Remain Calm in Any Situation

Easier said than done, I know, but it's a must. And it's possible. Keep calm whatever happens. And the one sure thing to do to remain calm is keep cool. To put it more radically, be emotionless. It's not passiveness or being cold, it's cold-blooded. How? Just tell yourself, "it's not a big deal," whenever troubles come, in whatever form.

Photo by Yoann Boyer on Unsplash.

And that's the truth. Nothing's a big deal.

I know it sounds scary, yet too simple, but disturbing all at the same time that it seems a silly thing to say or advice. But what often works in real life are simple, silly things. Happiness and peace, for instance, happen with a simple life that gets amused at silly things, plus right amounts of quietude and meekness, counting others better than yourself. And considering others better than you are is a silly idea for most people. 

But why did I mention "cold-blooded"? Doesn't that sound heinous? The word means zero emotion or being pitiless or callous, even deliberately cruel. Yeah exactly, and you use all these to deaden your reaction to danger. When you're in danger, like being inside a plane about to crash, or being held hostage by a psycho, try to feel no emotions, zero emotions, being pitiless or callous about the thought of dying, being cruel against self-pity, and doing all these deliberately. 

If there's no drama, you can better weigh your situation objectively, think of the right things to do and do it without reservations, even save lives with zero regard for self. To get the kind of calm we need to have, we need this kind of cool to get the calm required in dangerous situations. And this calmness stays in our spirit if we train ourselves in it regularly, like a lifestyle. A constant mindset.

As a local hiker I often find myself in a strange locality where I'm apt to get lost. It's not that I'm poor with directions or anything like that. It's just that all of us are bound to get lost at some time in our lives. And when you're lost in unfamiliar territory you're exposed and easy target to danger. You need to be extra calm because muggers are after unstable people who find themselves in strange places.

But being lost now and then is normal. If you never get lost, you're abnormal. There's something wrong with how you live life. I'm not talking about living wickedly and lost. I'm referring to a kind of righteous wandering like what young Jacob had, or even Jonah. They dared veer off from the right direction, not out of wickedness but out of stubborn adventurism, and something that proved too risky. 

The important thing is disposition. It's like making mistakes. We all do, and it's okay, as long as we know what to do next---which is to do right the next time around.

Same with getting lost or anything we find ourselves in that spells trouble or danger. Recover and take the right path. And it starts with not panicking, or looking for someone or something to blame. Keep cool and think clearly. Be so radically and cold-bloodedly calm.

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Scrap Treasures Unearthed by Local Art Hiker

You get to meet other local hikers trekking different life terrains as you wander through life. We're all "hikers" in some sense, and we trek our own chosen paths, some smooth, some rugged. Like Alex. Here's a local hiker who hacked through a rugged footpath of his own by creating "treasure" displays from scrap materials. And it's all thanks to God for the pandemic lockdowns, which initially looked like a dead end to him but later became an opportunity. 

Why Not His Own Exhibit?

Trash materials scheduled to be disposed when the garbage truck comes. Soda tin cans, scrap papers, wires, discarded bottles and short branches from pruned trees. But wait, said Alex Legaspi to himself. He stared at the bunch of litters before him. Something in his artistic proclivities reminded him how old and wasted rejects can be turned into new creations fit for a specific purpose. Like what he did with his campaign for a solar panel company on recycling and zero waste. He was then the designer of the display booth stand during a trade convention. The idea struck him. Yeah, why not?

"Naisip ko, ginawa ko ang campaign na 'zero waste for cleaner air...cleaner world.' Tapos hindi ko gagawin sa actual (na buhay ko)? Drawing lang?"

From trash to treasure. Other folks have discovered money in trash (pera sa basura) but he toyed with the idea of making treasure out of trash. He was pondering on the idea while in the confines of his home in Pampanga last year due to the pandemic when severe lockdowns forced some companies to cease operations for a while. He thought it was the end of his colorful career. He is head of the advertising and promotion department of a local Caterpillar Marine Engine company which stopped work schedules since last year when the pandemic set in. 

So he decided to find something productive to do at home.

"I decided to fix some things at home, clean the whole house, do some repairs, repaint everything. I gathered a heap of trash in the process that I thought could still be put into good use."

