Adventure in Cebu

I am in Cebu! And I am being greeted with a smile and a Happy Mothers’ Day by everyone I meet. Can anyone be more blessed?

Yes, I’ve been enjoying my stay here for the last three days and naturally, that calls for a loud, happy celebration.

For someone like me who has lived most of her life in Manila, visiting Cebu is an adventure because here, my heart skips a beat as I get treated to exciting things so different from what I experience at home.

I have actually been here many, many times in the last few years—since I started writing children’s books—to greet and meet children of all ages, but every trip is like my first time: an adventure indeed!

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What comes to your mind when you hear the word adventure? What is adventure? I asked a few of my young friends, and here’s what they said: Adventure is . . .

“Going to a place that is so creepy you want to run away!”

“Swimming with the whales and sharks!”

“Mountain climbing and chasing a cheetah.”

“Feeding the big birds in the forest.”

“Eating fire.”

“Balancing on a tightrope.”

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The word adventure usually brings on thoughts of doing wild and unusual things such as those said by the kids above. In truth, however, adventure also means anything we do or say that delights us in a special way. It can be in the great outdoors, or indoors, or anywhere.

It can definitely be in Cebu!

From the airport to Cebu Grand Hotel where I stay, I saw grand buildings I haven’t seen before. Or maybe they have always been there, but because new structures like mini-parks have been built around them, they seem different!

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And the people!

I have been meeting many new friends at the events where I have been invited to speak. Some are moms, some are kids, and some are simply wonderful people who talk to me like a long-lost friend, not a guest on a very brief visit.

I will forever treasure my chats with them after my talks, usually during the book signing—many of these encounters go into my blogsite and in my books.

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Cebu food delicacies make my pulse go thump-thump, too. There are tons of them that if I carted a pack of each home, my poor suitcase will complain. Let me mention a few that are in my must-eat or must-bring-home goodies.

Lechon—unbelievably yummy. This specialty is like no other I have tasted in my life. Dried danggit, chicharon, and chorizo de Cebu, eaten with spiced vinegar, are some of those I never miss having with any of my meals when in town.

As for the goodies, otap, rosquillos, and dried mangoes top my list of favorites. They will definitely go into my suitcase.

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I will be back in Manila by about midnight today. A friend said, “You will not have time to celebrate Mother’s Day with your family.”

“Oh, plenty of time!” I replied. “For me, today or any day is Mother’s Day.”

Thank you for having me in your delightful city. Remember to hug and greet your mom today. That, too, is an adventure—of the highest order.

 (Email: gdchong@gmail.com / Blogsite: www.leavesofgrace.blogspot.com)