Zambales

We are in the ancestral home of the Perez family, Jesse's maternal family. We left Baguio today at 11am and spent six hours through La Union, Pangasinan, and then through Zambales. We arrived here at Masinloc at 6pm. We're staying at Jesse's cousin's house. Jesse hasn't been here to the province since he was in elementary school, so it's been very sentimental to him to see his grandparents' old store and his Lolo's old dental office, and the old property, and old friends and relatives. Some of his old barkada are back here visiting too and he's having fun reminiscing with them, and laughing at how much they have grown in 25 years. The nieces and nephews here, all under 10, have spent the last three hours singing Celine Dion songs on Magic Mic at full blast. They're actually pretty good!

I am writing this at an internet station here at the sari sari store owned by Jing's mom's friend here in Zambales. Can you believe the internet was down mostly in Bohol, nonexistent in Banaue, and I didn't bring my laptop to take advantage of the wi-fi in Baguio, and then we get to this tiny town in Zambales, and they have wi-fi? "Oo, wi-fi na talaga!" they said, laughing. Hey, even the Lolas are texting here in the market, so nothing surprises me in this country of ironies.

We just had the best diniguan I have ever had since my Lolo Ambo's and my Grandma's and Mabalon cousins....made by one of the aunties here, close family friend and owner of the sari-sari. I wish my family could have been here to taste it. It might have been the best I ever ate since my Lolo's, though I don't want to insult the rest of my family...

Anyway, we will be going back to Manila at 4am to get to the Divisoria Market to get last minute pasalubongs. I messed up our tickets and waited too long to extend, and now Chinese New Year has jammed all the flights Feb. 2. We may be seeing you earlier than expected so everything is so rushed now.

We are missing home and missing here already.