PALACE-NOW-FOUND: Finding the Palace of Love and Hope

Remember my blog post about a "lost" palace?http://exercisingmywritesbyespiecorpuz.blogspot.com/2014/11/getting-lost-in-sirindhorn-park.html

Hubby and I returned to Sirindhorn Park in Cha-am to bike around. It was breezy but the afternoon was warm.  After one round I decided biking wasn't really for me as I panic and lose my balance each time another biker gets too close.  Hubby couldn't get me to bike one more round so we parked our rented bikes beside an arch covered with vines.  

Just at the entrance, after walking past the souvenir shop and through an archway guarded by a couple of naked bronze statues, one on each side.

Be welcomed by this sight as you pass through the vine-covered arched entrance. Be enveloped by the feeling of serenity and oneness with nature.  The sound of the sea. Tje rustling of the leaves. The chirping of the birds and other insects. The sounds of silence.

We enter the archway and find ourselves at the entrance of an expansive grassy grounds shadowed by giant acacia and ficus trees. The ficus trees look ominous with their intrinsically-gnarled roots that tell of age. Following the paved walkway a quaint structure looms in front of us. It is made of several individual wooden cottages on wooden stilts or legs and are interconnected by roofed path walks made of wooden planks.  These cottages comprise the Palace and yes, we are on the Palace grounds!

      

This is it!  The Mrigadayavan Palace. Simple and dainty, but once held the strongest power of the nation.  The King lived here with his family and staff during summertime.  The Palace consists of three big cottages or pavilions that looked exactly the same, connected by  covered walkways that allow one a full view of the sea.

From the entrance to the grounds, the Palace peeps through the trunks of  a mixture of young and very old trees.  Don't expect a sparkling structure. Made of teak wood and  standing on hundred stilts, this one's different from all other palaces I've ever seen and imagined. 

Old trees with trunks covered with prayer envelopes.  The whole area is sheltered with tall, verdant  trees, making the otherwise humid day a fine day to stroll on the grounds.

Excitedly,  we looked for the entrance to the Palace, which proved quite a challenge because we couldn't read the printed signs. Some local guests helped us by pointing to the right cottage. What we thought to be the entrance was actually the exit! 

So at the right cottage,  we take off our shoes and leave our cameras behind. Barefoot, we climb the stairs and saunter somberly, as there are signs that request guests to keep silent in respect for locals who are there to meditate.  Not all cottages are open for viewing, but then I have the feeling that these closed areas are not any different from the ones we have already seen.

Peeping into each one-room affair  living quarter with divisions for private activities, one wonders how the occupants spent their time here, growing up and growing old.  This palace had been home to the royal family and King Rama VI's  concubines. One pavilion was for the exclusive use of the king; a second exclusive for the king's wife, Queen Indrasakdi Sachi, and her court; and a third, for multi-purpose functions.

These days this palace functions as a museum to showcase the life of the old royal family. Some of the displays include a wedding gown, beds, bathrooms, tea sets, musical instruments, etc.  The focal point of this expansive museum was the huge dining hall that used to house a hundred diners--royal families, extended relatives, the concubines, foreign dignitaries, guests and probably the consorts. An antiquated  menu for dinner is on display by the doorway and surprisingly, the whole course from appetizer to dessert was of French cuisine prepared by, of course, a French chef.

The whole structure is old and  is undergoing preservation efforts initiated by King Bhumibol,  Some areas at this time are cordoned to ward off guests because of on-going reconstruction activities.

The living quarters are elevated from the ground on hundreds and hundreds of pillars.

The covered walk that goes all around one building and leads to the two other buildings.

The whole structure is well-ventilated and the clean air coming from the ocean goes through open-wide windows, high ceilings and fretwork adorning the the walls.

The architecture of the whole expanse of building is very appropriate to a life by the sea. The whole place welcomes the  sea breeze to pass through and ventilate the quarters.  The walls washed with white and pastel blue or pink do not clash at all with the natural green of the surroundings.  I could imagine an evening stroll along the bridge to be so romantic, or an early morning walk at the Cha-am beach with the view of the Gulf of Thailand spread across the horizon, meeting up with the clear blue sky.

