His Last Journey on Earth
Wednesday, November 01, 2017Today in the Philippines, we celebrate All Saints’ Day or what we call Undas. It’s the day when we give extra thought to our departed loved ones and continue to remember them by visiting their graveyards and lighting up a candle for them. If you read my older posts, you know that my father already passed away.
![Papa and Mama in Masada, Israel Masada, Israel](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvLOwNo0zC3dz3c-tJEUjH63d6j2a_p1jDxj0u-UH3bwomSBjB2XEpWQfWz7PEWo23nWNWzTAwf2_xoG-DiDIjc9sKJHJn6T2pHKMevFNcu_aJq-ftOH5XcF0exizgGPcO0WX0iB2j2xY/s640/his_last_journey_on_earth_cover.jpg)
It has been two and a half years but whenever I see his photos, I feel like he’s still here. My father was a great provider and he worked day and night to give us a convenient life. When my sister and I were still kids, I remember we couldn’t afford branded clothes, shoes, and school items because my parents’ company was just starting. But before my father passed away, he and my mother let us experience a life of travel.
The engineer and the businessman he is, my father was a workaholic and he certainly abused his health to be able to achieve his goals. Most of the time, I caught him sleeping in front of the TV “watching” news or falling asleep at airport boarding gates because he was tired and stressed out from working all the time. He said his dream destination was the Holy Land and he accomplished that dream on December 2014.
On his last journey on earth, my father visited Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee, Masada, and Dead Sea in Israel. And before flying home, we took a trip to Istanbul for the New Year.
Jerusalem
![Stations of the Cross, Jerusalem Via Dolorosa, Jerusalem](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRBbO91ymzwnFawEEo8LhGAf_XYpRNZlDVPK3OJ884Xb6uzLFp-GVUsmz59b-o26RorA18gEXq6xyE2qEfAfjU2XpqPulxFkEsXYQ3qnGIdAztRDOoEdQMgNWBl4n2dpF_-0Z8caVR09vx/s640/edit_jerusalem_1.jpg)
![Zion Gate, Jerusalem zion gate](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_J2GygnnZgYBEbvDMElr-DQk7m-EtM0KtFq-5CTZlioiWnAAOmLoquuGtL2lIP-Jdgev7NfmDkBzidW9s7tLBI3AC2Ccy8hQJJZfgPMJV7fbke2jMvEx5jf9PK5bbk4MF4eg_1_YU_Lsg/s640/edit_zion_jerusalem.jpg)
![Wailing Wall and a street in Jerusalem women praying at the wailing wall](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvMpqt2Im8Ak4Hlm4I_5zSgDPh9yixmz2jOrn92BbXQNNshuH0csxqz82HzeuXuGh0IRHc_dRSG_nj44cWeduAiB8qH7b0wk1acrIbYybxeyg5imVVYhq80n4tUD2lUAYUV0zATpGls7i8/s640/edit_jerusalem_2.jpg)
Bethlehem
![My family in Bethlehem bethlehem](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifjFiChbRy_RnCMwO277W1JLUcKeGHW1g0wHcfnBrdOuqQTrl1TX07UvGDuqEajuCLw01m8NW8o_TfsBJFzGXsFN9GGMimqog5hC_uqoH5QxCMCcmr2h3eYku9-4391RmKyEkQE8hVNcvx/s640/edit_bethlehem_1.jpg)
