November 2004

Outing is a common English word here in Cebu, meaning to 'go for an adventure.'
Sa bukid is Bisayan for 'to the mountain.'

Two weeks ago Myrna Alipar invited me to "Go for outing with me to visit my family sa bukid."
"Segurado!" means 'You bet your sweet bippee I'll go!'

Barangay Babag II is located about 20 km west of Cebu City, just over the crest of the spine of mountains running down Cebu Island. We rode a taxi for about 30 minutes, then had an easy 20-minute stroll through the forest.....

....to reach the Alipar residence. It's a small and simple house, a home full of love.

Like most of their neighbors, the Alipars are farmers, growing flowers and vegetables to sell in Cebu City. Here's the tail end of the tomato crop. In December they'll be planting flowers.

Myrna (dark blue t-shirt) and her siblings.

We wandered around visiting neighbors, mostly relatives. It was Saturday, a day to relax and enjoy.

A little tuba (home-brewed palm wine), a little music....

Myrna invited me back again this past Tuesday, Nov. 2, All Souls Day. She said that her father, who had been very shy on my first visit, was eager for me to return. Myrna promised that he was preparing some special foods for me, and had offered to make one of my long-held dreams come true. OK, twist my arm, I'll go on outing sa bukid again.

When we arrived, there was a feast waiting: boiled native chicken, budbud (coconut-sweetened rice in banana leaves), baca (beef) afritada, baboy (pork) frito, rice and saging (bananas).

Myrna's parents, Belinda and Lito / me and Lito.

Next, we were off for more visiting. Myrna's uncle is quite the farmer, growing an incredible variety of plants. He was busy spraying while we visited, and at one point we all got covered with a heavy mist of insecticide. Oh well....I'm sure I've done worse things to my liver before. Anyway, you don't live forever.

The houses are simple, but there's always plenty of fun to make up for the absence of Italian marble countertops and three-car garages.

Myrna's grandparents and my new "girlfriend."

Human starfish.

At the end of the day, Lito led me to a field near the house where my dream was waiting to come true.
I finally got to ride a carabao!