It is very hot and stuffy on the plane, and outside the window, it is deep night. We are flying east towards the dawn. Time flows very slowly. Ten hours of flight seem like an eternity. Finally, the plane jolted and, changing its usual position, began to descend. The passengers stirred. Outside the window, in the crimson hues of sunrise, there is nothing but two oceans - the sky and the Pacific.
We are flying to the Philippines, a country of seven thousand one hundred tropical islands located in the western part of the Pacific Ocean and the eastern part of the South China Sea. The archipelago stretches 1,850 kilometers from north to south and 750 kilometers from east to west. The larger islands are densely populated. There are 90 million residents in the Philippines.
Since 1521, when Ferdinand Magellan discovered the islands inhabited by wild tribes, the Philippines has become the embodiment of every traveler's dream...
To jump ahead, I will say that our tour of the Philippines was very informative and swift, like a typhoon. During our sixteen days in the Philippines - 30 hours in the air, we visited at least ten islands in different parts of the archipelago, traveled more than 1,000 kilometers by car, over two hundred by water, and about a hundred on foot. And yet we saw only a small part of it. To see all the beauties and attractions of the Philippines would take several months. A lot of interesting things remained off-camera and out of focus of our eyes. Nevertheless, our opinion about the Philippines has become quite definite. I sincerely hope that in these short sketches I can convey the impression of this amazing country.
From Kuala Lumpur - the capital of Malaysia, we fly to Manila. The huge Airbus with 200 seats is filled to only about forty percent. We are flying over an ocean of clouds. The wind, the sun, and other cosmic forces create gaps through which the South China Sea peeks through. The plane shakes as if in a fit of tropical fever. Just a little more, and here it is - Manila.
A mid-range hotel in a noisy part of the capital. We have free time until lunch according to the program. But we are eager to go out into the city. Despite extreme fatigue, we head to the streets. The city is very noisy, with many cars and people. The narrow sidewalks are full of vendors. The locals are friendly and attentive to foreigners. The first impression - nothing special, except for the amusing jeepneys without windows, painted and adorned with various automotive jewelry. They serve as the city's public transport.
These vehicles are called jeepneys, but in addition, each vehicle has its own name, explained our guide Jimmy, who came by noon. Most often, the owners name these amusing machines after their wives and mistresses.
So, the first thing we did was visit a jeepney manufacturing plant in the outskirts of the capital. It turned out that these vehicles are assembled from scrap metal, wrecked and abandoned cars brought here from the USA, Europe, and Japan. The foundation consists of repaired engines, then a metal frame is assembled, which is covered with wood and other materials. As a result, a vehicle is born that resembles an American jeep from a century ago.
Manila is the largest metropolis in the country, sprawling along the southwestern coast of the island of Luzon. It is a complex conglomerate of seven major cities - Manila itself, Quezon City, Pasay, Caloocan, Mandaluyong, Makati, and Pasig, along with a dozen smaller ones, each with its own zoning and characteristic appearance. In total, the capital has about fifteen million residents and occupies an area of over 680 square kilometers.
In the oldest district - Intramuros, founded in 1571 by the Spanish, we explored the fortress walls and fort, the Catholic Manila Cathedral, the San Agustin Church, numerous colonial buildings from the 16th - 17th centuries, and Rojas Boulevard, dedicated to numerous entertainment establishments, and the Coconut Palace.
The Makati district is the financial center of Manila. Here, numerous modern skyscrapers have shot up into the sky, the Ayala Museum, the memorial on McKinley Avenue, the American military cemetery with fifteen thousand white marble crosses... lined up on the green velvet of grass.
In Quezon City, the Capitol, the Coliseum, and the beautiful zoo are of interest. The railway station and the church with a bell tower are also included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Unfortunately, this is all we managed to see in Manila. Time flies, and the travel schedule in the Philippines is very tight.
To get out of the capital without hindrance, we leave at four in the morning. And although it is still night on the streets of Manila, the traffic is quite lively. We are heading north to the island of Luzon, where among impenetrable jungles lies the main attraction - the famous rice terraces of Banaue.
The night weakened, and through the dark fabric of time, the distances began to reveal themselves. The pink rays of dawn illuminated the mountains. Morning was coming, and Jimmy continued his story about the Philippines.
The Philippines is currently the third-largest English-speaking country in the world. Both English and Filipino are used as official languages. At least in educational spheres.
