Fiesta

Warning: A long post :)


Day 1 - May 17, 2008 Feast of Saint Pascual Baylon

Arrived in Obando, together with my MIL around 630am and we were being re-routed (early!). We got to my parents' and they didn't have breakfast, 'coz they were busy preparing for lunch, LOL! Around 7am, the three of us decided to walk to the church so we can grab a bite before the mass. We found some puto :) It was a rainy morning we were worried we'd get soaked at the procession. Typhoon Cosme was in our midst. We brought along some clothes, just in case. But you know what, the sun showed itself just before 8am. God is good. It was still raining, but only a little.

By 730, we decided to enter the church even if the 7am mass wasn't over yet. Just to make sure we'd get seated for the High Mass. My Mom joined us just before it started. Bishop Almario headed the concelebrated mass, he was the Bishop of my childhood. Mons Bart (family friend and the one who married us) and Fr. Sonny (childhood friend) were also there. The church was overflowing! We were seated near the front but when we took our communion, we couldn't get back to our pew anymore! We had to go outside and enter again using the side entrance for the blessing.

The procession immediately followed but we dropped by the Parish House where I saw my two priest friends :)

with Fr. Sonny

with Mons. Bart

We were invited to have breakfast but we declined since the procession would have started. We went to the front to wait for other Rotarians. While waiting, we entertained ourselves by posing for the cam hehe.

that's the BBC Crew behind me :)

Usually the route every Day1 is the longest, towards the northern part of the town. I was ready for that. Dad joined us too. It rained a bit but that didn't dampen the festive air of the procession. On the way to the church, my mom, MIL and the rest of the Rotarians decided to stop at the garden so Ane and I were the only ones left to finish at the church. Without the "oldies", we got to walk faster hehe. We went ahead so we can go and dance some more at the front.

inside the church, day1. uber crowded. :)

See that baby with the headband in the middle of the crowd? Her parents probably were blessed with her and they went back to give thanks. This is a common sight during the fiesta. The picture was also taken just before the 20-30min dancing in the church started. Day 1 was also the day GMA (Pinoy Records) filmed the Fiesta and was shown just this Saturday. Hubby was seen, sayang we were not able to record it hehe. We were also captured on film by the BBC crew, but I'm quite sure it's all our stuffy faces and probably will be edited out LOL! The camera was like 12inches from our faces, hehe. We also got to touch the relic of St. Pascual :) There's a youtube video, search for "sayaw sa Obando" if you have the time so you can imagine how wild and fun the crowd was :)

We had lunch at the garden and left around 2pm. We planned to play badminton that afternoon but my body was too tired to move! So Ane left me at home and I was asleep from 3pm to 6pm. And then the electricity went out at 7pm and Cosme was again furious, hard wind was banging the walls! It was scary I tell yah. I was practically begging Ane to come home right away. The lights came back around eleven, and it was a peaceful evening since then :)

Day2 - May18, 2008 Feast of Saint Claire of Assisi.

Sunny sunny day, but it wasn't hot. St. Claire never disappoints with good weather :) My brothers were home. The older one attended the 6am mass with his SO and her Lola. LBB went with us. Mommy was the 8am Mass Commentator so we were assured seats behind her at the choir area. But just the same, we went early to beat the crowd. Mom was invited by the Parish Priest for breakfast and while she sat there, Bayani Fernando and the Town Mayor arrived. Mom called us from the sacristy so we may be introduced to the "celebrity". We made "mano" and BF & the Mayor were a bit apprehensive, LOL!

Why did I wear pink of all days, huh? I looked like a BF fan! The meeting did not last long as the 8am mass was about to start. We positioned ourselves with the choir but when two elderly nuns came and looked at LBB and Ane with puppy eyes, they gave up their seats, LOL! Dad also attended the said mass but stayed with our Ninong Gov. The High Mass was headed by the current (and controversial) Malolos Bishop, Bishop Oliveros.

Mom and LBB did not join the procession and decided to stay behind in the church. My other brother joined them later. Ane and I decided to join Dad and his group instead. But we missed them! The crowd was five-fold (or more) compared to the day before, one cannot even walk willingly...everybody is pushing! To get to Dad, we had to brave the crowds. When I was stuck in the middle of the fighting crowd and I lost Ane, I held on to my bag. I felt myself kinda hyperventilating I wanted to cry, calling out for Hubby. I have issues with crowds, you know. I stopped panicking when people moved and I was reunited with my Hubs (nux, drama). We finally saw Dad and his group was with BF. The procession started late because the images were stuck inside the parish compound, again, lotsa people. And the fact that BF was there, near the front of the procession, the movement was slow, really slow. Why? Because BF has got political ambitions, he had to stop every now and then to dance with the oldies at the sidelines and for photo ops too!!!

You know it would have been okay for me if he was there, everybody is free to join the festival. But why bring a bus-full of crew and paraphernalia with you? Not to mention the security detail. It was the whole shebang! He even gave away fans with his picture plastered on it and brought banners much like the ones seen on EDSA. Ok enough ranting hehehe.

As I said, a lot came to join the procession. It had to take the longest route (southward) just so the start and end won't meet at the church. It was long that it took nearly four hours to finish! Along the way, when I realized that we weren't even halfway yet, I felt my knees wobbling, eyes blacking out and almost lost it. We told Dad I cannot finish it anymore so we started the walk back to the church. And watched the rest of the procession along the way.

Dance with me! :) Members of the DMI, the same group Beth Tamayo and Husband asked to dance for them.

Yeah, I still had the energy to goof around. But I danced! Every dance step, they say, is a prayer. We found Mom and brothers patiently waiting at the Parish House where we were able to grab breakfast, errrrr lunch.

look-alike? who's your mommy now?

It took another hour or so before the procession came back. All masses already ended and we waited near the altar. After the dancing, we were lucky to have the Relic of St. Claire be placed briefly on my tummy and prayed over by the priest. Believing is the key.

That night, we went back to the church for the 6pm mass because I was asked to crown Our lady of the Flowers during the Flores de Mayo Novena. I bought a dress intended for this event and I wore heels. Needless to say, these feet aren't made for heels. I had blisters, ugh!

Day3 - May19, 2008 Feast of Nuestra Señora dela Immaculada Conception de Salambao

Ane had to go back to work so I asked my cousin Ana to accompany me. Unlike the other days, it was a hot day. I think I burned myself a bit. There were less people, too, and it was less eventful. The mass was headed by Bishop San Diego of Pasig, a native of Obando. The procession was also a quick one, we were done by 1130am. I have no pictures of myself since I was the one behind the camera hehe. And yeah, the pictures I posted above are Ane's shots, posted with permission of course hehehe. I created a slideshow of my shots from the third day :) Enjoy!

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Still reading? I salute you for staying this long :) Thank you for joining my journey :)