Why Your Health Depends on Your Being a Local Hiker

Walking, jogging, serious hiking, and casual hiking each offer distinct benefits for physical, emotional, and mental well-being. But be a local hiker---hike distances within your locality for pleasure or amusement. While these leg activities involve movement and engagement with the outdoors, the intensity, purpose, and impact on overall relaxation vary significantly. Remember, relaxation is key to health.

Photo by David Kristianto on Unsplash.

Walking

Walking is the simplest form of movement and one of the most accessible ways to improve physical health. It is a low-impact activity suitable for all ages and fitness levels, making it ideal for beginners and those recovering from injuries. Physically, walking strengthens muscles, improves circulation, supports heart health, and helps maintain joint mobility. Mentally, it fosters mindfulness, reduces stress, and encourages reflection. Emotionally, walking—especially in natural settings—can enhance mood, provide a calming escape from everyday stressors, and promote creativity. 

Jogging

Jogging is a moderate-intensity exercise that burns more calories and engages the cardiovascular system more than walking. It strengthens muscles, bones, and endurance while significantly boosting heart health. The rhythmic movement of jogging is excellent for mental clarity and emotional balance, as it promotes the release of endorphins—natural mood enhancers that combat anxiety and depression. However, jogging can be physically demanding, so it may not be ideal for everyone seeking relaxation. Instead, it suits those who enjoy goal-oriented fitness activities and the satisfaction of pushing physical limits.

Serious Hiking

Serious hiking, like mountain or forest trekking, is an intense, endurance-driven activity that requires preparation, strength, and mental resilience. It involves challenging terrains, steep inclines, and significant distances, making it more physically demanding than walking or jogging. It requires a lot of sophisticated survival and first aid tools and skills and you often can't do it alone or without a paid guide.

Serious hiking builds stamina, strengthens leg and core muscles, enhances lung capacity, and improves cardiovascular health. On an emotional and mental level, it fosters a strong sense of achievement, resilience, and connection with nature. However, the difficulty of serious hiking means it may not be the most relaxing option. It is best suited for those who thrive in physical challenges, seek adventure, and find relaxation in overcoming obstacles.

Casual Hiking

Casual hiking is a slower, less intense form of hiking that allows individuals to enjoy nature or their locality without strenuous exertion. It combines the benefits of walking and light climbing (I include visits to nearby malls to climb up stairs), offering physical activity while allowing time to appreciate the environment. Casual hiking enhances physical health without the stress of endurance training. It is especially beneficial for mental relaxation, as it immerses individuals in nature or any environment, provides opportunities for reflection, and promotes emotional balance. The calming effects of fresh air, scenic views, and a slow pace make casual hiking one of the best options for stress relief.

Photo by Alexey Demidov on Unsplash.

Besides, everything is easy and simple. Just wear a light shirt and shorts or jeans, sneakers, shades, and a belt bag or small backpack where you keep your phone, a folded umbrella, extra shirt, towellete, bottled water and some cash in case you need to take some snacks, coffee or a cab or Grab vehicle back home. 

Which is Best for Total Health and Relaxation?

While all four activities contribute to well-being, casual hiking is generally the best for total relaxation and emotional balance. Walking is an excellent option for gentle stress relief, while jogging is ideal for those who benefit from the endorphin boost of exercise. Serious hiking, though rewarding, is physically demanding and may not be ideal for pure relaxation. 

Ultimately, the best choice depends on an individual's fitness level, goals, and preference for either relaxation or intensity. Whether you take a leisurely walk or embark on a rigorous hike, movement in nature is always beneficial. That important thing is to be a regular local hiker.

Getting Lost While Hiking in Amadeo

Amadeo, bragged as the "coffee capital" of the country, is a fourth class municipality of Cavite, which means it's a perfect place to wander in and get lost big time while hiking near Tagaytay. I mean, with plenty of wild countryside and pastoral areas still intact, it's ideal for hiking and sightseeing and, well, getting lost a bit to escape stupid city life.

Watch the video below.

