What a surprise to find amazing mountainous scenery in the north of the Philippines when heading for the famous rice terraces like amphitheatres!
Travelling here reminded me of Kyrgyzstan as we squashed into jeepnies (small buses) and tricycles careering up and down mountains round very hairy hairpin bends, rock falls and mudslides with 200 m precipices on one side.
The transport was often covered in slogans, family names or Bible verses acting like lucky charms.
The rice terraces were amazing with their stone dyke walls instead of the more frequent, less substantial mud walls and the journey there and back by tricycle was adventurous to say the least as we slipped and slid across mud, puddles, rock falls and road works.
Watching locals working on various stages of rice production in the streets and removing slugs from the paddy fields by hand made me realise how labour intensive rice production is in Asia and wondered how rice can be sold so cheaply in the UK but I suppose rice must be imported from bigger concerns.
Another first was to see old coffins hanging from ropes on rock faces dating back to old religious beliefs about death. This area also had a waterfall and caves but after successfully finding our way there on foot we struggled to see where the route finished when faced with a river to cross. After wading through the river and clambering up the muddy banks we met a guided walking group who pointed out the correct river crossing to the the caves where we met another guide who pointed out the route through the caves with his torch and back onto the path. Our (2 Chinese, 1 Polish girl and myself) reward was yellow meringue pie and coffee at the Lemon Cafe and, yes, we were allowed in even in out wet and muddy state.
In these northern mountainous areas layering clothes was necessary to cope with the cool mornings and evenings and the heat of the day.
The houses are often built on cliffs and the villages had many steep rocky paths which the locals seemed to scamper up and down. 
The food is rather bland and often served cold but occasionally I found some tasty treats at roadside stalls.
The villagers make many crafts to sell mainly from ebony (real and fake), other wood, soapstone and stripey woven fabric. Some posed for photographs in their national costumes playing musical instruments and dancing for donations but as some locals go to the market in their national dress their photos are free.
With the mountainous landscape travelling is long and arduous but rewarding with stunning scenery. It took 12 hours in daytime in a jeepney (squashed in with boxes of live chickens, baskets of fruit and sacks of flour), minibus and 2 regular buses across country and up and down mountain tracks to reach a town in the north east influenced by the Spanish. However with my travelling companion (Polish but brought up in France and now works in China) it was a great adventure. 
The town was rather run down with no hostels and so I'd to upgrade to a cheap hotel which had antique wooden furniture and paintings but needed Agi to clean it up and "changing rooms"to upgrade the decor. 
Visited a few small weaving industries producing the national stripey material and would have bought more had luggage not been an issue.
Had a second 12 hour trip but travelled overnight stretched out on the back seat of a bus trying to switch off to the music alternating with horror films being blasted throughout the night and in the early morning boarding a ferry (a bangta boat with bamboo "arms") 
and finally, by tricycle, reaching a quiet beach resort, near to where the Raes were last based, in time for breakfast. I was delighted to find the accommodation was beside the beach rather like the OMF guesthouse in Thailand, I was the only guest so was treated like family, was given "missionary" rates and had fun entertaining the 3 year old granddaughter. On arrival 4 traders appeared from nowhere to sell me jewellery and offer massage services. After buying some things and relaxing with a body massage it was easier to fend off other vendors. 
Enjoyed swimming in the wavy sea although it sometimes felt stingy possibly from jellyfish lurking in the cloudy water, snorkelling (mask only as still can't use a snorkle), 
climbing to a waterfall up steep rocky paths with a guide who even put down extra stepping stones to help me cross the river 
returning through a special wooden housed village 
selling high quality basketwork amongst them replicas of their sturdy bamboo bridge. Also had 2 epic trips to church, the first on foot as I hadn't realised that the distance was 3km and hadn't brought money for a tricycle. On the return trip it was dark and the heavens opened so it took much longer as we ducked into shops to shelter during the heaviest showers and tried to avoid the huge puddles. At this midweek prayer meeting there were about 600 folk present and then about 1000 for the Sunday service. They seemed to use the US system of having Sunday school first for different age groups/sexes followed by a service for everyone. All this lasted 4 hours but it didn't seem so long as there was some English in amongst the Tagalog and lots happening. The return trip with 12 of us on a tricycle was fun and a drier option to the previous trip.
It was excellent staying with the Raes in Manila and seeing where they live, work and worship (International church alternating with a Filippino church) and meeting their colleagues at an OMF pm. The children proudly gave me the "grand tour" of their school, Faith Academy, and we enjoyed using the swimming pool there.
Their local shanty town was fascinating and seem to sell everything. At the last minute I got my hair cut nearly as short as the hairdresser's skinhead until I protested and and also had my first pedicure in the same salon. I was particularly happy as the cost for each was 1 pound but guess airfares would prohibit regular visits and recommending it to friends outside the Philippines. 
Rachel gave me a guided tour of a small market, large cathedral, fort and a huge crowded market, the first time I'd felt crowded on this trip. It was also good to meet up with Rachel's sister and brother-in-law, Cat and Paul, and hear about their family holiday in Palawan. Cat and Paul kindly took some stuff, including my latest shell/stone collection, back to Scotland for me.
There's still lots more to see in the Philippines so apart from fending off over eager shop assistants/vendors it would be good to return to some day.
Ps Got some help with aligning photos but still need help with text wrapping. Any suggestions?