In 1521, a Spanish expedition led by Ferdinand Magellan, which was circumnavigating the globe, landed here. The "guests" declared the islands possessions of Spain and concluded a treaty with the ruler of Cebu. However, the Spanish contingent was defeated on the island of Mactan by the chief Lapu-Lapu. Magellan was killed. Starting from the 1530s, new expeditions followed. In 1543, the archipelago was named the Philippine Islands in honor of the Spanish heir Prince Philip - the future King of Spain Philip II. In 1565, a Spanish fleet from Mexico, commanded by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, captured the city of Cebu. Five years later, after overcoming the resistance of the Muslim ruler Soliman, Legazpi took Manila, where a fortified center of Spanish possessions in the archipelago was established. Administratively, the Philippines were declared part of the Spanish colony. New Spain was governed by a governor subordinate to the Mexican viceroy. The population rapidly converted to Catholicism, and by 1620, most had been Christianized. Vast territories and parishes came under the control of religious orders. In 1578, a Catholic bishop was established in Manila, and in 1595 - an archbishop. Christianity laid the foundation for the establishment of an education system in the European style. Since 1593, books began to be printed in the Philippines. In the early years of colonial rule, new educational institutions were organized, and in 1611, the first University of Santo Tomas was opened. In 1898, after the Spanish-American War, the Philippines were handed over to the Americans, who granted the Filipinos their freedom in 1946.
We continue our journey north. The nature is very beautiful. The mountains are covered with tropical forests that come right up to the road. From the thicket peek wooden stilt houses of Filipinos, covered with palm leaf roofs. The road, gaining altitude, increasingly winds into the mountain valley. The dazzling green squares of rice plantations and women under flat bell hats are signs of the approaching Banaue.
The terraces, reaching heights of 1,500 meters above sea level, are considered a unique engineering structure. Their total length is about 20,000 kilometers.
As is known, rice is a widespread crop, especially in Asia, and it grows in almost every country on the continent. This is true. But here, in Banaue, the rice terraces are not just rice but a monument to history.
Historians trace a connection between the rice terraces of Banaue and the Chinese terraces of the Miao people - a national minority living in the cold and humid regions of mountainous China. Pursued by the emperor Yu over 2,000 years ago, the Miao tribes fled south and crossed the South China Sea. Some of the survivors reached the Philippine Cordilleras and merged with the local population. Elements of Chinese culture can be traced among the descendants from the north of Luzon Island. Along with the rice terraces, the Miao tribes brought to the Cordilleras the features of pottery making, utensils, and other crafts.
In these areas lives the Ifugao tribe. They spend most of their lives on the slopes of the mountains, on terraces, and from generation to generation engage in rice cultivation. The Ifugao belong to the Asian race. Their population is about 170,000 people. The tribe has its own language, but no writing system. Most of its members adhere to local beliefs that deify almost all objects and natural phenomena. The Ifugao hunt wild buffalo, deer, boars, and small game. To this day, the spear remains the main weapon. It serves not only a utilitarian purpose but is also considered a man's pride. Wives and children live in large families. Wealthy men may have several wives. In this case, the eldest wife enjoys the maximum rights, and only her children inherit the entire estate of the family head.
In recent years, tourism has become an important component of the region's economy. The local tourism industry offers guests tours of the terraces, visits to ethnic settlements, and visits to the mumbaki - local healers-shamans who heal patients through spiritual practices.
We arrived in Banaue by evening. It was almost pouring rain. Our hotel, the only one in the city worth mentioning and praising, is great in terms of architectural solutions, design, and, most importantly, service. The silence and tranquility after the Manila "ant nest" were like paradise. The absence of a television, phone, and Internet only enhanced this feeling.
It was also surprisingly quiet at night. Only the raindrops played an unobtrusive music of the past.
The beautiful two-story hotel building is located on the crest of an elongated hill, from which there is a stunning view of the rice terraces and the surrounding tropical forest. One can endlessly enjoy the landscapes visible from the windows and balconies of the rooms.
It is raining, so we go down to the first floor to the lobby, where a huge fireplace has been constructed. There is a lot of rain in these parts, and it can sometimes be quite cool, so the fireplace is very welcome. The creators proposed an interesting solution - to sit with a cup of coffee on soft comfortable cushions not by the fireplace, as usual, but ... inside the fireplace, which is what we did all evening, listening to beautiful music.
By morning, the rain had weakened, and it was visible how the blueness confidently broke through the dark matte cover of fog. This instilled hope for a good clear day. Be that as it may, we are going to see the eighth wonder of the world - the rice terraces.
