Teachers' Baler Weekend

Mam Espina and paparazzi

Teachers in frenzy inside bus

I am surfacing from checking duties to join the other Arki professors in a weekend trip to Baler in Aurora. We left U.P. Diliman exactly at 6 am and boarded luxurious Genesis buses enroute to the Western Luzon town.  After a very comfortable ride through the NLEX and the rice fields of Nueva Ecija, we reached Pantabangan and the Border of Aurora and Nueva Vizcaya at around 10 am.

Down the Pantabangan waters

Phalaenopsis

Our very animated dean, Arch Mary Anne Espina, could not resist forcing us to alight from our comfy transpo and immerse ourselves into the spectacular view of the dammed waterway.  We walked towards the main highway, obvious as tourists to onlooking locals. My companions took their wacky shots and mountain man poses. And while they were doing it I was surveying the trees at the roadway adorned with local orchids. I found a flowering butterfly orchid which I think is Phalaenopsis aphrodite, but I still have to confirm with the experts. There were other orchids which i think would be more suited for higher altitude growth.

Bahia de Baler

Platycerium coronarium

An hour after we reached Baler and Bahia, our home for the next 3 days.  Bahia de Baler is a small inn with cozy rooms designed by Arch Espina. It had a very simple landscape.  But nevertheless it still delighted me because it had Platycerium coronarium specimens and large Aspleniums integrated into some nooks and crannies. Hopefully I will get to explore Baler and its hidden treasures in the next couple of days.  It would mean more  blogs about them if I do.  Let us cross our fingers.