Eight hearty hikers and eight scenic kilometers. The stars aligned, the gods smiled, and for those brief moments in time, the world was in balance. Okay, perhaps I’ve engaged in some hyperbole. It was an interesting hike though, and documenting that journey here hopefully fulfills my obligation to post something “interesting” today.
We began our trek with a longish jeepney ride out to Philseco in Subic town. Then we commenced walking through the scenic countryside and didn’t stop until we reached our destination–The Roadhouse in Castillejos. We opted not to do a big climb, irking a couple members of our group, but it was a pleasant walk and plenty enough challenging for me.
You can Relive it here:
Our path as seen from above…This week’s Wednesday Walkers.Didn’t see anyone paddling up this creek.Heading for the hills…Leaving the pavement behind for a while…Hello there children…We didn’t do a big climb, but that’s not to say our path was flat either…But we had enough altitude for some pleasant vistas.Only one water crossing but most of us managed to muddy our shoes…There’s humor in this photo. For whatever reason, the cows and carabao are attracted to Gary. At least he’s been chased a couple of times. He gave this one a wide berth, but you can see the cow giving him the eye. Another cookie delivery. You can tell by the dark skin and curly hair that these are native Aeta children.Those kilometers aren’t going to walk themselves!On and on we go.Mountain views…Water views…Rice paddy in bloom…After the harvest…And still we march.I think these are mango trees…This always cracks me up. Drying the rice on the road. Hey, maybe that’s why there are two lanes…one for the farmer and one for everyone else…After the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991, the native Aeta were moved to several resettlement locations, including here in Castillejos.Posing in front of a local resort that might be an option for an outstation Hash run someday…I loved how they constructed this fence right up against the trunk of this tree…I just liked this tree for some reason.I guess you could say the proverbial writing is on the wall.Over the river…What’s bugging you, Scott?And finally, we made it to Roadhouse. It’s been a long time since we’ve been out this way.
I truly do enjoy our out of town walks. Mostly because I like walking new paths and seeing new views. It enhances the adventure. So, it was a good day in that regard.
After a couple of brews at Roadhouse, we caught a bus back to Barretto. That was just a matter of good timing. We were waiting for a jeepney empty enough to accommodate us when the bus rolled up. The fare is not much higher and the ride is way more comfortable. We got off at Cheap Charlies, our traditional watering hole, for more beers and lunch. I took some flak for ordering a Hawaiian pizza. Hey, pineapple needs love too!
Came home and took a much-needed nap, then it was time to get ready for darts. Didn’t finish in the money though. Hey, win some, lose some.
And that was another day in the life. It may not be much but I’m glad to have it.
2 thoughts on “Eight is enough”
Did Scott give himself a little extra protein by eating that beetle?
The drying rice has me curious. In Korea, it’s laid out on nets or tarps so it can be easily lifted off the road without also picking up a bunch of road grit. Is the rice in that photo directly on the road, or is it lying on top of something I can’t see?
This rice was directly on the road. I’ve seen them use tarps in other spots though. Seems like it would be a major pain in the ass to get it off the ground like that. Not to mention, unsanitary.
Nope, Scott wimped out. I say that, but I wouldn’t have left that bugger on my leg long enough to get a photo…
Did Scott give himself a little extra protein by eating that beetle?
The drying rice has me curious. In Korea, it’s laid out on nets or tarps so it can be easily lifted off the road without also picking up a bunch of road grit. Is the rice in that photo directly on the road, or is it lying on top of something I can’t see?
This rice was directly on the road. I’ve seen them use tarps in other spots though. Seems like it would be a major pain in the ass to get it off the ground like that. Not to mention, unsanitary.
Nope, Scott wimped out. I say that, but I wouldn’t have left that bugger on my leg long enough to get a photo…