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Sunday, November 06, 2005
No tricks Bora Halloween
By Jinggoy Salvador
TORN between spending All Hallow's Eve in Davao or Boracay, I was burdened with the choice, yeah, right!
That would be, beyond doubt, the unanimous response from anyone I would ask.
Although my beloved hometown has been a lovely place to be during Halloween, I am pretty sure it would be the same party set who will take the effort to dress up appropriately for the occasion. One set comes up with the goriest to bag the loot bag and the other comes out in creative garb to bag the bigger (three-letter) prize, F-U-N.
Actually, the decision to spend my very first Halloween in Bora was not a dilemma. The thought of partying until daybreak donning costumes in a different setting (other than Davao), with the locals of the island was a "thriller".
Don't get me wrong, it is always a pleasure of mine to report on this evening's festivity. In fact, I even come up with my own prizes and surprising the deserving few with the awards announced via this column. But doing the Bora Halloween story is a good diversion, plus, it might get you to join the dressing-up next Halloween all in the spirit of fun.
It is a lovely thought to see everyone step out of their homes and dress up in their most innovative costumes. You just have to have the attitude and not care if you are stared at, for heaven's sake it is Halloween and playing dress up is exciting and an adventurous thing to do.
We have done it as kids, why not as adults? There is still the kid in you and never deny yourself of that.
This was the case with the locals of the island of Malay aka Boracay. Taking up a different persona is a yearly tradition and not limited to the young. It's trick or treating of kids during the day and when the moon shines, the adults take over the shoreline and the "witching" hours occur.
I came to the island unprepared for this event, not knowing I would be spending this much time (I beat my old record of 12 days, I leave you to guess how long I stayed this visit). I knew I had to be one with the locals who already have their get-up prepared. You will be surprised even the foreign guests felt the same way and voila, they came up with something!
Having an all-white ensemble, I planned to go as an Indian businessman complete with turban, several umbrellas (for sale) and arriving in style in a scooter. But the plan fell when the turban I wore appeared like I came out of the shower.
Virginal in white and minus the headgear, I took the persona of a masseur asking everyone I meet one of the most famous lines in the island, "Massage, sir?"
The two biggest and party sites in the island had their share of guests. Hey Jude must have had a good share of the Greenbelt (in Manila) crowd in their premises and a short walk away,, in Summer Place, the much of the locals were swarming the place. But everyone hopped from one place to the other and ended up where they felt more at home.
From my "home" to Summer Place, I have taken a good number of shots of people in their costumes. The Mardi Gras in Summer Place was a blast! The band was playing Latin music at the beach front and inside the bar, Tribu Manila, a band of Djs from Manila, was making the people gyrate.
My camera was shooting non-stop. At two in the morning, it was time for me to leave this revelry and move to another wild party. With me were some of the Summer Place habitues who wished to join the other costumed pack.
Manolet Dario was playing his house music at Hey Jude. Let's just say the party has started and getting hotter. The crowd was half-naked and the women almost. Well, this is Boracay and anything goes -- almost.
In my drunken revelry, I still managed to take the photos I needed which reached 296 (thank God for a big memory card) but you only get to see 22 of them, I wish I can show them all to you,. It is unbelievable how I did my photo shoot under the influence of alcohol and did a good job at that.
Day was dawning, the sky was turning to a lighter shade of blue and so was the calm water of this famous beach. As much as I would love to say hello to the sun, I had to call it a night, or day. And staggering on the way home, I was met by an angel who smiled at me and said, "Ito ba ang oras ng uwi ng isang matinong dalaga?"
For me, Halloween in this world-famous island is nothing else but a treat, and that's no trick. Until the next All Hallows eve.
(November 6, 2005 issue)
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