Anyway, it's not entirely thickly forested because small subdivisions are gradually popping up and dotting the place--and probably Amadeo is in danger of losing its reputation someday of being the coffee capital. I hope not. I hope the coffee plantations remain preserved and productive and thriving.

It's safe to be lost here because human GPS is available anywhere. You just ask any human you see around about where you are or what direction to take to reach a certain place and you'd get an accurate direction, often more accurate than electronic GPS devices which can sometimes end you up in a creek, swamp or dumpsite.

So we rode a van to Amadeo at 6 in the morning (missed my herbal coffee) and took C5 Road instead of the shorter Skyway because none of us were familiar with the new route---although we've tried it several times before with a driver who was familiar with it. After napping a few moments and some slow traffic we found ourselves on SLEX where we stopped by a bay gas station for snacks and coffee. 

We also needed to get some money via the ATM and make several trips to the comfort rooms and laugh at ourselves because of that. Restroom trips are exciting for local hikers. Hikers sometimes find something hilarious in the most ordinary things, like coffee and heeding nature's call after. It's part of hiking survival, keeping relaxed and positive, and laughing. Believe me, stress can tire you more quickly than hiking itself. So learn to laugh outdoors.

Finally, we reached Crisanto Delos Reyes Avenue and the area around Mahogany Market and started looking for Amadeo. Once we saw Save More we knew we were in Amadeo. From the marker that welcomes you to the "coffee capital," we drove up a bit and started hiking to look for the particular area we were to checkout near FarmVille. Yup, you heard it right. FarmVille. It's not the game. It's an actual place.

From noisy city scenes and modern civilization to rustic quietude and stillness deep in the forest. Sometimes the transition can be arresting, inspiring meditation. But we were lost for a while. Everywhere we looked it looked the same. Same trees, same shrubs, same smell. You can easily get lost in the woods. One bushy farm lot we passed by looked like the one we were looking for, but later a lady came out of the small house wondering, looking at us like we came from another planet. Obviously, it wasn't the place we were looking for. She didn't expect us.

So we hiked on. Finally we saw the spot marked X on the map. Treasure!!! We climbed the uphill "entry" of the would-be subdivision and soon were standing in the middle of the "jungle" property we wanted to checkout. Plenty of banana and other full-grown trees everywhere; it was a shame that most of them would be cut down to give way to the subdivision. 

We surveyed the place and roamed around to check things out further, seeing where the road lots and residential lots would be. There were markers where the road would soon appear and traces of it were already in place, a pathway already cleared. But the place was still largely forested, and I could imagine how exciting it would be to campout here. But soon they're going to level the whole place. I hope they retain the natural sloping contour so we can build a small spilt-level house when the roads and lots are ready.

It's pre-selling time when properties are still at a bargain and this was why we drove out here pronto, making a 3-hour drive from Quezon City early in the morning. We wanted to take advantage of the cheap price. For just Php 600K plus, you get a 120 sqm lot in a walled and guarded subdivision just a few seconds away from the national road and Tagaytay proper. When roads are in place, there will be a nice price markup and that spells profits for you.

By the way, above is the minor road going to the national road a few meters away. Just 5 minutes more and you're in Tagaytay city proper, especially at the LZM Restaurant where we enjoy one of the best fried Daing na Bangus dishes in the country, and of course, large bowls of hot and delicious "Bulalo." And the property is also just 3 to 5 minutes away from Mahogany Market. 

We hiked some more to checkout more properties still lush with wild vegetation and trees and did a bit of a tour around FarmVille Phase 1 (which is already sold out) before we set out to Alfonso in our van for a swell lunch. The trekking and waiting (some documents were prepared and signed) made us all starve. We had vegetable salads, T-bone steaks, Blue Marlin steaks and the restaurant's special bibingka.

Then after lunch we drove around Tagaytay and bought some fruits. No more hiking after a big lunch. We just have to burn the extra calories tomorrow. For now, it's a joy ride around Tagaytay in our van. Though we've been to Tagaytay lots of times before, it feels like a new trip when we're here. Watch the video below.

Better than Touring the World

Hiking with the family not only fosters bonding among the members but also nurtures rich memories and experiences. Memories and shared experiences, especially on video or with photos, ensure that the bonding is preserved for years or ages (or generations) to come. So, it's a serious matter to take pictures and videos of your journeys and adventures as a local hiker. 

