Scary Stuff: Part 7

 

Performing an Exorcism at Home

It was last December 25, 2020 at 3:00pm when my grandmother died in my room. She was 99, ten days short of celebrating her 100th birthday. That day devastated a lot of people, but it was those who lost their mother that were hurting the most. She had thirteen kids, two of whom left before her. My aunt (my mom's younger sister) was the one who spent the most time with my grandmother the last couple of years of her life. In the few months that my grandmother got sick and was bedridden I noticed my aunt deteriorating as well. The lack of sleep, stress, and anxiety of knowing that it was a only a matter of time before she'd lose her mother took a toll on her. She lost a lot of weight, her eyes deepened with eye bags, her hair unkept, her skin aged, but worst of all her mental health went into shambles. Immediately I noticed this the first time I saw her after almost a year of not being home due to the pandemic. She gave out a blank stare, her voice inaudible, and her thoughts clearly out of the norm. My first thought on our first conversation was that, what happened to the aunt I knew? So was her case. At first we thought that it was because of the situation of having to deal with a dying mother that messed up her head, plus the severe lack of sleep. We expected that she'd be able to recover after my grandmother had passed. Unfortunately it didn't happen, in fact, it turned into something...paranormal.

Atok Flower Farm in Benguet

 

Last April I had the luxury of going on a mini-adventure with my friends to Atok's Northern Blossom Flower Farm. What was supposed to be a beach trip to Zambales to accommodate our friend who arrived from Australia ended up an instant trip to the mountains of Cordillera...leaving our balikbayan friend in the process. It was one of the best decisions we made.  

To get to Atok, we left Baguio at 5am to reach the Northern Blossom Farm before 7am. The road was pretty fun to drive through the zigzag, so fun that I was holding myself from throwing up as I was driving. Getting to the farm is easy as it's situated right next to the highway. The only hard part would probably be the parking as the road is tight and not a lot of space to navigate with. 

As soon as you arrive, you'll have to go down a steep driveway and register your names at their center. You'll pay the entrance fee of Php250 per adult; Php200 per senior or PWD; Php50 per kid between 6-10 years old, this will include a snack and unlimited brewed coffee at the end of the walking tour. They also charge an additional Php20 for the environmental fee.  

Snippets: Bago Rice Field

The drone shot was taken last January 9, 2022 by my friend Matthew (@eyeronicmaniniyot). This was a defining moment for me, for all of us who were here actually. From a supposed cancelled trip, this turned out into something amazing. We initially invited a different set of friends, but a miscommunication with that group made us rethink the trip. But as fate has set it, we contacted another set of friends and in a matter of minutes it was decided that we're pushing through with our initial plan of having a picnic at this magical spot. We bought what needed to bought, and immediately set to meet with our friends right after lunch. 

Getting to the spot took us to a couple of wrong detours, and chasing the sunset pressured me a bit, but we managed to make it just in time. The moment we arrived we did the set up, laid the food on the table, and opened our bottle of wine...this all happened while taking tons of photos. Just as the sun turned to dusk, my cousin arrived from the brink of giving up because we were at a spot where there was no landmark to tell her otherwise. 

She ate what was left of our food and wine, and we laughed until the darkness fell. There was a lot of laughter that happened that day. It was a first for all of us. Definitely one for the books. Definitely not the last time this will happen.

 

2021 Roundup

 

If 2020 was a transition phase for me, 2021 became my adjustment period to the life I chose to change. This basically centered around having to deal with living with my parents again, stripping off certain freedoms that I enjoyed in Manila. This meant not being able to freely come and go as I please without letting them know why I was leaving the house. This also meant that I have a curfew whenever there was no one to open the gate for me. In exchange of reinstating life's constraints, I now have no bills to worry save for my own personal expenses. I don't have to worry about doing the laundry or preparing my food because I am no longer as independent as I was last year. It definitely has its pros and cons, an equal amount of compromise and financial freedom as its bottom line. At times I could feel like my parents had turned into my responsibility especially when it comes to doing errands and reminding them of their lack of focus. In the end, I've learned to live with it...but I times I just wish I can easily fly in and out of Manila to regain some sense of control for my sanity. 

The other thing where my life revolved around this year was the construction and establishment of our glamping business in La Castellana, Doméino. This is where I spent most of my time and energy in 2021. Doméino is basically what defined my 2021. It was where I grew as a person this year, as well as what drove me crazy...that, and getting covid.

All in all, 2021 seemed to have passed faster than 2020. This was mainly due to the fact that I was busy most days. Traveling around Negros was also easier compared to Manila. I even managed to go to Cebu twice by the end of the year...and probably even more places if not for typhoon Odette.

I experienced a couple of high and lows this year. The highs being able to something crazy amazing like constructing and managing a resort. My lows, having to go through a bad case of covid, as well as losing a couple of my close relatives this year. It's hard that I didn't get to enjoy their company as much as I could've wanted because of the pandemic. 

I did as much as I could to gain momentum with my life. Although at times I feel like I'm at a standstill, especially socially and when it comes to experiencing new cultures. But as I sit and reflect on what transpired, it's wasn't that bad at all. 