Wood Art 

That's when the scrap toy treasures were "unearthed." The idea was "buried" for a while but the ample spare time provided by the lockdowns resurrected the idea from oblivion. So Alex--or Lex to his friends (and to us, his UE Manila high school classmates circa late 70s)--started gathering the bits and pieces and went to work. His first project was to save the tree stem debris from the community incinerator. So he did some wood art crafts, always the creative smart guy that he was in our graduating class (1978) when we needed some art works.

"Inuna ko yung mga sanga ng puno kasi susunugin na ng barangay. Ito na ngayun yun."

From useless stems ready for disposal and burning, to a colorful hanging wooden chime or practical wall mounted display. Everything's from materials just lying idly around his house. Instead of remaining useless and even a menace, he turned them into something valuable. He added some inspirational wooden guideposts made of ply boards. 

Real Inspiration

His inspiration stems mostly from his new-found devotion to the Lord. Instead of being made unproductive by the pandemic, he claims the Lord enabled him to do more meaningful things while kept at home. "I can do ALL THINGS through CHRIST OUR LORD which STRENGTHENED ME. Philippians 4:15," he once messaged me. "Siya talaga ang magaling hindi ako? The Giver of the Gift... Siya talaga ang inspirasyon ko," Lex humbly insisted.

Wire and Paper

Later on, he tinkered with old wires lying around. With some finger dexterity and imagination and inspiration, he turned them into mounted sculptures which look like wringed wire trophies to me. Checkout some of his scrap paper arts below after his wire trophy collection.

Tin Metal Scraps

Saving the best for last, Lex started exploring artwork possibilities with discarded soda tin cans. What good could they be used for after being emptied of their contents? He started playing with the idea of scooters. So the journey began. This local hiker shifted terrain, this time a path of piecing metal strips together to form scooters.

And look what he used for the scooter wheels. He mounted the whole thing on a smooth wooden base for a metal sculpture souvenir item or trophy, Philippine made by local ingenuity using some imported soda brands. It could very well pass for a novelty item in a souvenir shop which tourists would go crazy for.

Then he tried it out with motorcycles.

If it's possible with scooters and motorcycles, then why not a farm tractor, too?

Best for Last

Saving the best for last, he tried it with jeeps, too, and it worked. Well, not at first. It was quite a challenge initially, but with perseverance and the drive of a local hiker, he didn't give up. In fact, as soon as he learned that I needed his art works for my blog, he finished it pronto within minutes.

And below is the end result.

Awed by what he accomplished, I mentioned about how things can turn out really good in the end, even those we think are fit only for discarding away. They can even end up being precious treasures from scraps, literally. And Lex agreed and added.

Alam ko din na minsan inu-unahan kasi tayo ng negatibong isip natin, kaya tinatalo tayo ng takot. Pero alam naman natin walang ibang gusto ang Lord kung hindi mapabuti at maging maayos tayong lahat. John 10:10 "Naparito ako upang magbigay ng buhay... Buhay na ganap at kasiya-siya."

Don't Miss These Specials When in Tagaytay

mapio.net

What would Tagaytay be without those roadside fruit stands? One of the reasons I love hiking in Tagaytay is the sight of brightly colored fruits hanging around makeshift stalls along the roads and highways. I always go for the unique Senyorita bananas and pineapples.

Once we're almost on the topmost part of Tagaytay, the fruit stands begin to show themselves. That's when I quit taking a nap and look out the window of our van to feast my eyes on them. I also love looking at the wonderful wood carvings and Ifugao huts.

I love having pineapples peeled and chopped and placed in a plastic bag so I can munch on them as we go on up to the main Aguinaldo highway overlooking Taal and cliff-side residences. I also often buy pineapples on the way home.

To choose a hotel in Tagaytay and see the prices, see our hotel price checker through this link.

Among places we love visiting here is Tagaytay Royale where we sometimes have lunch buffet to celebrate a birthday. What I love eating here are the chopped fresh fruits served, among many others. Foremost of them is---you guessed it---pineapple.

And then we hike to the Mahogany Market for a round of the famous "Bulalo" or beef stew with generous servings of tender, flavorful beef, bones and the fatty marrow inside. And that comes with lots of crunchy vegetables.

Sometimes, we try posh restaurants serving delicious Tagaytay native lunch treats (kare-kare, fried chicken and fried tilapia or tawilis) with bulalo (if the budget allows it). You'd never miss the restaurants lined up along the main highway. And then we buy fresh beef from the adjacent meat market where the meat even pulsates in freshness.