Pic above by  HongFei Li, Stockvault.

Better Than a Trip Around the World

My dad traveled around the world as a journalist, sent as a news correspondent by their newspaper company, The Philippines Herald. But he wasn't able to take us with him, so the enjoyment was about half of what it should have been. So, he made up for it through the local trips he took us to. They weren't as special as trips around the world but they were definitely much better. 

My family and I in China. Joke. We're at the Chinese Garden in Luneta.

He often took as to Luneta or Rizal Park in Manila (a mere hour ride from our place) where we imagined ourselves traveling to China, Hong Kong and Japan when we visited the Chinese and Japanese Gardens there. Creative dads can make it look and feel so real, and my dad was one of them. Being a writer, he could make things look real when he told us about them, especially his travels, that it seemed we were making those trips with him right there and then.

He also sometimes took the family to San Juan, La Union during summer vacations and spent special time reminiscing his childhood and youth there while pointing to us the actual places where they happened. We loved his mystery stories about the place and his escapades with his friends in the same. Family trips like that are definitely lots better than touring around the world.

What a Family Local Hike is Like

Now, don't get me wrong. World tours or cruises are definitely swell, especially if you have a sponsor for all your expenses. Sometimes, God grants us that and moves certain folks to sponsor our trips. But most times, we just have local hikes. So I have become some kind of an expert local hiker. My wife, too. And this is what I mean by a local hike.

You take long walks to your destinations, sometimes you commute. You see, commuting can sometimes feel like "hiking" if you keep transferring rides like we do to avoid traffic. We get off the public vehicle trapped in traffic and walk to the footbridge to get to the other side of an intersection and take another ride there. And anyway, in this pandemic, most public jeeps in Metro Manila take short distances only so you do lots of ride transfers. And I mean a lot. 

Like going to Quiapo in Manila from project 8 in QC. We take two to three rides and sometimes even 4, when it used to be one long ride. So that's a lot of "hikes" and adventures.

And then you eat at cheap restos where delicious food is served. You're familiarized with these places when you've done local hiking quite a bit. And I plan to feature them here, Godwilling, so you'd know where to go for lunch or dinner as a local hiker.

Local Hike Guides

We have served as local hike guides assisting tourists who are not familiar with local places they're in. These tourists look for locals who can be trusted and who know where to go for promising tours, or who can show them around if they're looking for something so they won't get lost. And it was a memorable adventure--better than touring the world, I guess.

I and my wife had a Jordanian-American who was looking for a house to rent or buy somewhere in Pampanga. So we spent 3 days hiking around the vicinity scouting for a place and talking to local real estate agents. The tourist needed someone who could talk to the locals and who could be trusted to strike a rent or purchase deal for him. We enjoyed that experience. 

We wondered how it would be if our two boys had been with us in the tour. Like if our client brought along his family and they wanted some group tour with our sons. 

Another time was when a couple from the US wanted to see Corregidor and Palawan and they took us as travelling guides and companions. As local hikers, we made sure they were on the right route and in safe places, in contact with the right locals there. We also made sure they had fair deals when hiring transportation or requesting special trips with cabs or tricycle drivers. Or how much tip should be given for a service. Tourists need these things.

Local Food Guides

Some foreigners just love sampling local eateries in the Philippines. They're fed up with posh restaurants and fine dining so that they love trying street-side, makeshift food carts or short-order restos we locals call "Carenderia." Local hikers can bring them to safe versions of these Carenderias where food and drinks offered are clean and well cooked--and the local hikers themselves can vouch for them. Meaning, they frequently have their meals here, too. And believe me, many of these cheap, poor folks' eateries offer better menus than expensive ones. 

Being a local food guide to tourists can be more exciting than touring the world, especially when you get to eat delicious native dishes cooked by local street chefs equipped with streetwise culinary techniques long proven to cook swell snacks or meals for decades. I'd prefer Carenderia Chicken Sotanghon anytime, made more mouthwatering by its appealing orangey color using native aswete. And then you put in lavish pepper powder and some fish sauce with kalamansi. Or streetfood sopas with pork brain topping.

