"Princess for a day"

“Princess for a day”

In an isolated humble abode in an exceptionally remote terrain, I was invited to spend the rest of my weekend in. It was my childhood friend who amiably requested me to join her with the rest of her folks. She now lives in the US with a loving husband and a cute son. They were on a vacation. 

We haven’t seen each other for roughly 13 years, so I was more than thrilled to say yes! But then again, I thought, how will I get myself up there? 

Atimonan, Quezon is unquestionably a very far place. Heck, it’s a round about 5-hour ride by land, so the idea of proceeding made me have second, third, and even fourth thoughts. It saddened me, it was an exceptional chance to see them. 

Then here came a message from her brother, my then not-so-closed pal , who used to be a snob. He’ll fetch me. Wow, atypical opportunity, and who am I to refuse? 

Together we brought ourselves to the bus station, it was a long, long, never-ending way. After a little chit-chat and a bulk of silence moments, we were at the Lucena, Quezon Terminal. One more bus ride then we are almost there. More or less than one hour of roving the ravine-filled road passed by, we’re at the bayan, at long last! After giving him the nth-time “are we there yet” look, he uncomplainingly answered with “isang tricycle na lang”. 

We bunged at this gorgeous white beach house after passing through several modest dwellings along the rough provincial road, it was an oasis in the desert. Yes, it was indeed distant, but it was not at all as humbly secluded as I expected it to be. 

As I came into the complex, I was greeted by the calming ocean breeze together with my friend and her relatives who were joyfully playing tong-its in an incredibly romantic beach deck donned with a massive Talisay tree that gives an ample amount of shade, accessorized by a lovely hammock. Then I smilingly contemplated, it was after all, worth it. 

Chow time! I was presented with sumptuous helpings of food. I was fully stuffed. Lots of rest and conversations helped us digest what we indulged in a while ago. 

Dusk approached, with numbers of my friend’s relatives, in front of a television, on a cozy veranda, we were joined by San Miguel Pale Pilsen plus green mango, peanuts, and crabs which my friend’s bro made himay for pulutan! Calories and carbs were placed into oblivion but the night was definitely to remember! 

I got up at quarter before six in the morning, the exhilarating thoughts of the passionate beach view somehow helped me woke up that early. I welcomed the morning with a quick trip to the bathroom and headed straight to the beach porch,… to find out that the cool zephyr and the amazingly stunning sunrise were patiently waiting…