BUNOT

Summer is almost over. Kids will go back to school soon. This lazy Saturday, Ted and I had a good laugh about elementary years. The experience he shared below is something, I know, that everyone can relate if their school is still in the slow-moving category.

When we were in Grade IV, I almost came to a fistfight with a bully classmate.  Do you know what he did?

Flores de Mayo

Every morning, I’d see children crowding about the flowering shrubs in the flower garden of an elementary school just across the street from our house. They had plastic bags with them whereby they put the flowers they pick. The smaller children contented themselves with the flowers of the euphorbia and the

Aunt Ste

Far away in a lonely hospital room, an old lady is left alone… sick and lonely. The nurse assigned to her has just checked her vital signs and the nurse-aide has just given her the sponge bath. Every morning for three months she asked if someone has dropped by for a visit while she was asleep,

Tinagong Dagat of Lambunao

The short bath in the river was so refreshing. We were revitalized. From down below we clambered up again on the opposite bank. This time though the incline is gentler although it was also winding through the high hills towards the peak of the highest slope. 
It was 10:30 in the morning when we arrived at top where we have to go single file.. The residents call this narrow path ‘the taripis.’ The path was just about 1.5 feet wide and

The Trek to Tinagong Dagat

4:00 in the morning, the third day… We were awakened by the sweet aroma of the soup concocted by some Talunanons -Tay Auring, Nelnel,Nong Baste. At 5:40 in the morning, we were on our way to the last lap of the journey towards the group’s ultimate destination – the famous Tinagong Dagat of Lambunao. Talunanon members –Nong Nanding, Felix, Jojo and two others… were

Climbing Mountains

Downhill to the Village
(2nd of the chronology of events) 

The trek to the village was all downhill with only a few climbs. It surprised us because we have to go single file - through winding paths in the forest, ravines winding on the mountain side, paths so narrow carved above the cliffs that you have to cling to the vines that were interlocking there. The forest scenes have changed too. We heard unfamiliar bird calls and insect sounds that were both interesting and arty. In the middle of the tracks though we were all arrested by the very melodious sound of a bird that made my hairs stand on ends. It was so unique and touching… beautiful in its depths with a twang of note akin to nostalgia and

Climbing Mountains (1st of the chronology of events)

(Starting today I'll be writing about my personal experiences on climbing mountains. this is just the first of a series. Bear with me; feel the thrills and the difficulties. I am sure that you'll love each mountain too.)

Exploring the Base

Pototan, my home place, is surrounded by mountainous municipalities. We can always see them from afar but most of us can only guess what they hold in that distance. One time, the Talunanons (the local mountaineering group) of the town of Lambunao made a plan to reach out to the residents of Brgy. Cabatangan, in a form of a medical mission in coordination with the municipal office concerning skin maladies with more focus on leprosy, Ted, my better half,  decided to go with them in order to see the actual situation of the barangays in this side of the town too. At that time, he was assigned in that municipality. They went with private individuals and the local church group in this noble task. I didn’t allow the chance to pass me up so, I signed up with them.
From the tip of the feeder road in Brgy. Bagongbong to the Tinagong Dagat of Lambunao, it took about 8 to 12 hours. Every one of the members of the four eight-man team was so excited right from the foot of the hills where we were to commence. Canned items, biscuits, a bottle of water, a small packet of salt and chips were distributed to each man in addition to each one’s provision. Our guides wanted no mishaps to happen on the way that before we started, important pointers were run through. The locals commissioned to carry our packs of provisions were instructed to go ahead but