The Pico de Loro trip part 2 5-28-15

 Most of the things I have posted are about the places and things we see and do as we travel around the mission. I do not wish to give the impression that all we do is go have adventures. We are assigned to work in the mission office. We go in at 7:30 - 8:00 am Monday through Friday, and go home around 5:00 pm. Sometimes we go out after these hours with the missionaries as they do their work. On Saturday we take care of our personal needs along with doing the stuff that has been scheduled on Saturdau by the mission, wards or branches, and on Sunday we attend church. We go to two wards, and sometimes drive out to one of the branches. The majority of our time is spent doing mission and church work. That is what we came here to do. But every now and then we go explore a little. After all, how many pictures could I post of us setting at our desks working. One would be enough, and maybe none would be more interesting.

But we are guests in a magnificent country full of magnificent people. I fell in love with the Philippines and the Filipinos shortly after we got here. The photos I post do not do this land justice. And sometimes all I can do is stand back and take it all in. I would love to have a photo of what I am seeing and how it makes me feel, but it would not be possible to convey either in a photo from my iPad. So all you are getting is scraps from the table of this wonderful country and this wonderful experience, but that is the best I can do.

The following are some photos we took as we traveled to our Pico de Loro hike two weeks ago. I posted about the hike last week. These were taken in the Maragonda and Ternate areas, which is south of Manila and along the west coast.

Sister Petersen loves to take photos of the Carabao that we come across. This one was eating tomatoes and tomato plants. I do not know if it had permission to be eating from the tomato garden or not. But it made for a great photo opportunity.

We have double deck busses in Las Vegas. Well they have them here too, at least one of them. Just put chairs on the top of a Jeepney and you have a two decks bus. Standing on the back is excepted.

Assorted photos of a fishing village we came across that was located along the west cost. I do not know the name of this little village.

I like the idea of training wheels on the boat. If I had this boat, I would want training wheels too.

Diving for oysters.

The man in the middle was slapping the water with a board. We couldn't figure out what he was doing, but if you look close, you can see the outline of a net I the water. He was slapping the water to drive fish into the net, I think.

How many people can you put on a tricycle? This photo was taken from the back. When we passed, there were 3 more people setting behind the driver. A total of 6, plus all the stuff that has been loaded on. These tricycles can hold a lot of stuff.

The Pico de Loro hike 5-23-2015

We have been working hard to keep up with the things we do. We finally got a P-day with nothing going on. We had heard about this hike from lots of people, including some of the missionaries. Now it was our chance to go and do it. 

Pico de Loro is a mountain, or mountain area. We did not get to the end of the trail. It was a little more that our capabilities would allow. But the following are some photos of where we wanted to end up. No that is not us on top.

This is an old volcano core. You can see the size by the people standing on top. 

I have posted a lot of photos of trees. This is a forest like we have never seen before. The trees were very different from what we know. Loved it. These photos do not do it justice. This is an awesome forest. 

Look at the vines on the and in the trees. 

This is a very tired Sister Petersen towards the end of our hike.

We are still in the dry season. Not a lot of water flowing. That will change real soon.

All of the people we met were willing to visit with us. The Filipinos are a very polite and friendly people. I love being around them. These guys needed the rest as bad as I did.

I love the Philippines.

Day old service 5-1-2015

Saturday, Apeil 25, 2015, was a National Day of Service that the government of the Philippines was promoting. The Molino 2nd Ward organized a service project through the Molino Berangy to paint curbs along some of the city streets. Sister Petersen and I were invited to be there, so we were.

Here are some of the photos that Sister Petersen took. The shirts are the "Mormon Helping Hands" shirts. Glad to be a part of all of this.

These are wonderful people. Sister Petersen set her timer on her camera  and ran to get in the picture. I didn't know she still could run.

Fun working together.

I tried to squat like these guys, but my body was having none of it.

I wanted one of the cool pointed hats to, but when I tried one on, I had too much head sticking out all sides of the hat.  No fun having a big head.

I painted the first few hours, then graduated to a broom. It's easier to lean on a broom than it is a paint brush.

Boys will be boys, and missionaries will be missionaries.

Not sure this was in the Berangy master plan.

One of these missionaries got in a paint fight with some of the ward kids. Can you guess which one?

If you guessed Elder Reyes, you were right. I think he lost the fight.

Perfect way to end the National Day of Service. A baptism.

Sometimes Sister Petersen becomes Dr. Petersen. This is a basketball injury.