BenCab Museum| Arts and Nature Combined

If you had been to Baguio City and Benguet Province for a tour, you should also find time to visit this place- BenCab Museum. BenCab Museum was established in 2009 by Ben Cabrera in his mountain home in Km. 6, Nangalisan, Tuba, Benguet Province, just a few minutes drive from the Central Business District of Baguio City. 

The museum houses personal collections of tribal art from the Cordillera Highlands, as well as contemporary Philippine Art and Ethnography. It is set in the midst of an organic farm with natural water, highlighting the indigenous architecture of Ifugao, Bontoc, and Kalinga.

After viewing what is inside the galleries leads you to the lower floor of the museum and if you're a fan of coffee like me, then there it is for you. 

Overlooking the museum is a beautiful landscape consisting of three ponds with fishes in them. I also greatly appreciate the flowing waters filling the cascaded ponds. I like the sounds they create, getting close experience to the reality of being lost in the midst of nature. You may also tour around with the help of a guide, to add more. The museum is open all-day except on Mondays.

The museum is open all-day except on Mondays.

TINUNGBO: Exotic Cooking Of The North

One of the Bago tribe communities in the Northern Philippines is the Municipality of San Emilio, Province of Ilocos Sur. Adjacent to this is the historical municipality of Del Pilar, named after General Gregorio Del Pilar where he succumbed in a battle during the Philippine-American War in the 1890s.

I like this place, the green mountain trails around it, valleys, rivers, and springs. I once joined excitedly my grandfather in his swidden farm or what we call Uma(or Kaingin) when I was 12 years old. It was my first time to see my grandfather since birth. We walked for about an hour to reach the place.  

                             
                                           Mangmangga Trails

I was so willing to join him because, in reality, it was my first time to walk or trek inside a green jungle. I was amazed at all the things that I observe and see around me. All I hear is the noise formed on our way through, the sound of birds, and insects.

Through the Kaingin

It was about noontime when we arrived. We have to take our lunch then work will follow after. My grandfather only has uncooked rice and salt in his old bamboo crafted backpack, all is natural. As we arrived, he gathered dried tree branches and a fresh and matured large bamboo piece. We gathered water snails, few crabs and shrimps from the shallow waters coming from a spring beside us, picked ripe wild tomato berries and we went up back to his camp. Then he started preparing two sets of fresh bamboo trunks with both end nodes left uncut. 

He poured rice and water to the first bamboo trunk, then the freshwater snails, crabs, and shrimps to the other. He did all things then we ate. What a meal! I liked so much the taste and aroma, perfectly fresh, delicious, and exotic!

Filling rice in one bamboo node

Every time I go home here, it is always my request to have one. The above photo shows my uncle Agustin, filling rice in all the bamboo cuts.

Cooking on firewoods

Then next is to set them on slow fire. The bamboo cuts filled with rice are turned once in a while to evenly cook the rice. The bamboo opening is filled with a cover so that there will be no spill.

The Tinungbo rice is now ready for serving

When the outer color of the bamboo is already dark, knowing the rice inside is already cooked, it is set to cool off for few minutes, and the rice may now be taken out of the bamboo for serving. 

And this ends another story about one of my best experiences living from where my grandparents once lived.

THE TOURIST HAVEN SANTA MARIA(ILOCOS SUR, PHILS.)

More to See in Santa Maria

From the stretch of San Esteban until the bridge of Banaoang displays a relaxing view of the Ilocos Sur Sea coast. A perfect place to enjoy a day from sunrise to sunset. 

Refresh yourselves in the hotness of the day by its cool beaches- the Darapidap Beach of Candon, the Santiago Cove, Suso Beach, and the Nalvo Beach of Santa Maria might be best enough to suite the day for you. 

Narvacan Seashore

The Sea Coast of Nalvo, Lingsat, and Bia-o community also holds a fascinating scene by its rocky seaside, with mountain traces at one side, and calm blue waters reflecting the soft blue sky.

Nalvo Seashore

Aside from the Santa Maria Baroque Church being the main attraction, another new attraction for nature lovers and trekkers in this place is the Pinsal Falls located at Baballasiwan, another community of Santa Maria Town. It takes about 15-minutes 
trek between the side of the green shaded mountain trail and a small river to reach this cascaded falls. Pinsal Falls can be reached about a 20-minutes drive from the National Highway of Santa Maria. Tricycle cabs are always available to bring you there in case you don't have your service with you.

                                                   Santa Maria Church
                                                     
Pinsal Falls is so calm and refreshing, ideal for trekkers, environment lovers. This photo above was taken a few years ago when this site was not yet known many.

                               

                                           The Old Pinsal Falls

In my visit to this place a few years ago, the road and pathway going through the main site were undergoing improvement and maintenance by the residents. I see tree seedlings growing on the mountain slopes, and I just can imagine how cool the environment it can have after some more years to come. 

Pinsal Falls is now so different today. Its basin has just been turned into a lake making it more attractive, adorable, and fascinating. Comfort rooms, local product displays provisions, view deck, and cemented path walks were improved. The road from the national highway to this site had also been completed.

Pinsal Falls Today

This new Pinsal Falls has become one of the most visited tourist destinations in Santa Maria Municipality.

I would like to extend my appreciation to my sister Glo, and my brother-in-law, Diom for your guidance and hospitality during our short stay in your place.

LOVE PLANT: The Lucky Charm Ornament

Love Plant: The Lucky charm Ornament

I see this little plant commonly growing in our yard and all we know is that they are simply weeds. With that, this is being weeded out maximizing the nutrients of the soil for the plant being cared for. Its leaves are always composed of three green lobes in one stem, growing to a height of about 10cm- to 15cm in height, and this plant easily propagates by itself.

What caught my attention aside from its heart-shaped green leaves are its fascinating tiny flowers. From our yard, I see three variations according to the color of the flower they produce and the shape of their leaves. The first one with triangular leaves and plain pink petals of five.

The second one has the same shape of leaves, lovely pink coloring petals but with vertical stripe linings with deeper color bisecting through its base.

 The third is quite different, it has smaller heart-shaped leaves and dark yellow flowers.

These are fascinating green and small flowering plants that can catch the attention of an art enthusiast because of such simple but amazing characteristics. I am always fascinated by them so I kept taking photos with them every time I see their flowers start showing up.

One day, a friend has noticed it and she asked if is it an 'Oxalis'. I promptly look at it in Google and it's true. Its name is Oxalis Triangularis(some say it's 'Oxalis Regnellii) of the green type. Other common names are False Shamrock, Wood Sorrel, Love Plant, and more. An ornamental plant that can be grown indoors and outdoor. It has oxalic content and some publishers say that it is edible. This ornamental plant can be ordered online from growers and suppliers.