Mt. Tarak Ridge Travel Experience

Mt. Tarak Ridge

ISO 100 36mm f/5.6 1/100s

I was invited again by my high school friends to an overnight hike last July 30, 2016.

Car check up before the road trip

Off we go!

We started our journey around 4am and took a stop over besides Coastal Mall (Paranaque, Manila) because we need to pick-up Tadz and Monica.

From left to right

 (Michael , Kidlat, Tadz, Kuya Jof, and Ivan)

Took a break for a moment along side of the road of Bacolor, Pampanga.

 To Mariveles, Bataan!!

The Jump-Off Point

Breakfast Time!

We had reached the community of Mariveles, Bataan around 6am and fill up our tummies with a warm delicious breakfast on the local Carenderia (local eatery) there, immediately after we get off our ride.

Monica with the gang

Barangay Hall of Alasasin, Mariveles, Bataan

Kidlat putting our names on the log book

We visited the Barangay Hall of Alasasin to log our names there as the usual routine before we start the hike.

On The Spot Meal Planning

Shop on the nearby Palengke (public market) to stock up some veggies and meat....

Kuya Jof with a big plastic bottle of water and Tadz with 3 bottles of.....

Also some drinks as well like water and errr..... Brandy??

We are all packed up

Go! Go! Go!

Trees & Humans

ISO 1600 18mm f/5.6 1/320s

We started the hike with haste, my friends told me that it will be a long hike since Mt. Tarak Ridge was categorized as a major climb mountain.

Tarpaulin display of mountaineering groups who conquered Mt. Tarak Ridge

Aling Cording enjoying her hot coffee with some hikers

A couple of minutes had passed, we had reached Aling Cording's house which also an outpost and we rest there for a while.

And the hike goes on...

Monica and Michael with Filipino actor Christian Vazquez with his group

While we were hiking the trail of Mt. Tarak Ridge we come across with a familiar face and we were all star-struck of course.

View point from a higher ground along the trail of Mt. Tarak Ridge

A bit tired but still need to go on

Since I'm a first timer at Mt. Tarak Ridge (my first major climb also), I asked my friends where we gonna set our camping tents and they told me beside a river called Papaya River.

Papaya River Stream Part 1

ISO 100 29mm f/5.6 1/5s

Papaya River Stream Part 2

ISO 100 18mm f/14 5s

Camping tents are all set

Kuya Jof with Kidlat preparing the ingredients of Chicken Tinola for our lunch

Group picture while waiting for the Chicken Tinola to be cook

Happy Lunch

After 3 hours of hiking from the jump-off point, we had reached the Papaya River. As soon as we got ourselves into the place, we set up our camping tents and prepare the food ingredients for our lunch. All goes well while we were enjoying the stay beside the river until something inevitable happened..... It rained.

Remember those bottles of brandy on the recent photo above?

Heavy rain fallen up on us while staying beside the river. So we ended up to the decision that we spend our night on the Papaya River and continue the climb tomorrow morning instead. 

Morning Hike

Good Morning!!

After we woke up in the morning, we pack ourselves lightly to hike once again Mt. Tarak Ridge but this time Kidlat wasn't with us, he stays on our camp instead.

Almost there...

There it is!!

And we are here but we got a long trail to hike

Tadz and Michael doing a "Buwis-Buhay" (Life-Threatening) Shot

ISO 100 20mm f/5.6 1/100s

Monica doing also a "Buwis-Buhay" Shot

ISO 100 55mm f/5.6 1/100s

With Mr. Christian Vazquez

Yet again we come across with the familiar face we meet along the trail on the top. I take it as a chance to take a photo with him and when we were going to try to hike more up to far summit we are greeted again by Mother Nature's Gift.... rain.

Strong wind with heavy rain on the top

Sadly we didn't continue to climb up to the summit and go back to our camp instead.

