Yes it already happened! Sakay- Sakay sa Tuyan in honor of The Virgin Mary of the Holy Rosary was indeed celebrated last Sunday, December 18, 2011. And it was very successful and I may say, more solemn this year. More solemn because unlike the previous years, the participants of this year I think learned something, that too much liquor isn’t essential but instead disturbing for the celebration.
As what I have mentioned in my previous post (Year-End Upcoming Events) we planned to participate in the fluvial parade (Sakay-Sakay), And YESSSSSS we finally did! It was really a great experience for the rest of us, specially for me because it’s my first time to be in a fluvial procession and my first time to ride a motor boat. 
And I really love the feeling! I really can’t describe the feeling when I witness the event. The way the boats are running in circle around Mama Mary’s boat and the coordination of the boatmen to prevent coalition is just awesome, knowing that driving a boat is a lot more different than driving a car or a motorcycle. Which reminds me of an incident when a boat in front of us suddenly stopped because of engine malfunction. Good thing one of our boatmen was quick enough and did the necessary things to do. That was really alarming because we were just behind the boat that convey the Virgin Mary ad there’s also a fast running boat behind us. Thank God nothing bad happened! 
And when we reach the city of Naga, the port area doesn’t have enough space to accommodate all the participants so boats are tied to each other behind them to create a bridge to allow people to pass from a boat to another, if ever they wanted to hear the Mass at the church with the Virgin Mary. So while waiting for the mass to end and the Virgin Mary to be brought back to the boat, most of the participants take the opportunity to take a swim, I guess it’s already part of the event and some of our boat mate did it too 
… Then after the mass, the Virgin Mary was again transported, with the same way She was transported to Naga (with the boats running in circle), but this time Her destination will be at Barangay Kayam, where a lot of people are also waiting and where the street procession will begin. And just like most of the participants, we took the direction back from where the fluvial procession has started (and that’s just meters from the back of our house) while the boat of the Virgin Mary was about to take the direction to Barangay Kayam. So we just waited for the Virgin Mary to pass in front of our house and took another procession, but this time it’s on the street.
And as what I have mentioned earlier, the street procession this year was more solemn and peaceful. Well, I admit that we were a bit surprise of the sudden change in the mode of the celebration(street procession was livelier last year). But I guess it’s just what it’s meant to be. Because the celebration is a religious practice so it should be celebrated with solemnity and respect.
Photo Courtesy of Chaty Cabrera Regis
Videos will be uploaded soon….
