Aloha Everyone,
At 8:00 am, Paul and Sophia came to pick us up at our condo and the four of us were on our way to visit J.J.'s family farm.
Located in the province of Rizal, it is approximately 40 miles from Makati. From the city of Marikina, once known for its thriving shoe factories, the driver took the Marcos highway.
The scenic mountain road was well paved, frequented by motorcycle enthusiasts and cyclists.
Established by his late father, it was a "hobby farm" and a place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. We were met by J.J.'s sister, Bambi and Tony, her husband. The 6 of us accompanied by a group of farm hands, strolled around the farm. At an elevation of 1,200 the weather was cool. We all enjoyed the farm visit.
Lunch stop was at Cafe Kristina. Tasty Filipino food in an open air setting invited lots of flies. Sophia and I used extra plates to cover our food.
J.J. comes from a family of eight children: 4 males and 4 females. J.J. is the youngest of the males and one of 4 surviving siblings. Family get-together are extremely important and they gather for lunch or dinner on a weekly basis.
Most of our children's generation are somewhat familiar to us but when it comes to their off-springs, J.J. and I were at a loss.
Alex, who is the youngest of J.J.'s 2nd eldest brother and his wife, TinTin.
I won't subject you with names and relationship of people in the photos. The small group of 5 that include J.J. and me are the most senior generation followed by some of their children. J.J. and I would love to spend time with each of the families separately in order to get to know them individually.
Aloha -- Cathi
