A Charmed Life: A travelogue:: November 2008

What Else to Do in Baguio?

Friday, November 28, 2008 - - 1 comments

If you live in Baguio, sooner or later, you'd run out of something entertaining to do. If you live in Baguio, one day you'd just realize that your world became too small for you. If you are older and done with night life, Colorado and Hydro waterfalls, Asin hot-springs, the Benguet mummies, Mt. Kabuyao, Clondikes hot-springs, and you are dead-bored with the other so-called tourist spots for local tourists like the crowded Burnham park, Mines-view, taking photos at the gate of Mansion house, cowboying in Wright park, John-hay, Lourdes grotto, hobnobbing with the Tam-awan artists, picking strawberries at the strawberry farm, trying fortune cookies in Bell church, and shopping for souvenirs at Asin woodcarvings or at the public market; if you are not a tourist in Baguio, what else is left for you to do?

Well, you can always hang-out in airy SM Mall until you get broke.

For my guest, I searched the internet for other things to do and I found one very attractive offer in which you don't have to travel too far. It can be a one-day trip... Attractions include a lake, a hotel, a swimming pool, a camping park, and a gold mine tour, all in one package, perfect! - or so I thought.

Since the internet data is very scanty, we went to the Tourist Information Office to ask for more information. They gave us numbers to call, only to find out that these numbers are not working. The next day we started-off anyway, trusting our luck.

There was the swimming pool. But it was drained because they were not expecting visitors (!?) We spent the night in that dormitory hotel. The building is very old, more than twice my age. The corridors were dark just like the dark goldmine tunnels, but we encountered no ghosts and the surroundings was quiet and peaceful.

The mine tour lasted about an hour and it was quite good. We tried our hands on rock-drilling. And to make the experience more impressive, the tour-guide even exploded a dynamite

***
My first time to enter a mining tunnel was when I was at the University. I and my friends were escorted by the miners themselves. These miners were the ones we were trying to organize to form a labor union against the mining corporation. Wow, those were the days.

The second time I visited a gold mine tunnel was in Sado island, Japan. I think this mine is one of the oldest and it is now converted into a museum complete with life-sized effigies. Walking through the tunnels, the heavy energy of the gruesome conditions and stories of the prisoners and exiles who were forced to work there, felt as heavy as gold.

***

I don't support mining as a livelihood, if I can help it.

Gold panning, the traditional way of doing it. Separate the gold from the non-gold by sifting.

Can you see what I see?! Gold dust!

This is the camping park. I was trying to melt my belly in this exercise ropes.

Reading in peace.

I looked forward to swim in the much advertised lake but it wasn't available! We were told that to go to the lake, we have to go through an underground tunnel aboard a rickety miners' train. Unfortunately, the train metal tracks were stolen or too rusted or both. When we later happened to see the lake from a distance, (it is actually a dam) it has very little water so I think I couldn't have swam there anyway.

So this was our 2 days excursion to Balatoc Mines, it could also be done in just one day.

summer place

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 - - 2 comments

I just came back from yet another family gathering (the previous ones this year, I failed to go) in the province. I dreaded going to these gatherings in the province because of the bumpy, dozen of hours bus rides and specially, if after you attended, no decisive conclusions have been come up to.

But I went to this recent one, (hope this will be the last for this year) because for the past two years, I have been absent to all the other so-called family gatherings/meetings, including Christmas and all-souls-days.

Although this recent gathering did not fulfill its agenda, it has been worthwhile going back to that "summer vacation" place after many years. I call it one of the summer destinations of my childhood not because it is a cool place to be during summers, in fact, it is a hot place. It was only that because during summer school breaks, and looking for a change of environment before another school year starts, this place served as an alternative place to my cold mountain hometown.

What a pity, i could only manage to get a couple of not-so-colorful photos of sunrise and sunset, topping it with a couple of jaded memories of childhood. It rained the second day, and that's also why I didn't linger there.

Sunrise, the morning I arrived.

Sunset, the same day I arrived

Tropical Summer of 1994. Myself and cousins.

Tropical Summer of 1991. Fabienne and I

Yahoo News! Indonesians appease volcano gods with sacrifices

Sunday, November 09, 2008 - - 1 comments

MOUNT BROMO, Indonesia – Indonesian legend has it that six centuries ago, a princess hurled her youngest child into a fiery volcano to appease mountain gods who had granted her fertility.

Today thousands of pilgrims flock to Mount Bromo on East Java each year to offer the spirits food, live animals and money and ask for prosperity and health. Bromo, a 7,641-foot volcano, is one of Java's most popular tourist attractions.

The poor arrive days ahead of the ceremony, carrying fishing nets to catch money and anything edible. They camp under tarps in the crater atop the mountain's chilly slopes.

Yadnya Kasada, as the ritual is known, started in the 15th century in the final days of the Majapahit Hindu empire. As the story goes, Princess Roro Anteng and her husband, Joko Seger, settled in the foothills of the volcano.

Unable to have children, the ruling couple went in despair to pray to the mountain gods who, according to the tale, agreed to help in exchange for the ultimate sacrifice of their last child.

The couple consented and had 25 children. But when the time came to give up their son, they refused and the gods became furious. They threatened disaster and the destruction of the village unless the couple made good on the deal.

Kesuma, as the boy was named, was flung into the depths of Mount Bromo. The dying child is believed to have called out to villagers to visit the mountain each year and bring gifts to express their gratitude.

Indonesia straddles the "Pacific Ring of Fire," a system of faultlines stretching across the tropical archipelago, that give it more active volcanoes than any other country. Bromo usually roars to life once a year, often blasting pumice, smoke and ash into the sky. The last major eruption in 2004 killed two hikers.

My Photos of Volcanic Bromo

This is not it, this is just one of the more picturesque accomplices of Mt. Bromo

I'm on top of the viewing mountain, to see Bromo

I think this is it, a view from above. They were few of them, spitting smoke, I'm not sure which one is the exact Bromo.

Threatening to jump into that boiling cauldron, as an offering. Hoping that the thick sulfur cleanse my skin though.

Do you see the mules, the people, and the stairs?

Posing with the mules, I climbed on foot though. I Guess it would be exciting to go up with a horse also.

Seen from a distance...

... and a scene from a distance

The centuries of eruptions formed a basin, like this, I think they call it a caldera.

Sunset

'whirlwind'

Houses at the edge of Mount Bromo

Travel Period: January 2008

Uber Amazing Blog

Thursday, November 06, 2008 - - 1 comments

Thank you Kayni for this "Amazing Blog" award.

Uber (synonym to Super) Amazing Blog Award is a blog award given to sites who:

~ inspires you

~ makes you smile and laugh

~ or maybe gives amazing information

~ a great read

~ has an amazing design

~ and any other reasons you can think of that makes them uber amazing!

Now, I am passing this award to the following:

Edgar - for his inspired and courageous views of life, and, the wonderful photos.

Kero - also inspiring, her positive thoughts and sincere writings about down-times, a true celebration of life.

Coron, Palawan

Saturday, November 01, 2008 - - 4 comments

The trip to Coron started going aboard the Super Ferry from Manila Bay. It takes 13 hours from Manila to Busuanga island. The ferry 'tourist sleeper class' was nice and comfortable especially that the ferry we took is very new. The 'tourist sleeper class' was not the most expensive just because it entails "tourist". In fact it is like a dormitory with double deck beds supplied with thin mattresses and pillows only, no bed covers or blankets. At that time, the 'tourist class' deck was full, almost all the beds were occupied because of a student field trip. The 'state class' or private cabins which look like hotel rooms, (only smaller in size) are the more expensive type of accommodation. There is also the 'mega class,' which is the cheapest option. It was very crowded with people, kids, even pigs and chickens. It was like as if one barangay is evacuating to somewhere.

This was my first time to take a ferry in the Philippines. My first time proved to be a very nice experience and I had good impressions in spite of earlier worries.

CORON PHOTOS