Back in the day, trekking to Antipolo was our Tan family’s yearly excursion. Always in May, the trip required long preparations. My parents’ driver, Kuya Dong, who’s cooking (the kalde-kalderong baon), Gaying, the kubyertos, inumin nasa termos, (bottled water wasn’t invented yet in the 60s. Aside from our family, kasama mga side-kick ng mama at papa. Wag kalimutan ang pamaypay at payong.
Until now, many residents of Binangonan do the same preparations, except there are no more termos (Thermos). Meron ng bottled water and cooler.
I really thought Antipolo was a distant place. So far away from Binangonan. For a little girl, the climb to the hill was daunting. I would hold my breath and cling to the railings of our jeepney when the ascent starts. Para kasing gugulong pababa yung jeep namin. Nagre-rebolusyon pa, tila ba dadaus-os paatras.
I didn’t remember enjoying any of our Antipolo trips. My mom would always stress out the night before till the next morning. Sigaw sya ng sigaw. ” Asan yung kanin? Asan yung termos? Ligaya, dalhin yung bangko”. Before we could leave the garage, she was already tired and exhausted from yelling at all of us. “Yung pamaypay at payong naiwan!!!” “Balik, bumalik ka”. “Nagsuklay ka na ba?”
There would be some peace when the jeepney reaches the highway and picks up speed. My mom would calm down and start smiling. The cool breeze from the jeepney’s open,large windows hit my face and relieves me of the tension and relaxes my nerves. Even as a little girl, and dami ko ng stress. Nai-stress ako sa kahihiyaw ng mama ko kasi nga sya rin ay stress from all her responsibilities.
Ang init, ang kati ng dress ko. Syempre suot ko yung pang-fiesta, ang kati-kati nung tela. And dami-daming tao. I could not even see the altar.
It was only a couple of years ago that I realized it only takes 20 minutes to get to the Antipolo church from our residence, basta walang traffic. Coming from Binangonan would take 30 minutes (again without traffic). Yun pala ang lapit lang nya.
I no longer tremble when my vehicle negotiates the zigzag and climbs the hilly road. I even enjoy it and look forward to the view. With due respect to my father, I probably have more confidence in my vehicle now than my father’s jeepney na hirap-na hirap pag-akyat kasi ang daming karga. Bukod sa puno ng tao, ang daming dalang kaldero, bangko, payong, tubig, etc.
My visits to Antipolo is no longer stressful, no need of any preparation. I can go any time I want to.
Edmund and I were there on July 26. Actually we were there also last month but our trip was not successful. We turned back because we were annoyed by the boys who were running beside our vehicle to lead us to the suman store they’re affiliated with. They get tokens to bring buyers to the vendors. They run alongside our vehicle, some of them have motorbikes, nakaka stress sila talaga. kasi baka mauntog pa namin sila.
We tried again last July 26.
E——“Hayan na naman sila”.
A——“Nakaka-stress, pero wala tayong magagawa. Let’s just ignore them”.
I wanted to visit the church pero bakit puro punerarya sa labas.
E——-“Oh, kala ko papasok ka?”
A——-“Alis tayo tart, ayaw ko, puro patay”.
E——-“may Expedition pa oh”.
A——-“Ayaw kong pumasok, negative yan, people are grieving”.
E——-“Eh bakit?”
A——-“Basta, let’s go, ayaw ko dyan”.
Because we stood at the corner for a few minutes, syempre ang tatalas ng mga mata ng vendors, kung anu-ano na ang ibinebenta sa amin.
P20 sampaguita
Wag kung saan-saan nakatingin at kung hindi sasabitan ka ng mga religious anting-anting. Not free of course.
A——-“Tart, bibili ako ng candles
E——-“Dyan mo na rin sinindihan?”
A——-“May patay sa loob ng simbahan, dito na lang, bawal pati dun”.
Eto na nahila na kami to buy special suman and kasuy from this stall.
E——–“Tikman mo”.
A——–“Ayaw ko matamis”.
E——–“Hindeee”.
A——–“Masarap nga, at hindi matamis”.
Nung maliit ako isang klase lang ang kasuy, ngayon meron ng plain, adobo, with garlic, honey, with balat. Baka next time meron ng cheese flavor and truffle oil. Sosyal na.
The store owner was happy with our purchase, as a gesture of goodwill, she gave us two rosaries. I gave one to a cute boy selling some things, and the other one to our house cleaner.
E——-“San mo gustong kumain?”
A——-“I don’t know”.
E——-“pasok muna tayo sa Starbucks, bili ako ng kape”.
E——–“Gusto mo kumain tayo sa Bahay Kawayan?”
A——-“Magsisimba tayo tart, baka alanganin”.
E——-“Ay oo nga”.
While he’s buying coffee, I started eating the suman. Bawal yan. There’s a karatula at the door, no bringing in of food and drinks bought from outside.
I couldn’t control myself, I wanted to taste na the coco jam with suman. The guard saw me eating but he just let me be.
We also ate all these. Mine’s the pandesal.
