I spoke to our tour driver, John Santos about any open days he had available before my return to the States. The only day available was the last day before my return. We drove out to Laguna Province to try to find my grandfather’s grave. I ended up finding much much more.
John suggested that we try the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery first. I know what you’re thinking,”DUH Lina, all cemeteries are underground!” We went to the museum office and when John told them my family name, the manager said, “Oh! You’re looking for Marilou!” Then she told us, Marilou lived on some road on the other side of town. I looked through the small cemetery, but couldn’t find my grandfather. I did find several other Plantillas though.
After leaving the cemetery grounds, we drove through town and took pictures of the Nagcarlan Catholic church. We also found a building that was for rent that mentioned the owner’s name, Dr. Plantilla. John spoke to a police officer about the road we were looking for and thought it was too large to find a single person on it. So he decided not to waste time and we headed to city hall instead.
On the way to city hall, we stopped by Rizal Standard Academy where my mother went to grade school. Once inside city hall, John went to the information desk and explained what I wanted. He spoke to the elder woman at the desk, thinking that she might have a recollection of my family…she did. Her neighbor is Marilou. Before I knew it, we were escorted down the hall out of the building, through an alley, and up a street. All the while, John is talking to our escort and she is staring at me, not believing this story. We come upon a small gated house with two big scary barking dogs behind it that we cannot see. Our escort knocks on the gate and calls out to Marilou, telling her that she has a visitor from the United States.
We heard a woman’s voice answer from the door of the house. Our escort explains what I want, but Marilou asks who my mother is. As soon as I tell her through the gate, I heard her gasp and pull the gate open to look at me. The face staring back at me looks a little like my mother! Marilou tells me that the family has been looking for us for years! She put the dogs away and brought John and I inside. We were lucky, she was sleeping late because of a social function the night before.
After hurriedly dressing, Marilou, Lennert, and I went to lunch at a restaurant nearby. A woman walked through the front door of the restaurant staring at me. They introduced me to Tita Ruby’s daughter, Karen. I heard some more of our family story and after lunch we drove out to the cemetery. Karen’s son met up with us there and we went to visit Grandfather and Tita Ruby’s graves.
Next we drove to another house and I met Dr. Cecile Plantilla, daughter of Pepito. She wasn’t supposed to be home either, but played hookey from her seniors’ group field trip. We hung around about an hour or so before leaving. Marilou asked her nephew to go to the store and bring me some minukmok (espasol), a rice cake made out of rice flour, coconut milk and sweetened coconut. The texture reminded me of mochi. As soon as I put it into my mouth I thought I had had it before and that Mommy may have tried to make it in California out of homesickness. Marilou then brought us to a buko stand and negotiated a sale. It seems when I gave her the phone to speak to Mommy, she asked Mommy what I should eat while there to understand what Mommy grew up with.
I was there such a short time. I didn’t expect to find where my grandfather was buried let alone find all our missing cousins. It was difficult to leave, I had so many questions that I didn’t ask. I hope to return soon.
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