After roaming around the city, we also love buying fresh goat's milk and white cheese made of the same---perfect filling for hot pandesal. And often we also visit The Good Shepherd for some root crops and jars of freshly baked ube jam. We may also try some halo-halo there (mixed desserts and fruits with shaved ice, milk, sugar and ice cream).

Pastillas? They're everywhere in Tagaytay. I can recommend The Original pastries store along the Sta. Rosa Tagaytay Road near the Philippine National Police Academy or PNPA. Or even other pastry stores along that highway.

There are lots of places you can go visit in Tagaytay---Picnic Grove, Palace in the Sky, Sky Ranch with the giant Ferris wheel, and the new Robinson's mall there, to name a few. But I enjoy more the places where food and delicacies are sold than the places of entertainment. I'm a food lover. I'd choose eating pineapples or bulalo anytime than enjoying rides.

Baguio City on Rainy Days

Have you visited Baguio City on rainy days? If you need some adventure to perk you up, try it. You have to be extra careful during the trek up but many folks tell me taking Marcos Highway is the safest. Kenon Road is a definite no-no especially for light vehicles.

I've tried hiking around Baguio City on rainy days. One time was when I was almost stranded along Pico Road in La Trinidad so I had to seek cover in a mini mart while the angry thunderstorm raged. Another time was when I and my family had a 3 day stay on Engineer's Hill and the steep slope where we stayed really made me worry about landslides. Thank God nothing like that happened.

Two of my friends recently went up Baguio and I asked to have some of their pictures used for this blog article. Above, just look at that romantic "wet scene" at the Lourdes Grotto. It makes honeymoon stays in the City of Pines more exciting.

During rainy days, the temperature drops and you begin to crave for hot meaty foods like grilled porkchops (I remember the thick grilled porkchops we enjoyed there one rainy lunch at one popular grill restaurant along Session Road). Your appetite improves as you roam around the city on foot during a heavy rain.

Oh yes, we also went there when I was in high school during a rainy day and my appetite really tripled even if we were sightseeing in a car. When we got to the Baguio central market, we ordered lots of fresh and crunchy ginisang sitsaro---specialty of a very popular local eatery inside the market (not there anymore) and I ate most of it.

Sitsaro, by the way, is flat and short string beans popular in Baguio. They're always crunchy and sweet.

To help calculate hotel prices for your trip anywhere in the Philippines, click here!

Classy Baguio restaurants are good but sometimes I'd rather try local eateries serving Baguio veggies. There are carinderias serving ginisang sayote leaves and goat dishes near Burnham Park and Baguio City Hall. I often make it a point to eat at Sunshine Restaurant at the corner of Session and Magsaysay where I enjoy Chinese food dishes. During rainy days, these places are good options for meals.

One time we hiked to Mines View Park on a heavy rainy day and all we saw were thick gray clouds. Sometimes the distant peaks and the low hills and houses below would show themselves but clouds would quickly engulf them. But it was mesmerizing how the thick white fog would swallow up areas or shops around Mines View as we looked around for souvenirs.

There was also a time when we went biking in Burnham and then suddenly the fog rolled in and made visibility almost zero. The same thing happened when we went up SM Baguio---the clouds literally "floated in."

If you brought boots along, I recommend hiking long distances as you roam around Baguio rather than taking cabs or even public jeeps. The "feel" of the cold weather plus some sprinkling of cold rain vapor on your face will be memorable.

Staying around the city proper will keep you safe from land or rock slides. And anyway, staying within the perimeter of the city proper offers lots of excitement on rainy days---like, have you seen Burnham Park covered with white fog? Have you smelled the scent of pine at Teachers Camp or the Ifugao Village? Have you observed how fresh the environs of Mansion House are just after a heavy rain?

Or just walk leisurely up Session Road and nearby connecting roads, streets and alleys, window shopping or just trying to get "lost" to have an adventure.

Foggy like some mountainous country in Europe---that's what a hike in Baguio City on rainy days is like.

Curve up somewhere going to
La Trinidad.

Downtown Session Road.

My Miraculous Hike

National Kidney Institute
richric2014.blogspot.com

Some trace of protein was found in my urine so I was told to have a check up at the National Kidney Institute (NKI) along East Avenue on Quezon City. So, morning of May 13 (Friday), I hiked there.

The facilities were okay and I enjoyed the good air-conditioning system all over. I was told to be there at 9 am but the doctor arrived at 12 noon. So I read the newspaper, my bible, talked to patients and slept up to 12 noon. 