Ready for a new career on being a Local Hiker?

What I Discovered in Sto. Tomas and San Fernando La Union

KAMBAK Restaurant serving
mouthwatering Ilocano cuisines.

La Union is the province that links Pangasinan to the North, especially to Ilocos. Legend says that before naming the province of La Union, Pangasinan used to be at war with the North.

Then the folks living in between began reconciling both provinces. That's when it was started to be called La Union or The Union.

But that's not the discovery I'm referring to here. It's something more exciting than that.

Recently we went to La Union to attend a funeral and along the way I discovered some things new to me.

First, it was my first time to use the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX). It only took us from a few minutes to about an hour to reach our destination from Balintawak. After a continuous drive passing by Tarlac and Pangasinan overlooking vast acres of rice fields and mango orchards, we found ourselves already in Binalonan, Pangasinan.

After the bridge that connect Binalonan to La Union, we felt hungry and looked for a nice place to lunch. Along MacArthur highway in Sto, Tomas (to your right when going to San Fernando), we discovered this fine eatery serving superb native Ilocano dishes---KAMBAK.

At first, I wondered what KAMBAK was all about. I thought the ad concept was that you'd "come back" (kambak) to the place after you get a taste of how good the food dishes are. But after we asked management, it turned out the resto's specialties are Kambing and Baka native dishes. Thus, KAMBAK. The menu sounded interesting and we ordered dishes that sounded the most exciting.

Aside from the popularly known dishes like pinakbet, dining-ding and pinapaitan, we tried Kinigtot (which we were told meant "surprised" beef). But the pinakbet was far from being just ordinary. So with the dining-ding and pinapaitan. Aside from being authentic, the flavors were enhanced so that each bite tickled your appetite more. The kinigtot tasted like pinapaitan without the bitter taste.

Sunset at the beach from our hotel's window and terrace.
San Fernando,La Union.

We also tried their binagoongan rice, kilawing kambing, bagnet, bagnet pinakbet, tinolang native chicken (which was so tasty and the chicken meat was tender), and sinigang salmon head. They were all perfect.

After lunch, we decided we'd definitely come back to KAMBAK on our way back home.

When we got to San Fernando, we looked for a hotel. There were few hotels in the city. After we did, and after a short nap, we looked around and found this view of the sea that highlighted the sunset. The hotel itself wasn't that nice but the beachfront at the back somewhat compensated for the lack. When we got back from the funeral, we found the beds comfy enough and the air-conditioning working. There was water in the bathroom and toilet. That was good enough for a cheap hotel.

Hotel in San Fernando.

Oh, during the funeral, we were treated to a dinner where I tasted crunchy and tasty fried "espada" or sword fish partnered with fresh tomatoes. The triangular suman (rice cake wrapped in leaves) cooked in gata or coconut milk was delectable and creamy.

Back to the hotel, which was beginning to be a mystery to me. The picture above is the hotel's corridor and staircase. When my wife first stayed here years back (also for a funeral) with her family, she told me of a scary episode. The lights turned off by themselves and there were strange knocks on the door. And she said they felt something eerie.

View of the highway in the morning. Taken
in front of the hotel.

Anyway, back to our stay there. In the morning, the hotel restaurant offered delicious breakfast, which was somewhat surprising. I didn't expect the tapa and fried egg  to be as I wanted them and the pancit guisado was superb with its fresh and really crunchy vegetables. I had several repeat servings which proved too much for my tummy. It became bloated later, but the trick was to walk some and not drink water until an hour after breakfast.

Establishments in front of the hotel.

For lunch, we roamed around San Fernando and saw a Tapa King outlet where I had pinakbet. It was unexpectedly delicious for its cheap price of only P49.00. Then we went straight for the church funeral.

After the funeral service and burial, we proceeded home and made good our promise---to be back to KAMBAK. We had almost the same menu and enjoyed them all the more. I told myself, I have to feature this resto on my blog. If you want to follow in my footsteps when traveling up North, make sure to drop by KAMBAK and sample the dishes I mentioned here. And muse how the Local Hiker also ate the same in that very restaurant. In a sense, we have crossed paths.

