They're here! I mean they're back! I mean they're back here in Australia after five years, and two years after I first saw them back in the Home Office! And by "they" I mean the ones who haven't grown up and graduated since the last time they were back, I mean here...
Whatever! It's just so cool that the Embassy, Consulate and Tourism Office got the Loboc Children's Choir to tour Australia right in time for Philippine Independence Month activities. Their Sydney-legs alone brought so much joy to so many: they made our office's elevator music better than your office's elevator music...
even their picture-picture was better than anything you've ever done
...they pleased the good people of Penrith
their hard knocks be better than Jay-Z
...they brought home the gold at Olympic Park...
dammit, national treasures shouldn't make me cry like that
...and they filled the hearts of the fam and the Fil-com at Blacktown
The Consulate has jurisdiction over the entire state of New South Wales, which itself is around two-and-a-half times the size of the entire Philippines. So it's actually possible to attend an event at a place so far off that you have to fly there but not so remote that you can't fly back home the same day. Jet-setter ang peg.
Thus, one Saturday in June, I flew off to beautiful Wagga Wagga (the city so nice they named it twice) to take part in the local Fil-com's National Day festivities. Wagga is a regional and agriculture hub but the city itself is compact and close-knit and you can easily roll-off the plane, roll-up to the venue, and roll-out of the city within a tight window. Again, feeling touring rock star or visiting football team lang. So my Wagga day went:
Morning - fly out of Sydney and into Wagga Wagga
the moment I touched down I wanted to tweet "what's up wagaaaaa!!" and "where my peeps at!!" and "what we doing tonight!!" and then I remembered I don't have twitter
Noontime - event is lit
Shoutout to the entire Wagga Fil-com. They turned out in force, their performances were modern yet distinctly Pinoy, they were joined at the celebration by a lot of non-Filipino friends (and even bosses), and -- perhaps because many work as butchers or in agri-business -- had some of the best lechon I ever tasted. Respect.
Late Afternoon - wait for return flight. chill.
no, really. malamig.
Early Evening - get caught between the moon and new york sydney
sounds crazy, but it's true
Nighttime - catch France v. Australia world cup match, see Australia lose on some bogus ref calls. Had I known, I would have stayed in Wagga Wagga.
(you'll have to pry alliteration from my cold, dead keyboard hands)
(hey, speaking of cold...)
I once joked in my first year in London that "our Founding Fathers first raised the Flag in June because they knew if they declared independence in say, January, all our diplomats abroad would have frozen over in their barongs." Well joke's on me now, because winter Down Under comes in June, and no amount of Shoemart camiso de chino layering can keep my teeth from chattering during all of the outdoor Independence month ceremonies. Fortunately, the cold hasn't deterred people from still coming out it their finest Filipiniana -- if anything, I've seen even fiercer use of our fabrics. And as I've said before, the Sydney Fil-com will fab out regardless and bring their own edgy, unpredictable heat to every occasion.
Central Coast Flag-raising
See, right here. I'm all whiny about the cold, but the Fil-com sing, selfie and slay in thin traditional costumes and bahag all day.
Community Council's National Day Ball
Ok, this was obviously held indoors, so climate wasn't really a factor (other than the warmth exuded by the Philippine tourism photobooths)(and the ball was held in...the Four Seasons. Har!)
Parramatta Flag-raising
The dancers bravely did their thing, and I held out in my piña as long as I could, but ultimately almost everyone covered up towards the end (heck, even the Lord Mayor rocked a sweater under his chain)
Salu-Salo at the Consulate
Ok, again obviously indoors and I broke out some warm earth tones and OH MY GOD THEY BROUGHT A CAKE FOR EVERY PROVINCE IN BICOL
Blacktown Flag-raising
A bit of a wild card here. It started to rain but the event smoothly transitioned indoors. Towards the end of the program, a Tina Turner Tribute appeared, sidled up to the Lord Mayor, asked him straight up if she could be the next performer, and then handed him a usb containing her backing music. She then went up to the stage and proceeded to belt out...She Works Hard For The Money.
(I mean, c'mon, We Don't Need Another Hero would have worked better on so many levels)
Official Residence Flag-raising
Activities shifted between indoors and outdoors, but nothing was cooler as the piano stylings of Russel, the consulate protocol officer.
So Sydney has come up with a great way of beating back the winter blues: "Vivid" is a 10-year old festival of light displays and installations that literally illuminates the city and its landmarks -- and in the process keeps people outdoors, engaged and ready to partay! It's held during the coldest and darkest time of the year, but is so big and beautiful that staying home is simply not an option for Sydney-siders. And since there's so much to see all over the city, people can space and pace their enjoyment over a period of time -- like savoring a seven-course gourmet meal...under psychedelic lights...served by neon waiters...cooked by lasers.
The fam's own "Vivid" visual feast took us three weeks and through...
...a light sampling at Chatswood...
...some starters at Circular Quay and The Rocks...
...side dishes at Darling Harbor...
...leafy mains at the Botanical Garden...
...and finally, a relaxing Harbor Ferry Sunset Cruise dessert
