Saturday photo

Finding beauty... beyond ugliness.

Whenever an opportunity comes to enjoy having the luxury of time, I usually spend it just staying in the house to read or listen to music... or traveling.  Traveling re-boots my mind, giving it a fresh start.  And, if I have a choice, I prefer traveling by land.  I like taking long drive a lot.  It gives time to be away from it all... think, reflect... and gain freedom from the 'slavery' of work without feeling entirely disconnected from the world.  Unlike traveling by sea or by air, traveling by land gives you the choice to stop and enjoy the sights more... it allows spontaneity, it gives meaning to randomness, and it allows one to stop and rest as needed.  Yep, it gives one the feeling of truly on vacation.  But what I like most about long driving is having a variety of views on your window that seems to go on and on... forever.   

A few months ago, my sister and I traveled by land to IIocos Norte, which is about 500 km north of Manila, or about eight (8) hours of travel time.  The road gave the feel of the vibrant beach life on the left side of the road, and the serene ambiance of living on the foot of the mountain on the right side.  At some point, I noticed a row of tattered structures on the street amid dry grass, and they seem to go on, mocking the vacationers who are looking to be allured by the beach... but I also noticed a hint of blue through the holes of the tattered structures.  So, we decided to halt, park... and walk through the ugly dried grass.  What we found beyond the 'ugly' view took my breath away!  It was the blue sea, made to look even bluer by the green mountains that line it close to the road.  My sister and I stopped, and sat there for a some minutes, just admiring the view... and I thought, "ah, vacation, this is what you are all about - gorgeous!"

My sister asked me what made me decide to check the place out when it looked scarily ugly from the other side.  I said, "I'm a teacher, remember?  This is what we do... find beauty when there seems to be none, convert a rough stone to a precious gem."     

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Photo credit:  I took the photo.  It was taken between Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte along Manila North Road.

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