Ati Atihan 2008

Festival season is upon us! (Although really all year long seems like festival season in the Philippines) We kicked off the season with a bang at the Ati-Atihan Festival on the northern part of our island, Panay. Ati-Atihan is the most popular festival in the Philippines, famous for three days of constant parades and street dancing at all hours of the day or night. Celebrants of all ages paint their faces with black soot and wear bright, outlandish costumes and just dance, dance, dance! The Ati-Atihan, is a feast in honor of the Santo Niño, and you can see Santo Niño statues in people's arms all around the city dressed up just as outlandishly as the people holding it. Shouts of, "Viva kay Senor Santo Nino! Viva!" can be heard over the pounding drums. We had a great time and were happy to join in the dancing, drumming, and drinking that this religious celebration has become.

An update in photos

Our new house in San Jose...have we mentioned we moved? Well, we did and it's wonderful!


The fishing beach in front of our house


Houses along our beach


Erin with our two-day old godson, Chris Frances or "Chicoy"


Our very good friend, Clarence, or "Tata"

Holiday Pictures continued. . . .

In a Cave on Bohol


A Christmas Eve Tarsier


What a great way to spend Christmas!


In front of our hotel, New Years Eve on Boracay


HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!



Beautiful Boracay


What a wonderful trip!


We're so happy! Thanks Mom.

The Night Before Christmas...

'Twas the night before Christmas
In our place by the sea
We were ready to celebrate
Erin, Karen and Me

We wore sandals and flip-flops
Not boots, gloves or skis
Swimsuits and towels
and a tan if you please

A tropical Christmas
A world far away
Our 12/24
Had been quite a day

We'd packed in the jeep
Buckled in for a ride
And listened to Eugene--
Our wonderful guide



"Look over there,
Tarsiers--they're so small!
And the Chocolate Hills
Have no cocoa at all"






We walked through a house
Where the butterflies meet
Saw a big giant snake
Who thought Scott was to eat





Next on the list was
A river lunch cruise
Then back to the jeep--
We had more to peruse



Some statues, a church
A hanging bridge, too
(it thought it'd be funny
to keep Erin's shoe!)



We zoomed zigged and zagged
Back to our abode
"Dinner at 7"
Was what we were told

The food was spectacular!
The colors divine!
I had second helpings
of Leroy the swine



After our feast
Some kids danced a jig
(and I snuck another
plateful of pig)


We had presents to open
Rip! Slash! and Tear!
Thanks to Aunt Sharon
I got new underwear!

We smiled a lot
We Aggh'd and we Ooo'd
(Most of our presents were
American Food)

The next day for Christmas
There were dolphins to see
Which was all well and good
But we got up early

4:30 was nigh
Awake, I was not
But the thought of whale watching
Helped motivate Scott

The snorkel went with
The camera, too
I wanted to share
Our whale watching with you



Alas Christmas morn
Our camera was new
The dolphins would jump
What should I do?

I looked and I clicked
but all I could make
Was not pictures of Dolphins--
Only their wake





All was not lost though
The coral was pretty
So we all donned a snorkel
To see Nemo's city

Then back to the beach
Some lunch and some sun
No White Christmas for us
But we had lots of fun





The 25th came,
And the 25th went
But we all agreed
A Christmas well spent

A Christmas abroad
Erin, Karen and I
Though we'll be ready next year
For the snowflakes to fly.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year