A proposal to spend the rest of our lives together...my answer will always be YES!

It was June 19, 2010. What I thought was an emergency business trip turned into one of the biggest and most memorable surprises of my life. 

A couple of days back, R asked me to come with him to a trip to Coron to meet with his main tour guide who was moving from Coron to Puerto Princesa. It would be a quick two-night trip. I adore Coron and I love traveling with him so of course I did not give it a second thought. I was looking forward to a dinner in Bistro Coron. The plan was for R to meet with his suppliers during the day while I work in Village Lodge then meet up in town to have dinner. Just an ordinary work routine for us. 

We landed in Busuanga airport and boarded a van with several other guests. When the van entered a docking area, I was puzzled when R told us that we'd have to go down. A speedboat was waiting for us with a European man seated on one side with a silkscreen printed "Divemaster" shirt. In my mind I thought we were just stopping by some area to meet with one of R's suppliers. A good 20 minutes in the speedboat with the constant chat with the divemaster about his vacation to his home country Germany and about his children who goes to school in Coron town, we were in Sangat Island.

 
It was a lean season and there were very few people there. Barely 15 guests. We were served orange juice and cheese & cucumber sandwiches. I asked R what we were doing there and he said that we were there to spend the night so we can dive the next day. Apparently, there are great dive spots around the island.

A lady in batik-printed skirt oriented us about the meal times. Typical me, I'd never forget a meal schedule! The schedules was 7:00am breakfast, 12:00nn lunch; 3:00pm snacks and 7:00pm dinner. Since the cottages are quite far apart, the start of each mealtime will be signaled by a bell.

We settled down in our cottage. The accommodations were very basic and rustic. Since this is an isolated island, there is no electricity. I thought to myself..."So much for my work plans, at least for the day". There is solar-powered light bulb inside each cottage and running fresh water which is the most important thing for me. The is a mosquito net for the bed which proved to be very useful. 

Now, it was mosquito season in the the island. Boy they were HUGE! Their bite was almost too painful. I have a mosquito bite allergy so just imagine my agony. In a few hours, the mosquito bites on my legs were red and swollen.
 

I was not about to let the mosquito ruin my impromptu "no work" day so I immediately changed into my beachwear and headed to the beach in front of our cottage. I took photos while R relaxed in one of the many hammocks. The whole day basically went like this...read, sleep, photo op, chat, read again, sleep again and so on. We slept through the afternoon snack time and it was almost dark, around 5:30pm when I woke up. R was already awake and was reading a magazine. I asked him if he wanted to come with me to the clubhouse to get some snacks. He insisted that I just wait in the cottage while he gets the food for us so I just stayed and read my book. It started to get dark so I got worried and a bit impatient so I got up and walked towards the direction of the restaurant. I had walked barely a few steps when I saw R hurrying to met me. He said he just got caught up chatting with the resort staff. I'd find out only the following day that he was checking if everything was ready for his dinner plans. That was why he insisted on going to the restaurant alone.

It was past 7:00pm when I started to wonder why the dinner bells did not ring. We were just in our room reading our books and magazines the whole time and I would have heard it if it rang. I was pestering Russ about it but for some reason, he appeared apathetic about it until I told him I'd check the dining area because I was already starving. Moving very slowly, he agreed to go together. He brought his backpack with both our laptops inside. The plan was to work in the restaurant while waiting for the buffet to open.

As we were walking towards the well-lit restaurant area, I saw a resort staff on a wooden raft, setting up a dinner table, with lit candles on the raft floor and on the table. The table had a wine bucket with wine cooling on it. The staff was spreading flower petals all over the raft and on the table. As we came nearer and nearer I whispered to Russ..."Ay, may nag aanniversary!"...He did not say anything in return and since it was dark, I did not see his reaction to my comment. He just led me to walk to the restaurant. We sat on a stool and placed his backpack on the table. I was surprised to see people already having their meals and I said..."Hindi mo din narinig yung bell?". The hotel staff then gestured something to Russ and pointed us toward the raft. Confused, I asked why we were being led to the raft and Russ told me that he had it set up since we've been both busy and we have not gone out on a date in quite a while. I believed him, I really did not have a clue.

