profound bliss

Last day of 2013 and my Nanay has ordered our “New Year fruits” as early as a few days ago. It was delivered last night. I don’t believe in Feng Shui, really, because my mantra has always been work hard if you want a better life. But then again, there’s no harm in putting round fruits on the table as we welcome the New Year. After all, I remember Nanay doing it way before I heard about the term Feng Shui. But what really are the lucky fruits that you should put on the table? Here’s a feature about it on last night’s edition of Bandila : Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

The best giant lanterns come from Pampanga. And since it’s the Christmas season already, the most awesome lanterns will be on display as the Giant Lantern Festival 2013 kicks off on December 2, 2013. Pampanga is a little far from Manila, and if you’re going to watch the competition on December 14, make sure to go there early to avail of tickets. You might end up traveling far only to watch on TV screens. Here’s the Schedule of Activities: December 2 Flag Raising Ceremony and Unveiling of Schedule of Activities, City Hall CSFP, 8 AM Press Conference, City Hall CSFP, 10 AM December 2-5 Inter-Village Christmas Decoration Competition, CSFP, 6 onwards December 6 Lantern Parade Competition (Elementary and High School), High Blvd. CSFP, 6 PM December 14 Giant Lantern Festival Competition, Robinsons Starmills, City of San Fernando, 6 PM December 15 Giant Lantern Exhib...

I haven’t been to Mt. Halcon yet (especially that I’ve stopped climbing for some months already), but I don’t think I’m going anywhere near that particular mountain sometime next year. The mountain, and its Taong Lumot, was featured in Rated K last Sunday or its Halloween special. Watch: Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

Got invited by my friend’s son to watch him compete at his school’s Mr. and Ms. United Nations 2013. I willingly agreed. And he won! Congrats, Detdet! Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

October 15, 2013 was such a sad day for the Philippines, specifically to the people of Central Visayas that was most affected by the magnitude 7.2 earthquake. The tremblor hit at exactly 8:12 AM of Tuesday, with epicenter located 2 kilometers southeast of Carmen, Bohol. It was so powerful, however, to have affected even the nearby province of Cebu, where it was felt at Intensity 6. As of 8:30 PM Tuesday, Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Central Visayas says 86 have already been recorded dead due to the quake, while 261 are injured and 7 are still missing. @PIACentralViz: RDRRMC Sitrep As of 8:30PM/Oct. 15: 86 dead, 261 injured, 7 missing in #VisayasQuake #earthquakePH The October 15, 2013 Bohol earthquake is the 6th most powerful earthquake to have hit the country for the last 50 years. Topping the list was the magnitude 7.9 earthquake that hit Moro Gulf in 1976, killing nearly 6,000 people. My mother cried while watching the videos of the earthquake’s aftermath s...

The Philippines recently won the 2013 Pyronale Fireworks World Championships that was held in Berlin, Germany. Fifteen minutes of exhibition, putting in different moods with different background music. I personally couldn’t help but smile so big when the Philippine tourism song was played. We were represented by the Dragon Fireworks. The country got two awards - Audience Choice and the Gold Trophy as the 2013 Grand Champion. Check out the video below and be proud to be Pinoy. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

I wonder what awaits me if I click on the link given. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

The Court of Appeals has declared that parts of Fort Bonifacio that includes the posh area of Bonifacio Global City are indeed part of Makati City. The decision was released Tuesday, overturning the ruling made by the Pasig Regional Trial court in July 2011 that declared the disputed 729.15 hectares of land under Taguig jurisdiction. "Contrary to the findings of the lower court as between pieces of evidence presented, Taguig was not able to prove this greater weight of evidence to merit a favorable decision," said the Court of Appeals in the 37-page decision. Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano, however, said the decision was wrong. "The CA decision, with due respect, is erroneous," Cayetano said. "We will fight to make sure that the disputed land remains with Taguig," she added. "We are confident that we will ultimately win this fight." It will be such a big loss to Taguig in terms of tax revenues if the BGC is taken away from the city...

