turning another year older, especially reaching the big 3-0, meant that i had to do something spectacular this year. like the previous years, i took time off from work and just did what i wanted to do, stuff that i don't usually get to do in my normal routine. this year wasn't much different except that, it must be a little grand.
a month to go before my birthday, i was also following the news of the possibility of the azkals, PH's national football team, playing their first AFC Challenge Cup qualifying game at home against mongolia. not too soon after that, it was confirmed that they will be playing here and, to my surprise and excitement, it was going to be at bacolod on my big day! isn't that great?
i think the stars at that time were finally aligning themselves for me (and because God willed it so) that day because a seat sale was also under way when the news broke out and without even knowing what time the kick-off will be, i booked my sister and i a flight to bacolod on my birthday just to watch this momentous game.
it was a series of lucky things until the last day because after booking our flight, the PFF was giving away 10,000 free tickets. later, they announced that 4,000 tickets will be sold for the minimal price of Php300 pesos. i think i was one of those first few who placed my reservations. i think the only two "stressful" things that i encountered during this time was finding out that the hotels where fast becoming fully booked on match day and i had to scramble for the number of the hotels my friend suggested and called them one by one. i was so consumed by it all that i had to call the hotel where i finally had a booking to ask them to send me a letter of confirmation since i don't want to arrive at bacolod and finding out that they gave my room to somebody else! the second thing was having to wait for a few days for my ticket reservation to be confirmed. when i tried emailing PFF again (to make sure they get my request), an email came back to me that says 'email is already full!' so this was a practice of patience on my part.
but everything fell into place the week before we were set to leave for the game: i finally paid for my reserved ticket, filed my leave at the office, picked up our tickets at the PFF office, buy white shirts for the "requested color of the day," designed our azkals shirt with the help of my cousin, and had it printed and picked up the next day.
on the big day, we arrived early in bacolod and was able to check-in early at the hotel where my sister and i rested for a bit (we left our place at 315am to reach the airport on time), walked to Church for my thanksgiving prayer, eat at Manukan Country, visit SM Bacolod (whaaat?!) and bought our favorite Bong-Bong's products. in the afternoon, before leaving the hotel for the Pana-ad stadium, we had a very late lunch where i ate pancit bihon (for long life) and blew a candle that the waiter provided while my sister sang "happy birthday" hurriedly.
the game was fantastic, if i say so myself. other people, those who are more expert than me with the game, say that it was not really a good game, that the azkals didn't move as fast as they ought to, or similar things like that, but for me, they were the best! they make the game look so easy and it shows that their hearts are really into it. the crowd was also great, electrifying even. i am also amazed that in my whole life, i guess this was the only time i heard the whole crowd sing the national anthem with great conviction, it makes me want to cry! it was just so amazing!
anyways, so we know by now that the azkals won that game. i was a blessed person that day for being able to celebrate a birthday that grandly. my mom even told me that it was a fantastic birthday because i even had fireworks! :)
so to the azkals, thank you for making my big 3-0 such a memorable day. and most of all, i thank God for putting all things into place. :)
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