Hello, Hive! I'm still in the middle of our six-day climb here in the province of Bukidnon. Mobile phone signal is very low in the mountains but fortunately, we have a one-day break to go back to civilization. Truth is, my head's still in the clouds. The experience from the last four days continues to overwhelm me — in a very good way. More than being delightful, it was a meaningful one. So while I have enough time on my hands, let me share with you some of these moments. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/mariasalve/23x12TbkPejECdAfnkC71EFAKcoxHzLczvJqad4aYK3nu49jmDmrFCbCajJU964f6zRoq.jpg The mountains we are climbing are within the Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park. Spanning across eight municipalities in Bukidnon, MKRNP is a vast ancestral land that belongs to three major indigenous tribes: Higaonon, Talaandig, and Bukidnon. I'm officially putting it here on record that I'm adding Bukidnon to my list of dream places to retire. The sceneries, the cold air, the mountains. Ahh... Wherever I look is a feast to the eyes. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/mariasalve/244oUsb15jGMLijCFGHsgJTgML7z8FMHRAhWKsqufPCEts2btLx53oBUsJrYYqTzJLr63.jpg For this quick post, I'd like to show you one of the spots that the Talaandig tribe consider to be special.

Into the city of fairies

Manny's Garden is a campsite within Mt. Dulang-dulang that is surrounded by mossy forest. It was named after Manny Serina, one of the pioneers who created the trail to Mt. Dulang-dulang's summit. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/mariasalve/23wMVxub4atxnKLXaEgvpi9MrQ2MyqpHQYzwv1ZtNRM3Xyx4RJnUG4p54RzgxQGkwRmfk.jpg However, according to our lead guide, Datu Nanlimbas, the Talaandig tribe people consider this as *syudad sa mga diwata* or city of the fairies. It was said that fairies roamed around this area before and their ancestors used to commune with them here.

https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/mariasalve/23wWwF9hBk6t1DNCrCXMWNkX74S57MqtJvQyvbDTFzcG33WVW6ypufdyb547hs2soTRdz.jpg

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----- Like most parts of Mt. Dulang-dulang, Manny's Garden is beautiful beyond words. Slender trees coated with thick green moss spiral to the top of the forest canopy, showcasing the infamous crown shyness to visiting mountaineers. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/mariasalve/23w2cT71qLyyYMx45K1SjtZ9y2zZo782cysgkZ4xCNvhehrN3xi7BUfstLkF7J1Re3E25.jpg

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----- Datu Nanlimbas took James, Kate and I to the *bangkaso* or fairy's table where local IPs place their offerings whenever they ask for blessing or hunt for food. Before we left, we also offered coins and said our thanks to the divine for granting us a beautiful weather throughout the climb. https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/mariasalve/243M9JL2fuFs9evAwyi6KRaw1QjW3ZJBYJoSzs3G9YbPYxRqGQDcUSo4NjuMswbWAPtRh.jpg https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/mariasalve/245ca8KNHBejCpbRns6HzwqAYnsuJA2m4Y8Kgmu6aqFPj3m6UZfxam7MFDomm5JxQi18e.jpg We then headed back on the trails to face a grueling hike which definitely tested our limits. But that will be for another story — and hopefully, by that time, my knees heal. 😅 **Related blogs in this series:** 📍Mt. Maagnaw: Our first taste of Bukidnon's mighty Kitanglad Mountain Range 📍Langkayugan Ridge: The scenic crest connecting two mountain heights 📍Mt. Dulang-dulang: A mystical and mythical beauty entwine 📍Mt. Dulang-dulang: Hiking through the forests, rocks and muds 📍Mt. Kitanglad: The hike that made me lose faith in signage

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_{Maria is a hopeless romantic who travels in pages and places. She is an INFP who loves sunrises and moonlit nights and reading books in between. On weekdays, she works for a self-publishing company as a copywriter. On weekends, she lives her life as a poet or hiker. She hopes to share her love for words and the world with you here on HIVE.} _{If you like this content, don't forget to follow, upvote, and leave a comment to show some love. You can also reblog if you want. Connect with her through PeakD, Tiktok, or Instagram. 🤍}

[//]:# (!pinmapple 8.11724 lat 124.92362 long d3scr)

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