LA FAMILIA VIAJERA: A road trip for the senses

There is always warmth in joy. This warmth is something internal, something that can be felt only from within. But this same warmth can be felt externally especially when one is overwhelmed by open skies, green fields, rolling hills and mountains, and a smooth highway.

We're talking about scenic Mindoro West Coastal Road.

The road to Abra de Ilog (coming from Mamburao). This 32-kilometer road was constructed in 1931. It was not yet cemented back then. Yeyette still remembers this as a scenic dirt road during her younger years.

This is one thing my family loves about Abra de Ilog. The singular road which connects it to other towns of Mindoro Occidental is a must-see for all sightseers. Traveling to and from the town using the smoothly paved highway evokes a feeling of freshness and freedom. The surroundings are a sight to behold. Left and right, hulking mountain ranges run parallel with the road, with trees and grass covering them in various levels of green (from afar, they creep up the rocky mountains like clumps and vines of lichen). Fields of rice, corn, and various vegetables are the stuff of classic Filipino stories one usually reads from books, with busy farmers working hard against a bright blue sky:

♩ ♬ Magtaním ay 'di birò

Maghapong nacayucô ♪ ♫

Egrets on these fields are a common scene. They flutter here and there, like cottons on a carpet of green. And on the eastern side of the road, Río Matabang cuts through wide fields and rocky plains like a huge silvery serpent sparkling in the sun.

Mindoro West Coastal Road is PERFECT for road trips. So when traveling by car, the best way to traverse this panoramic road is with your windows open. Let the freshness of the country air breeze in as you feed your senses with the wonders of God's creation!