![Long time ago in Bethlehem where Jesus was believed to be born](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKTaTadv4gLRc7NNWwkPczZCL2fevwq7QQ-TmNIKUQa34N7DVJqvIdt98hg8-qyWlj73OITApuOY0271DKRzPfIjWKI3g3TpzXB-bSCZU_cO2bjIyoQ5eg1wOGG8vZkxv-VyG21y2rN9LW/s640/edit_bethlehem_2.jpg)
Nazareth
![Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth church in Nazareth](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbf6LegCQax5mDg-f5Y1qGA6y2uPj4R5-lgGJcmf_nYXrHYYpp42K2LBlYiKv-xJoqi7IOsHKhZkUIkHX1VgZ2EdHMPf2wz7JJejL-MuxR4Qy55k5TOQwMbGYcahu1K6qpP7Y3Pl7qQNN/s640/edit_Basilica_of_the_Annunciation_Nazareth.jpg)
![Parents getting themselves photograph at Mother Mary's statue statue of Mother Mary in Nazareth](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOixCePaPzz4Zp4iWRtr055XovtcM0TQ-DMJjYPgSg8nP3Cq9pE_Z-mRxcWEi8Po7HYnglFtJDoMs9vEHHn2n6Ag1SCftxPa_lauHf4mciTng3UcQGArOim_QoiF1uKN0381LlNTv-wZNh/s640/edit_nazareth_2.jpg)
![Basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth church facade in Nazareth](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxaJALRkKjR98THH6vueZFKUXCTVI85LfpKhQSh_IjQyEqkbA35uNBjdMqK4B9k4DAV6rYqIumOsCwJ1U5lNlFfevFMJXTRlPe6ChNiVRksGZut0wCkf6pmKCEzTMC0_8bn8smuZPjG7g/s640/edit_nazareth_1.jpg)
Tiberias and Sea of Galilee
![My family at the Sea of Galilee sea of galilee, tiberias](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFoep1B81dQjXSF9iwunyfQvymj-gZn-KpuVMZEVzJmPqteVH669eBbquYdBcDAzjb7p-BKdIViEfK-ID_D2GcA2uJ-dWUKPSa_zMO6VILwYKYVEZlsI6BctnD805Od3S1S83_Hc5nbzLL/s640/edit_sea_of_galilee_1.jpg)
![Cold water of Jordan River jordan river](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWuixqeCOX2UxvT65By9DaR_xkeso0tYh0nIuY7wHpxqL7RrDqBbe86lJSizVmwoj8K8-0eS3rU44S10bvI2U5Lbe5RAb0a2YxlKgfk-XiSMMLPRP5jtO65rONh87aVnleKtxVICIPG5ZY/s640/edit_jordan_river_1.jpg)
![Family photo at Jordan River jordan river](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeh0ni3CulGJo6MaTg_aC4gMMidfSRDfeIA6tPUNZi7EkbFduszJAMCCgf8LKddhzunr8wGiXs4DULighED5e1pEMXDNX-Y34jLpSKqEBzu7jXAQnLT3NARdH0EfhZ6aWWtJJxEsovoePT/s640/edit_jordan_river.jpg)
Masada
![Cable Car ride to Masada masada on the judean desert](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxSqrbrG5gDUMXtXKwR0tPHD-MdZtStJa3ZN8jHLRxfDzzlMVD1IrxbBYY3IhsDIrEx3tS1FY5Vx11j_mXg72HKvBpS-s3csvMzoCAmBlrSW1SPExOdo56bZICCKyE9bfulrxQ_wm4kE0/s640/edit_masada_1.jpg)
![Masada, Israel's ancient fortress overlooking the Dead Sea masada](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOSxMe0ZHzLKK_V1IejGlOiChGu88nN0o7mrlWDlGPo3qPJ_08LvgNzZPelpxZU3IMNrJHvcBldRx6t9j5ctlrOhxYbFcuf_oZmDxcwpQsleH2MIrsbMSCqFGsL-HxqGDl1dkWCmvLJ4tA/s640/edit_masada_2.jpg)
