Nostalgia is eating me a little bit right now. I was looking at my friends newly uploaded pictures in facebook and I imagined myself being there. Philippine's beauty of nature never ceases to amaze me. I used to go hiking on our fresh green mountains, go swimming on lovely white beaches.
I remember how much excited I become every time we were visiting my grandma. She lived in the mountains, she never wanted to leave no matter how much her children asked her to live with them in the city. But I loved it like that 'cause I got a place to go and stay away from the noise of the polluted city from time to time. I have always been in love with nature and my grandma's place was a perfect combination of it. There are 3 ways on how to get there. One is by the sea. We take a boat and paddle for around 30 minutes to get to the foot of the mountain. Second option is to walk along the rocky shore. It's not a kind of beach where people usually swim. It's kinda wild. When it's high tide, it's not possible to walk there 'cause we might be swallowed by the waves. It looks like walled by mountains. But in summer, water never really go that close to the shore so it's safe to walk. I'd be very hot then, but I've always endure it. The sun is up high and hot, the rocks would be hot as well but the breeze from the ocean though sticky, offers relief from the heat. It's a long walk, about an hour and a half or even more if we stop quite often to take a rest under the shade of coconut trees. It's free to take some coconut and get its juice fresh from the shell. In order to enjoy it and other fruits along the way, we always bring a jungle knife with us. Third option is to walk within the woods. We'll be passing by few rivers, some with strong flowing water, others are small stream. Accessibility to more variety of fruits will be on this way. Halfway we will be passing by one of my uncle's coconut farm. They sell coconut as the raw material for many different buyers who make different products including food and handicrafts. Somewhere there we have to get out of that woods and track back the shore 'cause it's a different mountain from where we are going. From there is already a bit closer, maybe about 30 minutes.
When we get to the foot of the mountain we usually take a long rest watching the sea. Resting means preparing and gathering all the energy to go and take that stiff hike. The mountain is really high and stiff, almost like a cliff. From the foot, you look at it at a 45 degree angle. Beat that! In fact, we don't really walk to the mountain, we crawl! It's a never ending crawl. If we take a rest it must be in some roots of a tree or else we might get off balanced and fall. If I'd be afraid if heights, I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna make it there. The shirt that we use get wet of sweat from walking and dry while resting. When we climb, it gets really wet that we can even wring it. My brother usually does that. Sometimes we compare who's got the most wet shirt. It feels good to sweat out of natural exercise. The hike is takes about 30 minutes for fast hikers and usually an hour to first timers. At the top of Mt. Gajo is a small community where everybody knows everybody, where everyone is a relative. It's like a small tribe there. At my grandma's yard is a big mango tree fallen by the typhoon. It's body is lying on the ground but leaves and small branches are growing up. It's still alive and I always sit there. I never stayed inside the house until it gets dark and grandma says so. I like rambling around among the trees, picking up some fallen fruits and stuff. But the highlights is just about to be told. At the back of grandma's house is still some small mountains. It's like a continuous mountainous place. I can see many humps of green grassy mini hills. I used to go with some kids from the neighbors going there and there is a very big rock where I stand and see the whole breath-taking view of the forest and the sea from afar. I cannot describe the feeling seeing all these combination of blue sea, green mountains and white clouds. I stay there for hours. I let the kids play on the grass so I can stay longer. My grandma wont let me go there alone.
Going back is even more difficult. It's not easy to keep balance when gravity pulls hard. It's a funny feeling going down because it feels so light but knees would tremble cause you gotta hold it from just being pulled down. And when I get home, I eat and take a shower and sleep at once. Exhausted from the hike, I always fall a very deep sleep. But here's the catch, in the morning of the following day, I can hardly walk, both legs and hips would be totally sore, painful and heavy. It doesn't stop me from going out though. I still function as usual. I even go proud telling friends how I'm suffering, 'cause I climbed the highest mountain in the province. That's it.
OMG I just imagined that. I almost have forgotten how it felt. I never went there since I started working. I moved to another city and got busy with my social life. The last time I went was in 1995. The next thing I knew, my grandma was in my house taking time to get well after getting hospitalized. My father was thinking of making her stay so she'll not be far from the hospital in case she gets sick again. But she didn't want to. She said she'll die in the city earlier. So she went back to her old house. Some cousin and family who live there took care of her. She died 2 years ago at the age of 99. I remember she said she'd live 100 years old because she's healthy. She almost did. She died of old age, no serious illness or something. I didn't see her anymore since I left Philippines in 2004. Her memory and all the great experiences visiting her at her place I carry with me.
I wish I could take Shamil there but first, my grandma isn't there anymore, second, I don't think he'll make it there on foot. c",) ugh! we need a helicopter. It seems to me that it could be an untapped source for his pictures, and a chance for me to keep all those memories documented. We could sit there for hours, talking, feeling and admiring the nature, feeling grateful for life and chances. I'd love to make it real.
