My Family Health Blog

Committed Family Healer's Research

Native Village Inn, Uhaj, Banaue Rice Terraces – Welcome to Paradise

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The first leg of our Luzon road trip took us to Native Village Inn located in Uhaj, Banaue. This inn was built on top of a hill with the most majestic view this section of rice terraces. I will first discuss Native Village Inn, its accommodations, ambiance, hospitality, facilities. Getting there belongs to another blog post.

Banaue Native Village Inn Picnic View

Banaue Native Village Inn Picnic View


The picnic view on a clear afternoon.


The picnic view on regular cloudy morning.

Banaue is cool, cool, cool. The air is fresh fresh fresh. The views are spectacular, majestic, astounding and every superlative you can think of. You think you’ve driven up steep enough? The last leg up the green entrance gate is even steeper. The welcome sign is befitting: “Welcome to Paradise We Hope You Have A Pleasant Stay.” Oh yes, we did, we did.

Every architectural detail in Native Village Inn just so blends with the location. Native Village Inn is also blessed with the traditional highly skilled craftsmanship of the Ifugao. Their huts, their furniture, their decorations.

There are 2 fireplaces, one outside and one inside. At the time we stayed there, the indoor fireplace exhaust was out of order.

We stayed in authentic traditional Ifugao huts. The mattresses filled the entire floor space. The design of the ifugao hut is suited for this cold climate. Inside we had electricity, working 220v AC outlets where I got to charge my cell phones and netbook.

Smart and Globe have signals. You can call and text. I even got to do some internet. Slow GPRS. But when I needed to reboot a server I was able to connect via ssh terminal and do my thing. I got to sleep soundly and my good dreams continued.

Outside were mens and womens toilets. Modern toilets. With the amenities you are looking for. Toilet seat, tiles, lots of good quality toilet paper. And they have fresh running water, including a separate sink. I never tried taking a shower. No way in this cold weather.

The individual huts which accommodated guests were surrounded by a tastefully designed garden of various plants and flowers native to the area. This paradise is literally at the top of a mountain so everywhere you run to will wind up in the edge of a cliff. So watch out for your very young children.


My son takes a video of the accommodations.

The staff were very courteous, they were 3 ladies. They did the kitchen stuff, the cleaning stuff and the butlering stuff. The food is conventional Filipino food. I’m a raw foodist raw paleo dieter so I can give no comment. My wife and kids seemed to be okay with the food.

The highlight for me was the main picnic table. This is where we have our breakfast and lunch. The most immense, Imax, spectacular mountain view of seemingly endless rice terraces, the road to Hapao and more mountains. This is paradise. Paradise you wish you could stay in forever… it’s like a dream. A dream come true where you get to forget everything else and just be happy with your loved ones.

The drive up to Native Village Inn via the Banaue to Hapao cliff road is muddy tricky. You must have off road tires and a 4×4 for safety and confidence for all you fellow urbanites. Preferably go up and down with a local guide. Or you can leave your vehicle in Banaue town proper and hire their own local vehicle and local driver to drive you up.

Contact Native Village Inn via their official website: http://www.nativevillage-inn.com/

Parts of Japan are Sinking

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Visual proof that parts of Japan are sinking. Some guy was gracious enough to spend some time and splice together some videos. First a 2006 movie trailer of Japan Sinking. Then actual footages of liquefaction and ground movement. Then the March 11, 2011 tsunami.

It’s pretty obvious that in those places where the tsunami hit, their real estate prices have plummeted. Also in the places where liquefaction is taking place, those real estate prices will plummet too. And if you happen to live in places where the liquefaction is taking place, you should get out.

What is troubling is that since Magnitude 9 earthquake on March 11, 2011, the earthquakes in the Japan have continued, big ones at 6 and 7 magnitude seem normal these days.

It’s all part of earth changes. The only guarantee in this world is that nothing remains the same, nothing is forever, change is a guarantee. It does look like parts of Japan are sinking, along with the uninhabitable Fukushima nuclear power plant meltdown, it’s just time to move on and move out for a lot of people.

