It's June now, and I'm flying to the US in a few hours: primarily for work, but it's easy to enjoy anywhere. If anyone is interested in watching our concert tour of the west coast, go to Music Arts Events for the details.
Showing posts with label hiking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hiking. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Fly, Work, Fly, Work
I am terrible at this. I missed all of May (my birth month!) when I wanted to share about the trips leading to my birthday. I went to Camiguin and Ilocos Norte in a span of two weeks, and I was exhausted but so, so content.
It's June now, and I'm flying to the US in a few hours: primarily for work, but it's easy to enjoy anywhere. If anyone is interested in watching our concert tour of the west coast, go to Music Arts Events for the details.
It's June now, and I'm flying to the US in a few hours: primarily for work, but it's easy to enjoy anywhere. If anyone is interested in watching our concert tour of the west coast, go to Music Arts Events for the details.
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Masungi Georeserve: Benchmark of Conservation
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| The iconic giant spiderweb made of steel wires |
Since Masungi opened its gates to the public in December of 2015, I've been intrigued by the photos on my social media feeds. Visits are by reservation only, so after two foiled plans of going, I was invited by fellow Mabuhaykers with only two days notice and finally went. Lately, spontaneous has always worked out the best for me, despite my propensity for thorough research and detailed itineraries.
Located in Baras, Rizal, it was just a surprising hour and a half away from my part of the city, even on a Wednesday morning. We left at roughly 6:30 am, and arrived at San Andres, Tanay by 8:30 am -- we had apparently gone past it on the highway for several kilometers at that point. With time to kill until our 12:40 pm tour, we decided to look for Kinabuan Falls, which was said to be nearby.
Entering through the same arch as I did a month ago en route to Mt. Batolusong, we asked around for Kinabuan on Mt. Ibid, but received mixed information. To cut this part of the story short, it turned out it was at least 10 km away from the highway on very rough roads, and the hike a good 14 hours to and from the falls, so we knew it was an adventure for another day. Even the alternative Mt. Maynuba and Mt. Cayabu with its "8 Wonder Falls" would've had us pressed for time, even if it was much closer to where we were.
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| Idyllic landscapes and cool, crisp air |
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| Crispy Talong & Calamari at Cafe Katerina: delicious food, beautiful view, and golden retrievers |
We killed time at Cafe Katerina, a restaurant by the highway further down, and apparently frequented by cross-country bikers. Our al fresco table had a killer view of the mountain ranges, the winding road below, Laguna de Bay in the horizon, and even the windmills of Pililla to the far right. It was cool enough for my companions to sport their jackets and leg warmers.
We were greeted by a friendly Golden Retriever, and as it led me in, I saw that they were a pack of about 6 dogs! Anyone who knows me can guess what happened after that... I played with all of them, except a black retriever, who was chained up, looking moody. The staff warned that he was known to snap at people on "off days." Oh yeah, we were talking about the restaurant, count on me to get sidetracked by dogs.
Ate Isay ordered longganisa with garlic rice and a side of crispy eggplant, Kuya Robert got some sort of beef stew, and I got the calamari and crispy talong pictured above. All the food were well seasoned and prepared, with hefty servings good for sharing, and prices ranged between ~P90-200 only. Certain value for money, and I'd definitely eat there again next time.
Ate Isay ordered longganisa with garlic rice and a side of crispy eggplant, Kuya Robert got some sort of beef stew, and I got the calamari and crispy talong pictured above. All the food were well seasoned and prepared, with hefty servings good for sharing, and prices ranged between ~P90-200 only. Certain value for money, and I'd definitely eat there again next time.
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| Photo grabbed from https://elmoresylvan.wordpress.com |
I was introduced to the rest of the group when they caught up with us there for lunch, and then we convoyed to Masungi. The entrance to the place is easy to miss with its classy minimalist sign bearing its logo and the words "KM47 Baras, Rizal." From the highway, only a small parking lot is in view; and it's not until you take a short walk down a path past a tower with buzzing power lines that you will see the receiving area. They had tables to gather people for the welcome orientation, shelves for bags and helmets, and clay pots to refill bottles with mineral water. The paths were lined with colorful flowers and marked with sketched wooden signs.
