charlotte gray
I watched charlotte gray today. I love war films and other novels that show me the rich history of the world.
In fact I have fallen in love with F Sionil Jose and his wonderful books because they give me a glimpse of what happened here in the Philippines before I was even born or even before my parents met each other. Whenever I go to malate, I am humbled because so much history is there.
I studied in UP manila, situated in the midst of the busy old manila area near manila bay- ermita malate! - which is where most of Mr Jose's novels are situated. Whenever I walk in the halls of my university, I can only imagine what happened there during the war - the people who died or saw their loved ones die, raped, tortured and suffered or the few who lived thru it all.
A few steps away are the streets of malate - nakpil, adriatico, faura and more - where all the foreigners go to look for hookers just to be able to satisfy their carnal hunger. It wasn't like that before. That area is old and worn-down now but it didn't used to be like that - it was the place of the rich and affluent people - where all the mestizas and mestizos mingled and socialized. The war destroyed all that.
I can only imagine what the people during that time went thru - what my grandparents went thru during those times - I know they lived in the mountains to hide from the invaders but that is all. All that pain and suffering can only be imagined, I can never come close to understanding all that hardship, pain, fear and suffering that they must have experienced. Can I be as brave as them when that happens to me?
Still, war has come and gone but manila is still standing. My school is along faura and if I stand somewhere along the street, and imagine that I live in their time, I can hear the women in their long beautiful lace dresses and parasols are giggling while walking along and I can hear the clip-clop steps of the horse buggies that are constantly passing-by.
How I wish!!
In fact I have fallen in love with F Sionil Jose and his wonderful books because they give me a glimpse of what happened here in the Philippines before I was even born or even before my parents met each other. Whenever I go to malate, I am humbled because so much history is there.
I studied in UP manila, situated in the midst of the busy old manila area near manila bay- ermita malate! - which is where most of Mr Jose's novels are situated. Whenever I walk in the halls of my university, I can only imagine what happened there during the war - the people who died or saw their loved ones die, raped, tortured and suffered or the few who lived thru it all.
A few steps away are the streets of malate - nakpil, adriatico, faura and more - where all the foreigners go to look for hookers just to be able to satisfy their carnal hunger. It wasn't like that before. That area is old and worn-down now but it didn't used to be like that - it was the place of the rich and affluent people - where all the mestizas and mestizos mingled and socialized. The war destroyed all that.
I can only imagine what the people during that time went thru - what my grandparents went thru during those times - I know they lived in the mountains to hide from the invaders but that is all. All that pain and suffering can only be imagined, I can never come close to understanding all that hardship, pain, fear and suffering that they must have experienced. Can I be as brave as them when that happens to me?
Still, war has come and gone but manila is still standing. My school is along faura and if I stand somewhere along the street, and imagine that I live in their time, I can hear the women in their long beautiful lace dresses and parasols are giggling while walking along and I can hear the clip-clop steps of the horse buggies that are constantly passing-by.
How I wish!!
posted by Anma @ 11:12 AM
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