Rough Groove

Quezon National Park

It has been years since I have gone back to Quezon National Park in Atimonan, Quezon. During my college days, I used to frequent this place to trek as well as collect butterflies. I first read about it back in 1988, in our high school library, Tiny Nuyda’s article “Jewels in the Wing,” in the Filipinas Journal about his butterfly collecting “pilgrimages” to this park, and I have been fascinated by it ever since.

When I had my tertiary education in Don Bosco Mandaluyong, it gave me the opportunity to visit as well as enjoy its offerings.

The photo above used to be the park’s only structure within the recreation area, circa 1940s. A few years back, CAFGUs (Citizen’s Armed Forces Geographical Unit, a military group that tapped local citizens) used to have this area as their base since the place is known to harbor Maoist rebels, the NPA). I used to stay here also when I collected for a few days.

The now cemented established trail going to Cueva Santa and Pinagbanderahan. This trail has provided me before with beautiful butterflies ranging from the different Lexias species (satrapes and panopus), Dophla evelina, Idea leuconoe, Faunis phaon, to the different and beautiful species of the Lycaenidae (Arhopala, Virachola, etc.) and Hesperidae families.

The signage, Cueva Santa (Holy Cave) is said to be visited by faith healers during the peak of Holy Week to recharge their powers or look for amulets and Pinagbanderahan, have special historical significance since this was used by the Filipino revolutionaries during the struggle against the Spaniards.

The famous “bitukang manok” (chicken’s intestines) that aptly describes this short but winding road.

Mocabok and Cuaming Islands, Bohol - 2

Mocabok Island, Bohol - Seafood

Mocabok and Cuaming Islands, Bohol

My cousin Charles scheduled a trip to Mocabok and Cuaming Islands near Bohol to look for business opportunities and the thought of taking photos in these islands was just irresistible. Just this morning, I was having second thoughts as it was raining hard here in Cebu and I was thinking that the weather might not be good at these islands. But the rains stopped and off we went. Midsea and it rained but we just stayed put in our places in the motorized banca. We arrived first in Mocabok Island and god, it was beautiful. We feasted on blue crabs, fish and different kinds of shells. After that, took a dip in the white sandy shore, then went to Cuaming Is. where I haven’t seen a place teeming with so many children than here but so poor then went back to Cebu.

Baguio, 3

Baguio City. For an amateur photographer who likes to shoot people and in the streets, this city is a good place for it. Go to Session Road and its alleys and nearby streets, be it during the day or night, the cathedral grounds on a busy Sunday morning, the market, the local SM City mall and most notably, Burnham Park on a weekend and you’ll have fun taking pictures!