Roger Lucero, a funny tour guide of The Ruins in Talisay City, Negros Occidental has recently become famous on the internet courtesy of the videos that his guests posted on YouTube. The videos are hilarious, his comic approach to narrating the history of the house is stand-up comedy-ish that meeting him would surely be one of the highlights of anyone's visit to the world famous attraction. Roger was featured in ABS-CBN's Umagang Kay Ganda on Tuesday. The feature said he was encouraged to become a tour guide by the owners of The Ruins who he used to work for as a houseboy. Here's one of his videos that is getting viral on YouTube: Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

A chow chow trapped on a second floor window ledge got rescued by the FDNY. It’s a big dog and the fireman seemed a little scared, but he successfully rescued the furry pet to the delight of onlookers. I wonder, though, how the dog got there and where the heck was his owner. Anyway, good thing there are friendly firefighters out where he lives. I wonder what our local rescue would tell us if we called for a dog trapped on the ledge. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter . video: youtube.com/bklynmorgante

Glee’s Cory Monteith was found dead at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel in Vancouver, Canada. No cause of death has been confirmed yet but several reports say he died of overdose. Cory played Finn Hudson in the hit musical TV series. In real life, he dated co-star Lea Michele who plays Rachel Berry. Recently, Cory decided to admit himself in a rehab facility due to substance addiction. He completed his treatment in April. And I guess its from that fact where rumors about the overdose came from, especially that it’s his second time in a rehab, the first was when his family put him in when he was 19. This is sad. Glee will never be the same without him. Watch him tell Ellen DeGeneres the story of his Glee audition in the video below. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

Aww! Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

Siargao Island is number 9 in CNN Travel’s “World’s 50 Best Surf Spots.” Siargao was picked because of its Cloud 9 waves which was described as dramatic and powerful. A Cloud 9 is the best known surfing wave particular to Siargao. It has a worldwide reputation for its thick, hollow tubes. The wave was discovered by travelling surfers in late 80s, and was named after the popular chocolate bar. It became famous in 1993 when American photographer John S. Callahan published the first major feature of Siargao in the US-based Surfer magazine. The CNN Travel description of Siargao goes: 9. Cloud Nine, Siargao Island, Philippines This dramatic and powerful reef break, which crashes onto shallow razor-sharp coral, offers right and left death rides. Fearless surfers will experience a slice of paradise or hallucinations as waves wrap over them like a liquid cocoon. Skin and sometimes bone are often ripped to shreds by the ocean bed. World’s 50 Best Surf Spots: ...

Fell in love with this song the first time I heard it in the Shamcey Supsup-Lloyd Lee engagement video. And I’m posting it here as a reminder that I have to download the mp3. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

My friend once posted a status update, laughing at those who use hashtags on Facebook. I was actually guilty of the crime, but it is because my Facebook is linked to my Twitter account in a way that what I post on one goes to the other. Thus, the hashtag on Facebook. Now, though, I can hashtag all I want on Facebook because the beloved social networking site has just released “Hashtags on Facebook.” Here’s part of the article on the Facebook Newsroom dated June 12, 2013: Starting today, hashtags will be clickable on Facebook. Similar to other services like Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, or Pinterest, hashtags on Facebook allow you to add context to a post or indicate that it is part of a larger discussion. When you click on a hashtag in Facebook, you'll see a feed of what other people and Pages are saying about that event or topic. Now you can: • Search for a specific hashtag from your search bar. For example, #NBAFinals. • Click on hashtags that originate on ot...

Interesting vocals. But honestly, this is the first time I heard her. Philippines - Ferns Tosco feat. Sly Kane Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

AyosDito.com.ph is giving you a chance not only to earn from your “clutter” at home, but also to win amazing prizes like Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Samsung S3 Mini, National Bookstore Gift Certificates and FREE SM Movie Passes! This rainy season, it’s high time to clear up some space in the house to welcome better things. De-clutter your closet by selling tight-fitting clothes, unused uniforms, formalwear and rarely used accessories online. You can also organize the kitchen, garage, attic and your cosy little siesta corner by letting go of items you don’t need, and posting them for sale on AyosDito.ph! Welcome the fresh season this June with fun opportunities to earn extra, and to win amazing gadgets and other freebies from Team AyosDito.ph! How to join? Simply POST an ad selling any item you’re no longer using on AyosDito.ph; SHARE your ad on Facebook and Twitter; so you can get the chance to WIN a brand new SAMSUNG NOTE 2 or SAMSUNG S3 MINI! But wait, there’s more! Aside from gi...