The tour thus ended, we reclaim our belongings and trace our way out of the Palace grounds, back to the beautiful entrance.  Along the way we find a flowing fountain area concealed behind thick vines.  This is a lovers' garden, definitely. I could almost visualize a youthful king professing his amorous intentions to a young queen or any of his concubines as they sit in one of those whitewashed benches in front of the fountain. No wonder this palace is called the Palace of Love and Hope.

Before one gets to the palace, or leaves the palace as is in our case,  one passes by this rotund park ensconced within a wire fence covered with vines.  At the center is a flowing fountain that gives the spot an impression of romantic dalliances at any time of day.

My pride may have been wounded by my failure at my attempts to like biking, but the tour around the Palace-now-found healed the broken spirits completely. :-)

Portraits from Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

One's travel to Thailand is never complete without a side trip to one of its floating markets, particularly the largest and most-visited by tourists, the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market in Ratchaburi Province,  about 100 kilometers away, or roughly two hours' ride from Bangkok.  How do you say the name? Read: damnernsadwak.

Once you get there you are welcomed by stalls and stalls of  mostly Thai products: handmade crafts, souvenirs, bags, purses, key chains and other trinkets, and local homemade delicacies.  You must know how to haggle because there's a different price set for tourists, expectedly exorbitantly higher than what the vendors would give to the locals.

There's a large market hall across the canal from the parking lot side, half of it occupied by a very fashionable lady whom everybody calls Madam Paew.  All the goods sold in her turf  are of fixed price.  So you can probably benchmark  from there when you go shopping in other stalls down the canal.   But it's always advisable to haggle lower than half until you come to a compromise with the vendor.  Be polite.

By the way, it's also a must to hire a paddle boat--rowboat/long-tailed boat-- (cheaper, around 100 to 150 baht) or a motor boat (200 to 300 baht) that will take you down the water-alleys where there are more beautiful products sold.  Enjoy haggling in every stall.  Just remember, whenever you inquire about an item, it will be a bit difficult to break away if you decide not to buy.  The vendors are quite persistent and the boat won't leave unless you order the paddler to move on.

There are many other floating markets around Thailand, many of them authentic and traditional, meaning they have been there for about a hundred years old, or thereabout, mainly for trade than for tourism.  Many of them have been rarely visited by foreign tourists.  As the grand floating markets like the Damnoen Saduak and the Amphawa have become main tourist destinations, they have also become busy and too crowded, hence attention is now turning toward those quaint old little riverside markets that still show the regular way of life of people living in the banks and using the water thoroughfares to commute from home to market and other places.  Some vacationers do prefer places  where one can just hang out, shop a bit, have a quick boat tour, and sip coffee in the quiet. 

Getting Lost In Sirindhorn Park

Yet another of what is touted  as "Royal Initiatives," the  Sirindhorn International Environmental Park is situated inside Rama VI Military Camp in Amphoe, Chaam.  As the name suggests, it is one of those natural parks in this  side of Thailand that had been built to conserve and showcase nature in the raw. Purported to be a natural venue for learning, the park was built to be such a place where students and teachers come to discover upclose and personal about science, energy conservation, flora and fauna, mangrove rehabilitation and such other concerns.  Inside the vast compound are structures devoted to energy conservation, a  museum where documents and prototypes of such undertakings are exhibited.

Can you read that? :-)

That's what it says. :-)

Some sights inside the park.

Text, top pic: Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn grew the mangroves on August 17, 1994.

Text, bottom pic: On 14 August 1994, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn gave initiative idea  to Mr. Sumet Tantivejkul to seek the proper area as well as to look for ways to preserve the mangrove forests in coastal areas which will provide a good ecosystem and natural balances. On 2 April 1998, Thanpuying Putrie Viravaidya was asked to restore the deteriorated soil condition in order to turn to area for recreation activity and ecosystem study.

Well, that's the side that makes you wanna yawn and stretch out your arms. But here's the exciting part.  Aside from it being educational, the place is also good for biking. Yes! That is, if you are the type who enjoys leisurely biking, then this is the place for you.  Sweat it out around the compound. Along the paved pathways, under the trees, by the beach, under the sun.  Let the wind blow your hair like crazy.  

Sorry, serious cyclists who are gaga over mountain bikes and road bikes, tuck your big gears away and go for the rental bikes. The cute ones.  There are tandem bikes, as well, if you care for that stuff.

That's the kind of bike being rented here.

