Friday morning we all trekked to the Terminal 1 at the Manila international airport. Shanti and Kamala took an 8am flight to Hong Kong. We left 5 hours later for Portland, via Seoul. The trip was uneventful and we arrived early afternoon in Seattle, then Portland by early evening.
We quickly checked things out, noting the completion of the 4 bike shelters/wood and garden sheds, delivery status of wood chips, and general status of the ecovillage.
Amazingly, we were able to retire mid evening and sleep all night, arising in the morning at 9am. The day quickly passed helping Ben finish some plumbing and maintenance for which he needed assistance. I also made a batch of soy milk and we had sandwiches. (We are so spoiled in Portland with all the vegan luxury convenience foods we enjoy.)
Today we will brunch at Sweat Pea Bakery and later today we have a community session to review the mission and values statements, followed by potluck. I also want to quickly gather any input on the recently acquired property that virtually quintuples our available garden space.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Baguio
We arrived yesterday afternoon in Baguio and went to Vocas to meet Katrin de Guia. We then booked into the La Brea Inn, just down the street from Vocas. We enoyed a long conversation with her, about her projects, her book on Filipino psychology, Shant, the girls, etc. She is swamped with projects;hence we will stay in the inn. I gave her the smartbro card and showed her how to use it, but we are not sure if it will work with her Mac. After leaving her we rested, then went to the nearby mall, watched the movie Social Network, then dined at the local Bodhi's.
Our second day in Sagada we simply rested as it was raining almost the entire day. We did spend a bit of time exploring Shanti and Kamala's plans for once they return to Hong Kong. The have been experiencing friction in their trip and are not sure how long they will travel together or where they will go from Hong Kong. We discussed the source of friction and how to reduce it. We also explored different itineraries, as varied as Bali, Singapore, Europe, Indian subcontinent, and Australia. We were not able to make decisions about immediate plans as it is not clear what the costs of the various options are.
This morning we will visit the market, the central park, then bus to Manila for our last night in the Philippines.
Our second day in Sagada we simply rested as it was raining almost the entire day. We did spend a bit of time exploring Shanti and Kamala's plans for once they return to Hong Kong. The have been experiencing friction in their trip and are not sure how long they will travel together or where they will go from Hong Kong. We discussed the source of friction and how to reduce it. We also explored different itineraries, as varied as Bali, Singapore, Europe, Indian subcontinent, and Australia. We were not able to make decisions about immediate plans as it is not clear what the costs of the various options are.
This morning we will visit the market, the central park, then bus to Manila for our last night in the Philippines.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Sagada
We arrived in Sagada yesterday after two fun rides on the jeepney roof to take in the amazing panoramas of the mountains. It was the girls' first ride on a roof. Just after we arrived it started raining and rained all evening. We had lunch at St Joseph's restaurant and dinner at the Yogurt House.
Today we took our first hike thru local rice terraces. We stopped at two cave sites en route, then continued to a small village named Suyo at the end of the road. From there we crossed the river and climbed the terraces thru Ankileng, Balabag, and finished in Ambiseng. Most of the routes between the villages are paved with a narrow sidewalk about two feet wide. We saw our first native miniature pig sitting in its stone lined pen. These were everywhere when I first visited in 1982 but have almost completely disappeared. They have unfortunately been replaced with piggeries using full size pigs. The down size is that the much larger pigs (probably at least ten times as large) require imported feed to sustain them and consequently produce vast quantities of manure. Of course, this results in a fair amount of odor, to put it mildly. The new pigs in no way fulfill the role of the native pigs, whose pens served as toilets for residents. (Yes, one would truly climb into the shallow pen and poop. It was essential to carry a stick to fight off the pig as they could be a little aggressive.) I suspect this habit may have offended some sensitivities but it was a very sustainable system. Of course, the little pigs were also fed leaves and other foodstuffs, but it was all locally produced and manure was scanty and there were no noticeable odors that I recall.