What You Should See and Do in Baguio City this Time of Year!

Recto Hall Lawn, Teachers Camp.
Image from World Travel Server

Baguio is not just cool and romantic. It's full of adventures and mysteries and secrets. And yeah, don't forget about food. I remember once going there with two friends and staying in an old school building somewhere on Piko Road in La Trinidad.

What we did during nights was buy our dinner from town and then go back to our room to eat in the middle of an empty, dark and abandoned school campus. The cold wind blew hard, slowly pushing doors and windows in the classrooms around us, making ghostly creaking sounds.

Why didn't we just eat out? It was hard to get a ride home at night. So, instead of running the risk of being unable to go back to the school at night, we decided eat there. So, imagine being all alone there in the whole campus. It was exciting and mysterious.

To me, the best menus in the small-time town eateries are pinapaitan, sauteed sayote leaves, grilled porkchops and igado. But we didn't have them. What we had for dinner was sliced bread and corned beef in cans. Plus bottled water.

I tried this adventure a second time with my family and friends. Again, we stayed in an old building said to be haunted by ghosts. Nope, we didn't go there for ghost hunting. That was too dangerous, although I am experienced in prophetic spiritual warfare. We settled for the old building because the rent was cheap. And we had to keep our expenses within a tight budget.

Baguio City is full of old buildings that were built during the American occupation. Like the cabins and apartments in Teachers Camp, built in 1908 for Thomasite and American teachers, and Camp John Hay, completed by J. Franklin Bell in 1913. The mansions around Wright Park and Mansion House were mostly built in the 1920s or 1930s, probably earlier, and I'm sure they keep some secrets in them worth investigating.

Casa Vallejo was known as Dormitory 4 and served as lodging for the foremen who supervised the construction of Kenon Road. In 1923, it was leased to one named Salvador Vallejo who renovated it into a hotel. Now, that is one hotel I'd like to try the next time I visit Baguio City. I'm sure it has some mysterious secrets to reveal. It's somewhere along Session Road.

And PMA. It was set in Baguio City on September 1, 1908 on Constabulary Hill (formerly, it was in Manila). Now, the place is know as Camp Allen. The school was built in 1914. Later, in 1948, after the country won against the Japanese Imperial Army, PMA was transferred to its present site, Fort Del Pilar. The Philippine Military Academy is know as the oldest military school in Asia.

And of course, there's Brent School, Episcopalian, established in 1909 for Americans.

Yes, do visit the traditional tourists spots in Baguio City, but don't miss seeing the places above if you want to add adventure and mystery into your experience.

Caught by a Strong Typhoon in Tagaytay

Of all places to be caught at the height of a storm---Tagaytay! My sister (it was her treat) had booked the hotel in Tagaytay, so we had no choice but to go there just when typhoon Karen was coming in from the Pacific. Karen was passing through Catanduanes as we arrived at the hotel that night, and the road was literally blocked by clouds.

The afternoon before, I had heard from the radio at the barbershop in Munoz Market in Quexon City that Tagaytay would be heavily affected. I prayed.

In Tagaytay, we managed to drop by SkyRanch (and the kids were able to ride some) but the fog and cold was getting unbearable. So we decided to head straight for the hotel in Alfonso district. By the time we were ralxing in bed, the wind and rain were lashing at the roof and windows. Our van driver said the van at the parking lot was being rocked like a boat by the winds when he was trying to get some sleep, and it was impossible to see anything outside.

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All through the night and at dawn, the rain poured angrily and the winds moaned---something like what you see in horror movies while something ghostly is happening in a haunted hotel. But we were snugly in bed, safe from the storm, thanks to God and the sturdy walls and roof of the hotel. I glanced at my wife and my little pal and my sons and the kids and my nieces and sisters---they were all fast asleep.

This was where we stayed.

At 4 am I was wide awake. I often couldn't get back to sleep at this time---force of habit. I always wake up early. I decided to go out the corridor for some exercises and peek at the clouds from the terrace. It was too dark to see anything, but the rains and winds were still at it. But at 5 am, I saw the fast moving low clouds just above the roof of other houses and sweeping past pine trees. I went down to the parking area to hike a little near the golf course and saw mist and fog sailing past and sometimes covering the scenery.

