A town fiesta will not be complete without the "perya" or circus/fair. The town's plaza comes to life at night with dazzling lights, rides, freak shows, and hawkers selling just about anything.

I had the chance to wander around a perya one cool evening after our third dinner (twas the night before the fiesta in the town of Mayantoc - considered to be the Summer capital of the province of Tarlac). You have to visit a fiesta in the province to really appreciate real Filipino hospitality.



Our first stop was the Motorcycle Daredevil show. Judging from the queue, this is the cash cow of the perya. The show is just a couple of minutes and the entrance fee is 25 pesos per person. There was no shortage of people wanting to see a stunt-person ride his motorcycle on a vertical wall, round what resembles a giant wooden bucket. Fine demonstration of physics.



Sometimes a DSLR is like a Press ID, it allows entrance to places where the public is usually restricted. In this case we were allowed to enter the "wooden bucket" and take shots while the rider is taking a break. My friend Zer even went as far as staying there (inside) while the rider was performing his stunt. I can't stand the ear piercing shrill of his motorcycle, which was enough to scare even the banshees.



The ever-present ruweda or ferris wheel caught my eye too. That night was the night of the perigee moon and although I was not able to shoot it at moonrise earlier, I chanced upon it on top of this colorful wheel. Quite a sight.



And of course there were other rides, some with fancy names like Octopus or Spaceship, and freak shows like the Queen of Snakes. As the night progressed, the crowd got thicker and it was hard to get decent shots without people tripping on your tripod. After going around for a while I decided to just hit the sack. Tomorrow's going to be the actual fiesta - and that means a whole day of non-stop eating.

Looking for the perfect summer getaway? Then head out to the rustic fishing village that is Tambobong.

Of the several years that I've been frequenting the place, I have not seen it changed much. Its still a quiet fishing village with warm and welcoming locals, fine white sand beaches, and countless little coves and nooks to keep a sand rat happy for days.

There are only two "resorts", one called Matabang and other called Tambobong White Beach, both offering basic accommodations. There are no fancy ones, much to my liking as I prefer to enjoy the place in its pure and basic state. I prefer to stay with one of the locals. The hellish rough roads have kept the place "isolated", though one of the routes going there has tremendously improved. I wonder how long before major tourism is established in the place.



I like the laid back existence there. If you wake up early enough you might catch nature's "flag raising ceremony" against a backdrop of unbelievable colors.



As the sun comes up, the beach comes alive with activity. During lowtide, folks young and old go out to collect seaweeds and shellfish. In a place like this, nature truly provides, all you have to do is go out and collect the bounty.



You might chance upon boats coming home from a night of fishing just off Dasol bay.



After breakfast, things go back to a slow and steady pace. You can hit the beach for your morning swim, or laze out on a hammock with an ice cold drink and a good book.