Experiencing the waters of Papaya River (yeah that's me with my notable swimming trunks)

Monica enjoying the cold waters of Papaya River

"If Jesus walked on the water, I sat on it." - Kidlat

Lunch after a quick bath on the river

We came back at our camp like a "basang sisiw" (sopping wet). I decided to take a dip on the river even it was freaking cold (cold like water on the fridge) and the others came to join me in also. We ate our brunch (because we didn't eat anything after we woke up when we hike to the top) after we take a bath on the river and packed are things including our garbages as we go back from where we came from. (Always remember that be a responsible human when you want to climb/hike a mountain, don't leave any garbages)

Supposedly I was going to keep on taking photos along our way back to the outpost but then again the rain keeps on falling as we go back. My camera wasn't that tough to endure the rain so I kept it inside in my bag instead to prevent any malfunctions on it. (It was really a good decision because I got 7 strikes in my butt because the trail became slippery)

And that was it... thank you.

  

A Piece Of The Berlin Wall Resides On The Philippine National Museum

"The piece of wall is a sign that democracy, freedom, and peace prevail over dictatorship.

It is a token of friendship between Berlin and Manila."

- German Parliamentary State Secretary Brigitte Zypries (an interview from The Philippine Star) 

ISO 1600 21mm f/4.5 1/30s

"This is in remembrance of the EDSA People Revolt, which happened a few years before a peaceful revolution by the people of East Berlin tore down the Berlin Wall that divided Germany"

- German Ambassador Thomas Ossowski (an interview from The Philippine Star)

ISO 1600 55mm f/5.6 1/5s

ISO 800 18mm f/4.5 1/4000s

The Philippine National Museum had a two buildings, if you wanted to check on the wall you need to find this building (photo above). It is located besides the main building, you can't miss this out because of its majestic beauty outside. Admission to the Philippine National Museum is now permanently free of charge for all visitors, Filipino or foreign, to its museums nationwide since July 01, 2016. Go on and have a visit!!

[PHOTOGRA-TRIP] Practing Photography: Shooting the cloudy sky right before sunset!

Hey guys this is part two (2) of me taking shots at our cloudy skies before the sun sets! If you want to see the first part where I actually shoot at dawn time click here (Practicing Photography: Shooting the sky during dawn!).

Before the great Sun sets its great ray of light     F - stop 5:6    Shutter speed: 1/1600 sec.    ISO: 200

Once again I played this photo with lightroom and I see this amazing result on how the sun light creates a wonderful scene. Image was taken with 5:6 aperture, 1/1600 seconds in shutter speed and 200 ISO.

Tree line Horizon before the sun sets     F - stop 5:6    Shutter speed: 1/1600 sec.    ISO: 200

This second image here is just a follow up from the first shot taken with the same settings, but this time I included the tall grass and tree line on the scene.

Tree line Horizon after the strong sun rays disappear      F - stop 6:3   Shutter speed: 1/400 sec. ISO: 200

In this image the strong rays from the sun suddenly dwindled down while thick dark clouds passed by
Camera was adjusted to 6:3 aperture and 1/400 seconds of shutter speed while ISO is still on 200.

Staring out at the dark gray sky      F - stop 4:8   Shutter speed: 1/640 sec. ISO: 200

Staring out at another dark gray sky      F - stop 4:8   Shutter speed: 1/640 sec. ISO: 200

These next images where taken when a series of dark clouds passed by after the sun set. Few moments later these clouds actually brought some rain shower and quickly disappeared. Both where shot at 4:8 F-stop, shutter speed is 1/640 seconds and ISO is under 200.

Ending with a light from a pole      F - stop 5:6   Shutter speed: 1/400 sec. ISO: 200

And to end the session before it was dark, I took a photo of this street light because I kinda have the feels when you stare at the sky with it. I was really thinking of putting in a quote but all I've come out to is this image so hope you enjoy!

Hope you guys enjoyed the photos, and as always feel free to comment down what you think about the shots, follow the blog and thanks for viewing!