Our stint at the camp with our former coworkers was so encouraging. We look back with thankfulness for that time of fellowship with our dear friends. Chatting with them in-between meetings, enjoying meals with them in the dining room and being there for Fun Night were just some of the highlights.
Each moment of hearing their stories of what God has been doing in their lives and how things were going for them in their various responsibilities was precious. That timing was perfect.
Catching up on the last 2 1/2 years with Thea Epp on an afternoon picnic. It was fun to be called 'Grandma Liz' again.
We were also happy to be there for the presentation of a gift to our dear friends, Bob and Jan Bagley who are retiring from their work in the Philippines. We know they will be greatly missed. It also brought back fond memories of when our friends had a similar farewell for us two years ago.
During our second day there we made a day trip to nearby Villa Escudero - a working Coconut Farm. There is an amazing huge museum that has everything in it from soup to hay - or should I say, collections of old money, clothes, furniture, dishes, flags, dolls and the list goes on and on. The most fascinating item there for me was a drawing of angels. Using a magnifying glass you can see that it literally is the writing of the entire New Testament - an amazing work of art that must have taken years to do. Shrunken skulls, from Ecuador, were another item that had me stumped.
Relaxing paddle up the river on a native bamboo raft.
We were taken to the main part of the plantation by a Water Buffalo Cart. While on the way we were entertained by singers in the back seat.
We made our way down to the river, at the bottom of the falls, where dinner was served. Lots of bamboo picnic tables were in the river, with a wide variety of yummy Filipino food for our dinner. 
Fun to be eating dinner with water running over your feet.
My choice - grilled bangus (milk fish) - pancit - chicken and a few veggies, including singkamas.
Dessert - tapioca in coconut milk, served in coconut shells. Masarap!! 
Dinner was followed by a demonstration of making the coconut milk. First a young man swiftly climbed the tree to get some coconuts. 
Then they proceeded to show us how they make the coconut milk using the water from the coconut and the meat.
The cultural show put on by many talented men and women was well worth waiting for.
It was simply amazing the way they could move around with candles on their heads, make tunes with coconut shells and maneuver around tinkling bamboo sticks.
The following morning after bidding farewell to most of our fellow missionaries, we began our journey back to Manila.
Close to the campground is an old Spanish underground cemetery where we stopped by briefly.
On we go to take a canoe trip up to Pagsanjan Falls. We just sit back and enjoy the beautiful, Amazon-like scenery while the boatmen maneuver the canoes up the river, seemingly knowing every rock and boulder that is in their path. 
The highlight of the trip is to be taken under the 300 ft. falls on a raft - it is cooold and forceful, but worth the experience.
Our last stop before we are back in the city is at the Exotic Restaurant, where we are served crocodile, snake and frog. 
Crocodile
Snake
Frog
The fun part is watching each other take that first bite!!
1 comment:
Love all these pictures and the stories behind them! Can't wait for the next installment. :-)
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