ALIWAN FESTIVAL.....

I went to Manila, at Roxas Boulevard specifically, to shoot the perfect sunset that is needed for a tarpaulin montage to be used in a reunion of IM doctors of PGH. I was surprised though when a stretch of the boulevard was closed to traffic. I didn't have a clue what was going on so I asked for some information from a cigarette vendor. He told me that the Aliwan Parade was starting, with the participants just exiting the grandstand area and proceeding to the CCP complex, passing by Roxas Boulevard.

This festival is the mother of all festivals, so to speak. Top street dancers from different parts of the country and representing the festivals from which each province is observing, come to Manila on the last Saturday of April to give Manilans a glimpse of the action. Not everyone can afford to visit each province during a town fiesta. Hence, Aliwan was created.

I am sad though, since my laptop crashed by some mysterious means and almost all my photos of this event have been wiped out. These were the only decent set that survived. Lesson learned!