Finally, after two attempts, I was able to behold the largest flower in the world (albeit in an unhappy circumstance).
At about the same time last year, nanay and I took a trip to her hometown to join the annual revelry in honor of the baranggay's patron saint and to attend her elementary school homecoming. Besides the fact that nobody from my kin knows where the jump off point is, the peace situation in the area was not favorable at the time, it being an election year and the military was on red alert. So as not to tempt fate, I conceded and decided that I would go some other time.
This year, we had no plans of going at all. It is most unfortunate though that nanay's oldest sibling passed suddenly and we felt we should pay our last respect and so we prepared for the trip.
Mornings are actually slow. Even the member of the family who lives nearby were out and about with their daily routine so I took the chance of asking who wanted to take the hike with me. My invitation was met with a lot of oppositions like Villa Valderrama is in ruins, the slope too steep or the climb would be too arduous for me. Two went with me, a cousin and a niece both my junior.
Though we've frequented Tigmamale in our toddler years, I haven't been to the town yet. But it wasn't hard to reach. We simply took a trike which deposited us at the Gas station where the skylab and their drivers await for visitors. No haggling transpired. They were quite trusting. They agreed that we pay when they come back for us after the hike. Just like my last hike, we forgot to bring water and food (we only had coffee and bread back at the house) so we had to go back and buy for provisions from the market below.
To my surprise, the motorcycle ride wasn't as scary as my Bugnay experience. There is a 2-lane concrete road connecting the village to Villa Valderrama. Some parts of it are still under construction but it looks like it's going to be done by the middle of the year. Most of the road is bare and the 9 am sun was unrelenting. It only began to feel cool as we entered the canopy of mahogany trees that signaled we have arrived at the resort.
The funny thing is that once we walked our way up to reception, Diotay greeted two of the employees. Imagine that and she had no idea what I was talking about since the last time I mentioned about the hike. Hahaha!
Waiting for our guide took only a few minutes, just enough time to answer the call of nature. We were told, the hike would only take 30 minutes. At my pace, we had to multiply it by three. The hike was mostly assault interrupted only by a few meters of flat surface and two stony streams. The trail was slippery from the dried leaves that carpeted it. Falling flat on our fannies was inevitable. It started with Byuti (who had it on a ravine, my heart nearly jumped out of its ribcage), followed by Diotay. I was last, just when the pool where we started the hike is on plain sight already.
I have no idea how far up we went for the water break in the cold spring. Spotted on the area were the wilted remains of the rafflesia. They must have bloomed a week ago. Up ahead was a small area cordoned to signal the presence of buds. So this particular species lives on the alupidan vine (Tetrastigma harmandii).
It's difficult not to feel disappointed about our timing. I just console myself with the fact that the trek can be replicated in the future and that I was not beset by nasty leg cramps during our 3-hr walk.
Travel Cost:
Bagtason to Valderrama Proper : P100 (trike single trip)
Valderrama Proper (Gas Station) to Villa Valderrama : P50 per head (Skylab aka habalhabal)
Registration Fee : P20 for locals and P50 for the out-of-towners
Guide : P400 (3-hour hike to rafflesia site and back)
Villa Vaderrama to Bagtason (to avoid waiting) : P100 per head (Skylab aka habalhabal)
At about the same time last year, nanay and I took a trip to her hometown to join the annual revelry in honor of the baranggay's patron saint and to attend her elementary school homecoming. Besides the fact that nobody from my kin knows where the jump off point is, the peace situation in the area was not favorable at the time, it being an election year and the military was on red alert. So as not to tempt fate, I conceded and decided that I would go some other time.This year, we had no plans of going at all. It is most unfortunate though that nanay's oldest sibling passed suddenly and we felt we should pay our last respect and so we prepared for the trip.
Mornings are actually slow. Even the member of the family who lives nearby were out and about with their daily routine so I took the chance of asking who wanted to take the hike with me. My invitation was met with a lot of oppositions like Villa Valderrama is in ruins, the slope too steep or the climb would be too arduous for me. Two went with me, a cousin and a niece both my junior.
Though we've frequented Tigmamale in our toddler years, I haven't been to the town yet. But it wasn't hard to reach. We simply took a trike which deposited us at the Gas station where the skylab and their drivers await for visitors. No haggling transpired. They were quite trusting. They agreed that we pay when they come back for us after the hike. Just like my last hike, we forgot to bring water and food (we only had coffee and bread back at the house) so we had to go back and buy for provisions from the market below.
To my surprise, the motorcycle ride wasn't as scary as my Bugnay experience. There is a 2-lane concrete road connecting the village to Villa Valderrama. Some parts of it are still under construction but it looks like it's going to be done by the middle of the year. Most of the road is bare and the 9 am sun was unrelenting. It only began to feel cool as we entered the canopy of mahogany trees that signaled we have arrived at the resort.
The funny thing is that once we walked our way up to reception, Diotay greeted two of the employees. Imagine that and she had no idea what I was talking about since the last time I mentioned about the hike. Hahaha!
Waiting for our guide took only a few minutes, just enough time to answer the call of nature. We were told, the hike would only take 30 minutes. At my pace, we had to multiply it by three. The hike was mostly assault interrupted only by a few meters of flat surface and two stony streams. The trail was slippery from the dried leaves that carpeted it. Falling flat on our fannies was inevitable. It started with Byuti (who had it on a ravine, my heart nearly jumped out of its ribcage), followed by Diotay. I was last, just when the pool where we started the hike is on plain sight already.
I have no idea how far up we went for the water break in the cold spring. Spotted on the area were the wilted remains of the rafflesia. They must have bloomed a week ago. Up ahead was a small area cordoned to signal the presence of buds. So this particular species lives on the alupidan vine (Tetrastigma harmandii).
It's difficult not to feel disappointed about our timing. I just console myself with the fact that the trek can be replicated in the future and that I was not beset by nasty leg cramps during our 3-hr walk.
Travel Cost:
Bagtason to Valderrama Proper : P100 (trike single trip)
Valderrama Proper (Gas Station) to Villa Valderrama : P50 per head (Skylab aka habalhabal)
Registration Fee : P20 for locals and P50 for the out-of-towners
Guide : P400 (3-hour hike to rafflesia site and back)
Villa Vaderrama to Bagtason (to avoid waiting) : P100 per head (Skylab aka habalhabal)