If you get tired of biking, go up the lane where the bird tower stands. If you're lucky enough, you'd get to see a few of those eighty-something bird species that find solace in this green place. 

This place is for birders, too! 

Now if you don't really feel like biking, feel free to be one with nature on foot. In good comfy footwear. No high heels! Slap on some sunscreen, especially if you decide to come in the morning. Bring a bottle of water. And a small towel. 

This is the reason why one should be comfy-shod here.

The man-made bridge that has become the persona of the Sirindhorn Park.

Winding thoroughfares canopied by trees and creepers.

If you get hungry, there's a line of eateries outside, at the parking area.  There is a coffee shop where you can order hot or cold coffee as well as herbal tea. And there are several more stalls that sell lovely bonnets, wide-brimmed hats accentuated with ribbons, and souvenir t-shirts and other apparel.

By the way, why were we lost? We were looking for a palace inside the compound, the Mrigadayavan Palace, but failed to find one among the trees and the mangroves.  We wandered off and found ourselves heading far away from the central area.  Then we were back in the main road, outside the park, but still inside the military camp.  We were ambling toward the bend leading to the entrance and back at the parking area. Feeling tired and thirsty and hot and hungry after the long desultory "stroll",  we decided to park our heels, cool down a bit and just have our lunch at one of the stalls there, where we found the food we were served tasted really, really  good (was it because we were feeling tired and thirsty and hot and hungry???)  that we vowed to go back there someday soon to try other dishes.

This is it for now. Next trip to this park in the near future, for the purpose of biking. And finding that palace.

Traveling Solo: Sawad-dee-kaa, Thailand

Solo flight. That was me, some days back. I had to fly to Bangkok alone to be with hubby in the next couple of weeks.  It's not my first time to fly solo, but hey, it's my first time to fly solo out of the country. And having been used to traveling this far only when hubby takes me along with him, oh, boy, was I so scared. Scared to be alone in the crowd. Scared of making mistakes and making a fool of myself big time.  

But, y' know, once you've put your one foot forward, there's no backing out.  Your next steps are easy. Of course, the jitters are there, but they do fade away.  Your nerves calm down. You learn to just go with the flow. Because that's exactly what you do. Follow the crowd, go with the flow. Just make sure that it's the right queue you're getting into.  And don't be afraid to inquire from the right people (people with airline IDs) if you get confused with the signs.

It was actually exciting, trudging along inside the airport, looking for the right counter to check into.  I arrived too early, was among the first few to check in, and so had the privilege to be asked if I would like a window seat. Yeah, sure, I'd like one.  Clouds are a great sight to behold when you're up there. Great distraction, if you couldn't sleep.  Well, I did fall asleep. I had to close the window as the sun was streaming in too brightly for comfort. I woke up when food came. Yummy PAL food.  Yey, there was ube ice cream!

When the plane hovered low over Suvarnabhumi Airport, I peered through the small window and marveled at how organized the landscape looked, and wondered why back home it's way different.  And how beautiful the airport structure is. Once inside the airport I was again impressed at the immensity that greeted me.   The immensity that again awakened the jitters in my stomach. 

I made sure I didn't  lose sight of the passengers who were in my plane.  Where they go, I go, and I'm sure to get out of the airport smoothly.  But at one point I lost them. I followed the arrows that led to the Immigration.  Got distracted by the sign that said something about visa upon arrival.  Should I proceed to that area? I continued to walk along, then realized, hey, I'm here on temporary visit, have a passport, and  I wasn't told about securing any visa.  

So I turned around and realized I lost those familiar faces!  They went the other way! Have to find them, nooooo!  Tracing my way back, I was kicking myself in the butt for being so stupid! Oh, dear, there are so many gates to choose from, now which one is the right one?  I came to a familiar vast hall where there are lots of beelines. Now which line should I choose? Hey, there they are, the Pinoy group! Haha, you could tell because they are a bit noisy, giggly, and of course, the language! Rushed up to join the queue, and was greeted by smiling faces. I smiled back. Feeling relieved, thank God for friendly people!

Pinoy will always be Pinoy. Everytime a new line is announced open, they would  rush to it excitedly to be the first in the line. I followed them three times and decided to stay put. My shoulder was aching from the heavy bag I had with me. Goodness, why did I have to bring my whole dresser with me?!? Next time I'll bring with me a smaller, lighter bag bearing just my purse, passport, airline tickets, and some gum! (Crossing my fingers on that!)

