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Tagaytay – A Teaser

Posted on by xerox

Everything has been really crazy hectic and toxic since last month that I never had the tiniest time to allot for blogging. But I’m finally back!

I have so many backlogs that I don’t even know where to begin and what to write anymore.

But I guess I can just start with this teaser for now so I can still keep you guys interested. I promise another post in the next few days!

The scenic views, the cool climate, the fresh air… I truly, madly and deeply miss.

And of course, I have to end this short teaser with a photo of me to satiate my vanity. HAHA!

Chillin’ at Snow Village

Posted on by xerox

To cap off our “Trails to Antarctica” package tour at Manila Ocean Park, we were lead to what I originally thought was just a room fully adorned with Christmas ornaments which they dubbed as Snow Village.

But before we were allowed to enter, we were made to wear thick coats.

So as I was putting a coat on, I jokingly thought to myself that we’ll be going inside a gigantic freezer.

And I couldn’t be any more right.

Snow Village is actually just a walk-in freezer designed to make Filipinos sort of experience winter even if it’s in the middle of summer! Totally cool! Pun not intended.

Be careful as you step inside, the floor is quite slippery. So it is advisable that you wear shoes which have slip guards. 

No fake snow falling from the ceiling though.

To be honest, there’s really nothing much in Snow Village save for a cute designated area for nice photo ops…

 

If you’re someone who hasn’t experienced winter like us, you’ll enjoy trying to freeze yourself inside Snow Village until you can’t feel your fingers anymore just to test if you have what it takes to survive bone-chilling temperatures. Trust.

Feeding the Penguins at Manila Ocean Park… Not!

Posted on by xerox

Before anything else, I wanna tell you guys that I had a VERY TOXIC week. I just got myself a new job. So no more bumming around for me anymore because I now work as a video editor for an online school.

I really LIKE my job. But because I was experiencing too many technical difficulties during my first week, I wasn’t feeling it at first at ALL. I was absolutely stressed out (my face broke out!) and I had a hard time trying to regain momentum with EVERYTHING really. So that’s why I wasn’t able to find the time to actually continue writing about our Manila adventure. Well, not until now that is. Thank God!

So anyway, right where we left off from last time… After we’ve breezed through Luneta Park, we headed straight down to Manila Ocean Park.

Of course, I was very excited to see Manila Ocean Park!

Fineeee… I lied. Sort of.

Since I’ve been to Hong Kong Ocean Park back around 2010 (I was with my aunt, ex-boyfriend and a friend who happens to be my ex-boyfriend’s cousin), I was just excited to see the penguins because there were no penguins in Hong Kong Ocean Park when I was there apparently.

Look at me squatting and grinning right below the sign signifying that I was there and very much ready to see the penguins!

Manila Ocean Park may not have a theme park but look at this… 

Did you know that this is the largest Oceanarium in Asia? Hong Kong Ocean Park has got nothing on this breathtaking walk-through Oceanarium! Trust me, Manila has it SO MUCH better!

And there’s my boyfriend goofing around. And look at that guy behind him. Don’t you just envy his job? Come on. Who doesn’t want to go swimming with fishes on a daily basis and get paid for it? I so wanna steal his job from him (if that’s even possible).

Now this may not be the prettiest picture of the bunch (flash photography isn’t allowed in the Oceanarium by the way) but look at what’s behind me. A tank FULL of sharks. You don’t want to be in there. 

Too cute not to share.

I think I lack the proper apparel for this. This is the closest thing to bringing myself to Antarctica (for now).

And finally, the star of the show…  

No, it’s not my boyfriend… THE PENGUINS!!!

For 250 pesos, you can feed the penguins and have your picture taken with them. We chose not to avail the offer though because I thought it wasn’t worth it at all. Really. I expected that with that amount I could feed a bucket load of fishes to all the penguins but no. You just get to feed just ONE ridiculously TINY fish to ONE penguin. Not only is it unfair to the rest of the penguins who don’t get the fish, it’s unfair to me as well. But with that disappointment aside…

I’ve never been happier! A total dream come true for me!

Next post, Manila Ocean Park’s Snow Village. Keep your eyes peeled!

Just a Quick Stroll at Luneta Park

Posted on by xerox

Before we headed to Ocean Park on our second day in Manila, my boyfriend took me to Luneta Park, also known as Rizal Park, because this is one of the major attractions in Manila.

It is a historical park where the national hero of the Philippines, Jose Protacio Mercado Alonzo y Realonda Rizal (his full name is such a mouthful) was executed during the Spanish regime. His execution was the catalyst of the Philippine revolution against the Spanish Empire during the 1800s.  

As you can see from the photo above, his monument is the actual focal point of the park. But did you know that this park that commemorates his death is a direct disobedience of his final instructions prior his execution save for putting a fence around his grave? Know more about it here.

