I started the New Year with a little sacrifice....but with much blessings and holiness imbibed in my being..by travelling all the way to Our Lady of Manaoag in Pangasinan.
We left Manila at exactly 4:00am, and i woke up at 3:00am (first time i ever have done it after a long time). It was a smooth travel going to Pangasinan, since there was hardly any traffic, and NLEX and the New CLARK expressway were so traffic-free.
We reached Our Lady of Manaoag Church at around past 7am, and i was so surprised to see so many people from all walks of life. The feeling was different upon entering the Church, and we heard mass and at the end of the mass, I rushed going near the altar to be solemnly blessed. It was such an enlightening experience. Then, around the Church, there were all sorts of items and food being sold, from puto, to kutsinta, from hand-woven baskets to different images of saints, and fruits. Believe me, the fruits of Manaoag are so sweet, most specially the Chico, which happens to be my favorite. The chicos there were incredibly large, and the mangoes were so sweet as well. I also bought their specialty- Bagoong, and barquillos. We were suppose to go to Baguio, since it was just around an hour's more drive, but we decided not to anymore. Going back home was a little bit more tedious, since it was the last day of the long holiday vacation, and everyone was heading to Manila. But it wasnt as bad as i expected it to be. Arrrived in Manila around 8pm, feeling exhausted but it was worth the travel. Our Lady of Manaoag is indeed Miraculous!