Rice Galore!
Anyone who knows me well enough, has probably heard about my rice fetish. I reckon I am the only traveler who after spending almost a year in Asia, got back home and asked her Mum to cook her rice as her "coming back" meal.
I always wanted to visit the Philippines for one soul reason - Beholding the biggest rice terraces in the world!
It just happens that faith had dropped me here, in the Philippines, having a bundle of time to travel, yet I choose otherwise. I must become a warrior. And so I skip traveling and exploring the magnificence South East Asia has to offer, instead I choose Manila. I have to keep training, meeting my friends, go out, chat, play, yet I cannot miss out on my rice addiction.
I pack my bag and by myself take the night bus, just to be waken up into a whole different world. I wake up to the awe inspiring scenery of the misty majestic mountains, just like the ones you see in ancient Chinese paintings, peaks covered with mist and clouds. I decide to spend the night in Batad, a serene picturesque village in the middle of the terraced mountains. Little did I imagine that getting to the village requires 2 jeepnies and an hour and a half hike into the mountains, yet I play along. When I finally get there, I settle in a hilltop guesthouse overlooking the peaceful village. I find it strange I am actually conversing with one of the old women, regarding how to chase away the stray dogs. Strange, strange because in all my travels I was never really able to actually have conversations with old locals, due to language barriers. It kept striking me even when we trekked back to the Jeepney and I chatted with all the local villagers making their way the the "big city".
My room was overlooking the spectacular view, I just had to check out the rice for myself. I got a guide and we both walked in and around all the rice terraces, going up and down mountains, me being happy and content instead of my usual "walking bitchiness". Tal says: "who are you and what have you done with Neta?" wait till you hear this - for dinner I took great pleasure in a bowl of fried garlic rice! there is nothing like a fresh rice from the terrace, even if it is a fried one...
Electricity is unheard of, not to mention I was the only tourist there (rainy season...) at night it becomes so quiet you can only hear the sound of various animals. As a nightly entertainment, I got me a walking staff (I call it: steffi the successor) and practiced some twirling with it. Tamar would have been proud.
Today I say my farewell to the misty mountains and go back to remain Neta, the Israeli girl who does Lightening Arnis in Manila.
For a girl who got so jaded from traveling, a think she-saw-it-all-nothing-can-move-me, I sure did marvel and took plunge into the beauty and calmness of the place. A magical escapade if I ever saw one. Tamar, we saw Long Shan together, I wish you could have been here too.
I always wanted to visit the Philippines for one soul reason - Beholding the biggest rice terraces in the world!
It just happens that faith had dropped me here, in the Philippines, having a bundle of time to travel, yet I choose otherwise. I must become a warrior. And so I skip traveling and exploring the magnificence South East Asia has to offer, instead I choose Manila. I have to keep training, meeting my friends, go out, chat, play, yet I cannot miss out on my rice addiction.
I pack my bag and by myself take the night bus, just to be waken up into a whole different world. I wake up to the awe inspiring scenery of the misty majestic mountains, just like the ones you see in ancient Chinese paintings, peaks covered with mist and clouds. I decide to spend the night in Batad, a serene picturesque village in the middle of the terraced mountains. Little did I imagine that getting to the village requires 2 jeepnies and an hour and a half hike into the mountains, yet I play along. When I finally get there, I settle in a hilltop guesthouse overlooking the peaceful village. I find it strange I am actually conversing with one of the old women, regarding how to chase away the stray dogs. Strange, strange because in all my travels I was never really able to actually have conversations with old locals, due to language barriers. It kept striking me even when we trekked back to the Jeepney and I chatted with all the local villagers making their way the the "big city".
My room was overlooking the spectacular view, I just had to check out the rice for myself. I got a guide and we both walked in and around all the rice terraces, going up and down mountains, me being happy and content instead of my usual "walking bitchiness". Tal says: "who are you and what have you done with Neta?" wait till you hear this - for dinner I took great pleasure in a bowl of fried garlic rice! there is nothing like a fresh rice from the terrace, even if it is a fried one...
Electricity is unheard of, not to mention I was the only tourist there (rainy season...) at night it becomes so quiet you can only hear the sound of various animals. As a nightly entertainment, I got me a walking staff (I call it: steffi the successor) and practiced some twirling with it. Tamar would have been proud.
Today I say my farewell to the misty mountains and go back to remain Neta, the Israeli girl who does Lightening Arnis in Manila.
For a girl who got so jaded from traveling, a think she-saw-it-all-nothing-can-move-me, I sure did marvel and took plunge into the beauty and calmness of the place. A magical escapade if I ever saw one. Tamar, we saw Long Shan together, I wish you could have been here too.