It’s been a good year or so since my family’s traveled out of the metro, and thanks to a very kind friend who’s offered their place for welcoming the new year – we’ve been blessed indeed to have this special time spent away from the blatant noise & expected gunpowder smoke.
Since traveling out of country would be a luxury at this time we grabbed the opportunity to explore relatively nearby places that we have not visited yet as a family – let alone spend the new years with another family. We’ve gladly considered this as a good exposure for us as a family especially for the kids – new place, spending time with their friends (and making new ones), minding their manners in another home by reminding them to practice self-control. It also helps stretch further their knowledge to the world that they’re accustomed to as early as now.
We’re expecting two other families to join us during new year’s eve itself, so this should prove to be to say the very least interesting. We’re excited! This could be a good time to spend also on firming up our faith goals for the coming year.
Upon arriving we decided to do a little shopping at the local wet market. It had dawned on me that my youngest son had not been in one before, so I took the opportunity to show him around the meat section, the fish selections (although only a select few stalls were occupied since it was already very late in the afternoon), and of course the vegetables.
These were the following mini events that caught my attention during the trip & immediately after the ride going there:
the smell & sight of smoke - the kind where residents burn the leaves that have fallen of fruit trees
smell of grass upon arriving - this triggered a childhood memory where almost everybody in our neighborhood practiced this chore as well. For us we had to rake up the mixed up leaves of macopa, tambis, guava, jackfruit, and even coconut tree leaves!
We also witnessed some sporadic airborne firecrackers during our time in the wet market, and we also saw firecrackers being peddled on the streets like candy while on trike going back to the house. This was quite expected knowing that the area is known as part of the fireworks capital of the country.
So far, all our activities have gone smoothly and we looked forward to dinner & more planning for a simple new year event.
