I Thought it was a Boring Day at the Japanese Shrine: Hiking in Brgy. Sabang, Valencia, Negros Oriental

Happy Saturday Hivers!

There were times when we frequently experienced blackouts in our place, mostly on weekends. Sometimes, there were notices posted ahead on social media, but other times it just happened abruptly. When the power went down, it made people go slightly crazy due to the unbearable hot weather. You could find people flocking to the beach, river, or mountains. Some people just strolled in the mall, as malls have generators. This was our way to escape the hot temperature at home, except when it was raining as the weather was cold.

Last Sunday, there was a scheduled 12-hour blackout. It started at 6:00 in the morning and lasted until 6:00 in the evening. It didn't rain last Sunday, so it was a little bit agonizing for those who were just staying at home.

Luckily, my friend was free last Sunday, and we both agreed to visit the well-known Japanese Shrine. If you would like to know the Japanese Shrine's history, you can read it here.

It was my first time in the place, but honestly, I was not expecting the Shrine to look boring. When I checked it on the internet before, the place looked wonderful and stunning, but when I arrived there, I was not impressed. I'm sorry, but I was just telling the truth. However, I never expected that on the other side, I could find a stunning scenery that really makes someone in awe. So let me tell you about my experience last Sunday.

On our way to the Japanese Shrine, I saw a small signage that told tourists which road to take to get there.

This was vital since the place has two different roads, and this could certainly create confusion for tourists.

While we were busy talking, I asked my friend to stop for a quick photo since the beauty of the place was waving at me, and I was not able to contain my excitement.

We stopped for a while and enjoyed the overlooking view of Valencia.

As we arrived, I asked my friend to stop the motorbike since I was already scared of the steep road. I told her that I would just hike to the top. She left her motorbike, and we both hiked to the Japanese Shrine.

This is the entrance area of the Shrine.

We registered first upon entry.

After we had our names registered, the in-charge volunteered to take our photo. Aside from the history, the place itself did not offer anything special.

Since my friend had already explored the neighboring area countless times, she told me that we should hike farther. Maybe she was annoyed listening to me that I was not impressed. It was not exactly what I had seen on the internet.

Since I didn't want to spoil the day, I followed her. We walked on a muddy trail, and I felt tired, so I took a rest for a while.

After a while, I saw my friend busy chitchatting with a local. He was a farmer, and he had just finished harvesting coconuts. He carried a basket with coconuts inside.

We continued hiking until I saw the jaw-dropping scenery of the mountains. I was in awe. I immediately put my things down and inhaled the fresh air. The smell of the grass was overpowering, but it smelled good. Oh boy, I thought it was going to be a boring day.

My friend told me that she eats her lunch here every time she visits the place.

As she shared it with me, I remembered that I was already starving. It was already past 1:00 in the afternoon, but we hadn't had our lunch yet. We had only brought bread, an apple, and a banana for our lunch.

After taking our lunch, I enjoyed walking, sight seeing and photo taking.

There were only few locals around so it was not awkward to do anything.

Later on, I saw this lovely wild flower. I did not pick it, but I just placed my two palms on both sides and asked my friend to take a photo of it.

This is the view of the mountains. I took a video as I was mesmerized by its beauty, although I had seen this kind of scenery countless times already. There was something about it that brought me joy.

We hiked farther until we saw a group of locals who were waiting to start the cockfighting. According to one of the locals I talked with, they sometimes have this kind of pastime or entertainment.

Same as my friend, I was not able to watch it longer as I felt pity for the roosters. We went back to the place where we had our lunch.

I enjoyed the stillness of the place, so I took the opportunity to rest.

Although it was a blackout, I didn't suffer from the agony of the hot weather as the place had a cold temperature.

We went home before 5:00 in the afternoon, as we knew that the weather in the city was already tolerable without electricity at that hour and beyond. But a few minutes after we arrived, the electricity was back already.

I noticed that people were happy as the electricity came back. I had the same reaction as them. What was on my mind at that time was finally I can take a shower. 😅.

Sometimes, the most beautiful places are hidden, and it is up to us to search for them. By exploring the world around us, we may discover hidden gems that we would otherwise miss. It is our responsibility to seek out and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us, even if it is not always immediately visible.

Thank you for reading and see you on my next blog. Cheers!

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Watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.

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