It appears today was election day. We met several groups of filipinos on our walk and were told that they had voted at the local schools. They had not yet received the results.
Today we took our first hike thru local rice terraces. We stopped at two cave sites en route, then continued to a small village named Suyo at the end of the road. From there we crossed the river and climbed the terraces thru Ankileng, Balabag, and finished in Ambiseng. Most of the routes between the villages are paved with a narrow sidewalk about two feet wide. We saw our first native miniature pig sitting in its stone lined pen. These were everywhere when I first visited in 1982 but have almost completely disappeared. They have unfortunately been replaced with piggeries using full size pigs. The down size is that the much larger pigs (probably at least ten times as large) require imported feed to sustain them and consequently produce vast quantities of manure. Of course, this results in a fair amount of odor, to put it mildly. The new pigs in no way fulfill the role of the native pigs, whose pens served as toilets for residents. (Yes, one would truly climb into the shallow pen and poop. It was essential to carry a stick to fight off the pig as they could be a little aggressive.) I suspect this habit may have offended some sensitivities but it was a very sustainable system. Of course, the little pigs were also fed leaves and other foodstuffs, but it was all locally produced and manure was scanty and there were no noticeable odors that I recall.
It appears today was election day. We met several groups of filipinos on our walk and were told that they had voted at the local schools. They had not yet received the results.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Banaue
We returned to Manila Wednesday evening Oct 20 and quickly jeepneyed to our new Manila digs, Friendly's Guest House, via Baclaran. This is much more of a backpacker haven than Pension Natividad and we were able to interact significantly more with the other guests. Here we stayed in the air con dorm.
Our plan was to stay one night in Manila, then go directly to Sagada. However, we soon found out the road to Sagada from both Baguio and Banaue were still closed due to storm debris from Super Typhoon Megi. So we elected to go to Banaue instead, and left on the next (9 hour) bus trip, at 1045pm Oct 21. We arrived the following morning to the final stage of the ride passing through progressively higher mountains covered with jungle, culminating in our arrival in Banaue. Our first order of business was to determine the road conditions. We inquired and discovered the road had already been opened to Bontoc so we could go if we wished to on the 4 hour jeepney ride to Bontoc, followed by another hour to Sagada. The next jeep was to leave in less than an hour. In the meantime we decided to walk around Banaue, have something to eat, and see if we wanted to stay a day or so.
In fact, the view from several lodges was spectacular, much prettier than I remembered, and we decided to stay for at least one day. The view from the downtown balconies overlooked a vast vista of rice terraces, a roaring river directly below, and waterfalls and villages dotting the landscape. A true million dollar view. We checked into the Peoples Lodge and Restaurant.
We rested, then spent the remainder of the day walking around the city of Banaue and nearby villages on the main road to Batad, the most famous rice terrace area. Since this road was still closed due to several landslides, we would not be able to travel there unless we could walk the 15 km or so.
Today the road to Batad remained closed so we again walked around Banaue, this time to the upper, southern half. We stopped at the Banaue Hotel for refreshment, then continued into the rice terraces first to Taman, then to Poitan. It was a spectacular walk through the green landscape and we had to change course several times due to the main pathway being destroyed by slides. It seems there are waterfalls at around almost every bend and Shanti and Kamala really enjoyed the hike, although it was at times strenuous. Eventually, after about a 4 hour walk, we returned to the Batad road, then to our lodge, and had dinner.
Tomorrow we will leave Banaue for Bontoc, probably have lunch there, then continue to Sagada for three nights. Our last night in the mountains will be in Baguio, then we will return to Manila to rejoin Maitri for our last night. The girls will then fly back to Hong Kong to continue their SE Asian trip and we will return to Portland.
Maitri and Ligaya traveled to Mindanao since we left Bacolod and has met up with old worker colleagues in Malaybalay. This is where we first met in the rain forests of Bukidnon. She will return to Manila via Bacolod to meet us.
