One early Sunday morning

No, it's not Simbang gabi.

This is an overdue entry supposedly posted earlier this week, but things got a little busy, and I am enjoying it somehow.  I am actually missing it.

Anyway.  We wanted to go to Paete for mass but we didn't know the mass service times, so we got there thirty minutes early which was just fine.  I got to see the church early in the morning, with low lights and a couple of ladies who were reciting the rosary, plus a few more people who, maybe like us, had no idea about the mass timings.

And of course, this is a chance for me to take some pictures.

For those of you who are as old as me, or simply could just remember, the Paete church was used in the movie, "Bugoy," which stars Dolphy as a hunchback who lived and served in the church.  Back then, young and innocent, I thought the plot or the story was unique.  But now, also somewhat innocent but way older, I think the story was a cut from Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame."  But anyhow, it still pays to have something in your childhood that reminds you of how things were.  I remember the dome of Paete Church  was used in a scene where the bad guys are looking for Dolphy Bugoy the hunchback and he was running around the dome's walkway, limping and all.  I looked up and wondered if a person can still walk on that part of the church where Dolphy Bugoy ran to escape the bad guys.

Anyway.

After the mass service, we walked our way to my uncle's house, where my dad and him grew up.  And this is what you see on the streets.

The Christmas spirit is alive.  My attention was particularly caught by those parols that are hanging across the streets.  Their colors are red, green and yellow and a line of Christmas lights lit each side of the parols, which is probably what gives it light during night time.  Now, I wanted to see these lights at night.  I think it adds to the spirit.

So that you know, my Chrstmas decorations is not complete if there is no parol.  It is a 'must' for me.  Because it is the only thing that I find 'very Filipino' amongst all those decorations.  And my sister knew that, too.  When I was out of the country, she even sent me a text message to let me know that the parol is now hanging in front of our home; and she knows that I only prefer white.

It's only eight days before Christmas.  Not too late to get a parol hanging in front of your homes.