Paleo Diet Recipe for Beef Barbecue Makes it Fun for Kids

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Paleo Diet pushing on my children. I can pleasantly report that I have great success with my children desiring beef barbecues. I want children to eat seared / rare beef but it has been a difficult hard sell. But if I put the same beef on a stick, they love it. The following is the beef barbecue recipe I use:

  • Have butcher slice beef very thinly. In my case I but sirloin because it’s the most tender cut.
  • Put sea salt and freshly ground pepper as you like. Optional add honey.
  • Use a flat frying pan. Use beef lard on the pan. We have stopped using charcoal directly because the charcoal fumes stick to the meat.
  • Sear some 10 to 15 seconds according to the child’s preference.
  • I let my children do the searing themselves for fun.

Some pictures:

Bike Safety Gear and How Not To Get Hit By Cars

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Our 3 kids have learned how to bike. Along with their cousins and 1 aunt they have formed the “Wheels Club”. They bike around the village. I’m not too happy with their safety. I need to get a bike of my own to accompany them. Teach them hands on how it is done. A few days ago my little girl got into an accident and her front tooth (temporary) bled and had to be pulled out. And she has a big bump on her forehead. Yesterday my first born son got into an accident and had bleeding on his left knee… easily taken cared of by dried ground cayenne.

We need to buy bike safety gear. Helmets, elbow pads, knee pads and gloves. Although my sister in law thinks pants are enough because children tend not to want to go through the bother of wearing bike safety gear. Or maybe I just have to set the example. I do need to buy a bike for myself first.

Then I came across a very helpful site http://bicyclesafe.com/ and it has very useful practical tips on “How Not to get hit by cars.”

I will be discussing this with my kids this morning.

Fukushima Nuclear Radiation Disaster Affects Us All Globally

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A very revealing Jeff Rense interview with Yoichi Shimatsu – Fukushima Worse, Virtually Hopeless. Major ecological damage. Absolutely no no no to nuclear power plants. Fukushima experience debunks all those previous nuclear power plant safety claims.

This Fukushima disaster will last for months and months and the effects will be with the whole world for years and years. TSHTF, TSHTF, TSHTF.

Jeff Rense says “There is nothing green about nuclear energy… nothing!”

Protect yourself. Eat lots of raw animal fat to cleanse your system. Eat iodine rich foods.

Any other products and ideas welcome.

Raw Beef Brain Ceviche – Kinilaw

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I went to the wet market 6:30 am this morning and was able to buy beef brain for 100 pesos, including part of the skull. Back home it was time to make some fresh beef brain kinilaw – ceviche. Here is the simple recipe.

Raw Beef Brain Ceviche Kinilaw

Raw Beef Brain Ceviche Kinilaw


Freshly squeeze some 6 to 7 calamansi.

Chop up 1 big onion, red or white.

Mix with beef brain.

What the concoction does is to kill the blood flavor of the freshly slaughtered brain.

So you taste all brain. Which is quite good. I still have 1/3 of the beef brain left in the refrigerator. I may finish it off tomorrow.

Happy brain hunting!

Paleo Diet Ice Candy with Mangoes and Coconut Cream

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It is mid-April and we are in the peak of a hot summer season. My wife and children decided to make paleo diet ice candies made from ripe raw mangoes and fresh raw coconut cream. Here is the super simple recipe and pictures:

Buy your very ripe mangoes, make sure they are naturally ripened, they should smell sweet.

Buy your coconut niyog and have it shredded.

At home slice open the mangoes

Press your shredded coconut meat and get the coconut milk / cream.

Get your ice cubes from your ice tray.

Put the combination of mangoes, coconut milk and ice cubes in a food processor / blender. And blend.

Pour in standard plastic ice candy wrappers.

Put in freezer.

Enjoy later in the mid-afternoon heat.