BACOLOD is so blessed with the proximity of such verdant hills.
We have Mambukal Resort in Murcia, and Campuestohan Highland Resort in Talisay City, both so close by, which are gems in themselves and worthy to be presented and enjoyed.
There is Patag in Silay City, although more private but still there is always a welcoming owner willing to open its doors, or a trek in its woods can be arranged for the rainforest adventurers.
Salvador Benedicto, the new kid in the block, is bustling with new weekend homes. There are organic farms and lodges to be rented if you want to get away from it all.
I had the pleasure and privilege to be invited to the two latter destinations. It was slightly drizzling when we meandered our way to Patag. The gentle rain brought a higher degree of coolness in the air. The occasion was the visit of our cousin who was celebrating her 25th anniversary as a Maryknoll nun, Sister Margaret (Lizares Lacson). To us, she is simply “Beging.”
Youngest sister Rose of the brood of 17 made sure that the table was a feast. In the abundance of the food, the beautiful scenery, it was good to interact with the Lizares-Lacson and Misa side of our family. What is fun about this family get-together is we learn stories about our elders.
When you are a descendant of great grandparents who had 17 children as well, there is much information of the lolos and lolas of the other clans that we are not privy to. It was truly fascinating to listen to the stories of how courtships were handled, how some suitors were frowned at as unsuitable, and how business was managed four generations ago. These occasions allow us to filter down these narratives to the coming generations and they add pages to the family’s book of life.
Patag is a favorite trekking ground for my cousin Rose. Together with her friends, they trek through rugged hills, enjoy a splash on the rivers along the way, or wade in the basin of some waterfall until at last they reach the peak. The ultimate prize aside from exercising the muscles and sweating out the unwanted toxins is the breathtaking view.
Salvador Benedicto, once NPA (New People’s Army or rebels) country, is becoming our summer capital. With the wide lanes lined with pine trees and million flowers and other blooms that do not thrive in the big city, it is a welcome treat to have some quiet moments breathing in all that good air and exhaling all the stresses that have become a permanent resident of our inner soul.
When you are in the company of friends who have missed each other, the tranquility is always interrupted by the chattering of friends. The bonding consists not merely of idle chitchat but also coming into intimate sharing with the angst of life. Unveiling our deepest hurts to a group of truly concerned and caring friends, not just curious, who are quick to lend a listening ear or to give sound advice is a healing process.
Also, true friends exchange stories of their blessings most often than not, the spiritual, the psychological, the emotional, graces that have been so graciously bestowed upon them. For women close to senior years, the material blessings fall lowest in the list of priorities. It is the blessing of good health, the arrival or coming of a new apo, a wedding in the family, the visit of a long- lost friend or relative, or a travel in the offing, are the conversations that golden girls thrive on.
Whether you want to sweat it out by trekking or just simply being still, mountain respites are good for the soul. The serenity, the tranquility allows us to have some quiet time with ourselves. We live in a noisy world inside and out. Away from the daily grind, tensions and stressors, we can pause for some moments and just enjoy the simple joys of verdant pastures, grassy knolls, sloping wild gardens, rivers cascading, fogs setting in, the cool breeze. All these bring a peace unparalleled.