The Day Before Paraw Regatta: Evening

Still the "vesper" day of the Iloilo Paraw Regatta, and my walk continued (from the previous story).

As planned, we would have exited the beach area and go to the road for rides to our respective hotels. But some things even beyond this corner also beckoned. So we went forth to check those things out!

First were these two boats that were securely fenced-off - and that made me wonder why...

I was thinking, those two boats were not as if dogs or pigs that could go running astray and romping around the sandy beach like crazy! Bakit kelangan ikulong?! A man told us "its for safety and security"!

Ha? Really? He intimated that that is to ensure the boats are 'intact' prior to the race proper. Well, yes I understood what he meant without him further elaborating. In many contests, competitors just do not anymore know how to play fair. Thus, I understand the precaution. A very sad reality of being human :(

Anyway, a bit onwards, we stumbled upon a kiosk that had these... Do you know what they are for?

Puto! Yes, that ever delectable snack common all over this country. I did not know puto is now cooked in plastic cups! They're not "baking tins" anymore! Hmm, won't plastic chemicals seep into the batter?

This is the "raw" batter that will become the "puto" after steaming (sorry blurred hehe)

That's made of commercial flour, sugar and water (only). I specifically asked the manang why she is not using ground rice anymore. She told me it's "budlay" (tedious) and takes a long time to prepare :(

Well... and oh, batter does not actually touch the plastic cups as they're lined with wax paper. And...

The more perplexing reality is, we "digged-in", we liked the product and aver this puto was "namit ah"!

I think we even disappointed some folks lining-up to buy this puto. Why? Because, as we stood there, we picked and immediately ate each batch (tray) that came out of the steamer hehehe! Yes we heard one fag shriek saying "ang puto ginabantayan sing tatlo ka-higante"! Another said "ka-daluk-daluk ah"!

Whatever hehehe! Eh we were first in line. Fist-come-first-served indi ba la?! Hahaha!

The puto made us forget our surroundings! We only stopped eating when I looked, and saw this...

Actually, without saying anything, we moved away from the puto kiosk and started clicking photos of that OMG fantastic sunset! Mind you, I asked permission to take this silhouette shot of those lovers!

One of them was holding a guitar, but I couldn't get it into the shot. Sayang :(

Here's another sunset take I did of a manong and his son (not visible) tending to their kayak...

For this, I did not ask permission since I was far, and there were actually many people on this frame.

I even had to walk out unto knee-deep of the rising tide for a "cleaner" sunset-and-horizon" view...

I haven't heard from friends or family about how great the sunset is from this area of Iloilo City. Why?

We stayed on this beach until the sun was totally down the horizon. It was really picturesque!

Now I have something to tell you my dear subscribers and readers... sunsets at Villa Beach are great!

Just as the sun showed its very last glimmer of golden spectacle, as if on cue, the oh so many sound boxes installed at various locations of the beach started out-blaring each other with thumping rhythms no one could resist but at least shake their bodies to the tunes nearest their ears! Invigorating ye yeh!

One of my friends (already swaying and kicking with the beats) said "let's get out of this place ASAP". When I asked why, he told me the road will start to get clogged, the music will get furiously better, this place will become a crazy party scene, we may not like going away any sooner until the new sun rises!

The other friend exclaimed "isn't that cool"? The reply was a kind of a reminder... "the Paraw Regatta starts early in the morning". Argh! As if to remind us that we were already too old to last all night long haha! The question: "party tonight or paraw regatta tomorrow" take your pick! Okay, we chose "home"!

For those not in the know, I do not have to over-emphasize that Ilonggos (well yes, include Negrenses) are the best party-animals in this country. That said, they can last until the wee hours of the morning just enjoying clean fun (and ridiculously) not getting dead drunk or "wasted" as we '80s babies say it!

Thus, just because they have a party, don't think it is also for you. And, another thing, don't say you'll just peep-in and be outa the party in a few minutes. Chances are, you'll enjoy it until dawn. Believe me!

As we made our way back and out of this beach, I saw this little thing playing alone on the sand...

It was/is too tiny I even thought it was some crab or chick haha. And also surprisingly it was alone!

I went a bit nearer for a clearer shot as the sun was already down. Unfortunately it left for home!

A tiny pup that probably does not yet know what loud music is - since other dogs were gone obviously to avoid the cacophony of too many danceable music all blaring and thumping at the same time hehe!

But this jolly serena (yellow arrow) was starting to strut swing and sway her way around hehehe

And it usually starts like that... some "agi" or two blithely dancing as they work (she's a waitress at the makeshift restobar at left), and in a while, everyone will be wriggling and writhing on the sandy beach!

Hah, and wasn't this just THE time to party?! Look, the moon was full accompanied by a bright star!

The picture might seem so serene... but at the time I took this, it was even already hard to talk with my friends due to loud blaring music coming from just about everywhere! Mapapa-indak ka talaga haha!

Oh, many (or is that "all"?) of the boats actually form part of the "backdrop" or "decor" of the night...

With one very strict rule for visitors though - "DO NOT TOUCH A BOAT" - until after the race tomorrow!

Interestingly, this was a grand party just for us the visitors! Racers and assistants were very busy!

Some were doing last minute touches, but most were attaching their numbers - Race Bibs kumbaga!

Yeah yeah, kung sa marathon, "race bib", but I don't know how they're called on boats or yachts hehe

Those are big tarpaulin banners, one on each side, at the top of the main sail. Not an easy thing to do since they need (have) to spread the sail on the sand, and stitch the thing in. Not just paste or staple!

The most common last-minute touch was painting of the boat's hull. The "livery" if it was an airplane!

A boat from Guimaras (I had bad memories last week, hmp!) and they're drawing a mango, of course!

This last minute activity is a family affair by the way. How did I know? Well, I asked them directly!

Boys in green and orange shirts are the children; purple shirt and holding the flashlight is the mother!

Ah, there were still things to see and watch, but we needed to disappear from this place - otherwise, it would have been party all night - which - surely wouldn't have disappointed me anyway. But, tomorrow is the Paraw Regatta "main event" that I need to see! So I better just sleep now. It is almost midnight!

Early tomorrow I'll be back at Villa Beach, not sure if I have time for breakfast here at Urban Sands.

But my stories will probably come in the evening or late at night like I did today. C ya!