Our plan was to stay one night in Manila, then go directly to Sagada. However, we soon found out the road to Sagada from both Baguio and Banaue were still closed due to storm debris from Super Typhoon Megi. So we elected to go to Banaue instead, and left on the next (9 hour) bus trip, at 1045pm Oct 21. We arrived the following morning to the final stage of the ride passing through progressively higher mountains covered with jungle, culminating in our arrival in Banaue. Our first order of business was to determine the road conditions. We inquired and discovered the road had already been opened to Bontoc so we could go if we wished to on the 4 hour jeepney ride to Bontoc, followed by another hour to Sagada. The next jeep was to leave in less than an hour. In the meantime we decided to walk around Banaue, have something to eat, and see if we wanted to stay a day or so.
In fact, the view from several lodges was spectacular, much prettier than I remembered, and we decided to stay for at least one day. The view from the downtown balconies overlooked a vast vista of rice terraces, a roaring river directly below, and waterfalls and villages dotting the landscape. A true million dollar view. We checked into the Peoples Lodge and Restaurant.
We rested, then spent the remainder of the day walking around the city of Banaue and nearby villages on the main road to Batad, the most famous rice terrace area. Since this road was still closed due to several landslides, we would not be able to travel there unless we could walk the 15 km or so.
Today the road to Batad remained closed so we again walked around Banaue, this time to the upper, southern half. We stopped at the Banaue Hotel for refreshment, then continued into the rice terraces first to Taman, then to Poitan. It was a spectacular walk through the green landscape and we had to change course several times due to the main pathway being destroyed by slides. It seems there are waterfalls at around almost every bend and Shanti and Kamala really enjoyed the hike, although it was at times strenuous. Eventually, after about a 4 hour walk, we returned to the Batad road, then to our lodge, and had dinner.
Tomorrow we will leave Banaue for Bontoc, probably have lunch there, then continue to Sagada for three nights. Our last night in the mountains will be in Baguio, then we will return to Manila to rejoin Maitri for our last night. The girls will then fly back to Hong Kong to continue their SE Asian trip and we will return to Portland.
Maitri and Ligaya traveled to Mindanao since we left Bacolod and has met up with old worker colleagues in Malaybalay. This is where we first met in the rain forests of Bukidnon. She will return to Manila via Bacolod to meet us.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Visayas
Today we returned to Bacolod from Hinoba-an, a small village in the south of Negros Occidental. We arrived at a cousin's beachfront house on two days ago just outside the village with Maitri's extended family for a sort of reunion. The drive was very beautiful through the circumferential island road and Hinobaan itself is situated in an area where the limestone hills meet the sea. The beaches are very rocky, having an almost volcanic appearance, and are inhabited by strange sea creatures I had never seen before, such as: starfish that move as fast as crabs, slithery creatures that appear to be scouring the sea floor for food, and long stringy starfish like things that look like worms at the tips.
Our journey from Boracay started the day after the last entry. We proceeded south along the western coat of Panay through San Jose Antique, then across the island to Iloilo City where we stayed overnight with Maitri's niece Tanya and her son Mikko. The next day we hung out at her place, then lunched at the mall and saw a movie at the local cinema, next to Tanya's work place. Finally, we all took the ferry to Bacolod to join Maitri's sister Becky and her family. We stayed two nights here. Saturday afternoon we visited the downtown market area, changed money, and went to the Sian Tian temple for a Buddhist lunch. But the highlight of our stay was the Maskara festival, an orgy of drumming, beer and alcohol drinking, meat BBQs, and overly loud music.
On Satuday night we decided Shanti, Kamala and I would return to Manila, then head north for the Mountain Province. We purchased tickets. Meanwhile, Maitri will go to Mindanao where she used to work in a lumber camp, and where we met. She is joining colleagues, including her sister Ligaya, for a work reunion.
