San Agustin was the second town we visited, we have wanted to travel there for a long time but my father is stopping us, saying it was dangerous we might meet bad people along the way and etc., Well, nobody can stop me us isn’t it? So when my father and his workmates are scheduled to go home for Christmas (they are working in San Agustin) we travelled over there very early to avoid too much heat along the way, we planned to wander around at the town and then go home with them in the afternoon. We took our dog with us because there is no place to left her, there’s a celebration nearby and everyone is busy and nobody will feed Jinjoo.

The town of San Agustin was 2 hours from Odiongan, it is 4th class municipality of Romblon which is formerly known as Guintigui-an during Spanish era because of the abundance of the fish called “tigue” but in 1868 the town was renamed Badajoz by a certain Spanish soldier Andres Lebarde after his native city Badajoz, Spain and then on June 1957 it was changed to San Agustin after the town’s patron saint. – Wikipedia

It was not my first time in San Agustin, because way back in college we travelled over there to get the program we need for our thesis, and since the last trip was long gone I went with my friend classmate to their home in the island of Romblon, Romblon. It was the best thing to do than goes with our other two male group mates, I could tagged along with our other female member but she is just staying on her aunt and it was embarrassing to add burden to them. If not of me graduating my mother will never allow me sleep over, honestly it requires a lot of drama just to let me go with my group mates to another town far from where we resides.

Anyway, we dropped our belongings to my father’s workplace and went to the port to eat and use their toilet and then we loiter around the town and their public market to shop for food especially “kakanin” and then return to my father’s workplace, my younger sister helped them to cook the fish we bought. After lunch, we loiter some more, we drive where the road take us. We stumbled to a beautiful spot where we snap and snap some pictures, when suddenly a jeepney with foreigners riding in top passed by, my sister pointed it to me but it was only later I have thought of taking a snap of them. It is seldom to see foreigners in Romblon but lately I am seeing a lot of them especially in our hometown.

If I remember I was only a little kid when I first saw foreigners wandering around our public market with big bags on their bag, which my cousins and I joked around that they have pans, kettles and pots on them that’s why the bags are taller than them and then never see one again so often.

Anyway, it was a downer because we have no more other place to go my companions are not ready yet for adventure, they are dead tired already because of the heat and plus I didn’t do a research where to go in San Agustin. *sigh

It was my first time to celebrate Christmas again in the Philippines after five years celebrating it in the air or in the airport. I was excited remembering how Christmas is celebrated before I left home, but I think I expected too much. I was disappointed, it is not the Christmas I remember not the atmosphere I am expecting.

Like, I am expecting carollers at night when ber months started but it was almost Christmas can’t hear any single of them; it turns out carolling now a day required a permit to do so, to avoid scamming money from every households. It was a good intention but the season of giving is slowly fading, the love of Christmas is disappearing. Sometimes I wonder if Christmas was really like this in the heart of an adult, I mean did I overgrown Christmas? Because it seems children are the only one excited when Christmas comes, while parents are in deep thoughts where to get new clothes for them.

I always go to church night before Christmas, was surprised when it was moved on 23^rd rather than 24^th it says to give quality time for the family to celebrate Christmas dinner. It was a rainy night, was not able to attend the service because of personal reasons, but went over when the second part started. It was a downer because even at the church there’s not so much preparation, they only hosted Christmas singing contest, unlike the old days there’s a Christmas concert, or re-enactment how Jesus was born and then when the contest was finished it was an exchange gift that I should say a disappointment too.

We prepared food for Christmas but maybe since it was raining nobody came around not until the morning.

I have been to different countries but I have never been around our own province. I felt so ignorant for not discovering what is just around me, so when my mother asked me if I want to go to the nearby town to wander around I didn’t think twice and says yes. It was my first time to the downtown Looc, their plaza was decorated with Christmas ornaments since it was the season of giving, celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ among Christian nations.

Looc is the 4th class municipality in Romblon; it is around 45 minutes from Odiongan or maybe less. It is well known for the fish sanctuary which brings revenues for the municipality.

Anyway we just stop over at the plaza to take some pictures and then wander around their public market, we first stop at the stalls along the street that sells native Filipino snacks “kakanin”. Kakanin are my favourite food, I remember buying them all the time when I am still studying. I can walk home just to have a taste of it.

Fishes are cheaper too in Looc than in Odiongan just too bad that a typhoon just passed by before the day we visited the town so fish are scarce in the wet market. We didn’t really stay longer in Looc, since it was hot and my companions doesn’t want to loiter around, so even I like going to their port I just shook my head “maybe next time”. While traversing the town centre found a lot of old houses so I didn’t waste opportunity, I just snap and snap some pictures and just too bad most of them are not good. Huhu

It was been almost two months since I came back to my home town after living and traveling abroad. Most of the time I just stayed home and seldom go to town unless I felt bored sitting and tweaking in front of my laptop, never visited friends not until when I am month long. Well I only visited one friend, and two other visited me at home to my surprised. Hiding from friends doesn’t mean I am different person now or what other says I don’t look back. We can’t deny that it is already a norm of many Filipinos to have a welcome party when coming home from abroad, to treat some friends and relatives and sad to say I have no means to treat them or to splash some cash, I am living abroad but I have no job I am on dependent visa where I am not allowed to work legally and I also don’t rely on my husband’s money, I do blog and earn a bit from it enough to support my parents.

Anyway today, we went to town to watch the parade for “Palarong Pambayan” it was a sport competition for town schools. We are not able to start the parade as we arrived late so we are only able to see a bit of it, I brought my camera as normal bloggers do. I took some photos and videos to keep.

When it ends we went directly to new market to buy food for lunch. As expected, fish is expensive but if I am going to compare it to the price abroad it is nothing.