A better Place to be

By: Julie a Baeyens

 A towering tree at the crossroad of Session road and Magsaysay Avenue in front of Baguio Peoples Park is traditionally decorated as the city’s Christmas tree. Even though Baguio is otherwise known as the City of Pines, this particular kind of pine tree is rare in Baguio.  They could be in someone’s garden  or  indoors as ornamental plants but I only know 3 century-old of its type in Baguio.

This tree is called Norfolk Island Pine or Australian Pine, sometimes called as 'star pine’due to it’s  symmetrical shape  when young.  In nature it can grow as high as 60 meters  and 10 meters in diameter.  The wood of big trees can be used as timber for construction, furnitures and shipbuilding while the saplings are raised as outdoor or indoor  ornamental plants.

Yesterday, we visited the Quezon estate in Quezon Hill.  My friend pointed to a gigantic tree in front of the mansion and described it as the twin of the Baguio Christmas tree.  I commented that they could not be twins because it is much higher and bigger than the one downtown. My friend explained that perhaps because of the environment where they are planted.  Unlike its twin in the business district, it is not as polluted with enormous smoke belching everyday, not surrounded with tons of cement and wired with twinkling artificial lights every year.  Looking at the tree, I could not agree more.  Branches nicely spread out, the leaves are shiny and bushy.  It's twin downtown is smaller, blacken leaves and without luster. 

Many city people would go out to the outskirts of urban places, to the mountain or seaside to relax, for fresh air and food.  During our  family vacations we usually  go to a remote beach resort near the hundred Islands.  It is not so crowded  and we enjoy visiting the fisherman’s warf to buy fish.  The local fishermen use fishing nets and fish traps to catch their finds so many of the fishes would still be alive when they are brought to the dock. While we grown ups  take our time deciding which fish to buy, the children  would wander  around to pick sea shells and corals along the sea coast. We also like visiting  a coconut plantation in the island where we can drink fresh coconut water and  pick  mango, papaya, star apple, gayubano, sinegwelas, and other tropical fruits.  In Bataan, we experienced gathering Cashew in a small Island only accessible by boat.  The cashew fruits are attractive but are not so pleasant to eat as its seeds but they are edible.
  
Simple living does not always mean poor regardless of  where we live.  Living in the city or in the less develop areas  have both advantages and disadvantages.  Modern societies offer more comforts and conveniences but the cavemen have fresher air, water, food, space and less stress.  If you have the choice, where would you rather be?

I wonder if the animals in the zoos would prefer to be in the cages where they do not need to hunt for their food or in the wild where they have to fend for themselves but can run as much as they could. This Norfolk tree is obviously  content atop the hill where it is.

Infront of the Quezon Mansion is a century old tree, Norfolk Island Pine or Australian Pine which is among the only 3 known century trees of its kind in Baguio.  The other is in the center island crossroad of Session road and Magsaysay avenue in front of the Peoples Park which is decorated as the city’s Christmas tree every year.  The third one I know of is at the Afable’s compound. Read more