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| Wild tomatoes by the path that a caretaker gave me to plant |
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| Labeled as Suotan, loosely translated as pathway or somewhere you can squeeze into |
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| One of several hanging bridges |
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| Could this be the biggest hammock in the world? |
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| Swings inside a hut: unusual but fun |
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| Mosaics that feature some of the endemic animals found in those mountains: this one is the mouse deer |
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| After descending a rope section, it extends to the other side of the forest |
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| I took this from the highest point of Tatay, my companions on the way up |
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| Sunset of a really good day |
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Day Hikes and Nature Walks
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| The cover of the handbook features the author atop the Monolith, if I'm not mistaken |
I got my copy of "Day Hikes and Nature Walks from Manila: Itineraries and Backpacking Notes" by Gideon Lasco. A friend coordinated the order for 5 books, and we got free nationwide delivery.
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| Signed to "Kaye of the Mabuhaykers" |
Gideon Lasco is a licensed physician, and was apparently my sister's junior at PGH at one point. He is more popularly known as the Pinoy Mountaineer, and his blog at pinoymountaineer.com has become my #1 reference before hitting up the trails. His blog is not only extensive with details on altitude, difficulty, and trail class, but has beautiful descriptions of the terrain.
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| Sample pages and itinerary |
The chapters are based on topography, like tropical rainforests or seascapes. Within these segments are lists of mountains or water forms, and each of those include short narratives that paint a picture of what to expect. Tips, sample itineraries, and sometimes estimated expenses are recorded as well.
I wish I had gotten this sooner, because the rainy season has really put a damper on my hikes, literally and figuratively. For now, I'll have to read about the remaining summits on the lists, and wait for a perfect, sunny day to get back out there.
Sunday, April 24, 2016
Mabuhay!
I've been back in Manila for a few weeks now, and I've been trying to sit down and write my stories, but it's so hard to start describing a trip that unexpectedly changed my life. Without getting into too much detail at the moment, I'll just share some of the things I've been up to since coming home - the product of an awakened sense of adventure, the longing to always be in nature, and the urge to share love and kindness to as many people as I can reach.
During our time in Hawai'i, my travel twin, Celine, and I were initially so caught off guard that everywhere we went, the majority greeted everyone else with aloha. This word is popularly known to mean both "hello" and "goodbye;" but it became apparent that it was more than just a greeting, it's a culture. In a particularly moving, serendipitous meeting with a tribal leader during our stay in Kauai, we learned that alo means "to share the present/a presence face to face," and ha means the "breath of life." To say aloha to another acknowledges that we share this life and this world with every breath, and it is perhaps this thinking that is the root of their respect and compassion toward one another.
I was struck by this one particular day, when we chanced upon a public school at the mouth of the woods. The campus is nestled by mountains, with its paths occasionally fenced in by small vegetable gardens that seemed to be tended by the school's attendees. We arrived at a busy time, at dismissal, with teachers and students hugging and saying goodbye to one another. Some were already pulling their cars out of parking, some were busy segregating garbage or gathering their bags (we later learned they had just arrived from a camping trip,) while others were just chatting and enjoying each others' company. Despite their business, most everyone greeted us with aloha as we passed through, and several children (the youngest to approach us looked about five) asked if we were lost, and offered information and help. I was positively floored by this treatment; and then immediately felt sad that those acts of kindness were jarring to me. What had I grown accustomed to? Shouldn't this be the norm?
This became food for thought for many days, and got me thinking about home. I pondered on aloha as a greeting, and searched for something similar in our language. Instantly, mabuhay came to mind, the word we tell foreigners to use to say hello (but don't use ourselves.) It was easy to see that both greetings focused on a common theme: life. I realized that our traditional (but neglected) greeting has an equally beautiful message: to say mabuhay could be a command to "Live!" or it could be a toast, "(Long) live!"
