Surviving Ifugao

Minutes before leaving Batad, we were introduced to a Persian couple who happens to be a colleague of one of my acquaintances during the trip. As we pass through the couple, I overheard the girl describing  the place like heaven. Feeling the same way, I took another glance and noticed that the clouds were just inches above the terraces as if they were kissing. The panorama was indeed like a sneak peek to the ultimate paradise.

Three days prior to this, I was rushing to finish my emails. My Manager and I were set to leave the office  and meet our colleagues at nine pm as the Ifugao-bound bus of Ohayami Liner is leaving around 10 pm from its Manila City terminal in Lacson Avenue. The said liner is the only one that plies Manila-Ifugao route. We were told it would take 8 hours for us to reach Banaue, Ifugao. Arriving in the terminal, I was dazzled to see numerous foreigners that were also bound to see the terraces. There were Indians, Europeans and Americans. Unfortunateley, Ohayami uses second-hand metro buses that were purcahsed from Korea. Thus, the interior is not meant for long travels as such. Nonetheless, the air-conditioning was fair enough for us to get a good sleep during the trip. We left Manila past ten pm. We had two stop-overs; one in Bulacan and another in Nueva Vizcaya. It was funny though that some of the foreign passengers opted to lie on the floor as they were uncomfortable sleeping on their seats.

We arrived past seven in the morning. Downtown Banaue will give you a sense like you are in Baguio City, but lesser crowd. Several rice terraces can bee seen immediately from the bus terminal. There are 5 major clusters of rice terraces in Banaue namely: Banaue Rice Terraces, Batad, Mayoyao, Hapao and Kiangan Rice Terraces. Our group was set to visit Batad as it is the favorite amongst the clusters. Batad is also the hardest to reach. Before going to Batad, we went to Greenview Lodge to have our breakfast. It was important for us to get energize before the trekking. After a sumptous breakfast, we were brought by a jeepney to the the junction where the walking begins.

View from the terminal

Greenview Lodge's Resto

After a few hours of walking that covered 9 kilometers of steep road, we were greeted by the magnificent terraces of Batad.

We stayed at Simon’s Inn when we were in Batad. The place offers the best view of the panoramic village aside from the fact that its staff  are  friendly and accommodative. Recommending the place is simply an understatement. We opted to rest during our first of stay. Aside from the goal to unwind, the trip also served as journey for a cause as we brought different school supplies and toys for the local kids. Hence, on the following day, we were on  a roll. We started the day by going to the village on the terraces itself. We were greeted by a lot of kids during the walk. Their smiles were genuine and warm. We reciprocated by handing them toys, candies, pencils and other goodies. The terraces up-close were much inviting. I was told by my teacher back then that these terraces were hand-made by our Ifugao ancestors. Thus, you could not imagine my amazement during the trip. Later that day, we went to Tappia Falls which is approximately three to four kilometers from the village of Batad. The said falls measures 20 meter high and a must see when visting Batad.

Surviving Ifugao (October 26-29, 2011)

Enjoying the cool winds of Baguio

Taking a quick trip is always tiring, specially going highlands like Baguio. But the limited time shouldn’t be a constraint when enjoying with the family. Last June, I had a chance to visit Baguio again. This time, I was with my family as we had to accompany my brother for his one year stay in the city. It was unbelievable that we were able to cover more or less five hundred sixty kilometers of endless road in less than twenty four hours for this trip.

We left Cavite past three in the morning and arrived forty five minutes before lunch in Baguio. We went straight to the bible school where my brother will stay for a year. The place is a four-storey house which has a very comfortable ambiance. After an appetizing lunch courtesy of the staff, we decided to stroll around and buy some stuff before leaving. I frequent Baguio during college days but never had a chance to stroll around since I only go to Nevada Square most of the time. First stop,Wright Park and The Mansion.

Then we went straight to Camp John Hay but we’re caught in heavy rains so we decided to go to Mines View instead. Last stop was the market place to buy some pasalubong. We left the city past five, just in time to experience traveling inside the clouds as they go a bit low during the afternoon.

Remembering Guimaras Sidetrip

Famous for its sweet mangoes, Guimaras is relatively quiet. But just like any other island-province it the country, this place has a lot to offer for those who will go the extra mile. Well, the picture says it all. Formerly part of Iloilo province, Guimaras is the place-to-be if you are looking for a quiet beach escape.

It was 2009 when I had the chance to take a side trip in Guimaras in line with my Iloilo vacation. It was short but worth the effort to cross the Iloilo straight and ride a motorcycle in order to find another paradise. It was unfortunate though that we didn’t bring extra clothes should we decide to take a dip. And yeah, the next word is regret. Nonetheless, we still managed to enjoy the place. Believe it or not, we were the only people in the beach area when these pictures were taken. I think I already mentioned quiet beach escape, right?

