Why Did We Stay so Long in Cebu?
IMPRESSIONS OF THE SINULOG FLUVIAL PARADE PHILIPPINES JAN 2009
Well, first there was the rudder problem which took longer than we thought to repair as we had to spend 17 days on the slip. As a result we now have the straightest, strongest rudder in the world as Tom was on the job!
Next we had to renew our Visa! That took half a day and PHP 8500 just so we could legally stay in the country.
Well then there was Christmas and New Year and all the holidays that goes with it. I'm sure there are more holidays in the Philippines than any where else in the world ! I am not complaining as this involved lots of fun, food and fireworks!. Eddie and Norma Porter from the Marina we were in, almost adopted us! They had a huge family of Filipino and Spanish decent so the celebrations were never ending and as we were considered "family" we were invited to everything. We are not complaining about that!
Then there was NO WIND for weeks. So we waited and waited. All the while enjoying Cebu and having a great deal of fun.
After that there was Eddies birthday party and Dee's and Julia's (Eddies granddaughters parties). Then there was Vincent's Memorial Party. Eddies grandson was killed in a tragic accident 5 years previously.
After a while the pool was completed so we had another celebration. That meant there was heaps more food, fun and fireworks. By this time we were officially family so we are invited to every function!
We then said goodbye to December 2008 and hello to Jan 2009!
Then there was TOO MUCH WIND. So we cleaned and oiled the teak decks. Wow, Hamamas was looking so good! It was very hard work and we were proud of ourselves!
Next we attended the Three King Festival (another Religious do) at the Spanish Club. Yes and had more fantastic food, fun and more fireworks!!! We also took heaps of photos as it was so colourful.
Time was ticking by and still the wind was blowing at least. 50kts at the top of the mast! We were safe though. However, there was no chance of sailing to Borneo yet. We didn't want to leave port when the seas were so rough and waves so HIGH!
So then it was any excuse for a party. Just for the record, l have noted how much food it takes for a celebration with such a huge family:
2 huge BBQ fish, 3 BBQ chickens, 1 Lechon ( a spit roasted suckling pig which can be very tough!), cooked eel ( which is as tough as hell!), lingua (ox tongue which is tasty but rich), 3 bowls of different sea cucumber dishes (which are certainly tougher than hell), papau salad, korean salad, roasted bananas, roasted sweet potatoes, heaps of rice and all the condiments under the sun. Can you imagine all this food and I may have forgotten a few item! Oh yes, I forget the gooey sweets! All this was just for a Sunday afternoon family function!
The beer always flowed as Eddie enjoyed a beer or two. Just to be sociable Fran and Tom were enjoying more and more beer! We really needed to leave to save our waistlines!
But still the winds blew. By this time it was mid January!
So we stayed for the Sinulog Festival which is the biggest singing dancing festival on the Cebu calender. The Sinulog Fluvial Parade (another religious festival) is a celebration that reenacts the Spanish bringing Christianity and the miracles of the Santo Nino (the Christ Child) to Philippines . This was the most amazing experience of all as we were the guests of Commodore Norma Porter of the Cebu Coast Guard on board the led boat in the Fluvial Harbour Parade. There were hundreds of boats, thousands of people and an unimaginable display of sound, colour, emotions and faith. We have an enormous collection of photos from this event. Also I have written our impressions of the Parade for the Cebu Coast Guard Newsletter. I'm not sure how I get myself into these situations.
So time went by and eventually the wind dropped but the seas were still high. The question, was "would we sail? "
NO. THERE WAS A CHANGE OF PLAN!
Our new grandchild was due in a months time so we went to Oz to see family and awaited Brenton Thomas Dixon's arrival.
We arrived back in mid March, and were very tempted to stay longer with our wonderful adopted family but... as we were following a dream, it really was time to set sail for Borneo. So it was with a tear in our eyes we finally left Cebu and farewelled the generous, lovable, loving Porter family.
Fran Welsh Cebu Philippines Jan 2009.
IMPRESSIONS OF THE SINULOG FLUVIAL PARADE PHILIPPINES JAN 2009
On Saturday 17th January 2009 we had a most amazing experience as guests of Commodore Norma Porter on board the Cebu Coast Guard vessel which was the lead boat in the Fluvial Harbour Parade.
The Sinulog Festival and the Sinulog Fluvial Parade celebrates and re enacts the Spanish bringing Christianity to Philippines and the miracles of the Santo Nino (the Christ Child). After a pre dawn drive to the harbour which was already alive with thousands of people, we gathered with the other guests and Coast Guard personnel on board and excitedly awaited the festivities to begin.
