DIY: Part 2 of 3_MisAdventures in Bohol

BACKPOSTING: 2011 Cebu-Bohol Weekend Getaway!

Day 2 started with a complimentary breakfast at Amorita Resort. Plan: Make ourselves full to last the entire day! hahaha! We ate almost every bit of what’s served on the table, libre na eh! haha patay-gutom lang! :D Original plan for Day 2 was to go to Danao and experience the extreme activities, but it was just too far from Panglao that I (kase ako taga-decide eh! haha!) decided to change the plan. Plan B, roam around Bohol and see those tourist spots that were supposed to be visited in Day 1 :).

And so the itinerary for Day 2 was this:

After breakfast, we started off with the Bohol MisAdventures! :D We went out of the resort and looked for a habal-habal to take us to Hinagdanan Cave in Dauis. Didn’t expect the travel from Amorita Resort to Dauis to be that far!!! And it was so scorching hot!!! hehe!

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Hinagdanan Cave

This is still actually part of Panglao Island, but a little far from the beaches. Before we entered the cave, we had to pay for a Php15 entrance fee. And just when we started with a few steps down the cave, someone volunteered to accompany us and tour us around the cave, and he also volunteered to be our photographer! Hahaha! Echusero si kuya, pinakealaman pa ang settings ng camera ko! hahaha! His name is Joey.

The entrance of the cave is a hole of about 1 meter wide in diameter, visible from a limestone hill. Cemented steps lead to the interior of the cave. The cave is slippery, but there’s a railing to hold on to avoid accident due to the slippery stones of the cave. -Wikipedia

While we were inside the cave, Joey asked us to do a lot of poses inside the cave, parang nanggagago lang! hahaha! In fairness, ang dami naming tawa nung nasa loob kame ng cave. He asked us to do the Santino pose while the light from outside reflects above our head; FHM model pose; tap-the-water pose; at kung anu-anu pa! :D

Hinagdanan Cave is a naturally lighted cavern with a deep lagoon and many large stalactites and stalagmites. The cave is lit by sunlight which filters through holes in the ceiling. The underground lake is a popular swimming spot, but it has been known to test for high levels of various pollutants, since it is fed by ground runoff. -Wikipedia

There are also drawings on the walls of the cave that are believed to be made by the ancient dwellers.

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After Hinagdanan Cave, we walked our way again to find a vehicle to take us to Tagbilaran Bus Station (DAO) but couldn’t find one. So pikchuran muna habang nasa daan!

Finally, a van from the Pangalao Island Nature Resort and Spa stopped beside us and asked where we are going. Since the driver’s going to pass on the same route, he offered to take us to the bus station. Nakakakaba, pero pinatos na rin namin ang offer na yun, walang choice, wala talagang masakyan! :D

After about 15 minutes, he dropped us off at a trike station and asked a trike driver to take us to the bus station in DAO. Binigyan na lang namin ng TIP yung driver ng van for helping us get to the bus station haha! hay!

And then we took the Carmen-bound bus to take us to Loboc, thinking that the Tarsier sanctuary is just near the Loboc Church! hahaha! When we got off at Loboc, hindi pala dun yung tarsier sanctuary; we had to ride on a habal-habal to take us to barangay Candabong, where the Tarsier Conservation Area is located.

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Loboc Church
While we were in Loboc, we managed to get a few shots! :D

The Church of San Pedro in Loboc is the second oldest church in Bohol. It was originally built in 1602, but soon reduced to ashes. In 1638, a stronger one was built. Located near the river, it has survived a number of floods. Inside the church, you can admire some remarkable naive paintings on the ceiling. A Spanish coat of arms can be found in the stone wall near the entrance of the convent. The bell tower of Loboc is about 100 meters from the church. Attached to the building is a three storey convent, which today houses the Museo de Loboc on the third floor. This museum houses a few old statues of saints, and some other antique religious artifacts. -http://www.bohol.ph/article8.html

And then we continued our misadventure via a habal-habal that brought us to the Tarsier Conservation Area in barangay Candabong in Loboc.

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Tarsier Conservation Area

While we were in the conservation area, we noticed several guides surrounding the tarsier-inhabited spots, giving information about the tarsier, the new sanctuary and also guarding the small species from noise and camera flashes caused by the visitors. Having talked to one of the guides, we were informed that the tarsiers, about 150 of them, were recently transferred to that area in barangay Candabong.

According to a news story last July 24, 2011, The Protected Areas for Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) has finally decided to free the tarsiers in captivity even if the firms are still having permits. This came after a series of consultation meetings with the 12 wildlife farm permit (WFP) holders, local government units of Bohol, and other stakeholders, following a number of complaints that tarsiers have been mishandled while in captivity.

Bohol’s Tarsier – A cuddly-looking creature with soft, grayish-fur; about 100 millimeters in height; with rat-like tail which is longer than the body and bat-like ears, the Tarsier (Locally called the maomag). It thrives mostly in secondary dense forests with a diet of crickets, beetles, termites and other insects as well as small animals like lizards, frogs, and even small birds but has almost no natural enemies in the wild. Furthermore, this nocturnal creature has the unique ability of being able to turn its head 180 degrees as well as to jump backward with precision. Yet ironically, is listed as one of the country’s threatened species. -http://www.tarsierfoundation.org/the-tarsiers-of-bohol

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After our visit at the Tarsier sanctuary, we waited for a vehicle just outside of the area. It took us so long to have found a bus that’s bound for Tagbilaran, and it was so crowded that we had to stand during the entire trip! hahaha! with all the dress, hassle! ahahaha! :D It was a 45-minutes bus ride, torture lang. Aside from having to stand the entire 45-minute trip, sobrang init pa talaga kase crowded and syempre hindi air-conditioned ang bus! ehehe! pero ayus lang, ekspiryens! :D

We were supposed to get off at Bo-ol, that’s near the Blood Compact Site, but the kundoktor forgot to tell us when we were already in Bo-ol, so we went down at the wrong bus stop! rarr! :) Pero sige lang, that’s part of commuting in an unfamiliar place! :D So we had to hire a trike to take us to the Blood Compact Site and Baclayon Church.