A closer look of Jose Rizal’s monument. It is closely guarded 24/7 by honor guards.

Other than the monument, there’s really more to see in this park such as this (and suddenly a colorful photo)…

A ginormous clock. Why am I so fascinated by it? I don’t know.

Other interesting areas of the park include a Japanese Garden (which we didn’t get to see because it was closed on that day), an open-air auditorium and more.

Unfortunately with our very limited time, we weren’t really able to appreciate its entirety. Definitely looking forward to having another stroll there next time.

Once a Promdi, Always a Promdi

Posted on by xerox

I don’t know if you can remember but I did once mention in one of my previous posts that I was cutting back on unnecessary expenses because I was saving up for something “grand”. And that actually meant another vacation for my boyfriend and I!

Can you guess where we went? I’ll give you a clue…

Is the clue not helping? Okay, squint your eyes real hard for the next clue…

Still not helping at all? Okay, okay, it’s…

Manila! This was when we just arrived at NAIA.

Just look at my face. Absolutely packed full of excitement! Maybe because it was my first time to be in Manila. But don’t get me wrong, I didn’t go to Manila so I could instantly feel higher than other people on the social ladder. It’s just that I’ve always wanted to set my foot somewhere in Luzon and this was a total dream come true for me! And yes, being a “promdi” is no shame! 

Till my next post, keep on following me for more of our Manila adventure!

Revisiting the Majestic Maria Christina Falls

Posted on by xerox

As a native Iliganon, I take pride in the iconic landmark of Iligan City, that is, Maria Christina Falls. 

Did you know that Maria Christina Falls is actually the second highest waterfalls of the entire Philippine archipelago? 

If you want to read the legend of the creation of Maria Cristina Falls and how it got its name, read here. 

The staggering 320-foot high waterfalls is the main source for power (I’m talking about electricity here) not only for Iligan City but also for most parts of Mindanao.

The Maria Christina (Agus VI) hydroelectric plant which is being operated by National Power Corporation (NPC) has been generating power since the 1950s.

NPC just recently developed Nature’s Park, a family destination that offers fun activities such as tree top zipline and rock climbing.

They also have a botanical garden, a mini zoo, a trekking site and so much more. But much to my dismay, most of the sites were closed for renovation which explains why I don’t have much photos to share. 

Within the park are rows of cottages so you and your family can hang out and have a picnic.

A well where you can trade your peso for a wish.

A cafeteria with a viewing area that sits right at the side of the roaring Agus River. 

The viewing area of the cafeteria gives a glimpse of the falls as it drops to the meandering river below it. Say hello to Maria Falls. Christina was rather shy the moment this photo was taken.

But kidding aside, the water flow is actually controlled by NPC and the water gates are opened only on weekends for 5 minutes.

Just a random photo of a tunnel made to look like a real cave. Their sorcery tricked me into thinking that it really is an actual cave. Woe is me, such a gullible simpleton. 

This is a pathway that leads to a different viewing area. 

Finally, the falls on full blast! I don’t know why I like to touch and hold railings with my right hand so much. I digress. This is the best viewing area!

Maria Christina Falls, dubbed as the “Twin Falls”, is truly majestic in its natural state. As it plunges straight down to the mighty Agus river below, it creates a thin cloud of mist at its feet to complete that ethereal feel. I was simply transfixed by its splendorous beauty.

Sad to say, we weren’t able to stay as long as we liked and had to leave ASAP because the rest of the flock was getting hungry (my boyfriend and I were with my family and house helpers again). So till next time Maria Christina. I promise I will be back.

The Niagara Falls of Mindanao: Santa Cruz Falls

Posted on by xerox

After the Cathedral Falls trip with my boyfriend, my father was talking about the mysterious Santa Cruz Falls incessantly.

And so last weekend, we embarked on a family (mis)adventure to Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte. Yes, my boyfriend and I was back to Kapatagan much sooner than we originally expected.

Totally unprepared for what we were about to get ourselves into, we braved practically into the middle of nowhere (Santa Cruz cannot be found on Google maps mind you) with nothing but ourselves.

And when I say nothing, I mean no water, nosh nor sunscreen. And that’s because our house helpers and “habal-habal” drivers (who served as our guides) said that the falls was just “near”.

On that day I learned that the meaning of the word “near” is only relative to the speaker. And so if you come from the city, please don’t trust anybody coming from a rural area telling you that this certain place is “near” because…

To get to the mysterious waterfalls, we had to climb up and down a series of boondocks…

We had to take off our footwear and walk barefoot to cross river bends…

Okay, we had a quick break here from hopping from one fiery hot stone to the other…

Carrying on, we had to trek “for days” through very dense native flora until…

Finally! The mysterious Santa Cruz Falls is a mystery no more! It was an adventure definitely worth my severe t-shirt patterned tan line.

