Andy and I, with some of the very colorful locals. Andrew and I, with some partners in crime, took a trip up the mountains to Benaue in the northern part of Luzon Island. The long 12 hour trip from South Luzon took us through rural areas, including miles and miles (and miles) of rice paddies. The driver, Danny, would have to watch for farmers drying their harvest on the roads, and fisherman selling frogs to eat. (Ewwww)
With us on our escapade were Australians Rob and Ann Woodward, who were in the Phillipines doing some volunteer work with IRRI. They are wonderful, lively and adventurous individuals. Full of life and always smiling (except when passing through landslides).
The journey took us to rice terraces that were carved into the mountainside thousands of years ago by the native ifugao's... Who still tend to their paddies today. Looking across the valley in the mountians, green touches everything you see.
Green in nature, though, as you in Seattle would know, comes with a price. Rain. It was raining the night we got there and never quite stopped. We were lucky though, and were able to sneak in a couple of hours in the morning of sunshine. The rain, along with the lack of trees in the inhabitated areas, leads to soil erosion... And landslides. The day we arrived three young souls had perished in a fast moving sea of soil. We had to walk across the landslide that killed them, in the pelting rain and failing light.
being in Banaue makes you thankful for many things... You appriciate the beauty and oppulance of the mountains, the terraraces. But at the same time, you see how poor the people are. Million dollar views, with the million dollars. Ann had commented that if the place was more accessable, perhaps more tourists would come and infuse the local economy with much-needed capital.
All in all, I enjoyed the company of wonderful people. I enjoyed learning about the Ifugao culture (through two nights of a Ifugao family hosting us for dinner) and about their heritage. They are a proud people, well educated (the speak better english than their low-land neighbors) and very hospitable.
