Bonfire, music, and foodies with loved ones? Ah! Remembering that day was both precious and priceless as I had a good time with my family and friends!
Walking down memory lane, a combination of delectable dishes, a live guitar, and the crackling sounds of the bonfire had even made a more meaningful experience when I spent time with my loved ones at Dahilayan, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, Philippines on one fine night as we were surrounded by refreshing pines and elegant flowers.
Dahilayan is known as a place having very cold weather in Mindanao, so a Bonfire perfectly fits at night. Since I had a job, I only had rare moments having camping and bonfires with my family. So when we had an opportunity to gather together, I was truly so grateful.
Before everything was done, were all busy preparing for the things to be brought not to mention that we went to Manolo Fortich Public Market to buy some plates of seafood, meat, and all ingredients for our planned dishes during dinner time. We wanted to make sure that we would not forget any since the moment we arrived at the place, no more stores and shops were available since this is located in a remote area but with beautiful scenery.
What made the place so enticing was the presence of bonfires everywhere even with or without the presence of visitors. I so love to capture several shots in the other areas and here are some shots that I captured when I strolled around the place.
I was so surprised to see many bonfires all around the area and it made my day. Here are also some quick shots as we entered the place. It is full of pines making it so refreshing. There were no lights when we arrived since it was still daytime. During nighttime, the lighting was so cool that even more added beauty and elegance to the place.
When our friends from Cebu City arrived at Bukidnon, they wanted to have an overnight in Dahilayan. So this made the camping possible and, we cooked some delicious dishes such as grilled meat, grilled seafood, Pancit Guisado, sauteed shrimp, and Adobo. There were also rice cakes, sodas, and other beverages. When the food was cooked, we placed it on the table and we had our dinner.
And of course, my favorite dish among all was the grilled shrimp. The shrimp were still so fresh when they were grilled making it so tender and tasty. How I love its neutral flavors prevailing the real taste of the shrimp even without putting a lot of seasoning. I ate a lot of this with unlimited rice as always.
Since I was so full, after dinner I strolled around the place and I have seen how relaxing the place is with the presence of evergreen surroundings. It is so beautiful at night how much more during daytime. A lot of visitors were here when we arrived but there were no worries since the place was so spacious to accommodate a lot of tourists and visitors and it is a perfect spot to escape from the crowded city and unwind for a moment.
I continued strolling and I was so glad to see a serene atmosphere. The tall verdant pines, the cool camping huts, the bonfires everywhere, the elegant flowers, the happy faces of the people, and the refreshing ambiance were all so perfect for a staycation here. This is indeed a perfect place to connect with nature as there is no wifi, Internet signal, or even mobile connections. So I have some time to be offline for a while.
After I had a simple walk in the surroundings, I was so surprised to see all of them having a good time. The live music of the guitar and the songs by my father and brother made a good vibe along with the crackling sound of the bonfires. And then we all sang together whenever we would request a song that everybody knew how to sing it.
How happy that day was as we got a chance to release all the stress of life despite the everyday challenges that we were all going through. Family is both love and life and I must say that this is my comfort zone. How I wish there would be more happy moments like this in the future as our bonding with family and friends will be strengthened.
And yes, I so enjoyed that moment not too much that I ate my favorite dishes. I am happy that my father can now sing back after he had a heart attack and stroke although he cannot work anymore. This had been my struggle but I am always hoping that all is well. Meanwhile, I had a candid shot at the table as I was eating once more and enjoyed the night until we all slept.
Perhaps creating memorable and precious moments around a bonfire with guitar music and delicious foodies made my stay in Dahilayan a special experience as I spent it with my family and friends. Ah! I will always cherish these beautiful moments and I must say that this was so memorable day of my life.
Disclaimer: All texts and pictures are my own unless otherwise stated.
