The Senior Couples Head to Banue

We usually don't get a day off, but President thought we deserved to take a P-Day in late March. So all the couple missionaries and the APs were invited to come to the Mission Home at 6:15 am. We got into two cars and headed up to Nueva Vizcaya. This was the Russells first time to see that area. We stopped in Lagawe as President had keys to the building and it was our last pitstop before heading up the pass to the Banue Rice Terraces. When we arrived we first went out to lunch at the famed Banue Hotel. Unfortunately as we were sitting there the fog started to roll in and by the time we were ready to take a jeepney ride up to the lookout point it was pretty much fogged in. About half way up we could still see the rice terraces and even though this was my second trip it caught my breath. It is a most spectacular site, especially when you realize that these were constructed back 2,000 years ago, soon after Christ was on the earth. The local people believe that a Great White God came and showed them how to build them. They are considered the 8th Wonder of the World. They are naturally irrigated from the rain forests above and produce 2 to 3 crops of rice each year.

It's early in the morning and we're raring to go.

A pit stop at the Lagawe Chapel. This is probably the prettiest chapel in the Philippines. It's placed on the side of a mountatin overlooking other mountains.

Elder Mulliner, President Carlos and Elder Bangal enjoy looking around this shop. We bought a number of cool drums that this place, which is on the way up to Banue.

Elder and Sister Larson near the little Nipa Hut.

The drive up to Banue is really gorgeous!

The grounds of the Banue Hotel are lined with beautiful paths and amazing flowers everywhere. Here the Russells are walking down to a little gift shop.

You never know who you are going to see at the top. Elder Sanders, Elder Medina, Elder Moffatt and Elder Malimali hiked from the bottom of the mountain to the lookout point. Believe me, that's quite a hike. The fog rolled in after they arrived at the top so they had some really great tales to tell about the view.

This is planting season. You can see the tender lime green rice plants in one of the terraces. The rest were full of water, waiting to be planted. They say that May is really the best time to visit, when fog is rare and the terraces are planted with young rice. I think it's pretty spectacular any time of year.

You can see all the green plants, those are all newly planted rice plants.

I attended Elder Miller's district meeting and he started with a three legged race to show the importance of being unified as companions. It was not only fun but a very effective way to lead into some great training.

We enjoyed shopping for all kinds of fun souvenirs before heading to Solano where we spent the night. The next morning we attended the district meetings in Nueva Vizcaya. President had a lot of interviews that morning with members and missionaries. Then we headed home late Tuesday afternoon. We all had lots of fun!