Jungle Trekking II- Mindanao, Philippines

[bearthedog]

…part II

In the background, Zamboanga can be seen. This is the most concentrated area of the Abu Sayyaf.

This guy is named Reuben too. He was one of our guides who has a hut in the jungle, but sleeps at my friend Joey’s house. Even I don’t get it.

The top of a peak called…I don’t remember.

Looks better as a mini

As we hiked through the jungle our guides would go ahead and let the people in the village (The Village People) know what we were doing there. Many of them said we were the first Americas ever to hike there.

By the looks the kids gave us, I think they were right. We gave them gummy bears and cookies.

This kid looks like he just saw a ghost, or an American.

Clean, fresh water coming from underground.

Wow, I got a lot of mosquito bites on my feet.

Peter our guide is an amazing dude.

At the top of the little waterfalls was a bigger waterfall, where all the kids were getting their hair cut and taking a bath with their clothes on.

We found a tree that had some very nice tinder. Doldol tree. A firesteel and the thumb serrations on this knife worked like a charm.

Reza and Peter

Sugarcane

Reza caught this gecko one of the nights.

Jungle style feast caught by hand, and with this little harpoon gun.

Cutting up a pig that was slaughtered a few nights prior.

Check out their kitchen knife.

A good cook fire

Then Reza jumped off this bridge, the end!

Last supper with Joey

Hope you enjoyed our journey!

-RB

 

[TomTheButcher]

Very cool! You have enough experiences to last a few lifetimes. Thanks for taking the time to post this.

 

[TheGame]

Very cool! You have enough experiences to last a few lifetimes. Thanks for taking the time to post this.

I think just that every time he posts.

Thanks for sharing the pics.

 

[bearthedog]

Very cool! You have enough experiences to last a few lifetimes. Thanks for taking the time to post this.

I think just that every time he posts.

Thanks for sharing the pics.

Thank you guys for looking. Wish I could share the food.

-RB

 

[WILLIAM.M]

You get around more than Hugh Hefner!!!

and yes--I'm Jealous!!

:0

 

[Magnaminous_G]

You have a great eye for the thoughtful shot. Very nice composition and light. And it looks like you had a blast, too.

 

[willseeyalater]

Thank you guys for looking. Wish I could share the food.

Did someone campfire cook you the glutinous rice in the green bamboo tubes? Tasty stuff, not sure if they eat that in the Philipines.

 

[bearthedog]

Did someone campfire cook you the glutinous rice in the green bamboo tubes? Tasty stuff, not sure if they eat that in the Philipines.

Actually, I did. They eat that a lot in Subic Bay, since the Aeta people buy the rice and cook it in their huts. Good stuff, next time I will try to use coconut milk for a sweeter taste like in Thailand..

-RB

 

[tknife]

Always enjoy your pics Reuben. You get to some very cool places :thumbup:

 

[willseeyalater]

Actually, I did. They eat that a lot in Subic Bay, since the Aeta people buy the rice and cook it in their huts. Good stuff, next time I will try to use coconut milk for a sweeter taste like in Thailand..-RB

That rice is addictive. I had college friends and a room mate who were refugees from Laos. We would buy 50lb sacks of sticky rice and cook it in the dorm. They taught me to cook Lao/Thai style and I helped them put the finer touches on their engrish. Lots of fish sauce and chili peppers for a dipping sauce. Big bowls of phu, braised pigs feet, fish soup, pickled bamboo soup, stir fried chicken a 1000 ways. Our room smelled but not in the traditional guys dorm way. Had several weekends out in Milwaukee visiting with their families. That was before the Dahmer case, creeped me out later to know he lived a few blocks down Milwaukee Ave. Definitely enjoying your posts from the PI's.

 

[bearthedog]

That rice is addictive. I had college friends and a room mate who were refugees from Laos. We would buy 50lb sacks of sticky rice and cook it in the dorm. They taught me to cook Lao/Thai style and I helped them put the finer touches on their engrish. Lots of fish sauce and chili peppers for a dipping sauce. Big bowls of phu, braised pigs feet, fish soup, pickled bamboo soup, stir fried chicken a 1000 ways. Our room smelled but not in the traditional guys dorm way. Had several weekends out in Milwaukee visiting with their families. That was before the Dahmer case, creeped me out later to know he lived a few blocks down Milwaukee Ave. Definitely enjoying your posts from the PI's.

Thank you sir.
Now you got me hungry!

-RB

 

[Mistwalker]

Awesome shots as always man, never get tired of your threads. I love that gecko shot! Fresh pork is so much better than store bought...just don't eat it rare lol. Are those fresh herbs under the good cooking fire shot? That's one heck of a kitchen knife!

 

[Mountain Wildman]

Very Very cool!!!
Thanks for sharing!!

 

[ecos]

Beautiful pics. Its a shame the southern portion of the Philippines is the most unstable because it is also one of the most beautiful areas. Been to Palawan yet?

 

[Cosmos]

Great pics! That look on the little kid's face is priceless.

 

[Joezilla]

Cool pictures!

 

[bearthedog]

Awesome shots as always man, never get tired of your threads. I love that gecko shot! Fresh pork is so much better than store bought...just don't eat it rare lol. Are those fresh herbs under the good cooking fire shot? That's one heck of a kitchen knife!

Thanks my friend, likewise on your work.

Yes, they are. Freshly picked and damn good too!

Beautiful pics. Its a shame the southern portion of the Philippines is the most unstable because it is also one of the most beautiful areas. Been to Palawan yet?

It is too bad, but I feel alright about returning to Mindanao, as long as the same people are there with me!

Never been to Palawan or Boracay, too touristy for me and I am done with beach scenes. It looks like the Caribbean too much.

Great pics! That look on the little kid's face is priceless.

Same look in all the photos I took of him. I think they could have convinced him I was an alien.

Cool pictures!

You need to join me on one of these trips someday. You would love it; get a story out of it, and about 100 bolos.

-RB

 

[ecos]

It is too bad, but I feel alright about returning to Mindanao, as long as the same people are there with me!

Never been to Palawan or Boracay, too touristy for me and I am done with beach scenes. It looks like the Caribbean too much.

-RB

Boracay is very, very touristy but Palawan isn't bad. Its actually the second least populated province in the Philippines... there are jungles and indigenous tribes. Its kind of like Mindanao but with less chance of being held ransom The more tourist oriented areas are in the north...Coron, El Nido, etc....although now that the underground river in Puerta Princessa was named a World Heritage site the tourist number to that area has doubled.

I moved to Cebu, Philippines for the fact it looked like the Caribbean After a life time of the midwest US I needed a change of pace.

 

[bearthedog]

Boracay is very, very touristy but Palawan isn't bad. Its actually the second least populated province in the Philippines... there are jungles and indigenous tribes. Its kind of like Mindanao but with less chance of being held ransom The more tourist oriented areas are in the north...Coron, El Nido, etc....although now that the underground river in Puerta Princessa was named a World Heritage site the tourist number to that area has doubled.

I moved to Cebu, Philippines for the fact it looked like the Caribbean After a life time of the midwest US I needed a change of pace.

In 2001 the Abu Sayyaf kidnapped 20 tourists from Honda Bay, north of Puerta Princessa there in Palawan.

Hey, I don’t blame you for wanting to see some different scenery after all those years in the Midwest.

-RB