Pangasinan- llocos 2014 Yearender Getaway

A friend and I were planning to go to Bicol during the extra long Christmas break this year. The night of December 26, we decided to go to Pangasinan instead. I was thinking that finally we will be able to go around the big province and visit each town together with its respective churches. The town of Anda was our first stop.

Itinerary:

Day 01:

Tondol Beach

We caught the sunrise at 828 Gems Beach Resort owned by the generous couple Engr. Felix and Grace Chong. I'm planning to go back and bring my friends to visit the beach. It's as my officemate says, the road to the beach was long, but what the heck, at least one can get peace and quiet there, and enjoy the white sands as well.

Top photos: sunrise at Tondol Beach
Bottom photos: CDCC

Crusaders of the Divine Church of Christ Church in Anda town which we passed by on the road to Alaminos. The church is still in the middle of construction. Nevertheless on my visit, there was a funeral march and it seems the structure is already in use. I remembered the distinct minaret I first saw in Badoc and I was told that it pertained to a church of a certain cult. The local whom I interviewed wasn't able to name the cult and it is only this time when I discovered it pertains to CDCC.

(I unfortunately wasn't able to see the old Roman Catholic Church because we just hitched a ride on the way to Alaminos.)

Saint Joseph Cathedral and many ancestral houses in Alaminos.

Hundred Islands day tour. We shared a banca with a friendly couple.

Because the couple we met had their own car and were already going back home down south, we accepted their invite to get a free ride all the way to Dagupan were we slept from 6PM to 3AM at Value Star Inn.

Day 02:

Waking up at 3AM feeling a bit sluggish despite getting enough hours to sleep, we proceeded to Laoag. We boarded a bus going to San Fernando, La Union, after getting quick breakfast of cup noodles in a 7-11 store. From San Fernando, we had to get another bus all the way to Laoag, sleeping all the way to our destination.

Arriving at 1PM, first thing we did was check in Texicano Hotel where I stayed during my solo trip last year. Then, lunch at City Cup Café where I had my first taste of malunggay pesto pasta. After lunch, we went straight to Paoay to try the sand dunes adventure in Culili Point, experiencing both the roller-coaster-like 4x4 and sandboarding.

Paoay Church was still breathtaking and this time around we spent hours near the church until darkness fell and the lights were all turned on. We visited an exhibit hall featuring the works of Ricarte Puruganan, a late Filipino modernist painter. (The exhibit is still ongoing until February 27, 2015.) We also got to know a gown designer who graduated from UP Diliman. He was very nice to us and accommodated us in his studio.

Finally I had the appetite to try Paoay's empanada. It is a filling snack since it has monggo. Also, the ground meat went well with the egg. Tastes better with ketchup than with Ilocos vinegar, IMHO.

CCW from top left: empanada in Paoay, gallery near Paoay Church, Ilocos Norte Capitolyo, Paoay Church

Since we skipped dinner last night, preferring to sleep instead, we pigged out on this night. We went back to Laoag and checked out the mini food market near the Sinking Bell Tower. I had soft shell tacos from one of the stands whereas my friend took out Laoag longganisa. We ended up sharing an order of beef pares at Mr. T and Mrs. Y. It doesn't disappoint and the price is fair enough.

Day 03:

Waking up early to catch the 4AM bus to Pagudpud, we ended up disappointed because the bus left at 5:30AM. In Pagudpud we met my friend's friends and I got to know a fellow Wikipedian there! Small world! Because of connections, there was no need for us to rent a cottage or pay shower fees.

Patapat viaduct where we had fun taking photos even in the middle of the road. Now this is a bit dangerous since vehicles usually speed up on the road.

Bangui Windmills. More picture-taking.

Lunch of bagnet and rice at Johnny Moon Café in the town of Burgos.

Kapurpurawan Rock and Burgos Lighthouse via rented tricycle. We also saw the Lopez-owned windmills which were just recently installed in the hills of Burgos.

clockwise from top right:Patapat viaduct, Kapurpurawan rock formation, Bangui windmills, Pagudpud Beach

For dinner, we opted at La Preciosa in Laoag. I was super disappointed at the slow service and at the price and serving of food there. The only thing I liked is the P100 carrot cake. I simply cannot understand why it took them so long to cook bucto which is asohos cooked like paksiw. Nothing special there and the asohos are significantly smaller than the ones I am used to eating in Manila.

We spent our second night at Texicano Hotel again.

Day 04:

We woke up at 4:30AM to catch an early bus to Vigan, our last stop. We left Laoag at 5:30 and got to our destination at a little past 8AM. Lots of tourists flocking to Ilocos. We just walked along Calle Crisologo so my friend can see the preserved heritage town. Of course, we also visited Vigan Cathedral and Plaza Burgos.

in contemplation of Rizal's greatness as we were in Vigan on Dec. 30.

A eulogy was being said for Marjo Villanueva-Gasser who was killed just this Christmas eve. It was a sad tragic event for all cultural heritage workers since Marjo has been instrumental in the revival and protection of Vigan as heritage site.

Then off we went to a pottery place owned by Fidel Antiporda Go. We tried pottery-making but to no avail.

Quick shopping for pasalubong at the Public Market then boarded Partas bus to Manila at 11AM.

Heavy traffic along Balintawak was caused by the big market allowing vehicles to occupy two to three lanes of EDSA for parking! Just why the hell did the MMDA allow this to happen when they know that many vacationers will be going back to Manila for New Year’s Eve!

