took this video using my phone only 🙂
Posts Tagged ‘Asia’
At the Summit of Mount Pulag
Posted: June 21, 2013 in My PHILIPPINESTags: Asia, beauty, Benguet, climate, Dreams, Earth, Environment, Film, heaven, iPhone, Karl Tabucanon, Lorraine Tala, Meditations, Mount Pulag, Mountain Climbing, Mountains, Nature, Paradise, Philippines, photography, Pia Congmon, Playground of the Gods, science, Sea of Clouds, Serenity, Summit, travel, vimeo, Wayne Warren
Above the Clouds: Mount Pulag Summit Climb (Philippines January 2013)
Posted: January 28, 2013 in My PHILIPPINESTags: art, Asia, Beautiful Strangers, beauty, Benguet, Claude Monet, Climb, Climbing, Clouds, Cordillera, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (Philippines), Divine presence, Dreams, Dwarf Bamboos, Fields of Gold, freshly squeezed, God, Grassland, happiness, heaven, heaven and earth, Henri Rousseau, Hiking, inspiration, January, Jeepney, Moon, Mossy Forest, Mount Pulag, Mountains, Nature, nostalgia, Outdoor, Outdoors, Paradise, Peak, Philippines, photography, playground, Scenic View, Sky, Southeast Asia, Stars, Summit, travel, Trekking, weekly photo challenge
After what it feels like a forever grueling climb, we finally made it to the playground of the Gods. I can’t fully explain the feeling of being able to see the world below while on top of the summit. It was so surreal enjoying nature at its rawest form even if the physical pain is slowly migrating to the different parts of my body.Â
Started the trail early morning then descended the summit reaching back the ranger station past nine in the evening. Anyone with a good level of fitness and the willpower to push through the tiring, discomfort and extreme cold can climb to the summit of Pulag. This mountain offers a wide variety of flora and fauna (my favorite are the dwarf bamboos) plus a spectacular show of colors- orange, crimson red and yellows, velvet blue then ink black sky with glittering stars at night. The wondrous spectacle of clouds cascading like falls was purely breathtaking. I just watched in awe the views every moving minute. After 6 hours bus ride then another 6 hours jeepney ride (literally sitting on the roof of the jeepney then slept on the floor inside after) then 2 hours to DENR for briefing another 2 hours to the Ranger station added the ten hours climb up to the 2,922 meters above sea level of 2 degrees summit, I can definitely say climbing Pulag was no piece of cake but the views are stunning like paintings. Seems like the rendering powers of Claude Monet, Henri Rousseau and Paul Cezzane have joined forces in the horizon.  I felt the presence of God strongly while watching the unbelievable scenery unfolding before my eyes. It was a good avenue for indulging in introspection. I jubilantly cheered on my inner faith that my body could do things beyond the regular limits.  I have developed an insatiable appetite for climbing more mountains now. After all, it’s not bad to seek a higher playground right? 🙂
a flawless romantic memoriam: TAJ MAHAL
Posted: March 28, 2012 in Flavors of INDIATags: Agra, Asia, emperor shah jahan, jaipur city, jamuna river, Mumtaz Mahal, Muslim, queen mumtaz mahal, Taj Mahal, travel, visual elements
I am forever in awe with the concrete and abstract art form of The Taj Mahal.  A structure rich in visual elements of size and proportion, flawlessly made of  marble,  visible calligraphy made from gems,  design of flowers in the area as it is glowing across the Jamuna river,  Taj Mahal is the kind of beauty that will never be surpassed.
(In the memory of his dear wife and queen Mumtaz Mahal at Agra, IndiaTaj Mahal was built by  Muslim Emperor Shah Jahan over a period of 22 years and employing 20,000 workers.)
My compulsory souvenir shot at the entrance of the Taj.  🙂
From Jaipur City, Taj Mahal is approximately 7 hours by train. If you are coming from New Delhi, it is 3 hours away by fast train. Currently the airport in Agra where the Taj Mahal is located is still under renovation.  Entrance fee is around 700 Rupees for foreigners, 30 Rupees for the locals. If you are in Agra, do not miss the visiting the Agra fort too just few minutes from the Taj Mahal.