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Baclayon Church

The Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Baclayon is considered to be one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. It is one of the best preserved Jesuit-built churches in the region, although in the 19th century; the Augustinian Recollects added a modern facade and a number of stone buildings that now surround the church.

Although Baclayon was the first seat of the Spanish Jesuit missionaries, fear of Moro marauders soon forced them to move their headquarters more inland, to Loboc. It was only in 1717 that Baclayon became a parish, and construction of a new church commenced. -http://www.bohol.ph/article8.html for more info.

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Blood Compact Site

Just a few minutes away from Baclayon is the Blood Compact Site.
Bohol’s Blood Compact Site is located in Barangay Bool, Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Philippines. This particular site was made in honor of a very important event in the Philippine history done between Miguel Lopez de Legazpi of Spain and Rajah Sikatuna of Bohol.

This Sikatuna-Legaspi blood compact is considered as the First Treaty of Friendship between two different races, religions, cultures and civilizations. It was a treaty of friendship based on respect and equality. This event is commonly known as “Sandugo”.

The Bohol Blood Compact sculpture was made by the National Artist, Napoleon Abueva, a Boholano himself. It is placed on an open and raised dais portraying five (5) life-sized images of men gathered around a table with Legazpi and Sikatuna supposedly making a toast. Standing on the dais, visitors are treated to a good view of the Bohol Sea and the contour of that particular side of the island of Bohol. -http://www.bohol-philippines.com/blood-compact-site.html

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After a few poses at the Blood Compact Site, we decided to head back to Island City Mall. We stayed took our dinner at the foodcourt, and I bought an extra memory card for my cam! hahaha naubusan! :D And then we went to the bus terminal to take the bus bound for Panglao! It was an hour trip back to Panglao (including waiting time for the bus to be fully-occupied).

But when we reached Amorita Resort, we still had the energy to do night swimming in the pool. We also went down to the beach to check on the night life. After swimming, we then prepared for the free massage at the resort!!! (Pics and details about the pool and massage will be included in a separate post!)

Such a long and tiring day! :D

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DIY: Part 1 of 3_Nakapag-BOHOL Dahil sa Raffle!

BACKPOSTING: 2011 Cebu-Bohol Weekend Getaway!

As mentioned in my previous post on a DIY sidetrip to Cebu, this one’s a free trip to Panglao dahil nanalo yung kasama ko (Jack) sa pa-raffle sa office. :)

Here’s our itinerary for Day 1 in Bohol!!!

As early as 5am, we went to Cebu Pier 1 to get our tix bound for Tubigon, Bohol. We purposely chose to get off at Tubigon so that we could pass by Carmen-Loboc on our way to Tagbilaran–the agreed pickup point for the free van transfer of Amorita‘s Resort.

The travel from Cebu to Tubigon Seaport was about an hour via Weesam Ferry. Upon reaching Tubigon, there were quite a number of pips who offered tour packages, but since we’re on a DIY trip, and our plan was to just commute our way to various tourist spots around Bohol, we just ignored those makukulit na nag-ooffer ng tour packages. Sorry.. :)

From the Tubigon Seaport, we embarked on a tricycle that took us to the bus station where there are trips bound for Carmen. One of the mukulit na guys from the seaport actually followed us (with his car) until we reached the bus station and got our seats in the bus, insisting his tour package! Hahaha! nakaka-ubos ng pasensya p’re! Pero poise lang, pa-simpleng reject! :) Kulit eh! ;p

Hassle-time! ehehe! We waited for quite a few minutes inside the bus, before all seats were occupied by passengers (of course) and off we travelled to Carmen! Warning: If you’re the traveler who doesn’t want to be hassled with commuting, this itinerary wouldn’t work for you :). It’s not the typical air-conditioned bus in Manila; the buses in Bohol are “mini-buses” that are not air-conditioned, so bawal maarte! ;p

It was an hour and 30 minutes ride from Tubigon to Carmen via the mini-bus. When we got off at Carmen at almost 9am, we looked for carinderia around the place to take our lunch before we take another bus to take us to the Chocolate Hills Complex. After taking our breakfast, we waited again for a bus bound for “Tagbilaran”. There’s no exact schedule of the bus trips, so you’ll have to be prepared for your schedule to be twisted a little :).

And then finally the bus bound for Tagbilaran arrived—punuan, siksikan! But we had to bear with the crowded bus, pero nakaupo naman kame. Make sure you tell the kundoktor or the driver to drop you off at Choco Complex hi-way. It took around 30 minutes before we reached the Choco Complex, then we’re ready for the hike up to the viewdeck!!! :D

There were actually a lot of habal-habal (motocycles) waiting at the bus drop-off point offering you a ride up to the view deck; I think the fare would be around P40-50. But we insisted on hiking the 2-km distance hahaha!

While we were walking our way to the viewdeck, we could already see some of the Choco Hills alongside the road. During that time, the hills were colored green because it was not dry season. Hiking with the backpack kinda hurt! ehehe! But we had to bear with it since we didn’t want a ride! haha! reklamadora! :D And we had to be extra careful ’cause there are blind curves; might be accidentally get hit by a vehicle! hehe!

