One of the things I looked forward to last Christmas was catching up with my old friends and reliving moments from the past. I was really grateful that they made an effort to come together in spite of the bad weather and of their hectic schedule. The timing was also perfect as I got to see some friends I hadn’t seen in a long time since they are currently based abroad.
Undoubtedly, high school friends offer one of the best reunions because, each time we get together, it feels like high school again, as it always feels like nothing has ever changed, and they offer me a place to return to no matter how much time or distance separates us. So, it’s always home each time we see each other.
What fascinated me was that no activities were ever planned, but we ended up having several short and last-minute get-togethers. They were short getaways, but they were just right for feeding our souls with how much we miss each other and the memories we had before while making new ones. Another thing that amazed me was that we have become more conscious and aware of our time. We arrived on time, and when one of us said, “I have an appointment at this time, so I can only stay for an hour or two,” we became more understanding towards everyone’s needs and responsibilities. I liked it that way.
Here’s a short recap of all the fun we had together last Christmas:
Liam’s Bar and Grill – After I completed all the necessary administrative paperwork, I messaged my friend, Nanay of our group, to let her know I was in town and would love to meet up with whoever was available. We agreed to meet at Liam’s Cafe at 6 p.m. the following day since I hadn’t been there before. When we arrived, the restaurant was full, but we managed to get a table for ourselves. We had dinner with three other friends. We had salad, steak, and other foods. The place was small, but the food and service were good, and the prices were reasonable. I was glad to see them, and they were happy to see me. We checked on each other, laughed, and talked about random things—just the way it used to be.
Tandag Town Plaza – Then, we thought of strolling from the restaurant to Tandag Town Plaza to enjoy the colorful and joyful Christmas lights and decorations. Later, two more friends joined us. We screamed, hugged, and talked a lot the moment we saw each other. We asked a young stranger to take a good photo of us and eventually opted to go to Uptown Cafe for coffee and tea at eight o’clock in the evening.
Uptown Cafe – It was my first time at Uptown Cafe. It’s small but nice, and the staff were accommodating and friendly. Then, another friend came. I had hot tea, while others had coffee, juice and smoothie. We talked about a variety of things, but at one point, our conversation focused on work and on the benefits of slowing down, while also sharing what we do in our me-time. As usual, we enjoyed talking and laughing. What a lovely and fun evening it was!
Wine stop over at Grace’s place – It was nine o’clock in the evening when Dez drove us home while Dan drove the other group home. We dropped Grace off first, and we decided to stop for wine and also to see her new cozy place since Rayah and I weren’t there during the house blessing or house warming. We chit-chatted a little more, hahaha. It was fun, and we went home a little bit drunk!
Christmas Get-together – On December 24, we had a small Christmas get-together at Nanay’s house. We didn’t have everyone there, only a few, but we understood why. Our theme was black and white, and everyone brought a dish to nibble on. There was a cake, some puto and other local delicacies, a lechon manok, and a pasta dish. I prepared beef stroganoff cooked with mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, fresh cream, and beer. It was tricky, though, to find good, fresh ingredients in Tandag; for example, no fresh white button mushrooms were available. I managed to pull it off, and I used tin mushrooms instead. Also, to our great surprise, our friend, who is currently based in the USA, brought us a huge lechon. Lechon is a whole pig roasted over an open fire on a spit. It tastes really good as the meat has been seasoned with a variety of spices. The skin is crunchy, while the meat is soft and easily crumbles into pieces when chewed. No Filipino party is complete without a lechon (though it is not our national dish). We were supposed to exchange gifts, but it slipped our minds because we were too busy eating, drinking, talking, dancing, and singing karaoke. We had so much fun, and we were dancing on the ceiling!
D’Bukid Escapade – After the party, we decided to visit our friends at their farm house. Some of my friends had been there before, but for the three of us, it was the first time. While there, we took a quick tour of the farm. Their farm is lovely, large and well-kept. The location is perfect. It feels like you are far away from the city, but it’s actually within the town. Living on a farm is peaceful and enjoyable because there are no car horns, sirens, the odor of exhaust fumes, traffic jams, and too many lights in the evening. It’s amazing to see the animals born, the first sprouts of a newly planted field, the first blooms, and to pluck the first ripe tomato or eggplant or cucumber and eat them while walking the rows. Watching nature around you and seeing nature at work is wonderful, even if it is less glorified or glamorous.
