Advertisement
Published: July 19th 2014
Edit Blog Post
FACES OF THE PHILIPPINES...Meeting Liliram's Extended Family. I've travelled the world enjoying the hospitality this great planet offers...enjoying smiles and meals with peoples of the four "Cs"...various countries, creeds, colours and cultures.
And it often strikes me...we don't really know the soul of the four "Cs"...until they embrace us with hospitality...welcome us into their family...their way.
We welcome people from around the world into our home...it's our way.
Recently Denise and I were embraced with Filippino hospitality...and it blew us away.
Welcome to the world of Liliram's extended family...gathered together to honour a matriarch...no better excuse for a get-together.
No better excuse for me to share my portraits of these beautiful people...smiles and love for each other aplenty.
******
Lili we know as Liliram...lives in the Philippines...that country of 7,107 islands in South East Asia...waves the flag for Travelblog in that island nation.
Imagine our surprise and pleasure when we received an invitation from Lili for Denise & I to attend a Birthday Party...in our hometown...so that at long last we could meet on a visit by her to Australia.
******
We travelled across Sydney on
27 April 2014 to meet Lili...Denise with beads in her hair...me as just me.
It was a Great Gatsby themed Birthday Party and I had nothing Great to wear nor anything Gatsbyish to attract a stare.
Maybe I can just blend in and thus no one will be aware.
A bit over an hour later arrived at the Mount Annan address...door open...knock knock knock.
Lili sees us...breaks off her conversation and races to meet us...biggest hugs...never met before but you wouldn't know it.
Wouldn't happen this way except through Travelblog.
Friends through the ether...even better friends in person.
******
And so began an amazing afternoon and evening.
Lili introduced us to all her family...and there were heaps of them...each greeting us like old friends...each eager to engage us in conversation...each eager to welcome us into the fold.
Couldn't help but think I've never seen so many smiling faces in one place...Filippino...but a few with a dash of Japanese.
But this was no ordinary birthday party.
It was the 70th Birthday Party for Lili's older sister...the irrepressible Matriarch of the family...Levy.
She had been
very ill less than one year ago.
But you wouldn't know it.
Dressed in red...she painted the town red...cheeky...vibrant...full of life.
A product of the power of prayer Levy and Lili will tell you...a testament also to the healing power of the love of her family.
******
We ate Filippino food exquisitely cooked...cakes and more cakes...food and more food...delicious...all served with a smile...delightful to consume.
The children put on a show...singing, dancing, drumming...as doting parents played guitars along...each performance greeted with cheers aplomb.
And a highlight for me...yeh...blew me away...the garage had been converted into a photographic studio.
Lili's nephew Rookie had everyone pose for photos...behind a cutout car...with Great Gatsby background.
Each attendee received four photo prints of themselves to remember the day by.
Denise and I with Lili professionally done...mighty fine I must say. Hope to receive them some day.
Lucky I brought my camera.
Lucky everyone was happy to also grace my lens.
Happy little camper this portrait photographer be.
These are for you Lili.
Portraits of your family and a fabulous day.
Next time we meet you can
remind me of everyone's names so I can add them to the pics.
So until then...
Relax & Enjoy,
Dancing Dave
Advertisement
Tot: 0.211s; Tpl: 0.022s; cc: 18; qc: 48; dbt: 0.1661s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
liliram
liliram
I'm touched beyond words!
David and Denise (happy birthday!), it was our pleasure to welcome you to our way-extended family! My sister Levy, her hubby Bobby, and 4 children and 4 grandchildren have all "adopted" you, "Tito" (uncle) David and "Tita" (aunt) Denise. You just met my fam and each nephew/niece's best friend's family, including nephew Ryll's Filipino-Japanese family. I'm on my way to comment on each photo now, but not before sending a link to your blog to my sister. She'd be so delighted!