After the 30-minute hike (about 2km distance), we still had to take the stairs up to the viewdeck! daheck! :D

It was just a few steps up; and along the way, you could already see a number of those chocolate hills. But the sight from the viewdeck is superb! :D

Since there were a lot of pips that day, we waited for our turn to cam-whore! :D We stayed at the viewdeck for just a little, just long enough to have done all those jumpshots and landscape shots ehehe! And then, we decided to make a descent back to the hi-way.

On our way down to the hi-way, a good fella in a van offered to give us a ride down to the hi-way! ehehe! :D nice! When we got off in the hi-way, we waited for a bus bound for Tagbilaran so we could get down at Loboc, but couldn’t find one. So we asked around for an alternative and the pips around said that we could take a jeepney. And so we found a jeepney boud for Loboc! It was a 45-minute ride and the fare was around Php27.

And then we reached Loboc, just in time for lunch! :D By the way, when we got off at Loboc (near the Church and near the bridge), we still had to ride on a habal-habal (motorcycle) to take us to where the river cruise starts.

There are a lot of floating restaurants that you could actually choose from; the rates are all the same, which is at Php400 (in August 2011). After a few minutes of waiting, we were on board and ready for the buffet lunch while on a river cruise! :D

The cruise slash buffet lunch lasts for about an hour. And while on board, you could see the rich lush vegetation surrounding the river. There were also groups of local “performers” in their balsa, entertaining those in the cruise. They sing and dance! ehehe! Kung tinamaan lang ako ng kawalang-hiyan, nakisayaw na rin siguro ako! ehehe! :D

There was also an acoustic band on board the floating resto singing those Sunday-classic-songs! Aliw lang, pwede mong sabayan ang kanilang pag-awit! hehe!

After an hour of cruising and eating, we were back on that same riverside where we started with the cruise. Hmmm the river cruise was kind of entertaining… But.. If you ask me about the food—normal lang, i mean, there was nothing special about the taste, mas masarap pa ang luto ng nanay ko! ehehe! :D

After taking pics of the bridge and the church, we waited…again for the nth time haha! We asked around on how we could get to Tagbilaran airport.. And luckily, a jeepney was nearby and was actually waiting for passengers bound for Tagbilaran. And so the commuting continued… :D

We were already late for the agreed meeting time in Tagbilaran airport ehehe! Pasaway! Didn’t expect Bohol to be such a big place haha! Ang lalayo ng mga papasyalan! :D And so it took us about an hour before we reached the Tagbilaran airport where Amorita’s driver was already waiting for us! Hehe!

When we finally met the driver, hayun! The donya life began! ehehe! It was about a 45-minute drive from Tagbilaran Airport to Panglao, pero ayus lang, naka-aircon na kames a wakas! :D And upon reaching the resort, iniisip lang naming maligo at magpahinga! Kaya heto, wala akong matinong picture ng room naming! Hahaha! Super tired with commuting around Bohol for almost the entire day! :D

Originally, we were supposed to continue with our city tour (Baclayon, Sandugo, Bohol Bee Farm), but we were super-duper tired! :D And I was also considering Jack’s having her “first day”—dysmenorrhea!! haha hassle for travelling ang may period!

After taking the shower, Jack took a nap while I went out of our room to check out Amorita’s facilities and view of Panglao Beach. It was almost sunset and I managed to get a few shots of the view. :) And after a while, I went back to the room and invited Jack to see the place as well.

And then we noticed those mountain bikes just near the lobby and asked the receptionist if we could use them. It was free for as long as you just bike around the compound of Amorita. But if you take the bike outside, rental rate is about Php150 per hour! ehehe! :D

And after all those activities (parang ang dami eh noh! ahaha!), we decided to take our dinner outside Amorita. We strolled around the place, madilim! :) Ewan ko ba, nung time nay un, brownout sa labas ng resort. So candle-light dinner ang drama namin that night. haha! :D

And after an hour, we headed back to the resort and decided to take a swim at the resort’s infinity pool. We didn’t have pics during that time, ewan, tinamad na mag-picture picture. hehe! Anyway, you could check out their website and browse over some photos. :)

After swimming, we then hit the bed for a good night sleep! :)
Ready for the 2nd day??!? [Post in-progress] :)

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Semirara Island Invasion: The Unong Lake that I Love

Being a field auditor gave me the opportunity to do out-of-town fieldwork; and one of the out-of-Manila clients that I’ve had is located in Semirara Island in Caluya, Antique. As mentioned in my previous post about Semirara, the island is the largest source of coal in the Philippines. But I’m not going to talk about my former client’s business as this blog post isn’t part of my Understanding the Business procedure hahaha! I’d just like to share my experience in this island and how this Unong Lake has captured my heart! Chos! :)

Seriously, Unong Lake, formerly Unong Mine Pit, is one the best spots in Semirara. It is located at the southern end of the island which has been rehabilitated after it approached the end of its economic life in 2000. Wait, UBT-mode again! ehehe! :D

Every time I go to this island for my fieldwork, I always take a chance at visiting this lake. Look!

And these lovely sunset shots! ayay! I simply couldn’t let the chances of getting sunset shots pass me by… :D

And these!!! <3

That’s how this place captured my heart. As simple as that! hehehe mababaw ang kaligayahan ko!
The Place—Tranquil… Solemn… and a very good place for sunset-watching! :) Kala ko hanggang dun lang yung kagandahan ng place! In October 2010, dinala kame sa kabilang side ng pit. Yun oh!