Sunday morning, on the way to Hinobaan, Becky asked me if I had heard about the typhoon bearing down on north Luzon -- exactly where we were planning to go after leaving here. So the last couple days I have been scanning news reports of super typhoon Megi which just left the country after wreaking havoc in the area we plan to visit. We had heavy rainfall both at the beach yesterday and on the way back today.
One fun project we did at the reunion was to create a Verdun Soberano family tree complete with photos of all the participants who were staying with us. We discovered some family secrets, such as that Maitri's brother Shant appears to have a son no one had ever heard about. We are still awaiting details of this.
Tomorrow evening we will be leaving for Manila. We will be staying at Friendly's, a backpacker haven in Ermita, Manila at least one day, maybe more due to the bad weather in the north.
Our journey from Boracay started the day after the last entry. We proceeded south along the western coat of Panay through San Jose Antique, then across the island to Iloilo City where we stayed overnight with Maitri's niece Tanya and her son Mikko. The next day we hung out at her place, then lunched at the mall and saw a movie at the local cinema, next to Tanya's work place. Finally, we all took the ferry to Bacolod to join Maitri's sister Becky and her family. We stayed two nights here. Saturday afternoon we visited the downtown market area, changed money, and went to the Sian Tian temple for a Buddhist lunch. But the highlight of our stay was the Maskara festival, an orgy of drumming, beer and alcohol drinking, meat BBQs, and overly loud music.
On Satuday night we decided Shanti, Kamala and I would return to Manila, then head north for the Mountain Province. We purchased tickets. Meanwhile, Maitri will go to Mindanao where she used to work in a lumber camp, and where we met. She is joining colleagues, including her sister Ligaya, for a work reunion.
Sunday morning, on the way to Hinobaan, Becky asked me if I had heard about the typhoon bearing down on north Luzon -- exactly where we were planning to go after leaving here. So the last couple days I have been scanning news reports of super typhoon Megi which just left the country after wreaking havoc in the area we plan to visit. We had heavy rainfall both at the beach yesterday and on the way back today.
One fun project we did at the reunion was to create a Verdun Soberano family tree complete with photos of all the participants who were staying with us. We discovered some family secrets, such as that Maitri's brother Shant appears to have a son no one had ever heard about. We are still awaiting details of this.
Tomorrow evening we will be leaving for Manila. We will be staying at Friendly's, a backpacker haven in Ermita, Manila at least one day, maybe more due to the bad weather in the north.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Boracay
We arrived in Boracay Sunday afternoon after a brief flight from Manila to Caticlan, on Panay Island. A quick banca and motorized tricycle ride got us to our destination, and we quickly checked into the Frendz guesthouse, recommended by Lonely Planet. However, despite the bright, sunny weather, we found it a little dark and hot and set way back from the beach so we decided to move the next day. An air con room is essential for the hot and humid weather we are experiencing. We dined right off the Main Road at an Indian restaurant, enjoying veg curry, aloo gobi, rice, and samosas.
Since our last trip in 1994 the place has changed dramatically. What was once a laid back, sleepy place now has development all over the island. Most of the development is concrete buildings, many 4 stories or higher. The hilly areas have big tourist resorts cascading down the slopes. Compared with my first trip here in 1982 it is of course like night and day. Back then, there were just a few nipa huts on the beach. Alan and I stayed almost a month before leaving for Kalibo and the AtiAtian festival. We stayed in our own private hut right in the middle of the beach. Our entire bill (food, lodging, and a couple souvenir T shirts) was well less than a thousand pesos. We spend almost twice that per night for our current lodging!
Monday we moved to Ban's guesthouse right on White Beach. It was dry all day and we were able to walk to the north end of the beach and visit the beachside Catholic sanctuary. We dined (veg fried rice, veg curry, rice and fruit shakes) at a nearby beach side eatery. We returned later in the evening for happy hour and enjoyed pina coladas, mango and pineapple daquiris, and other tropical drinks.