And to cap off this post is a closer view of this beauty dubbed as the Niagara Falls of Mindanao. Be at awe with another marvelous God-made creation!

Pagadian: Little Hong Kong of the South

Posted on by Leia Bartolome

This is part two of our pre-anniversary celebration…

So goodbye Kapatagan and hello to the hilly terrain of Pagadian City!

The one place where you wanna make sure that your car brakes are working perfectly fine or else you’ll suddenly find yourself rolling straight down to the open sea.

When commuting, you can get around the city by riding a three-wheeled motor vehicle that kind of serves like a taxi cab which is locally known as a “rela” (a diminutive of the word “motorela”). 

The “rela” in Pagadian has two rows of seats that are inclined at an approximate 25 to 40 degree angle. This design is unique to this city only. I swear I haven’t seen anything like it anywhere. 

Getting in it is an exercise I tell you. It’s like doing some pull-ups and curl-ups at the same time really. But it ain’t so bad… Considering after countless of rides later, you might step out of it attaining rock hard abs effortlessly.

Pagadian is not only known for its iconic “rela” but it is also known for its bountiful seafood. So for lunch, my boyfriend and I went straight to Springland Resort to sample only the freshest seafood for lunch.

Welcome to their reception area. Obscured is the dining area where we enjoyed eating our hearts out. 

I apologize that there are no food photos for this post. But please try their Fried Lapu-lapu in Chili Sauce in case you would drop by here because it is deeeeelicious! So delicious that my boyfriend fought me over the very last morsel of it. 

The view below the dining area. Beautiful isn’t it?

When we decided to take a walk down below, we found this…

Yes, seafood is really my TRU-LAB. Sorry boyfriend.

Springland Resort cultures fish, crab and prawn and this is why they have the freshest seafood. 

I must say that Springland Resort is a haven for local tourists especially because of its beautiful ambiance, affordable rates, accommodating staff and delectable food. You really could not ask for more.

After spending much of our time relaxing at Springland Resort… Actually, more like waiting for all of the food in our stomach to be fully digested, we went to Rotonda, a park that overlooks the city, for our last hoorah which was horseback riding!

Okay, actually, I was the only one who went horseback riding because my sorry self wasn’t able to ride on a horse’s back ever. 

 

Look at me grinning from ear to ear! For only 20 pesos, you get to ride on a horse’s back for three laps. Not bad huh?

I truly really felt sorry for the little horsie… I didn’t know he was hungry the whole time while I was on his back. Respect!

And this concludes our pre-anniversary celebration that didn’t cost us more than 3000 pesos. I know there’s still more of Pagadian that we missed. We will be back (hopefully some time soon) and that’s a promise.

Beholding the Wonder of the Cathedral Falls in Kapatagan, Lanao Del Norte

Posted on by Leia Bartolome

Time indeed flies by really quickly. I still am astounded by the fact that today is the day that my boyfriend and I turn a year old. This is a milestone for both of us. So can we have a round of applause, please?

In celebration of our first year anniversary, my boyfriend had this marvelous idea of taking me to Kapatagan and Pagadian for a day yesterday.

I really love going to places I have never been to before! Plus, two different provinces in one day… How about that?

Needless to say, I was very ecstatic about it. I swear I could have done some somersaults and cartwheels the moment he said we will have this quick getaway about three days ago.

So our first stop was Kapatagan, a municipality of Lanao del Norte.

This was our fantastic bus stop. Can you believe that this bus stop is air-conditioned and has WiFi for free? We don’t have anything like this in our hometown or even in other cities that I have been to as well (not even the Ocean Park Hong Kong bus stop mind you).

I love how the bus stop is so clean and modern. Even the restrooms are very clean! This is something really uncommon in the Philippines.

Here is a glimpse of the waiting area of the bus terminal. Air-conditioning, comfortable chairs and free WiFi makes waiting less of an annoyance.

At Betty Beans, a coffee shop in Kapatagan Town Center, for some quick bites and cool beverages to beat the heat.

Here is my Roasted Mocha Almond Frappe and his Strawberry Smoothie. We like them both. Not pictured were our burgers and hotdog sandwich.

Now off to see the Cathedral Falls! Okay, I lied. This photo was actually taken on our way back to the city already. But we can at least pretend right?

Behold the wonderful Cathedral Falls!

This waterfall is bounded by unique rock formations which resemble like cathedral posts. It is just nothing like I have ever seen before!

Kisses from Kapatagan!

Up next will be part two of our pre-anniversary celebration. Do keep your eyes peeled for that!