Image: Instagram/@marlomortelmusic
One of the longstanding superstitions Filipinos have is that butterflies signify the presence of the spirit of one’s departed loved ones. Singer Marlo Mortel seems to subscribe to this belief when a butterfly reminded him of his mother Merlie Galman Pamintuan Mortel during his vacation in Bali, Indonesia.
Mortel was admiring the picturesque view of the tropical paradise when a black and white butterfly made an appearance, as seen in a photo he posted via Instagram last Monday, Nov. 19. He was immediately reminded of Merlie who passed away from stage four breast cancer on Aug. 24 this year.
“I wonder if it’s heaven sent?” wrote Mortel. “I know you would have loved to witness this with me and daddy. I miss you everyday mommy.”
While Mortel might have felt a tinge of sadness with the reminder of his mom’s passing, the singer appeared to still somehow enjoy his trip. He swam in clear, blue waters alongside other travelers, on Saturday, Nov. 17.
In a separate post, he revealed he had stayed at a capsule-type hostel for two days and gave his fans a tour of the room he shared with other tourists.
Mortel said the shared room comes with a pool, locker, shower room and charging areas. The best part about the hostel for him? It only costs around P500 per day.
Mortel also had the chance to stay at a room that made him feel “one with nature.”
Apart from marveling and basking at the beauty of the beaches Bali has to offer, Mortel also visited Tanah Lot, a popular rock formation in the island destination. Tanah Lot is home to the ancient Hindu pilgrimage temple Pura Tanah Lot.
From a solemn encounter with a butterfly, the actor had a shocking one with another winged creature. Yesterday, Mortel made a discovery regarding a bat’s anatomy.
While looking at a bat hanging upside down, he mistook the mammal’s testicles for its eyes. JB
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