Day Four - Minglanilla Fiesta

This is why we came, the Minglanilla Fiesta!

We started our day with us going to Mass at the 'Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish', a very pretty church, very pink church.
Most of the town came to mass, and I mean most of the town. Around 30,000 people turned up, and that was only the the one mass we attended, they would have another 5 mass's. Our mass was the major mass, the cardinal himself lead the mass.

There were young, old, men, women, children and babies, it was super hot, no air flow, no aircon (as if), Pinky seemed to enjoy pointing out that there was sweat running down my legs, thanks!

Even though it was so crowded people continued to push through, in and out, but they were polite saying excuse everytime, there was one little lady (but they are all little hahah) who insisted on poking me from behind, saying 'excuse excuse' and there were two kids who found my kicks amusing, poking them and playing with the tounge and laces, funny stuff, and that was how it was for the next two hours.

All around the church were people selling bottled water and juices but we were told that you cant trust them and it may just be tap water put in recyled bottles, so no relief for the heat there. There were also may people selling candles and balloons and things that you would fine at an amusement fair, yeah really respecting the mass, as far as I could tell, no one bought a single balloon.

After the mass, well all those people have to go somewhere and they all go at once, streams of people pouring down the already heavily congested roads, cars, trucks and bikes pushing through the crowds. Because we couldnt expect our driver to find his way up to us, we decided to walk back to Sheila's place, it was only about 2 or 3 streets away, and the streets here dont have names or signs so I have no idea how many really, but only a 5 minute walk through traffic and against the flow. Every bus and jeepney that went past, all the passangers were staring at me, also all the buses and jeepneys dont have aircon so everyone would want to put down their windows, what a pain, lets just take all the windows out, much easier!

While walking home, there were people coducting their business on the side of the road, piles of timber or metal, people welding, all half on the path and half on the road it self and the road im speaking of is actually the main highway through the town of Minglanilla. There was even a Rooster tied to a post, Crazy!

tables for lunch

We get back to the house to find people have already started setting the garden up for the Fiesta celebration that Sheila's mother is holding for the family and friends. This was lunch, 50 or so people turned up for some great food, music and just being with each other. Very nice.

Pinky and Richard practicing there dancing for the evening

Richard continues to show his moves

The Pino way of setting up a marque, no ladders no OHS

of course I have to set up the music, hahah

the food was very good, and everyone thinks so

Enad, Ejercito and Joshua Chua

Inday (Susette's eldest daughter)

Me n Fred looking tired and sweaty w cous Raymond and his GF

Dothy and daughter, Tia Eileen and susette's youngest Langlang

Enad clan, love the shirt Chad :)

As we head towards the evening the lunch crowd has gone and the new crowd start arriving. By this time I was very tired as this had been the hottest day I had seen here so far, however still not as bad as Broome.

The crowds came, ate, drank and left, all over and done by about 10:30pm, we went to bed, and I crashed out.... zzzzzzzzzzz!