Never Too Late for Osmena Peak :)

I never thought the opportunity to experience Osmena Peak will come the soonest, although I already had it at the back of my mind that someday, I'd be able to go there.

And so it happened on a Saturday, the last day of May.  We have agreed to meet at the South Bus Terminal at 1:00 am to catch the 2:00 am bus ride bound for Dalaguete.  Bus fare: Php 105.00.  We arrived at the foot of a place--- a place that I can no longer recall (it was still dark when we arrived there, around 4:00 am).  From there we rode a habal-habal (referring to a motorcycle ride with 3-4 passengers in it).  I thought riding a habal-habal is as simple as it looks like but mind you, you get leg cramps after!

Our habal-habal ride

 We were dropped off by the habal-habal driver at a waiting shed and from there, we ascended.  The road was still dark.  We were with a group of people so nothing felt so eerie while we were walking.  Besides, I saw people already taking baths, washing clothes beside deep wells, kids descending down the mountain.

My sweat was dripping on the way up.  The cold was not able to contain it.  I felt hot that I needed to remove my sweater.  But this did not stop me in appreciating the view on the way up.

Chinese Pechay growing along your way

Seeds were like strewn that they sprouted anywhere

 We reached the peak at around 6:10 am and guess what, no view!  We stayed there for two hours or so.  The place was all fog, but it was very relaxing.  There were already a number of people who arrived before us.  We even saw a group camping on the lower portion of the mountain.

We decided to trek the other elevated site to check on the view.  Lo and behold!  Lesser fog and an amazing sight!

Here's me on the other side :)

The view on the other side

As half of our group decided to descend, we went back to Osmena Peak to gather our things and keep up with them.

The next itinerary was to walk our way back to the market place.  This is the Mantalongon public market where most of the vegetables sold in the cities of Cebu come from.  We re-traced our route back.  I was more amazed with the view down.  I came to appreciate the sights which I failed to see on the way up since it was still dark earlier.

Cabbages

Selfie with the cabbages 

 

Sayote.  If I was really bad, I'd grab one without the risk of getting caught.  These are just hanging on the sides of the road.

Remains of a snake

Bell Peppers :)

Our pictures on the way down.  Trek mates and new found friends.
The sights.

My friends were able to assist a van that was stuck. Thus, our ticket for a free ride going home ;)

After eating our breakfast at Mantalongon market, we then went to Obong Spring.  The place isn't an ideal place for cooling off.  I suggest you hit the beach instead.  The place is not properly maintained, you'd see empty packs of junk foods, trashes, etc floating.  Makeshift tables are placed in shallow parts of the spring so that when one group is done using it, the owner of the table just wipes the table off and the dirty remains go directly into the water.


 


Roaming around the area:

 

 


We left the place past 1 pm and decided to eat Lechon in Carcar:

Here's the people who gave us a ride for free.  We did not even get to know them until we were about to alight from their vehicle when we arrived in Cebu City:

Cost of the Escapade:

Php 105.00 - travel from South Bus Terminal to Dalaguete;
Php 70.00 - Habal-habal rate from Dalaguete proper to that waiting shed before climbing up the peak;
Php 50.00 - for the baon I prepared (4 hard-boiled eggs and boiled Bananas, 4);
Php 200.00 - for our late lechon lunch in Carcar;

(note that my colleagues paid on some parts of the trip so this is not the totality of the list)

*** End of Escapade ***