Dead Sea
![Camel Ride on Sea Level camel, sea level, dead sea, israel](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8NCEVU5Q3x2wSC_E-y0z5tcjJcGzFkv3imFbqLBrI44Y2KTb0K5xEx3Kx8rd3fNgvvguI3qGiC3CejUoq6b2NzXjBhxH4BfC1oGwlrCKXFX78IiyJ8GbKpmbpENVjXVhLKjfVXE0vVgLl/s640/edit_israel.jpg)
![Dead Sea, Israel sunset at dead sea](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_GYp_uQfjBQc8mEy4I3GcpOKHf7uMLork4w_tn7rNrU1jb-PlYP487F8LOIskWuw3znomS9NNq2zwKeOoUAfpwxmpCUFF-LjF-LAgxF9HJ2H-cZdJI9fOIcyUaIaeXGorKei_Np3s3Iax/s640/edit_dead_sea_2.jpg)
![Dead Sea, Israel sea salt, dead sea](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTi-XecC1QYcUcj-MAkJWw1EPEExGK7R5UKzy-egjL3DyjbOXOqX2iEyqR8S4PnlxzvKMgkGO09RXAElpUD2hvG3oOHkvHudw5K_7_fUwUMBz7JtXntTl3lTl17HVzXnMrz3T4yolNvUyc/s640/edit_dead_sea_1.jpg)
![Too cold for us to swim at the Dead Sea family photo at Dead Sea, Israel](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjS7d8y6dZ-bTcf3Qm4PrPeaytN3ao4FOSiplW9jCxGOQ8ltawjk1qXA2YYf9UCjIWGjkhrEhhBpC3YZcNnntD_6D8nbCUX8pFriE599xlPACoCf9-tGAe8mWJQQKcoKo3wK6_n1LGqcg/s640/edit_deadsea.jpg)
Istanbul
![Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmed Mosque) blue mosque, istanbul](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfJiRTibEXKjlCYK8t258nZlbc6lAxw1ad4mkkYU73ZI14YvC05K8IB92u7-FzLZR05-OrukhTqhnlWn7X0WDAn-dlQoNOAfLK3PREamaSpCECPa-FBJ2EbYuyqtYrRU9KN7GpeeSmXWuy/s640/edit_bluemosque.jpg)
![Father and mother at Blue Mosque and outside the Egyptian Bazaar couple in Istanbul](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJcBlCFbhvKn2TPZXX-xh_zKiytZqhLZlL35XmqBNCGDQ7gDrMVHtT84KbiOiXN4CqMfzAkCc96dsGMwUgYrfHbQq1PSDo3RrQsut7GXAxTQ3uUwi7a37KVAjTlRghJG7aXbKvd5aj6XXO/s640/edit_istanbul_3.jpg)
![Dolmabahce Palace grounds dolmabahce palace](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDp3XeZ4IyQeefXOl_Ol_DHpVdvIawMZnFR0z7_ZaFOjBS8lgB-puAzKHXim_F0TkwTc0NGuFmoSV6qB3gQ6dj5iiJyE4Ie0A_zYhnAkWjoQWGVP8doc05Gd_uTFFNk6q0xTRSowmYQBsw/s640/edit_Dolmabahce+Palace_1.jpg)
![Outside Dolmabahce Palace couple outside dolmabahce palace](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtNEpqRNAyDbcjeKtfQKwLZi3IVGFKcH8caajhJlwuW15dLbezLXHCdhAAun3Xzer1atNVqZSFVg2Ge5RuLdQQn0Uur0JLYGeiMM51x8zlPqOJr8S7XWsS8mBkqKNFQUCbcaS3f-Ec0cJ/s640/edit_Dolmabahce_Palace.jpg)
![Turkish architecture and mosque Turkish architecture](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjxgioX-R2CAcvM_bSSDQxoltUHmUEClOu64y3D5XfSULZMFwBg4OKvvMIZBnaln1HTPIktvzL7MakqVq1Qi_2AYlAWnvicb3b-XvZh9aP0_zzLPzp5SMR72L-d8MsuvMZuhvMGjyk5S0i/s640/edit_istanbul_1.jpg)
