Skip to main content

Trip to Benguet Day 3

After a heavy breakfast, we headed out to exchange cars at Jomar's brother's house because we needed a four-wheel drive for the next destination. On the way there, we enjoyed even more mountain views, passing by local trading posts, and seeing houses built on the side of the mountain, I mean houses with 3,4, or more floor levels! 


Winaca Eco Village was our last stop in Benguet before going home and we can say we saved the best for last. We had a short bathroom break and then walked to a playground where we explored two model houses, an Ifugao house and a Sagada House. All four of us enjoyed the obstacle course, giving us more endorphin, making the trip more enjoyable. James and Adam tried wall climbing for the first time and I thought I should take the challenge as well, so I tried the "High Ropes" or canopy walk, learning about my fear of heights. I just felt like I have the responsibility to show my kids that it is good, even fun, to take tasks that scare the hell out of us, actually not just good or fun, but NECESSARY.


 Then, we had a healthy lunch at Health 101. It was a bit "high-end" for us because we travel on a budget, but the quality of food and their appeal to our palate deserve five Michelin stars! It is also a good time for us to have some freedom to choose our style when it comes to food choices. Our selection reflected our individuality and that, for our family, is priceless! I had a vegetarian burger, Cesar had Chicken Pesto Melt, James had chicken fingers, and Adam had a mushroom burger. We had crispy sweet potato fries and some blueberry and strawberry yogurt too!

We still had half a day to suck in as much Benguet  as we can and we're happy that there's nothing in our schedule. James and Adam played with toys and drew pictures while Cesar and I tried to relax with a book and a cup of coffee. Cesar took a short nap and I took the boys to a nearby store where they picked a snack of soda and chocolates, I know, these are junk, but I gave them money with no strings attached, they have the freedom to choose and that's where they wanted to spend it on. I believe that with more practice and mistakes along the way, they'll be able to make better choices, but I strongly believe it will happen not because of restrictions but because of better education through freedom.


For dinner, we bought some veggies for our fresh salad and Adam bought some wooden key chains, carved as swords, for his friends at home. We also bought some woven mats and strawberries and took time just seeing what's there that might interest us. Then we went straight to a computer shop and spent an hour there, James and Adam playing games while interacting with local children while I tried to upload some pictures. It's amazing to see how the kids converse with our boys, trying to give them tips in Tagalog while helping each other to translate some Ilocano/Ibaloy so that James and Adam would understand. This is what common interest does, it promotes an emergent community. 

When the sun started to set, we went out again to buy roasted chicken and mayonnaise for the salad dressing. It's just our small way of saying thank you for our hosts' hospitality. Auntie Mary, with her very thoughtful nature, bought a black forest cake that we enjoyed after dinner. We then shared some thoughts, personal stories and said how grateful we were to them for opening their homes. Without their hospitality and generosity, this trip might not be possible.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Exploring Naujan, Oriental Mindoro

     About a minute after I started researching about the things we can do in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, I received an electronic notice that informed us that we missed paying our internet bill and then the connection was cut immediately. Usually I would panic, but we resorted to our original plan instead: to explore and be surprised by the things we will find on our own, to be lost and ask about places we can visit, instead of having a list of "things to do". Actually, not-knowing adds a distinct flavor to adventures, which offers a thrill factor when you navigate through places you have not seen an online preview of.  This free-style travel plan also help us take our time and just enjoy the experiences instead of rushing from one destination to another.      So here are some of our new discoveries: The municipality of Naujan boasts a good collection of ancestral homes that took us to another era in our history. For only P100, yes one hundred pesos, you can afford a
5 comments
Read more

Day#3: Mansalay's Mangyan Burial Cave, Mangroves, & Buktot White Beach

     While enjoying our ride, Daddy saw a port and was curious, so we stopped to explore like we usually do and it was just the perfect time to enjoy some snacks so we bought some chips at the local sari-sari store as well. As we were licking our salty fingers, we saw some mangroves or bakawan, lining up a portion of the shore. Here are some pictures of what we discovered and enjoyed next.      We walked along the white shore, soaking in the unbelievable sight composed of mangroves, white dead corals mixed in the sand, and clean and clear water. It was definitely a stop worth taking!      When we reached a certain point, we found out that there are sea guards who are more than willing to take us to a cave. The tide was high, so we had to walk in knee-deep water, which made the experience quite relaxing and memorable.      We learned that the Mangyan Burial Cave is the resting place of some skulls and bones of our Mangyan relatives, an indigenous group living in d
Post a Comment
Read more

A few of James & Adam's Talents

One of the great gifts of unschooling is having all the time we need to pursue whatever it is that interests us. We have the luxury of time to do more or less of the activities that we enjoy, develop skills, or just try something new. It also allows us to take as much rest  or breaks as we need and the choice to quit or continue anytime. Having the freedom to do what our hearts feel like doing make every second counts. Here's James Singing "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" And here's Adam, showing off his skateboarding and rollerblading skills
Post a Comment
Read more