Hahayy na-amaze na naman ako sa lugar na ‘to! :D Simple joys again! Ang galing lang! And hindi pa dun natatapos ang view…We were just in time for the sunset nung araw na yun, pero hindi pala dun ang side ng sunset, but it reflected on the lake! Pink! :D

And these were taken after the sunset :)

In 2011, I got back to this place with a different team, and I didn’t notice any change. I still love the place just the same… :) Here are some pix that we got last October 2011:

…and we attempted a jumpshot and a “cliff shot”! ehehe! pumorma lang sa gilid ng cliff! :D

and it ended there.. that was my last visit in Semirara before I resigned in January 2012. :D

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2010: Tambay sa Tagaytay

Super Backposting: Sidetrip to Tagaytay after the Taal Adventure in 2010!

When: May 8, 2010
With whom: Officemates

After the tiring but fun Taal Adventure, we headed on to an officemate’s (Madam Wenda’s) house in Tagaytay, near the famous Tagaytay Picnic Grove. Dun na kame pinag-lunch sa bahay nila ehehehe! And then we spent the rest of the afternoon at their place—very nice house hehehe! :)

We were told by Madam Wenda’s mom that their house was used before in a telenovela (GMA 7 show i think) hehe! And we saw pix of local artists in their lovely home, perhaps during shoot. Galing lang! ehehe! Dito na kame tumambay for the rest of the afternoon, mga feeling artista na rin for having experienced being in this house! wehehe! (Pag nakita ‘to ni Ms. Wenda, patay! :p) What we did was pikchuran at tambay lang sa labas ng bahay.

Sarap lang talagang tumambay dito. Nakakatuwa, madaming magagandang bulaklak sa garden. Ta’s yung location ng bahay, yung sa hill, wala, hayy wala, maganda! :D

Habang tumatambay, I grabbed the opportunity to try some aperture-priority shots—subject ko mga bulaklak sa garden ehehe! :D

Just in front of their house, is the Morning Side Hills Hotel, which is owned by their family! oh ha! bongga! So, to anybody who happens to pass by this blog, and plans to stay in Tagaytay, their hotel is a good choice kase malapit lang sa mga papasyalan. [nag-advertise pa eh! :p]

Didn’t have much pic at their hotel, umupo lang kame dun at nanuod ng tv hehe! Nagpalipas-oras before we headed to Picnic Grove!

After all the pagtatambay sa bahay and hotel, we decided to go to Picnic Grove. Konting lakad lang palabas ng Mendoza Street, then we walked for a few minutes, narating na namin ang Picnic Grove. It was my first time to go to Picnic Grove hahaha kaya we tried the Zipline! weee! ahahaha simple joys! :D

Then, we waited for the sunset…

…and then there’s the sunset! <3

And then we went back to Madam’s house. Rested for a while… Ta’s kain na naman, bago kame ihatid sa Olivarez Plaza, where we waited for a bus going to Baclaran. Tapos two-hour drive and we’re home again! :D

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2010: All the way to Taal…

Super Backposting: 2010 Taal Volcano Adventure and Sidetrip to Tagaytay!

Date: May 8, 2010
With whom: Office Batchmates

Sunud-sunod ang gala namin nung May 2010—just a week after the trip to Pagsanjan Falls, we headed again to the South! This time, na-tripan naming puntahan yung Taal Volcano in Batangas. We met at around 6am somewhere in Las Pinas, then we headed to Tagaytay (near Picnic Grove ) to meet with our tour guide—a cousin of another officemate. After a 2-hour drive, we arrived in Tagaytay and drove again all the way to Taal Lake.

After more than 30 minutes, we were all ready to hop into the banca and sail across the Taal Lake! :)

It was about a 20-minute ride before we reached the shores of Taal Lake. When we got off, madaming nakaabang na mga tao na nag-offer na sumakay kame ng kabayo, kase malayo daw yung lalakarin naming at sobrang init at maalikabok yung daan papuntang viewdeck ng Taal Volcano Crater! At first, we were hesitant, thinking na kaya naming lakarin yun! Isa pa, nagtitipid kame eh! ehehe! But then, after a few minutes of finalizing our plan, we decided to “rent a horse” hehe! And so off we went with the horse ride! Yah tigidig! ehehe!

It was not the normal horse ride—horse walk lang, slow-paced! Para lang kame namamasyal sa park! :) Totoo nga, sobrang init nung lalakarin papuntang crater! And oh by the way, it was my first time to ride on a horse, di ko kase ni-try dati sa Baguio, di ko trip! ehehe! So sa first time kong ‘to, kabado! It was a bit scary thinking kung panu na lang kung biglang nagtatakbo yung kabayo, may mga bangin kaming dinadaanan! ehehe! deads for sure! :) So nung sobrang kabado na’ko at hindi ko na maitago, sumakay na rin yung guide sa kabayo! ehehe!

After about 15 minutes, we reached the viewdeck of the Taal Volcano Crater! Ambilis lang pala—kase nga naka-kabayo kame! ehehe!

