New years day take 2024

In the late 70's I was in my early 20's and developed an ankle rash about two inches in diameter. From about 1979-80 to 2017 I visited many dermatologist both in the USA and in Manila. On one visit a doctor in the USA said " you'll probably have it your whole life."

The rash began to increase in size very slowly over the years but was relatively in check. But by the summer of 2018 it's growth increased and I could see it was going to cover a significant part of my lower leg. I  had given up on western medicine and resolved to fate.

However, by the fall of 2018 I was continuing my extended visits to the Philippines. This time to the south guided by my writer friend Oscar Penaranda. Among our planned stops he said we would visit his friends "on the magical island of Sequijor." 

The day before taking the short ferry ride from Dumaguete to Siquijor, I was a bit run down. A Babaylan who with us who also new of my ankle condition treated me. I don't know what she did? But I was lying on a small roll away bed and simply fell a sleep, as she said "it was something I learned as a child from my mother." It did not involve any physical touching, I closed my eyes as she began and simply just feel a sleep.

Once on the island of Sequijor we met Oscar's friends. They resided in "The Art Complex."  Just off the main road built in the jungle, several small and scattered structures and cottages. At the focal point was a stage where the main house was attached. The stage was used as a gathering place to train local musicians and perform. The vast audience area was built beneath a large metal canopy. There we drank and I played guitar with one of the locals.

The woman proprietor who was also caring for an elderly person, saw my ankle and said "simple lang yan, gamitan mo lang ng BL cream," (That's  simple or easy, just apply BL cream-a small plastic vile of cream which then costs less than 50 cents USD). 

The following day we were all taken to see a few sights. One of these was the well known 400 year old Balete tree. It's roots dangled into small pond lined by a concrete step. I sat there for a while with my feet in the water as commonly the little fishes eat dead skin.

Within the following year, using the BL cream, the rash had disappeared.

I look back and wonder what was it that healed me. Rather than one, I  think it was all of it.

Happy New Year 2024. I woke up this first day of the new year with a great sense of inner peace. I  think Miracles abound wether we believe them or not. Or is it that the way we live so out of touch that when we see the simple natural healing we think it's a miracle.

Cafe Quesada Dec 26, 2023

December 26, 2023 Kape Kesada (Cafe Quesada.)

There's a coffee table book at Cafe Quesada titled Dakilang Lagunense, The Art and Artists of Laguna which is a good primer on Paete, Laguna Province, Philippines. The artist perspective as that humanities link to history. There is also a pile of art brochures, of shows which is the legacy of Dr. Nilo Valdecantos, the great promoter of art. 

Much to unravel and not enough cups of coffee.

To begin with the legacy artist Manny Baldemor, Fred Baldemor, Glenn Cagadahan, Dominic Rubio, Luisito "Luis" B. Ac-Ac, Jose Caancan the pupil of Jose Rizal who trained many succeeding wood sculptors and carvers of Laguna.

A quick coffee length browse and already revealed is the liberating genre "Pinoy-Pop Social Realism," as coined in the work of Joseph "Otep" F. Banez  of Barangay Casile, Paete. 

Almador "Jojo" Barquila of Albay, a self taught artist that gained success simply from community support.

Almer V Moneda who painted from photographs if old Manila with a silkscreen like rendering and an outspoken Thalo blue. A favorite visual vocabulary for interested photographers in particular who like to paint from photographs.

Then the fantastic realist paintings of Jasper Penuliar.

 

Also among the art brochures a very interesting insight on a body of paintings  shown in "Paethnic" by Lamberto Acayatan. His repeated theme of a woman raises many questions and conjures equal mysterious and silent answers.

Thus, that second cup of coffee, haha 😂 many more cups of coffee to follow...

December 25, 2023

December 25, 2023 Pakil, Turumba, Laguna Province, Philippines.

Arriving around 4pm by tricycle from the Plaza in Paete beneath a cloudy fragmented drizzle. 

"Sa kanto lang kuya, 'd kailangan pumasok." (Let me off at the corner of the intersection sir, no need to go inside.) From the main road J.P Rizal it's a walk of less than fifty yards.

Everyone says "malamig!" Too cold to swim in Turumba, but  once into the freestyle stroke rhythm, the heart gets pumping as those "bubbles" you practiced pays off-breathing like an old single stroke engine on the African Queen.

The pool is said to have healing miracle powers fed by the natural waters from Mt. Pingas of the Sierra Madre range. The Range that encompasses almost the entire length of the Island land mass of Luzon. As the water enters it exits at the opposite length of the pool, thus no chemicals, kept clean by a continuous circulation of water. The pool seems about fifty feet long, you can get a decent workout swimming laps at length.

Like many old places the infrastructure is vintage 1938 and seen plenty of use. The pool surrounded by tile is a rocky river bottom and only chest deep. Some of the walls are edged by what seem flat mossy boulders. Moss all around and small fish. Once, a kid came up from the bottom with a small fresh water crab. Kids like to borrow my extra pair of goggles-to explore and swim in an aquarium.

Casually completing ten laps, breaking in the middle to do sittups and stomach pulls, the cloudy drizzle is once more illuminated by the sun peeking through, painting the water gold with rushing heat. Swimming this hour there is no shade on the entire pool beneath the sun's reveal.

Workout completed and on the tier of steps, slipping into dry cloths beneath the veil of a large towel, suddenly an angelic choir broadcasted from the Church of St. Peter of Alcantra (built 1739) only a block or so away. Echos through this natural amphitheatre at the foot of Mt. Pingas filling the ether as the sun once again breaks through. 

Answering the siren call, walking to the Plaza of Pakil which is maaliwalas (spacious). This is small  Spaghetti-Western-esque town you saunter through the tricycle station to the empty square. Appearing there is the facade of St Peter's  of Alcantra  upon a pedestal of steps. Where one can gently climb and peek in briefly at pews of the good people of Pakil. Crossing back to the Plaza are a couple of vendors at the crosswalk. They sell red candles, some lit like incense.

Bearing on a return tricycle Paete bound, staring back at the Church, the Holy chorus continues. Behind it all, the slopes of Mt. Pingas glow bright green from the peeking sun, a rainbow's colors radiate beneath a misty sky, above the said healing miracle waters of Turumba.