 
We had a Sinigang na hipon soup in a small cup and a plated meal of Beef caldereta, a chicken dish, a stir fried vegetable dish, fried battered fish fillet and lots of steamed rice. As we were having dinner, I'd give comments that this dish was dry, this dish was delicious, that there is too much rice in our plates, and many more of my usual comments. I noticed that he was barely touching his food. He just said that he was still full from the merienda that he ate in the afternoon. I continued to eat my dinner but started getting really thirsty. The staff forgot to give us water!!! Nabubulunan na ako! I was saying over and over..."Yohoo, kuya!!!!". No one came to bring any water so I just drank the soup. When I was done with my dinner, he extended his had across the table where my hand was and gave a very sweet speech. In my mind I was trying to think why he was acting this way but things were going too fast and before I knew it, he was on knees beside me, opening a red velvet box. Then...he popped the question. I'm not exactly sure if I even understood everything that he said after seeing the red box. I just remember feeling a hot flush in my entire head then seemingly all the blood was drained out of it. I could not reply. In my head I was saying "YES YES ABSOLUTELY YES!" but the shocking surprise was just too overwhelming and for a time, I could not let the words out of my mouth. He even had to to ask..."Hon, anung sagot mo?". 

After he got up on his feet, the staff approached with a heart-shaped cake, the water (Seriously kuya? Ngayon lang talaga?), and opened the champaigne. The whole night was just complete bliss. The island was dark since everything ran only on solar power. As I looked up, millions of stars filled the night sky as we talked. We talked all night about our plans and about many other things about our future...things that I never thought we'd ever talk about. Because really, I never thought we'd get there. If he was ready to get married, he sure did not say anything or show any sign.

I know it may not make sense to a lot of people but honestly, marriage nor having kids were never in my plans. What was and forever will be in my plans and in my dreams is to spend the rest of my life with Russ who is a blessing in my life...I know it has been overused many times but really, we are bestfriends and soulmates. When he popped the question, all apprehensions and doubts about the idea of marriage went away because I was sure...so so sure about US. 

As I reminisce this experience, almost 4 years after, I still cannot believe we're married. Every waking moment is a new adventure for us. 

Cheers to many more years of love and friendship! :)

More than just a picture in postcards and in my textbooks - Banaue Rice Terraces

October 24, 2013 - the date when I finally set foot on and saw the Rice Terraces

We have planned to come to Banaue many times. But many times, too many things have prevented us from actually going. This year, we just had to go. Maybe because we both knew that our backpacking days will soon be over and it is probably now or never.

Our bus would leave at 10:00pm in October 23, 2013. We would be gone for quite a while so we tried our best to finish as much work as we can during the day.  We even managed to squeeze in an hour of acupuncture because the voucher that we bought would be expiring while we are away.

I was apprehensive and anxious about the long ride ahead because we will be commuting all the way. By all the way I mean from the South to our errands in Makati, Manila all the way to the mountains. More than anything else though, I was excited. I am not sure if it was because I'll finally be seeing this place that I've studied as a child and I've heard about so many times but has been very elusive to me, or because I have not travelled in a while. 

We arrived 2 hours early in the Ohayami Bus Terminal in Lacson street, Manila. As we were waiting for our departure time, a lot of Caucasian backpackers started arriving. The bus was full before our set departure time so it left a bit earlier than scheduled. I slept comfortably throughout the night and only woke up at 5:00am to see the beautiful sight of the clouds discreetly hiding the mountains and the sun slowly starting to rise.

View on the way to Banaue from a moving bus

My heart was beating fast because of excitement. I am just a couple of hours away! 

There are the five sites included in the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordillera - Batad Rice Terraces, Bangaan Rice Terraces (both in Banaue), Mayoyao Rice Terraces (in Mayoyao), Hungduan Rice Terraces (in Hungduan) and Nagacadan Rice Terraces (in Kiangan), all in the Ifugao Province, of the Philippines. In this trip, we were set to visit the rice terraces in Banaue. Among the five, it is more popularly discussed in our history books as children. The Banaue Rice Terraces or the Hagdan-Hagdang Palayan ng Banawe is situated in the mountains of Ifugao. These are carved by the indigenous people. It is believed to be made using minimal equipment and even by hand. The plots are watered using an old but very efficient irrigation system. Some of the terraces have stone walls and some have mud walls. It was severely destroyed by several typhoons in the past years but through the joint efforts of the government and the private sector, it was successfully rehabilitated and restored by June 2013.

The Ifugao people are generally shy but not as aloof as when I last went to Sagada. Many are now used to interacting with tourists and are in fact relying on tourism for their main source of living. The fields are owned by Ifugao families. It is handed down from generations. Nowadays, many families are renting the fields out because the descendants prefer to work in the city instead of continuing to farm their lands. Some sociologists also believe that the lack of interest in farming the family lots is due to the modern Filipino inheritance system (Pamana). In the olden times, only the first born would inherit the land of their parents so continuing the farming tradition lies on this first born child. Now that the properties have to be divided equally among all siblings, the sense ownership is lost.


