The Philippines are rightly renowned for their colourful and vibrant festivals. Dinagyang, which is unquestionably one of the most famous, is held annually in Iloilo at the end of January. Whist en-route, we stayed for two nights in Bacolod on the nearby island of Negros. My first experience there, (and I kid you not), was to spot a "Black Sambo" listed openly on a restaurant menu! Apparently I was the only one who found this offensive. Negros is evidently not a place that will be renowned for its political correctness anytime soon.
The journey across to Iloilo on Panay island is a 90-minute boat ride, and as always, the passengers are blessed via the on-board TV screen before departing.
The festival itself is an extravaganza of garish costumes, rythmic tribal drum beats, painted skin and some incredible dancing. It begins with a parade through the city and later ends with each of the tribes performing in the large stadium before a raucous crowd of enthusiastic spectators. It was quite a day.
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