Hive Philippines Travel and Nature Photography #1200 - by Allmonitors

#1200 - Giant Balete Tree (Millenium Tree) in Baler Aurora Shots for Monday.

Hello dearest amazing Hive family all over the world, and a happy Monday to you all! Our community is like a friendly rest stop along the way, so feel free to share a quick story or say hello or upvote when you pass through. Wishing everyone a safe and joyful Monday😊.

Now for our daily shots one noon when my wife, my son and I arrived at the famous Millennium Tree in Maria Aurora, Aurora. We had heard so much about this place even after a strong typhoon. They say this tree is around 600 years old. It means this tree was already standing here quietly and long before our ancestors even knew what the Philippines was.

We stood right at the base and looked up. It was massive. The trunk was wide, so wide that locals say it would take about 20 fully grown men holding hands just to completely hug its circumference😲. It felt like we were standing next to a breathing giant that had witnessed centuries of history passed by.

We also explored its perimeter, walking carefully over tangled roots that spread out like giant snakes on the ground. The most thrilling part of the visit was discovering that you could actually get inside the tree. There is a natural opening by the massive roots that forms a sort of cave.

Inside the trunk, it was dark and cool. The walls were made of intertwined roots. It felt like a maze. I noticed there was even a CCTV camera installed inside for safety because the root system is complex that people could easily get lost if they didn't follow the proper path in and out.

We spent a good amount of time just standing here, admiring this ancient masterpiece. I hope that other kinds of different trees out there are given the same chance to live this long. If only we could protect all our forests so future generations would get to see more 600 year old giants just like this one.

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Shot taken in Baler Aurora, Philippines.