the majestic mainit mountains

an old dried tree stump with one arm waving free, and silhouetted by a sea of clouds, greets g'day. or as they say in mainit: inmali kayo. this translates loosely as: you have come - welcome

uphill.

and downhill. and uphill and downhill. and uphill and downhill. oh you get to do this a few times.

say hello to the locals who are out tending their fields, cutting firewood ...



or looking after their precious few heads of cattle.

stop and chat to a forest ranger when you meet him. he is only a volunteer and does not get paid to protect the mountains.

a tipple or two would not hurt, and he might tell you a tale or two in return.

back in the village, you thought you were lost in another world,

but deep into the mountains, with civilization out of reach, you finally find yourself lost in another planet.

after an earthquake, the mountain sides can be very hazardous.

so tread carefully.

my cousin sent me these photos last january 2008. this is near the epicentre of the earthquake that was felt in abra, the ilocos and other surrounding areas, even as far as baguio 150kms away.

white-water rafting, er without a raft.

the mountains are the window to the future. protect them and they will protect us. lobby your officials. talk to your representatives about preserving the cordillera mountains. our survival and yours, may depend on them.

the thick mossy forests produce the life-giving sweet waters that flow into our creeks, streams and rivers, and then are tapped to our water reticulation systems.

many a sabag* lost its lifeblood on my blade. so don't be a scumbag... respect the mountains, respect the people, and they will respect you.

(*sabag is the vernacular for manok na labuyo)

well if it's tinola on your mind, maybe it's time to head back to town. you could continue on west to abra, but that will take another day or so of good hiking to the next village...

my cousin kindly posted a video of the mainit mountains on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUe6Sk1HQH8

enjoy.

til next blog.