We spent an nice long weekend in our Cubao condo.
Actually spending an extra day due to the massive congestion of travellers for the long weekend Undas
In addition to all the fun and events leading up to Halloween, November 1 is Araw ng mga Patay
(Day of the Dead).
It's a hugely popular tradition here where folks will visit their family tombs/burial places for respect.
Also to clean up and repair, light candles, offer flowers, gifts and sall manner of offerings to those departed. Also to meet other family members and have a good chinwag, play cards, eat, drink and be merry right at the tombside. Her in the Philippines it is de rigueur and so a declared national holiday.
Seems to have started on Friday and is continuing until who knows when.
Anyway we made it home just in time for the endless chanting of 'happy halloween' outside our house from kids in their outfits.
This is the time I shut the door and drink my beer inside.
Miserable tight git that I am
I've enjoyed Undas before, in Mindanao, with lots of family good food and fun right at the graves of those departed.
But we really have no family here in Manila.
We'd been so busy recently we seemed to have overlooked booking tickets until too late.
Anyway Halloween is big here and really good fun.
Undas is actually much better IMO and I'm genuinely sorry that we'll miss it.
Next year we'll plan better.
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