Jaime's tiny cabin in the forest: Only if you can afford the time

Time is an expensive resource and it can also give the simplest of joys the experience of being isolated in the middle of a forest in a simple A-frame cabin with enough urban conveniences for a good sleep.

- By PINKY CONCHA COLMENARES

Following a narrow gravel trail which shoots out from the Marilaque Highway in Tanay is where that cabin is located, listed under the name "Off Grid Tiny Cabin & Campsite" in the Airbnb website. Built by its young owner, Jaime Lazatin, in 2021, the cottage quickly became a popular destination for couples and small families who sought refuge from the stay-at-home policy during the pandemic.

Making the choice to go to the Off-Grid Tiny Cabin is for the adventurous. There, trails defined by native trees lead to a long walk, or to a date with your mountain bike. Soon, the trails will also lead to a tour where guests will cook what they foraged in the forest which is thick with fruit bearing trees and food ingredients. The katmon tree in front of the cabin deck, for example, produces souring agent for sinigang for fish. Another souring agent for meat, the alupidan vine, is in the property, Lazatin said quite proudly of his part of the forest which hosts native trees. He enumerates them avocados, cavendish, saba, red banana, tibig (fig) trees, kalamandarin trees (hybrid orange and kalamansi), santol. Recently, he harvested pineapple and papaya, and honey from the bee farm.