23 February 2011
In the two years that I have attended the Panagbenga Festival in Baguio City, I already knew getting bus tickets would be difficult if one buys the ticket a day before the grand street parade, so sister and I really talked about securing the tickets a week before. However, we weren't able to do it, so for this day, we told ourselves we really have to get the tickets now. At first, it was supposed to be just her getting the tickets, but when she told me she will visit Quiapo Church after getting the tickets, I decided to come with her so we can do a pre-vacation trip. :)
While talking to the ticketing officer, we found out that there was only one trip left with two seats available. Whew! It was so great that we were able to get that... if we didn't go this day, I didn't think we could travel together.
Quiapo Church. After getting the tickets, sister and I head to Quiapo Church. She and I walked to the LRT station in Cubao. It was my first time to ride the LRT Line 2. I know it sounds corny, but really, it felt good.
Anyway, once we reached Quiapo Church, I was happy that there was no celebration. Well, picture taking wasn't allowed inside the church (for reasons I couldn't comprehend), but somehow I was able to take pictures inside using my cell phone. My sister is a devotee of the Black Nazarene, so we took our time inside the church because I knew my sister had a lot to pray about.
After that, we walked to the mall to pay bills and do some window shopping, before we went to our next stop. A few days before (when I told sis I will come with her), we planned of checking Binondo Church, but since I have already visited that place, I asked sister if we could make a change of plan and go somewhere I haven't visited yet. Glad sister agreed to my idea,
Sta. Cruz Express. Food trip wasn't part of the plan, but as we walk to our next destination, we saw this big food place, and seeing that their food prices were very affordable, we went in because it was lunch time anyway. Eating there was a great discovery - not only were their foods so delicious, it didn't burn our wallets, too.
Sta. Cruz Church. Near the food place was the Sta. Cruz Church. Like in Quiapo, photography wasn't allowed (I think so) because there were some guards inside. After saying my prayers, I just used my trusty cell phone to take pictures.
We walked back to Quiapo Church where we took a jeepney going to Divisoria. From there we walked again until we reached...
Tondo Church. Our next destination. Yes, it has been about churches today, because embarking on a 10-day vacation, I want to start the journey with prayers. Sadly, the church was closed, but I was still happy to say my prayers outside and to take a picture of the facade.
Divisoria. Now that we have visited all three churches, it was time for us to shop. Divisoria is a very well known marketplace in Manila City because of its very low prizes of goods. Here is where people can buy almost anything the could think of. Downside is that because people come here to shop, there were lots of nasty people trying to rob people in any way they can, which is why whenever one goes to shop here, people would always tell the shopper to take care of his/herself.
That day, I was looking as plain as I could be, but this part of Divisoria was something I will never, ever forget because this is where somebody snatched my earrings.
Coming from Tondo Church, we were able to see cheap onions (at that time onions were very expensive), and texting brother about it, he requested that we buy some, but we were quite tired walking all the way back to Tondo so we just tried to look for some in Divisoria. We saw a vendor selling small, yet okay onions, but as my sister and I stopped for a while to discuss, I felt two hands holding each of my ear. The next few seconds were in slow motion.... it felt as if the hands were holding my ears for a few hours already, yet I didn't move. I didn't know why, but it was as if I froze and everything just stopped. Funny was, as soon as I felt the hands in my ears, I felt it was my brother surprising me. When the hands pulled my earrings, it was then everything went back to normal speed, and I realized I have just been robbed.
My earrings weren't flashy... in fact, it looked a lot like silver so I didn't really felt they will be taken off my ears because silver jewelry didn't have much value in it. Truth is, my earrings weren't silver, but white gold, which my mom gave to me. When I realized the earrings were snatched, I didn't look back, I didn't even scream... I just held my ears and told my sister my earrings were gone. I knew how notorious Divisoria is - that once you got robbed there was no way you can get it back, so I just walked forward and carry on as if nothing happened. I was scolding myself for not taking off my earrings, but really, it didn't cross my mind to take it off.
I know this is supposed to be a post for something "happy," and it was so ironic that I am talking about something not so happy... but my silver lining came when somebody shouted and when I looked back, a pedicab driver handed me one of my earrings. He told me some people caught the man, but he was able to escape. He wasn't able to get the other piece, but I was happy that I was able to get half of the pair. Somehow, having one piece of the earring made me feel a bit relieved - because I knew the man who took my earrings won't be able to use it for anything. Having the other half also gave me something to remember the story and something to hold on to.
In the three churches I visited today, my constant prayer was "Guide us and cover us with Your protection." I know it's weird that after visiting three churches having the same prayer - that this thing would happen, but really, I never blamed God for what happened. Actually, I believed that God covered us with His protection because nothing bad happened to us. I know losing a piece of jewelry and the trauma included in it was bad in itself, but I am happy having to lose the earring rather than my life. Also, because it was snatched, I was happy the man didn't have to put a knife or a gun just to rob us. Somehow it made me think what would happen to me if I took off the earrings... either I won't be robbed, or worse something much more important might be taken away from me. Right then I felt thankful that the earrings saved my life.
We didn't tell the story to our family anymore as we didn't want them to worry. My brother's a blogger, but he doesn't really read my blogs (other than my food blog), so it's just fine that I am sharing this here.
For everything that has happened for this day, I am thankful and I am happy that I was strong enough to handle it.
*** Jenn ***
