Sinulog Spectacle in Cebu: Handmade Bags, Seaside Bliss, and Plaza Lights.

Hello there, my dear hivers! I hope you're doing well and that you're having a lovely day or night wherever you are. I'm excited to share with you my weekend experience right before the Sinulog Festival. I had a blast last Saturday, so let me give you a bit more detail on what went down.

On the eve of the Sinulog-Santo Niño Festival last January 20, we were on duty at C and G Bridal Couture near the Basilica Minore Del Santo Niño. When we arrived at the boutique early in the morning, we noticed a significant crowd due to the upcoming festival. Since it was our duty that day, my two classmates and I decided to create matching formal bags, each in a different color. I chose pink while they went for beige and blue. As you can see in the picture, the bags turned out cute. We didn't spend any money because we used unused jacket and jeans fabric, cutting them to create the bags with the design we wanted. We are proud of the result as we were able to make exactly what we envisioned without having to buy expensive materials from a store.
 

In the afternoon, we decided to take a half-day off from work because we felt envious of people outside enjoying themselves while we were still on duty. We'll only find out if we deserve to enjoy even with just a half-day off, because we don't go out on Sundays. It's our rest day, and we really need to rest. We requested our manager for a half-day, and fortunately, she agreed. After having our lunch, we observed the procession near the Elizabeth Mall. We didn't join because we didn't have umbrellas, and the weather was extremely hot that day.

There were so many participants in the procession. I could truly see people sincerely devoted to the Senior Santo Niño, enduring the heat and the long procession route, accompanied by both children and elderly individuals, all making sacrifices.   

 
After the procession, we decided to hang out by the seaside as the view there was nice and there were not many benches elsewhere due to the crowd. We found a place to sit amidst the crowd and enjoyed the beautiful view of CCLEX, especially at night with all the lights. In the evening, around 7 PM, there were fireworks at the Basilica, and we had a great view from our spot. Although I didn't take any pictures as I was too engrossed in watching the fireworks.

 

 

After the fireworks display, my classmates and I agreed to go to Plaza Independencia to eat. We still feel the Christmas spirit because the Christmas lights are still there.
 

 
On the eve of Sinulog, it is expected that there will be a lot of people in nearby areas because some come just to sleep and wait for Sinulog. Most of those who stay overnight are often from distant places without accommodations in Cebu, so they opt to set up tents in Plaza Independencia.

Despite the high number of tourists visiting Cebu, cleanliness is still observed to ensure the place remains neat and pleasant. One of the tourist spots is Plaza Independencia, which is close to Fort San Pedro.
 

 

There are many stores that set up tents to sell their products, such as Mr. DIY, Bingo games, various types of food, and of course, Sinulog-themed merchandise.
 

 
I still enjoyed that day despite the scorching heat. Even though I didn't have enough money with me, I had more fun hanging out with my two classmates. It was still worth it even if we were only three. And I hope that next Sinulog, I can spend it with my family.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog today. You are awesome for sticking with it until the very end. I hope you enjoy and found it helpful.

I can't wait to share more insights with you in the future, so be sure to stay tuned for my next blog!