Trip to Maasin

October 6, 2012
Anita asked if I’d like to go to Maasin, the closest ‘city’to Inopacan. I said sure. I want to see this ‘city’. I need to get some pesos from the bank, there's no bank or ATM in Inopacan, and I need a magnifying glass so I can read the maps in my Lonely Planet for the Philippines.

riding in a putt-putt, the guy is peddling 

town center



Pedi-cabs on the waterfront looking south

Looking north on the nice waterfront tree lined walkway and swimming beach

Maasin is an hour south of Inopacan and there are van-vans running every hour for P75, ha. We went out and stood at the street at 9am. By 10:00 four went by, too full. Then one stopped and when the door rolled open I could see there were already 15 people in the van. Even the extra flop down seats were taken. We’re getting in, where? Oh, they have two wooden shoe boxes that fit between the flop down seats and the windows. My seat is there, sort of in the wheel well.



homes along the ravine/creek, tried to get the bambbo forest

The road is two lanes with no shoulders, runs along the coast which is densely populated the whole way, with about five little ‘towns’along the way. There are pedicabs (motorcycle trike/cabs) going 20-30 mph, put-puts (peddle trike cabs) going 5-15 mph, motorcycles,bicycles,flatbed work trucks loaded with farm workers, pedestrians and dogs,delivery trucks and van-vans,all weaving in and out. I had to use my calming tactic; reminding myself this driver does this trip many times a day and knows what he’s doing and if this is my day to die it’s my day to die and there’s no good to be had in fretting or worrying about it. Came in handy in the UK            as well, ha ha, won't mention that driver's name.

Going up to the cave
Now I know what a 'city' is there was a PNB ATM, we ate some good chicken wings at the Jolly Bee and headed up the road to the trail that would take us to Mt. Cueva and the cave chapel. 

One tiny little sign pointing the way

The sign led us to a path that wove thru houses and then to a bridge over the stream
which was clean looking with people doing laundry in it

Entrance to the pilmagrig up the mountain

Fouteen stations to go

The climb of fourteen stations representing Christ’s walk to his crucifixion is a pilgrimage many here take.

We made to the top thankful this was a comparitively cool day with cloud cover

The entrance to the cave chapel

I didn't know what to expect. I haven't been in very many caves in my life. And I didn't know this cave was used as a chapel/church/sanctuary. I could only imagine how wonderful the sounds during mass would be in here.

We stayed here for a while and then went out through the back entance to the cave.

  

After spending some time in the cave we walked up to the very top of the mountain where there's a great view of the Canigao Channel and the Camotes Sea and more opportunites to worship, honor, give thanks and pray to the Blessed Mother.

Anita is an amzing woman. She's on call 24/7 serving her community's needs. I think she's in a state of prayer 24/7 as well.  It seems every day she tells me she was called to help with birthings or accident victims who want her by their side in the ambulance taking them to the hospital in Baybay, 30 minutes away. She never sleeps a full night but takes little cat naps when ever, where ever she can. She was sleeping next to me sitting in the van van on the way home. But she's always cheerful and quick to laugh and such a giving caring person.

Maasin does have a big grocery store with everything, kind like a mini WalMart; but no magnifying glass.

By the time we got back to Inopacan I wanted to kiss the ground and thank the Lord I made it back alive. On the way home it was raining heavily. The good thing about this was it made for less put-puts, pedi-cabs and people and animals in the road. We passed a guy on a motorcycle driving with one hand and holding an umbrella in the other. How do you do that? I thought it took two hands. In hind sight I now realize how pampered we were as PC trainees being shuttled around in big cushy buses with two reclining seats to ourselves, cup holders, curtains, AC, reading lights and one even had mini crystal chandeliers. Boy those were the good ole days.

Thank you!