The swallows of Capistrano

ALHAMBRA, Ca. – Now I know what a relay stick feels like. I arrived in this state some four days ago, I have been taken up by my very hospitable and very protective relatives and friends who have been taking care of me by turns, so that within a few days I have already lost count of the numbers of cities and homes I have been to. After the first day, when I begged off, to, at least, catch up on all the sleep I had missed in the days before I left Bacolod, putting things in order for the activities to take place in my absence, what followed was a continuous rounding trips and visits.

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So far, I have been hosted in Pomona, Alhambra, Orange County, Sta. Clarita. I have already visited the famous Church of San Juan Capistrano, really gone through all its interesting sections this time. The first time I went there, years ago, we arrived too late and the mission was already closed, we could only take photos from outside. It really is a beautiful place, and so full of history, too, to say nothing of mystery. Remember the old song, “When the swallows come back to Capistrano”? The natives here still astound visitors with this story. It is not a mere legend – the swallows do come back – and always on the same date – March 19, the feast of St. Joseph.

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How I wish I could stay and witness the return of the swallows. The lady who repeated the story to me yesterday (Monday here) is not a Catholic, she’s a wealthy retiree, living in one of those beautiful hilltop homes overlooking the sea in Laguna Neguel. She said the swallows fly off before winter and always come back on the same day in March. That is why tourists flock to this place on that day, because it is such a beautiful sight, the birds flying home like returning tourists, to their cotes in the Church.

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Sunday, my cousin Allan Gomez and his wife Lourdes, took me to see the house in Pomona bought recently by their son, Joey, now a very successful accountant here. Joey’s house is not just a bachelor’s pad, it is a three-bedroom affair with a wide yard and located in an exclusive, gated subdivision. After lunch there, I was picked up by my nephew Sonny Boy Ramos and his wife, Mae, who took me to the famous Huntington Botanical Gardens in San Marino, which also has a very impressive library and research center, a distinguished collection of paintings and sculptures and some very beautiful statues all over its grounds.

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I think we walked for about three or four kilometers touring the gardens. There is a Japanese garden, a Chinese garden, the Rose Garden, herb garden, jungle and palm gardens. One of the most striking, though, was the desert garden, which exhibited so many varieties of cacti, some gigantic and some too tiny, you could hardly see them. Luckily, benches were located in strategic places, so we could rest our aching legs for a while before trudging on to another garden.

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After viewing the paintings, and sculptures, we went on to Sonny and Mae’s home in Alhambra. This was a sentimental visit for me as I had also been there in 1993 when their elder son, Pierre Edward (named after Henry Edward Huntington, who owned the Huntington Gardens that used to be his home) was just a baby. Now he is a strapping 17-year-old, and an outstanding basketball player. I heard he is being eyed by some RP teams. Well, being 6’2”, and still growing, he’d be an asset to any team. His brother, Mason, just 13, is also a developing athlete. Their grandparents, Orlando and Zaling Ramos, both Negrenses, must be terribly proud of them.

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Also, yesterday, my hosts were Paula and Gerry Gustilo and we also met her sister, Yoly Qua, who has been vacationing here since December. Her husband, Toto, had to go back to his business last month, though. Their sons, Pepo and GR, have been working here for years now. Looking at the young-looking Yoly, you wouldn’t believe she’s a grandmother already.*

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