At the immigration counter, I had this silly thought of what ifs, like what if this guy inside the booth decides that there is something wrong with my passport, and calls security and they throw me in jail? Silly thoughts, didn't I just say so? It's just my wild imagination.  After going through my passport, the guy in his late fifties,  (I assumed his age basing on how gray his mop of hair was and how plenty his wrinkles were. :-P )...throws me a cursory glance, stamps away at my passport, and sends me off with a wave of his hand.  

At the baggage carousel 9, spotted my luggage immediately. It was the only one there with a pink ribbon tied around the handle.  Grabbed it and headed to the gate where I'm supposed to meet my hubby.  Saw Cel's smiling face first, then hubby follows.  Oh, familiar faces, now am afraid  no more.  Sawad-dee-kaa, Thailand! :-)

Lake Sebu: An Enchanting Place

Lake Sebu is a must-see place here in South Cotabato...Most of the land here are part of ancestral domains of the T'boli's, and with foreign and government aids, concrete roads were paved to make the area accessible to locals and especially to tourists. Travel has been very comfortable hence. There was a time when it was dirt-road all the way and when it rained, mudslides stranded the travelers. Now, one could enjoy the scenery sans humps and bumps. Well, that's not counting the dirt-road which diverts from the main road and leads to the private resorts . It's a short trip from there that's bearable anyway. This place, Lake Sebu, is so simple and rustic, although one will see  modern houses sprouting here and there. The general attractions here, aside from the two lakes (Lake Lahit and Lake Sebu) and the lush greenery all around, are the waterfalls which are accessible by hiking a few kilometers into the forest.  Lest we forget, there's the zipline purportedly the highest in Asia.

People living here are quite sociable when among themselves, as they gather in groups for chats at a neighbor's verandah, or outdoor bamboo benches built under shady trees. The people are generally timid, but very helpful when asked for directions. The kids are more amicable, waving hello or goodbye at strangers, flashing their toothy/toothless grins.

There is a museum that showcases T'boli craft, especially the loom and its products.  It's a low  house made of bamboo and wood.  Another house sells local crafts made by T'boli women, and the industry is supported by a Japanese institution.

Similar crafts sold at stores along the way are mostly made by the T'bolis themselves...from the bead accessories to the ethnic blouses to the famous T'nalak cloth which elder women weave in traditional looms. I surmise that it's the men who make the small bronze figures of bells and gongs which, I was told by a native, are moulded into shapes by burying them in the ground. How it is done, only the T'boli smiths could explain. The end-product looks very antique, as well as ethnic. If you are an expert at haggling, then good for you, and good luck, because these people know how to fix a good price for each item.

Hongkong Getaway 2008

Multiply blog

April 2008

We've just concluded our summer get-away.  This year's very special because we spent it out of the country--the kids' first time ever.  We booked economy but Lady Luck smiled upon my kids. PAL overbooked for Hong Kong in their 8 am flight that day, and a lady flight attendant approached us with quite a sumptuous offer: should we agree to be bumped off to take the 2 pm flight on the same day, we'd be given free roundtrip ticket each to Hong Kong plus 3,000 bucks ( I dunno if per pax) consummable any time after.  But my hubby declined it because we already had a tight schedule planned on budget.  So the lovely stewardess moved on to the next prospect.  

We checked in our luggage and got our boarding passes, proceeded to the departure area to wait for the boarding call.  Not too long after that, we heard our names being paged at the information counter.  We went there worrying there might be a problem with our flight after all, but we all heaved sighs of relief when we found out why:  we were being moved up to business class to give room to others in the economy.  Really wow!  The kids were ecstatic: imagine, first time out of the country in business class, a real treat indeed!

Once in Hong Kong Airport, a middle-aged, good-humored Chinese tour guide who could speak just-about-good English came to pick us up, boarded us all in a travel agency's bus and drove us to the hotel. After receiving instructions for the next day's tour, we went up to our rooms, unpacked and rested.  Found a diner just across the hotel.  First pick of the day--roasted duck.  Yummy!  

