Body in Sta. Rosa; Spirit--mind, heart in the Visayas

     Been pausing, avoiding blogging or thinking of this town for awhile...just as many of us are, to do our own little thing for those who are suffering from the super typhoon...

   ...also just grabbed "emergency blankets" from True Value, at 30% off...no survival kit in order for my household...just a whistle always in my purse, and now, without a thought, the blanket...they're those mylar (space-balloon) materials, which pack very lightly and tiny, yet protect the body by keeping heat in, water off...dad said go ahead, get your own, none for him.  He could not imagine what I would need it for. I know I used one over a decade ago in a tent on a mountain.  But yes, it's one of those things I hope I will never need.  When dad asked me what for, I thought, well, what for indeed? It's hot here.

     I do not know what contingency plans are in this city for such a catastrophe.

     In the time between the Bohol earthquake and before Typhoon Yolanda was even whispered about...an expatriate neighbor asked me: "Do you know what you're going to do or where you would go if a big earthquake happened here?"

     Her question drew a blank.

     Her family is visiting Bohol again from Europe this Christmas.  "It could happen anywhere!", she said in reply to another expat who questioned if they were not fearful.  She reminded us of the flooding that had just occured in her first world country.

     She is right.  We are away from the Laguna Bay, but we are all within the "Pacific Ring of Fire".  We have the Taal volcano and Mt. Makiling. There are fault lines around us...and as Bohol taught us, there are fault lines yet to be discovered. It can happen anywhere, natural disasters.

     What worries me is the response.

"Scenic" route from Puting Kahoy, Silang Cavite to Santo Domingo, Santa Rosa Laguna

  It is not as awesome as seeing the "majestic Mount Mayon" from the road in Legaspi, that famous postcard shot of the (not-so-perfect-anymore) volcano's cone.  But, this is what we have driving down from the ridge on the Tagaytay-Sta. Rosa road and on a clear day like today, it can be beautiful.  I know I still can marvel at it.  You can see mountains of Rizal across the bay. You can see the bay.  Residents of Silang on hills and with high floor levels enjoy this view. 

     These particular scenes were shot in Bgy. Santo Domingo just past the "white corn" vendors.  It is also just past the earthquake fault line (yes there is one and you can actually see and feel the sudden rise or drop of the road, near the school).

I'm sorry to say, there is ugliness like this in the photo below.  Oddly, I was looking far away at the Mt. Makiling and at the bay, at the hills of Rizal across the bay, that I didn't even notice what was right in front of me. This ugliness. The kid asked me what the sign said...and exclaimed "they burned here! they burned here!" pointing toward the mountain.  Sorry, I end sourly again.

Sign reads "Trash is Prohibited"