You might be fond of dogs and love touching every cute furry friend you meet. But how do you approach them? Do you present yourself to them in a way that they consider friendly? Follow me on Facebook and Twitter . photo: fb.com/dogbook

I love bridges. Especially old ones. The one above is called Puente de Malagonlong in Tayabas, Quezon. It is the longest stone bridge in the Philippines from the Spanish colonial era. Puente de Malagonlong is featured in tonight’s episode of I-Witness titled “Ang Lihim ng mga Lumang Tulay” (The Secrets of Old Bridges), a documentary by Kara David. Here’s the teaser: I-Witness airs Mondays at 11:30 PM on GMA-7 Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

It was irritating that I traveled all the way from Taguig to Alabang with my dog because Animal House-Alabang was supposed to have a lab… and then not. I knew something’s wrong with Princess yesterday because she wouldn’t eat her treat, so I wanted to have CBC done to know exactly what the problem was. In AH-Alabang, the vet collected blood samples (which she did thrice because the first two attempts were unsuccessful). But When she was already running the CBC, she told me the machine malfunctioned and that she’d just call me later that day for the results. The technician, according to her, will arrive a little later. Darn, right? I traveled that far for nothing. I could’ve just gone to Animal House-Bicutan, which doesn’t have a lab but is so near my place, had I known I wouldn’t get the results right away. Same process, Bicutan would also phone me the results afterwards, but less trouble traveling and less time consumed. Can’t Alabang have a backup machine? I remember the sam...

The 6th season of True Blood premieres June 16. And yes, waiting sucks indeed. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

Found this video about Durex’s new “innovation” called Fundawear. It lets you touch someone else’s you-know-what over the internet. Watch: Will you buy one? Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

Macky Lopez uploaded on Facebook a video of himself doing the Gwiyomi with a wig and fake boobs on. His reaction towards being caught by his father was so precious. The kid is so hilarious I ended up joining his 7,244 followers. The video was posted just 3 hours ago but already has 12,721 likes, 16,762 shares and 1,967 comments. Here’s the vid: Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

I am not really a fan of the Gwiyomi/Kiyomi craze. But how I wish I could get my oldest nephew to do it. I’m sure he’d be on this list: Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

Because he couldn’t get near his son even on the child’s birthday, James posted a previous photo of him and Bimby on Instagram, greeting his son a happy birthday on Friday, April 19. The heartbreaking caption says: “i miss holding your hand, i miss giving u a hug. Kahit anong mangyari, lagi mo tatandaan na mahal na mahal ka ni papa! Happy birthday babyJames!! #flashbackfriday” Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

Saw this in the news last night. Amalayer girl Paula Salvosa talks about her LRT experience that made her famous (albeit negatively), and how it affected her life. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

This is cringe-worthy. That TIME magazine cover showing President Noynoy Aquino was fake. He was indeed in the list of the magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World but he wasn’t one of the chosen seven to get a cover. The fake cover first appeared on Facebook, which the PDI (dubbed as the Yellow paper) picked up. The 7 in the list that got their own special edition 2013 TIME 100 covers were artist and entrepreneur Jay Z; U.S. Senator Rand Paul; actress Jennifer Lawrence; film star and activist Aamir Khan; activist Malala Yousafzai; SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk; and tennis champion Li Na. Check out the 7 covers here: http://time100.time.com/2013/04/18/cover-shots/slide/jay-z/ Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

Victor Joel Ayson, the mountaineer who went up Mt. Maculot on Easter Sunday and went missing, has been found thirteen days after, on the day of his birthday on April 13, 2013. Reports say he left his rucksack at the mountaineers’ stop-over owned by Mang Manuel on March 31 at around 2:30 AM. Then he was seen buying a bottle of mineral water in a store up the mountain around 9:00 AM the same day. Biki, as he was fondly called by family and friends, had just been to a Mt. Guiting-Guiting climb with some of his friends over the Holy Week. They were heading back home on the eve of Easter Sunday, but he had other plans. From the Batangas port, he went to Cuenca, Batangas to do a solo hike of Mt. Maculot. After going up, however, he never went down to claim his bag at the mountaineer’s stop over. His girlfriend, family and friends got alarmed as Biki said he’d be back home by noontime Sunday. It could have been possible since a hike up to the Rockies of the said mountain only takes ab...

