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caloyskie_2008 - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

A short trip

Under a clear blue skies, We've travel riding a trailer drawn by a hand tractor, the road is dusty and the vehicle have no roof that means Me and my Sexagenarian Uncles and unties are under the heat of the highnoon sun. Travelling is easy, smooth and accidents is not in our mind, one of my uncle strumming His Guitar and so everybody is singing the song in full glee. Unminding the rougthness of the road and the heat of the sun. What else can we do on that situation? Just make a fun of the trip of course. Visiting a relatives living in the mountains is a routin from our elders and I and my cousin who is coomandeering the hand tractor is the guides for the day. On the one turn the driving shout in horror " the break is broken... we dont have break" ... With a surprised in my eyes I analyzed the surrounding We are on the slanted road, we are get nearer in the ravine and the sharp curves. Everyone is in panic, the women are terrified, friegthened. The driver shout again "Jumped the sharp curves is less than a hundred meters so jumped!!!!", What will happen to us, what Iam going to do?? My companions are oldies, how can they jumped safely??? The old men started jumping voluntarilly but the women are not, still frigthened, specially when they saw old men gut hurts and rolled in the land upon landing. I also shout Jumped or the face more serious accident!!! hessitation is in their face so I pushed them forcefully one by one. Tears in my eyes upon seeing them rooling in the grounds upon landing. My cousin shout again sharp curves is very closed Jump I will let go OFF the handle... JUMPED!!! split seconds and the clanking of metals heard, a loud explosion errupted. I and my cousin rolled on the dirt upon landing as I checked my body my rigth arms are bleeding and I got some bloodstains in my face. Unminding my ownself I run and check the oldies Everyone is grimmacing in pains, hurting and the more serious Two of my Untie got broken thigth and a limbs got sore. I am crying when I carry them One by one from my concience is annoying voice saying YOU PUSHED THEM FORCEFULLY I was crying even harder, so sorry that I done such a thing, begging forgiveness in all that I do... Then a sllapped in my face and a commanding voice WAKE UP you got nigthmares, you are shouting and crying while sleepping... Ohh men thanks god it is only a dream....

My personal views

Filipino Women of today

Today March 8,2008, The international month for Women celebrated worldwide, Filipino women decided to to join the festive with more collorfull event. They stages rally not only in Metro Manila but other key cities of the country like Baguio and Bacolod and others cities, in this rally, They want to show to the world that Filipina women are capable of not only beauty but has brains and bravery that can give can gain freedom and independence like other women in several parts of the globe. In that rally they will shout the voice of protest that longing to oust the MOST POWERFULL WOMAN IN THE PHILIPPINES, Her Excellency Mrs. Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.... The event will be headded by some prominent celebrities like Representatives Lisa Masa, Etha Rosales, Leah Navarro, Bibeth Ortesa and others particularly identified with the left and rigth organizations making noised in the country everytime they have the opportunities, like the current situation in the country where ZTE-NBN controversy uproared in the mind of the Filipinoes in different parts of the world. whatever the result of these excercise will be seen in the next few days.

I do not want to give any comment on these event and to the names I mentioned what I want is to give Them the admiration that due them. THOSE WOMEN ARE BRAVE AND CUDOS IS NOT ENOUGH FOR THEM.



The truth is FILIPINO WOMEN'S BRAVERY of today is not a new event it was supersidded by the women of the late parts of the 20th century where the names like Teodora Alonzo, Melchora Aquino, Gabriela Silang and others who fougth the Spaniards hands in hands with the Revolution of the KKK founded by Gat Andres Bonifacio. Those women are heroes that the youth of these generation must admire.

My Travel Diary

MY FIRST TRIP TO THE CITY OF PINES

Since childhood my desires for travel was manifested, the truth is I remembered each time mom told me to go places I would go happily without knowing that place. My principle is that I could not get lost if I have money in my pocket, I can inquire to anybody where's the direction and I am not ashem of inquiring. The first test accured on age 10, my mom tell me that I should go to my father in San Luis Pampanga to get some money for the family consumption(ATM was out of mind on that time and that town is in remote area of the province)and I fulfilled the test. At the age of 16 after graduating highschool in Republic Central Colleges in Angeles City I met my former adviser saying that an educational trip in Baguio City was set and He asked if I can go with them? that statement thrilled my spines and say yes without any hesitation. so He told me the meeting place and the times of departure.


