Delicious Dumaguete

2/27/2012

I’m at the moment beyond words about yesterday’s day with Moses Atega, our generous, and endlessly high energy guide.  We visited the home of sculptor Karl Aguila who studied at San Francisco Art Institute eleven years ago.  We reached his home via “the seashore road”.   Said unpaved road, in many places, was just wide enough for our van, and a passing scooter.   Thick with nipa fronds, lined with the nipa-roofed and straw mat sides of huts housing families, we witnessed a pastoral scene, as Nena put it – purely, purely Philippines style.  Tranquil, yet vibrant with all living creatures from the family of cows to roosters and chickens scuttering about freely, to little children frowning at the sight of a white van driving through their town disturbing the peacefulness, until they caught a glimpse of our waving and smile , when their eyes and face lit up with a quick returning wave.  We bumped along for an hour, surrounded above and all around with greenery until we emerged on to a highway on which we completed our journey to Karl’s home.  

It is an artist’s home, no doubt, as well as his gallery.  As his wife said, holding their 8 month old son, Rafaelo, they are used to having visitors – of course by appointment only – because their home is one of Karl’s galleries as well.  Thus, baby Rafaelo is also very comfortable with new people.   The space is their family’s private space and in respect of that, suffice it to say, we all felt quite privileged to have experienced what we did in spending the sunset and early evening with the Aguila family.

Now, Mr. Moses Atega deservs an entry of his own, but for the moment I will say that the day was magical beyond any imagination, from his personal tour of Dumaguete and Silliman University of which he is an expert, to the party crashing of his friend Marie.  The words and story about him need more time to materialize, but this entry would not be complete without mention of him at least once today.