Spent the next day in Disneyland.  Got aching feet with all the walking, but enjoyed sight-seeing.  The highlighter for me was the Space Mountain ride.  Dark, scary, thrilling--I screamed my lungs off.  Held Ken by the wrist lest I lose him although I knew we were safely buckled up.  

The Winnie-the-Pooh ride was delightful.  I became a child once again (Well, I never had such rides when I was a kid).  The Interactive Ride was also sooo, sooo fun--I got to laser-shoot at bull's eyes hung all over the place; I  earned a fairly good score.

The Jungle River Cruise was fine.  We didn't get wet like I did in the US version.  The Railroad Train gave us the chance to get some rest while viewing the whole site, although we had to peep hard through lush greens.  They should have placed the tall trees behind the railroad tracks so riders could have an open view of the whole place.  

The High School Musical Show which he kids were eager to see came late in the afternoon. It was fantastic. Some dancers are definitely Pinoys, so are many of the crew around.  The Lion King show was also very spectacular! Really awesome!!! 

The best treat ever, though, was the 20-minute fireworks display at half-past-seven. Everybody gathered in front of the castle, sitting on the pavement or standing up. We all waited patiently for the moment.  It was the culmination of the day, a flabbergasting send-off to Disney visitors. Super awesome!!!  

We went home happy but my kids wished there were more exciting things to do, something more than the Space Mountain.  They're already teens, I must always remember.  Kiddie stuffs are ho-hums for them now. 

Next day we went on  a cross-border train to take a city tour of Shen zhen, a special economic zone of China.  Nothing much except we learned that it was a fairly new city, that the housing there was less expensive than in Hong Kong that is why a number of Hong Kong Chinese buy dwellings there and keep their businesses in Hong Kong.  The Hong Kong Chinese made prices of housing in Shen zhen go up a little, which the ordinary Shen zhen Chinese could hardly afford.

There is a park in Shenzhen that houses the miniature versions of famous landmarks of various countries--the Louvre, the Coliseum, the Eiffel Tower,  the pyramids and many more.  Its concept resembles that of the Nayong Pilipino of the Philippines, except for the global theme.

The following day we spent whole day at Ocean Park.  We found lots of exciting places to go there.    The Shark Aquarium was superb-- all kinds of fish and sharks, and manta rays, too!  All swimming over and right in front of you! An excellent under-the-sea experience for the non-scuba divers.

The sea lions/dolphin shows were good. Just like the one we saw in Subic's Ocean Adventure show which I liked much better.  Because that was Pinoy.  I couldn't really understand Chinese.  I clapped when others did.  But hte dolphins and sea lions were delightful.

I liked the cable car rides most especially.  We had three takes.  Really top-of-the world experience.  The boys lined up for the roller coaster ride with the three loops (!!!).  After Space Mountain, no more daring rides for me. 

There were more sights to enjoy and areas to go to but we had little time left to get back to the hotel and pack up for home.  Besides, those were the kiddie stuffs we could skip anytime.  We took the double-decker bus this time instead of the travel agency's bus, then we took the MTR (Pinoy's MRT) and walked  some blocks to get to the hotel.

Hong Kong roads are in much better condition compared to the Philippines' multi-million peso roads.  They have better fly-overs.  High-rise buildings are all around.  Even the residential buildings which looked like tenements. They are already very expensive condominiums by Philippine standards, but for Hong Kong those are regular.  But each unit must have been small.  Space is very expensive in Hong Kong, I've learned. 

If you're planning to go to Hong Kong for the first time, especially for a short visit like we had, my advice: Wear comfy sneakers or rubber shoes with soft socks.  Never try heels (like I did at the Ocean Park!)  At this time of year, it gets too cold in the morning but gets warm to hot during the day, so wear light clothes.  You can wear sexy during the day, spaghettis, sleeveless, etc. But bring jackets/ sweaters to keep your shoulders warm late in the afternoon when it gets cold again.  Don't forget to bring hats (bullcaps, wide-rimmed, bonnets, etc.).  I don't think I'd seen anyone using umbrellas there. It's too cumbersome anyway; you'll need free hands.  Just take with you a small/light  shoulder bag for your essentials. Bring extra batteries and large-memory  cards for your cameras as you'd want to just click away to preserve memories of the breath-taking views.  Load up on water.  You can bring your own baon (snacks/meals) as they are mighty expensive in the amusement parks.  You can sit anywhere and eat.  Nobody cares. 

