Last night saw for me the Dreaded Family meeting on the All Saints and All Souls day thing. I am not in any way a Religious person (odd, given my Families Religion but) So we spent over an hour or more after Dinner at the Big House (Lola's) Discussing this years route for the Visiting. Visiting I hear? yep you know, where it is felt that on the 2 days of that week when each and all the Graves Must be Visited. Azon is from a very Large Family Spread out from Bayawan to across this Area and it is over a week away but somehow the family are Planning ahead http://www.google.com/uploads/monthly_09_2015/post-2148-0-58774400-1443059322.gif No less than 9 cemetary's concerned. I don't want to upset anyone that thinks this is then, the in thing but am I the only one that believes this Event is a little Overplayed? Commercialized is the word I would use. I do my utmost to try and avoid participating in the whole thing, I will go to the 2 local Cemetery's and pay respect to those very close to us here but I just think it is a hype. Sorry if I offend anyone but we all know what will follow next and I have, Yes Already, had 1 or 2 of those pesky Carol Singers. Never Mind the Filipino Clock, seems they have a Filipino Calendar as well This is me this Morning. Again Sorry but............... For me, I am too busy trying to stay alive. JP
Just don't get involved in any way mate,I just ignore requests that come my way to go to Cebu at that time. If she wants to do that sort of thing she is told I'll drop you in sibulan and the bus will be the other side waiting for you!
That's when the Problems Start The daughter and I are working together on the Get clause as I write today, Not sure I like some of her Ideas (Expensive) but I guess I will have to go along with at least one of them if I am to escape Family Strife and a Stressful Time. ( you know what they say about Weddings and Funerals [even those many years old] ) JP
I won't participate in any religious holidays or dogma. I will respect their religious beliefs so long as they respect my complete lack of them.
All Souls Day is huge all over the Philippines. The people feel compelled to pay respects to the deceased relatives. Traffic around all the cemeteries is crazy. Blood is thicker than water, dead or alive.
So it would seem, I thought I had left this in Spain but it is even worse here. Another Legacy no Doubt.. JP
Pat, when I lived in Hong Kong, the situation was the same, although it was not on All Souls day--entire multigenerational families would bring a "feast"---lechon too---to share with the deceased, who, I assume, consumed very little. Picnics and firecrackers---quite an interesting spectical---especially on Lantau Island
[DOUBLEPOST=1443680157,1443679995][/DOUBLEPOST]yum yum,, A wonderful place to eat! Free food!! I live down the street from the cemetery. Some times there are five buss loads getting free food...I tell friends in the US and no one believes me....