A very noticeable practice of the Ifugao people is the chewing and spitting of the Betel nut. They say it is their local Red Bull because it gives them energy. This habit leaves a red stain on their teeth. Some tourists find the habit of chewing and spitting repulsive so to adopt, the local government and some local private sectors post signs prohibiting spitting of Betel Nut or "Moma", in their local dialect. The guides have also formed the habit of politely asking their guests first of it is okay to chew on their Betel nut.

When we got to the town, we registered, changed into hiking clothes, brushed our teeth and washed our faces. We had a breakfast of chicksilog with native red rice and brewed coffee and then we're off.

Banaue town proper

We shared a jeepney and our guide with 3 other travellers. One is a young Japanese man who barely spoke any English. I tried to chat with him and get his name but I could not understand a thing that he was saying. He was very polite but I am pretty sure he also did not understand a thing that I said. The other two was a French couple who ended up staying a night in our home before they came home to France. I talked about them in my previous blog post:
http://jotslovestoeat.blogspot.com/2013/12/personal-encounter-2-couples-perfect.html .

We hopped into our Lakers jeepney at 8:00am. It was a cool morning and I was getting more and more excited as I felt the numbing breeze brushing through my face. The travel time from the town proper to the jumpoff point is approximately 45 minutes. I was pleasantly surprised to see the road construction going on at every section of the winding road. Despite the construction, there was no traffic congestion because drivers would take turns in passing through and the materials and the stones were neatly put on the sides of the road. There is very weak phone reception so to avoid any frustrations, forget about receiving and sending out any calls, SMS and emails and just enjoy what the isolation and the nature will offer. 

Halfway to the jumpoff point, our jeepney had a flat tire. Just our luck! Good thing there was a spare tire. We got off the jeepney while they were replacing the tire and we were back on in 15 minutes. 

No time to waste. After we got off the jeepney, we immediately started our trek. Now, the trek to Batad town, the terraces and the falls was a piece of cake. It was mostly downhill. Along the way I saw native livestock, mostly chicken, just walking around pecking and pecking. Our view althroughout the trek was AMAZING and the air was so cool and clean. I could not count the times when we stopped to take pictures because each part of the journey offered amazing view of nature.

The trek to the falls would take a good couple of hours each way for those with no training or climbing preparation, with multiple rest and photo op stops. Because we took our time, taking as much stops as we wanted and walking leisurely and chatting along the way, this must have been one of the most relaxing treks that I have ever taken.

Halfway to the falls, we stopped at Batad Tourist and Information Center to register and pay a fee. We also made a stop at the local Batad Inns so our friends Camille and Max could check in. The Inn looked like a traditional Ifugao home in a large scale and with some added comfort of the mainland. The rooms in most backpacker inns in Batad have communal rooms and bathrooms. The rates are extremely cheap but their 360 degree view is PRICELESS! 

We then started our trek to Tappiya falls. We passed by some traditional Batad homes where the rice harvested from the terraces were being sun dried in traditional black baskets. The rice grains looked like small round gold bits. We also passed by rows and rows of terraces. Some were planted with rice, some with taro and other vegetables but most were already empty and drying. Our guide said that this is because the rice were already harvested in August and the patches are being prepared for the next planting season. The native rice could only be cultivated once a year so by the time we went there, most of the plots were brown. Nevertheless, it was still stunning and breathtaking. 






Now, navigating one's self through the terraces requires balance since you'd have to walk through the edges of the rice fields which are about a foot long. It is easy to get preoccupied taking pictures and looking at the seemingly endless rows of terraces that one risks imbalance and falling off...on one side is the wet patch of field and the other a cliff down to the lower lever fields. 

Finally, we reached the last leg to the falls. There is a resting stop where a local sells refreshments. Just what a tourist may badly need if he/she did not anticipate the long hike. After a quick stop, we proceeded to go downhill to the falls. 

The water from the Tappiya falls is extremely cold. It does not only offer a relaxing view but also a refreshing feel for those who will dare to swim in its extremely cold pool after a long hot trek. Some also bring their food and drinks so they can have lunch while enjoying the cool breeze from the dropping water. I just hope that everyone will have the decency to clean up after themselves and not leave their trash.

 
If the trek to the falls was an easy downhill walk, the way back is a whole different story which was mostly uphill all the way to the top. I had to take much more stops than before and just like in any other hard climb that I made, I was constantly thinking "What the heck am I doing this for again?" and "I swear this is the last time I will ever climb or trek!!"...but it never is the last time.