Thailand Adventure ( 2009)

Multiply has sent notice that it's going to convert into a purely business site, so off with the  blogs and the pictures.  Just as I did with Friendster, I am transporting my stuff from there to here. So the articles you would be reading hence are about three-year-old stuff.  I will be posting pictures soon.  Multiply has already removed the ones that accompanied this article.   I'd be doing some editing when I get the time to concentrate.  Oh, I just hope Blogger never ends...

Multiply Blog

April 13 2009

Flew to Siam with kids...Bong went ahead for a meeting, we followed after a couple of days.  To travel without hubby makes me feel insecure, but with the kids being with me I have to feign confidence.

Had a blast going from temple to temple. Well, I could speak for myself, but not for my kids. They looked dead-bored. But I hope they enjoyed the whole trip, despite the fact that most of the sites we visited were temples.  Thailand's culture is fairly rich in the spiritual.  Thais are known to be gentle and polite people.  Never mind the Red protesters we saw occupying a whole stretch of  an avenue...they're just a drop in the bucket.

This is my second trip to Thailand, but I still would wanna go back someday.  Anyway, the new place I went with the bratpack was the Ayutthaya...an ancient city that thrived in the 1800s. Ruins of an ancient kingdom. Made of red bricks (or clay?) .  Headless Buddhas lined up against the wall.  A Buddha head protruding from the roots of a giant ficus! I wonder how the old Siam was like.

The floating market looks the same. Oh yeah, last time we came here we just stayed in the boat. This time we all explored the market and all its stalls, ate noodles and sticky rice with mango slices.  Haggled much for the framed scorpion that Bunsoy took fancy of.  From 750 Baht I bid down to 100, but we settled for 120.  It couldn't have been worth that much.  It was FUN! :-)    But you know, if you bid that low they would conclude that you are Filipino.  Haha, we Pinoy are known to be BAHraT!!! :-)

We visited the Summer Palace, the Bang Pa In.  The buildings we saw showcased influence of European architecture.  I don't know about the Royal Residence, because it was off-limits to tourists.  Tourists are allowed to view the Royal Temple, but not to take pictures of its interior.  Which was very sad because every inch was a beauty...the red walls, the gold inlaid, the magnificent ceilings and columns...the floor was entirely covered with red carpet.  What soul wouldn't find peace and contentment at such opulence embracing you as you worship!

We went to the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.  I thought all along the Buddha would be as humongous as the Reclining Buddha in Wat Po, but it was the total opposite.  It was small, only it was elevated at a great height that's why it looked so...commanding?  By the way, there is another Reclining Buddha in Ayutthaya, but that one needs a lot of aesthetic touches.

The Grand Palace is truly majestic!  And the temple, Wat Phra Kaeo, all I can say is Woo-oo--www!  I can't think of a word that would truly describe it. To simply say that it's beautiful is an understatement.

Along the way to Ayutthaya we passed by fields and fields dotted with tiny mountains of salt.  That is the industry in this part of Thailand.  One part produces fish sauce, or patis.  It's like their OTOP, One Town One Product.  There's a community that produces sugar from coconut, and another prides itself with its magnificent woodcarvings.  Paete doesn't even come at par when it comes to intricacy of details.  Such artistry!

My narration here is quite disorganized.  I talk about the places in a here-and-there fashion.  Anyway, you better go to Thailand with me the next time around.  There's still a hundred more temples i haven't been to. :-)  Haha, for sure Thailand has more surprises, like the beaches and the mountainsides, but that's hardly the leisurely type of vacation we wanted this time. That's more of the rough type.  Maybe we should try that one some other time.


Trivia:
http://thailandforvisitors.com/central/bangkok/index.html:
The official Thai name of Bangkok is in the Guiness Book of Records as the longest place name in the world. If you want to impress your friends, try memorizing this:
Krungthep Mahanakorn Boworn Rattanakosin Mahintharayuttha Mahadilokpop Noparatratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniveymahasathan Amornpiman Avatransathit Sakkathattiay-avisnukarmprasit.

What a mouthful!  What it means: "Great city of angels; the repository of divine gems; the great land unconquerable; the grand and prominent realm; the royal and delightful capital full of nine noble gems; the highest royal dwelling and grand palace; the divine shelter and living place of reincarnated spirits."

