Part 1: Holy Week @ Bonifacio High Street.

I got the week off. Most of us do. I should have been at a bar today but I declined the offer. I am not religious but I think it's not appropriate to drink during the holy week.

I went to Bonifacio High Street the other night with a friend. For some who don't know, the place is a hot spot for celebrities that live nearby, owning the million dollar condos only them could afford. The place is also dotted with shops and restaurants that are high end. However, in additional, as it is Holy Week, there are 14 stations of the cross that people could visit and reflect on. CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE!

Fragmented reflection. I am the one on the right.

Station 1 is about Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus and his disciples prayed before the crucifixion. In this station, we each took a red bead as a souvenir. The fragmented reflection has a deep meaning, which I can't clearly write in here.

Station 2 is about the betrayal of Judas. Judas sold Jesus for a few pieces of silver, roughly about two or three months of what a common laborer would earn that time. Judas was taken in with the offer of money and his selfishness, which this station depicts - the person inside the glass tube container with piles of money in his feet.

Station 3 is the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin. This is the one where the crowd was made to choose between Jesus and Jesus Barabbas. The crowd chose Jesus to be crucified - the man who performed miracles, over the guy who was a known crook. In this station, there were three telephones. When I listened, it was a conversation between a man and a woman, and how they passed judgment on an overweight woman without knowing the real story.

Station 5 is the infamous whip. The whip is suspended in mid-air, with red paint, supposedly blood, splattered about.

Station 6: Jesus is crowned with thorns. As the whipping is not enough, a crown of thorns was placed upon his head. In this station, I picked up a black cloth, which will be put into use in one of the stations ahead.

As I've mentioned, I am not a religious person. Yes, I have read the bible in two languages, from cover to cover. I like some of the teachings, I probably believe in Jesus. I don't go to church on Sundays, I don't even pray anymore - unless it's for others. I like money and I am selfish. I judge other people on how they look without knowing their story.

Visiting those stations made me more aware about myself. That's all.

Stay tuned for Part 2.