Last week, attending a workshop at the height of the typhoon Helen was quite a experience I must say. Pranjetto Hills is a two hour drive from Manila to Tanay, Rizal. It was a gloomy afternoon when we started driving. The long road leading to the resort is uphill but the way is a sight to behold. There was a time when the way was so foggy and we literary had " zero visibility" and it helped that there was very few and at times absence of other vehicles braving the rains and the winds.
After driving for a couple of hours, we reached our intended destination few minutes close to dusk. The organisers were already there. A vast garden resort located on the hills with a beautiful scenery, nicely landscaped gardens and pretty cottages, i was impressed. We were then assisted to our pre-assigned accomodations and on our way, one of my companions who studied in London excitedly declared" It feels like I am in London again!" Accordingly, the gloomy weather and the scenery made her feel like its winter. I smiled in agreement remembering my own version of winter way back Down Under. We were treated to a delicious soup dish and hot coffee. My companions were bothered as there was no mobile phone signal at all. I did not mind though as i have lived without any mobile phone in tow after a couple of traumatic incidents involving mobile phones this year . I am not a habitual coffee drinker( i usually bring my own favourite tea and just ask for hot water when i go somewhere) but the smell of the freshly brewed coffee and the continous raindrops enticed me to drink a glass, and another and another. Due to occasional (but much drinking) i was able to sleep at past 2 in the morning despite the cold weather.
The next day the rain stopped and i woke up a little late than what i expected. When i went out of the door the morning breeze that greeted me was like a spring morning and i was delighted to find out a veranda surrounding the whole cottage. Joined by two friends later, we took a walk around the area and delighted to see a swimming pool and natural mini falls close to the forested area designed for hiking. I loved the soothing sound of the falls, and i preferred swimming in the natural falls than the pool but my companions hesitated so we kept on walking. Spending my growing up years in the country and in a farm, i was privileged to identify the name of the plants for my city born and bred friends. It was refreshing to see various flowering plants in different hues. What a beautiful morning, it feels like spring!
That early morning walk energised me to go through the day that lasted until 10 in the evening, and i have to go ahead and chill out in the cocktail party afterwards. Fresh from watching the movie version of the broadway musicale Mamma Mia i obliged singing " Thank You for the Music" when asked to sing. It set the mood so i have to sing " Dancing Queen" to the delight of the partyers and they started dancing. Unfortunately, there are some questions in the workshop( working overtime) so i have to go back and join them.
When the clock striked at twelve, like a modern Cinderella, i have to call it a night. I walked towards our cottage and realised that it was a full moon- how nice! I wish i can write poetry while sitting in the verandah watching the moon and a lone star lighting up the sky but verses would not come as i was flooded with memories. I sang " Fly me to the Moon" instead. It has been a long day and i had a good night sleep.
It was a sunny day when i woke up on my third day in the resort. We had planned to check out the forested area and see the sunrise from the top of the hill but i woke up late that i have to skip breakfast to be able to join the activity in time. During the break however, i took time to have a walk, and basked in the sun. The grasses were neatly trimmed and i looked up the bright sky while lying in the green grasses. I have always thought that summer is great in the beaches but staying in the hills this time with the warm weather and the beautifully landscaped resort, it would be fun given such setting. I always believed that clouds up in the sky are coloured off-white just like what i see from the windows of the planes during day flights but why lying there alone, i discovered that some clouds, or majority of them are coloured gray. Was it because of the storm? Or i have been really colourblind all along as my friends would love to tease me in the past?
Regardless, staying in that resort has been very memourable enough with varying conditions everyday. In some ways, i have been through three seasons- in Pranjetto Hills.
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