Traveling Back In P.E. Time, Part 2: Mountain Trekking in Laguna

"Leave nothing but footprints. Take nothing but pictures. Keep nothing but memories.  Kill nothing but time."--This was what our PE Prof kept reiterating to his PE class that decided to embark on a mountain trekking as a second outdoor activity for the semester.  It was a low-impact camping class, so we were to do trekking instead of climbing.  Again Professor Ronnie Dizer received help from his fellow Mountaineers who escorted us all the way.

The whole group took a bus going to Famy, Laguna. I remember we got off, not at a proper terminal, but in front of a small sari-sari store.  From there we abandoned the main road and moved deep into a coconut plantation (well, more like green pastureland sheltered by towering coconut trees).  I could say this was a normal route trekkers always took.  Our Mountaineers knew the trail by heart.
Well, remember, this happened over a decade ago, so things would certainly have changed between then and now.  So keep on reading, I cannot write this any other way but  flashback.

The Mountaineers escorted us head and tail, meaning some of them led, and some of them fell behind.  We went  past some grazing animals, past some farmhouses made of bamboo and other light materials.  After more than a hundred meters or so, we were moving into  the woods, with no dwellings in sight, although sporadically there would appear  an abandoned ramshackle shanty that looked so melancholic as it stood under some clumps of  trees.

We waded through  ankle-deep, knee-deep and waist-deep rivers.  Then we were moving uphill but we hardly noticed it.  The conversations and the laughters of the fellow trekkers kept our minds off the trail.

We realized the uphill trail only when we had to climb a steep part, holding on to the rope that  one of the Mountaineers ahead tied to a tree.  I thought it was going to be difficult given the fact that we'd come a long way from the drop-off point and our legs were already so tired .  But I managed to go up without a whine.  This was the time my prof said he was beginning to worry about me, but he was surprised that I held up so well.  I just smiled but deep inside of me I was wishing I could turn back and go home.  But that was just a thought, really. I was enjoying the trek, because everyone was chirpy.  We were all doing fine and ecstatic, especially when we got to the highest point and we had a vantage view of how far we had come.  We have reached Siniloan.

We've come from way down there, beyond the second hump.    By the time we reached this point it was already  mid-day We had to hurry so we could reach our campsite before dark.

We had to be very careful because the trail was slippery.  Throw in the fact that we had no guide ropes to hold on to this time.  The Mountaineers decided not to make our life too easy lest we not savor the experience after this trip. 

We managed the steep by clinging on to shrubs, leaves and roots of trees.  We were thick with mud all over.  Once we were all down at a clearing we were led to a curve and were overwhelmed by the sight that greeted us--the majestic Buruwisan Falls.  It was indeed jaw-dropping as we gushed with oohs and aaahs!

THE Buruwisan Falls.
 It falls powerfully into a wide catch basin and the water  magically turns emerald green

That challenging descent that we took was actually the altitude of the waterfall!  Some daredevil trekkers could have rappelled their way down. 
Or could have jumped from the top?  
I didn't know if the last option was possible or safe.

Tired bodies embraced the cool and refreshing water with great gusto, frolicked like little kids.  We stayed their for an hour, relaxing. Some opted to stay at the rim of the basin, sitting on rocks and logs; some braved the currents and swam up to the drop.  Everybody was having fun.

It was getting dark so we left the enchanting place hesitantly.  All wet but refreshed, we followed the shallow stream that led to our campsite.  There were a few houses there, and some sari-sari stores.  The Mountaineers chose our area, a rocky part of land beside the stream, quite far from the houses.  There we pitched our tents and waited till dinner time.  Our fees included a simple dinner, which they prepared for us.  After dinner we gathered for some socials--just talks, jokes, anecdotes. Everybody was relaxed and just enjoying the company.

Huddled around our single source of light, a Petromax, we were like little children listening to some bedtime stories that our 'kuyas' shared from their experiences as Mountaineers.  

They even taught us a chant that allegedly would lead us to self-realization.  Recite the chant and it will dawn on you. Once it happened, fall out of the circle and be very quiet, until everybody has fallen out and the circle is empty. 

 So we  mustered concentration, followed after Prof Dizer as the somber musical chant escaped from his mouth syllabically, and fell out of the circle one by one.  We sat in the  back quietly, avoiding each other's eyes lest the others see the emotions being held back by every individual.

