Party Under the Stars

It's that time of year again when we give our beloved planet an hour from each time zone to rest. Earth hour is on it's 3rd year now, and more people are adapting to turning off non-essential lights for an hour.

I remember it was about 2 years ago. It was the second time EH had gone worldwide. I was far away from home.

At that time, I was living with my dad and sister in NY. And knowing NY, it's the city that doesn't sleep. Especially if you live in the city, skyscrapers would tower over you, covering the sky. And along that, the lights are as bright as they get. With all those lights turned on, naturally, you won't be able to see any stars. Just seeing the darkness of the night sky without those little twinkly lights made me miss 'em.

So, when I was there, in the States, and EH was happening, I saw the stars again. It felt good to witness the natural brightness of the night, in a place where it's mostly absent. Even though it was EH, it's sad to say I was not really in the city. I was far off into the suburbs in Pennsylvania, I think. But still.

If you read my friend's blog, you know about our bike rides and how he's joining with the other bikers tonight to celebrate EH bike style. They are gonna ride in the darkness from Outpost, Lahug to Colon, and back. Hundreds, I'd say, are participating in the event. They have these blinkers that are attached to the seat. So if you're passing by the area, be sure to take a picture of a horde of blinking red lights. Sad to say, I'm not one of them. I had to attend a graduation and my bike is out of commission.

I remember the first EH to happen in the Philippines. I did not really know anything to do with it at the time, but some of my friends did. And they told me about it. It was timing that it happened on our graduation day, fresh from just receiving our diplomas. While I celebrated with family at the house, some friends of mine went out to eat. They enjoyed a lovely candlelit-dinner, as every restaurant observed the ritual and hoped to adapt it annually.

It's my last Saturday here until I'm leaving to go back to the States. And as I'm writing this post, I've turned off the lights in my room. This is not something unusual since most of the time, the lights in my room are really turned off. The lights on the streets have turned dim, and I want to go out to night and have a blast.

It is Earth Hour afterall. So Happy Earth Hour (HEH) everyone. Turn off your lights and let's get to partying!