Got home at 10:30PM.

Cosé Home for the Aged, SJDM, Bulacan

Last Sunday, I joined a friend and her friends to play santa to a group of old ladies at Cosé Home for the Aged in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan. The experience was a humbling one as it gave me something to think about about old age. An empath like myself could feel their difficulty in moving around so I made sure to be extra attentive to their needs.

dolls made by the lolos and lolas of the community

Because it's not enough for me to just drop by and give gifts to people, the journalist in me interviewed some of them, those willing to share their stories, so that I may share them to people. I've always loved stories about past experiences because they allow me to glimpse into the human psyche and to understand human behavior as a whole. Also, gaining their trust and confidence makes me feel good as it means that I am doing a fine job in being an anthropologist.

close up view of the dolls

Nanay Benny (Benilda Policarpio)

 For instance, I was shocked when Nanay Benny (above) suddenly told me how she ended up in the home for the aged. Her daughter-in-law didn't want her around because for the son's wife, Nanay Benny was grabbing all the attention at home. I was shocked that the son would consent to sending his own mother to a home for the aged just for that petty reason. There might, however, be other reasons, and I cannot judge as I heard only one side of the story. 

Nanay Ces (Cesita Orale)

Nanay Ces above, on the other hand, served as a nanny to a family in Malabon. The family still sends her gifts regularly. Nanay Ces seems to be happy with the arrangement though and still vividly recalls her days of service to the family. 

Nanay Teresita Pereira and Nanay Juanita Ortega

The two above told stories of their lovers even at their present age! Nanay Teresita has a more interesting story. She is said to always go to the grotto to meet up with her boyfriend. Also, she gives whatever money she has to a volunteer at the home for the aged. She has only one wish, to see her brother Bonifacio Pereira who is now based in the US. The volunteer told us that her brother has taken all the money and has left the country since. When asked why she still wants to see her brother, Nanay Teresita says she just wants to know how he is ("kamustahin siya"). That in itself touched me deeply. Here is a free woman whose heart knows true love.

I would love to go back to the community if only to spend time with them again. All the while I was in there, I couldn't help but think of my grandmother who is lucky to have us, her daughters and grandchildren visit her every Sunday.

The old ladies of Cosé may be living together in a home for the aged, away from their blood and kin. But they have found a family which values them and which still gives meaning to their lives.

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The whole experience made me want to volunteer more in the coming years. I would also love to spend time with children in the orphanage. I'd like to somehow reach out to them so that they won't feel unloved in this cold, dark world. The world has enough of "petty" lives because of lack of love and warmth. I think it's grace that people with no blood relations can brighten up other people's lives.

Mulat (2014)

Just when I thought the last few days of 2014 will be boring and spent cleaning our room, I received an invitation one night to watch the New Wave segment of the Metro Manila Film Festival. I'm not sure if I had heard of MMFF New Wave before, but if ever I did, I must have just ignored it since I'm not at all interested in the crappy movies in the MMFF.

But when a trip organizer I met last July said that he's got tickets to his brother's short film which is competing in the New Wave and is inviting me to watch, I did a quick research and immediately said yes. Part of me wanted to just see him again since I was awed at how comfortable I was with him that first time we met. The film buff in me, on the other hand, saw this as another opportunity to get to know new non-mainstream films. Based on experience, non-mainstream has never disappointed me and they certainly outdo the much clichéd, ultra shallow mainstream ones. 

We were supposed to watch at Glorietta 4 but ended but in SM Megamall. His bro's film will be shown a little later and so we ended up buying tickets to Maria Diane Ventura's Mulat, his treat. We had more than an hour before showtime so we hang out at El Pollo Loco for some tortilla with chicken while talking about travel plans and our recent travels. I kept on prodding him to teach me how to bike because this poor girl loves to travel but is unfortunately not equipped with a lot of practical skills and only bank on courage alone for adventures

We watched two shorts--- An Maugmang Lugar is about a dead man who couldn't seem to move on because of unfinished business with his wife/ lover. It is a short animated film with no dialogues. I don't know if this is just me but it reminds me of a scene in Final Fantasy X where Yuna, wanting to hug Tidus, only ended up running through him as he fades away. The other, Bimyana, as about an Aeta girl who was chosen to be her school's representative except her mother doesn't support the idea. I didn't know the outcome of the story because sadly I fell asleep. (I'm just so tired these days....)

Then Mulat. I was instantly uneasy with the first scene as Vincent (Ryan Eigenman) and Sam (Loren Burgos) fought over a petty thing while in the car. I was just afraid this was some romantic film. Yes it is about love, but so unlike the romantic flicks. It explores what makes up a toxic relationship as portrayed in a scene where Sam debates with her sister's fiancé about settling down vs. a male's dislike towards pressure to marry. Naturally, I took note of that, which may just come in handy should I enter a relationship in the [hopefully] near future.

The two met a car accident when their car slammed on a moving motorcycle. Then came the flashbacks. And some sort of Inception-like events ensued with Sam meeting a guy named Jake (Jake Cuenca). Suddenly the roles are reversed with Sam not wanting to commit after her traumatizing breakup with Vincent whereas Jake persuades her to give him a chance. He helps her find a psychiatrist who used hypnosis as cure for Sam to gain peace. 

