Baguio

Greetings from the altitudes of Baguio. Bruce and I arrived yesterday evening after an especially long and uncomfortable bus ride from Manila. We checked in at the Baden Powell Inn, one of the last relics of the US Colonial era, and met with Jeruel and his Uncle from La Trinidad. The meeting was coridal and somewhat productive but I think the effects of the long flight from the States, the time change, and the ride up to Baguio had the better of Bruce and I. Bruce had to retire part-way through dinner and I was not far behind.

The key topics touched on during the meeting with Jeruel and his Uncle were: 1) how to gameplan buying the computers for Abatan the next morning (today) and 2) what possible support we could provide to the vegetable growers coop in La Trinidad. I believe there is much we can do here as the growers are mearly looking for assistance in researching possiblities for converting the abundant vegetable waste the literally piles up into either marketable compost and/or animal feed.

Today, we will again meet with Jeruel to purchase the two computers and later, the folks from UP Baguio to discuss funding. Time permitting, we will make the long drive up to Abatan.

First impressions of my return to the Philippines is that while some things have modernized, very much has stayed the same...both for the good and the bad. The immediate hours after we deplaned at NAIA I was both excited and anxious. The street smells I caught throught the taxi cab window brought back a flood of memories but the many changes to the city (Manila) also disoriented me. The ride up to Baguio through the provinces however proved that very little has changed in the countryside.

Next post, hopefully, in few days in Abatan.