Private Kitchen

Private Kitchen

In a chance encounter in a supermarket in Quezon Avenue, I spotted Rene and Joan, semi-retired climbers who caught the climbing fever not post graduation but post employment. I remembered this couple in our Tirad Pass climb in 2001 with the AOC (Ateneo Outdoors Club), a climb with the history professor and adviser of the high school club Jay Hernando who combined historical perspective and trekking . (Tirad Pass was where Gregorio Del Pilar was finally captured by the Americans in 2 December 1899.)

Rene and Joan were known to take their climb slowly relishing every sight and step. Reaching the campsite was rewarded with a full meal complete with wine and brewed coffee. The couple equally shared the load of bringing the kitchen and their shelter.

Not having climbed for months, they mentioned they continued their other passion-cooking. As a result of the encounter, I was extended an invitation to sneak in their kitchen with my guests. I volunteered for the drinks, dessert and coffee with them taking care of the main meals.

I asked a colleague, Tec Manalac who joined me in Sagada in 1998 when 4 wheel drive was still a luxury. Tec, an apprentice at the Manila Peninsula confirmed she was interested and was bringing something special. I asked Bob Tongco who was with us in Tirad Pass if he can squeeze it in in between his internship. He found the time. Jonnell did not pose any objection.

That introduced me to the concept of a Private Kitchen. Meals are designed and prepared right in the home kitchen by chefs served to your guests in a fine setting in their company. Served that evening were: Squash Soup, Baked Chicken, Bell Pepper Viand, Mountain Rice and Strawberry dipped in Chocolate prepared by Rene, Lamp Chops marinated by Tec, Chocolate Sans Rival and Chocolate Ganache baked by Tec and South African Wines and Segafredo Coffee contributed by me.

While this happened in April 2001, Jonnell todate could not forget the delight of eating Tec’s ganache cake. I still could recall the satisfaction of a gastronomical meal. What they say about good food was thus validated correct that "Gastronomy hurdles the language barrier, makes friends among civilized people, and warms the heart."

December 2006 while taking the elevated walkway in Glorietta, I had another chance encounter with Rene and Joan. They have not climbed in months and still have the passion for cooking. I asked casually, “will there still be another private kitchen?” "Anytime," they gladly replied. Now I made that partly public.

7 February 2007

There is Still Magic in Sagada
There is still magic in Sagada despite the thousand lowlanders who escaped from Baguio and the city this Christmas 1997. Even if you are denied several times in various instances.

No Ride. We missed the Lizardo Bus at the Dangwa station in Baguio for the direct trip to the town. As early as 6 in the morning of Sunday 28 December, all the 6 buses were filled up and dispatched early.

No lodging. All inns were full. Some patient travelers had to contend with the hospital bed at the community hospital.

No Food. And rejected several times the Log Cabin, St. Joseph, Masfierre Inn and Shamrock for food and drinks.

Still there was magic in Sagada. The Celestine Prophecy attributed it to the pure energy of the mountain. Everything just flowed.

I planned this trip in December and finalized the details only in Baguio via pager with my friends in Manila the day before. All of us met at Chowking in Session Road Sunday. I came from Baguio, some straight from the bus from Manila and one from the beach of San Fernando La Union. Mitch Soria, a PAL MC colleague, Arney Nocum, a freelance photographer and a broadcaster, Tec Mañalac, a youth leader working at the Office of the Manila Mayor and I were directed to a bus headed for Bontoc. We got off at junction and hitched a ride in an open van. We were treated to an open-air view of the Sagada Mountain together with about twenty other passengers.

Upon arrival at the cooperative store, we saw Dax Cobarrubias and Beatrice, our friends from PSI (People Synergistically Involved) who invited us to the St.Mary's orphanage (now rented by a Canadian Funded NGO IA for Transformation). That free accommodation freed a lot of time for all for us. It was a big relief to first timers Arney and Tec who had no idea what was in store for them.

