Reminiscing...

Classmates, Friends, Brethren

Reminiscing...




Our HS Class has been quite busy lately trying to keep in touch with each other. In fact , some classmates have been meeting albeit informally to prepare for our school's Centennial and forthcoming Class Reunion!

Relatedly ,after much prodding, a HS classmate, Bam Ruegg, shared some valuable photos from high school ( originally posted by classmate and  DeMolay Brod , Nelson Diesto , via his FB account)!

A truly surprising  photo which was revealed by Bam was taken  just after our high school graduation---one I never knew ever existed ! 

The photo, below , just made  me reflect where my HS classmates are and how these guys are now! If I remember everybody correctly in the photo, that's Rey, Daniel, Nahum,Edwin, Roy, Elmer, Manuel, Gadel and Arnold ( from left to right )!

                                                                              

Another "revelation" to me is a photo with classmate and DeMolay Brod , Bebot! The photo is a shot of  old Boracay way back during the Holy Week of 1981 when our HS gang took a trip to Bora using  Brod Bebot's old reliable VW buggy!  We were with Nelson , Bebot's cousin , and some 6 other friends all cramped in the buggy! 

Can you imagine how the trip to Bora back then was ? The road from Iloilo to Capiz was still via the old Central route through Calinog and Tapaz then to Dao! All unpaved and "rocky" (more boulders than rocks !). 

The road from Dao to Kalibo was similar but the Kalibo to Caticlan road was "unique" --- one practically gets free powder along the way...good thing the reliable buggy didn't disappoint! 

Getting to Boracay then was like enduring our temporary life on earth just to be in paradise ! One has to suffer the long , boring trip first before you can enjoy what Boracay has to offer !

Back then, it was so peaceful , calm and clean ...not so many "people" on the Beach, no electricity nor first-class accommodation! The few tourists then were mostly hardcore backpackers and not those jet-setters who frequent today's "Bora"! 

All we had that summer was a plain nipa hut and a modest tent as "shelter" ! We practically knew the "natives"- mostly caretakers of the few family-owned vacation places- who not only helped us with our food but also entertained us with tales of good old Boracay ! 

Ahh,I remember , there weren't many bars that time and the best that Boracay has to offer was "The Beachcomber Bar" which was a favorite hangout of foreigners because of its blaring "disco" music from battery-operated sound system and plywood-covered dance floor along the beach.  

Just imagine.... 

That Holy Week Boracay  trip was probably one of the most adventurous and exciting trip we ever took...one I can never forget !
And I knew I had to come back for more...as they say ,once you get to Boracay,you will always want to come back to this "happy place" !

That's me with Brod Bebot using the future " Friday's" site as background of the "old",clean Boracay! 

Nice remembering "old" Boracay from that unforgettable adventure of a Holy Week and "happy days" with old friends!

My , oh my, I'm truly getting old...