Inspired by this, I told Celine that I'd start saying mabuhay to everyone when I get back to Manila (and she jokingly retorted that I might make it to the news for being a crazy balikbayan!) To cut the story short, both of us agreed that we want to ignite the same sense of community of love and kindness in our home islands... and where better to start than in the source of all life: nature. So, the Mabuhaykers was born, a portmanteau of mabuhay and hiking, the spontaneous merging of the things we love: nature and culture. We started planning trips between us, and invited some of our friends to come, and what an adventure we've had so far!
On all our trips, we've been trying to share our mission with our friends, and encourage them to say, "Mabuhay!" to greet people we come across. The responses have been varied, but all positive. Some assume that we're visitors to the country, and start responding to us in English; most reply with mabuhay as well. Filipinos are not used to "small talk," so some respond shyly, often others respond enthusiastically, but definitely all receive it happily.
Isabuhay ang Mabuhay! Let's live and spread the spirit of Mabuhay! Love and kindness make little changes that matter.
For more pictures, check out our albums on Facebook. Our rough itineraries and budgets are also posted on every event. Message if you wanna join us!
During our time in Hawai'i, my travel twin, Celine, and I were initially so caught off guard that everywhere we went, the majority greeted everyone else with aloha. This word is popularly known to mean both "hello" and "goodbye;" but it became apparent that it was more than just a greeting, it's a culture. In a particularly moving, serendipitous meeting with a tribal leader during our stay in Kauai, we learned that alo means "to share the present/a presence face to face," and ha means the "breath of life." To say aloha to another acknowledges that we share this life and this world with every breath, and it is perhaps this thinking that is the root of their respect and compassion toward one another.
I was struck by this one particular day, when we chanced upon a public school at the mouth of the woods. The campus is nestled by mountains, with its paths occasionally fenced in by small vegetable gardens that seemed to be tended by the school's attendees. We arrived at a busy time, at dismissal, with teachers and students hugging and saying goodbye to one another. Some were already pulling their cars out of parking, some were busy segregating garbage or gathering their bags (we later learned they had just arrived from a camping trip,) while others were just chatting and enjoying each others' company. Despite their business, most everyone greeted us with aloha as we passed through, and several children (the youngest to approach us looked about five) asked if we were lost, and offered information and help. I was positively floored by this treatment; and then immediately felt sad that those acts of kindness were jarring to me. What had I grown accustomed to? Shouldn't this be the norm?
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| Patches of vegetables and herbs to the left, and happy people to the right |
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| Lucky we got lost here: teachers and students chatting before saying goodbye |
This became food for thought for many days, and got me thinking about home. I pondered on aloha as a greeting, and searched for something similar in our language. Instantly, mabuhay came to mind, the word we tell foreigners to use to say hello (but don't use ourselves.) It was easy to see that both greetings focused on a common theme: life. I realized that our traditional (but neglected) greeting has an equally beautiful message: to say mabuhay could be a command to "Live!" or it could be a toast, "(Long) live!"
Inspired by this, I told Celine that I'd start saying mabuhay to everyone when I get back to Manila (and she jokingly retorted that I might make it to the news for being a crazy balikbayan!) To cut the story short, both of us agreed that we want to ignite the same sense of community of love and kindness in our home islands... and where better to start than in the source of all life: nature. So, the Mabuhaykers was born, a portmanteau of mabuhay and hiking, the spontaneous merging of the things we love: nature and culture. We started planning trips between us, and invited some of our friends to come, and what an adventure we've had so far!
On all our trips, we've been trying to share our mission with our friends, and encourage them to say, "Mabuhay!" to greet people we come across. The responses have been varied, but all positive. Some assume that we're visitors to the country, and start responding to us in English; most reply with mabuhay as well. Filipinos are not used to "small talk," so some respond shyly, often others respond enthusiastically, but definitely all receive it happily.
Isabuhay ang Mabuhay! Let's live and spread the spirit of Mabuhay! Love and kindness make little changes that matter.
For more pictures, check out our albums on Facebook. Our rough itineraries and budgets are also posted on every event. Message if you wanna join us!
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