For more information, you can visit its provincial website at http://guimaras.gov.ph/

Remembering Bohol

When God created Bohol, He was at His best mood. From the magnificent chocolate hills to its surrounding waters, this island province is an absoulute gem. It was mid 2009 when I had the chance to visit it in line with a seminar that we held for christians in the province. Though it was just a three day love affair, it was rather sweet than short.

Here are some interesting/quick facts about the province:

• Created in 1917
• Composed of 76 islands
• Tagbilaran City as its Capital
• Philippine tarsier is indigenous to the island
• Home of Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Napoleon Abueva and Francisco Dagohoy

For more information, you can visit the province’s website http://www.bohol.ph/

Bonding in Laiya

Relatively new to our company, it was my first time to join our annual summer outing. This year, they decided to hold it in Laiya, part of San Juan, Batangas where sand strips seem endless.

Call time was six in the morning, but we left 45 minutes past six. Manila to San Juan is an approximate three hour drive but it took us almost five hours to get there. Our driver was too cautious and did not let the gauge to exceed 100 k/ph (we could have done so many things if not for the extended time on the road). Nonetheless, after taking lunch and rest, we didn’t waste any time and conquered the summer heat by dipping in to the waters of Blue Coral (forgot to mention the resort’s name). But we all know that time flies when we are enjoying. Thus, we did not realize that it’s almost dinner time and we were still playing like kids who were unstoppable. They set the dinner by the beach with house music and bonfire, a moment when you just want to sing McCain’s I could not ask for more. The night was still young and we can do so many things, but we opted to do the usual, get someone to play the guitar and the rest will sing along.

For more information about Blue Coral Beach Resort, you can visit their website at http://bluecoralbeachresort.com.ph

Boating in Pagsanjan

If someone will tell you that boatmen from Pagsanjan are hardworking, it will be an understatement. Seriously, I couldn’t find a word to best describe our experience when we had the chance to visit Pagsanjan for the first time. Surreal may be overused, but it’s the closest that I can think of.

We started our trip with a bus ride from Manila to Santa Cruz, Laguna. It took us a couple of hours to get there, shorter than expected though. No traffic jams, no hassles, no nothing! Sweet! Just Sweet! The original plan was to stay in Mount Makiling, home of the Philippine High School for the Arts (Christian’s Alma Mater). But we realized that a twenty four hour stay in Pagsanjan would not suffice in order to enjoy the place. Thus, we scrapped the Makiling idea.

It was a piece of cake finding a hostel in Pagsanjan. They are scattered everywhere like Starbucks in Ayala Avenue. Upon arrival, we had a quick arrangement for the boat trip and the overnight stay. To cut it short, we were able to get a 3300 package (shoestring backpacking at its finest). After taking a power nap, we were asked by the hostel manager to take the Pagsanjan Falls trip to avoid the heavy influx of Korean tourists in the afternoon. Turned out, manong manager was dead serious. On our way to the falls, we were greeted by a lot of Korean tourists. When I say a lot, I mean a lot! We were accompanied by two boatmen during the trip, and I must say that the boat ride was the most memorable part of it. The river trail is approximately seven kilometers  and it would take at least an hour to reach the main fall (Magdapio Fall). Everyone’s goal is to see the main fall, but we didn’t expect that the river trail would be as fun as reaching the main fall. The trail didn’t go smooth as expected. There were shallow parts that forced our boatmen to literally pull our boat. Their effort was unbelievable, but their precision was admirable. When we finally reached the main fall, we didn’t waste time and quickly jumped on the raft that brought us underneath the raging fall. The water was furious and cold. I was shivering the whole time. Christian on the other hand was unaffected. But it didn’t take long and we were headed back to dry land. I thought of going for a swim, but the coldness of the water was too much to bear. Hence, we settled in taking pictures and admiring Magdapio from afar.

 

Revisiting The Manila Ocean Park

True to the saying that second time is a charm, revisiting The Manila Ocean Park proved to be a real charmer. From Nemo to the Fountain Show, the visit did not fail to provide entertainment as if it was my first time.

One thing I like about the park is its location. Being adjacent to Manila Bay, it creates an oceanic mood that adds to its advantage as a water theme park; aside from the fact that it provides a good view of the famous Manila Bay sunset. Another plus feature is the architecture. The park was designed to be navigation friendly for those who lack skill in finding directions. In fact, the park is segmented into different sections that correspond to the different areas of the ocean and marine system. Hence, journeying inside can be done in an orderly manner. The sections are as follow:

 

• Agos (Flow)- rainforest section; symbolizing the flow of water from the land to the ocean
• Bahura (The Reef)- coral reef section
• Laot (Fishing Ground)- section where big fish and rays can be found
• Buhay na Karagatan (Living Ocean)- features a 25 meter long walkway tunnel
• Kalaliman (The Deep)- features creatures that can be found in the Philippine Deep
• Pagi (Sting Ray)- section that is specially made for sting rays
• Shark (Pating)- features different species of shark

For more information, you can always visit The MOP’s website http://www.manilaoceanpark.com/