The plan was to sleep very early on Saturday evening and leave the house at 2.00 a.m. on Sunday to avoid rushing and to get to the site of the 12th Philippine Hotair Balloon Festival ahead of the Manila crowd. It turned out to be a sleepless night for Sam and I. Sam couldn’t sleep because she spent half the morning and all afternoon of Saturday sleeping already. Me, I had to get Pinoy Moms Network back online (long story, maybe another time). We left the house a little before 2.30 a.m., stopped at 7-11 for a bag of tube ice, the kids ate in the car at the start of the journey and slept for the most part. We were at Clark Field before 4.00 a.m. The site was right across the street from those concrete letters that spell “Air Force City“.
Although I was aware that there would be plenty of food stalls, Speedy bought bottled water and juices the day before, placed them in a cooler then dumped in the tube ice from 7-11. He also prepared some chicken salad the night before (ang sipag, ‘no? Ayaw gumastos, eh!) which I made into sandwiches. The Mr. Scrooge mentality turned out to blessing because the food stalls did not open until around 6.00 a.m. The two hour lull between the time we got there and the time the ballooners arrived would have been terrible with grumbling stomachs. We entertained ourselves as best as we could mostly by taking photos of our own shadows…
… and by heckling Speedy because he had the camera with the smallest lens (he countered by saying it’s waterproof and shockproof but I didn’t see him using it — I only saw him using the video cam).
At around 6.00 a.m. the participants started to arrive and the inflating of the balloons began.
That was when the photography fever started to build.
The day’s events formally began with a unique flag raising ceremony.
Then, the balloons were off.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
Gay 02.11.08 at 2:05 pm
I think it’s parachutist, not parachuter
Anyway, nakakainggit. Must be fun to get a ride in one of the balloons and everyone busy taking a picture of you inside the balloon, diba?
Connie Veneracion 02.11.08 at 2:49 pm
Yun — parachutist hehehe thank you! $150 dollars daw for a ride and that’s if schedule allows, tapos first come first served basis pa. DAW ha. Actually, I didn’t inquire anymore.
hazel 02.11.08 at 7:11 pm
You were there too! We arrived a little before 5am and super dami na ng tao! Pangit na yung place namin. I wish there were more balloons
$150 for a ride? Kelangan pala ngayon pa lang mag-iipon na ako for next year, 3 kami!
Sam 02.11.08 at 8:45 pm
Delete. Kita pa yung Marijuana ko.
Connie Veneracion 02.11.08 at 11:11 pm
Hazel, yah, at 5 a.m., it was a little crowded already. In fact, right after parking, the vehicles just started piling in after us. $150 — yun ang chismis.
Sam, ano na namang delete eh ang cute cute nga nung strap mo — may character hahaha
kotsengkuba 02.11.08 at 11:13 pm
wow! ang saya naman. i like the octopus balloon shot. parang people power ang dating kase ma tao. hahaha, wala lang. yun lang ang naisip ko. sa parodious yung octopus na’yun di ba?
Connie Veneracion 02.12.08 at 12:25 am
LOL I never thought of that ha. But I admit that it was an intentional shot — framed it to include the people who were standing on top of a tank.
julie 02.12.08 at 12:49 am
Were there too but arrived late, the balloons already flew:( We still spent time watching the sky divers, exhibition of airplanes and going around Clark waiting for the night glow. Oh, we pitched a tent (we were outside the silver fence with hundreds of other people), explored Nayong Pilipino and the cemeteries and spent time at the mall first to buy lunch. Saw the night glow too. All in all, ok naman. At, me baong sandwiches and drinks din kami for breakfast. Rachel was there too but I didn’t get to see her coz I wasn’t able to send her sms, I left my mobile at home, kakamadali.
Pero next time, hope hubby would believe me when I say we have to go around 4:30am, not at 6am
Connie Veneracion 02.12.08 at 9:27 am
Ah you stayed ’till evening… Next time, my plan is to get overnight accommodations, see the night glow on Saturday, then the lift off on Sunday, then check out Sunday noon and go home.
Kongkong622 02.12.08 at 10:01 am
We were planning to go but I had to make a last minute trip to Palawan over the weekend. Sayang. I’m sure the kids would have loved it. I was watching it nga on Unang Hirit kasi the hosts were covering it. Next year sigurado na pupunta kami. Di na nga namin problema ang accomodations because my in-laws are kafanfangan and have a house there. Anyways, see you all there next year
I love the octopus balloon!! $150 kamo per ride…hmmm…nag-iisip na ako..
Mila 02.12.08 at 10:15 am
I like the octopus balloon, very cute. I went last year and the only unusual balloon was a square one sponsored by Purina Whiskas, it was shaped like a cat food box (rectangular), took forever to inflate!!!
Connie Veneracion 02.12.08 at 10:30 am
Kongkong, ay the best if you have relatives there.
Mila, I like the tiger balloon — will post more photos in a while. Inaayos pa kasi PMN.
carol 02.12.08 at 12:36 pm
Wow, daming cute balloons this year! We were there last year but no octopus & tiger balloons. Other must-do’s in Clark: trips to Puregold Duty Free, C Italian Dining and Zapata’s
Connie Veneracion 02.12.08 at 4:24 pm
Carol, Parkson’s has better prices and selections hehehe Speedy didn’t spend anything on the Hotair Balloon Fest except for tickets and coffee, butas naman wallet ko pagdating sa Parkson’s hahaha
Pahn 02.13.08 at 2:10 am
oh, a friend invited me there.. but it’s sad that I wasn’t able to come due to work.. she’s a pilot thou..
Paul 02.14.08 at 11:37 pm
How was the weather this year at the site?
Connie Veneracion 02.15.08 at 11:24 am
Great, Paul! Cool, a bit windy — I had a sweater on until 8.30 a.m. Not a drop of perspiration.
Gail 02.18.08 at 7:14 am
Arggh! Kakaingit! Hindi kami nakapunta ni Marc this year
Our family had an appointment with the architect na magrerenovate ng new house namen.
Favorite ko yung octopus. Cute!!!
Connie Veneracion 02.18.08 at 10:53 am
Gail, siguro once you’ve seen it, there’s no real drive to go again. I doubt if we’d feel as thrilled if we went next year. Maganda lang pag first time.