It was lovely!

The van driver enjoyed the cold weather, exclaiming: "Nothing like this in Manila! Might as well enjoy it while we're here!"

When we left the hotel and negotiated the road, we saw nothing around us except the white fog---we were right inside clouds! Well, you could barely see the road through the lane, and one mad car driver even had the temerity to overtake in such near zero visibility, almost hitting our van.

But finally, when we reached Sta. Rosa, the fog, mist, clouds and rains were gone. The sun shone. We heard on the radio that it was merely signal number one that Sunday in Metro Manila (last night it was signal 2).

We thanked God for the safety.

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.

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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.

More Adventures in Indang

en.wikipedia.org

Later, I saw two pretty girls I liked in particular--especially the young girl who dropped by Eddie's ancestral home for a chat with the lady caretaker. We were introduced and she seemed shy but nonetheless gave me a sweet smile and suggestive stare.

Nothing materialized.

But the trip didn't turn out boring because Indang looked mysteriously wonderful. I guess, when you're in a place new to you, it has this mysterious appeal. I also notice that food often tastes better when you are in a new place.

Anyway, good that I also brought with me some pocketbooks on mysteries and detective stories--mostly Alfred Hitchcock's--and that added to the mystery that seemed to surround Eddie's old ancestral house.

Looking and feeling around, I just felt there was some mystery to solve there. That's what I'm often like, being Juan Hiker. Always smelling mystery and adventure.

Oh, by the way, we also stopped by the Indang Town Hall (picture above) where Eddie procured some papers. I was fascinated by the town hall, especially how the old building had been partly preserved. Some folks told me it was somewhat the same as it looked during the American occupation. 

At the reception area on the second floor, there was this huge painting of a Katipunero (a rebel soldier that fought against Spain in the 1800s) on horseback announcing something to the townsfolk of Indang. 

I looked around more while waiting for Eddie to finish and appreciated the antique wooden features of the interior. You see the balcony in the picture above? I stood there to look out at the Indang community and imagined how it was in the days of the Katipunan.

And well, I also watched a young pretty lady employee at a counter.

[Continued here]

Why I Enjoyed this Particular Trip and Hike to Cavite

Image from www.panoramio.com

One cold day of January of 1993 my friend Eddie, a mechanical engineer, asked me to go with him to their ancestral land in Indang, Cavite. We had a sari-sari store then, and while tending to it one cold dusk, he came with his old, red Volkswagen and discussed the prospects of a short vacation in Indang.

It sounded adventurous, so I said yes. How could Juan Hiker reject the offer?

The following day, at 6 in the morning we headed south for Cavite. I thought it was going to take only 2 to 3 hours, but I discovered that Indang was farther. We stopped by Kawit and Trese for some documents and then proceeded. Later, the cityscape faded and we saw more ricefields and forests. We had to cross several hilly places and rivers before we finally reached it. 

As we neared the town, I noted that we were often alone in the long stretch of the highway. Indang was romantically rustic and vegetated with pineapples that periodically released their sweet scent in the air.

It was about lunch time when we got to their ancestral house, and the caretaker there, an attractive lady of about 28 years or so, cooked a thick and huge, juicy pork chop for each of us. It was a swell lunch, obviously, and we had some talk after. 

By the way, our mission was to measure their ancestral coconut plantation, get its bearing and dimensions using the makeshift surveying instruments Eddie himself had made, and then subdivide the property. 

Well, the makeshift instruments weren't with us yet--it was yet on the drawing table, as it were. That added to the adventure and excitement of it all. Would the instrument work in the field?

Next day, I found out that surveying work would have to be done at a later date. For now, we were there to take a look at the property and plan our second trip. So, we didn't have anything much to do except roam around the place, see old, antiquated houses built during the American occupation, visit pineapple plantations, and watch pretty girls in the village. Lots of pretty girls there, and Eddie was trying to set me up for a blind date or something. 

[Continued here]