Our childhood friends were here

We have lots of memories that the whole afternoon was not enough.

There were four of them and their mom.  They were siblings.  But now, they came with their sons and daughters, and their grandson and granddaughters.

The youngest was a balikbayan from Denmark and he was determined to see us before he goes back in January.

They were our summer friends.  And they were distant relatives from the family tree that I didn't and won't even bother to trace.  But at that time (especially during those times), wasn't it that everybody knows everybody in town and almost everybody was related to anybody in one way or another?

My sister and I were brought to Pateros when the school year ends.  When summer is near, we look forward to it and can't wait to see them.

That's how we became friends.

We can't help but look back.

We played patintero often.  At times, we played until it was almost midnight.  That was of course, with the permission and the presence of one of our parents and guardians.

We had picnics and picnics were a simple baon which we ate somewhere near our homes - under the acacia tree not far away from a friend's house, the irrigation somewhere near the street or just at the back of the house.  That was already picnic for us.

We joined the Dios de Salve prusisyon when May comes.  Afterwards, we got to play a little bit more.  Sometimes it was Cops and Robbers, patintero (again) and more games.

We were full of memories of our  childhood.

I was so happy to see them.  They drove from Manila to our town just to visit us.  And we couldn't even remember when was the last time we saw each other.  It maybe more than five years since or even more.  We sure don't know when we will see each other again, but definitely this is another day to remember.

*I didn't put any effects on the photos.  My guess is that my camera might be on its way to retirement.