The Green Miles

I have been wandering around a lot lately, walking for miles as I trailed the parish team as they distributed food packs to the families living in the outskirts of the city. And since it's the dry season in the Philippines, we enjoyed lots of sunshine and blue skies with the bonus of the inspiring color of the countryside: green!🍏

Yes, everywhere my camera and I turned, we were treated to the hues of lime, seaweed, mint, olive and those that remind you of the richness of the soil and the productive hands that grow, nurture and harvest the fruits of the sun, land and water.🌞

A few times, I stumbled upon plantations of fruit-bearing trees which reminded me of the santol and mango orchard of Lola Tinay at her Hacienda Malogo as well as the rambutan trees of Tita Lud at Hacienda Dapdap, where branches of the fruit tree dangled next to her balcony so she could just pick a few whenever she wanted. No need to climb. 😊

Lola Tinay's santol trees were probably of a different variety as the fruits were reachable by adults and huge! I remember we brought home lots of them in crates and took us days to finish! 🍊

When I was still in grade school, our teacher made us understand that we, in the Philippines, are lucky because our land is very fertile. We could just throw seeds anywhere and plants would grow, he said. Desert countries, compared to us, were not as lucky.

He was right but it seems we take it for granted. We instead abuse, neglect, exploit and ruin our environment like we wouldn't someday suffer the consequence of our poor decisions.

But as I continue to roam and enjoy the breezes and colors of the countryside, I hope generations after me will be able to do the same: to walk and appreciate the green miles. 🍀 

A Road Trip: From Iloilo...To Antique...To Aklan

I have always loved the countryside. During all these years of travelling, especially around the Philippines, the best part for me, is not just arriving at my destination, but enjoying the sceneries while getting there.  Looking out of the window of the car or a bus, and in case of travelling around Korea or Europe, looking out from a window of a train, the farm lands, plantations, villages, rivers and mountains I see along the way are as interesting as the tourist attractions in the city.

                 (Boarding our ferry boat from Bacolod City)

So, as my mom, my sister and I travelled through the western part of the Panay Island en route to Boracay Island, the view of the countryside I saw along the way could be described as the unspoiled Philippines.

(Arriving at the Iloilo Domestic Port)

                                   (Fellow travellers)

(The statue of Nicolas Loney greets everyone at Muelle Loney or Loney Waterfront)

First, we crossed the Iloilo Strait from Bacolod City on an hour’s ride on a ferry boat, then travelled through Iloilo City after stopping for breakfast and visiting our cousins in the Jaro District, wherein, by the way, I found the best bibingka in the Philippines, being baked in front of the historic Jaro Cathedral. That Balasan bingka is a must-taste for everyone visiting Jaro.

                   (I have never been inside Museo Iloilo)

    (St. Clement's Church in Jaro. I used to hear Mass here.)

                 (Ceres Liner buses with trips to Caticlan as well!)

                              (Galletas and biscocho)

Then I was on to my first multi-provincial road trip across the Iloilo, Antique and Aklan Provinces!

We were driving through the western side of the Panay Island and our long journey included stops to visit the Miag-ao Church, a lunch break (our rented van driver must rest, too) and to buy some goodies being sold along the road.  

                                        (Our lunch)

                 (There were some unique birds at our lunch stop)

                                                      (A green parrot)

      (That must be Mount Madja-as covered by white clouds. 
                 It is the highest mountain in Panay Island.)

                       (If it's all sugar cane in Negros Island, 
                           it's rice all over in Panay Island)

                   (Rice seeds being dried along the road)

                    (A man and his carabao preparing a paddy.)

                         (School children along the road)

        (I found the best bandi - peanut brittle - along the road. 
                        They use Grade A peanuts!)

A ferry ride from the Bacolod City pier to the Iloilo Domestic Port, then a land trip to the Caticlan Tabon Boat Terminal took almost ten hours. 

I don't know when my next visit to Boracay Island going to be. But passing this way again, through the sceneries of unspoiled Philippines, will always be a memorable experience I want to relive.