Mambukal Enchantment

Welcome to the forest spring Mambukal enchantment!

                       It was all gloomy and windy afternoon at around 4 pm when I set foot to the gate of Mambukal Resort. The trip was longer than the usual time, compared to the reviews I'd read on the internet. Before going there, I have done my assignment, reading articles  and travel itineraries, one of those was written by Journeying James. Reviews were all lovely compliments and the yearnings of coming back to this place. At first, I tend to cancel this itinerary due to the added costs on my Bacolod budget trip. But then, as I've read about the seven falls in the place, my heart started to long of seeing a real falls. I think, I had not seen a waterfalls in my life yet, and to say seven in one place would be great! And so,that is the reason why I push through. Right after the convention, I decided to part ways with the group and told them about my plan of going to Murcia, about 16.557 kilometer away from Bacolod City according to the map. Ma'am personally advised me not to go there alone considering the typhoon was about to land at Bacolod the following day but I told her (the typical hard-headed basang), I wanna go, and so she just let me go and said very firmly that I should take care. With a determined heart, I headed to the Libertad Terminal to board a mini bus going to Mambukal- one of the unforgettable solo trip ever.

After registering in the Admin office, colorful plants came into view and as the wind pass by, they begun to wave their leaves at me. It was a very common view to me since I came from Los Banos Laguna, where trees and plants are abundant, but then, there is a mysterious enchantment that pulls me to go further inside the place.

There is also this smell that I can't understand. And as I walk further inside, the smell gets stronger.

I was not good in directions that even though I had a huge map given to me at the Admin office, I was lost looking for the Tourist Lodge I rented at 600 pesos for one night. Along the way I saw interested spots wherein I was so excited to explore. There were also bats (huge bats of sort) flying up high the trees that give me some push and so I hurriedly look for the place where I'll stay so that I could put down my bag and explore the area, and have a little dip of water, which I've been passing by. At last, I had found the lodge, and after a little rest I went down armed with my umbrella, because it seems that the rain may fall in any minute at that time. I discovered that it was a sulfur spring near the lodge that was farting off all that strong odor around. There were also caution signs for boiling mud around.

It was windy all right but that does not hinder me from wandering off the place as if I was very enchanted by the place, and I was like a little child being put down to run and explore around. Upon seeing the beautiful family cottages, i went near it and discovered a scenic view of the boating lagoon, which has no full water by that time and so I  can see well the natural falls that supplies its water. It was a lovely moment with the fresh air, the beauty of the nature thus calm mind and spirit too.

Contemplating the beauty of life out in the nature with God.

With the strong wind, I move to explore more and so, I have behold the lovely views of the Mambukal Resort.

A short bridge as docking site for the boats and the sulfuric mud floor of the  lagoon

Ishiwata Bath House

Flying foxes around the area with the narra tree as their home

After the leisurely walk, my mind and my eyes were full of picturesque memory of natures beauty. My stomach started to get noisy. To satisfy its concern, I went to the food court and ordered for a simple meal for dinner at 100 pesos and finished up with a ginger tea, after of course, of a calming massage from the spa near the food court. What a treat!

It was starting to rain when I was about to go out from the spa and that it was already dark at around 7 pm. Luckily, I'd remember the small but "very useful-on-time" flashlight I've been keeping in my bag. I safely arrived at the lodge with the background of bat's cries above the trees in the dark path to the lodge. At the lodge's door, I luckily meets some new friends and they were all very kind and funny people. We exchanged some personal stories and philosophical riddles. Then we call it a night and prepared to sleep.

But wait, it was not an easy night! For the winds has become stronger and the sounds are like hollows in the space. I was frightened and what makes it more scary is that the lights went out and I keep on praying and preparing my things if ever, I thought, something happens then I am ready to go.. I call my father at home and somehow, it soothes my scared thoughts and feeling. I keep on praying and I can feel God's at my side for the lights tuned on after I prayed then I was fast asleep, with ease. It was an unforgettable typhoon night away from home though.

As I woke up in the morning, the sound of the winds are gone and there were morning "tiktilaok" call that serves as an alarm clock. It was another fine day as if nothing happened last night. As I go downstairs and look outside, hints of typhoon are visible, branches fallen off, the leaves are scattered along the cemented road and in the pool. That day, I planned to start the trek. I want to invite my new friends but this morning as I knocked on the door, they were still deeply asleep and so I need to go through solo. I watched first the bats flying around the area, which were literally huge. Then I saw the signboard that leads to the waterfalls. It was so inviting that I really wanted to go. But since there is no one with me, I went back to the lodge and knocked on my new friends' room again but to no avail. I told myself, I need to do it now or else there may be no next time. And there I'm back to the stairs that will lead me to more enchantment.

