Summer, 2009

Again with the older pictures. But, like all things, I feel that they need a place to be, and this seems like a place just as good as any.

Okay. So, the first picture... It's not at an angle because I was having some sort of epileptic seizure induced fit of artistic license. On one of the days when we were up in Sagada (which is where all of these pictures were taken), we were supposed to go visit some caves, see more of the hanging coffins, and pretty much just do some more of the kind of bumming around that tourists do when they've driven two-track way up the side of a mountain and out of their sedentary, comfort-inducing surroundings.

Edit 7/01/11 ~ (Sagada is located in the Philippines, roughly, about a day and a half's worth of driving north of Manila.) 

Basically, we weren't able to go through the foot path that we needed to make in order to get to the caves because there was a ceremony that was closed to outsiders (and, if I recall correctly, it had to do with the blessing of the rice crops--but  whether or not that is a truth, is yet to be determined). While we were waiting around be the end of the roadway, just behind where the little boy is sitting, to find out why/if/when we could/couldn't pass, there were some little kids running around (presumably waiting for school--based on their backpacks and clothes).

Most of the kids were in little groups. They were running around, chasing one another, throwing rocks. Everyone. Except this little boy. Waiting patiently. Off to one side. By himself.


Well, the reason this shot is the way it is has to do with how I took the picture (which, even though by no means perfect, I still love). Facing an alternate direction, I guestimated the distance, adjusted the focus/shutter speed, dropped the camera--now held by just my right hand--below my waist, turned to the side, waited a moment, then shot.

Whatever.

Once we actually made it into the caves (from the opposite end of the tunnel system--most of which is under water [if I recall correctly]), we basically got to run around and explore with some lanterns, a couple of small flashlights, and some guides--so if we died, someone could tell about it.

(In somewhat of an aside, I, in my childlike state of amusement with a new, unexplored [by me] area, went running and climbing around like a mad man... until I got to the edge of what must have been at least an 50 foot fall to more rocks and some water. I slowed a bit.)

For this picture, I wandered off from the group, and the lights, a bit. I set my camera up on some rocks and whatever I could find to use as a make-shift tripod, and I did one of several long exposures in one section of the caves after we came back out from swimming through and using some ropes to traverse another area of the caves. You can see the ghost of my brother, standing above some pools, in his underwear.

While we were in the caves, it had started to rain a bit. I guess that explains why some of the small waterfalls seemed to be picking up their pace a bit.

On our way out, I stayed behind to get some shots of the freshly soaked mouth and the blinding sky beyond it. I probably could have spent days in there, if I were allowed, taking pictures, swimming, looking at all of the fossils in the walls, and chasing the tiny albino crabs that inhabited the shallow pools.

On one of the days that was particularly lazy (I believe it may have been the day before we left), we went to do a bit of exploring up, and beyond, the city.

We followed the lone road that went beyond the limits of the city. We found a house that made handmade pottery (which was closed, so we could only see what they had outside). We saw some homes that I assume were probably the most amazing vacation homes you could ever own, with views of the forests and mountain all around you. We gave some people--walking--a ride in the back of the pick up truck. We stopped by a small lake. I peed in some fronds. Then we left.

Clouds. Fog. I'm not really sure how you'd classify them, but they felt like clouds, to me.