Gaylord Ugalde's Zambales Cowboy Stories PALAISDAAN page 1

page title in graphics Palaisdaan1

As a boy, I used to go to our "Awai" (farm). Our Awai is in the area called Troso. "Troso" is an Ilocano word meaning tree log. There used to be quite a number of big old "Bit-taog" trees there in the old days. When the trees were felled to make open space for farm crops in the areas above the rice paddies, the logs were sprawled all around the property. Therefore the area of the property and the adjoining farm lands then became known as "Troso" because that’s where all the old "bit-taog" logs lay. Aside from the logs, there were bamboo groves all over the place. It has since been cleared of the bit-taog trees and logs and most of the bamboo and in their place now lays our "palaisdaan" (fishpond). There are literally a line of private fishponds along the adjacent farm properties in this section of farms just north of town. I often make the 2/3 km trek on my bicycle to go there, maybe to catch up with my dad who went there ahead of me, or go there ahead of him, or just go there to get away from it all...all by myself. It’s close enough to town to be biked in 10 minutes (or walked in 20 minutes) but far enough away to get away from it all.

This day, I am following 2 hrs after my dad. I am at the gate ready to enter. I enter the farm through the gate by the road and proceed in a westerly direction. I go straight down the dusty trail with mangoes on the left side. The trail is wide enough for 1 vehicle at a time to traverse. I follow the gentle curve and it opens up to mango trees on both sides. By this time, I also see on the right side of the trail a damortis tree, 2 large tamarind trees and finally a couple of guava trees that marks the next gate.....

Cowboy

running white horse

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