What would one expect after a night of typhoon? As I said, branches and twigs were fallen everywhere. As I walk through the not so difficult trek, I say a prayer and kept asking myself if I needed to do this and go forward, seems that every step is one thing near to the unknown, to a bliss or to a danger. The typical hard headed me, I kept on thinking this would not happened again, but I am sure that was not true. Then I became so much absurd with my adventure this morning that I stop worrying. I am really TUCKED INSIDE a forest! I seem to see tree spirits just like in the Princess Monokoke Studio Ghibli movie. 

Different interesting life forms appears everywhere-interesting plants, insects and the sounds of the falls as I approaches makes me so excited. Times like these were very rare and I was really happy. I am so full of energy and my heart beats really fast especially when the beauty of the first falls reveals its beauty.

I paused for a while and inhale the fresh air around me. It was a total bliss and drives me to seek for the other falls. and so I went on and on...

Third Falls

I am glad I made the trip and so far, I had four more to see. It became more exciting as the trek begun to became harder due to the steepness and the rocks that comes the way. I love walking with rock eversince I experienced it on the  Mt. Maculot, The Rockies climb and the Mt. Balungao trek. I felt like little Mae on the movie, "My neighbor, TOTORO" who was so curious and a real wanderer of sort!. I even saw a part of the way which resembles the way to Totoro's tree. I never thought that as started to climb those rocks, it will lead me to something better that the falls I've been dreaming to see, the falls which was really the main reason I came here at Mambukal. 

Mae as she run after the little friends and discovered about the secret way to Totoro's tree.
I felt like little Mae.!

With so much awe on what I am seeing, I am very grateful that I had gone this far. As I often say appreciatively, I could stay here forever!

But I realized something, I'd lost the trail! There were no directions to follow, no people to ask, no signs of places to go! I even saw a dead baby snake in one of the rocks! I am not worried because I can still go back, but there is no turning back but trying different possible ways that seem to have marks of foot trails. There were lot of bushes but the trail only lead to another part of the river. And so I tried the other trail that seems to go upward the mountain. I suspected at first, this was a trail to Mt. Kanlaon. But better try than never. Much to my astonishment, I arrived at a community at the top of the hill! 

                 I've met tatay Gorden and nanay Shirley and asked me why I was all alone. Haha! The usual question. As I explained to them how I managed to arrived at there place which is called "Gayas, Mambukal", they invited me at their humble home and share breakfast with them. They told me that their house was at the top of the higher hill and it was my pleasure going with these kind people. I noticed their garden with variety of plants like yacoon, pechay, herbs like goto kola, peppermint and others. I am very shy to join them at first but they made me feel comfortable and when I enter at their home, I saw a hearty meal ready in the table, a real vegetarian food - lettuce, yacon and white radish salad; red rice; highland mixed vegetable in vegetarian bagoong (banana, potato, chinese malunggay, tomato, and eggplant); and a vegetarian coffee made from soya. Tatay Gorden explained to me that they quit eating meat and learned how to make their own protein substitute like tofu, and soyamilk. I noticed that there was a grinder used to make soya flour. We exchanged personal stories, some important life's lessons and happy anecdotes as we eat together.  I also met their meek daughter, Sheena who was studying at ALS in their place. According to them, eating healthy is also living healthy. It was a life they wanted to live, a life with fresh air, and foods which can result to fresh heart and peace of mind. It was a one happy and contented family which depicts the simpleness and joy of life. I will always be thankful to them. They told me that it was not an accident but God'd providence that I came at their place and come to met them. God is really good in using other people to extend help and this experience set my heart with full and this family as a real example of kindness, makes me wanna help other people too, in need or not.

The kind people whom i had shared precious moments and treats me like a family

 This is the treasure I had found in coming to Mambukal, not just about the falls or the stress free treat. Until now, I have a happy connection with them. I was accompanied my my new friend, Sheena to the seventh waterfalls. We trek a little and pass by beautiful flowers and water forms. 

After a 20 minutes trek, there the seventh waterfalls majestically stands tall among the plants around it.

As I said, I can stay here forever. I was in total bliss to see this falls and after all those fast heartbeat walking, at last I came, and was conquered. I had a short dip at the seventh falls, which was so tempting. After a while, I was ready to go. Through the help of my new friend, I did not take the way down back to where I came from but rode a motorcycle back to the Resort. I said goodbye for now to the falls, the very lovely experience and to my friend. But I am sure Ill be back soon but not alone, that is a promise to myself.  I paid 20 pesos for a motorcycle ride to the back gate of the resort which was near the Tourist lodge. It ended that right but my heart is so overwhelmed that I am truly happy and blessed, and very much alive. I suddenly miss my family and wanted to see them. For not so long, vacation break is coming too soon.  As soon as I arrived at my room, I prepared my things, had a quick shower and ready to check out at 11:30 am that Wednesday morning. Mini bus are waiting outside and that I think I need to catch a sleep as I dreamed of the lovely mountain terrain and sugarcane farms we passed by back to Bacolod City.

What I love about travelling is that I left with a full heart, full of many assorted feelings and come back with more rooms for happiness and that gives a feeling of lighter life, a happy one.

that is all for now......

BASANG 12/8/2012