Pahiyas Festival 2023

 

Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon was once again celebrated after a three year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic last May 15, 2023. It was also our second time to witness this festivity and was my first out-of-town drive this year. (My first Pahiyas festival experience here).

Admittedly, I love everything about nature. I was exhilarated to see the rice fields, the lush trees from the mountains and the lake. We took the Marilaque Hiway route which consisted of many uphill, downhill, and zigzag roads. There were interesting shops along the thoroughfare that promoted the various towns' products. Fresh fruits, a native delicacy called "bibingka," wood crafts, barong tagalog, to name a few were sold. We also passed through some restaurants that were known for their food.


I was happy to witness the various tourists - young, young-at-heart, locals, foreigners and those in-between. Like us, they too were eager to view the intricately decorated houses with crops. To encourage the residents to join and "dress" their homes, monetary rewards were given by the sponsors. It was a good way to boost tourism and the town's economy. We managed to bring home some of their delicacies like the longganiza and cookies from Pavino's.  

The drive was a refreshment to my parents. My father had three procedures for his posterior cataract removal recently. His medical journey lasted for seven months. The doctors' clinic (opthalmologist and internist) were the places he frequented then.