When you immersed yourself into the world of herbs, they will follow you wherever you go! Once again, this we have proven true.
Malou Gerras is the CSR Service Manager of Shangri-Las Mactan. I met her through a common friend Easter Canoy the Eexcutive Director of KIN, an NGO in Bukidnon. My recent trip to Cebu made the meeting possible. We blended so well together with The Food Safety Guru Tet Tobes, who used to be the boss of Malou in Shang-rila. Malou had a scheduled trip to Manila to witness the Supreme Court Trial on environmental concern. Though she knew that it had been postponed, she went ahead on a different agenda; to see the SOD outlets and see my garden.
On the side, Malou scheduled a trip to Sonya's Garden in Tagaytay where I invited myself to join her. Another synchronicity as right after I uttered I wanted to see the place, Malou just text and told me about this arrangement. With that I did not hesitate to tell Malou am going with her, without even considering if she can tag me along.
On our way back to Antipolo, we got lost and landed at Tagaytay picnic grove. It was as if we were brought there by fate. After enjoying the breathtaking view of Taal volcano, Malou spotted lots of Gotu Kola scattered wildly. We scrutinized if this is the right specie trying to compare the physical attributes that we have seen in Oikos farm in Bohol. Malou is trying to retrieve from her camera the picture of Gotu Kola she has taken in Oikos but she can not locate it. I remember tasting the leaf when I was discussing the Gotu Kola with our neighbors. I did not hesitate to chew a leaf and I can attest that it is the Gotu Kola that Joe introduced us in Bohol. Joe Travero is a Professor and the Research and Development Director of CVSCAFT in Bohol.
Malou and I started collecting Gotu Kola and almost half filled our basket. I always bring my basket in the car just in case I came across a plant like this one. After picking , we were hungry and treat ourselves to sumptuous ginataang kuhol with kangkong and ginataang pakbet. It was so yummy. Finally we decided to go home only to realize we traveled far as we have reached the Tagaytay Highlands already. We did not notice that Palace in the sky we have reached too!
On the road, we bought some plants. These plants amazingly occupied the perfect spot in our garden at Foligehills.