I particularly liked one patient---an old man with swelling feet and legs---who seemed excited to talk to anyone. And it happened that I sat in front of him. 

The doctor found my blood test results OK and so with my latest urine test which yielded negative or normal results. But she wanted me to have more tests just to see where how the protein leak happened.

I don't know if I could do more tests. It's so expensive to have just one test.

The night before and that early morning, I and my family had prayed hard for a negative urine test. Other life hikers I train also prayed. Then, early that same morning I had the urine test which initially had negative result. My sister then decided to have the urine tested in their lab, and she called up later to say the lab saw no trace of anything in my urine. 

All normal!

And it was Friday the 13th! Jesus is Lord even on Friday the 13th!

God answered our prayer that quick! It was a miracle from God! Hikers, of all people, should believe in God's power and experience it.

Anyway, I walked around NKI to look around a bit more (that's how hikers are), reminiscing the times my late dad had been confined there and how I and my family had looked after him. I even passed by the ICU area where I had watched over my dad when he was in critical condition. I saw the phone booth still there---I had used it to call my girlfriend (my wife now) at midnight while watching my dad.

I stopped to meditate and recall all these.

Later, I decided to have lunch there, too. Then I started hiking for home.

At first, I had planned on taking a ride to National Housing and get a ride to SM North from there. But then I decided to hike.

Quezon City Hall
www.interaksyon.com

I crossed East Avenue and passed through Quezon City Hall. I was feeling kind of dizzy due to the super hot day and the tummy gas that was rising to my head (so I loosened my belt and pants and got tremendous relief). I enjoyed looking at the food items vendors were selling along the sidewalk to city hall. 

I passed through the open areas were food stalls were and the part where elevators in front of the building served higher floors of city hall. I exited at the place where there's a small monument of Rizal (and recalled the times I got jeepney rides there  going to Quiapo when I was a working student). 

National Housing Authority
www.nha.gov.ph

Later, I found myself along Kalayaan Avenue looking at some fruit stands along the sidewalk. After crossing Kalayaan, I enjoyed watching more fruit stands in front of the PNB Bank there adjacent to the National Housing Authority building. 

More colorful fruits and vegetables along the sidewalk. Wow!

Then I took a public jeepney to SM North and there took a jeepney ride to Jackman. I went up the high stairs to the LRT Station there and passed through Walter Mart where I bought a glass of cold gulaman drink for P10. Aaahhh! 

Then I looked around for a while, enjoying the air-conditioning.

Then I exited at the back and walked to the tricycle terminal along Roosevelt Avenue. Again, I surveyed the fruit stands along the street. I bought 3 small pineapples for P25. 

Finally, I took a trike ride to Parkway Village via Roosevelt Avenue and Del Pilar Street and finally arrived at the school where my dear wife works. While waiting for her, God and I talked at the playground under the big Santol tree where the afternoon wind was strong. I took out my small bible and read it. I ate the pineapples. Hmm, such sweet stuff! Then, Jeff and Jojet dropped by to talk to me, and then I resumed reading the bible when they left.

Finally, my dear wife was done with her work. We smiled and talked softly and then left for home. I had to carry the books she was to bring home, thus my visit to her office that afternoon.

We had a date---had a big banana, siopao and tall, cold pineapple juice drinks at 7-11---and talked of sweet nothings.

That's a day in the life of Juan Hiker.

I praise God for everything!

Prophet Prophesies Who Will Win the Election

tworiversblog.com

Whether you believe in prophecy or not, this is an interesting thing to know about. As I was hiking along Roxas Boulevard, I saw this. I believe God still uses prophets today--prophets who are solidly bible-based--to remind us and declare God's rigid standards in the bible.

Because the church often forgets and is easily drawn to worldly trends--like how a lot of them behave in this election campaign period. They join the political mudslinging like they're not part of God's holy government and believe in candidates as if candidates were saviors, the ones who died on the cross for them.

Dr. Jonathan David of the International Strategic Alliance of Apostolic Churches or ISAAC recently had a 3-day conference on reforming the church, city and nation for Jesus Christ at the Cuneta Astrodome. And there he prophesied who would win as president in this coming May elections.

The thing that excited my spirit was how GOD would move the coming new administration (whoever wins) to fear God and his holy church, no matter what the new president's background was. Well, all presidentiables throw accusations at each other, so I'm bound to think they're all corrupt.

