“Sometimes when I’m talking, my words can’t keep up with my thoughts. I wonder why we think faster than we speak. Probably so we can think twice.”
Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin and Hobbes
Quick Escape to Pagsanjan Falls
As a kid, my grasp of the Philippines’ topographical features was rather dismal for I was born and raised in the city. In fact, my entire knowledge of my homeland’s national treasures was based solely on pictures from history books and cartolina-sized charts. Back then, if you were to ask me to name waterfalls found in the Philippines, I would proudly and victoriously answer – Pagsanjan Falls and Maria Cristina Falls! Of course, such a feat wasn’t even worth bragging about since there are 24 falls in the country. Two out of 24. Pathetic, I know.
As fate would have it, of all those waterfalls, the first I got to explore was Pagsanjan Falls. Located in Cavinti, Laguna, the famous tourist destination was about two hours away from Manila. There are two ways to reach the falls, either you shoot the rapids starting from Pagsanjan or hike down via the Cavinti trail. If you are a budgetarian like us, opt for the hike since it cost less than P300 each compared with the boat ride which cost between P1,000-P1,250.
During the two-hour hike, we got to enjoy the luscious greenery surrounding the trail. Everywhere you look, trees line up like sentinels guarding a precious cargo. Once in a while, you get a peek of the river and hear the rushing water of the falls. Before taking the hike, I suggest that you carry a sling bag for the things you want to take with you to the falls because you really need both your hands free in order to hold on to the railings of the really steep stairs. Plus, in two vertical climbs, the guide would ask you to hold on to a harness as you are gently lowered to the ground.
The trail leads to a dock where you can rest for a while and watch the boats sail by. We spent a couple of minutes there, waiting for our friends and our guide to come down before we proceed to the falls.
Just around the curve, we caught sight of the Pagsanjan Falls. Let me tell you this, the pictures from history books didn’t give it much justice. It was beautiful. Perhaps there are more falls even more spectacular than Pagsanjan, but at that moment I was in awe of the beauty right in front of me.
A little backgrounder, while the falls is called Pagsanjan Falls, it isn’t actually located it Pagsanjan, it is found in Cavinti. The falls’ indigenous name, Magdapio was tied to two legends. I’m not sure which is true, but I’ll tell both versions. One story involved two brothers, Balubad and Magdapio, who fought to survived a terrible drought. Unfortunately, Balubad later died of thirst. After the death of his brother, Magdapio searched high and low for a water source. In sheer frustration, Magdapio struck his cane at the top of a mountain. Water spewed from where his cane fell, creating a waterfall, thus ending the drought.
The Romeo and Juliet version, as narrated by our guide, featured two lovers – Magda and Pio. Since Magda came from a wealthy family, having a relationship with a commoner like Pio was frowned upon by her parents. Love knows no bounds, evidently in this case, social status means nothing for the two lovers. Pressured to end their relationship, the couple made a decision to end their lives instead by jumping from the falls. Coming from opposite sides of the falls, the families searching for the couple shouted, alternately, “Magda!” “Pio!” During this manhunt, a Spanish conquistador was trekking the area when he heard the shouts, so he later named the falls, Magdapio. As I said earlier, I’m not sure which rings true, but I guess it’s up to you to decide.
We rode a balsa or bamboo raft to enter the Devil’s Cave behind the falls. Why named the Devil’s Cave? I have no idea. That’s one legend that escaped my notice. If you plan to enter the cave, ziplock your cameras and be sure you have an extra pair of clothes because I assure you it’s gonna be a wet ride. Although you can stay for as long as you want inside the cave, there really wasn’t much to explore there and all you can see were rocks, rocks, and more rocks. I assure you, we saw no one holding a pitchfork inside.
Before we left the cave, we asked for back massages. No there was no masseuse hiding in the cave either, these massages involve lying on the your stomach while the bamboo raft repeatedly passes through the falls. Once we were out of the cave, we stayed for a bit near the falls, taking pictures and enjoying the cool water underneath our feet. Personally, I think we were procrastinating, delaying our inevitable climb up the steep steps. If you think the climb down was hard, wait till you climb up. It was legwork at its best, so it’s important to take breaks as often as you need it.
This trip was a quick and affordable escape for everyone, especially those who live in Manila. If you are a desk jockey, try the Cavinti trail to get a real workout. However, if you aim for peace and serenity, choose the boat ride. Whichever you choose, I’m pretty sure the sights would rejuvinate you.
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
Marcel Proust
Oprah’s Take on Relationships
If a man wants you, nothing can keep him away. If he doesn’t want you, nothing can make him stay. Stop making excuses for a man and his behavior. Allow your intuition (or spirit) to save you from heartache.
Stop trying to change yourself for a relationship that’s not meant to be. Slower is better. Never live your life for a man before you find what makes you truly happy. If a relationship ends because the man was not treating you as you deserve then heck no, you can’t “be friends.” A friend wouldn’t mistreat a friend.
