the mudsurfers

i thought my afternoon was ruined. i was already halfway on my jeepney ride to the foot of the new mactan bridge when the rainclouds showed up. my inner optimist then tried convincing me that there might still be something decent to shoot, so i proceeded anyway. then i got there, and it rained like the end of the world. stranded, cold, and trying my best to keep myself dry (with my camera and all), i hid behind the bridge pillars for shelter and waited it out. then the rain slowed down. i was about to leave when i saw these kids playing with their skimboards on the mud. my afternoon wasn't so ruined after all.










looking at these pictures, i'm reminded of that french expression "joie de vivre", translated as "the joy of living", a concept no longer so abstract if you take a look at this kid's face.










much has been said and written about the filipino penchant for happiness, despite the circumstances. we can have the most prominent psychologists, sociologists, and journalists put out the most erudite and eloquent exegesis to explain the phenomenon, or... we can simply jump into the mud :)








i have a theory: "the level of fun in any activity is directly proportional to the quantity of dirt or mud involved." wouldn't you agree?







i took these pictures at the park below the new mactan bridge, on the mactan side, august 2008. that's 2 years ago, already. time flies. i'd posted these on my multiply account, thought i should share it here too.