That's why I was at a loss who to vote for. There's no ideal candidate. But then, according to the prophecy, GOD is about to accelerate the Philippine church's spiritual stature in Asia so she could fulfill her mandate and destiny from God, and this means that this time around, whoever occupies the seat of power in the land will have to bow down to Heaven, or else...

All health vital signs would be up for the country--economic recovery, agreeable business climate (more investments), corruption is arrested. reconciliation, genuine changes and a new order, clean government--all these so the church in general can finish the race God has set for it.

The Philippines is destined to be "The Soul of Asia," winning souls as never before. The end times are coming.

So it doesn't matter who wins--because GOD is going to move and turn everything around to His advantage for His purposes alone. And a key to this is a genuine church revival all over the Philippines. The church has better shape up SOON! Or else...

So, who's going to win the elections? Answer---officials who will fear God and His church! That's welcome news.

It's somewhat as the time when God chose Cyrus king of Persia to rebuild Jerusalem.

This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus...to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places...I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me...

I will raise up Cyrus in my righteousness: I will make all his ways straight. [Isaiah 45]

And why all these? It was for the people of God:

For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen... [45.4]

Here's a sample of Dr. Jonathan David's prophecy for Asia and the Philippines on November 26, 2010, before the 2011 Tsunami in Japan:

The Dangerous Thing I Noted in the Presidential Debates

www.fairlawnschools.org

As Juan Hiker who blogs on things I see while roaming life, I also watch election campaigns closely, like the presidential debate last night. I was reminded of a perya (street corner carnival) I once saw as a kid where a local beauty contest was also held.

You saw the contestants doing and saying all sorts of funny things to please the audience and get applause. Some participants looked formal and serious, but that only made everything funnier. How can you look serious when everything looks funny and almost everyone's laughing? It's just a perya.

Like during the debates. They all tried to sound sincere and true and presented too-good-to-be-true platforms of government which you know only happened in Disneyland. I always hear those promises and platforms every campaign period and yet none of them really ever materialize in the real life, except a poor and half-hearted version of the things promised during the campaign.

It's been always like that for ages. And yet there are people who take these clowns seriously.

I know elections are important, especially presidential elections, but you'd just end up the fool if you take them too seriously and personally. Some even defend their bets like they're life's only hope--as if campaigning for candidates is the sole reason for their existence. They even quarrel over them.

When will these folks learn?

A lot of people are so particular about what platform of government candidates have and their educational background and past performances.

But almost no one's concerned about true righteousness. And I mean genuine righteousness. They all think platforms, the economy, intelligence, educational backgrounds, track records and one's stand on the Philippine West Sea crisis can save a nation.

And they also think "righteousness" is simply not saying bad words, not joking about rape or not disrespecting senior citizens. Religiosity perhaps, but that's not righteousness.

The Word says, "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people." No nation can be exalted or promoted to greatness without true righteousness. What do the candidates think about this? Is this only for Christians or Christian nations?

God required righteousness for Nineveh even if it was a pagan city. The king of Nineveh made righteousness the priority in governance and the city was saved. Those running for the presidency today should also make this a priority. So, which of them do?

I guess none.

So, what's the next best thing to do? Choose the candidate with a heart to consider humility as a vital prerequisite to righteousness. At least, a humble guy might ask God's help in true righteousness.

So tell me honestly---who among the presidentiables displayed humility? Vote for that guy.

Have You Ever Listened to Creation?

Nope, that's not anywhere in the US. It's a place in Tagaytay I spent overnight in when my hiking lasted till late afternoon.

It's got lots of amenities and facilities, from basketball to table tennis to swimming to lawn tennis and golf.

Anyway, early in the morning I went out for a leisurely walk. And then I climbed up the steep road and stood quietly on top, surveying my surroundings.

It's always good to stand up meditatively like that, enjoying the quietness and the cool morning air.

I do it at home, too. I love meditating Gods work, even as I hike around.

When you hike, brisk walk or jog, never take along a headphone connected to a radio or something to listen to anything, especially when you are amid Mother nature. Listen to creation instead.

I see lots of folks walk or jog early in the morning and forfeit themselves of the priceless stillness in their surroundings by listening to something through their headphones. What a waste. You get your share of stupid noise the rest of the day, why add more early in the morning?

That's wisdom from Juan Hiker.

What Do You Do If Everyone Can Swim Except You?

I can swim, but not that good. Especially, I don't know how to rescue a drowning person.