The new ABS-CBN 2013 Summer Station ID titled Kwento ng Summer Natin has just been released. The video celebrates Philippine television’s 60th year so the Kapamilya celebrities re-enacted the hit shows from before. I don’t know the rest of them but I recognized Palibhasa Lalake, Tonight with Dick and Carmi, Abangan ang Susunod na Kabanata, etc. Then Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla channeled Kristine Hermosa and Jericho Rosales in Pangako sa ‘Yo and look what’s in the background! It’s Mount Batulao! Although, of course it was just obviously only CGI, but still, it made the mountaineer in me excited. And perhaps it’s just because I haven’t climbed for 3 months now. Speaking of mountains, I don’t know if Nanay would allow me to go on solo hiking again after news about Victor Ayson broke out. He has been missing for 7 days now after going on a solo hike last Easter Sunday, March 31. Search and rescue teams have already “combed” Mt. Maculot but they found neither a clue nor a ...

Bugoy Cariño will teach us how to take care of animals in ABS-CBN’s Wansapanataym this Saturday night. The episode is called ‘Finding Nilo’ (sounds familiar?). He plays the role of Nilo, a child cursed to become a fish after stepping on a certain kind of sea creature believed to be the guardian of the sea (who cannot take care of himself?). Anyway, I’m very pet friendly that I can’t help but post this. Wansapanataym airs Saturdays, after Kapamilya Deal Or No Deal, on ABS-CBN.

Another mountaineer has gone missing. Victor Joel Ayson went on a solo dayhike up Mount Maculot on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2013. It was 2:30 AM when he left his bag at Mang Manuel’s store. He successfully reached the Rockies campsite because he was seen buying a bottle of mineral water at the campsite store (which mountaineers fondly call 7-11) around 9:00 AM. After not being in contact until Monday, his friends and family started getting alarmed. Search and rescue operations have been organized since Monday night but all were unsuccessful in finding him. According to Mang Manuel, an experienced Mt. Maculot guide and owner of the Mountaineer’s Stop Over & Store in Barangay Tico, there have really been instances when even the locals would get lost in Mt. Maculot due to engkanto or the entities that we do not see with our naked eyes. I have personally traversed the said mountain twice and has done four solo climbs of the Rockies campsite, and I must say I believe in wh...

I again walked to Antipolo Cathedral on the eve of Good Friday, and although it was my fourth consecutive year to do it, it was the first time that I did it alone. I made the vow to do the Alay Lakad annually back in 2010, when my Catholic soul felt somehow ‘fulfilled’ after doing it for the first time. We were a group of ten back then, all first-timers, and today I am glad that majority of those I went with that year still continue to do it every year, even if not with me anymore. I found myself with a different group of five the following year, although my ‘kid Friday’ back then went with me, of course. And then my Alay Lakad company became less every year. In 2012, I just went with a friend, and then this year I was alone. It was fun. I was alone, but then again not. From the Immaculate Conception Parish in Pasig City, I walked with a throng of strangers. They were in groups or pairs; some walked with their families, others with their friends, and then some were with their rel...

As much as 75% lower! Domestic Fares Promo Selling Period: March 22 to April 22, 2013 Travel Period: June 16 to October 15, 2013 Book now at: http://www.flypalexpress.com/ for PAL Express. For Philippine Airlines promos, check out http://www1.philippineairlines.com/ Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.10

For those staying in the metro for the Holy Week, I guess we are left with nothing to do from Maundy Thursday to Good Friday as the malls are closed and even the LRT and MRT won’t operate until Sunday. Check out the sched below. SM MALLS Maundy Thursday Closed Good Friday Closed Black Saturday Regular Mall Hours Easter Sunday Regular Mall Hours AYALA MALLS (including Alabang Town Center, Glorietta, Greenbelt, Market! Market!, Trinoma, Abreeza, Ayala Center Cebu, Centrio): Maundy Thursday Closed Good Friday Closed Black Saturday Regular Mall Hours Easter Sunday Regular Mall Hours ROBINSONS MALLS Maundy Thursday Robinsons Luisita, Tagaytay, Pangasinan and Palawan: Regular Mall Hours Other Robinsons Malls branches: CLOSED Good Friday Robinsons Luisita and Tagaytay: Regular Mall Hours Other Robinsons Mall branches: CLOSED Black Saturday Regular Mall Hours Easter Sunday Regular Mall Hours POWER PLANT Maundy Thursday Close...

