We toured a group of American ladies last January, three sisters who had lived in Bukidnon for a few of their childhood years, some 40 years ago. They came back to visit the places they had once called home. What was amusing was, though they enjoyed remembering their antics of their yester-years as we brought them around, they were very insistent of taking pictures of the rural countryside.. to the point that they would shout for the van to stop whenever they spotted a carabao-driven cart or a rice field being planted or even a huge tangle of telephone wires.. just so that they could take a picture.
Well, I have my own share of pictures taken from the rural countryside of this beautiful country we live in.. the Philippines. Sights that are typical of simple living and which do not seem to be disappearing any time in the near future:
Firewood, still an essential source of fuel in any type of household in the country.Sidewalk Fruitstand, local and imported fruits are sold side-by-side to the townsfolkIf Americans are addicted to football, Filipinos are addicted to cockfighting.. When you see a rooster tied to a post such as this, you can bet that the man of the house will be at the arena come Sunday.No this is not a tourist attraction.. Rural Filipinos live on either agriculture or fishing, as the country is rich in soil and fishing grounds. Fishing boats are docked right next to the wet market to guarantee the freshest catch of the day.The Padjak or The Pedicab - in places where the roads are too narrow or where the GNP of the municipality is too low to catch the eye of a major car brand, the main form of public transportation is either by tricycle (motorcycle with a passenger carrier) or pedicab (bicycle with a passenger carrier).A Makeshift Bridge - where the road was washed out or is under repair.. anything sturdy and hard enough to take on the weight of a person can be made into a bridge.Livelihood Wares - Soft brooms, or house brooms, being displayed at the side of the road.. They may not look it, but these are some of the most sturdy brooms you'll find, because they are made to last.Nipa Hut at the edge of a rice field, with coconut-covered hillside at the back.. this is the perfect scene that always takes my breath away.More Wares - Lambanog, the condensation of boiled tuba (juice from the coconut flower), 100% alcohol content.. bottled in any kind of bottle the producer could find.. sterilized first of course.
These pictures were taken along the road from Cagayan de Oro to Manila. While some people take these scenes for granted, there are those who travel far and wide just to get a glimpse of life in the countryside. I always welcome the opportunity to see them, for it is in the simplicity of the scene that the beauty of the Philippines comes shining through!
Life in the Bukids 
the simpler face of the Philppines, lovely..