Months before, I asked my brother where he wanted to go if he wants to go somewhere outside Butuan City. He immediately replied,"Puting Bato!" So for months, I kept that in mind. One day I told Mama and Mash that we're going on a trip. I told them, "let's go to the beach." Then I asked my brother to look for the address of this Puting Bato (Literally translated as White Rock/Stone) place.

We prepared to go to the beach with all the paraphernalia that goes with it: food, towels, extra clothing etc. etc. We arrived in Cabadbaran, bought Lechon Manok (roasted chicken) and off we went looking for Puting Bato Elementary School, the only available location when we searched for it on Google Maps. When we reached the school I saw a small road across from it. There were no other signs where to go next so I asked a woman on a bike where Puting Bato beach was. She answered, very helpfully, that to go there we should go to the small road right across the school that we just passed by. 

When I was about to turn back, Mash said, embarrassed (for me), "Ate Ly (Ate pronounced as "Ah- te," a title given to older sister/s), Puting Bato isn't a beach."

I was gobsmacked. I was expecting to go swimming on the beach! I told myself before, after driving the rollercoaster-like road of Hinatuan's Enchanted River, I won't drive another mountain or hill anymore! 

Anyway, that's one of my Puting Bato story. If you're going there, prepare to drive winding roads, steep (but not very) hills and other elevated surfaces. You will come across rough roads near the top portion of the journey. BUT, the view is spectacular. When we went there, the sun was shining brightly, the skies were cerulean blue, and the greens were lush and vibrant. It was great to see because we experienced drought before brought about by El Nino. I never thought we have a view like this in Caraga region. Amazing.

The photo I posted was taken when we were about to leave. We were at the top of the mountain, higher than the Puting Bato spring was. I saw a "skylab" with passengers in it so I had to take a photo. Couple this with the Puting Bato background? Gold.

This sight usually amuses me and scares me in equal measure. Plus how can I resist taking a photo of a man, a carabao,  a pick-up truck and the intrepid way of Pinoy traveling: the "skylab"?