The ensuing events show the film's twist which follows Christopher Nolan's dream/ reality dichotomy. It turns out that Sam was actually in a comatose state following the car accident whereas Jake, revealed to be the mototcycle rider,  was also in another room in the same hospital. Sam in the dream world tells Jake to find her and Jake wakes up in a frenzied state to search for Sam.

The twist simply awed me. I never would have thought that a local director would be able to pull off something brilliant like that with a small budget. In the end, it all depends on how creative a narrative can be and how one can adapt it to film to make a powerful and memorable movie.

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I don't know why I always end up watching pieces with intelligent takes on love. Earlier this month, I watched the musical play Prinsipe Munti in CCP. It's based on Antoine de Saint-Exupéry simple yet profound book The Little Prince. While it provides a thesis on what the most important thing is in the world, the play also conjectures on what it means to love and to be loved. I cried all throughout the play.

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I don't know what came over him to ask me suddenly to watch a movie but I am glad he did. How often do people want to meet up with people whom you meet only once on a trip? I am that kind of person, and it pleases me to see that despite the fact that both of us have hectic schedules and our own trips which almost always coincide so we never get to travel again, we still make it a point to keep our communication lines open and update each other on our future plans. I also love it that before the day was over during our falls trek, he said that it seemed like he has known me for so long. I felt the same way, too.

Christmas Parties 2014

This week is Christmas party week... plus becoming a volunteer again.

Just this Monday, I took a leave to volunteer at a Gawad Kalinga community down south. It was my first time to visit such a community and I was glad to have participated. It was such a brief volunteer stint lasting less than three hours but I hope that the community had fun with what we came up with and with the mural painting we left. I would have loved to stay and interact more with the locals to get to know them better, to listen to their stories, to see how they really live, instead of just organizing a little party where people pack up after everything not even knowing the people's names and stories.

a girl looks at the repainted mural

Then Wednesday night, our team had great bonding time at Red Box. The place is overrated and overpriced but I guess it's still the quality of bonding time that matters. We had fun singing Linkin Park songs, which I think really spiked up the team's spirits. It was just so funny how at the last 10 minutes, we skipped song after song until we finally ended the night with Spice Girls' "Stop". Like, yeah we need to stop and go home already. LOL!

Thursday morning found me still sleepy because of an early morning meeting which ended as just a chat between me and my contact. I was so exhausted the night before because of the horrendous Christmas traffic that going home took me more than an hour when on normal days it's only for 30 minutes! Still I couldn't postpone my date with a friend from elementary days. I was able to contact her via FB after seeing her post in one group.

So feeling slightly feverish and coughing tremendously, I still went ahead to meet her. We pigged out on buffalo wings at Buffalo's Wings n' Things and had loads of fun recollecting about our elementary days. I never really forgot about them and every start of classes in the school I transferred to, I would always remember them, how half the class joined me during recess time to run around the school. It's a bittersweet feeling, knowing you share fond memories and yet to face the reality that we're all grown ups now and we have changed a lot. It's been 18 long years after all, and yet I still feel that I have not moved on. I think this is the reason why I would love to meet with them, to somehow have a sort of closure. It just hurts being friends at one point in time and being total strangers in another.

Friday saw me dressed up as a kid for our stream's Christmas party at a Jollibee branch. I would have wanted to win the cash prize for best in costume but sadly I did not though I do think I had a high chance of winning because I look childlike. Moving on, at least I did win an umbrella. Just a week ago my long umbrella just disintegrated.

Also, I got my third wish on my wishlist, which is a copy each of local comic books Mythspace and Trese volume 1. I always look at those comic books but never purchased them because I always wished somebody would buy them for me.

Finally decided that these will be part of my holiday reading

Scheduled on Saturday is Christmas lunch with former team mates but which I declined because consecutive parties drain me (and my wallet, and contribute to further fattening of this kiddo.) I'd rather rest at home since I was still suffering from a major cough. Also, since 2014 is about to end, I am also planning to end one major project pretty soon and the holidays would be the perfect time to accomplish many things. So the whole day I sat in front of my laptop to work on a volunteer project.

Today I spent the day with the old folks at a home for the aged somewhere in Bulacan. The captain/ originator was a travel buddy and dear friend so without any second thoughts, I signed up as volunteer. I've always admired her guts, and this time her gentle heart. We may not have prepared much for the old ladies but at least we were able to make them smile, to laugh, dance, eat with them.

After that, we hang out at Fairview Terraces and talked about intellectual stuff from economics to the latest research items. It was like a breath of fresh air since I do not get to talk about intelligent ideas that often since most people I am with would only regard me as an annoying know-it-all who never stops talking about crazy stuff nobody gives a shit about anyway. For this, I always treasure those rare moments when I can be with people with whom I can truly converse with without worrying about their ability to keep up with my ideas.

Ramen Nagi, SM North EDSA

A week after my birthday, my favorite food trip buddy/ sister decided to finally grant me my heart's desire to eat ramen. Since Ramen Nagi opened in SM North, I have been persuading her to treat me there. She always tells me there's nothing special about the ramen and that it's just full of MSG. I know it was, based on previous experiences but I would also like to believe that somewhere out there, my perfect ramen is just waiting for me to discover it.

akai ramen (spicy)

 We shared a bowl of akai ramen and a order of seared dumplings. The ramen was very flavorful as expected and the pork meat was tender. Still, in the end I told my sister that I love Chinese noodles better than ramen, because of the unique spices in Chinese ramen. Japanese ramen is just too vetsiny for my taste.

seared dumplings

Because I am a fan of seared dumplings, we just had to have an order. I have never criticized any seared dumpling before and this one is equally spared. I think this is the only reason I will go back to ramen houses since Chinese restaurants usually just have steamed ones. (And I don't like fried ones that much.)

