sunflowers

i love love UP Diliman!

A freshman's first glimpse of UP Diliman (assuming that he is how I was in 2003, freshly plucked from the province and a complete stranger in the city) is the University Avenue which leads one right smack to the iconic Oblation. I spent four glorious college years in UPD but it's a little embarrassing to share that I only got to know of the "sunflower tradition" just recently.

Every start of the year, the administration makes it a point to start the planting of the sunflowers so that come summer, when the seniors have wrapped up their thesis and are ready to don that "sablay" and sing the "UP Naming Mahal" now with tears and double the goosebumps, these pretty sunflowers are already in full bloom. They stand tall and glisten in golden yellow. They face towards the sunlight as if paying a tribute and gratitude to the source of light and life.

After weeks of putting off a quick visit to the University, a friend's facebook post with a picture of her and a giant sunflower plus the urgent caption "visit now, they are slowly wilting" (all these and the promise of 20 sticks of isaw dipped in a glass of vinegar and chili!!!), made me jump from my seat to finally see MY sunflowers and play tourist in one of my happy places in the world!!

Take notice of the sunflower patterns. This is the first time that I have seen one up close and it is just oh-so-beautiful. God really has put so much work in detailing this creation. I literally paused for a few minutes and uttered this very simple and straightforward prayer: "Thank you Lord for the sunflowers!".

Alan was so fixated on bees and kept on following and taking pictures of them!

And when the sun hid somewhere in the sky to light up another part of the world (which of course is not scientifically correct because it is the earth which rotates and revolves ;p), we finally had our isaw. Haha!

Oh happy day!