Don’t settle. If you feel like he is stringing you along, then he probably is. Don’t stay because you think “it will get better.” You’ll be mad at yourself a year later for staying when things are not better. The only person you can control in a relationship is you. Avoid men who have a bunch of children by a bunch of different women. He didn’t marry them when he got them pregnant, why would he treat you any differently? Always have your own set of friends separate from his. Maintain boundaries in how a guy treats you. If something bothers you, speak up. Never let a man know everything. He will use it against you later.
You cannot change a man’s behavior. Change comes from within. Don’t EVER make him feel he is more important than you are. Even if he has more education or in a better job. Do not make him into a quasi-god. He is a man, nothing more nothing less.
Never let a man define who you are. Never borrow someone else’s man. If he cheated with you, he’ll cheat on you. A man will only treat you the way you ALLOW him to treat you. All men are NOT dogs.
You should not be the one doing all the bending… Compromise is two way street. You need time to heal between relationships. There is nothing cute about baggage… Deal with your issues before pursuing a new relationship. You should never look for someone to COMPLETE you. A relationship consists of two WHOLE individuals. Look for someone complimentary…not supplementary.
Dating is fun… Even if he doesn’t turn out to be Mr. Right. Make him miss you sometimes… When a man always know where you are, and you’re always readily available to him ~ he takes it for granted. Never move into his mother’s house. Never co-sign for a man. Don’t fully commit to a man who doesn’t give you everything that you need. Keep him in your radar but get to know others.
Scared of being alone is what makes a lot of women stay in relationships that are abusive or hurtful: Dr. Phil says… You should know that: You’re the best thing that could ever happen to anyone and if a man mistreats you, he’ll miss out on a good thing. If he was attracted to you in the 1st place, just know that he’s not the only one. They’re all watching you, so you have a lot of choices. Make the right one. Ladies take care of your own hearts..❤
Dear Friend,
I know you’d be reading this letter soon. The journey you are beginning to embark isn’t bad, it is as close to the feeling of being in hell as you would imagine it to be. Painting a prettier picture would be a lie, and you are too much of my friend to be lied to. There is no yellow brick road to follow that would lead you home, you have to lay the bricks yourself in order to get where you need to be. Be brave enough to lay the first brick, the sooner you start the sooner you reach the end of this torment.
You asked me before if I miss him and why you don’t see me raging about what he did to me. And here’s the truth of it, I do miss the memory of the person I loved before, but those memories ceased the day we said our goodbyes. I stopped nursing a grudge about what happened because the moment you let someone inside your heart you also permitted him to hurt you. He just claimed that right, and I can’t hold it against him. But he no longer holds my present, because I choose to let go. I choose ME. Choose to begin again my friend, choose to fight to save yourself. I told you once before, you’re presented with just two options – either you swim or SWIM HARDER. Sinking isn’t even close to becoming a choice.
The easiest way to gain happiness is simply letting go of the things that are making you cry. Choose to be happy.
April 2013 Playlist
Just Give Me a Reason
Pink feat. Nate Ruess
Just give me a reason
Just a little bit’s enough
Just a second we’re not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again
It’s in the stars
It’s been written in the scars on our hearts
We’re not broken just bent
And we can learn to love again
Beam Me Up
Pink
Could you beam me up?
Give me a minute,I don’t know what I’d say in it.
I’d probably just stare,
Happy just to be there holding your face.
Beam me up.
Let me be lighter, tired of being a fighter.
I think, a minutes enough.
Just beam me up.
Some Nights
Fun.
Some nights I stay up cashing in my bad luck
Some nights I call it a draw
Some nights I wish that my lips could build a castle
Some nights I wish they’d just fall off
But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh, Lord, I’m still not sure what I stand for oh
Woah oh oh (What do I stand for?)
Woah oh oh (What do I stand for?)
Most nights I don’t know anymore…
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh,
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh
Stay
Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko
Not really sure how to feel about it.
Something in the way you move
Makes me feel like I can’t live without you.
It takes me all the way.
I want you to stay.
Ooh the reason I hold on
Ooh cause I need this hole gone
Funny you’re the broken one but I’m the only one who needed saving
Cause when you never see the light it’s hard to know which one of us is caving
When I Was Your Man
Bruno Mars
Same bed but it feels just a little bit bigger now
Our song on the radio but it don’t sound the same
When our friends talk about you, all it does is just tear me down
Cause my heart breaks a little when I hear your name
It all just sounds like oooooh…
Mmm, too young, too dumb to realize
That I should have bought you flowers
And held your hand
Should have gave you all my hours
When I had the chance
Take you to every party
Cause all you wanted to do was dance
Now my baby’s dancing
But she’s dancing with another man
My pride, my ego, my needs, and my selfish ways
Caused a good strong woman like you to walk out my life
Now I never, never get to clean up the mess I made, ohh…
And it haunts me every time I close my eyes
Judas, Friend or Foe?