So, when the kids went for a swim and I had to watch over them, I was wondering what I'd do in case someone drowned. Okay, I'd pull the plug to drain the pool of all the water.

Or, we'd all drink the water in the pool.

But then this little girl (the only girl in the group) suddenly jumped off and dived into the pool. And man, could she swim! So now, I knew what I'd do. "OK guys don't worry! If someone drowns, little Jammy here is going to rescue him."

But there was this kid who obviously didn't know how to swim, but he didn't want the rest to know about it so he brought along his camera. He started taking pictures of the plants in the nearby garden, pretending to be absorbed by it and losing interest in swimming.

Good idea.

Just so he wouldn't feel embarrassed, I appreciated his pictures and asked permission to let me use some of them for my blogs. He agreed. So, here's one of them above.

When you're hiking through life a long time already like Juan Hiker, you learn how to make people feel it's all right despite their shortcomings.

Anyway, in fairness, it's interesting how he took picture of the flowers here with the pool as background. The kid's got talent.

What Do You Do If Everyone Can Swim Except You?

I can swim, but not that good. Especially, I don't know how to rescue a drowning person.

So, when the kids went for a swim and I had to watch over them, I was wondering what I'd do in case someone drowned. Okay, I'd pull the plug to drain the pool of all the water.

Or, we'd all drink the water in the pool.

But then this little girl (the only girl in the group) suddenly jumped off and dived into the pool. And man, could she swim! So now, I knew what I'd do. "OK guys don't worry! If someone drowns, little Jammy here is going to rescue him."

But there was this kid who obviously didn't know how to swim, but he didn't want the rest to know about it so he brought along his camera. He started taking pictures of the plants in the nearby garden, pretending to be absorbed by it and losing interest in swimming.

Good idea.

Just so he wouldn't feel embarrassed, I appreciated his pictures and asked permission to let me use some of them for my blogs. He agreed. So, here's one of them above.

When you're hiking through life a long time already like Juan Hiker, you learn how to make people feel it's all right despite their shortcomings.

Anyway, in fairness, it's interesting how he took picture of the flowers here with the pool as background. The kid's got talent.

Umbrella Clad Brisk Walker

It may be somewhat ridiculous, but it's the smart thing to do today if you brisk walk late in the morning or early in the afternoon. Carry an umbrella along and hide under it when brisk walking.

I see some folks brisk walk late in the morning without protection from the sun. If you brisk walk at 8:30 am or so, you need to protect yourself from intense heat and sunlight.

Believe it or not, I saw several guys one time jogging at noon. That's a silly time to jog. Imagine the harmful UV rays that will penetrate your skin and damage your cells.

Take it from me, being Juan Hiker, an expert when it comes to walking or hiking long distances. Aside from taking along a  bottle of water to rehydrate yourself now and then, take an umbrella, open it and hide under it while brisk walking.

And use breakable glass bottles to store water in, not plastic bottles.

It may make you look ridiculous, but better to be funny-looking than get sick with a deadly ailment later.

I wish every street would be abundant with shady trees, like the ones I saw in New Manila, Forbes and McKinley while I was hiking in their vicinities.

Why Juan Loves to Hike

Just call me Juan because it's something close to my real name. And I love to brisk walk early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

And I also prefer walking to my destination if it's within walking distance than ride. In fact, I like getting off public vehicles about a corner away from where I should really get off--so I can walk to it.

I love walking around aimlessly, too. When I was in high school and college, I used to just walk around, and that took me to far away places--too far away from my school. I often had long vacant periods in high school and college, and our school library then had nothing exciting to offer except textbooks. I hate textbooks. I love detective, mystery and adventure books.

Anyway, my aimless hikes took me to Rizal Avenue and Recto when I was in high school at E. Rodriguez Jr. High in La Loma, QC. Then it took me to Quiapo, Ermita, Paco, Binondo, China Town, Makati, San Juan and Pasig when I transferred to UE and FEU in Manila. After classes, I started walking around long distances that sometimes ended in the evening, about 7 or 8 pm.

Weird, isn't it?

You see the silhouette picture above? I chose that because it describes my personality a lot. Just looking at it, you get a good idea about who I am.

I want to say I'm a walker, but the word walker today means zombies. So, I'd rather say I'm a hiker.

I can drive well and fast. Driving around makes you move faster and see more of the surroundings. On second thought, driving can trap you during heavy traffic so that you see nothing but cars, jeeps and buses.

