Wedding on a balmy May at Urdaneta City – Pangasinan.

It was just a decision that I usually make while I’m on travels, I don’t normally plan.
I got used to spontaneous program.  Sometimes I get so lethargic that I could just lie down the whole day, but in a spur of the moment, I’ll jump out of bed, hail a running transport along the road and hit any destination, just any place I could think of or the vehicle driver would suggest.

I headed down to Urdaneta City, some kilometers from Manaoag, Pangasinan, and it was a sunshiny day.  From Mapandan church, I took a tricycle (P120) that has gotten flat tire, it’s a good thing we were able to reach the main highway where I took the big airconditioned bus of Dagupan Bus Line (P45 for short distance fare). I don’t really know what’s in this city and here’s what I found out.

Urdaneta City is almost twice the size of Manaoag at more than 100 square kilometers in size and also almost twice the population density of Manaoag, and founded 2 years before Manaoag in 1858.  It’s a big provincial city with its own big shopping mall  and many business establishments.

From the outside, the cathedral looks small but when you get in, it’s a long stretch from the entrance to the front, a beautifully ornamented altar.  There was a wedding car outside and I could see a red carpet laid laterally in the middle aisle of the church with two large bouquet of flowers standing on a post on both sides.  There’s a wedding going on.  I marched on the left side aisle to reach the altar, sat there and watched the wedding ceremony.I’m not much (interested) into city actions so I immediately headed to the church like usual, in provinces like this, one of the oldest surviving structure would be a church, and how I like anything from the past.  The Urdaneta Cathedral or Immaculate Conception Cathedral was built during 1884 but was destroyed during the American bombings in 1945.  Nothing much has been told about its rebuilding.

I can’t remember the last time I attended a nuptial ceremony but this sure is taking so long, it’s the balmy month of May, and from the zoom lens of my camera I could clearly perceive the discomfort of the couple in front of the altar.  It’s dragging long, and then the moment of signing the “contract” arrived, I saw the bride smiling while holding the pen stamping her “Yes I do” on papers, a testimony to a lifetime commitment.  At last! 

That was evident from her facial expression.  It did not end there though.  The endless photo shoot follow suit – with the parents, the entourage, friends, relatives, both the bride and groom were already sweating at this point.

Big sigh of relief came when people started to move - where else? – the reception of course.  In which I was not invited!

I may have been a wedding crasher at that moment, but I don’t want to be a party crasher.  I know I could, no one could tell anyway if I’m a relative or hired photographer by any of the bride or groom’s side, but nah!  

Besides, I’ve just taken a pizza meal at the nearby Greenwich.  Although, and that would be a big “although”, if someone have noticed me taking pictures and invited me on the reception, they could have gotten all these wonderful B&W photos I’ve taken. HA HA.

Yet, if anyone knows the couple, any friends or relatives who, by any chance, read this post, please feel free to contact me and I will be delighted to send you the original copies of these photographs, pro bono  (free of cost), no kidding!

Getting to Urdaneta, all those big and airconditioned buses from Manila that goes to Pangasinan or Ilocos (Victory Liner, Five star, Dagupan Bus, De Leon Express, Fariñas, Genesis, Partas, Viron) passes by Urdaneta City.   Dagupan Bus (phone (02) 727-2330) from their terminal in New York Street, Cubao has several trips a day (24/7).  Victory Liner (phone (02) 727-4688).   Travel time is about 2.5 to 3 hours.

Address: Manaoag, Pangasinan, Philippines

Google Map Direction: Urdaneta City, Pangasinan