Into the Forest

Since I returned to Palawan in 2012, I’ve loved living with  my good friends the Mendozas in their compound – at Solomon’s PAGS Guest Haus on Abanico Road.  The only thing I haven’t loved is the way Abanico has turned into a thoroughfare.  So, I began looking for a small place that I could be around nature and have more quiet.  It took a long, long time.  My dream was to locate in my friend Jane’s compound in a native house I’d seen but once 3 years ago.  And, in March that dream came true (well, on paper at least).  We signed lease papers, but only in June did I actually move in.   Janet helped me move the few boxes of stuff I had (2 trips in the car), but more, worked all day there while I was at the office, and helped the housecleaner clean – way beyond the call of duty.

Welcome to Pugad (the Nest)

It’s been 10 days now and I’m beginning to feel settled in – it’s quite a change from Abanico, where concrete formed a good barrier from most creatures…not true for a wood-constructed treehouse in the woods.  The first night I put a sheet down on the bed and curled up – away from the headboard that was infested with ants, who marched across it all night long.  I woke up at 2am because there was a party upstairs.  On the 5^th night – after nightly parties – I took my rather feeble flashlight and ventured up the stairs – and stared into the eyes of a rat – very cute, not the gutter-variety.  And then I started counting the incoming guests:  1..2..3..4..5..   Thoughts of Ben made me leave them alone.  And, they were cute…

The front entry

Until the following morning – a Sunday and I cleaned – to discover all my Tupperware plastic that sheltered flour, sugar, spaghetti….had been chewed through!  Quite amazing to see your blue plastic shredded by sharp rat teeth.  So…Jane invited me to walk over for lunch with her and Bituin and Carlos to plot how to rid ourselves of the vermin.  Sad to say, after review on the internet for 'humane extermination,' it looks like poison or traps are the only way that they won’t be able to come in.  So very sorry – but, after Bituin cautioned me to always rinse my plates before eating on them due to toxic rat urine, I was convinced.

Come on in!

My routine is to arise before 6am, and sweep out the upstairs – lots of little poop:  rat,  gecko, lizard and ipis (cockroach), as well as ants.  

Going up

2nd floor

The 2nd floor and ladder to 3rd

My own hammock!

From the 2nd story balcony

Then back to the stairs and the downstairs.  

Slightly disorienting view from the top of the stairs

View from the top of the stairs back to the entry

After that, wash my hands, turn on the burner and put my pandesal to toast while I take a quick shower in the delightful bathroom that looks out onto the forest - but has curtains that I pull since I don’t know if a kapit-bahay (neighbor) might be walking through – not for my sanity, but for his – contemplating a scene almost as frightening as the Psycho shower scene.  

The toilet side of the bathroom (CR)

Showering on the stone floor is a treat and I gaze out at the forest before grabbing my towel (and shaking it – who knows what might have slept there last night?) and returning to my room to dress.  

Partition looking from shower to toilet

The bedroom

Doors - bedroom to left, CR to right

Art nook

There, I turn on the fan so that I can dry out completely and shake out my clothes hanging in the closet, just to make sure. 

The painting Ashley gave me fits perfectly with the yellow and red theme

The pandesal is toasted by now and I munch it as I look out the front and listen to the birdsong – so many.  I’m thinking of working with the local birders here to make an app – where you can record the song of the bird you are looking at and match it to the name (how cool would that be?!)  I can mimic a few of the calls, but have no idea which birds go with them.  My neighbor Carlos seems to know a lot about the birds here and says there are about 100 different ones! 

On the front entry deck looking at the breakfast nook

View from front entry deck

Then I take out the trash and fire up the Grand Pula (‘big red’ in Tagalog) – my 1992 Toyota Forerunner that I bought from my friend Liz – and set off down the long driveway, stopping to open the grand gate, pulling Pula through and stopping again to close and lock the gate.  I’m not looking forward to rainy season, but am thinking of hiring a footman just for this purpose – then my dream would be complete.

Other side of front entry view - and Pula