Part 4: The Philippines Travelogue
A City on a Mountaintop and My Last Day
Greetings from somewhere over Alaska on Korean Airlines!
I am writing this installment on my cellphone during the longest leg of the flights home to Tennessee. (Next week’s issue will present my final thoughts about this adventure, a few quirky discoveries, and the absolute best part of this entire trip.)
A lot happened during the last week of our stay.
First, we spent two days and one night in the city of Baguio. Regarded as the summer capital of the Philippines, this mountaintop city has an average temperature of 60 degrees throughout the year. Since the Philippines is tropical with warm and hot temperatures all the time, people flock to Baguio to escape from the heat and humidity.
Its unique location offers stunning panoramic views of mountains that stretch far, wide, and high. Misty clouds seep through the streets during rainstorms. Angular, near vertical streets and avenues make driving through this city feel more like a roller coaster ride.
We visited a few places during our stay.
Our first stop was the Mirador Heritage and Eco-Spirituality Park. This is a hillside park featuring a panoramic view of the city, rock gardens, the Grotto of our Lady of Lourdes, the Mirador Peace Memorial, and multiple spots to absorb the mountain views, relax, and take photos.
Up next, we went to the Dragon Castle. It is literally a medieval castle on a hilltop. I was quite pleased with how its art and craftsmanship accurately represented the Filipino people . . .
The Igorot Stone Kingdom was our next stop. This large stone structure exhibits the rock-laying skills of the Igorots, which is the predominant indigenous tribe of this region of the Philippines. Embedded onto a mountainside, you will find the Temple of Kabunyan, the Face in the Rock, the Fertility Stone Tower, Bangan’s Dome, Tower of Gatan, and more. Signs make it clear that this structure was built during the pandemic as a tourist attraction to highlight and support local Igorot communities.
Then, we stopped at Mines View, which offers the best view of the entire region. Lush green mountains touch clouds while gently cascading into the distant ocean. It was spellbinding.
Lastly, we visited a few local markets to do some shopping. I was particularly interested in the fabrics that are woven and sold by the Igorot people (as depicted below), which bare no resemblance to the Spanish-inspired cultural garments that are otherwise used to represent the Philippines.
During our final weekend, we spent time in Manila with family and old friends. My mom’s younger brother Uncle Ante (Uncle Awesome!) organized a big family meal at the beautiful Navy Golf Club where he is a member (as a retired Captain of the Philippine Navy).
He also arranged for me to play piano during our meal at the outdoor dining area overlooking lush greenery. This was my first (and hopefully not my last) performance in my motherland.
Twenty of us devoured lechon, tortang talong, kare kare, coconut juice, and halo halo while catching each other up on our lives and taking photos.
Afterward, we went to the ginormous Mall of Asia shopping district to meet up with some old friends before heading back to the provinces.
I spent my last day in the Philippines back in the family house in Zaragoza. I helped my nephew’s partner Annie with a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. (We had already completed two five hundred-piece puzzles and one 1,500 piece puzzle by then.) I played a Filipino card game called Toung-It with my nephew and his girlfriend before a few bouts of Jenga and teaching them how to play an American card game called “Speed.”
I enjoyed my last meals with my brother Glenn, his two sons Mark and Marvin, and all of their partners Elsie, Annie, and Joanne. As the sky grew dark for the night, we packed up our van with our luggage. With hugs and so much gratitude, we bid a tear-stained farewell.
I do not know if and when I will be able to come back (because I have learned that life does not always go as planned). Nonetheless, I made the best of every moment I had. I joyously ate everything I possibly could. I tenderly hugged as many friends and relatives that my arms could reach.
I left Zaragoza with a view of the sunset and my heart so full.
I will love my motherland forever.
UPCOMING SHOWS:
Jane’s Hideaway
Nashville, TN
Tuesday, February 25, at 8 PM
Writer’s Kitchen: Solo Songwriter’s Round