TRIP TO BAGUIO CITY


On the day and time of the trip I found no one on the meeting place since that was already 1:30 in the morning and I don't want my family to awake if I go back home I deciced to go pursue my plan to go to Baguio without knowing that place. My first step is to go to Dau Mabalakat Pampanga and wait for the bus going to the City of Pines. When I saw the very first bus bound to Baguio I jumped in without hessitations and thrilled beamming my face, yelling myself "BAGUIO HERE I COME". The Four hour trips to that city excites me specially when I SENSE that we are already in Cannon Road, the zigzag road to the city, I was excited because I read and hearded a lot about that zigzag, I remembered the times my auntie told a story about how She was afraid when their bus crossed that way seeing the cliffs and very deep ravines. but lo I can not see that deep ravines and cliffs by the way the that's arround 3:00 in the morning and the surrounding is very dark.

The bus stopped at exactly 5:14 in the morning, at the terminal, Baguio chills did not surprised me, rumors of that spread like rains but personal expirienced is different. Surrounded by morning mist as if walking in the clouds, roaming around, greetings with with smile to somebody, wet pavements, walking with unknown directions Ahhaa It's the Imelda park, the Botanical Garden, MInesview Park, the Mansion where President of the country stayed everytime he visit the city, the Baguio cathedral, I reached all places by walking from the terminal. I choose to ride a jeepney back to terminal and from that walking to another directions and see Burham park. I visited UP compound and the Baguio museum where I saw and learned a lot about Baguio and the province of Benguet, My desires to visit Rice Terraces frustrates Me besides the fact that I do everything to reached it. And thats the only time I learned that the One of the Wonders of the world is far from Baguio.

Since I have work the next day I decided to go back in Angeles City and leaved Baguio at about Three in the afternoon. That is the first time I see the Tiger's Head welcoming the visitors of the city. Seeing the zigzag on the broad daylight thrilled my neck, I asked myself is this the way we passed this morning? where bus driver driving more that 100kph/hour? Up that mountain? He must be a maniac of speed. I remembered a time I almost fell from seat on a sharp curves, My God thank you for saving our lives. Almost sound travelling was disrupted by a big bang, followed by a crankling of metals and all passengers are terrified, panicked seen in their faces, but being a cadet officer on my Citizen Army Training days in high scholl, where training is like a real army I learned to be allert at all times, I looked arround and analyzed the suuroundings I shout and said it caused only by a flat tires, and the caused of crankling of metals is that the door of the engine opened and hit the stones. After that incidents all is well until we reached Dau Mabalacat Pampanga at around Eight in the evening. that ends my tour in Baguio City on my teens age.



I SAW TAAL LAKE BY ACCIDENT


TAAL LAKE can be found in the province of Batangas in southern Luzon but if anyone want to see the PANORAMIC beauty of the smallest vulcano in the world He/She must go to Tagaytay City in Cavite about Two hours travel by land south of Manila(excluding traffic of course). If You are on that city you can see the perfect SKYVIEW of the volcano and the lakes surrounded it, specially on the place called PALACE IN THE SKY where former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos(a very intelligent president who run the country) planned to stall a cable car rides from the volcano upto that place. If anyone wanted to see it more closer, take the rides from Tagaytay City and neighboring towns going to the province of Batangas, I advised to take the rides also at night specially on the fullmoon.
On Nineteen Ninety years of the Lord I saw the beauty of Taal lake by accidents, Me and My friend soundly sleepping when We are awakend by our Senior Supervisor and said if We want to go some places for special assignment, the imaged of the clocked said its only Two o'clock in the morning since He is our officer we can do nothing but to rise and follow. I think we only stayed in Cavite for only a month on that particular period and we are not familiar on that province. At car backseat my friend and I sitting like lazy cat, until an unfamiliar scenarios came as a surprised; a beautifull scenaries on our left, a body of water??, on top of the mountain???, We see it very clear because moonligth permitted its shine to see it lucidly. With a surprised could not hide in my face I asked what is it? What place is this? I murmured? He said I dont know, what is certain at this very moment is... I know I am awake, very awake and looking at the most beautiful scene in my life. Those Two persons on front of us says nothing just putting aside our curiosity, minding their own business, but we expect that they are mesmerising our ignorance in silence. But thank to them for giving us the opportunity to see that wonderfull sight. Honestly after more than Two decades I am very much happy remembering those events in my life and the episodes next to that moment that I bring my girlfriend each time I decided to visit Taal Lake and Tagaytay.


