Scared of making mistakes and making a fool of myself big time.  

But, y' know, once you've put your one foot forward, there's no backing out.  Your next steps are easy. Of course, the jitters are there, but they do fade away.  Your nerves calm down. You learn to just go with the flow. Because that's exactly what you do. Follow the crowd, go with the flow. Just make sure that it's the right queue you're getting into.  And don't be afraid to inquire from the right people (people with airline IDs) if you get confused with the signs.

It was actually exciting, trudging along inside the airport, looking for the right counter to check into.  I arrived too early, was among the first few to check in, and so had the privilege to be asked if I would like a window seat. Yeah, sure, I'd like one.  Clouds are a great sight to behold when you're up there. Great distraction, if you couldn't sleep.  Well, I did fall asleep. I had to close the window as the sun was streaming in too brightly for comfort. I woke up when food came. Yummy PAL food.  Yey, there was ube ice cream!

When the plane hovered low over Suvarnabhumi Airport, I peered through the small window and marveled at how organized the landscape looked, and wondered why back home it's way different.  And how beautiful the airport structure is. Once inside the airport I was again impressed at the immensity that greeted me.   The immensity that again awakened the jitters in my stomach. 

I made sure I didn't  lose sight of the passengers who were in my plane.  Where they go, I go, and I'm sure to get out of the airport smoothly.  But at one point I lost them. I followed the arrows that led to the Immigration.  Got distracted by the sign that said something about visa upon arrival.  Should I proceed to that area? I continued to walk along, then realized, hey, I'm here on temporary visit, have a passport, and  I wasn't told about securing any visa.  

So I turned around and realized I lost those familiar faces!  They went the other way! Have to find them, nooooo!  Tracing my way back, I was kicking myself in the butt for being so stupid! Oh, dear, there are so many gates to choose from, now which one is the right one?  I came to a familiar vast hall where there are lots of beelines. Now which line should I choose? Hey, there they are, the Pinoy group! Haha, you could tell because they are a bit noisy, giggly, and of course, the language! Rushed up to join the queue, and was greeted by smiling faces. I smiled back. Feeling relieved, thank God for friendly people!

Pinoy will always be Pinoy. Everytime a new line is announced open, they would  rush to it excitedly to be the first in the line. I followed them three times and decided to stay put. My shoulder was aching from the heavy bag I had with me. Goodness, why did I have to bring my whole dresser with me?!? Next time I'll bring with me a smaller, lighter bag bearing just my purse, passport, airline tickets, and some gum! (Crossing my fingers on that!)

At the immigration counter, I had this silly thought of what ifs, like what if this guy inside the booth decides that there is something wrong with my passport, and calls security and they throw me in jail? Silly thoughts, didn't I just say so? It's just my wild imagination.  After going through my passport, the guy in his late fifties,  (I assumed his age basing on how gray his mop of hair was and how plenty his wrinkles were. :-P )...throws me a cursory glance, stamps away at my passport, and sends me off with a wave of his hand.  

At the baggage carousel 9, spotted my luggage immediately. It was the only one there with a pink ribbon tied around the handle.  Grabbed it and headed to the gate where I'm supposed to meet my hubby.  Saw Cel's smiling face first, then hubby follows.  Oh, familiar faces, now am afraid  no more.  Sawad-dee-kaa, Thailand! :-)

Discovering the Land of Wats, the Land of Smiles

I never imagined myself to be living away from home, but here I am cast in the middle of an unfamiliar ocean, swept up by waves that don't seem to embrace me.  Not yet, anyway.

First phase, hunting for a new home.   I traveled with my hubby here in Huahin, a prosperous fishing village three hours away from Bangkok, to scout for a dwelling place sometime in early part of last year, 2013.  Space is expensive here.  Most residences we saw were small, although they're modern.  We tried looking at stand-alone houses, but we opted for condominum units.   Big space is hard to come by when your budget is not liberated.  But we were able to find a unit big enough for a family of five.  It's beautiful, of contemporary Western design. Near the beach. Near the markets, shopping malls, hospitals and a Catholic church.  Perfect.  Not that I plan to do a lot of outdoor activities and a lot of shopping.  But just the thought of it makes one feel good about establishing a new home, albeit a temporary one.  Who doesn't wanna live like this when it feels like it's vacation forever! :-)

Second phase, testing the waters.  I have finished packing stuff back home.  All that we need is our Manila home's renovation to be completed, and then we ship all our stuff there.  Then some here, mostly my art and craft stuff.  And my sewing machine. :-)

Yeah, am here now in Huahin, testing it out.  Actually, I came here to be with hubby during this Valentine season.  I didn't want him spending Hearts' Day alone.  This stay shall be the intro into the kind of life I'd be leading here for a couple of years or so.  A sneak peek, so to speak.

I want to share the peephole with you, hence I plan to blog away my stay here.  Let's get to know this neighboring state of ours, from first-hand experience.  Keep posted. :-)

MOVIETIQUETTE: Making Movie-watching a Pleasant Experience

I love to watch movies with my family and a few select friends. Movies are made to engage our imagination and entertain us. That's why once inside the cinema and the movie starts, we step into a world where we become part of it, but not quite.  We take on the eye of the camera and watch every move.  We only want to follow every scene in one peaceful stretch.

Of course when you fall asleep at any point, something may be wrong somewhere.  And when you get doused off with a box of buttered popcorn, with a glass of soda to go with it, something is definitely wrong somewhere!

Nah, it has never happened to me...but once upon a time I really wanted to do that violent thing to someone in the audience.  A threesome nestled a few seats away from behind us caught our irked attention because one of them, a gaylord (pls don't put any gender-bias color here, am just singling out this one particular person who happens to be gay just so you imagine how he was doing it)...well, anyway, he keeps mouthing rude comments in between scenes of Les Miserables, the musical film.  In intimate scenes, he would interject lewd remarks.  It seemed  he definitely wanted full attention drawn to him and he was doing it all in bad taste.  His friends never cared to shush him.

People are getting increasingly annoyed because his crude voice rang in our ears like big flies would.  But my friend, who was watching the movie for the second time like me, couldn't afford to watch the rest of the scenes distracted and annoyed like that.  A lady seated in front of them one row from behind us stood up and went out, and my friend followed...and when they came back, a security officer was in tow.  Minutes later, the raunchy group left, and we enjoyed the movie in precious quiet.  Now all you could hear were...prudent sniffles.

If only all movie-goers were discreet, movie-watching would be a bliss. You go to the movie to enjoy. Same with everybody who is in there, too!  It's very basic, actually. Exercise courtesy and respect, and everybody's happy!

Come early so you get ahead in line. But if you find yourself at the tail end, don't push. The line  isn't gonna get any shorter if you did, only the temper of those people ahead of you.
 If someone in the back pushes, GLARE! 

That's why  snack shops are located outside, so you make a stop there to buy your munchies and drinks before going inside the movie house.  How inconvenient it would be to interrupt your viewing (and others', too!) just to go out and buy food. If you do decide, anyway, take note of your seat's location. Don't cause any further disturbance by making a fuss in finding your seat.
 In case of  responding to the call of nature, well, we can't help it...if you can't control your gall bladder, we'd rather you go out and relieve yourself in the restroom rather than in your seat!
 But make a trip to the john before going in, if you can do it.
Remember, there is no rewind in the cinema.

How irritating it is to be distracted by someone's phone ringing incessantly in the middle of the show.  Plus that loud "hello-hello".  Be considerate, do not answer that! Just send your caller a text explaining you are inside a movie house and you will return the call later. And if you can't help it, just please step outside and there you can holler as much as you like.

It's fun to watch as a group, but please save all discussions AFTER the show,  it's okay to talk about  interesting topics at the coffee shop, or wherever you decide to proceed after watching the movie.
Loud guffaws are acceptable IF you're watching a comedy flick.
A spontaneous long, loud scream is also acceptable IF you're watching a thriller/horror flick. You got scared, we understand. We got scared, too!
Refrain from making loud catcalls and nasty commentaries during tender moments.
(Remember: What you say and how you behave in public places reveal your "breeding". You don't wanna be called "manol", do you????  'Wag pahalata.)  

Would you be happy sitting in a messy area in the movie house?  Just exactly how'd  you feel chancing upon a seat where on the floor lay scattered nutshells or wrappers and paper cups  left by the previous viewers?  Good thing  there are ushers who check every row as soon as the movie ends to clean up after such inconsiderate viewers. But please, make their lives easy by putting all your litter in the plastic bag. You can leave the bag there for the ushers to pick up if you don't want to take a trip to the trash bin on your way out. But please, have shame, don't mess up the floor!

Don't go chasing kids inside the movie house.
This is the best time to teach them proper manners when watching a movie.  Tell them to stay still and be quiet in their seats. Tell them to mind their pop corns, too!
 Oh, please, don't bring babies in there.  If you can't find a babysitter, then don't watch.
It's hard to silence crying babies who get scared in the dark or by the moving figures in the large screen.  It's pretty  much like getting stuck in a small airplane with  babies wailing incessantly the whole time.  And it's annoying to listen to you shushing up your baby like that.  It's child abuse!

No, you're not really allowed to be that comfy, especially when there's someone sitting in the seat in front of you.  Especially, too, when your feet STINK!
Don't kick that seat, either. You don't want to provoke anybody, right? 

Please don't narrate the story.
Don't tell us what will happen next; don't even tell us the summary.
If you must predict the next scenes, keep your thoughts to yourself.
(Sayang naman bayad, lalo na kung ikaw nanlibre, tapos i-ku-kwento mo rin naman pala.)

Oh, please, go home, or you might just get it.
Somebody's cold soda might just accidentally  land on  top of that mop that is your hair.
Besides, you really don't want people to know that you snore in your sleep (and how!), do you???

To sum it all up, be sensitive, be considerate.
You want  movie-watching to be a pleasant experience, and so do we.

