This was the end of our road trip and it was our last destination before finally going home, spending more time with nature.
Barlig will always be a place I will remember. I was awed by it the first time and was amazed more the second time we went.
When we saw a post in social media about a Philippine Eagle statue that was located in Barlig, we included that in our itinerary and it was the first one that we went to. This was located in the boundary of Lias and Kadaclan. It was aptly placed for it sits on top of the mountain and surrounded by forests. Nothing is more perfect than that. I don't want to leave!
Going there from the town center is a scenic route for the road snakes through the mountainsides and there is nothing to see other than lush mountains all around. I can feel and smell the freshness of the air. I felt that set me for life.
From the statue, we then rode back to where the hot spring is. You had to walk down from the main road about 15 minutes or so. From the sign it says 30 minutes but that depends on how long you hike. I guess that is applicable more when you hike back up to the main road. The initial path is easy and you get to walk at the edge of a mossy forest. Barlig is made of mossy forest I believe. Then the hard part of the trail is steep before you finally reach the hot spring and waterfalls.
This is interesting because you have fresh cold waterfall on one side and then hot spring on the other. There is no reason for you not to go there for you have both cold and hot. Make your choice. The waterfall is not that big or strong so one can go under, in front and behind it. That's what we did for photo's sake because it was really cold almost freezing water that fell. We spent more time soaking in a man made pool where you can fill with hot or cold natural water. We even dozed off.
From there we then hiked back up and headed to Lake Tufob/Tufog. It was a short hike, again depending on how fast you hike. It was less than 10-minute hike to the top. This lake was said to be a crater of a volcano. So the mountain it sits is a volcano. The hot spring is said to be the evidence.
This is my entry to 
Why is it important to connect with nature? Our visit made to Barlig is humbling. I'm just a part of a bigger picture. There is majesty, mystery, mystic and magic when you are with nature. Those were manifested during our visit. The vastness of the forests of Barlig is impressive. I haven't seen as much green in different hues that expansive. It makes me want to visit every corner of forests there is. There is the telltale signs of human intervention though and that is a bit sad. Nature don't need humans. They can survive on their own without us. However, we can't live without it. I hope Barlig and its forests will be preserved.
Our visit to the hot spring made me speechless. It impressed upon me that contrasts, opposites live harmoniously in nature. The cold and hot waters are both happening and that's okay. There is difference yet it is happening as one. Why can't humans be like that? There is no need for us to destroy one another just because of our differences. Why can't we not just exist and learn to accept and respect and celebrate from our differences? Let us learn from nature and live harmoniously.
Lake Tufob is so peaceful and calm. That is what I like about nature. Whenever you are troubled or stressed, you can never go wrong with nature. It refreshes you and rejuvenates you. It may not talk to you physically but when you spend your time there, you'll find answers. It clears your mind. If you are observant enough, you'll learn from it.
So why nature? My answer is why not?
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