Day 4 Philippine Journey- Maundy Thursday

Today I planned to sleep in, I didn’t but was happy to get up and wander anyway. Breakfast was awesome at the hotel. I tried the kimchi potatoes and loved them. I wanted to check out this small art museum, Art in Island  a few blocks away, it was one of the few businesses open on Maundy Thursday. It opens at 9:30. I have a long time. SO I went for a walk. The streets were quiet but it was already hot. Both Starbucks were closed.  It was nice. I needed to check out the light rail station to see if they were closed because that was my ride to the airport tomorrow. Very closed, closed for the next 4 days. Okay I guess I’ll uber it. I walked to the Farmers Market and back to the museum. The museum is an interactive museum. Murals are painted on the walls so that you can take pictures of folks in the scene. It was short and sweet. My kids would have had fun with selfies.  

I needed to get back to training. I’ve been using the excuse that I’ve been “walking” but really I was busy. So I need to….Use the fitness center I paid for. I am staying at this really nice hotel and I picked it because of the fitness center, pool and proximity to transit. The fitness center is small and very upscale. 30 hard minutes on the bike then 30 hard minutes on the treadmill. Both had views of the beautiful pool outside. 

                                                                                    I was sleepy after this and vascillated between getting another massage. I would like a facial. It isn’t as inexpensive as the resort but its was less than at home. For 1 hour massage at home I can get a 2 hour spa experience- full body massage, salt scrub and facial at a spa. DO I do it? Seems excessive. Then again I told myself it would be a reward if I worked hard on the bike and run. I spent quite a while making the decision and finally jumped on it. It was delightful, cold in the room but delightful. This gave me enough time to attempt to make it to the Manila Cathedral for the Holy Thursday service at 7pm. I don’t really want to go all the way there but it is really a privilege to be here during Holy Week. The timing worked. I ubered there and on the way past every Catholic Church was a party outside, there was traffic because of all of the people. There were also trucks full of and streets with some SWAT team folks as well as medics. Why? James mentioned something the night before about possible attacks during holy week but usually further south in the islands. That spooked me a bit. If it is this crowded at a neighborhood church, what will the cathedral be like? Afterall, this is where Pope Francis visited. 

                               

I arrived and got out a block early because the car could go no closer due to the crowd. I got out and could hear the choir and smell the frankincense. It was beautiful. The cathedral was lit up and the energy in the crowd was beautifully intense. I observed the crowd, it was like a concert. We all wanted to go inside. I realized I may never make it inside but I was just happy to be there. I walked up the steps and there was a very strong appearing man praying very hard. He was on his knees with his forehead pressed against the stone of the building. It was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes. I surprisingly made it inside.  It was crowded and I saw an assistant holding a sign for communion which reminded me of wave start time signs in the crowd. He was serving communion to anyone. There was no line, just a crowd and a small opening in it where he was. I made eye contact, he gestured me that it was okay to come and receive communion. I was still looking for the line and saw that spread throughout there were assistants giving communion. I was honored and took communion. He then made his way outside. That warmed my heart knowing that they did not forget about the large crowd outside. Beautiful.  Hearing the hymn sung in Tagalog by the choir and the rest of us was breathtaking. My heart and soul were totally in it. I read the screens and tried to sing in Tagalog. It was a service like none I have ever seen. It was not a regular Catholic mass. It was the Holy Thursday Solemn Processional.

It was short. The priest then proceeded to a side room and did a prayer. Prior to this there was a big group of people in robes, I thought it was the priest and the altar people. They carried staffs and a tentlike thing. While making a bunch of noise with a wooden noisemaker they proceeded outside. (see the video link- video from 2008) Meanwhile the priest is in the other room, this was on the screen. I have no idea what is happening. This is radically different than what I experienced growing up. It was beautiful and intense. There was a part of me that really understood what was beautiful about Catholicism and what I still carried in my heart from childhood. The priest ended the ceremony and people were leaving but many were staying. Was there a second part? I waited until it was clear. That was it.

                                               

Now it was time to get home. I don’t have cell service, only wi-fi which I didn’t have which means no uber. I guess I need to take a taxi. I only have limited cash and if the fare is more than 200 pesos, I cannot pay. I started to freak out. This means I have to walk in the dark to either a bank or a place with wi-fi. That terrified me. Fortunately there was a crowd. I followed people with families and it was amazing. Blocks upon blocks full of people, street food vendors and everyone happy. Sadly on the block at the church one side was a line with beggars and the other with street vendors. Ironic as Jesus would have helped the beggars. I should give them my money except I may need cab fare at least to an ATM or wifi once the crowd thins out. I felt safe in groups. I savored it all. Several blocks later the crowd was thinning. The family I followed was not going the direction I wanted. I walked this area my first day so I knew where I was going. I also knew that there would at least be a bank a few more blocks away. But it was dark. I found another group and followed them. I passed by Rizal Park and was happy to see people there picnicking and celebrating. The water fountain was beautiful. It was hard to really appreciate as my stress level was increasing. I’m tired. I’m hungry. I’m cranky and tired of tiny sidewalks with people everywhere.  But I am confident and smart. It’s about 8:15 pm and dark. There is the bank but if I walk a half block further there is a really nice hotel. They could have wi-fi and it is safe inside. They kindly gave me the login and password and Uber was on the way.                                                                            

I reflected on both my experience at the cathedral as well as being in Manila at night which people have warned me is very dangerous. It was a rich experience. I learned a lot about myself. I am spiritual, strong and smart. I am aware of my surroundings and hyperaware in tricky situations. I have plans B through Z if anything sketchy happens.