Needless to say, the purpose of my coming home is to spend time with my family. I’ve already told you about my grandparents 60th anniversary celebration in my previous blog that became a mini-family reunion from my father side of the family. It was an occasion worth remembering.
So, let’s talk about my mother’s family. Most of them are living in the Visayas and Mindanao. But there are some distant relatives whom we’ve met long time ago in the southern part of Palawan.
I’d like to introduce my aunt to you, also known as mommy Nelly. She is literally my mom’s best cousin. They’re so closed with each other even though they’re just third cousins. They shared fun and problems of being moms. She’s very generous and her laugh is so contagious.
My mama Edith and mommy Nelly on the way to the hill
We decided to visit her and her family in Rizal, Palawan the day after my grandparents anniversary celebration. We as in myself, my parents, and my eldest niece Rhian, woke up early the next day. The van picked us up in my sister’s house at around 3 a.m. We’ve arranged this before hand to make sure we have seats because vehicles are limited going to that place. The journey begun with torrential rains. It’s disappointing not to see the sunrise.
The perks of travelling with you mom is that you feel safe. I slept like a baby the entire trip to the south until we encountered a little mishap. One truck got stuck on the road in the town of Quezon due to heavy rains, that four-wheeled vehicles had no way of passing through. I wasn’t able to capture the scene because of heavy rains and I don’t have a waterproof device for taking photos, but it was really an ordeal. We ended up transferring to another van which was travelling back to Puerto Princesa from Rizal and those who were boarding that van also transferred in our van. But it wasn’t an easy feat, I almost fell flat on my face because of the steep, muddy and slippery road that we needed to traverse going to the other van. With our muddy shoes, we continued our journey to Rizal town.
We arrived in town at almost 9 a.m. We ate our breakfast in one local eatery and waited for a van going to my aunt’s place. It was already noon when we arrived at mommy Nelly’s home. We were greeted with a refreshing buko salad and a very nice view from the window.
I rested and freshened up after a sumptuous lunch. It was sunny in the afternoon and we decided to hike and visit the hill owned by mommy Nelly’s family. We’re so excited! It was not a far journey but it was very scenic. I took so many photos and it’s my pleasure to share them with you. Please refer to the description for more information.
It was already sunset when we head back down from the hill. It was a refreshing hike indeed.
We cooked and ate a simple but nutritious dinner with everyone. Something that I’ve missed the most. We called it “bulad” or dried fish, fermented fish (ginamos), and fern (pako) salad. It was yummy!
I’ve never slept so easily in my entire adult life than that night. It’s so comforting not to hear any vehicle engines humming while you’re in bed. Only the crickets and the sound of nature were the noises being heard at night. I woke up very early just to catch the sunrise. It was so peaceful and beautiful. My family was using a solar power energy because there’s no electricity in that area yet. Every time the sun shines, it’s truly a blessing to everyone.
Our visit wouldn’t be completed without some furry friends. My aunt has two dogs, a male and a female. They had five puppies and they’re so cute.
We took one last group shot before heading back to the city. Even though our time was limited, this trip was very productive especially for my mother. She was able to visit and bond with her cousin. It was also very rewarding that despite the bad weather and a little mishap, we’re able to arrive safe and sound.
And here’s me, taking a selfie while saying goodbye to my family in Rizal. I wished I had more time but I have a long journey back home to my husband the next day.
I hope you enjoyed reading my stories. See you on the next one.
Rubylific 