I remember how much excited I become every time we were visiting my grandma. She lived in the mountains, she never wanted to leave no matter how much her children asked her to live with them in the city. But I loved it like that 'cause I got a place to go and stay away from the noise of the polluted city from time to time. I have always been in love with nature and my grandma's place was a perfect combination of it. There are 3 ways on how to get there. One is by the sea. We take a boat and paddle for around 30 minutes to get to the foot of the mountain. Second option is to walk along the rocky shore. It's not a kind of beach where people usually swim. It's kinda wild. When it's high tide, it's not possible to walk there 'cause we might be swallowed by the waves. It looks like walled by mountains. But in summer, water never really go that close to the shore so it's safe to walk. I'd be very hot then, but I've always endure it. The sun is up high and hot, the rocks would be hot as well but the breeze from the ocean though sticky, offers relief from the heat. It's a long walk, about an hour and a half or even more if we stop quite often to take a rest under the shade of coconut trees. It's free to take some coconut and get its juice fresh from the shell. In order to enjoy it and other fruits along the way, we always bring a jungle knife with us. Third option is to walk within the woods. We'll be passing by few rivers, some with strong flowing water, others are small stream. Accessibility to more variety of fruits will be on this way. Halfway we will be passing by one of my uncle's coconut farm. They sell coconut as the raw material for many different buyers who make different products including food and handicrafts. Somewhere there we have to get out of that woods and track back the shore 'cause it's a different mountain from where we are going. From there is already a bit closer, maybe about 30 minutes.
When we get to the foot of the mountain we usually take a long rest watching the sea. Resting means preparing and gathering all the energy to go and take that stiff hike. The mountain is really high and stiff, almost like a cliff. From the foot, you look at it at a 45 degree angle. Beat that! In fact, we don't really walk to the mountain, we crawl! It's a never ending crawl. If we take a rest it must be in some roots of a tree or else we might get off balanced and fall. If I'd be afraid if heights, I'm pretty sure I'm not gonna make it there. The shirt that we use get wet of sweat from walking and dry while resting. When we climb, it gets really wet that we can even wring it. My brother usually does that. Sometimes we compare who's got the most wet shirt. It feels good to sweat out of natural exercise. The hike is takes about 30 minutes for fast hikers and usually an hour to first timers. At the top of Mt. Gajo is a small community where everybody knows everybody, where everyone is a relative. It's like a small tribe there. At my grandma's yard is a big mango tree fallen by the typhoon. It's body is lying on the ground but leaves and small branches are growing up. It's still alive and I always sit there. I never stayed inside the house until it gets dark and grandma says so. I like rambling around among the trees, picking up some fallen fruits and stuff. But the highlights is just about to be told. At the back of grandma's house is still some small mountains. It's like a continuous mountainous place. I can see many humps of green grassy mini hills. I used to go with some kids from the neighbors going there and there is a very big rock where I stand and see the whole breath-taking view of the forest and the sea from afar. I cannot describe the feeling seeing all these combination of blue sea, green mountains and white clouds. I stay there for hours. I let the kids play on the grass so I can stay longer. My grandma wont let me go there alone.
Going back is even more difficult. It's not easy to keep balance when gravity pulls hard. It's a funny feeling going down because it feels so light but knees would tremble cause you gotta hold it from just being pulled down. And when I get home, I eat and take a shower and sleep at once. Exhausted from the hike, I always fall a very deep sleep. But here's the catch, in the morning of the following day, I can hardly walk, both legs and hips would be totally sore, painful and heavy. It doesn't stop me from going out though. I still function as usual. I even go proud telling friends how I'm suffering, 'cause I climbed the highest mountain in the province. That's it.
OMG I just imagined that. I almost have forgotten how it felt. I never went there since I started working. I moved to another city and got busy with my social life. The last time I went was in 1995. The next thing I knew, my grandma was in my house taking time to get well after getting hospitalized. My father was thinking of making her stay so she'll not be far from the hospital in case she gets sick again. But she didn't want to. She said she'll die in the city earlier. So she went back to her old house. Some cousin and family who live there took care of her. She died 2 years ago at the age of 99. I remember she said she'd live 100 years old because she's healthy. She almost did. She died of old age, no serious illness or something. I didn't see her anymore since I left Philippines in 2004. Her memory and all the great experiences visiting her at her place I carry with me.
I wish I could take Shamil there but first, my grandma isn't there anymore, second, I don't think he'll make it there on foot. c",) ugh! we need a helicopter. It seems to me that it could be an untapped source for his pictures, and a chance for me to keep all those memories documented. We could sit there for hours, talking, feeling and admiring the nature, feeling grateful for life and chances. I'd love to make it real.
What nice memories. :)
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