MAYON VOLCANO HERE I COME


Did you hears the words, "Perfect Cone"??, "Cagsawa Ruins"???, "The flarring Mudflow"??? yappp!! You are right, all words pointing Mayon Volcano. One of the most admired place in the Philippines. Every Filipinos are dreaming that someday they will see that place. Allow Me to narrate these.... On December 1992, I had a week vacation from my work, Our Administration gives that called Family weak, since I am bachelor, I dont have my own family and I've finished visiting My parents and some relatives, I decided to go back to Manila for some important matters. But thats a woe decisions for I got bored on the process. that boredome was replace by excitement when I met my brother in law and told me that after Quezon province is the Bicol Region. I asked really? Are You certain about that? Yes He said, adding I should know because I passed over there everytime I going home to the Visayas. Tell Me how to get in there and what supposed I ride to. Because that is last weakend of December and all busses bounded to southern Luzon are fully booked, I found hard time to get a ticket with a nice seat and a good bus. Then I heard announcement that a certain bus needs chanced passengers, I get there immediately and get the ticket and climbed to the bus, but to my frustration the seats available is on the center ailes, I took the seat instead and go with the others to the Bicolandia.
Onboard that ordinary bus, we leaved Pasay City pass Nine o'clock in the morning, enthussiasm beamming my face for it is my dream to travel and see places, the nation first; the world in times the Lord Almigthy will permit. I try to sleep and rest at the first few hours of the trip coz I know I saw the places we will pass by up to the city of Lucena in the province of Quezon, I reached that place to visit my relatives settling there.Let me tell you some details of that trip, I saw Lucena City when I'm working in Manila, my sister told me me that she'd been in the city and visited our relatives and to discussed some important matters regarding the family, She is the coordinators of the clan for occations like reunion and others. Learning that I am not too far from Lucena City, The truth is that Lucena city is only 110 kilometers away south of Manila, and I have not seen my relatives for decades. Going to the city, I saw barren mountains, uncultivated, all grasses, I murmur to myself how unfortunate we are? because the government neglected agricultural sector of the country, the fact that other nations admired the kind of land the Philippines have; where you throw a certain kind of seeds, specially fruit bearring trees like Mango, Tamarind, Guava and others, throw a seeds of ripe Papaya and that seed will grow after several days with the care of the nature, soil in the Philippines are very fertile.On that trip I saw the Bitukang Manok, a zigzag road used to call that way because of chicken intestine aliked structures, I heard a lot about that zigzag since I am a child when my uncles and others folks braggings their own experienced in that very sharp curved road. I myself confirmed that they are not braggging, they acctually experienced it. I feel sorry to know that our government is out of track in giving more attention in other fields of economy and neglecting the primary wealth of the country; the agricultural sector and the farmers who farmed it.
Back to our main topic the trip to Mayon volcano, After Lucena city one of the well knonw tonw of Quezon province is the town of Gumaca on that again I saw ocean,later on I learned that is the Pacific Ocean, not too far from Gumaca I saw the sign WELCOME TO THE BICOLANDIA I said bicol here I come, looking left and right, peeping through window glass, sideways trying to memorize every, deetails, every even kitometers post checking how far I am from Manila, well to tell you frankly checking KM post is one of my habits every time I'm on the road. Since I saw the sign welcome to Bicol I expext that My I will see the image of Mayon Volcano but to my dismay for more than Two hours I have'nt see any sign of the volcano, So I decided to have extra patience and put some excitements in my livido, I feel it in my brains. I got comportable chair only when the bus reached Daet Camarines Norte, when other passengers reached their destination, that town is more than 