Pikchuran ever! hehehehe!
Here’s how the crater looks like from the viewdeck! :)

We rested and cam-whored at the viewdeck. Accordingly, to be able to get down at the mouth of the crater, we have to trek for a couple of minutes and the trail is a little steeper. We didn’t attempt to go down at the mouth of the crater, mukhang okey na kames a may viewdeck ehehe! Perhaps, I was less adventurous then! :)

There are souvenir items (e.g., shirts and keychains) at the viewdeck, but we haven’t bought one ehehe! Nagpahinga lang talaga kame sa may viewdeck eh! At nagkulitan at chikahan. So after a about an hour, we decided to start our descent back to Taal Lake. :)

The trail down was super scary—ang tarik! Ang nakakatakot dun ay yung pagbaba ng kabayo, parang feeling ko masusubsob nako sa sobrang tarik ng daanan! At isa pa, mabato din pala yung daan na yun, kaya struggle yung mga kabayo sa’min! hahahaha!

Matapos ang lahat, sunug na sunog na kame! ehehe! Di na kame nagtagal sa may shore, dere-derecho na kame sa pagsakay sa banca pabalik dun sa may isang private resort nung kamag-anak ng tour guide namin.

Ang aga, tapos na agad ang gala! :) Pero we didn’t go home yet. We decided to go back to Tagaytay, where we actually waited for our tour guide that morning. …at kami’y Tumambay sa Tagaytay! :D

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2009 CamSur Barkadahan: Island-Hopping in Caramoan

Super Backposting: CamSur and Naga post-busy season trip last 2009! :)

Actually, this trip happened the weekend after the Pagudpud outing! hahaha! Sinagad ang 2009 post-busy season gala eh! hahay! kaya wala na akong isusunog pa!!! :D Long weekend kase kaya di dapat palampasin yung pagkakataon! ahaha!:p Thursday night, June 11, nung bumyahe kame via bus (sa may Cubao) papuntang Naga. Syempre, nagtrabaho muna kame nun hanggang 5:30pm haha! pasaway lang! :D

It was a 9-hour bumpy bus ride from Manila to Naga (kase ba naman, sa dulung-dulo kameng apat umupo! ayaw maghiwa-hiwalay! ;p). Lazy boy naman yung seats pero di pa rin komportable lalo na sa mga lubak-lubak na daan! ehehe! :D After the 9-hour land trip, nakarating din ng Naga!!! Good thing is, may sumundo samin sa bus station, a former office batchmate and tropa. At dun na rin kame nagbreakfast sa bahay nila, before we headed to Caramoan! :)

Right after breakfast, hinatid kame ng kuya ni Janice (the batchmate from Naga), papuntang Sabang Port, kung sa’n kame sasakay ng banca papuntang Caramoan! :) Sabi sa kwento hehehe bubuhatin daw ung mga pasahero sa may port para mkasakay sa banca, buti na lang, ibang part ng Port ung pinuntahan namin hahaha! walang hassle sa “human transport” na yun; kung saka-sakali, baka hindi ako kakayanin ng magbubuhat sa’kin (super chubbiness pa kase ko nun! wehehe!)

At around 9am, we were already boarding the banca from Sabang Port in Naga to Guijalo Port, Caramoan:

It was almost a 2-hour boat ride to Guijalo Port where we were welcomed by our tour guide/trike driver, Kuya Jay. He drove us to Rex Inn, where we were supposed to stay, but unfortunately, when we reached the Inn, fully-booked na ang mga rooms! I don’t know why that happened, eh reserved tour naman kame! :)

We took our lunch at Rex’s and after that, we were brought to a private house (owned by a Brgy. Official—I forgot the exact name of our hosts hahaha!) where we stayed for the duration of our Caramoan trip.

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[Sa time na 'to, di pa ako ganun ka-hilig sa photography, kaya most of our pics ay puro mga sarili namin! hahaha hindi pictures ng lugar!!! =p]

ISLAND-HOPPING!!!

Ewan ko ba, pero lagi na lang sa mga out-of-town trips naming magkaka-batch eh laging umuulan!!! hahaha! Day 1 in Caramoan, umuulan! :D Anyway, tuloy pa rin ang island hopping kahit na umuulan!! Wapakels na sa malalaking waves! :D

So at around past 2pm after lunch, we started off with the island-hopping activity!

First stop @ 3:30pm: Lahos Island!

This spot has white fine sand and is surrounded by limestone rock formations! Nagbabad lang kame ng konti, ta’s pikchuran sa mga batuhan… And how could we let a jumpshot pass? hayan, talon lang! :D

Next stop for the day @ 4pm, Matukad Island!

Matukad Island is a few minutes away from Lahos–this spot also has white sand and a few rock formations.  When we got to this place, there were some “structures” that, accordingly, were used by the Survivor (I forgot which country! hahaha! yay! problem with backposting! :p).  Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take pictures of the said “structures”! :)

After some swimming and picture-taking, we decided to head back home.  Since Day 1′s weather was not that friendly, medyo malalakas yung alon at sobrang maalog yung boat ride pabalik, that we needed to make a detour hehehe!  Nakakanerbyos, in fairness! hahaha! Napapasukan na ng tubig yung banca namin! ..pero we survived! ehehe! :D

3rd pic above: On our way to Rex’s, naglakad kame sa may bandang paakyat na daanana dahil hindi kame kinayanan ng tricycle!!! hahaha! hayan!  Masaya naman ang unang araw sa Caramoan, kaso napaaga ang tulog namin, kase may nabad-trip na isa…ummm napikon sa pang-aasar kaya minabuti na naming matulog na lang para sa maagang trip kinabukasan! :)

Second Day, First Stop: Caglago Mountain in Tagbon, Caramoan!

7am pa lang, reding-ready na kame for the second part of the island-hopping! Pero dahil sa matagal yung driver namin, mga around 8:30am na kame nakarating sa isla kung sa’n yung grotto ng Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.  And we started off with the hiking at around 8:45am already.

