Fiesta Eats!

What's a fiesta without food?

Every year, mom endeavors to serve good food that our guests will love and appreciate. There are some tried, tested and popular dishes that she serves every year. Usually, though, since we have guests who come over every fiesta, she tries to change the menu every year and is careful not to serve the same dish over and over year.

Super Soft Pork Steak

Potato Salad

Pork Humba

Catfish in Hot and Spicy Coconut Cream Sauce

Crispy and Crunchy Breaded Chicken with Sweet Sauce

Australian Mixed Vegetables (that's what the recipe says, I swear!)

Spicy Hot Chicken Salpicao

La Piece de Resistance: Creamy Mango and Jelly (I couldn't get enough of this stuff)

Fruit, Wine and Beer!

Fluvial Procession 09

The annual Fluvial Procession, as seen from our backyard.

The Fluvial Procession marks the end of the Peñafrancia Fiesta in Naga City. The image of Our Lady of Peñafrancia (Ina) is carried on foot from the Metropolitan Naga Cathedral by Voyadores until the Tabuco Bridge. She is then transferred to a huge barge manned by, ehrm, men from the Church, government and other sectors of society (traditionally, women are not allowed to accompany Ina). The barge then makes its way through the Bicol River until it reaches the riverbank near the Basilica Minore, the Shrine of Ina.

Huge crowds would gather along the riverbank, lighting candles, waving white hankies, praying and zealously shouting 'Viva la Virgen.'

**More pictures, courtesy of Dyehri.

Voyadores Parade 09

VIVA LA VIRGEN!!!

Some weeks after a school year opens, up until Peñafrancia Fiesta Week, schools, colleges and universities in the entire Bicol Region busy themselves with the preparations for the Annual Peñafrancia Festivities.

One of the much-awaited activities is the Voyadores Parade.

Loosely translated, voya means to transport something to another place. A voyador, therefore, is someone who transports something to another place. Makes sense?

During the Peñafrancia Fiesta, the voyadores are men who are responsible for bringing the image of the Lady of Peñafrancia (otherwise known to Bicolanos and other devotees as Ina or 'mother' in Bicol), on foot, from the Basilica Minore to the Metropolitan Naga Cathedral. Men from various socio-civic, religious and government organizations take turns in carrying the image until it reaches the Cathedral. This event is known as the Traslacion, which marks the novenarium in honor of Ina.

*Click here for more pictures of the Traslacion*

Quite recently, the Voyadores parade has been included in the long list of parades and activities during the fiesta.

Representatives from schools, colleges and universities re-enact the traditional Traslacion and incorporate songs and dances. The result is a wild display of color and festive music fill the air as well.

Truly, Bicolanos do everything to make their fiesta as fun and lively as possible...all in honor of the woman they love the most---the Ina of all Bicolanos, Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia.