Good Friday Hike

"Will pick you up at the corner road going to the villa." A text message from my buddy was sent at around 3:45am. I replied it was fine by me and will be there. It's been Holy Week here in the Philippines, and since it was Good Friday, customarily Christians devote their time to prayer and penance. As a Holy Week activity, me and my friends decided to do another hike up the mountain nearby while praying Stations of the Cross. We did it last year, and a quarter up the mountain I was gassed. I really wasn't in shape and didn't expect that it would be that hard (i lost a boot sole while going down, too), considering that mountaineers consider Mt. Maculot a walk in the park.

This year, I made sure it would be different. Well, considering we ACTUALLY prayed this time, there was a lot of time to rest in between stations so I guess that if we climbed non-stop I would gas up again. And last year I brought four bottles of Gatorade and two bottles of drinking water plus an extra shirt and a camera. This year, I cut down the Gatorade and settled for facetowels. Although I brought a jacket because we started early this time. 4am sounded reasonable. Will be there around 4:30-5:00am so it can be a bit chilly despite the summer, I said to myself.

Our hike was planned for 4:00am we
ended up climbing Maculot around
5:00am.

Mt. Maculot is just less than an hour's drive from my town. It's a favorite place for would-be-pilgrims looking for a good place to make sacrifices and offer prayers (I didn't notice a lot of people praying, though, and most of the other folks are family trippers and teenagers looking for a good time and an excuse to just hang out). I lost track of time when we started climbing, but it was still dark when we did do so.

I brought the candles

After parking our friend's truck (yeah, he drove us in a big-ass truck used for hauling softdrinks), where we rode at the back where the wind whipped my usually curly hair straight, we went on our way.The trek up wasn't really that bad, except for loose soil that make you slip sometimes and loose rocks tumbling down from the top made by someone losing a foothold. Good thing I wore rugged rubber shoes with lots of grip left in the soles. Boots with really good ridges is ideal for such a climb, especially for us casual hikers. But like I said earlier, I lost a sole going down from last year's hike.

Just a few meters up the hill going into
the woods and you're already tired?

Yes, we DID pray along the Stations of
The Cross this time.

A bit of the way there are stone and concrete steps leading the trail through each station, but that doesn't mean the walk would be easy. The way up is still steep, and people tend to crowd in the steps. So, being the adventurous and over-confident type, we tried cutting our own trail by the sides, clawing on dirt and grabbing protruding vegetation. By that time, the sky is already brightening up as the sun is slowly rising. And, yeah, the stone steps suddenly disappear for a good portion of the trail. More dirt and rock action... and a bit of plantlife. Sacrifice... Sacrifice... "uy, five pesos." (takes a knee and picks up the coin)

Small altars depict scenes from
the Passion of Jesus Christ mark each
station. Surprisingly, we only encountered
three groups praying at each - including ours.
The sun is not too hot during the mornings
here, and some parts have dense vegetation.
There is a part where steps leading from one
part of the climb just disappeared. 

After a few more stations, prayers, slipping and occasional cussing, one can notice how far it there is still to go to get to the "Cross" near the summit. Some people refer this to the top of Mt. Maculot, but it is just a small area of relatively level ground with a great view of the surrounding countryside ("Dude, I can see my house from here"). Nothing beats away the sore legs than this. I couldn't get a shot at the Grotto beside the cross, but a long line forms up to it, where candles are being offered instead of lighting them. A kitten took refuge at the foot of the statue of the Virgin Mary there, as to how it got there, I'd like to think it just crawled up there and decided it a good place to take a nap (the thought of somebody putting the kitten there as "alay" disturbed me somehow. And I'm known to be used to such disturbing things.)

This area just below the "Cross". Littered with small shops
where one can  buy coffee, noodles, and other items.
Nearby is the path leading to a campsite for those who pitched
up tents for the night.

  Now comes the tricky part. Getting down. Down your Gatorade, boys. You'll need it. Trust me.

It wouldn't be so difficult if it weren't for a ton of people around. Going up would be a breeze compared to the way down because it is so rocky. But the up side of it all is that they provide good footholds and things to cling on as climbers make their way down to town. Oh, yeah. They make a pretty sight if some loose ones come tumbling down in a small  avalanches(safe but hurts the shins and feet, larger ones are known to knock people out if they happen to hit them on the head). Things like that cause injuries familiar to Mt. Maculot on Good Friday. So far, this year the only casualty we saw was one having too little oxygen as opposed to last year's fall (presumably a drunk climber or one who got hit on the head by one of those falling rocks). It's a good thing none of those boulder-types get dislodged (think Indiana Jones).

 It was a good day to climb a mountain and a great way to start the highlights of Holy Week. As far as I remember, mixing prayer and penance with a little bit of fun as long as they are meaningful was really a part of the whole thing for my family and friends. And it doesn't hurt anybody in the process. Just don't decide on dislodging those rocks. And please avoid wearing setp-ins, ladies. That was my primary pet peeve last year and this one's hike. You're going up a mountain, not pic-nicking in some stroll in the plains. You're in for a world of hurt withuot the proper gear and attire.

The rope helps. But not so much.

For some reason, one Taho vendor got our attention by walking straight up the steep trail carrying the two aluminum drums full of the sweet, nutricious, all-time favorite soy-based snack. And he did that without a lot of difficulty. "Ayun, daig pa kayo ng magtataho." Anyway, he'll have no problem coming down since those cans will be empty way before lunchtime.

The writer. Gawking.

There is actually another path down. We didn't take the route since we are unfumiliar with it, but I heard it passes by some sort of body of water - a pond, small waterfall, or stream - we didn't know. Maybe next year we'll get to use that one. Or maybe we'll hike up another mountain, who knows?

Oooh... Banahaw sounds promising.

Batangas Summer

Went to the beach two days ago with close friends. Nice weather, hot enough for summer, intense enough to give me a sunburn.

It was such a good day to go to the beach. Yep. I live close enough to the sea; about forty-five minutes tops to a really good beach or about twenty if I go to a nearer one. But since Anilao and Lemery here in Batangas offer really good ones, we opted for those. In the end, we settled for Anilao.

A typical summer outing in the beach here in Batangas will consist of several neccesities. Food, water, and a little money. Of course, alcohol can be an option and more or less it takes a notch higher than food sometimes (with my friends it is a must that we bring be a bottle of something) in the priority list. Strange enough for this one outing, we didn't bring any. ("ano? maglalasing tayo eh ang aga-aga?")

Beach food consist of the usual summer choices. Watermelons (we didn't get to buy one), ripe mangoes (that we had), unripe and green mangoes (we mixed these up with "sinaing na isda", salted eggs, tomatoes, and onions... yum), juice and soda, and most important: the barbecue.

Although in the photo, the reader will notice dumplings. It's not really your usual beach munchies but I wanted to compliment another familiar staple on the sea-side table. You mix soy sauce with calamansi and "sili" (small red peppers that rival the jalapenos in spiciness) as dip for your barbecue. And what else goes well with that dip? Dumplings! I bought two boxes of pork Siomai from the local market and it even went well with rice.

Typical 'Pansit'

Here we find another Filipino dish heavily influenced by the Chinese. Noodles with vegetables, a little meat (or fish), and best served fresh from the stove. Pansit. My buddy cooked up the seafood variety. Instead of using soy sauce, he used oyster sauce. Nice.

We didn't stay long. Just enough for a good dip in the sea, and lunch at the beach. Although I did made good on my promise to soak in the sea, since I miss doing that stuff a lot. And now I give you more photos taken from our table by the sea.

Bamboo floaters mark where its relatively
shallow under normal tides

Hut rental ranges from Php 500.00 - Php. 1,000.00

The sea in this part of Batangas is actually a cliff. So expect some parts getting suddenly deeper as you swim further out. Tourists (mostly Koreans) visit primarily for the dive spots, since the area boasts of some pretty impressive coral reefs and variety of marine life. Recently, Anilao is a haven for water sports. During our stay we watched enthusiasts board sailing and water-skiing. For a fee, you can hire a boat and take you to the outer islands where there are more beaches and coves. Some are even with white sand, if you know which ones to look for.

Huts  and tables like these cost less

"Help us out, will you?"

The road to Anilao

A photo here shows me and my friends working the grill. Actually, they worked on it while I just looked on, mouth watering for the hotdogs. We also had another treat that goes well with grilling - marshmallows! A good few minutes above the hot coals and it's all set for and tastes like... who cares what it tastes like? It's roasted marshmallow. 'Nuff said.

Now I got a really good burn from that trip. Who knows a good ointment for treating sunburn?

On Aging, Billed as the OLD ONE, and Enjoying it.

My birthday's next month. Yipee! Only I will be 25 years old. A quarter of a century old. Hurrah.

I remember my 18th birthay. That was loads of fun... I was saying to myself, "I can get a driver's license now! I can get to watch movies rated 18+! Now I can..."

"Sue and be sued." Said my mom. Thanks mom...

Now, everything's seem different. I know I may be overreacting since 25 is not such an "old" age. Hey, mid-twenties are the next best thing after your teens. Your body's more adaptive, muscle fibers grow and develop quicker, a man in his mid-twenties "perform" better since he can make up with experience what any endurance lost when he's in his teens, and people tend to take you more seriously (this last bit is relative, though). This is the age where independence and opportunity comes hand-in-hand for wider avenues for some. This is when boys really become men. Not just before, but more so nowadays.

Except in my case, I get to hang around with people YOUNGER than me. And when you're twenty-five and already graduated from college, and mid-way to post-graduate studies and into possibly a career path (albeit mine seems so senseless), the guy who happens to be my age is billed as "the old one". Yep, they make fun of my age. At first I get irritated, throw another witty remark in retaliation, but the whole effort is futile. You cannot win in terms of chronology what you already passed by. Hell, some even LAP me. And since I get to stay in a very, very, very, lively dormitory, and I am delayed by two years in law school, the people you hang out with DO NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE. Big deal, you may say. Well... It isn't really, at least for us. It is to them young'uns.

What do they see in us? I would ask myself. Rather, how did I see those who are older than me when I was in my late teens up to my first year after graduating college? I grew up as the only kid at home, since my cousins who were almost my age left for the States when I was young, so I was immersed in the world of grown-ups. No problem. But then I get to go to college. So there I was, hanging with upperclassmen with "awesome" and "cool" going through my head when I get to know what they do for fun, when not in school, or whatnot. It was great, and I remember teasing them also about their age. So, I guess what goes around comes around.

So here I am, the "old guy". Come to think of it, I'm not that old... I mean, look at my dad. Now that's old. Or somebody's grandpa. NOW THAT IS OLD AGE. A friend of mine said that, they (the ones who always tease me) are just looking for somebody to look up to.

Me: "So, you're saying is?"
Psych Pal: "They're just looking for an older brother figure."
Me: "Must you use the word - old?"
Psych Pal: "I mean, it's true, man. Hell, I'm 29 years old and younger guys at the clinic make fun of me all the time, but when they're in trouble, guess who they go to?"
Me: "Their moms?"
Psych Pal: "You got that right. They'll cry and piss their pants when they realize what shit they got themselves into."
Me: "Like how you did when-"
Psych Pal: "Shaddup. I was saying they come to me for advice... The 'old guy'."

And I guess he's right in one way or another. I mean, we've been there, done that. Did this, know a lot more... So, I guess it's just fair.

Now, when they say, "dude, you're old." I don't quip a witty remark back at them designed to attack their naive and immature view of the real world, though I can, and just say, "uh, yeah. I am." Most of the time it stops them, but sometimes they keep on pressing, like they have something to prove. My thinking is, you haven't proven anything yet, virgin. (that was my one-time favorite 'witty quip' to throw back at them, but decided to stop using it since it is way too harsh) All I do now is smile and throw a witty remark at them, but this time designed in a different way, not attacking them but helping me at the same time.

"Bro, you're old"

I answer, "Yeah... Care to buy me arthritis pills?"
or, "Yeah, I just got my senior citizen's card."
or, "my high BP's acting up again."

Sometimes, I will make fun of myself. And I do admit it IS fun.

"Im old now, not as fast as you guys, so... you do it."
"Hey, I'm older than you."
"My back... I pulled something when I was with that girl last night. Man, I hate being old."
"Magmano sa nakakatanda..."

And now, come to think of it, I do enjoy being the older guy. I'm more positive of things, I realize I'm not easily shaken, and I know a lot of stuff now... cool stuff to boot. The more that I enjoy it, the more I feel, strangely enough... younger. I can't explain it but when I was in my college years, I just can't handle the tension which made me haggard. Because I didn't know how to react. As the - hahaha! - age-old saying goes, experience is the best teacher. Now like I said, I know what to do now and I need little advice. And when I do need advice, I make sure I get it from the ones with experience with it, and who's most likely been there. Now, I feel better about myself, I feel stronger even I joke about having rheumatism (part of the sore joints is true, though. It's a gene thing), and I'm happier.

Another cliche I'd like to add, before ending this entry goes: "with age comes wisdom."

And so does wisdom teeth. Ouch.