Nothing prepared me for the awesomeness of Green Falls.
I once visited this cascade in the early 90s, when we had our pictorial for Mutya ng Tago. That time it was unspoiled, undiscovered, untouched. If not for my feet that ached from miles of trekking the rugged terrain of a virgin forest, I would have explored the falls [to be taken here as singular] and appreciate its small but striking details. But then I was sweating and sore; and all I could recall was that I sat on a flat rock formation, watching Mambobot instruct the swimsuit-clad candidates to mount one after the other the raft made still by the pole of a brawny boatman in thongs.
Fast forward to December 2013. The Green Falls was overflowing with frothy waters as though a fairy brewing beer from an unseen giant vat forgot about it because she was busy either posting selfies on Instagram or twitting about the eyeball she had with the firefly man the night before last.
It was that awesome!
The water was jumping invitingly into the pool, leaving me with no choice but to get a free hydro massage. The pressure was so hard and soothing to my back it put to shame Joyna’s ministrations each time I get her services to ward off the flu.
We climbed the second tier of Green Falls and the view took my breath away. It evoked a feeling of being on top of the world: exhilarating, liberating, empowering. Moses must have felt the same way as he came down from Mt. Sinai carrying those tablets of stone.
Flowing waters that mirrored the skies coated a bed of stone slabs. Small pools dotted the area framed by tall trees and hanging vines. Tarzan and Jane would love it here, I thought to myself.
I went further up. It was then that I saw several falcatta logs awaiting transport by nightfall.
Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.
I went down and from a vantage point watched the full breadth of Green Falls with fresher eyes. It was only then that the full impact of the structures the owner built around Green Falls jarred my senses. I felt a creeping sadness inside me, the same creeping sadness Moses felt when he realized the Israelites had gone to worshiping idols.
Green Falls is awesome, yes. But I hanker for its old self: unspoiled, undiscovered, untouched.
[Green Falls is in Sitio Cagpangi, Barangay Cabangahan in Tago, Surigao del Sur. Unlike before, it now has an access road that requires above average driving skills to negotiate and maneuver.]
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