In Transit

The Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo, Aklan was OK.

Juuuuuust kidding, it was more than OK! It was awesome and fun and crazy (!!!) because you don’t just watch the parade, you actually get to join in and be with random people who will offer you shots and cans of beer, hand you their drumsticks or tambourine so you could make music (or noise), who will let you carry signs that speak the honest truth or some crazy version of it (“It’s hard to face your problems when your problem is your face”), and who will dance with you for six straight hours as you parade around the town, up until that glorious moment when you finally reach the plaza.

I almost didn’t go to the festival because my companions backed out a few weeks before, which meant that I’d have to travel alone. It was scary at first, but I met a lot of kind souls along the way. They shared their stories, invited me to their homes, and made me feel less alone. I’m very blessed to have met these people and I’m sure the Ati-Atihan would have been an altogether different experience without them. I’m writing a separate post on that, so for now I leave you with these photos. 🙂

Here’s to more crazy adventures! 🙂