Afternoon Rain and Christmas

Oh, afternoon rain! How easily you dampen my clothes. Yet, how fast you can lighten my heart.

Christmas is still the most festive season of the year.
It would be a shame to shut it out while you stare at its colors.

I Am No Mountaineer

I am no mountaineer. I am merely somebody who climbs mountains when I am not lazy enough to pack. I am just somebody who gets excited when invited to go camping at some peak with friends. I never think I am a mountaineer even when I climb two mountains in a day just for the sheer fun of doing it. There is just something about climbing mountains that makes me feel rejuvenated. You may accuse me of riding contradictions for I do not hide the agony of surviving steep ascents but still claim it gives me rest. There is something about mountains that calm my nerves and muscles, that give me peace. But again, I am not a mountaineer, so do not call me one.

Finding Home in the Mist of Sagada

Pathway beside the church leading to the cemetery and
to Echo Valley

I wouldn't say I was soul-searching when I went on this trip to the north. I was really just sick of my couch at home. No, really. It was light brown when I first got it, but now, no matter how hard I try to clean it up, it's gotten so dark. I needed to be thinking about something else or my obsessive-compulsive behavior would finally get the better of me. So, I took off and got inked.

After getting my traditional tattoo from Bang-od in Buscalan (read Buscalan story here), I headed for Sagada (see travel notes below). The thought of hiking again in this misty town had seemed inviting. The cool fresh air was what I needed. This was going to be my third time here, but would be my first hiking around alone.

Getting Lost in Buscalan, Kalinga

Buscalan, Kalinga

I traveled sixteen hours northward without a particular plan in mind  (see travel notes below). I had no idea how many days I would be there or where I would be in the next couple of days. No expectations, just the hope of finding peace, of again appreciating the world in silence, as it changes from second to second. I had imagined patiently minding the sound of drops of water while recalling smiles. I just wanted a break from a maelstrom of pressure of going beyond mere survival, towards realizing a dream of a purpose-driven life.

I was, at least, clear about one destination- Buscalan, but where after that would be dependent on what I'd feel like doing. I thought, "Bahala na". For sure, things will just unfold, and I would be quick to seize opportunities if worth taking.

Your facebook Posts and the Awesome Life

A print on a shirt says, "I truly hope your life's as awesome as your facebook posts say." Amusing. But more than that, it got me thinking.

Of course, I understood it as sarcasm, a bitter remark from somebody who has seen "awesome" posts of another on facebook, but does not believe it's half the truth of that other person's life. It could also be a well-meaning wish, but that would be a weak conjecture considering that it is printed on a shirt, and it just has to be funny, at least attention-getting. It cannot mean what it says. Even if it does, it would still sanction disbelief, otherwise, "hope" should be replaced with "believe" or just remove the first four words altogether.

Finding Joy

It may sometimes seem as if it is always about pushing a rock to the peak on days end...

...but even a blade of grass can turn to joy if you only know how to look.

Hike to Tarak Ridge: A Lesson on Taking Breaks and Breaths

Nanay Cording

"When you feel like you can no longer go on, stop, turn around, look back on the trail behind you, and take a deep breath." These were the wise words of Nanay Cording, orienting the first-time hikers to Tarak ridge. If I think about it, these are words I should be living by.

The trek to Tarak Ridge was not easy (see travel notes below), especially for the unprepared. What helped me were the preparation I had had a week before when I went on a hike to both Pico de Loro and Mt. Talamitam on the same day and Nanay Cording's words of wisdom. A couple of times, I did feel like my head was going to burst, but I would compose myself, pause, look back and take a deep breath.