Sariaya, Quezon Province

Last month, the mapping project volunteers went to Sariaya in Quezon Province to map the whole town. The town is pretty small and one can walk around in one day but built heritage was abundant so all volunteers for the day went in groups together with local guides.

For the second time, I was mapping buddies with a fellow archaeologist. The two of us have a reputation in school for our big appetite and naturally we band together to go on side trips for the sake of food. It's funny how we started the day in Sta. Ana with a quick breakfast in a tapsilogan while the other volunteers already started with their respective zones. In Sariaya, we stuffed ourselves with leche yema and tamales, and even planned to visit a local restaurant in the afternoon but this didn't materialize because we had to work.

Thank heavens the weather wasn't bad. It wasn't that hot in the day and we were already conveniently working on our articles inside the convent hall when rain started to fall. The initial plan was to leave the town with everything mapped up but it was impossible given the extra slow internet connection. Late in the afternoon we packed our things for the most anticipated event of the day.

Gala-Rodriguez Mansion facade

Gala-Rodriguez Mansion interiors

Tour Guide E. Dedace is part of the Sariaya Heritage Council

Gala-Rodriguez Mansion interiors

We were treated to a tour at the magnificent Gala-Rodriguez Ancestral House. Unlike the houses that were assigned to us, this erstwhile residential mansion-turned museum bespeaks of affluence as the architecture stands out with many fine intricate details.

Like most ancestral houses, this mansion has an interesting story. It is said that a daughter of this prestigious family was so beautiful that when World War 2 broke out, she was to be kept hidden away from the eyes of the Japanese. The ultra spacious basement served as a hideout for her and her companions when the Japanese would arrive. The basement is now a darkly lit museum housing artifacts like bottles (yes BOTTLES! woohoo!!!), old gadgets, Imeldific shoes, and many other things of a bygone era.

After the tour, we were treated to a song and dance performance. Of course, any visit to Southern Tagalog region would be incomplete without a taste of their lambanog. We all drank just a weeny bit, enough for us to quickly feel the intense heat in our body.

Then dinner was served, followed by speeches by the Wiki leads. They talked about building the nation by building an information database through crowd-sourcing, which is precisely what Wikipedia is all about. Of course ours is just a small project in relation to the wider and more general goal of Wikipedia to build a reliable online encyclopedia for free.

Karaoke inside our jeepney-bus ensued, with volunteers singing one song after the other. I took my much needed sleep since prior to this trip, I've been lacking sleep and I was afraid I might come down with a fever. Sleeping with all the noise was never a problem and by the time I woke up, I already had the energy to have my revenge by singing some of my favorite OPM: Regine Velasquez's Dadalhin, Join the Club's Nobela, Aegis' Luha. These, alongside Eagles' Desperado and A1's Heaven by Your Side. 

Got home at 1AM, tired and sleepy but happy nevertheless. For once, I felt like the volunteers were finally being friendlier and more outgoing. It was a joy to interact with those whom I haven;t even spoken to before. Hopefully the project will be a success.

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Except that as of the present, we are yet to hear news of our new project lead following the resignation of the original lead....

Mario Feir Private Library, BGC

BGC has always struck me as an inconvenient place for meetups and dates so when volunteers of a Wiki project were to meet there to do a mini edit-a-thon, I was hesitant but ultimately decided to show up. How can I say no to libraries? Besides, this one being private means that you have to have the necessary connections to access the collection.

So one day I found myself riding the MRT again. It's only on weekends when you can truly appreciate the value of the MRT system. And because it's been ages since I last stepped in BGC, I was surprised to find that they have a small bus similar to those in other countries. These mini buses stop only at designated stops. One day I wish the government will just take over the transportation system in the country to eliminate unruly bus and jeepney drivers. They are one of the two major reasons why traffic is BAD in the Philippines, the other being that there are just too many vehicles on the road.

The library houses a LOT of old, rare, and out-of-print books. I was able to find Florentino Hornedo's book "Taming the Wind" about the ethnocultural history of Batanes. I searched hard for that book after I came back from Batanes last May but in vain.

I was also very much impressed to see archaeology-related books on the shelves. Later on, I would learn from a fellow volunteer that the Mario Feir Library is actually a friend of ASP. Really nice! (Now I would love to go back to school as this library is getting me excited to do research on just about anything!!!)

So last month found me in that place. Lucky me to have had gotten more out of the difficult commute because a friend wanted to see a Korean performance and she invited me to go with her. I naturally said yes since it means bonding time for us. 

After the performance I took her to the weekend food market at Mercato, which was a long walk but we chatted a lot anyway so it didn't seem too far. We talked about our immediate and long-term plans, where we plan to go to next, how we could spend time together before she flies to Japan next year.

It was a pretty evening. More so because I truly enjoyed her company. Sharing a lot of similarities certainly helped cement our friendship. To think that we were only introduced by a common friend and have been looking out for each other ever since then. Just the kind of friendship I deeply appreciate and treasure.

