Catanauan 013102032014

I joined a trip to Catanauan last February to visit an archaeological site but because of a dilemma on whether to write about it or not, I didn't do so until now, for some reasons even I could not comprehend. (Yeah, that happens, believe it or not.)

On the way to Catanauan, we passed by a stone bridge made during Colonial times. Malagonlong Bridge took 20 years to complete with construction starting in 1840 by the Cura Parroco Antonio Mateos of Tayabas. It is one of the few remaining colonial bridges in the country and I consider myself lucky to have seen this, thanks mainly to two professors who were with me and a friend. That time I told myself, okay, I'll include old bridges as part of my itinerary whenever I go on a domestic trip.

In fact, what made the whole trip enjoyable was that I learned a lot about many things along the way and when we got to our destination. The geologist, Sir J was very generous in sharing his knowledge to us about the formation of volcanoes. Sir D, on the other hand, was ever the best person in the whole ASP to converse with when it comes to food and recipes. Both men are also into the outdoors so it was a whole lot of fun to be with them despite their age. I was more than inspired to travel again. Hearing stories of their buwis-buhay adventures made me want to follow in their footsteps. Oh what fun they had in their younger days! I wish I could live such a fruitful life so that when I am old and gray I will have a lot of stories to tell my grandchildren. (Okay... I think I will have to consider marriage as part of my personal goals in life...)

some of the cute creatures I saw: two burrowing creatures and a hermit crab
And the one in the lower right is one of the cooks who helped me cook spaghetti for the team

In the site, the dig was not difficult because of the sandy sediments which are easily to excavate. And after a day of digging everyone goes to the beach to enjoy the sunset amidst beer and laughter and lots of storytelling.

At night we slept inside tents. Some 15-20 meters from the shore was the tent city. A friend and I shared one tent where we often chatted until we fell asleep. 

If there is anything new I learned onsite, it's how to do proper flotation under the guidance of a professor who's studied in the UK. She was such a good talker and for a while I thought of going back to school if only to learn more about botanical remains and ways on how to analyze them. Her passion was something and I think she could be one of the loveliest persons to work with, always smiling, friendly, chatty, and eager to share knowledge.

One memorable night was walking a long stretch of the shore at night with a friend whom I haven't seen for long. She was with a new-found friend, a boy from Australia who I think is very friendly and smart. I even used his belly as pillow while the three of us lay down on the sands to just enjoy the beach at night, with the sound of cicadas, the stars spread out in the clear sky, the occasional flicker of light from one or two fireflies in the mangroves.

But on the fourth day we had to go. It had been fun, the trip providing me a glimpse of that much talked about Catanauan excavation where, everyone who's been there says, is a paradise. A paradise it truly is especially on nights when you lay on the sands and just listen to the waves crashing to the shore.