All Saints' Day

November 1, one of my favorite holidays because I love going to cemeteries with those cute white calachuchi flowers, the November breeze blowing through my hair as I walk down the cemented streets pervaded by the smell of incense, and contemplating about life, death, and [possible] rebirth. I have thought about this for as long as I can remember and every time I do, I end up with a headache. At some point in my life, I got tired of thinking and debating with myself and so I just vowed to live life to the fullest since nothing is certain in this mundane world.
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As a child, I often wondered why we go to the cemetery on November 1 instead of November 2. All Souls' Day falls on the 2nd day of November and for me, it is more apt since not all dead people are saints. Until now I still cannot comprehend this. Or maybe it's because of the Chinese tradition to venerate our ancestors and in doing so, the dead assumes a saintly status.
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After a visit to the cemetery, I went straight home to prepare for my Sagada trip that night, missing the chance to visit a temple where an uncle was cremated.

Chinese Cemetery

During my pre-camera days, I used to make a mental note to myself that if ever I finally were able to buy my own digital camera, I would bring it with me on our annual visit to the cemeteries and snap photos. There's something about cemeteries that appeal to me. Perhaps it's the serenity that pervades the area. Perhaps it's the rich symbols and details that adorn the houses of the dead. Or perhaps it's the sense of mystery in an area believed to be the residence of ghosts and spirits. Or maybe it's because of the presence of a favorite flower, the calachuchi.

This blog post is already late. (My excuse: I had to sort my files. And well, I'm pretty busy these days.)

Just wanna share some pics I took.