New Year's Day Outing at the Beach 2015

by Gil Camporazo

It's now a tradition in our family to go outing every New Year's day, January 1. And it's usually spent at the local beach in our place. For this year 2015, we had it at Soleo Beach, San Enrique, Negros Occidental, PH. Last year, we spent at Las Olas just a stone throw from the beach of Soleo Beach.

Soleo Beach, San Enrique, Neg. Occ.,PH

We spent for almost 7 hours at the beach. We brought our extra food in our media noche (early morning snack) for the whole family to partake at that time.

As usual we availed of the tryke of our son-in-law, Almon for our transport service to bring us back and forth to the beach and home.

Watch Out for a Big Bang!

 Though it is too risky, selling of firecrackers is one of the lucrative small business to venture with, according to one of the vendors I happened to talk two days before New Year's revelry.

As a tradition, Filipinos used to have a "big bang" to "drive away evil spirits" and happily welcome the following year with enthusiasm and excitement as a properous and a happy one.

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When I was a kid, what I knew that "firing" a reventador (a tiny firecracker) is just for fun. The more "paputok" (several sets of fireworks) you "burned", the more you're idolized by others as a "sikat" (celebrity).

I got a traumatic experience when I was eight years old then. I noticed some of my friends dared to hold a piece of tiny firecracker with their two fingers and let it fire without hurting or damaging their fingers. I was curious and did it secretly for myself. "Bang!" the "explosive" burst on my finger before I knew it. My fingers hurt, but luckily they're not cut off! That's the first and the last firecracker I ever dared to hold!

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This new year I spent it watching our neighbors enjoying their fireworks and eating our midnight snacks with my children, grandchildren, and with my beloved wife, who is the best chef cook of all time. We pray together and implore our Divine Providence to grant us more blessings and happiness as we faithfully follow His commandments and help our brothers and sisters who have less in life.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!