Parachute Café in Canggu, Bali

 

If there's one place in Bali where I'd stay to chill and wait for the sunset it'll be here at Parachute. The whole vibe of the café screams picturesque and cozy at the same time. The utilization of wood, its variation of grains, tint, and texture create the mood for beautiful mornings, easy afternoons, and sensual evenings. Add to that the sprawling seating choices, from al fresco to indoor nooks, it is absolutely pleasing to the eyes. 

It's one of those cafes that's located right beside a rice field, and the changing of the season transforms the background from a lush green to warm golden hues. If anything, its aesthetics in on point with being a rustic-chic restaurant. The focal center of the café is an actual parachute that drifts along with the breeze. Here you'll find people in intimate groups or alone with a laptop, relaxing in the ambience that the space has created. 

Selloum Café at Talisay

 

Tucked away in the upper part of Talisay, Selloum is a good getaway spot for a quick respite from the city life. There you will be able to take it slow and look at a 180 degrees panoramic view of Silay, with a horizon that reach as far as Panay. On one side you'll find the subalpine peaks of Mt. Silay, and on the other is the flatlands of Silay with the Guimaras strait on its background. On clear days you will find the islands of Pan de Acuzar of Concepncion, and they claim that you can even spot the beach isaland of Lakawon in Cadiz on occasion.

Selloum is a type of Araceae plant that is popularly ornamental with its deep green color and unique leaf shape. That's the leaf you will find on their logo and in their cafe. They describe themselves as wild, tropical, lush, and dramatic. They encourage you to stay for sunsets as it is beautiful...yet try not to stay until dark as the road has little to no light, and is steep. I got a small scare on my way as I was driving a small car not fit for mountain driving, and part of the path is a deep cross of a bridge then immediately a steep climb up, I thought the car was gonna overheat before getting to the cafe. Luckily it didn't. The sights you will see on your drive will be amazing though, with a chance of seeing fog rolling down the mountain. 

Snippets: Ricefields of Ma-ao

 

Taken last April 17, 2021, at barangay Ma-ao in Bago city, Negros Occidental. 

One random afternoon I felt the urge to drive at a spot I've been eyeing to sit and sip a good cup of coffee at the side of the road while staring at the view of the ricefield. It was close to harvest season for some of the paddy fields in that area, which was wonderful. The drive is roughly 30 minutes away from my house. An hour of driving is just the right amount of time wherein I'm still enjoying the drive, exceeding that I'll start to get annoyed and tired. I failed at my attempt to buy a cup of coffee on my way out of the city, but I did manage to arrive at a perfect time. There was no one working at the fields at that time as it was late in the afternoon on a Saturday.

I made a quick stop at this spot to take videos for my story feed on Instagram and to make my city friends envious of the fresh air I'm breathing. I watched in silent amazement, feeling so alive and present. The gentle sound of the irrigation water flowing down the canal was so calming that I can mistake that moment as being somewhere in the rural area of Japan...if not for the nipa huts I could see at a distance. There were even chirping birds and crickets to complete the ambiance. I was in a blissful meditative state, simply listening to nature as it moved in sync with the sight that spread before me. 

After a couple of minutes, I drove on a little farther and took a detour at a narrow road where a village stood in the middle of the ricefield. All of the villagers' eyes were on me as I passed through their houses, probably wondering if I was lost...or whose house I was stopping at. I drove past the village and felt unsure where the road was leading as it seemed to steer into a private property, so turned back in surrender.

I was slowly making my way back home when I noticed people on the streets looking up at the sky, some taking their phones out to take videos at a certain spot. I peeked through my windshield out of naïve curiosity and immediately saw what the fuss was about. There, at a distance, was a huge waterspout that has formed out of the dark clouds. This was the third time in my life I was seeing it, the first one was off the coast of Batangas, the second one was somewhere in Negros Oriental, and this time it was possibly somewhere along the bay of Pulupandan. Watching the force of nature is always fascinating...one that's worth stopping for and taking a bunch of videos to post online. So I did exactly that, driving back to the same spot where I took earlier photos of, only this time it had that huge natural anomaly. If it was a tornado and much closer to where I was, I could have had a different reaction and story altogether...especially when I told my parents I was only going out to check some shower curtains at a nearby store. In the end, I got the feeling I was chasing after, a thrilling calm. Not to mention, photos and videos that were a little more special than intended. Before the day ended I posted a couple of shots on my Instagram with the caption: "Some days are more fascinating than others."

There is so much peace in staring at a ricefield, either in its greenest vibrant tint or its lush golden form. It's a sight of my childhood that triggers memories of travel and home at the same time. I can watch the swaying of its leaves and listen to the rustling of its panicle for hours on end. It was one of the reasons I went to Bali, to fulfill my desire to sit at a cafe right next to the paddy fields. How I wish someone will be able to make that same concept here in Negros. For now, the best way to satisfy that longing is to bring my own cup of coffee and drive to an unpopulated area where hectares of rice plantations stretch then leisurely drink there. 

I'm gonna claim it. This is a post of affirmation to initiate the law of attraction. Universe, one day I'm gonna build a café next to a ricefield. Just like what happened on that day when I took the photo, I told the universe to entertain me because I was bored...and so it did.