Remembering Dad on Father’s Day

Paalam na po, Ama
Kahit napaka-aga pa
Kahit di ka pa dapat umalis
Kahit marami pang pagkakataon
Masakit isipin na iniwan mo na kami
Na wala ka na upang ipagdiwang
At ipamahagi aming mga kwento
Na hindi mo na makikita
Ang aming paglaki at mga apo mo
Mga araw-araw na nangyayari
Aming narating, aming mga problema
Aming puso na nabibiyak, aming kaligayahan
Paalam na po, Ama
Lumalhati nawa ang iyong kaluluwa

Goodbye, Dad
Although it was still early when you left us
Even when there should be more opportunities
It hurts to think that you left us
You were not here to celebrate with us
And listened to our stories
That you never saw us growing
and your grandchildren
The everyday things and happenings
What we have achieved, our problems
When our hearts break, our happiness
Farewell, Father
Let your soul rest in peace

Happy Mother’s Day!

Forget others, you are always best dressed
As well as never stressed
We are truly blessed
You’re the best
Calm

You can sing “Crazy” in a songfest
You always laugh at our jest
We are truly blessed
You’re the best
Psalm

To Mother’s Day from our cosy nest
We say thanks for all your zest
We are truly blessed
You’re the best
MOM*

(c) ladyleemanila 2018

* Triquint

For: ALL SEASONS – MAY 13

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is an open-air museum and heritage park in Bagac, Bataan, Philippines. Spread over 400 hectares, the park features a collection of 27 Spanish Colonial buildings and stone houses (bahay na bato in Tagalog), planned to resemble a settlement reminiscent of the period. These houses were carefully dismantled, brick by brick, transplanted from different parts of the Philippines and rehabilitated in these premises, to resemble the original structure. For parts that were missing, woodwork and bricks were replicated to resemble the original structure. For this, the Ciudad employs a workforce of 130 people, including 10 wood sculptors, three metal sculptors, 30 craftsmen who design ceilings, and construction workers. There are also five architects, two of whom are historical architects, and two artists. The resort also has a restaurant, a beach, calesa rides and a swimming pool. (https://www.lascasasfilipinas.com/)

For: Our World: 26 February 2018 , Nurt Thurs – Your Author

Aurora is my name – A-Z Story

Aurora is my name and I’m the youngest in the family. Baby, they call me and I don’t really mind. Chocolates, cartoons, cycling and going to the cinema are some of my favourites. Don’t get me started and I can carry on and on. Excited now is what you’re making me feel. For we are going on holiday – yay! Great, I shouted and started packing my bags.

“Hold on a minute,” my Mum said, “we haven’t decided yet where we’re going.” India, Indonesia, Iceland – you pick, Mum, I shouted from my room. “Japan, I always wanted to go to Japan,” that’s my big brother talking. “Korea would be interesting,” injected the middle one. “Lapland, to see Santa Claus!” that’s Lolita for you.

Mum looked at Dad who hasn’t said a thing. “Not a clue,” he said. Or we can go and see Granny and Grandad – I tried to be useful. Perhaps they will be happy to see all of us again. Quest for the perfect holiday, where would it be? Rajasthan, Ranthambhore to see tigers, that’s definitely a treat! Singapore, South Africa, somewhere nice?

“Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago or Tanzania?” asked my brother again. “Uganda – oh no, there’s trouble there,” the middle one is getting frightened. “Vanuatu,” Lolita’s getting clever now. “Wales!” – shouted my Dad, “that’s where we’re going.” Xxx, can’t think of anywhere else. “You said it, we’re going to Wales,” my Mum said. Zzzzz and we’re soon asleep.

Pilipinas – Tanaga

The Tanaga is a Filipino poem. It consists of four lines with seven syllables each; the rhyme scheme is AABB.

Traditional tanagas don’t have titles and are composed in the Tagalog language. Most have been handed down through oral history and contain proverbs and moral lessons. (Similar to the tanaga is the ambahan, which has an indefinite length.)

Modern Tanaga

The tanaga has been in danger of becoming a dying art form. The Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commission of the Arts have been trying to revive it. Several groups have been promoting the form in English.

The form is beginning to change slightly – not only are tanagas appearing in more frequently in English, they are picking up titles and varying their rhyme forms (for example, AABB, ABBB, ABAB, ABBA, AAAB, BAAA, ABCD, etc).

Pilipinas kong Mahal
Kahit malayo ako
Puso ko’y nasa iyo
Mabuhay tayong lahat!

Philippines my Philippines
We may be far apart
But my heart belongs to you
Cheers to every one of us!

Filipino Dishes

Our national dish, adobo! Filipinos can cook it anywhere in the world, as long as we have the main ingredients: chicken or pork, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Marinate all the ingredients, fry them with a little oil, then simmer them until cooked.

chicken adobo, rice and peas

Stir-frying is my favourite style of cooking – chop all ingredients in small sizes, like julienne. Fry garlic, ginger and onions, first, then add beef and the vegetables. Add oyster sauce, chilli sauce, soy sauce and voila – stir-fried beef!

stir-fried beef and vegetables

Preserved ampalaya and atsara – good accompaniment for any grilled or fried fish, chicken, pork or beef.

preserved ampalaya and atsara

Pancit palabok – is the first meal I ask when I come home to the Philippines because I don’t cook it here. It has some seafood like shrimps, dried fish or tinapa, boiled eggs, glass noodles, etc. Delicious!

pancit palabok

Siomai is dim sum, steamed bun with vegetables and meat inside.

siomai

Favourite breakfast – also known as tapsilog which is a short form of tapa, sinangag (fried rice) and itlog (eggs)

beef tapa, eggs and rice

Grilled squid – yummy! Stuffed with tomatoes, onions, garlic, some herbs, salt and pepper.

stuffed and grilled squid

Lovely soup – chicken, unriped papaya, ginger, onions. Good when one has a cold. Or when one is homesick.

chicken tinola soup

Our favourite dessert! My brother has got this super recipe and it’s to die for! 10 egg yolks, 1 can of condensed milk, 2 cans of evaporated milk, some rinds of lemon. The secret is to caramelise some sugar in a dish, sieve the mixture then steam it, or bain marie it.

leche flan

 

And Now For Something Filipino

Just for fun, I dug some of my work and translated them to Filipino. Hope you like them. Have a lovely day everyone 🙂

sleep tight my poet
for in your dream world you go
colouring your sphere
whose fleeting tenure not break
wild realm of reality

matulog ka nang mahimbing, aking makata
para sa iyong pangarap na mundo ka pumunta
kinukulayan ang iyong daigdig
ng panandaliang panahon ng panunungkulan
ay hindi masira
sa ligaw na kaharian ng katotohanan

the kiss of the muse
and so inspiration comes
a slumbering thought
curdles long life in short time
pleasure, pain, faith, hope and love

ang halik ng inspirasyon
at siya ay dumating
isang muni-muni
mahabang buhay sa maikling panahon
kasiyahan, sakit, pananampalataya
pag-asa at pag-ibig