How can Sagada not enchant anyone? We were billeted in an old, big schoolhouse made of wood, now a rare commodity in this town. We experienced a 12° C on our first morning, the coldest ever for the year 1998 I was told. The pine trees bursting with pine cones all over surrounding the valley contributed to the cold, clean air that lingered with us all throughout our 3-day stay. Baguio may have been like this over 50 years ago with hardly any vehicle to pollute the air. To warm us up on our first day, Beatrice and Dax set up a bonfire.

Sagada to me is one modestly sized theme park with the exception that everything is its natural state. The country music of John Denver and Kenny Rogers played incessantly at the buses complemented the clean country atmosphere. To move from one wonder to the next, one walks for as short as 5 minutes from the Plaza (Echo Valley) to a long half a day (Sumaging Cave or the big waterfall).

We viewed the morning sunrise amidst streaks of light and mist at the Keltepan tower at the East Side of Sagada at 6 in the morning (elevation about 2,200 meters ASL). Saw the same sun go down from the top of Lake Danum Mountain at the west side. Instead of streak of lights, the sun displayed various shades and layers of orange and blue set in pure unadulterated air. We stayed until the threatening clouds claimed the view and the temperature dropped.

The entire town celebrated the Cañao wedding which kept everyone, residents and a close to thousand guests alive the whole night of Monday even with the 9 PM curfew imposed. This gave drinkers like Mitch and I a chance to enjoy beer at the Shamrock.

We walked North, East, South, West and trekked from 1,200 meters to 2,200 meters ASL. Dived at the waterfalls, entered the cave, patronized handicrafts, ate a lot of red rice, drank a lot of Sagada tea, met old friends like Ronald and Mavic Arcilla, offered new friendships, avoided the Cañao mating dance. We expelled the urban air of Baguio and Manila and breathed in fresh ones from the mountains.

Sagada this year was different. Different from last summer and the 1996 holidays when there was just a handful of guests. What with all these lowlanders, I thought the place has lost its charm. But in the company of Mitch, Arney and Tec and the energy all around us, nature still worked on us. It energized us to do about almost everything that can be done. It erased all the obstacles that got into our way. Means showed up when they was no ride to the town, no inns at the Plaza, no food, no way to the sunrise and no way to the sunset and no ride way back to Baguio and Manila.

We sneaked out of Sagada in a passenger jeep at 5:30 am on the 30th Tuesday to Bontoc to take the 7 am bus ride to Baguio via Dangwa Transit. At past noon, we were perhaps the first batch of backpackers to be back in Baguio from the enchanted place.

Then with the fun group of Jerry Balignasa and Russel Aguinaldo, we met up with the PAL MC Group headed by Mayan, Wing, Art, Minerva, Ivy, Rhoda, Darwin, Ruel, Juno and his wife. We got a preview of the adventures of federation climbers as Jun Cipriano, Jun Martin, Gerry Girl N., Butch Ballesteros, Resil, Rudgir, Loyd, Ann, Joy and Dulce that trekked up to Pulag that same weekend led by EL RomyValdes. We drank and narrated with gusto our stories until the bus schedule late that night and early morning said it's time to go.

What's with this mountain range that everyone has an infinity of experiences and stories to tell? Traveling back to Manila on the 31st, I kept on hearing in my mind the song of the late John Denver, very popular singer in the Helsima Highway asking to be "brought home to country road where he belongs." With all these enchantment, it may not be that remote that we backpackers settle in the rocky mountain high where we too perhaps belong sometime in the near future. If Sagada’s enchantment is still still after the turn of the century.

Happy New Year!
17 Jan 1998

Price of Cell

The landscape has changed. That’s your impulsive outburst when you return back to the same mountain you climbed in years. No, you are not referring to the new trails, the uprooted age old century trees nor the redirected riverbed. You are referring to the cellsites which have sprouted in good vantage points near the jump-off points. Not just one site but several clustering in an area.

While they get in the way when framing photographs, they nevertheless provide convenient benefits that have changed the way we now climb.