Hiking enables you to move around gradually so that you're able to sink in and digest well the things you see around while roaming. So, this blog is all about the things Juan sees while roaming life. I hope to share with you what I see and reflect on, and also help you see the little things that most people do not notice.

What Indians Have to Do with Summer in Manila

Summer heat seems at its peak this 2016, and yet the early mornings are cool and refreshing. I thank God for this unusual summer where El Nino seems balanced with a subtle blend of hot and cold. Well, they say it's El Nino, and I heard somewhere yesterday that it is about to end.

Though the late mornings and afternoons are still super hot, especially at 10 am to 5 pm. But I like it this way than having super typhoons on rainy days. I sure will miss this summer when the wet season sets in.

Summer here in our locality is usually marked by the flowering and fruiting of mango trees, like the Indian mango tree in our backyard. My sister took a shot at it with the young fruits still clinging to the branches and we're anticipating a mango-packed summer.

To me, summers are nothing without mangoes. Hiking and roaming around becomes even more exciting with them.

Let me see....I think I want to hike next in a place where there's centralized air-conditioning and lots of yellow ripe mangoes. Like a mall..

Learning from Water that Goes Around

I don't know---I find it ridiculous how our governments in the Philippines throughout history still hasn't figured out how to use the abundant water around us. We still suffer drought despite the fact that we are an archipelago.

When El Nino strikes, we still rely on the rainfall we got the past rainy season, and how our dams were able to store enough water. We're still at the mercy of the clouds, even if it's already 2016. Other countries have found ways to source drinking and irrigation water with aid from technology, while we remain prehistoric---no rain no water.

I wonder what our governments through the years have been doing about it, and to think that their department secretaries and managers have been receiving high pays.

I saw this fish pond somewhere in the South as I was hiking and wondered---why haven't we used the concept of water cycle in a macro setting? This pond re-uses the water that has poured out of the clay pots in a cycle, so that the used water goes round and round without getting depleted.

Why can't we devise a way to re-use waste water in a macro scale? I saw in one TV program how Japan is able to recycle dirty water from rivers and make it potable through some proven safe natural chemical process. I think they're offering us the technology, so what has our government done about it?

When Condiments Get Lonely

We always take them for granted, but have you ever realized what life is like without condiments?

You know what I'm talking about, of course---ketchup, soy sauce, fish sauce, pepper, and other spices to add flavor to your food. They are placed in small bottles or bowls and left on restaurant tables.

Unknown to a lot of folks, condiments left on tables for long also get lonely. I saw three of them one afternoon while I was hiking along Quezon Avenue. I entered a popular pizza restaurant somewhere there and spotted these three condiments sadly looking out the window.

They're probably waiting for customers or missing their families back home. You know, condiments also have families they have to feed, that's why they work so hard in restaurants.

So, the next time you eat in a restaurant and see condiments on the table, be kind to them and understand how lonely their job is. Greet them and cheer them. And before you leave the establishment, it won't hurt to leave them a tip.

When I'm Too Tired I Go to this Place

Sometimes you get tired in life. I'm not saying you get tired of life---because life is always exciting. But when excitement gets too much, you also need to rest. In fact, you need to rest somewhere far away, where no one can disturb you.

Excitement can be tiring. It can also be boring. Believe me. And when anything is too tiring, it can be distressing, which is bad for your health.

Thus, you need to get away from it all now and then. It's not enough that you get out of the hassle and bustle of city life and run to your mountain hideaway. You also need to get away FROM LIFE periodically.

You need to "leave" life for a while, leave this dimension, and seek refuge somewhere far away from this world, while still being in it. Being the Local Hiker, I've been to different places in my life, and especially to places (dimensions) where most people have never been to---even those who think they're well traveled just because they travel abroad a lot.


I often "hide" awhile from this life and become lost to the world. My mind and spirit go some place else where I find green pasture and true solace. I go to God's secret place, his favorite room in His mansion. The King's exclusive chamber. You been to that place? You know the path to it?

Seek that place in your heart. I tell you, it's the best "tourist destination" you'd ever experience. The best places in Europe, the US and Asia are no match to it. I often stop, drop everything, and hike there.

But there's a membership fee. Members are considered residents, and they alone can enter the place. Good News is, Someone sponsors the membership---if you know Him personally. JESUS paid the fee with his LIFE. For more on this, just fill up the form on the sidebar.

When I get tired in life, I hike---no, I run to that place---and sometimes stay there a long time.