Antagonizing Mr. Thunder (Monte Carlo Saga)

Chapter 1: Monte Carlo

'WELCOME TO MONTE CARLO PROVINCE'
The Olympus of Northern Luzon

NAPASINGHAP si Aliyah sa tanawing bumungad sa kanya pagpasok palang nila sa Monte Carlo. The historic, 20-mile road is shaded by a canopy of hundred-year-old baletes and is surrounded by pastures, groves, plantations, and woods just as it was when it was carved out of the wilderness by the region's earliest settlers.

She heard the story a million times sa kanyang yaya. Paboritong story na niya ito tuwing patulog na siya and she never thought that it was indeed true, that indeed existed.

She saw the pictures, yet the photos didn't do justice.

Inilabas niya ang kanyang ulo para lalo pang makita ang magandang tanawin. The bus went up the rolling hills, overlooking the natural scenic beauty of the province, known as the Olympus of Northern Luzon.

Monte Carlos is the size of Luzon. It has 10 towns, and each town is as big as each Province in the Philippines. The Monte Carlo has it's own independent system.

Para itong isang bansa na may sariling pinuno. Tanging ang probinsya ng Monte Carlo ang may sariling ruler, hindi ito sinasaklawan ng Presidente or gobyerno ng Pilipinas dahil ito'y pag-aari ng mga Monte Carlo. Ang karatig probinsya nito ay ang, Aparri, Tuguegarao, Tabuk, Ilagan, o ang tinatawag nilang Sierra Madre, at ang kabilang bahagi ay ang Pacific ocean.

Maraming nagsasabi na ipinaglalaban ito ng mga Monte Carlo na maihiwalay ito sa Pilipinas at maging isa rin na itong bansa, dahil sa totoo lang wala rin namang pakialam ang gobyerno ng bansa sa sistema ng Monte Carlo. It was run by the Monte Carlo family itself.

She didn't expect this stunning, breathtaking place. She never thought such place could be this beautiful. It looks like paradise. Indeed paradise exists. Monte Carlo was like a dream. It's like entering the magic kingdom of Narnia. Where the beautiful historical Monte Carlo lies, hidden among all the provinces.

Napakaganda!

Actually, no words best describes the place. And Aliyah thought, she'll maybe enjoy her quandary.

Napakapresko ang simoy ng malamig na hangin, hindi tulad sa Maynila na sobrang polluted na.

And as the bus drove into the endless paved road, finally, she can see now a part of the Monte Carlo Province. Nasa itaas silang parte, at sa kanan niya, kitang-kita niya ang napakalawak na dagat, asul at kumikislap ito dahil sa sinag ng araw. Mula sa kanyang kinaroonan, kitang-kita din niya ang bulto ng mga sun bathers na nagkalat sa malinis at puting buhanginan. May mga bata din naghahabulan.

"Ah, the famous Monte Carlo beach resort," wala sa sariling sambit nito saka siya napangiti. The beach facing the Pacific Ocean. Ibinaling niya ang kanyang tingin ng mahagip ng mga mata nito sa pinakamataas na bundok kung saan nakatayo ang isang napakalaking bahay. Malaki na nga sa tingin paano na kaya pag sa malapitan?

It looks spectacular, malayo man ito, she could see the elegance and out of this world stature of the palatial mansion. Indeed, it was like the Olympus palace, the fact that it is situated at the top of the tallest hill, probably overlooking the whole province, hovering over the valleys. i'm

The bus stopped at every town, right in front of the glass shed, made for the passenger to seek shade while waiting for the next bus. The MT(Monte Carlo Transportation Ministry) buses which was also owned by the Monte Carlo only operated for the Monte Carlo's residents and offered the cheapest rate of fare.

At tanging Monte Carlo lang ang hindi gumagamit ng jeepneys. Mabibilang lang yata sa kanyang daliri ang mga sasakyan sa paligid. Wala ring traysikel na nagkalat.

Bumaba ang bus at nasa patag na naman sila. Palm plantation a kilo meter on both sides of the two lanes concrete road, welcoming us. That was also owned by the Monte Carlo.