Hong Kong Nightscapes 2014

Just want to share some pics I took of HK at night:

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Back from a quick date with a friend from elementary school whom I found on a Facebook page and immediately reconnected with. It's been 18 years! Yet it's as if we just parted ways for less than a year as we tried to catch up on each other. I was glad she is starting to do solo backpacking and I hope she'll say yes at my suggestion to explore places together. 

So anyway, because I miss traveling so much... I'm looking at some photos I took in HK and found these. I rarely go out at night when on a trip, preferring to stay at the hotel and grab enough sleep to have the energy to face the morrow for more adventures.

Repeats in 2014

I hate to say this but I think so far, 2014 has been the busiest one in my life. Just when I thought I was to go back to school, plans changed at the last minute because of a nation-wide project which got my attention and where I ended up being a volunteer after a grueling one month certification period. Another important decision is moving to a new company, where the culture differs vastly from my previous one. I did ace my adjustment period, which is a surprise, but which I owe to my frequent travels where change and mobility is the only constant thing.

After becoming an official volunteer in a built heritage mapping project, I found myself visiting new places and gaining new insights in revisiting old places. Just within Metro Manila one can walk around Santa Ana which is already declared a heritage zone. The initial deployment period saw me going to Bulacan and I have yet to go back to see more of its heritage structures. It did feel great to see Malolos Church again, a place I had visited way back in elementary school.

In August this year, I went back to HK. It was supposed to be a trip with a highschool friend but I ended up going alone. It was probably for the best since I was able to meet relatives I have ever seen before. It was my first time to visit relatives who live overseas and it was a liberating experience to do so since my siblings and I were raised by strict and overprotective parents and yet I turned out to be the misfit among us, being the adventurous type and the academically inclined one. I just never thought that I would visit the same country in two consecutive years.

This week, I'm glad to have braved the horrendous traffic just to set foot on Malabon again. This time, there's only me because I wanted to explore it alone. It was tiring and smoke from vehicles was all around, not to mention the noise pollution. It was humbling to see and recognize the architectural beauties I did not seem to have noticed in my visit last year.

And then of all surprises, I am very happy to have had the opportunity to reconnect albeit virtually to an elementary friend. It just so happened that I was browsing through posts in a Facebook group and I saw her post asking for backpacking tips. Right then and there I messaged her and she remembered me! Of all my elementary friends, she sent me the most letters which I loved reading because at our young age, her penmanship was admirably beautiful. My 2014 would be ultra grand if ever we get to meet up despite our hectic schedule. Being able to chat with her on FB already got me excited, so what more if we saw each other!

In a nutshell, 2014 has been about revisiting places and reconnecting with old friends. One lesson I got out of this whole experience is about striking a balance between sustaining existing relationships and forging new ones. I have to say that I met some of the coolest people this year and I am not about to just let them go. Because just as I wouldn't want people to let me go, I would love to nurture those nascent relationships. These days it's easy to meet and discard people but I never liked the idea. Maybe it's what they call separation anxiety. Or maybe it's one's plain desire to get close to people with whom one has an affinity. Either way, I'll just enjoy the ride and see where it takes me to.

Golden Beach, Tien Mun, HK

After a quick lunch at Whampoa following our brief hike in Dragon's Back, all I wanted to do was lie down in bed and sleep. It's not out of exhaustion, hell I was game for more hiking. It was more because I was drained of energy after having had to go back to the city. My cousin-in-law wanted us to join them for lunch in Whampoa.

Because of the incident in Shek O earlier, I was really in no mood to mingle with my relatives. I was questioning why the hell I had to forego my travel plans for the sake of kinship. Of course it doesn't help that I wasn't really that close to my relatives. Add to that the fact that my happiness and freedom were taken away the moment they snatch me from nature.

And the beach has nothing spectacular about it. All the while I thought of the beaches in Bohol and in Palawan and HK just pales in comparison. HK may have all those impressive skyscrapers and they may have heritage buildings intact but when it comes to beaches, I will vote PH without hesitation.

Except Golden Beach at least has this wonderfully constructed hotel. It's the first thing that caught my eye when we got out of the cab and it was the last image n my mind after my first ever foray into the New Territories. 

While my nephews and nieces and aunt and cousins were playing in the sands under the hot afternoon sun, I opted to take solitary time to rest. My refuge was sloping ground under the trees which provided ample protection from the harsh sun. I'm not a fan of sunbathing and I didn't bring any sunblock with me, so my only option was to stay under the shade.

After all that I've been through that day, I was still happy to have seen one beach in HK. Seeing it certainly made me proud of Philippine beaches, gems of our country which, I hope, will be protected for generations to come.

Dragon's Back, Shek O County, HK

As I have already mentioned in this post, before I visited HK last year, all I knew about HK was that it was a shopping haven. Who would have thought that nature lovers like me will also see its different side?

Truth be told, I didn't enjoy much this hike although I was overly eager on that day. I guess the company is very important when it comes to hiking. One cannot enjoy as much as one wants to when she is with those who do not find pleasure in nature. My companions tagged along without knowing what to expect.

view from the first peak

 I have read that the hike through the entire trail would take 8 hours so I equipped myself with two bottles of water. I was more than prepared. But all my preparations were put in vain because my companions wanted to leave the place already. That was just after only 30 minutes of hiking!

