Pepita Park

When I was much younger and the world was much bigger, it never occurred to me that Pepita Park was just 15 minutes away. Going there seemed a huge production number. We would dress up, stock up the old Volks, lock up the house and go. The drive would often be interrupted by bouts with motion sickness.

Sorsogon is a lot smaller now, and Pepita Park isn't really that far: it can, in fact, be reached via tricycle. Between then and now, Pepita has lost its park appeal. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are gone, and so are the swings and the slides. The Balay na Kasag is no longer as fascinating. Its once sprawling garden has been turned into a communal clothesline.

But some things never change. The grotto is still the best viewdeck, and the park still opens into a perfect view of Sorsogon Bay.