he
skies were overcast and rain threatened to pour from the heavens
as the City of Baguio rolled out the welcome mat for its
visitors who flocked to the City of Pines in droves to take part
in the culminating activities of the 13th Panagbenga festivities
on the last weekend of February.
On the first day, students from the
elementary grades, high school and college levels, marched down
Session Road for the street dancing competition. The steady beat
of drums and gongs, tinkling xylophones and lyres accompanied
the contingents as they danced up a storm oblivious to the dark
skies overhead. Banners were held aloft defiantly proclaiming
the parade theme: Let a thousand flowers bloom.
A huge crowd gathered at Session and stayed
rooted to their places as each of the 13 divisions pranced down
the street in a wild cacophony of colors and sounds. The heavens
must have heard their plea. Huge drops of rain fell only as the
last of the 13 divisions and a band brought up the rear close to
noon.
But on Sunday, the rains fell incessantly as
the parade of floats rolled down Session Road. As on the first
day, the crowd stayed put and people craned their necks to catch
a glimpse of each heavily-bedecked float. Movie stars also
braved the rains and waved gamely to the throng on the street. A
thousand flowers indeed bloomed as the heavens opened seemingly
blessing the 13