After the tour, our friends, brother Dan and Sheng, treated us to a home-cooked meal prepared by themselves: tilapia piaparan. It is prepared with home-raised organic tilapia fish cooked in coconut milk, desiccated coconut, chillies, shallots, turmeric powder, and homemade palapa. This local delicacy brought back happy memories and reminded me of our wonderful time in uni at MSU Main. Also, Rayah brought a homemade lechon belly, and Feb brought a homemade lechon manok. My opinion might be biased because they are my friends, but they have the best lechon belly and lechon manok in Tandag. I tried it at least three times on different occasions during my stay and bought some to give to friends, family, and relatives to try, and they all said that the lechon belly and lechon manok were both delicious—fresh, juicy, and tasty! Thanks Sheng and Brother Danny! We loved our sweet escape at the farm; it was laid-back, and certainly we had a whale of a party!
Laswitan Lagoon Adventure – December 26, when the weather was bad. It was pouring hard, and the wind was howling. So, we opted to go on a little adventure at Laswitan Lagoon because the best time to visit is during the Amihan season (October to March), when the waves are bigger. What makes Laswitan attract tourists is that it is a 20-foot rock formation with three lagoons. The name derives from the word “laswit” which means splash. When the water level is high, it creates huge waves that splash against the rocks, creating a waterfall effect. It’s stunning to watch, but not so safe when you swim (especially if you don’t know the safety rules).
Six of us braved the bad weather in search of thrills. So, we hit the road and made memories. While there, we met one of our friends, Junnie. We took a group photo together and a few video clips with big waves as the backdrop. We brought some snacks (mostly leftovers from the party). I did not swim because I forgot my water shoes, along with Grace, but the rest of the group did. We stood in our picnic hut and watched them swim and play in the waves. When the two gigantic waves arrived, they were rolled over under the water, but luckily they were safe. Oh boy, those were the biggest waves I’ve ever seen by far! It was absolutely an experience of a lifetime!
Many thanks to our dear friend, Froucan, for driving us along! Indeed, nothing beats a road trip with old friends, and the journey was definitely as much fun as the destination, and the entire trip was truly epic.
Cagwait White Beach – It was December 29th when we finally had nice weather! My friends picked me up at home for a quick afternoon getaway to Cagwait Beach! This time, we were nine! My friends brought some snacks such as turon and coffee, and along the way, we made a quick stop in Tago to buy buchi, etc. We took the new road (Lapaz Road) connecting Tago and Cagwait, making the trip shorter and more comfortable. It was my first time taking that route, and I enjoyed the road trip a lot because it was green, I could see the open sea on the left side, and there was a beautiful sun going down the horizon in front of us.
We stayed at LGU Beach Resort because it was more natural, chill, and tranquil than the other resorts. I spread a towel on the sand, and I lay down to sunbathe, even though it was only for a few minutes (maybe five minutes) as the sun began to set, and it felt good. Some of my friends were having a good time with their Tiktok dance moves while others were swimming. Later, I joined some friends swimming in the sea, and we talked about random stuff such as life, family, relationships, work, travel plans, and so on. As everyone was caught up in the grind of work, it was the best time to relax, enjoy, and let our hair down!
New Year Get-together – On December 30, we gathered once more at Grace’s place, and we made a toast to a prosperous new year and a fond farewell to the past; to the things that are yet to come and the memories we have made; to good will for all and a toast to lifelong friendships, as well as a toast to our friends near and far!
We had a lovely dinner with good food and wine. I had a great time singing and talking with them for an hour and a half before saying my goodbyes. Then, I had to rush back home because some cousins and relatives were staying with us for the night. It was right up our alley, and we had so much fun!
Reuniting and catching up with my old friends after four years was an amazing treat, and really belly laughing with them has been therapeutic!
Little Lilly Meets the World 