The Way Way Back (2013)

I was in the mood for a movie marathon since I am broke and I feel like relaxing. So after watching the depressing The Place Beyond the Pines, I want to watch something light for a change. The Way Way Back is a comedy about an awkward teenage boy named Duncan whose mom and stepfather seem to have a low regard for him. They went on a vacation at the beach together with the stepdad Trent’s daughter Steph. Bored and seemingly out of place, Duncan explores the town and discovers Water Wizz, a local water park run by friendly and colorful people headed by Owen. There, Duncan gradually gains the respect of everyone for doing an awesome job as a part-time employee. The water park served as a contrast to Duncan’s temporary beach home where his mother is busy with the neighhbors and pays him little attention whereas his stepfather engages in an extramarital affair with a married woman named Joan. Duncan discovers the affair but initially says nothing until one night at a party when he explodes.

The beach vacation was ruined and the family had to go back, leaving Duncan sad. While they were loading up on gas, he sneaked out of the car and ran to Water Wizz. There, he said goodbye to Owen and to all the people who have helped him coped with his little self-esteem. He and Owen did the Devil Peak’s ride, the first person to have done so, as witnessed by the water park’s visitors. Duncan’s family were able to see the feat and Duncan’s mother looked proud of her son for once.

Thoughts in my head:

This is a cliche but it is true that the people who care about you and who can be your tribe may not share the same blood as you. Sometimes it takes the admiration of other people for your family to appreciate you. The same goes with how we Filipinos take pride in having fellow Filipinos take the world by storm, yet cannot even support those with potential back at home. It is like, we only acknowledge the genius of fellow Filipinos when foreigners acknowledge them first (unless you belong to the elite class with socialites for parents who can do all the work for you). It’s so weird because in the country I am currently in now, people are pushing me to do great things because of my many skills. Back home, I am just taken for granted. Sad.

Batanes 05112014 Day 4

May 11 is the second Sunday of the month and is also Mother's Day for this year. I committed a mistake when planning for my travels because I thought Mother's Day falls on the 3rd Sunday. I made a mental note to make sure I send an SMS to mom and greet her a happy mother's day.

We woke up very early to catch the sunrise at Diura, a fishing village in Mahatao town. The beach there was full of boulders and it was there where I scraped my knee when I fell after stepping on a very slippery rock. Ugh!

After watching the sunrise for around two and a half hours, my buddy and I separated ways. We both wanted to explore Batanes the hard way but I don't know how to ride a bicycle on rugged roads so I planned to just walk.

I was dropped off at the foot of the hill where Tayid lighthouse is located so I had to hike up all the way. My first few minutes of being alone made me question what I wanted to achieve after all this. Talk about sudden regrets but the tricycle had already sped away. [And there's also my pride to protect.]

Fortunately the road to Mahatao was gently sloping downwards so it wasn't that difficult. The challenge is dealing with the very fickle weather. One moment it rains and another the sun shines ever so brightly. Good thing I brought my raincoat with me.

I got to Mahatao just in time for the mass to commence. I ran all the way to the church and even was relieved to see the priest and his "staff" were just about to enter. Whew! Needless to say, I was super drenched in sweat and with a bleeding knee on which I poured lots of alcohol to prevent infection.

Because I was all alone, I could visit places of interest to me but which may be weird for others. I went to Mahatao cemetery afterwards, then walked towards Basco, determined to make it in time for lunch [or maybe I'd just collapse and sleep the whole afternoon]. It was already past 9 in the morning and sun's rays were not friendly anymore. Still I tread on, feeling like a 浪人. When I was running out of water and seeing the long stretch of road ahead of me [and also thinking that I must have covered 4 kilometers already], I decided to bring out the magical thumb while on the highway. It was my second time to hitch a ride (the first being on my return to Manila from Vietnam and a fellow plane passenger would also pass by the Makati area where I used to work).

The driver's name was Richard. I was happy because he's a chatty guy. He told me interesting tidbits about the Ivatan culture, like how they raise animals in Goat Island but slaughter the animals for meat there to be transported to the populated islands. They do not transport live animals due to their superstitious beliefs. He also told me that Amboy's is the only place where you can get beef tapa because normally the delicacy is just for household consumption.

Since his destination was Batanes Resort, we had to part ways at that point and I had to go by foot again all the way to Marfel's Homestay in Basco. By that time, I could already feel like collapsing any minute because of the heat. I think I must have walked more than a kilometer just to get to the inn. WHEW! [I'm never doing it again! On second thought, I might if only for the sense of fulfillment...] My buddy had returned some 20 minutes earlier than me.

Ate a quick brunch of leftover pinakbet and fish and went straight to sleep. I tried to go over the materials I got about the history of Batanes but my body was already craving for sleep.

Late in the afternoon, we explored Basco again. We planned to have dinner at the famous Bunker Café near Basco lighthouse. At the same time, we wanted to see the sunset there for the second time. Our dinner consisted of mushroom soup, beef steak, fish with wasabi mayo, upland rice (YUMMY!), turon, and stir-fried veggies. Of these, I loved the fish best!

In short, this day was mainly about getting awed [and burnt] by the magnificent sun. [But this girl is a Moon Goddess...]

Batanes Day 1
Batanes Day 2
Batanes Day 3
Batanes Day 5 

Summer's Here?

Early morning yesterday, mom's voice woke me up. That, while she pounded on our door. We were supposed to jog. I dragged myself from bed, pulled out a couple of essential things, a pair of shorts with pockets and towel from the closet, my water bottle which I put beside my bed, cellphones, and comb. Grudgingly I went down, head aching since I stayed up late watching My Date with a Vampire. 

When I got down, mom announced that jogging was cancelled. It was drizzling outside. And I had ran back to my room to get a jacket. Sigh.

So I went back to sleep.

In the afternoon, I complained about the heat. It's always hot on Sundays. I wonder why. And so every time we attend Sunday Mass, my head hurts and all I want to do is sleep. Yesterday was no exception.

And while I continued watching My Date with a Vampire at grandmother's house, it rained hard. No cool winds, no sweet smell of the earth; just rain. Mom said tomorrow would be the start of summer. I dread it.