Photo Essay: Brotherly Love

I happened to pass by Malate church and saw these street children in front of the church. I was touched as to how the kuya (elder brother) showed care and love to his younger brother. 

I will not talk much and will let the photos tell the story. In the spirit of street photography/photo journalism, i did not alter or edited the photos. Hope you get the message and the STORY.

Live life to the extreme

Note: Late posting. This piece sat as a draft entry for two months.

A group jumpshot at the top of Mt. Pico de Loro before we kiss goodbye to this beautiful place.

I'm sorry if i borrowed the phrase "Live life to the extreme" of Prolife. I just saw the tagline printed on the shirt of a climber i met last Saturday during our Mt. Pico de Loro climb. I just love the message.

In my younger years, i used to do rappelling, hiking, and camping in my hometown. After a long time, city life changed the type of activities i do but it did not burn my passion for outdoor activities. I love traveling and nature trips. Recently, i have just re-ignited this passion by joining a mountain climb organized by Uragon Mountaineers. I cannot call myself a mountaineer yet but I'm certain that I will pursue this extreme hobby.

                                The Parrots Beak. Photo by David Lemos

I'm so elated for my successful first climb despite bad weather.

 So much for the introduction... Now, let me share my first climb experience.

June 5 was the day i long waited for - my first real mountaineering  experience. Our destination is Mt. Pico de Loro aka Mt. Palay-palay.

Pico de Loro offers a magnificent 360 view from the summit. Located approximately 85 kilometers southwest of Manila by road, located within Cavite and Batangas rolling mountains, it is situated where the Caraballo Mountains are in the north, Nasugbu, Batangas in the south, Maragondon on the east and the South China Sea on the west. Considered the highest mountain in the Cavite province, Pico de Loro is the highest point within the boundary of Cavite and Batangas. The view from the summit is awesome, facing the sea on the north-eastern side of the Manila Bay area. (www.waypoints.ph)

We just stayed here while others climbed the peak.

It was not a lucky day for us because it rained while we were traversing Magnetic Hill, which means that our climb will become even more challenging. And indeed, it was.

Being a beginner, it took so much of my breath before we reached the top. The rain made our ascent difficult because of slippery trek. I was also a bit disappointed since I wasn't able to enjoy the sight and had limited time shooting because my camera might get wet, plus the fact that the scenery was not that good. At the top for instance, the fogs hid the view. So we did not see the beautiful surroundings  from a bird's eyeview perspective. But it was fun nevertheless. Having great time with climbers from Uragon Mountaineers and Climbers Laboratory was what really mattered. The friendship and the passion for this hobby bonded us all.

Thanks God, the rain stopped for a while.

Since I did not dare to pursue the Parrot's Beak (peak) this time because of safety reasons, i will definitely have a repeat of this experience and i hope to go back to Pico de Loro on a fine weather to maximize the enjoyment. But for now, I am content and happy that my first climb was successful. You know why? Despite the slippery trek, the heavy backpack and the bad weather, i did not slip. Yahoo! =)

Climbers Laboratory

Uragon Mountaineers