The scale of the work done by humans is astonishing. Giant stone staircases, some strictly geometric and others with beautiful patterns, rise into the sky, climbing through the low clouds that are frequent in these places. But the terraces are especially beautiful when viewed from the crests and heights. They are like mysterious signs left by extraterrestrial civilizations, adorning these evergreen steep slopes of the mountains.
The sun finally cleared the space for its rays, and the warm golden light mixed with the bright green color of the terraces, showcasing color fantasies. Rice is in various stages of vegetation: from sprouting shoots to plump, ripe clusters. In search of a good angle, we wander along the edges of the terraces, climbing the steps and transitions to the very tops. The terraces, following the contours of the mountain slopes, are a unique successful makeup that highlights the natural landscape of exceptional beauty.
Banaue is a small charming town located on both sides of a river valley, connected by a swinging suspension bridge. At first, we walk along the only street, then along the right bank of the valley. The road is cut into the slope, carved out of dense jungles. Impenetrable thickets squeeze it, crawling onto the concrete surfaces. Solitary huts of Filipinos, or rather Ifugao, hang over the cliffs, supported on high poles. To preserve the incredibly beautiful landscape created by nature and human hands, the rice terraces of Banaue were included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995 and rightfully called the eighth wonder of the world. This is evidenced by an information board displayed at the top of the pass.
Rushing streams gather and trickle down the terraces, flowing in glistening streams over the masonry. The sky is overcast, but as soon as the sun shows itself, the space is immediately immersed in the steam of its own evaporation ...
Five hours of hiking amidst magnificent nature and endless terraces left a very good impression and true enjoyment. At the pass, a car picked us up, and we rushed south again, towards Manila.
Quezon National Park lies within the picturesque Tagaytay mountain range. Here is a well-known resort area. A paradise of bananas, pineapples, and coconuts. Beautiful lagoons, ridges, and picturesque villages. Luxurious spa hotels. The best golf courses and clubs in the world. A haven for oligarchs and global elites who flock here from all corners of the world.
We are more interested in the unique Taal volcano and the volcanic island. In the crater lake lies a moon-shaped island and a charming lagoon. Unfortunately, we were unlucky again: it was raining again, and thick fog was swirling through the valley, filling the lowlands.
We hid from the bad weather in a luxurious restaurant owned by one of the golf resorts, where a wonderful lunch awaited us accompanied by the melodies of a Spanish guitar.
The next stop is the city of Pagsanjan, located 65 km from Manila. Here is the famous Makadilio Falls, which turned out to be not so easy to reach.
All horizontal territories free from mountains and tropical forests are occupied by settlements. It seems that Filipinos live like one big anthill. They scurry about, moving from island to island and multiplying. Each family has at least four children. There are already 90 million of them now, and in forty years, there will be 150.
The path to the waterfall begins very unusually - right from the city, right from the street. A few hut-offices, a storage room, and a descent to the riverbank. An overhanging restaurant over the water, and here it is - a narrow dock for canoes.
We are paddling up the river; however, we are not paddling but being towed by a motorboat. It looks amusing. Along the banks are houses, docks, yards, fences, and sheds. Women wash clothes while sitting on bamboo platforms, children frolic in the muddy shore, and men fish with serious expressions...
But soon the city ends, and now the canoe is rowed. But this doesn't last long. Frequent rapids force the crew to guide the boat "by the reins," jumping from rock to rock, from bank to bank. Sometimes it resembles complicated gymnastic tricks.
The river increasingly winds into a narrow canyon. Its vertical walls hang in the spaces. They are draped with fringes of vines and rainforests.
Decorations for adventure films are born: the cries of monkeys, the clamor of birds, the growling and moaning, the lush mosses, and creeping plants, the white flowers of lilies, and golden clusters of palms...
Finally, we reached the waterfall. The silver stream presents a magical sight.
Here is the final stop. Our boatmen are tired and, like dolphins, dive into the river's waters, cooling their overheated muscles. Meanwhile, we enjoy the beauty of nature. One of the tourist groups dared to swim right under the waterfall's streams.
The return journey is easier. The current carries the boat downstream. Now the boatmen only guide it along the familiar channel.
The reward for our exploits was a well-organized lunch at a restaurant accompanied by live and very beautiful music of the Philippine guitar.
Boats and canoes floated along the riverbed. They were heading to the waterfall, still facing the challenges of the rapids and the awe of the waterfall. And we hurry on in search of adventures on other islands, which the Philippine land is so rich in.