Needless to say, I was saddened because it was a beautiful day and the trail was not difficult at all. Yes, the sun's hot rays burned our skin a bit but most of the trail was in the shade so there shouldn't be any problem.

an invitation to Dragon's Back

 So anyway, I will have to go back there again. Will probably do so in spring when the weather's cooler.

the rolling terrain in this part was enjoyable

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I've often believed people when they say they'd love to hike even though they've never tried it before. But because of this incident, I guess I will have to be more careful in picking out companions lest my hike be in vain. Just when I thought I'd be able to complete the hike! 

On second thought maybe it was inconsiderate of me. But I did ask if they'd want to go hiking and if they have prior experience. They said yes, so I took comfort in their words. I guess people would seldom admit to their shortcomings and would more often than not portray themselves as better than they actually are.

Another note: I'm not angry at all at my aunt and niece. It's just that I felt like I was robbed of the beauty of nature this time because of my plans were suddenly cut short. I do appreciate that they wanted to tag along, perhaps out of concern for me. For that, I am still thankful to them. I just hope that one day, I will finish the trail. Will probably go there alone for a more contemplative hiking experience.

Mt. Arayat, Pampanga

Each mountain has its own beauty and cruelty. I would consider Mt. Arayat as my first major climb although it can be done in one day. A friend told me most would opt to camp out to fully enjoy what Arayat has to offer but our group opted for a dayhike.

stations of the cross from the jump off point

I always cannot sleep prior to a climb because I'm always afraid I'd oversleep. This time was no different. Despite this, I went ahead and five minutes of walking from the jump off I was already breathing heavily. I owed it first to my lack of sleep but I was weirded out because I never got this tired before. Suddenly guilty thoughts of sinful bacon consumption filled my mind and I was thinking of backing out that early.

But the call of the wild is hard to resist. More so, the many surprises the mountains hold. For instance, this was my chance to see the flora and fauna of Pampanga. Despite the many rests after only a few minutes' hike, we were able to survive. The first stop I though we already reached the summit but I was wrong.

bark mushrooms

I enjoyed going down a vertical by means of hanging vines after our second stop. This with my heavy backpack on my back! I felt like Tarzan. LOL!

 By lunchtime we got to a base camp. I ate only one of the two pieces of chickenjoy I bought earlier, saving the other one for later because we were told that the most difficult part was just right after the base camp site.

view from the base camp site

But it was a playground for me. Shortly after I was having fun climbing up an almost 90 degree slope despite the soft earth and one wrong move could send you flying to the ground. Perhaps my gym workout helped a great deal as it became a breeze.

Then it was time to descend, the hardest part for me. It's not only because I have not yet practiced the art of jumping down from one rock to another, but also because it would mean saying goodbye to nature again. 

salamander?

rainbow in the final summit

Because two of us in the group are slow in moving down, choosing to stay safe and slow rather than risk safety for speed, nighttime befell us. It was of course even more difficult to move because who knows what poisonous plants and animals are lurking in the dark. Upon reaching the foot of the mountain, we had to walk more than a kilometer more but now on cemented grounds. We practically had to drag ourselves down because of exhaustion and hunger.

It was already late at night when we got to the town so we missed the famous restaurants there, ending up in Jollibee instead.There I decided to go ahead of the group and take the bus to Manila because I was super sleepy and I needed to get to my bed pronto!

So tired yet happy!

Jeju Stone Park Museum

To get to Jeju Stone Park Museum, one has to walk through mini forested area where I enjoyed the fresh air and again being with nature.

Inside the museum are scientific discoveries mainly bordering on the geology of the island. Such a museum, with a huge collection of different rock types, is where I can definitely spend an entire day in, being a lover of lithics. Of particular interest is the suiseki, natural rock formations which can be viewed and admired in an aesthetic way. This art was originated in Japan and is again, one aspect which Koreans borrowed.

volcanic rocks of different sizes and forms inside the musem

Because Jeju is a volcanic island, its inhabitants made use of the rocks to fashion stone crafts and implements for use in farming, fishing, stock raising, construction of fortresses, and transportation. Indeed the stone culture is very much prevalent in this part of South Korea, that even stone objects are worshiped by the people as guardians. 

Interplayed with the natural surroundings which has been wonderfully preserved despite the construction of a museum in 2001 is the mythology that tells the beginning of Jeju Island. It tells of how Grandmother Seolmundae created Jeju Island. In fact, many myths portray old women as primary divine beings, which reflect the matriarchal culture where women toil hard and men just relax.

500 Generals expressing love for their mother who sacrificed herself for them, Mt. Halla in the background

Grandma Seolmundae and the 500 Generals lithic monuments

Teddy Bear Museum, Jeju Island, Korea

I will have to say that Korea has borrowed a lot from the Japanese despite the Koreans' hatred towards the Japanese because of what happened during World War 2. Of the Japanese war crimes, perhaps the most famous is the Rape of Nanking and in the Philippines, well known among history aficionados is the Rape of Manila. This borrowing, I suppose, is not out of admiration but due to desire for revenge. At present, Korean telenovelas have replaced J-dramas, K-POP pushed J-POP to the sidelines, and Korean makeup is gaining raves even from Westerners. In short, it is a popular cultural battle, out to defeat Japan.

One of these borrowings is the preference for all things cute and cuddly especially among teenagers. Our group has more young once than young ones but that didn't deter the guide from taking us to Teddy Bear Museum. Upon entering your eyebrows will automatically raise all by itself. All these stuffed toys???