200 kilometers away from Manila, we are travelling for more than Six hours, interupted only if the driver decides its time to eat on the restaurant where they can have free meals, their is no terminal owned by the bus company in between the route, only in Manila and the Legaspi end of the trip. Imagined how uncomportable I suffered on that trip!!! My spines are sore and my back is aching. during that time I got a chance to have conversation/chat with the one nearest,my seat mate, I asked How far is Mayon volcano? She said we are not yet in the middle of the trip. a loud what?? comes in my mouth causing other passengers look into our direction in surprised. and I beg an apology saying everythings is alrigth, no problem at all. with a wide grinn in my face. well I can handle a situation like that. I can turned shamefull moment into a burst of laugthers; one example is when I riding a bycicle and crashed. what do I did? well I stand got off the bike and said, CAN YOU DO IT?? and heard the laughter as I leave the place. That moment also erased the boredom in me and excitements changed again. Chatting with somebody you do not know on that long trip eased my boredom, Her name is Carla who live in the Town of Ragay in Camarines. One of the known city in that parts of southern Luzon is Naga City in Camarines Norte, Other is Iriga, hometown of Nora Aunor, one of the Icons in Philippine movie industry, every Noranians knew that she used to sell iced drinking water in the train terminal to earned a living. When we reached the province of Albay Leandro the one who seat besides me when Carla got off the bus said look over there.. that is Mayon Volcano pointing in lupm of land I cannot recognized, it that it? I asked, It is not look beautifull... I commented.. yap he said because it is very far from here... darkness starting to engulfed half of the glove on that time because that is almost 1800hrs.
We reached the City of Legaspi past midnight, it is good that I open up a conversation with Leandro, a college student in a university in Legaspi City, he narate what the city al about and told where to stay at the minimized price. I lodge in a Hotel that night but take a short wakl in the city downtown before I sleep. but sleeping in a remote city is not easy, I rose about 0500 hrs and ride a jeepney bounded unknown to Me just hopping and see where do I go. I reached the city public market and decided to see the place and maybe buy something and to my surprised the city market is very clean and neat that is the cleanest public market I ever see up to this moment. On that place also I made the first glanced the Mayon volcano.
From the public market, I ride a passenger jeepney going to DARAGA town. Choosing the front seat for sight seeing and most of all not missing the PANORAMIC BEAUTY of Mayon. In the town proper I saw a signboard at street corner pointing a desserted road; the sign said.... "PERFECT VIEW OF MAYON VOLCANO" I stopped the jeepney jumped in the pavements and run towards the point, reaching dead ends I saw concreated stairs on the rigth and LO!!! a CATHEDRAL.... on the rigth wings of the church is an AZOTEA...A BALCONY.... several expectetors watching the beauty of the nature in front of them, I myself was looking without blinking of eyes to the wonderfull sigth....It's amazing...it is true... it's real ... the perfect beauty of MAYON VOLCANO is in my face. in my simple analysis from my place to the peak of the volcano there is no GAP, A STRAIGTH LINES. I can not explain the feeling engulfed in me on that moment.

Desserting the place is very hard, seems that I can stay in the place forever, but still the trip is not yet over. Again I ride a passenger jeepney going to unknown directions, in the signboard written is CAGSAWA. Reaching the place is a big surprised a flashback of history I acquired in school several years behind.... a fraction of memories from NAYONG PILIPINO.... how can I forget that the IMMITATION of the Mayon Volcano got a TOWER of a churhc on the side, and every postcards that I saw is the same.... "MY GOD... IT'S THE CAGSAWA RUINS" history said always narrated that the church was collapsed because of the volcano erruption centuries ago. I THANK THE LORD COZ HE LEND A HELPING HANDS AND GUIDED ME TO THAT PLACE. Now I can say that the journey to Mayon Volcano is complete.