HOPE, by Kheim

HOPE

Everlasting hope, I have, for a love so sincere
Sculpting it in the canvas of my dreams;
Poignant beauty, it has, that will never mar,
Eternal glory of affection without scar;
Reaching at it and turning it into reality,
Amidst the truth that I knew it's but a fantasy;
Naive, I am, to realize the truth at hand,
Zealously, I laid my eyes upon those trances,
Ah, it's with me and I don't have to dream again!

Written for me by Arnel  "Kheim" Marante  (May 3, 1991).

Oh, The Phantom!

The longest-running musical show on Broadway is in the Philippines! Who wouldn't be excited?

Playing The Phantom was Jonathan Roxmouth--well-acclaimed for this role he has played so many times and which he has won several awards for; Christine was  Claire Lyon--a seasoned Australian performer who has also played this role and many others with such pizzaz. Raoul was played by Anthony Downing--another talent famed for his high-powered performances.

Everybody seemed to be all agog, flying to Manila just to watch the Phantom of the Opera and raving about it!   We decided to jump in and watch it too.

It was actually already the second run, since the season was supposed to have ended a month ago. But due to the astounding acceptance of the Filipinos nationwide, the producer/s  of the musical decided to extend it for another month.

Lady Luck smiled upon us that hubby was able to book us in orchestra middle seats of the left  wing, nine rows from the very front. It was a perfect vantage point to see the whole stage without having to constantly shift our eyes left and right to take in the whole view.

We were one of the early birds to arrive at the Cultural Center of the Philippines eager to watch the last performance on the last day of the show, October 14th.  Yes, but there were just too many early birds! :-)

While waiting for the grand doors of the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo to open, guests took turns taking pictures with the POTO tarpaulin-poster in the background.  The POTO was such an eventful opportunity that we couldn't dare pass up to immortalize.

Guests took the time to come to the venue looking their best, too! Some came a little bit over-dressed, or a bit under-dressed, or just-about-rightly dressed.  No matter, everybody was looking prepped up.  The ladies' room was filled, too, with  ladies who were not  using the loo but were busy fixing themselves up in front of the mirror.  The guys looked smart, and were content to be just standing in the main lobby.

At exactly 7:30 in the evening the doors to TNA were opened, and guests streamed in, welcomed by the giant mural that loomed right in the center of the lobby.  We were guided to our seats, and were told to switch off our phones and other gadgets that may interfere with the signals and disturb the show. Most complied, but there were some who complained, as if their lives would end, too, in the two hours that their cellphones were dead. (True enough, in the middle of  a breathtaking scene somebody's cellphone rang insistently, and  the audience chuckled chidingly.)

And so at 8 pm the show started.  How can I describe everything that my eyes and ears took in! If only there were a special printer that could get all the images from my mind and show them to you!  (But then by doing that I'd be committing a cybercrime, n'est pas?) Everything was spectacular! Oh, the chandelier!  Oh the magnificent staircase! Oh, the giant drapes! Oh, the costumes that they wore!  They must have used loads and loads of cloths, and beautiful pieces at that! (For this reason alone I'd say too bad they didn't allow anyone to take pictures inside!)

My favorite scenes were the boat rides in the underground lake when the Phantom took Christine to his lair.  It was ma-gi-caaal! All the candles lit and scattered all over the lake created the mystery and fantasy.  Oh, the  lake! Even in the second time when the two of them went there again, this time in a hostile air...the beauty remained.

I got this photo from Jonathan Roxmouth's Facebook account.  This is the best photo I could ever find of the scene, but this doesn't even give justice to the actual vision I saw on the stage.
Photo source:  Jonathan Roxmouth, Lake Scene

Words elude me as I am giddy from the freshness of it all.  But I just know all the audio-visual effects were stunning, amazing, wonderful.  Oh, the voices! I just sat there savoring all the wonderful voices, the emotions that they convey.  All sorts: happy, naughty, comic, sad, passionate, angry, terrified, ominous, and more.

The plot line used is a take-off  from the movie where the action begins at an auction. Since the Paris Opera House has closed, many props are being offered for bidding, and among these property for bid are the monkey with the cymbals and the magnificent chandelier.  When the chandelier is revealed, the flash back begins.  The ending, though, is not as we expect it to be.  It doesn't get to the point where Christine dies.  Only up to that scene when Christine gives him back his ring and leaves with Raoul (read: rol), and he disappears before he could be found, leaving behind only his mask.

 From time to time I would glance at the elderly conductor at the orchestra pit.  He
was tirelessly whipping his baton rhythmically throughout the show.  He was also mouthing the lines along with  every character. He could have been a one-man operatic show!  I would personally give him a standing ovation.

Speaking of which, come curtain call, everybody stood up and applauded for Anthony Downing, Claire Lyon, and most especially Jonathan Roxmouth.  The audience hollered special cheers to the lady who played Madam Carlotta Guidicelle, who was a comic relief in her own right in the musical.

Oh, the experience!  If I could I'd watch the opera over and over again!  But then, the first one is probably always the sweetest, so I'm pretty sure I'd be looking back at that moment with longing, with dreamy eyes and a nostalgic smile on my face, forever mesmerized!

The audience just can't have enough of the cast.  That's Anthony Downing looming above the rest.

The bus that takes the cast back to the hotel.  Lucky driver!