Today we were meeting up with some members of the families that Riley taught while on his mission. We met Sister Beiber and her son and the Bishop’s son and Clarke, a young man that Riley taught. All 10 of us piled into the van and we headed to the park, where yesterday we couldn’t do all the rides because of the weather and it was the Sabbath. Klane took a turn driving today and after just a few minutes it sounded like the engine was overheating, which is how it smelled by the time we arrived on Sat. We decided it would be best to pull into a gas station and ask someone to see if all our fluids were full. Thankfully they said the smell is normal when straining the car and clutch on these steep roads. Relieved we figured we had best just fill up with gas while we were there, well.... the gas cap wouldn’t open. The mechanic checked everything and then finally got a file and was able to get it open. But, before that we ran into a friend of Sister Beiber and he hopped out to help. All of us sudden he leans down between his legs and whips out a HUGE rusty butcher knife. I have no idea why he had such a blade under his seat but he jimmied that into the gas cap but no luck. Luckily the mechanic was able to get it open several minutes later because I was asking for a crow bar :) Fueled up we headed to the park and were ready to play!
We began with bumper cars and then trike/kart races, which they called “go karts”. We took turns racing each other and it was fun and a bit of a workout honestly :) The kids don’t get a chance to do things like this often so they were really excited which added to the fun. We all worked ourselves into a sweat and then took a stroll through the outdoor market and grabbed another crepe. We had fun playing and paddling around the pond in the park in the Swan paddle boats and after we hit the roller rink. The Baguio boys had only been once before and they were so excited. After all our outings we were hungry and grabbed lunch at Shakey’s Pizza, who had allowed us (gave the security guy a small bribe ;) to park there next to the park . If we hadn’t I don’t think we would have ever found a parking spot!
Following lunch we headed to an area in Baguio on a steep hill where all the wood carvers’ shops were. Riley was searching for a nativity but there wasn’t anything honestly worth taking home or that could fit in a bag. It was interesting exploring down the street, but came up empty handed.
We made our way back to the hotel in the afternoon and regrouped. Sam did his math homework while Amber and Klane and I walked to the Botanical Gardens just up the road. It seemed almost a cultural center park with small Japanese and Chinese gardens and then there was a big cave. Before you enter the cave you have to sign a book stating that you are going in the cave. Well, that had me a bit concerned but we headed in. It was like a big maze inside the cave with all kinds of passageways and corridors. Come to find out later that it was where they kept ammunition when this place had been built and used as a military camp by the Americans.
For dinner we loaded up and went to the Bishop’s home. His wife had been preparing food all day. Sister Beiber too had left us early and helped prepare. There were 17 of us in their little humble home built on the side of a cliff on the steepest street we had been on in Baguio. We had Family Home Evening first at their home and we played games and Riley and his old mission companion gave a spiritual thought. It was very sweet and tender as the Bishop and his family and Riley and his companion expressed their love for each other. Riley was the first one to teach the Bishop and his wife and then baptized them 4 years ago. He is now running the ward and you can see how happy their family is. They were so grateful that Riley had taught them and how a great and positive the affect of their baptism had been on their lives. They had such a modest home with corrugated metal for a roof and one room for the 4 of them. I was touched by their generosity. It was such a happy evening.
It got a little more intense after we left when we got stuck while trying to get out and up the steep hill, and when we turned down the wrong way on a one way street and had to fight our way against traffic. Hahaha, can laugh now. I felt sorry for Klane who was driving since we were all kind of freaking out and especially when we were about ready to back off an embankment in one of our predicaments! When we pulled into the hotel tonight all that I could say was “Sweet Azalea!” Azalea Hotel is our home base here in Baguio and we were all happy to make it back without damage and all things intact :) The adventure continues ....
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