Where there is a signal, you can plot whereabouts of the group. When there is an awesome view, you photograph it. When there is an unusual motion, you videocam the scene.

Most important is when you are in distress, you can text or call SOS. When you want to spite those who could not join the climb, you MMS them, real time.

But with the gadget comes an extra load and accountability. You make sure it is fastened well or you’ll lose it. During reststops you secure it or it will get snatched. When it rains, you waterproof it or it will malfunction.

Climbing was once regarded as the Freedom of the Hills. When set to explore the outdoors, you escape from the day-to-day mechanical urban routine. As you were negotiating a difficult cliff, your phone rings putting you in a dilemma to answer or to secure your step. You decided to answer. It turned out to be a call center agent proposing a waived enrollment fee for a credit card.

Advances have their trade-offs. Is there still freedom at the hills?

7 Feb 07

Facing the Wind-chill Factor

Nelson, a fellow climber in the early 90’s sent me a test message to attend a baptism of Chris and Angel’s son who are in Manila from U.K. this 28 January. For me, the invitation wasn’t for a grand feast. It was to organize a climb this 3rd February for a motley group of an unconfirmed number who have not climbed in years. Other than finding out their preferences and those who were definitely not climbing, nothing was arranged.

Another follow up meet was set up 30 January with Jonnell T. and Marc C. who have shown interest to join as part of the once a quarter climb program in 2007. After a “pre-pre”-climb meeting at Bellini’s over pizza and wine, we proceeded to Ventura in Manila to concretize the plan.

“Mountain with a spectacular view within easy reach from Metro Manila and moderately easy for the unconditioned” were the specs given. Choices were narrowed down to Talim in Laguna de Bay 438 meters ASL, Tarak in Mariveles 1,288 M ASL, Talipanan in Galera 1,296 M ASL and as a contingency, Manalmon in San Miguel 196 M ASL.


While planning for the Logistics requirements for at least 7 participants a day before the climb, Chris sent a text message from his conditioning day climb in Maculot saying “Wouldn’t it be great to cap the climb at the beach?” That sealed the climb to Talipanan.

Talipanan is reached via the Batangas Port gateway which a 75 kilometer landtrip from Manila (about 2 hours), a 1 1/2 boat ride to the Mindoro Island (via Muelle, Balatero or directly to White Beach) and a 3 hour trek from the Mangyan Village in Barangay Aninuan to the mountain’s shoulder.

Actual climb can be phased in 3: the 1st hour of a steep ascent up the ridge, 2nd hour at the ridge at 353 M ASL slowing elevating to the cliff like slopes, and the final 3rd hour with 3 challenging long inclined trails up to our campsite at 775 M ASL. Level of difficulty was made tougher by the hot afternoon sun and the strong continuous wind blowing westward towards sunset.


Fortunately the group held on until the end. Victor “Sensei” an inactive Aikido instructor, a private, unlicensed chef has not climbed since the 2001 Pulag. He carried the group’s equipment and half of the kitchen. Marc, the novice with a complete set of hardly used hardware and an unlimited supply of chocolate kept pace through his youth and zeal. Luis put one over us with his determination and light weight pack consisting mostly of personal effects. Those trekking with full gears of course could not keep up with him. Chris who does multi day climbs in Scotland whose most recent conditioning climb was the day climb to Maculot was expected to adjust to the group’s speed, even with his heavy self contained pack and his loaded digital SLR camera and accessories.

Equipment too held on. Temperature dropped to 16° C excluding the wind chill factor of the strong winds which enveloped the group starting at the 2nd phase up to the campsite. The full moon exactly on that night could only intermittently illuminate us because clouds filtered its way. Only a halo at the center was free from obstruction that allowed us to identify groups of stars in the constellation.