It was a 500+-step hike  before we reached the highest point of Caglago at about 9:20am, where the statue of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary is situated.  Nakakapagod!!! Sobra! I can’t remember how many times we stopped because we were thirsty and tired already, plus it was scorching hot! haha! kahapon reklamo sa ulan, tas ngaun, reklamo sa init! :D  Basta, pagkadating sa taas, napahiga ako sa damuhan sa sobrang pagod hahaha! :D

In fairness, maganda ang view from top.  This sacred place is also a perfect spot to get a view of what Caramoan can offer to tourists.  Sayang, wala akong magandang shot! hahaha! hmp! :)

After an hour, at aorund 10:20am, we started descending.  This time, medyo hindi na ganun ka-nakakapagod hehehe!  Pero wag ka, nakakanginig-tuhod pa rin ang pagbaba.  Sa ‘kin di naman mashadong halata, pero sa kasama ko, hahahaha! nginig sobra! :p

Next stop, Manlawi Island!

Teka, ang maalala ko lang dito ay yung sobrang init na naramdaman ko! haahah! wahhh! we reached this island at noon time, so sobrang nakatutok yung araw sa mga bumbunan namin! hehehe but look at us! keri pa din ang paglangoy sa ilalim ng haring araw! :D

This spot’s got a long stretch of white to off-white shore…Sarap din mag-swimming, kung di lang talaga sobrang init eh magbababad talaga ako sa dagat,  Kitam, at naka-lifevest pa talaga kame habang nagsuswimming! hahaha mababaw lang yan, sa totoo lang! :D Oks din mag-emote shot dito sa islang to! :D

We had our lunch on this island na rin before we proceeded to Manlawi Sandbar at around 1:15pm!

One of my favorite spots in Caramoan!!! Super low tide nung time na yun that all we could see is a wide stretch of fine white sand! Feeling ko nasa basang dessert kame nung time na yun! ehehe! :D  Sarap pikchuran eh! Kaso nga, lowtek lang yung cam ko dati, kaya di naja-justify ng pictures ko yung kagandahan ng place.  Pero talaga, eto yung isa sa mga paborito kong lugar sa Caramoan! :D

After cam-whoring at Manlawi, we headed on to this island called the Long Beach (yan, hindi ko sure kung tama ba pagkaalala ko sa pangalan ng island na ‘to! hehehe sorry po!).  There were some Survivor “structures” also on the shores when we got to this island.  Ta’s marami na ring groups of island-hoppers yung nadatnan namin sa island na ‘to.

Pikchuran ever! At nang mapagod na kame, uwian na! :D

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RELATED POSTS

CORON: Island Hopping and Snorkeling Even if it’s Raining!

Semirara Island Invasion: LIFE SA BEACH!

escapaDORA’s TRAVELs

2009 Post-Busy Season Outing in Ilocos

SUPER BACKPOSTING: 2009 Cluster Outing in Ilocos! :)

It has been a tradition that a cluster outing is being organized right after the so-called busy season; and during 2009, our summer outing was held at Pagudpud, IlocosNorte!!! :) I rarely join in my cluster outing, but that year, I was excited for the Pagudpud trip as I’ve been wanting to see the place! :D

When: June 5-7, 2009 – Right after I got back from a 2-week vacation leave, which I spent in my hometown, Zamboanga City
With Whom: JDC Clustermates

I won’t be detailing on the activities that we’ve had and all the aberyas that we’ve experienced during this trip, as I can hardly recall all of the details! hahaha! —the bad side about backposting! I’d just like to show the places that we’ve visited in Ilocos, and a brief description of them. Copy-paste hahahaha! :D

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FORT ILOCANDIA

Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel is a 4 star hotel situated in Barrio Calayab, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. It is a 10-minute drive from Laoag International Airport. The resort has 267 rooms with private balconies offering a view of the sea and possessing the features and qualities of Ilocano century-old living quarters and constructed to accentuate the antiquity of a colonial house.
http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Fort_Ilocandia_Resort_Hotel

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CAPE BOJEADOR LIGHTHOUSE

It was raining so hard during our trip to Pagudpud, kaya di kame mashado nakapagpikchur ng maayus-ayus. Then during the time that we visited Cape Bojeador, the door to the top of the lighthouse was closed, so hanggang hagdan na lang ang pagpipikchur namin! hehehe! Marami pang pix, like overlooking the sea from the lighthouse pero di ko na kase mahanap ang ibang mga pictures, binura ko na ata yung iba! haha!

The Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, also known as the Burgos Lighthouse in Burgos is another important landmark in Ilocos Norte much like the Sta. Monica Parish Church in Sarrat, with both being centuries old. The lighthouse was constructed during the Spanish colonial period in the country.
According to Wikipedia “The Cape Bojeador lighthouse was part of the Spanish government’s master plan of illuminating the Philippine archipelago. The project commenced with the execution of the lighthouses in the northern and western part of the Philippines and those around Iloilo and Cebu. The Burgos lighthouse was first lit on March 30, 1892.”
http://www.altumviditur.com/2011/03/30/cape-bojeador-lighthouse-burgos-ilocos-norte/

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VILLA DEL MAR IVORY BEACH RESORT

This is where we stayed for the duration of our trip. Beach games were also held in this beach hehehe! Pink Team hooray!! :D

Maganda yung sand, maganda yung beach, pero nakakatakot lang, parang biglang-lalim agad kahit sa may bandang shore pa lang. :)