Unfortunately, there was one single soul who took a very long time to achieve his self-realization that it was the chanter, Prof Dizer, who finally gave up.  

When he threw his arms up in the air  in  concession, we all broke into guffaws, literally rolling on the ground holding our tummies and tears streaming from our eyes.

The chant?  Now concentrate, try this slowly, somberly, seriously,  and achieve your own self-realization: aaah---bbbhaygaaahh---goophalaaaaa--kooooow.....

Look closely at what we were having to combat the cold of the night.  Most of us decided not to change into our dry clothes.  We were taught to travel very very light.  And the next day was going to be super-wet anyway.

Super-wet, because we had to cross streams and rivers to get to the next site: the Tatlong Palanggana Falls.  This is a set of waterfalls that looked like small basins in gradual sizes. That's the origin of the name.  The smaller waterfall at the top is called Tabu-tabo Falls, which collects into the smallest catch basin that drains out into the Palanggana Falls, the catch basin of which  is slightly larger than the first and drains out into the Batya-batya Falls which in turn drains out into a much bigger pool of green water.  Their names are derived from Tagalog terms all referring to water tubs in different sizes: "tabo, palanggana, and batya."

This is on the second level. You can cross the deep going to the highest level, the Tabu-tabo, by grabbing the guide rope and pulling yourself  up. To get down from there, you'll have to jump to the water, grabbing the guide rope and pulling yourself again back to the rocks.

That's me, being pushed to jump, because I was such a coward. I wasn't a confident swimmer. (I did get a 'kalabasa' award in Red Cross from way back in high school because I was such a slow learner)

Traveling Back In P.E. Time, Part 1: Overnight at Pico de Loro

It can't be helped, old pictures will surely get dug out from deep under their hiding places. Reminiscence will take over.  Just like now.

This afternoon I embarked on a memory-preservation project. Mission: save old pictures from further dilapidation by preserving them in digital mode.  Scan and save.

I did unearth some college photos taken in 1990 when my PE class went camping on two occasions: one in a beach, and another up the mountains.  Both times brought  much-needed breaks in the humdrum of my college life.  Both times, too, tested my stamina for long treks and bus rides.  I'd say I did well, which surprised my PE professor. I didn't know he was keeping his eyes on me until he told me he was impressed that I could carry on without much trouble.  Did I really look that softie? :-)

My classmates and I, on a 30-minute boat-ride to Pico de Loro in Nasugbu, Batangas, to camp for two days in a beach cove that looked like one of the virgin beaches in Palawan.   Before we took this ride, we had lunch at a barangay captain's house where we stayed for a couple of hours to rest after hours of sitting on  a bus from Manila.  The boatride was fun, fun, fun because my classmates were full of humor.  I can't remember their names now, except of that girl on the left...her name is Baby.  She was my camp buddy.

Pico de Loro is just one of the  coves off Nasugbu.  There are a dozen others.  Back then, it was a rustic, very remote getaway sans amenities.   There were the lush trees, the fine sand, and the clear waters.  Guests had to bring tents for shelter.  Now the area is a prime development that boasts of modern facilities and recreational activities.

Breakfast by the sea.  

We were accompanied by members of the UP Mountaineers who were there to assist our PE Prof who himself was a member as well.  The guy in black on the right, we called him Peewee.  He wasn't a classmate, so he must have been a Mountaineer.  There were other groups, by the way, which are not shown in the pictures. There were four or five  boats that carried us all to the cove.

Our Day 2.  Baby and I were ready to go, but the boys weren't.  For them, the water was just too irresistible.  The evening before was filled with games and stories, and some drinking. Nobody was spared.  I literally crawled back to the tent because a capful of gin tonic hit me in the knees.  I'm pretty sure the boys had gone creative and mixed something more into the bottle which got passed around on the beach.

The new Pico de Loro is well-equipped, hence there are some world-class restaurants with great food to fill hungry stomachs.  Weekend vacations will always be very convenient, fun-filled and leisure is maximized. Arrangements can be made over the internet, which makes it all the more convenient.

 Despite the "high-rises" in the area, the contemporary architectural designs conform with nature and do not violate the serenity that people expect to find far away from the noisy urban life. Although for how long, we can't really tell. Commercialization always seem to devour naiveté.