Fishing at KPAF (Katunggan Permaculture Adventure Farm), Cebu

gone fishing....

will be back soon ...

Mushroom Hunting at KPAF (Katunggan Permaculture Adventure Farm), Cebu

toadstools

aha stealing from the gnomes

queen gnome gathering magic mushrooms

dumpster diving

gnomes coming out from the underground?

enough food  to last for days

hopefully, the edible variety...

preparing our mushroom meal

Mushrooms are fungi,

also known as toadstools,

eaten by gnomes,

but not the kind that grow between your toes,

i mean the fungi, not that gnomes.

Mushrooms are magical,

as they seem to appear overnight and out of nowhere,

also because some are hallucinogenic

and make you see things that don't exist,

and some are toxic and poisonous,

that you don't get to see  things anymore and you cease  to exist.

Mushrooms do not need light to exist,

and do not grow by photosynthesis,

thus certain eastern practices,

abstain from eating them,

as they believe that,

you are what you eat,

thus, you become lethargic 

and tend to have dark thoughts.

Mushrooms are medicinal,

they prevent tumor growth,

they also prevent fat growth,

as they are low in calorie,

and high in vitamin and mineral content.

Mushrooms are delicious,

my favorite part,

they make good soups, appetizers, and dishes.

At KPAF, we do mushroom hunting,

as they thrive well in dried out seaweed extract,

which we spread to dry out in our field.

What, seaweed, what?

At KPAF, we partner with CP Kelco,

our seaweed processing plant neighbor,

who have recyclable waste,

these are byproducts of seaweed processing,

which they  donate to neighboring farms,

as part of their corporate social responsibility.

So, last time we went mushroom hunting,

we thought, we were having a visual hallucination,

mushrooms everywhere...

then we had a gastronomic feast,

coz luckily we were successful as amateur mycologist,

we hit the jackpot,

we got the edible kind, yipee!!!

Theotokos Diocesan Shrine, Carcar, Cebu

acacia lined road to the shrine

by the roadside

the entrance

giant statue of the Virgin Mary

the faithful flocking to the shrine

the virgin mary, which one?

the fourth child who witnessed the apparition...

magnificent view

Theotokos,

is the Greek title of the Virgin Mary,

is a Marian Pilgrim site in Carcar,

is where the phenomenon of the Dancing Sun 

was reportedly witnessed in the 90's.

This place is drawing pilgrims by the thousands.

Faith based tourism is gaining ground in Cebu.

This is one of the many places that one can visit.

If you are a Marianist, 

someone who believes and is a devotee of the Virgin Mary,

then this is a place you should not miss.

They have daily and weekly devotional events.

If you are not religious,

but enjoy being a tourist,

then this place has a perfect picture spot for you.

The view from the top of the hill is simply breathtaking.

If you are spiritual,

and seek solitude and reflection,

a place to meditate and experience silence,

then this is the closest thing to nirvana,

not far from the city, well kept and open to the public.

It is a sanctuary for those seeking communion with the Supreme.

If you are a sinner and a skeptic,

this is something you need to check out,

right under the giant statue of the Virgin Mary,

there are seven faucets, each labelled:

Lust,

Gluttony,

Greed, 

Sloth,

Wrath,

Envy,

Pride.

Pick you greatest sin or sins

and cleanse yourself of the water that flows.

Believe!!!

This might be a life-changing experience...

Fr. Doming Saladaga's Natural Farm at Our Lady of Consolation Parish-Recoletos, Inayawan, Cebu

parish youth welcoming us to the natural farm

papayas ready to be harvested

farm caretaker explaining the naturally grown pigs

natural and organic pig

geese

sheep

Fr. Doming Saladaga is the parish priest

at Our Lady of Consolation Parish,

at Inayawan, Cebu.

The area is infamous for the dumpsite,

yet, it is gaining renown for something else:

A Natural Farm at the heart of Inayawan.

Fr. Doming Saladaga has been conducting classes

on integrated natural farming right here in the city.

What do they have in their farm?

parish youth given eco-education and conducting farm tours,

organically grown rice,

organically grown pigs,

small farm animals: geese, sheep, rabbits, ducks and chickens.

Many things to learn,

and they are very eager to share their knowledge.
So next time, you think of Inayawan:
Don't think about rubbish, trash and stench;
Think about rice fields, fruit trees and organically grown animals.

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park

boat ride to park

docking at the entrance to the park

boardwalk that goes to the mouth of the river

mouth of the river

cave entrance

stalagmite formation

stalactites formation

joy, our hilarious poker face boatman/tour guide

boat tours to underground river

bayawak

park ranger

What comes to mind when we think of Palawan?
In the 70' and 80's, it was all about logging...
In the 90's, it was about mining...
Now, its about eco-tourism.

What is eco-tourism?
The keywords are:
responsible travel,
minimum impact on the environment,
ecological conservation,
cultural preservation....

Palawan seems to be at the forefront of this movement.
Referred to as the last frontier...
Hopefully, not...

Many things to experience in Palawan,
eating fresh seafood,
vietnamese culture,
island hopping,
white sand beaches,
cool restaurants.

For me,
the best part is the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park.
About 50 km from Puerto Princesa,
A short board ride,
A brief walk to the entrance of the cave and river.

The park has an 8.2 km navigable subterreanean river
There is an interesting 30 minute boat ride.
We were lucky to have Joy as our tour guide.
He is the poster boy of the tourism office,
You can see his picture in most tourism ads.
He is a hilarious poker faced tour guide.
He says that the cave is stinky,
because it is the bathroom of batman...

Aside from the funny tour,
there are local residents that you need to meet,
the local monitor lizard  called Bayawak,
and the shameless scavenger monkeys.

The best part really,
is seeing the many shades of blue
that the sky and sea cast upon the horizon.