Villa Del Mar has been accredited as a Class “A” resort by the Department of Tourism (DOT). At present the resort has 30 rooms which can accomodate around 130 guests. Other facilities and services include swimming pool, canteen and restaurant with WIFI access, mini bar, souvenir shop, picnic areas, multi-purpose pavilion, mini-plaza, parking area, car rental, guided tours and outdoor sports. Activities in the resort are swimming, snorkeling, fishing, boat riding, beach volleyball, badminton, billiards, videoke, board games and mahjong. During summer, the resort conducts beach parties like bikini open, live bands, discos and cocktail parties. Annually, VDM also holds beauty pageants for different universities, company seminars and is lately becoming a popular wedding venue. ~ http://www.villadelmarpagudpud.com/

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MAIRA-IRA BEACH / BLUE LAGOON

Sarap mag-swimming sa beach na ‘to!!! :D Dito rin kame nag-banana boat ride (my first time! ahaha!), sarap!! We requested though na ‘wag kaming ihulog habang nasa banana boat, mahirap kaya akyatin ulit ‘pag nalaglag! hahaha! kaya kapit to the max para hindi malaglag! :p I love the aquamarine color of the water, nung nasa malalim na kame, sarap tumalon, pero takot ako! haha!

Daming options sa beach na ‘to: pwede din mag-kayak. Others opted for the banca-ride going to another island–sayang! ba’t ko ba pinalampas yung pagkakataong yun! tsk!

Maira-ira point is the name given to Luzon mainland’s northernmost tip. Nestled in its confines is an unspoiled, white-sand cove that has yet to become popular with the mainstream beach-combing crowd. The beach is known simply as Maira-ira or blue lagoon. On calm days, when the notorious Ilocos surf is taking a break, the waters off the cove can be still as a pond, mirroring the azure sky to form a stunning blue loch. The sparkling fine sand is even better than its well-known neighbor, Saud beach (or Pagudpud). With virtually no tourist accommodations, save for a couple of simple nipa huts, the whole place exudes a charm of isolation. Hemmed by hills around its perimeter, swimming and basking on the crescent cove can be a very private experience. It is a serene place, lending much to the feeling of being at the frontier.
More info on http://www.waypoints.ph/detail_gen.php?wpt=maira.

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BANTAY-ABOT CAVE

We passed along the Patapat Viaduct to get to Bantay-Abot Cave. :)

They call this a cave but it is more of a mountain with a hole. Bantay Abot Cave is just a few minutes away from Blue Lagoon and it is a worthy stop-over when you head to the beach. The cave has a lustrous vegetative cover on top and a door-like opening on the middle of the mountain. Inside the cave, you can hear the waves as they splash on the rocks of the mountain.
http://www.villadelmarpagudpud.com/

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KABIGAN FALLS

We hiked for about 30 minutes to from the entrance going to the falls, kasama na picture-taking dun! hehehe! Pinalagpas ko na naman ang pagkakataong maligo sa falls, kase nahahassle-lan ako sa pagpapalit ng damit; sabi kase bawal sumakay sa bus pag basa! Yun pala, pwede naman, basta wag lang umupo! ehehe! tsk!

Kabigan Falls is an enchanting falls located at the eastern part of Barangay Balaoi and it is around 1.8 kilometers away from the national highway. This 80 feet waterfall is surrounded by thick forest and well-known for its concaved basin.
http://www.mukamo.com/gallery/?a=kabigan-falls-pagudpud-ilocos-norte

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PAOAY CHURCH

First stop on our way back to Manila!

Paoay Church is the Roman Catholic parish church of the municipality of Paoay, Ilocos Norte in the Philippines. Completed in 1710, the church is famous for its distinct architecture highlighted by the enormous buttresses on the sides and back of the building. In 1993, the church was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as one best examples of the Baroque Churches of the Philippines.

Paoay church is prime example of Earthquake Baroque architecture, which is the Philippine interpretation of the European Baroque adapted to the seismic condition of the country. Destructive earthquakes are common and have destroyed earlier churches all throughout the country. Aside from Baroque, the church facade also exudes Javanese architecture reminiscent of Borobudur of Java.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paoay_Church

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MARCOS MAUSOLEUM

Just a short stop at this site:

The Marcos Museum and Mausoleum integrates both memorabilia storage and the current resting place of Ferdinand Edralin Marcos. It is situated in the heart of Batac City, Ilocos Norte. The museum shows memorabilia of the late president, from his stint in the armed forces down to his presidency. The large and solemn mausoleum contains the glass-encased coffin in which Marcos’ embalmed body has been on public display since shortly after his remains were brought home in 1993.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcos_Museum_and_Mausoleum

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There are still a lot to see in Ilocos that were not included in our trip’s itinerary. On our way back to Manila, we could have made a stop in Bangui to see the Bangui Windmills, pero ewan, wala ng energy ang mga pips hahaha! sobrang hangover kase sa i-session the night before. Kahit ako man, sobrang sama ng pakiramdam ko sa buong byahe: yung feeling na nasusuka pero walang lumalabas! yung tipong bawat dighay mo, lasang vodka! ehehe! Dun ko unang isinumpa ang vodka! hahaha!

Bangui Wind Farm is a wind farm in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. The wind farm uses 20 units of 70-metre (230 ft) high Vestas V82 1.65 MW wind turbines, arranged on a single row stretching along a nine-kilometer shoreline off Bangui Bay, facing the South China Sea. –http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangui_Wind_Farm

Other places that you could visit in Ilocos are the:
Kapurpurawan Rock Formation in Burgos, Ilocos Norte – Read this post from Ironwulf! :) hahay!
Baluarte in Vigan, Ilocos Sur

I hope I could go back to Ilocos, nang mapuntahan ko yang mga yan! :D

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RELATED POSTS

Pagsanjan Falls Experience

North-Bound 2.1: SAGADA – Bomod-ok, Sinakop!

