6-year-old Karen Gennibeth Hernandez, middle, her friend Len-Len, left, spent their 1991 Christmas at the mall watching movie, strolling at department stores and played games at video center. It's the common sight on Philippines Christmas in urban areas but more exciting in the provinces.
(Photo by Roberto Hernandez -- Taken by Flor Hernandez)
1991 -- THE LAST YEAR THAT I SPENT
CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR
IN PHILIPPINES
WHEN I was offered to work in Palau as musician in late 1991, I don’t have any idea that I will not be spending my next 24 Christmases and New Years in the Philippines again because the job of a musician is always busy during Christmas and New Year’s Eve countdown.
My passport and papers are ready for my trip on Feb. 04, 1992. We spent our Christmas at the mall with my wife Flor and Karen, together with our neighbor and Karen’s friend Len-Len.
During the 1991New Year’s Eve celebration, I have to be very extra careful with firecrackers. In lighting the “trigger” or starting point of the firecracker, I will tie a candle to a long bamboo stick, light the candle and use it for safety because I don’t want to risk losing a finger or two. They are my most ‘treasured’ part of my hands.
In Bahrain, during New Year’s Eve celebration, we used balloons and guests were given pins to pop the balloons to make a noise or a popping sound because firecrackers are not allowed to be used there.
In that 1991 New Year’s Eve countdown, there’s a guy who is clever enough to scare the people that are passing the narrow street in front of our house. He ‘made’ a very big triangle firecracker using the paper from the sack of 50-pound cement. It looks like an original triangle firecracker but 30 times bigger. He also used a rope as the ‘trigger’ point to make it look like real. Many passersby choose to avoid it especially when he is holding a lighter and ‘ready’ to light it.
The 1992 Christmas in Palau is just like an ordinary day. Very few business establishments have Christmas decorations or lights. You can’t feel the spirit of Christmas.
But New Year’s Eve countdown is different and expensive for hotels and resorts that are hiring musicians from Guam to perform for one night and have to pay for their airfare, accommodation and talent fee.
Since Image Restaurant have a ‘complete’ band already in me, lead guitarist Wilson and drummer Willy, our boss Margarita Borja Dalton don’t need to hire musicians from Guam, like what Palau Pacific Resort is doing every year.
Sources: Music and Me
By Roberto Hernandez
Tia Belau Newspaper
March 15, 2012 -- April 2013
http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
April 2013 -- December 24, 2015
Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
The Beginning of Chess in Palau
By Roberto Hernandez
June 09, 2002 -- December 24, 2015
To be published as a book in the future
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