Oh but go upstairs and be mesmerized by the artistry and attention to details. Teddy bears are of course given central focus in this museum and popular scenes from many a fairy tale are reenacted--- but all characters are teddy bears.

Gulliver's Travels

A pleasant surprise is finding a Vitruvian bear, patterned after Da Vinci's Vitruvian man. Now things are definitely getting more witty. 

Vitruvian Man

And in one gallery is where Greek gods and goddesses, all in their teddy bear forms, are found. After this, I left the museum with a smile on my face.

Greek goddess of hunt, Artemis

De-stressing in the Metro

With the many events suddenly happening week after week plus five regular workdays, it's hard to find time to pamper one's self. I already consider myself lucky for having opportunities to go out of Metro Manila frequently this year because the fresh mountain air revitalizes me and gives me that much needed boost to face the toxic urban jungle again.

Just yesterday though I met up with a college friend at Ace Water Spa. I was able to get discount vouchers from an officemate and I thought it would be a perfect place for us to find some quiet time together and just update each other on what's going on in our lives.

Ace Water Spa looks small from the outside. But when we got inside, this kiddo got giddy! The place was one awesome waterworld, reminding me of One Piece's Water 7 somewhat. I've never seen so much water in one of the metro's busiest cities.

We enjoyed each of the water spa's offerings in less than four hours, getting the most of the hydromassage most of all. We also tried the steam bath and the sauna but the sudden rise in temperature the moment you walk in was something my body couldn't stand. I still prefer the sauna room in an ex-officemate's condo because there we can adjust the room temperature and also opt for gradual temp increase.

We left feeling cleansed. That's what you get after dipping in the herbal pools, too. Then we walked to Banawe St where I initially planned to take her to Shangtsu but because I forgot where the exact location is, we had late lunch at T Cup Zone where I ordered a double Taiwan beef noodles. Boy was I surprised and delighted at the sight of the HUGE bowl! My friend had kung pao chicken rice meal. This happy kid just got her money's worth after devouring thick QQ noodles. Yum! (This is compensation for not being able to have ramen at Little Tokyo last Friday when I went to Makati. Apparently, the Japanese restos there open only during mealtimes.) Oh and I'd like to bring my sisters there so we can have our sisterly date.

One memorable thing about our date was that she commented at how I am always wearing T shirts. I don't understand what the issue is since I really just wear extra casual clothes (read: pambahay) on dates except when watching concerts and plays. She said, "then don't complain if boys wouldn't approach you!" Major OUCH!

That's why sometimes I hate talking about my non-existent love life, or even about my crushes.

And so she gave me the blue dress I borrowed when we were in Cambodia, plus another dress because she says she looks like a kiddo when in those dresses. Ah well, perfect for me since I enjoy looking young!

We parted ways at Quezon Avenue, with me going straight to SM North. I forgot yesterday was payday and when I got there I was ultra overwhelmed by the number of people. But I had to brave the crowds just for my banking needs. Of course a mall visit is never complete without going to NBS, Booksale, and Chris Sports. I held tight to my money though.

Then off to Fishermall where I was glad to see another event at the lobby. Seeing musicians there inspire me to do my best in playing the violin so that one day I will deserve the spotlight. There were also two exhibits there. One was on Pinoy inventions where I bought a manual heating pad and healing oil. (It was extra expensive but I was open to try the products, plus it's something I can definitely bring with me when out hiking or camping.)

Got home at 7pm. Despite not having enough sleep these past few days, I surprised myself at how I still found time to be with a friend, all for the sake of reconnecting with the right people. (In short, people who do not befriend you because of the material perks of being with you, but because they truly enjoy being with you. This is just the topic of my conversation with fellow officemates, about how people nowadays become friendly users and do not really care about their "friends". There are many who will label me as their friend but with whom I cannot feel even the slightest care nor concern unless they need me.)

Dolores, Quezon

It was in highschool when I started to delve into the occult. Back then my life revolved around religions because at some point, the Catholic beliefs I grew up with suddenly could not keep up with all the questions sprouting in my head. Questions about life and death, questions about the paranormal, questions about the powers of the mind, questions about God. I read anything and became familiar with Jaime Licauco and Tony Perez, wishing to one day meet them and have long conversations with them. I pursued my research until my sophomore year in college, the abrupt stop I owe to the shift in interest to Asian literature.

This year, just when I thought that Mt. Arayat would be my last climb, I said yes to a last-minute invitation to Dolores, Quezon. I've been wanting to explore Banahaw since my college years when I heard many stories of it being a mystical place so receiving an invite would only mean drop everything and go! Also, it's a chance to explore more the Southern part of Luzon since I am not that familiar with that region.

Buddha altar where we had our spiritual meeting

Mt. Calvary where pilgrims flock to during the Holy Week

A shrine, symbol of the deification of our national hero Jose Rizal

 Waking up early in the morning at 3:50am was expected. I got to JAM Liner in Kamias and boarded the bus at 4:30 but the bus left at 5:20am! While on the road, Maybe This Time was showing and I watched the first part until I fell asleep. I got off at San Pablo Medical Center at 7:20am and joined the other participants.

We joined the organizers and I was awed at the number of equipment they have. Big ropes and lots of carabiners! I have a thing for carabiners so just imagine my joy! Needless to say, I was reminded of my military science days when I was considered to be the best in knots. It was an honor I would never forget because I sucked big time at rappelling due to my fear of heights. I did redeem myself because I thoroughly enjoyed my last rappel which was done in a natural setting, in Mt. Makiling no less and I was commended for my swift movements. (Sometimes I wonder maybe I really just thrive when surrounded by nature... I've always thought I am one wild girl.)

