my childhood weekends

I love the beach.

As a child growing up in Zamboanga weekends were usually spent picnicking near the sea since the beach is just a few minutes ride from home. Having a seaside picnic was always a big event – a big family gathering.

I remember getting up real early Sunday morning. It is usually chaotic when you enter the kitchen and garage as aunts, uncles, siblings and my parents are preparing for the “outing”. Some will be packing cooked rice in banana leaves, others will be preparing the picnic lunch (fish, green mangoes, agar-agar, and tausog native cakes, dishes), while others are taking care of transportation and logistics.

We usually arrive at the beach between 9 – 10 am and stay there till 3 or 4 pm or until we are sunburned. Hahaha. Talk about spending the whole day at the sea shore! You can usually find us kids swimming, or making sand castles or looking for shells and star fishes. Adults are usually in charge of cooking and making sure that there is always food at the table.

As I grew older, Weekend picnics are spent not only with family, but with friends as well. (you can read about my HS friends [friendship, june 21 entry] here). However, my love for the beach did not in anyway diminish. My friends and I celebrate birthdays, and other occasions at the beach.

Ah those were the days! Days of innocence and endless wonders! How I miss it… How I miss going to the beach and spending time with family and friends. Working in Manila meant no more weekends at the beach since the beach is hours away/ or if I want to go to the beach I have to plan in advance.

Lately my friend Binoe is encouraging me to take up scuba diving lessons. Since I love and miss the beach, I promised him that I will take up on his offer as soon as I get some disposable income (maybe near the end of the year).

Meanwhile, I will be contented with watching finding nemo… hehehe.

********
If you want scuba diving lessons pls check out www.fundiveasia.com. you can email him at bino@fundiveasia.com (just tell him you got his email off my [annie] blog).