![Inside Hagia Sophia muslim and catholic images at Hagia Sophia](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocQHdzwyeR5t5elhK0OOPORigVms6cDmfkz9AN8L03dsFPoRM3n48cf-OeVASOVa3MbhEFK_6jNII8g2SAGl_DyGNL69GT83mS5XXfvX1FRQ3yUDoFfTbVgyYpmwgyIDcalnQMGQVZULf/s640/edit_hagia_sophia.jpg)
![first lunch in Istanbul first lunch in Istanbul](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAy_3ZzVBQAhQ2CuzVm_3F8opKytNrnMgwCBlawyzWSYY3Kl8FIbjcnUsw5NHdzpJtCnDJrvaZkFD37YtetQzMiTDEvGLoyKw5gRHy4glgJCCznLH8ocNembNYKrXJQxD4wd1Dcl_PEY5r/s640/edit_istanbul_lunch.jpg)
![Cruising at Bosphorus Strait bosphorus cruise](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7sqCtpCE9W75r36UOZRNiCny1p54FfdPuMLR_dazO9DhUXs-bLq0sUxYiIIlPBA9h3yaO5TU-cK2mFGtXhzPLPBNy8BPgiBdeG-wNUZ_UJ7NE0vcdCon4yoLAEKwwMMxaf7_lc4l3UjhR/s640/edit_istanbul_4.jpg)
![Rumelihisarı fortress in Istanbul palace along bosphorus strait](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDWYcyY3JhimKSh0432FfiogTjX8m2VcLtesY3tnTuf67c8aDxaUVmn3yvcpn5WIJTvGFWadfDBqmcHOpNw0QUQE8UUzjVJseZB3XYvG-LBXeSMkD4qAsWws6xKZlxw4hrhiUWBLT1msTS/s640/edit_Rumelihisar%25C4%25B1_bosphorus.jpg)
![View of Marmara Sea rooftops and sea of marmara](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYpk2G8JgKOeAPRw8eyoxTagdGZKaVErkd2Ix8hmKghroMK64sx44mjTkLr-AbH8NQ_NIzkpuFQPbqxFUJyCtRCxWygHoA9EFE419XXl28fv4QDcnHVKgwOf8JlKHw3LUOzQgtixJ5G_X/s640/edit_marmara_sea.jpg)
![View of Marmara Sea rooftops and sea of marmara](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfU4TNI8FygSOCK1wp0tI_e_NmkRuXFOzCqXXD7uxDYHF-fTEH7CLI8fc57cR3fABgR5cHpemIeEC6HYV2uq6h5yvX0QkzcWIuuEKwHXAuu23KgqigsAw8MBq9nHSCvsyxaueuPhgDJVCU/s640/edit_marmara.jpg)
![Turkish Architecture and Colorful Tiled Ceiling clock tower, mosque, hand-painted tiled ceiling](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFkPiHil4GeyWRbF9sHlatkhylmpmNcVx3adrU0OzJf3Xde-U39S8QgyQtdty377k4YvCxJ1x_OAorX0a6FTp8tWUEeHgdKXRsLUOYKg2fTJSm8K-PZFE3Qa8gYuU4WwAli10X7QvwgSaC/s640/edit_istanbul_2.jpg)
![Topkapi Palace, Istanbul entrance to Topkapi Palace](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuboaHDXQdJwaIOGL_T_ISKeLeeeS6moCr36vtGnf8vJDFZgycbd2EpFiGXJDVBW9c6FKtxyPO2ziDVWu240lzjLSHfDRIHHktFd3bBvVkWKENlwUGfkbqIQ54QrF35NZCJZJ6AK0l7X6E/s640/edit_topkapi_palace_1.jpg)
This is how I remember him and his last days – smiling, traveling, falling asleep on airport chairs. I wish he had more time. I wish we had another country to go to. But I guess he already lived a fulfilled life.
Wherever I’m off too, I’ll always look for your face in every airport in the world. I miss you, Papa. See you in the afterlife.
If you lost a precious loved one, I pray that the pain and longing will lessen and that the hurt will be replaced with happy thoughts.. always.
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