After dinner, we got to Banaue Hotel at 6:30pm, our home for the night. It might be the best and most expensive accommodation in the area. I could tell that it was old, with the architecture and interiors reminiscent of the 70's but it still had the old "Baguio charm and warmth" that reminded me of my childhood vacations. By this time it was so cold so I was dying for a hot shower. After my long bath, we had our massage for Php500.00 per hour. Not bad for a hotel rate. The traditional hilot massage was very soothing but I couldn't really tell if it was that good or I was just that exhausted from that uphill climb.



 


It was dark when we got to the hotel so I did not have any more chance to go around and see if there was any view so when I woke up at 5:30am, just at the crack of dawn, SURPRISE SURPRISE...The view right in front of me was beyond amazing that I almost did not realize how cold it was even at 9 degrees celsius. The towering height of the mountain range was overwhelming and It almost felt like it was closing down on me. 

 

After our buffet breakfast, and a quick stop at the viewpoint, I bid the beautiful Banaue Rice Terraces goodbye with a heartfelt promise that I will surely come back.

The local improvised Ifugao scooter...This is how they roll in the mountains

These are the things that I will never take for granted. These are the things that I am extremely grateful for...seeing more than a postcard of this magnificent creation with the best person in my life.

Here's to a new year and to many more awesome adventures!

A Quick Escape to Club Paradise – A whole day of doing nothing does everything to heal a tired soul

Adulthood comes with responsibilities. I have not been too cautious lately in keeping conscious effort to keep a certain level of balance in my life.

Until a few days ago, I did not think that I can still allow myself to escape and do nothing even just for a few hours. Here I am now, happily thinking about how I spent today and hoping that it will last me for at least a year.

 

I woke up this morning at 5:00am just at the crack of dawn. After changing into my swimwear and coverup, I sat on one of the beach chairs in front of our villa and started to meditate. Since it is a weekday in October, we have our side of the island all to ourselves. I meditated for more than an hour without even realizing it! The sound of the waves and forest creatures were exactly the same as the one I use for my meditation at home. The difference was I could feel the cool morning breeze brushing through my face.

I then read a book while lying on the hammock until I fell asleep. When I woke up, it was time to have breakfast. I had two cups of delicious brewed coffee, fruits and fruit juices and sampled several selections of food in the buffet. I usually finish my meals in 5-10 minutes when in the city, even on weekends, but this time it took me an hour before I left my table. We even stayed on our table a long while after we finished eating.

We then went to the clubhouse to work a bit and check on things in the office. I was surprised to finish A LOT of work in only 2 hours! Relaxation and quiet time can really recharge the body as well as the mind.

After work, it was time to swim. First the beach where swam around in the extremely clean and pristine sea water. There was no one else around but us. This is what I am thankful for the most. In the world where we revolve, space is so limited and everyone is always busy running here and there. I am always grateful that once in a while we are able to find an isolated beach or spot where there is just the two of us. After an hour on the beach, we moved to the pool for another hour. I can now feel my sunburnt skin all over.  Ouch!

 

When we’re done swimming, it was time for lunch…again for another hour.

Immediately after lunch, we headed to our villa. R slept pretty much the whole afternoon while I alternately read magazines while getting crisp and tan on my beach chair and sipping strawberry cream hot tea (they were not even business magazines…just ordinary magazines!), relaxing flat on the beach chair staring at the sky and watching the clouds pass by and lying, sitting, lying again on the hammock while writing this post. 

I almost cancelled this trip because I did not think it would still be possible to go away for 5 full days with lots of deadlines to finish, the staff to supervise, etc. Just too many horror stories in my mind of what could go wrong when I am away. As of this writing, Friday is almost over and we managed to supervise everything over the phone from time to time. Sometimes all we need is to actually do it to know that it is possible. If not, we might succumb to our baseless fears and never do anything. Sure, shit may happen but there is also a big possibility that it won’t.

I am glad I went away on this trip with my R. God knows we both needed to get away and just spend a few days relaxing and doing what we love…him mostly sleeping with the wind on his face and me reading, writing and staring at the sea and listening to the sound of the waves.

Whatever happens and wherever life takes us, we will always have these memories and it will always put a smile on our faces.

It is now 4:30pm and I have 3 more hours before mealtime where we will have complimentary wine as their token to us for being frequent guests. I’m sure dinner will be amazing, as usual!!!

Have a great weekend!