A LAND TOUR OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND NEVADA (Part 5)

By Rene Calalang
Scarborough-Canada
February 9, 2016



FIRST STOP of the third day of the tour was Lake Tahoe, the largest alpine lake in North America with a depth of 1645 ft., which is the second deepest in the United States and 16^th in the world, has a surface elevation of 6225 ft. and has a surface area of 191 square miles.

EVEN before reaching the marina where the boat that we would use for cruising the lake was anchored, the driver, perhaps realizing that we would have a better look of the lake at a higher elevation parked the bus in what seemed to me an unofficial observation area.

True enough, we had a good look of the magnificent view of the lake. Obviously, we took as many pictures, both individually and as a group, with the amazing view of the lake on the background.

We then proceeded to the marina to board the boat that would take us for an approximate two hour cruise of Lake Tahoe.

It was a busy, beautiful day of October 25th with the temperature in late teen, with only a spring or fall jacket needed, with the sun not too bright and without humidity, but bright enough to make us feel that we were getting the Vitamin that it provides.

The marina was busy too with a lot of tourists patiently waiting in line for their turn to board the boat.

In front of the boat, it was business as usual, as a professional photographer was there to take pictures of individuals or groups with the boat on the background.

When our group was nearing the end of the line, the crowd, perhaps realizing that our group, because of its size and our physical features, or maybe somebody from our group told those close to the front that we are high school classmates, and this trip was a reunion, gave way to make sure that everyone was included.

“How nice these people are,” I told myself. “And if people in general were as gentlemen as them, then the world would be a better place.”

But alas, no matter what the circumstances are, things will always be imperfect, because some of us, six in total and myself included, missed the picture taking because of a few reasons, one of them is the call of nature.

We let others know that they did not wait for us and we missed the group picture taking; so we decided that after the cruise, we would have another picture taken and making sure everybody was included.

Cruising the lake was for me, not that exciting; as I had been, and I was sure, mostly others in our group too, in many cruises around the world.

But regardless whether I was fascinated or not, I can’t help but observe. My observation was no doubt that it’s a very clean fresh water lake and I admire the panorama of its mountains that surround it, but admiration that turned into sadness when I thought of another fresh water lake - the Laguna de Bay in the Philippines; a shallow fresh water lake located in the provinces of Laguna and Rizal, has an area of 352 square miles, the third largest in Southeast Asia, has an average depth of 9’-2” and has an average elevation of 3’-3” above sea level.

While it is hard to compare the two lakes because of their geographical locations, Lake Tahoe, being up in the mountains; and Laguna de Bay, close to the cities, they are, nevertheless, both fresh water lakes whose water, if not poisoned by pollution could be used in so many ways to benefit people. But this is not so.

“If Laguna de Bay is as clean as this, there will never be shortage of water in Metro Manila,” I said to a male classmate who I know is also concerned about the pollution in Laguna de Bay and other lakes and rivers in our country.
“What do you think is the reason?” he asked.

“Lack of proper education of the people and over population, plain and simple.” I answered.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Lack of education because many people and factories dump their garbage into the lake; thus polluting the lake, and over population of the country because many, for lack of affordable housing had no choice but to squat everywhere, and one of them is on banks besides lakes and rivers. But there is something our fellow Filipinos don’t know.”

“What?”

“People just don’t realize how lucky they are for living in a country like the Philippines, which was supposed to be a tropical paradise.”

“It used to be, but not anymore.”

“Yeah, it used to be.”

“Do you think it is possible to renew our resources?”

“It will be very difficult as some of the damages done are permanent and irreversible.”

“Do you think the younger generation will make any difference?”

“There is hope because many of the leaders of the younger generation have traveled, thus they know what’s happening, and because of social media, communication is now a lot better.”

THE NIGHT was spent in Merced, California, known as the Gateway to Yosemite National Park, where in the next morning, we would proceed to the next and final leg of our tour – The Yosemite National Park.

TO BE CONTINUED