"The mad SINULOG crowd of 2012"

After many years of being far from this madding crowd, I found myself this weekend caught in the middle of this great celebration of faith and merrymaking...

Since birth, I was able to take the Sinulog streets only 3 times. This is my fourth, and easily, THE BEST ONE.

My first three Sinulogs (2003 NSTP/CWTS, 2006 testing a handycam, & 2009 with co-workers) left, one after another, experiences which made me avoid Cebu City every third Sunday of January. Since then, I thought of Sinulog as an event which can't compensate the amount of energy I spend. To put it bluntly, it's a bore. This year, however, it's different.

It's different because of five reasons.

First, now I'm sexy and I know it. Haha! It's from a song, Ikr! Haha! For those who know me, you have a great idea of what I'm talking about. 

Second, I have a big problem, and I think I really need to have a break. I NEED TO GET AWAY FROM IT ALL!!! Also, the Sto. Nino is miraculous. And, who knows, miracles may happen on His feast.

Third, I'm now a learned individual. I'm more aware of events than before. Plus, I know how to drive now.

Fourth, I'm still young, and I have all the time because I'm jobless. Hahaha!!!

And fifth, I'll be with a good company.

These reasons, combined, made my Sinulog the best this year.

OUR SINULOG 2012 ITINERARY OF TRAVEL

"IT'S FUNNIER IN CEBU...BWAHAHAHA"

Day 1 (Friday the 13th)

4 - 6 PM ---> en route to Cebu City

6 - 7 PM ---> dinner at RC

7 - 8 PM ---> check in at Casa Rosario 

Hotel (behind STC, beside The Brown Cup)

8 - 9 PM ---> tuyok2 Ayala and Cebu Business Park looking for FRANCO

9 - 2 AM ---> tambay sa Cabanas (Reggae night) and Disco at Zu

2 - 2/AM ---> Chowking Fuente

Day 2 (January 14, Saturday)

10 AM ---> Wake up call

10/ AM---> McDo Jones Branch aww brunch diay...

11 - 12 PM---> Basilica del Sto. Nino visit to the Holy Child

12 - 1 PM ---> Chill at Metro Colon

1 - 3 PM ---> Solemn Foot Procession (Basilica to Mango only)

3 - 8 PM ---> Malling at SM City Cebu (parked on top)

8 - 9 PM---> Fireworks Competition (at SM rooftop eating shawarma for dinner)

10 - 12 AM ---> Stuck in gridlock (SM parking, Juan Luna and Maxilom sts.)

12 - 4/5 AM ---> Back at Cabanas/Zu

Day 3 (January 15, Sunday)

2 PM ---> Wake up call

2/3 PM ---> First meal of the day (only meal for the Rastaman) at MFC beside Browncup

4 PM ---> circling Fuente Circle (the streets are jam-packed with people)

4/ PM ---> cool down at Bo's Robinson's Place

5 PM ---> Walk Jones Avenue (Osmena Blvd.) to meet faces in the crowd

*crossing or walking the streets by this time has become near-to-impossible

6 PM ---> Back at CAsa

*near-pandemonium at Juana Osmena St. to National Bookstore and Caltex 

*rib-crushing ride towards Alcohology at Mango Square

*back-breaking swagger towards One Mango 

*euphoric-stoked-like walk towards Baseline

**intoxicated youth give free hugs and other things like...er...never mind... :]

*****Wow, even the strobes need to learn how to give light from the faces we've seen... We're outnumbered...

Apart from the five reasons above, the weather for this Sinulog weekend was different. It was sunny with intermittent clouds. In other words, perfect for tramping and wandering the web-like streets of Cebu City. As the local group Missing Filemon puts it, "Ang kadalanan sa atong dakbayan gubot pas lukot..." so a fine weather is necessary when one is expected to walk about streets closed for PUJ's and private vehicles.

To cap it all, this Sinulog is the BEST SINULOG because I happened to be in the right place. 

Uptown is that right place. The place where the streets flood with good-looking people. The place where those floods pour into an ocean of cultured urbane young people who, in pursuit of happiness (I don't think hedonistic pleasure too) tend to become  very much friendly and accommodating.

I am typing this post with a smile on my face. I remember the nights in Juana Osmena Street. They were three nights to be exact. 

Well, I am contemplating whether those nights would recur next year. They were pleasant even if we started on the dreaded Friday the 13th. I know  they will happen again, but not exactly as how it happened last Friday to Sunday.   

I'm glad to have made the decision to take on the trip. At least I had these good things to remember even if they made me impecunious (no money). 

What's the use of money??? After all, life is filled with uncertainty. These convergences do not happen everyday. Work happens everyday. Work to make money. And use money to find means to be happy.

It's still January, the first month of the 2012. Yeah, we all have the idea of the twilight of the world. What if the world comes to an end this December??? KNOW WHAT?? THAT'S THE BEST REASON WE SHOULD PARTY!!! YEAH!!!