Here is Smart's special offer to the Class of 2013: The iPhone 4 FREE at Plan 999 with 250MB Data & 40 SMS + 100 mins. of calls to ALL networks. Visit any Smart Store to avail.

Developed to redefine the way we live, the GALAXY S 4 makes every moment of our life meaningful. It understands the value of relationships, enables true connections with friends and family, and believes in the importance of effortless experience. Highly crafted design with a larger screen and battery, thin bezel, housed in a light 130g and slim 7.9mm chassis. The new Samsung GALAXY S 4 is slimmer, yet stronger. The GALAXY S 4 gets you closer to what matters in life, and brings your world together. For a richer, simpler and fuller life. To find out more, click here http://www.samsung.com/galaxys4/ Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

Further strengthening its alliance with Philippine Airlines (PAL), Airphil Express is undergoing a major transformation by improving and aligning its service standards and product offerings with the flag carrier. Reflecting this change, Airphil Express will rebrand itself as “PAL Express” effective March 15, 2013. All Airphil Express planes will use the familiar “sunriser” PAL livery and logo on its tail and fuselage. Side by side with the rebranding will be a total enhancement of customer experience as PAL Express ensures that customers receive the best quality service that each carrier has been known for. With the rebranding, PAL Express passengers will now enjoy complimentary snacks, drinks and reading materials on board and other amenities previously enjoyed only by passengers of full service carriers like PAL. Passengers of PAL Express can also earn miles through their membership in Mabuhay Miles. “It’s not just a name change, but an alignment of two standards into one...

This was what welcomed me when I decided to read some feeds from Google Reader just now: Bakit kaya? Baka next thing we know, Blogger na ang mawawala. Now the big question is, what can I use in replacement for the Google Reader that I have used for almost five years now?

Mikael Daez seems to love him so so much. Lucky dog. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter . Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.10

This scene from Oblivion makes me miss climbing. So much. My last climb was on January 3 with K when we did Maculot Traverse. I think I have to pack my ever dependable Hawk daypack soon. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

I nearly cried looking at this collage of Daniel and his dog Simba. He's saying goodbye to the dog as he was leaving for Iloilo. Reminds me of Princess's stares, and how she won't kiss me whenever she sees me with my backpack. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter . Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.10

I just love it when celebrities pose with dogs. This is Alden Richards: Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

This is the third of a series of posts, and I really hope will be the last, about ‘peculiar’ things that I have experienced in the mountains. So I am/was fond of climbing alone, but only in mountains that I already know the trail of, and which I label as ‘safe’ because of easy trails. Two mountains that I climb alone (and without a guide) were Maculot and Manabu Peak. I already blogged about what happened during my last Maculot climb which actually triggered my desire to write about my ‘peculiar’ experiences. You can also read about my Mt. Romelo experience here . This time, however, I’m gonna write about a very strange thing that happened to me in Manabu. I arrived at the jump off past 1:00pm of September 20, 2012. Based on previous Manabu climbs, I only needed at least three-and-a-half hours for a ‘round-trip’ (that doesn’t include the ‘summit time’) so I was sure I’d be back at the jump-off way before 6:00pm. It had just rained the previous night so the trail was wet and ...

To those going to Baguio for the Panagbenga Festival 2013 (also known as BFF or Baguio Flower Festival 2013), I’m sure you’d want to go there during the celebration’s highlight - the street dancing and the grand float parades which happen on February 23 and 24 respectively. But if you plan on going up to Baguio for the whole festival, here’s the calendar of events: February 1, 2013 Grand Opening Parade Drum and Lyre Dance Competition (Elementary Division) Panagbenga Park to Athletic Bowl February 1 – March 3, 2013 Market Encounter & Landscaping Competition Burnham Park February 10, 2013 Let A Thousand Flowers Bloom Melvin Jones February 10, 2013 Handog ng Panagbenga sa Pamilya Baguio Burnham Park February 10, 2013 Fluvial Float Parade Burnham Lake February 23, 2013 Grand Street Dancing Parade Panagbenga Park to Athletic Bowl February 24, 2013 Grand Float Parade Panagbenga Park to Athletic Bowl February 25 – Ma...

