fiesta time !!!

while i did most of my growing up in canada 
and identify myself as canadian,
most strongly as a west coast islander...
i was born in the philippines and lived there until the age of 10.

so my earliest memories were of coconut and banana trees, 

of warm rain drops and mosquito nets, 

of filipino delicacies (both savoury and sweet), 

of lots and lots of warm hearted people (did you know that the current population in the
 philippines is over 99 million people - that is over three times the population of canada )

i haven't been back to the islands for over 19 years... 

my children and husband have never been

but for several summers now... 
we visit the bayanihan community centre in victoria to get a taste of philippine culture.

 the sampaguita dancers were stunning as usual....

years ago before we moved to the land of busy, 

both my children took filipino dance lessons

(which were taught without charge by the association)

after seeing yesterday's performance, 

i am definitely putting their names back onto the sign up sheet.

(that's the tiger mom in me coming out....)

 in between dances, 

we caught up with some friends and then

we checked out the food kiosks.

everything looked so yummy !!!
ian the brave tested the bloody pork.... dinuguan.

all the food was lovingly and generously prepared and served 

by volunteers of the filipino association.

we had a wonderful afternoon eating great food and watching performances...

but we couldn't leave before the grand finale.... 
the tinikling,  the philippine national dance.

the dance imitates the movement of the tikling birds as they walk between grass stems, 
run over tree branches or dodge bamboo traps set by rice farmers.  

it is always so much fun to watch the dancers imitate the birds grace and speed 
by skillfully maneuvering between large bamboo poles.

'bravo !!!

thank you very much...

maraming salamat !!!

erica

xoxo