Our camp was Kuya Kristy's rest house. While resting we introduced ourselves and I was delighted because the leader was also a very spiritual person. I met people whose third eye is open and I totally enjoyed the conversations I had with some of them especially about supernatural creatures. (I think I'll have to write about the stories in a separate blog entry...)

captured kukri snake

After lunch, we had lectures on basic life saving, rescue, and a discussion on poisonous animals but focusing on venomous snakes. I've always thought that we should only be wary of colorful ones like the ever famous coralsnakes but more venomous species are being discovered like a species of coral snake bearing strong semblance to the nonvenomous kukri (Oligodon) snakes. I had to ask if there is any creature immune to snake venom and they said the honey badger is. So I blurted out, okay, time for genetic engineering! (But of course I'm not at all supportive of that since I respect the natural flow.)

While hiking to a nearby rappelling practice area, I got to know more about the flora of Banahaw. Being naturally curious and feeling like a herbalist out on a mission to get plant medicine everytime I go hiking, I asked a lot of questions about local plants. I was told to beware lipang kalabaw (Dendrocnide meyeniana) and lipang aso, both from the nettle plant. These two cause skin irritation upon contact and this may last for a very long time. One of the organizers told me that even months after touching one, he could still feel the itchiness coupled with pain. 

I was also glad to see familiar plants. One is a mushroom growing on branches which I often see in my hikes. Another is the wandering jew, a medicinal plant used by Chinese herbalists. I recognized it from my recent trip to Hong Kong when I visited the Museum of Medicinal Sciences.

bark mushroom (don't know if that's what it really is but I call it bark mushroom...)

We stopped all rappelling activities when night fell. After dinner we had more lectures on rescue and first aid. Then we went out to do night caving at Husgado (Cave of Judgment). It's a good thing we were informed beforehand to bring headlamp so I quickly bought one the day before, a welcome addition to my hiking items. (I still don't feel worthy to be called a mountaineer...)

wandering Jew (I forgot the local name...) growing near the entrance to Husgado

I've heard stories of Husgado from classmates who were lucky to go on a field trip to Banahaw for their classes. They say that only good people can pass through the narrow paths inside the cave, that no matter the size of a person, he or she will fit in just right if he/ she is good. Indeed it was enigmatic for me and I still cannot believe that the big guys who were with us were able to pass through when I myself had great difficulty doing so.

After the caving experience, we did a simulation of night rescue. It was a humbling experience to know how truly difficult it is to carry a person on a spine board while treading rough terrain. Not to mention the cooperation and teamwork required to successfully transport an injured victim to a safe place. I'm glad though because after the exercise, many of the organizers commended me for a job well done in "leading" us participants. I think it comes naturally for me to be at the helm when everybody is confused as to what to do. I calmly gave out instructions and made sure everybody is ready for coordination. They said they saw how strong my will was and even persuaded me to take up EMT (Emergency Medical Training) and join rescue efforts. Of course there was a happy feeling but I know my shortcomings so I declined saying I still have a lot of things to learn about mountaineering. That and truth be told, I'm a lousy mountain climber. I tend to be on all fours when in the mountains (thus earning a nickname "Planet of the Apes" LOL!) so how can I rescue a victim? But it sure opened my eyes to the fact that I need to be stronger because when I am with people I always feel responsible for them and what they say in animé is true, get strength from your desire to protect and at the same time, exert effort to be strong to be able to protect.

That night, while my fellow participants washed themselves and slept early, I decided to participate in the spiritual meeting. The full moon was such a beauty that night but due to the trees overhead I wasn't able to take a decent picture. What I experienced was something weird. I closed my eyes and saw a blurred vision of an altar with bright colored lights. The following morning the others told me they saw the same thing, which is weird because I never told anyone about the vision. Though theirs was not blurred but rather clear and one even saw the Virgin Mary.

the waters at the Bakas (Footprint) are believed to have healing properties

The next morning we woke up late so we missed the sunrise at Mt. Calvary. We still proceeded though even without breakfast. I was able to eat one slice of my wheat bread though but after more than three hours of trekking I was super hungry by the time we got to Barangay Kinabuhayan and we had to walk some 1.5 km to get to Sta. Lucia. Whew!

an altar at the foot of Mt Calvary just before Cristalino waterfalls

the magnificent body of water from the falls

Brgy. Kinabuhayan at the foot of Mt. Calvary

Once we got to Kuya Kristy's, I washed up and finally took a long refreshing bath. It felt good to be fresh and clean again. We packed up after lunch and before I hopped inside the jeepney, I made sure I bought 1.5 liters of sukang kaong, a specialty in Dolores. Sadly there was no sukang kurat there. (I miss Tayabas!!!)

The other participants went ahead to the lake but I was so sleepy I doubt I'd be able to last another hour on the road so I got down at the highway and took a bus to Manila with one of the participants. We had to stand inside the bus for an hour though before we finally got seated and of course, the sleepyhead instantly fell asleep and woke up just as the bus was nearing the terminal in Pasay.

It was tiring, having a packed schedule like that but my heart would burst from too much happiness because I got to rappel again and because, well, I love the mountain air. Truly a wild girl's escape from the crazy urban life!