When people do good things, most of us would automatically assume they are good-hearted people. Same goes with evil-doers. Most of us characterized people by their actions. But what if good and evil crossed paths to meet a common endpoint? What if a person did something bad for the greater good? These are the questions that kept plaguing my head after watching a National Geographic’s Holy Week special about the Gospel of Judas.
While eleven of the disciples were revered for their contributions in spreading the Good Word, Judas Iscariot became infamous for trading Jesus Christ for 30 pieces of silver. Being a Catholic for as long as a I can remember, anything going against the scriptures were a little too hard to process. The notion that Judas might have played a more heroic role certainly gave me a pause. If the Gnostic gospel found hundreds of years ago speak the truth, then Judas possibly upstaged the rest of the disciples. If indeed Jesus said to Judas, “You will sacrifice the man that clothes me,” then perhaps he should be deemed the most obedient of them all, rather than shunned as the personification of evil. If he lived during the modern times, he’d probably hire the best PR company to salvage his tattered reputation.
Regardless of the authenticity of the gospel, the betrayal that led to the crucifixion served its purpose – it glorified Jesus and cemented His role as the Son of God. Isn’t it true that it is often in death that we exalt a person’s life, along with his/her contributions to mankind? Unfortunately for Judas, after hanging himself, the opposite happened. His death taught us a thing or two about karmic reaction. The possibility that Judas was good didn’t exactly shatter my faith, rather it strengthened it. Perhaps there is good in everyone after all.
Taking the Long Way
While I appreciate the social realm opened by Facebook and Twitter, I can’t say I’m an avid fan of both. Fact is, I’m picky on who I would look at on Facebook and whose pictures I would scan. Why? Self-preservation. Small things can trigger bigger issues, so I tend to shy away from so much drama. For example, when me and my ex broke up, I blocked all his family members and friends, and I NEVER viewed his Facebook account or anyone that still has a connection with him since that final call. No point reliving the pain, thank you very much!
I did try keeping track of my friends, but soon stopped when I noticed that my self-esteem sunk lower and lower with every click of the button. Almost everyone, particularly my former classmates, are having the time of their lives — visiting far off places, owning cars and the latest gadgets, and getting married and continuously expanding their family. And there’s me, a single, wannabe traveler strapped in the shackles of my meager earnings. I’m sure most of us, if not all, have failed at some point to follow the 10th Commandment, “Thou shall not covet.” The green-eyed monster is a powerful opponent, especially when we are naturally hardwired to compare. Still it doesn’t mean such a monster cannot be defeated. The key is learning to love yourself and as Woody Harrelson’s character in Zombieland said, “Gotta enjoy the little things!”
In Buddhism, desire and ignorance are deemed to be frontrunners in causing suffering, and abolishing both can put an end to your seemingly endless suffering. For me, the biggest hurdle in ending suffering is learning to accept that the cards we are dealt with are different from what others have. We are all taking alternate routes. No two roads are the same. Taking the road less traveled isn’t too bad in the grand scheme of things, it just makes life a bit more interesting.
The Road Not Taken
Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Sojourn in Nagsasa Cove
Before summer season even begins to make its presence known, we decided to get an early start and beat other tourists in their vacay. First stop, Nagsasa Cove in San Antonio, Zambales. In order to get there, we bought bus tickets at the Victory Liner terminal in Pasay scheduled to leave for Olonggapo at exactly 2:15am. Upon arrival at San Antonio, Zambales, we hailed a tricycle going to the beach front of Pundaquit, where our boat awaits.
We made a detour to Capones Island before heading straight for Nagsasa. The island was best known for its historic lighthouse. Unfortunately, we missed the chance to visit the lighthouse due to an apparent lack of time. Still, we stayed there long enough to admire the scenic mix of sea, rocks and sand.
The boat ride to the cove took about an hour or possibly more, I really can’t remember because the combination of sleep deprivation, heat, and gentle swaying of the boat was a bit hypnotic. It took great effort to just keep my eyes open and fight the temptation to make my companion my human pillow. Just when I thought I was gonna lose the battle against sleep, I saw from the horizon Nagsasa Cove. It was beautiful. Compared to the more popular Anawangin, the cove offered more solitude and greater expanse of land to explore and to set camp.
After setting camp, we ate adobo and sardines for lunch. Of course, I sneaked a little nap time before taking a hike for the falls. Good thing I rested too because the hike was an hour long.
On our first night at Nagsasa I fulfilled a childhood dream of mine — roasting marshmallows over a bonfire. Of course, dreams have a way of changing, so we made some revisions. Instead of sipping chocolate while exchanging horror stories, we passed along shots of tequila while recounting past hurts and laughing at our own mistakes, be it in life, love or even grammar.
The next day burned brighter than the bonfire. It was as if some of the burdens related the night before lifted as the sun rose. We took a stroll along the beach, desperately trying to fight the wind that keeps toppling us over. Since it was our last day before heading back to Manila, we took as many pictures as we can.
Our sojourn in Nagsasa was a day of revelations, new friendship and bright beginnings. I can hardly wait for our next stop.
“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
- Ernest Hemingway
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