The statuettes of the Santo Nino and the Virgin Mary in their elaborate gold and glass cases had been moved from the Basilica del Santo Nino into a colourful horse drawn carriage. They were escorted by the religious dignitaries and followed by thousands of people, to the harbour side in a grand street parade. Some of the Sinulog dance groups in their beautiful costumes performed. Then the icons were ceremoniously placed on the bow of the Santo Nino launch which was richly decorated and absolutely covered in the most colourful flowers imaginable. Whilst on the Santo Nino vessel, the icons were accompanied by the religious dignitaries and men (of Spanish decent) dressed in 1600's red and white Spanish costumes.
The Fluvial Parade on the Cebu Harbour was an unbelievable display of colour, sound, emotion and faith. There was a flotilla of hundreds of boats of every size and description including, tugs, barges, fast ferries, slow ferries, motor launches, rusting hulks, traditional pump boats, small and large bancas. Everything and anything that could float joined the Parade. All were decorated in flags, bunting, balloons and streamers and were carrying colourfully dressed worshipers as they followed the Santo Nino launch. The noise was incredible, enough to send shivers down the spine and raise the hairs all over ones body. There were horns and sirens, firework, bands, drums, singing and dancing, helicopters, aeroplanes all trying to make as much noise as possible and to outdo each other. The helicopters and light aircraft showered coloured confetti on the Santo Nino launch as they flew back and forth overhead. One large banca capsized and the 40 passengers were rescued by the Coast Guard rescue boats!
Looking from the Cebu Coast Guard launch towards the shoreline was amazing as there were about a million men, women and children lining the shore. Taking every possible advantage point. People were on moored boats, the dockside, worksite cranes, the construction sites, the wharf, the foreshore, the rusting hulks, just everywhere and anywhere there was space. You think of it and there they were, worshipers in the thousands all waiting for a glimpse of their adored Santo Nino. The bridge was lined with thousands of people. Looking up from the Coast Guard boat they looked like tiny ants. As the Santo Nino vessel passed by, each group would display their faith by either shouting and clapping, singing and dancing or striking up the band, lighting fireworks and flares, throwing rose petals or playing musical instruments. Some danced with a replica of the Santo Nino and many blessed themselves. This was very moving to witness. To see such religious faith so openly displayed was a very humbling experience.
Millions of photos would have been take as cameras were flashing non stop. Ours included! We just didn't know which way to look, forward, aft, to port or starboard, all around the scene was incredible. The Fluvial Parade continued for 2 hours or more. Finally, the Santo Nino launch returned to the wharf where police and military bands, drummers, dancers and the beautiful carriage awaited. However, before the icons were placed back in the colourful carriage, vessels of every discription tried to get as close as possible to the Santo Nino launch, while the Spanish guards threw flowers to each group. It is an honour to receive the flowers as they are thought of as a gift from the Santo Nino. Later, thousands of worshippers accompanied the Santo Nino and Virgin Mary back to the Basilica in another grand street parade.
We remained on the Coast Guard vessel for the thanks giving luncheon and enjoyed the animated discussion about the magnificent Fluvial Parade.
Fran Welsh Jan 2009 Cebu Philippines
Fran Has a Movie Star Adventure in The Philippines
While shopping at Savemores Supermarket in Cebu a lovely young Filipino girl approached me and asked if I would like to be in a Film School Production the next week. She explained that it was hard to find a Caucasian lady my age. I wasn't sure if that was a compliment or not! I replied that as we were leaving Cebu soon I couldn't. She was disappointed but got my details and found out that we were at the Cebu Yacht Club for a few more days. I thought that would be the end of it as, although I thought it could be interesting and a bit of fun, I didn't want to have to put it on the agenda when we were trying to get away.
However, the next evening, the young tenacious lady, brought her co producer around to meet us and to show us a section of the movie which was almost finished. Basically the story was a mother dying and her 3 children coming to terms with that. I was to be the mother (aged 70!) who died. Well I thought that wasn't really a compliment after all. They said they it would only take a few hours one night and they could film it before we left. Well they were so keen and excited to have found someone "perfect for the part" that I couldn't resist giving it a go. All I had to do was moan & grown a bit and die in the first scene. Tom & I decided it would be a bit of fun and an interesting experience. We sealed the deal by them buying us a few drinks and a Thai meal.
So they picked us up & took us to the Film Studio, a large old furniture making building, all set up with the scene, with lights, camera and technicians everywhere, and "my son" who actually looked like Chris ready to do the scene. I was then made up to look old and ill. It did take lots and lots of make up and zinc cream in my hair to make it white. So I felt better about the "compliment"!
The director /camera man was extremely fastidious, but 6 hours and a Chow King meal later it was "in the can." The film students were very excited and will be entering the production in Short Film Festivals around the world.I will be sent a copy and then I'll find out it's title! Perhaps I will get offers for more parts.
What did I think of it all? It was great fun and a unique experience but very, very tiring. I slept to 10am the next day and I had a raspy throat from all that groaning!
Would I do it again? Yes only if they pay me Nicole Kidman rates!
Fran Welsh Cebu Nov 2008