My Mt. Maculot traverse experience with K reminded me of my very first mountain climbing experience in Mt. Romelo. It was August 2010 and I was supposed to go to Taytay Falls but the friend I was supposed to go with stood me up so I decided to just go somewhere with fewer people - the mountains. I hired a guide who perhaps had a third eye as well, the reason why he saw what he did. We were walking towards Lansones Falls, he was like ten feet ahead, when I noticed that he kept on looking back towards me. I thought he was just checking on me as the thought of "stuff" like that in the mountains hasn't really occurred to me at that time. Had he told me he saw something right then, I wouldn't have allowed myself to take a dip in Lansones Falls' catch basin and enjoy its very cold water. But since I was unsuspecting, I even asked the guide to take pictures of me as I posed with the waterfalls as my backdrop. There was one part of the area, however, that w...

U.P. Diliman University Student Council presents U.P. Fair 2013, a week-long event held at the Sunken Garden featuring concerts, shows, fair booths, bazaars, etc. Here’s the schedule of events: February 12 : Bulkantahan – Unang Pagsabog Para Sa Pagbabago (Iuvenis Orbis Geological Fraternity) Performances by: Parokya ni Edgar, Gloc-9, Spongecola, Silent Sanctuary, Ebe Dancel, Never the Strangers, General Luna, Hijo, Dong Abay and the Tanods, Join the Club, SAMARIA, Flying Ipis, Gaijin, Slapshock, Giniling Festival, Segatron, Hoodlum, Candycandy, Bad Hair Day, SUCKETSEVEN, Wasted Sopas, Dragon, Milky Summer, Naraia, Slickfinger, Jerry Something, CLandestino’s Manuscript , Kaya, From the Author, Half Way Out, Brickcity, The Squibs, Sheenola, Idioms and Disposition, Joop, Strands of Autumn, FIJ, Maxine Jarantilla February 13 : Kontrakultura II – Marked for Love, Marked for Destiny(UP Students of Destiny) February 14 : Roots – Music and Arts Festival(UP Underground Music Comm...

Check out the fireworks display of SM City Cebu for Sinulog Festival 2013. The background music, Gangnam Style, was a hit among the spectators especially that the fireworks were made to go along the beat of the worldwide hit song by the Korean performer Psy. Follow me on Facebook and Twitter .

After the New Year (and my birthday), I now look forward to the pyromusical which happens February to March for quite a few years now. I haven’t been able to complete all the shows in each year because it’s really hard to reserve a number of consecutive Saturdays for that (kunyari busy). I was only able to watch one show every year, and I promise to watch more shows this year. After all, eleven countries are competing this year, with the Philippines (not included in the competition for being the host country) to show off at the finale. The 4th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition 2013 Schedule: February 16, 2013 Japan - Tamaya Kitahara Finland - Oy Pyroman Finland Ltd. February 23, 2013 Taiwan - Yung Feng Fireworks France - Intermede Artifices March 2, 2013 United Kingdom - Jubilee Fireworks Ltd. South Korea - Hwarang Fireworks Inc. March 9, 2013 Italy - Ipon Fireworks S.R.L. The Netherlands - Royal Fireworks March 16, 2013 ...

I climbed Mt. Maculot every week last December to lose some inches on my tummy. And because not everyone likes to climb the same mountain over and over again, and because I'm really a loner, I climbed those four times alone. The Rockies campsite is safe to climb alone. (I can almost hear my few more experienced mountaineering friends disagreeing with me.) The trail is wide and there are no forks aside from one early in the trail, but there’s an arrow pointing to the right direction so I really don't see how anyone could get lost. My first two weeks were bliss. I was literally alone at the campsite aside from a big tuko on the first and a monkey on the second week. I was able to pray (which I do secretly when there are mountaineers around) for the safe climb, lie down on the tables, close my eyes and savor the quiet sounds of wind on the trees and the idea of being alone 300+ meters above sea level. But was I really alone during those times that I thought I was? I'm...