Farm People Series 11

After a day's work.. these farmers enjoy a drink of tuba and whatever sumsuman (pulutan) they can find. There's usually singing (fortunately not karaoke), and this blind guy was their guitarist. He had lots of funny Waray songs in his repertoire. Oh.. after a day's work is 1pm.

So, this ends the first part of my Farm People Series, for tomorrow is CDP Theme Day.

Farm People Series 10

I passed by this guy's house and he had all these wood from a felled tree. He was making them into firewood. Lots of firewood. He was whistling a song while he worked.

Farm People Series 9

After drying the palay (rice), they put these in sacks in a bodega for storage, to be milled when it's about to be used (or bought). You know, like grinding coffee beans just before brewing it, it tastes better and fresher that way.

Farm People Series 8

The duck-herder. He's clicking his tongue for the ducks to gather and line up.. but I think they're still having a good time swimming. Or maybe my presence was bothering them.

Farm People Series 7

Before I could figure out how to cross the irrigation (more like a river), another guy passed by.. looking typically Asian. I was having a field day taking photos!

Farm People Series 6

Continuing with my walk through the rice fields.. I caught up with these two boys carrying a heavy pot and pan. But wait, they were walking too fast, and blocking my way was this irrigation. I would have wanted to know where they were off to in a hurry.

Farm People Series 5

When rain catches up with you, and you're in the middle of nowhere.. just find a banana leaf and you get an instant umbrella. (I was worried with my camera getting wet.. but I couldn't pass this up. Haha, no banana leaf for me.)

Farm People Series, 4

These two are not going fishing. The pole that the guy is carrying is used to herd the ducks back to their cages. And yes, they really like walking about barefoot.

Farm People Series, 3

A newer model, the 4-feet, 2 wheel pickup truck. You have to admire their ingenuity and imagination. They didn't stop for me to take their picture (they weren't going that fast), but they smiled for the camera. Nice, quiet couple on their way home.

Farm People Series, 2

A 4-feet drive pick-up truck. Seriously, this is a typical mode of transportation in the farm. Carabaos are not called beasts of burden for nothing. Not only do they do the plowing, but they also drag heavy things behind. Those are harvested coconuts being delivered to town. I was lucky to have met this farmer on the rough road. Can you believe, he actually stopped the carabao to let me take this photo? Nice huh.

(Layra, do you notice the sundang strapped to his waist? There's your request!)

Leyte Landing Revisited

Today is the anniversary of D-Day which we call here, the Leyte Landing. That's the day Gen. McArthur and his troops attacked the Japanese occupied Philippines in 1944. His first landing/attack was here in Leyte (although when you travel around the country, you will realize that many provinces make that claim). My mother tells stories of that attack. She said when they looked up at the sky, it was filled with planes flying and bombs falling and that the sounds of the explosions and gunfire were terrifying. They had fled to the mountains and were hiding in dugouts by then, having been warned by the guerillas and US spies about the attack. Celebration is called Leyte Landing Anniversary at the McArthur Park, Palo.

Photo above with the kids is one of my personal favorites. I always wonder, what could these kids be thinking and discussing and hoping and dreaming?



Night of the anniversary.