Tuesday we went to Bulabog beach on the north side of the island to see sunrise. Because it was cloudy we were not able to see the sun well, however. From there we walked north around the wider and higher elevation part of the island, returning to White Beach from the north. We also walked to the south end of White Beach to see more shops and resorts. There we took a pizza lunch. It was rainy most of the day so we hung out in the cottage move than we expected.
This morning Maitri and I walked again to Bulabog beach and then headed south to walk most of the beach area. Then we turned inland and returned to the main road thru a rather slummy area in the center of the island. Today we will continue to walk around the island.
Since our last trip in 1994 the place has changed dramatically. What was once a laid back, sleepy place now has development all over the island. Most of the development is concrete buildings, many 4 stories or higher. The hilly areas have big tourist resorts cascading down the slopes. Compared with my first trip here in 1982 it is of course like night and day. Back then, there were just a few nipa huts on the beach. Alan and I stayed almost a month before leaving for Kalibo and the AtiAtian festival. We stayed in our own private hut right in the middle of the beach. Our entire bill (food, lodging, and a couple souvenir T shirts) was well less than a thousand pesos. We spend almost twice that per night for our current lodging!
Monday we moved to Ban's guesthouse right on White Beach. It was dry all day and we were able to walk to the north end of the beach and visit the beachside Catholic sanctuary. We dined (veg fried rice, veg curry, rice and fruit shakes) at a nearby beach side eatery. We returned later in the evening for happy hour and enjoyed pina coladas, mango and pineapple daquiris, and other tropical drinks.
Tuesday we went to Bulabog beach on the north side of the island to see sunrise. Because it was cloudy we were not able to see the sun well, however. From there we walked north around the wider and higher elevation part of the island, returning to White Beach from the north. We also walked to the south end of White Beach to see more shops and resorts. There we took a pizza lunch. It was rainy most of the day so we hung out in the cottage move than we expected.
This morning Maitri and I walked again to Bulabog beach and then headed south to walk most of the beach area. Then we turned inland and returned to the main road thru a rather slummy area in the center of the island. Today we will continue to walk around the island.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Manila
We arrived in Manila early Thursday morning on a new trip to the Philippines to participate in a family reunion with Maitri's clan in Negros and her old work buddies in Mindanao.
We quickly settled into the Pension Natividad, where we had stayed on a prior visit to Manila. Maitri's brother Shant met us later in the day and we lunched at Bodhi's in the nearby SM City Hall mall. We had brought him hardware to make music for some projects he is working on in Baguio. Before leaving the mall, we purchased an internet device that enables web connection anywhere in the cell phone area of service. This will allow us to stay connected when we are outside cities, as most populated areas in the country have cell phone coverage.
Later in the evening we met our daughters Shanti and Kamala who were arriving from Hong Kong. They had been staying there several days on the start of their SE Asian travel adventure. After resting overnight we spent the day showing them around nearby markets, malls, and some tourist sites.
Today, our last day in Manila before leaving for the beaches of Boracay, we plan to visit the Divisoria Market, Chinatown, and a nearby mall.
We quickly settled into the Pension Natividad, where we had stayed on a prior visit to Manila. Maitri's brother Shant met us later in the day and we lunched at Bodhi's in the nearby SM City Hall mall. We had brought him hardware to make music for some projects he is working on in Baguio. Before leaving the mall, we purchased an internet device that enables web connection anywhere in the cell phone area of service. This will allow us to stay connected when we are outside cities, as most populated areas in the country have cell phone coverage.
Later in the evening we met our daughters Shanti and Kamala who were arriving from Hong Kong. They had been staying there several days on the start of their SE Asian travel adventure. After resting overnight we spent the day showing them around nearby markets, malls, and some tourist sites.
Today, our last day in Manila before leaving for the beaches of Boracay, we plan to visit the Divisoria Market, Chinatown, and a nearby mall.
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