I have posted Mt Gulugod Baboy ('gulugod' is spine, 'baboy' is pig) photos and experiences in the past, and some of you already joined me in that post. I also tried visiting it during the dry season and repeated the climb on the rainy season, to see and feel the differences. Vegetation definitely change, temperature and my senses as well. It is not a high mountain so many people can conquer the climb and not feel too exhilarated. There are also different ways to reach the top and climbers from far places usually take the long route, that is hiking for 2 hours from the tourist beaches. Most climbers/campers are on their own and sometimes get lost adding one more hour of hiking. We as residents of this town know how to get there the fastest. It only takes 30 min from our side of the mountain. Mt GB is in Mabini, Batangas, Philippines.
These photos just show the differences between the dry and wet seasons.
Top left is the dry season, while top right is rainy season
Top left is the dry season, while top right is rainy season
Dry season scenes: brown grasses, bald peak, thin cows, lonely bird
Rainy season scenes: foggy paths, green grasses, lively trees
View of towns and cities from the peak
View of nearby islands: Isla Sombrero and Maricaban Islands
Another tourist area in the Philippines which is very much affected by the two seasons is the Chocolate Hills, in Bohol. These are natural geological structures made through time by the interaction of the physical soil structures and water. These are mostly marine deposited corals, which rise up from the sea, therefore calcareous. These are susceptible to water erosion and through time developed mounds like these. Thousands of these mounds are in this area.
Now, can you guess why they are called Chocolate Hills? That is because during the dry season, the mounds are mostly brown resembling brown chocolates! Giant chocolates, care for one!!!
This relative of the monkey, the tarsier, is mostly found in Bohol. It is nocturnal and eat mostly insects. Some are in captivity for the delight of tourists. They are only the size of our average palms. They are also chocolate colored!
Bohol is reached within an hour by planes from Manila to Tagbilaran, Bohol.
Please visit other Outdoor Wednesday posts, courtesy of Southern Daydreamer
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Great post. It's interesting to see the differences between the dry and wet seasons.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your post. Lucky you, having those sunset scenes almost every day!
ReplyDeleteEnjoying your wonderful photos!!
ReplyDeleteThe tarsier is a really cool looking animal. It has huge eyes. I am really amazed the difference between your seasons. We have difference too, but to see the dry and wet is not what happens here to that extent. Really lush in the wet season.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you stopped by because your visit led me to you. I like very much being in touch with people in other parts of the world....I always learn something. Hope we "meet" again.
ReplyDeleteThanks for taking me on the tour. I have never been there but would love to see it in person. The view from the peak is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea, It's amazing the differences in the dry season and the wet season Looks like a totally different place.... Thanks for sharing --and showing the differences.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
Great contrast on the seasons. I wonder what would be the outcome if we only have wet seasons? Jungles take over. No more lonely birds... Over population... Still I love the wet season. :)
ReplyDeleteMy neighbour used to rear that bulging eye animal when I was a kid. I thought it was pitiful being held captive. They fed it bananas.
How interesting! Loved the information about the chocolate mounds. I chuckled when reading that most tourists take 3 hours to hike up the mountain, and it only takes locals 30 minutes because they know the shortcut!
ReplyDeleteThere is such a big contrast between the seasons. I like the alternating landscape. Here in my place, it is the same 365 days, 24/7. I always enjoy your nature trips and photos. The last picture makes me wanna sit there to enjoy the splendi views of the island and the sea.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to see how the flora recovers from the dry season. We have droughts in some years, but not a definitive wet/dry climate.
ReplyDeletewow..
ReplyDeleteit really amazing to note the difference of the seasons.
Hope the greenery return soon and making it easier for the animals to survive the heat.
Nice post Andrea. I've never seen Mabini from that vantage. I usually enjoy it in the opposite direction. Instead of going up the mountain, I go down into the sea. :-D
ReplyDeleteFantastic post..The contrast of dry season and rainy season is so vivid.
ReplyDeleteThe lady with an umbrella (is that you?) makes the climb to the top a walk in the park.
ReplyDeleteHi Andrea, although we complain about our dry season, it never gets as dry as that! After seeing your photos I think I'll appreciate our dry landscape more!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for including the tarsier photo. So unique. I've only seen them on National Geographic.
Rohrerbot - thanks for visiting. At least this dry season is expected to be not as long as last year.
ReplyDeleteHoney at 2805 - Oh yes Honey, sunset is already my normal scene at my window, so the disadvantage is that even if others appreciate a nice sunset, i am not thrilled anymore as i almost got the best! haha.
Linda Makiej - thanks for your visit, i am glad when countries of very different climates see my posts.
Donna - we have big differences between the seasons, and the visual side is only the obvious!
lulumusing - oh sure, we will meet again and you are always invited to visit.
Vintagesouthernlife - if you will come here, i assure you a personal guide, I!
Betsy - yes Betsy, the visual difference though is not as profound as the 4 seasons in temperate climates as yours!
One - if it is a continuous rainy season for us, it will be more catastrophic, with the floods and famine! Rain takes out or leach the good nutrients from the soil and our agriculture industry will die, then there will be famine, mosquitoes will be everywhere, and we will have catastrophic diseases! Then that is doom!
ReplyDeleteAaron - oh i can see you have some time for blogging now, thank you!
Holleygarden - haha, i've just brought 3 friends there this weekend, and we again took the shortcut at the other side of the mountain. Then we went to the islands, seeing the peaks at different angles. I even taught the other campers there of the route easier than normal.
Solitude Rising - that is not I but my sister on vacation, her first climb, i have the camera! If you just reached it the first time it is difficult to walk fast in that portion, with the tired legs, strong winds and heat of the sun!
Kanak - you are in a higher altitude, so very much different vegetation during dry seasons.