Our chef assisted by Marc and Luis still managed to cook the perfect rice and to prepare several main meals varying from mushroom, fish, pork added with spices, herbs, olive oil and other secret condiments. The Optimus, MSR and Gigapower by Snowpeak kept on firing without windscreens. Defying the wind, they did not fail. While the stoves were overworked, they heated up the cooksets just fine for Sensei to prepare meals which touched on the tongue’s palate not usually tapped. Chocolates provided by Marc capped the meal. The more daring ones sipped Jacob’s Creek white wine and VSOP brand to warm the cooling bodies before calling it a day.


The wind even got more ferocious as the night got deeper threatening to rip off the tents. Gladly, the tents too withstood the pressures. The wind was blowing off everything that came its way. Getting up the morning after was as difficult as the climb itself. But that too did not stop our invited chef to prepare a staple breakfast-genuine Vienna Sausage, Corned Beef with onions, olive oil and condiments and omelet and hot Swiss Choco. Meal was more than enough to fuel our energy needed for the descent.

Our climb was rewarded with short socials among fellow climbers we met at the lone tree along the trail. The quality of stories exchanged supplemented the brief unstructured socials we held at the campsite abruptly cut short by the deafening winds. 

Our encounter with the AMCI group of outdoor lover blogger Dave of http://ialman.livejournal.com/ can be technically qualified as a climber’s eyeball. We found out too that some boat trips were delayed which prevented the group to trek that Saturday afternoon. Then we realized that we were lucky that with all the set backs in this climb, we completed it. Reaching the ground zero at the white beach, Chris treated us to a crunchy, filling Italian Pizza at Pasta Margarita, food which is uncommon after a climb.

The Wind-chill factor for me was not the rough movement of air. It stood for the challenges of the climb. In the company of co-heroic and responsible leaders Victor, Luis, Marc and Chris including Nelson and Jonnell interfering via MMS and text messages, it was an opportunity to test if everyone has leadership potential. Key of which is simply the unlocking of the potential which broke loose in Talipanan. Several critical decision points were set up for us to get our common vision: to climb, camp and get back. Important questions were asked which when acted upon differently would change the course of our expedition. They were simple: How many are climbing? Who has the equipment? What about our food? What will we ride? Where do we meet? Where do we park? What boat ride will we take? Do we land in Sabang, Muelle or White Beach? Where do we eat lunch? Do we take a tricycle or the jeep to the jump-off point? Where is the jump-off point? Where do we camp? 

Descending at the shoreline we asked the most important question, where do we reward our accomplishment: at Lucas at the extreme West? or Pasta Margarita at the Center. Truly leaders showed up in small and major acts in the 5 of us: responding to text message, meeting schedule, volunteering to pay, fastening canvas cover, selecting the boat ride, selecting the meal menu, paying for the bill, buying bananas, sharing the load, following instruction, keeping pace, sharing stories, looking for the best campsite, sharing water, sharing trail foods, taking pictures, cooking, picking the trash, setting up the tent, pegging the guy lines, cleaning the cook sets and in other acts.

Chris mentioned, after a climb especially the ones which are hard on us, we feel invigorated afterwards. I could not adequately explain. But Edwin Berbaum, author of the Sacred Mountains of the World writes in his book abut finding our center “This sense of vastness allows us to find the center of everywhere, not just on the summit of a mountain. If we remain open to the world around us, aware of its boundless, mysterious nature, then no matter how far we travel, we never come to the edge. The horizon moves away from us so that we always walk in the middle of the circle. The power of the center stays with us, and the fear we have of losing it vanishes. No longer bound to a particular place or occupation, we feel free to go anywhere and do anything, knowing that wherever we go, whatever we do, we will always be in touch with the reality of the world and ourselves.”
Returning back home in Manila at 7:30 PM with the experience, it made us ask, “Have we done all that in 37 hours for a mere P 700?” I recalled the campsite sometime past midnight when the full moon was right below us putting us at the center. Berbaun explained it, we 5 lived it, at least for that weekend.

5 February 2007

Fotos by Chris Patten

Tree, Sky, Rainbow and Moon Gazing Photos by Luis B.