Hill 522 Traverse - Guindapunan Palo Leyte

with
Mayie
+L-Mer Jake Valle

Last night, I am Late with my flight back to Manila. My flight is 20:00 but I arrived 21:00. At 03:00 in the morning, kuya Walter called up Ronald and asked me to stay with him to his boarding house instead of staying at Leo's lodge alone.

Around 08:00, I meet yaku Jake, Mayie at Ronald's boarding house while I am searching for a place to go to while killing time before my flight. I supposed to go to Sohoton Cave at Basey Samar but can't make since yaku can't accompany me because of lolo's wake.

Leaving before 10:00 from Downtown Tacloban, I, yaku Jake, and Mayie arrived at Don Carlos Rivera St at some barangay in Palo at 10:00, just beside Palo Cathedral. At 10:30 we start trekking through a concrete road to Hill 522. We arrived at the foot of the hill just 10 minutes of walking. Our purpose is just get to the top of the "calvary" and how it look like on top and what would be the views that can be seen.

I only want to go to Hill 522. but when we got there, nabitin ako. When I saw a trail sign, I asked Mayie and yaku if we can proceed and see what's in the end of that trail and or where that trail is heading. Wow, I am amazed of the story! as we go farther, traces of the history of Hill 522 is still present in the area. The only thing thats displeases me is a structure that is full of vandal and where I think serves as a hideout of the teenagers now. Beyond that, is full of mystery. There are holes, big concrete built stones, and other areas are covered by the grass but traces still remains.

I can't back out anymore as we go farther and farther from the calvary hill (Hill 522). I enjoyed what I discovered and I enjoyed tracing the untraced trail! lol! I asked my companions if they want to proceed. But as I asked them to, I am already ahead from them which makes them no choice at all but to follow me. Hahaha! A kind of trick but I have their real permission to proceed before we go to that steep trail of the hill. :D

Before that steep trail, we heard a very noisy sound. I panic when I heard it from afar and getting closer quickly! I thought for a rattle snake but wonder why it came from above. There, as it sounds very near, it is then a gangis as we called it in cebuano. Whew! that is so my first time to hear the sound of gangis. I often see the insect but didn't heard its sound yet until lately. God's creation is really wonderful. That insect looks so delicate but hard as a steel (exagerated) and now, its sound, its sound is very far from its physical look.

Anyway, as we push through, we encountered the teka-teka. I introduced them the plant, how it is called and why it is called that way by the mountaineers. They don't know also the name of it in cebuano/waray. Few minutes away, we trace the trail where the water trail is heading. Lucky enough that the end of the water trail is another trail sign. But a minute after, the trail is not traceable again. So I make way to make another one again until I find a way out of the hill.

We ended up to a land of a family packing up copras. We make a mountaineer sign of passing through at thanking them as well. As we nearly exiting their place, A father asked us to take a picture of their teenager which makes us go back. Thankful enough that we go back and accept the father's request. The eldest I guess offer us the young coconut (buko), a very big one! Of course, I am a very big fan of buko when I am in the province! I always request or even get myself a buko from our bukid whenever I am home. Thirst quencher! I so love being in the province of Visayas! The buko tastes great as expected, unlike the taste in the city of Luzon. It is so sweet like me! :D and its content is delicious as always and not matigas even if it is thick already.

Today is wonderful with my two companion! After that buko quencher, we head to Gerry's grill at Robinsons-Marasbaras and ordered sinigang na prawns, pork sisig, squid, veggie rice with 5 extra rice, two bottomless ice tea for the boys and a four season shake for me!

Thanks God always for everything! I never thought magbubutas ako today! Worth it! As we remember the trail, we laugh at, as we remember Ronald. What if he go with us, we all nod that he will going to cry for it, surely!