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DIY: Half-day Unguided Cebu City Tour

BACKPOSTING: 2011 Cebu-Bohol Weekend Getaway!

I was just invited by Jack to accompany her to Bohol, because she won the Panglao Trip for Two during our company’s 65th anniversary last August. Being a kaladkarin, agad-agad naman akong pumayag! ehehe! libreng trip na yun eh! @_@ Nahiya naman ako di ba, so I was the one who made all the arrangements, (i.e., finalizing the date of the trip, getting our flight sched and all, coming up with an itinerary—kase yung free lang talaga sa prize na yun ay tix and accommodation at Panglao).

Since malapit na ang Cebu sa Bohol, I decided to include the Cebu side-trip in the itinerary, and I came up with this one:

Research ng research, reading other blogs, just to come up with a sulit trip. It’s my second time in Cebu, the first time was during college (part of our Management class requirement or something); pero de-film pa yung litrato nun, kaya wala na’kong mashadong kopya—kaya heto, na-tripan kong balikan yung mga dating napuntahan! :D

Medyo sagad yung schedule namin from Tagbilaran to Cebu—no room for delayed flights! Pero annyare??! Delayed ng mga around 30 minutes yung paglapag ng eroplano sa Tagbilaran airport, kase “crowded” ata nun sa runway! Hay ewan, paikot-ikot yung plane around Bohol habang inaantay ma-clear yung lalapagan. Kaya eto, aerial shots muna ng Chocolate Hills!!! :D

When we finally set foot at Tagbilaran Airport, we hurriedly ran our way to find a trike to take us to Tagbilaran Seaport; oh the hassle! Buti na lang, naka-backpack lang kame, madaling kumilos! ehehe! Soon enough, we found a trike, and after haggling with the driver, we agreed at a fair fare! ‘Lam ko kase malapit lang ang seaport sa airport eh, so di pwedeng pa-loko sa driver! :D Caution: Be careful of those drivers that, knowing you are tourists, take advantage and overprice the fare!

Sabi na eh, malapit lang yung seaport sa airport..pero okay na rin yung P20 each na fare, TIP na lang sa driver! We were just in time for Weesam Ferry’s trip to Cebu! Hooray! You may click this link to help you out in the scheduling of your trip! :D

Hello Cebu!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hanginnettt! ehehe! From Cebu Seaport, we walked our way to Sugbutel kahit super init! :D Tipid-trip nga eh! Exercise na lang ‘to! :) Konting lakad lang, Sugbutel na! :)

And here’s a how Sugbutel looks like:

Shared room ang economy class, backpacker na backpacker ang dating namin! ‘stig! hahaha! perstaym ko mag-stay sa gan’to sa mga tour! ehehe saya lang! :) #simple joys! Php250 per night ang rate dito, keri lang! The place’s safe, ayus yung interior and malinis, in fairness! So after making all the arrangements with the receptionist, nilapag lang namin ang aming backpack, then gala na!!!

Just outside Sugbutel, we waited for a jeepney to take us to our first stop, Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. You can ask the guards outside Sugbutel to guide you as to which jeepney you should ride into, to take you to the right place hahaha!

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CEBU METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL

From Wikipedia:
The Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral is the ecclesiastical seat of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cebu in Cebu, Philippines. Cebu was established as a diocese on August 14, 1595. It was elevated as a metropolitan archdiocese on April 28, 1934 with the dioceses of Dumaguete, Maasin, Tagbilaran, and Talibon as suffragans.

The architecture of the church is typical of Spanish colonial churches in the country, namely, squat and with thick walls to withstand typhoons and other natural calamities. The facade features a trefoil-shaped pediment, which is decorated with carved relieves of floral motifs, an IHS inscription and a pair of griffins. The Spanish Royal Coat of Arms is emblazoned in low relief above the main entrance, reflecting perhaps the contribution of the Spanish monarch to its construction.

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After visiting Cebu Metropolitan Church, we decided to take our late lunch sa tabi-tabi; we found this carienderia, a few steps away from the church ehehe! After a few minutes, we headed on to our next stop:

BASILICA DEL STO. NIÑO

I managed to get a few shots, super crowded ang place nun, kase pala it’s Sunday! Plus, medyo na-hahassle-lan ako mag-pikchur nung time na yun, kaya heto lang nakuha ko:

From Wikipedia:
The Minor Basilica of the Santo Niño or Basilica Minore del Santo Niño is a 16th century church in Cebu City in the Philippines. It was built purportedly on the spot where the image of the Santo Niño, a sculpture depicting the Holy Child Jesus found by Spanish explorers in 1565 preserved in a burned wooden box which was left behind during the 1521 Magellan expedition.

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After saying our short prayer, we headed on to the next stop. The Church’s really crowded that we hardly made our way out. hehehe!

MAGELLAN’S CROSS

From Wikipedia:
Magellan’s Cross is a Christian cross planted by Portuguese, and Spanish explorers as ordered by Ferdinand Magellan upon arriving in Cebu in the Philippines on (depending on source) April 14 or 21, 1521.

This cross is housed in a chapel next to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño on Magallanes Street (Magallanes being the Spanish name of Magellan), just in front of the city hall of Cebu City. A sign below the cross describes the original cross is encased inside the wooden cross that is found in the center of the chapel. This is to protect the original cross from people who chipped away parts of the cross for souvenir purposes or in the belief that the cross possesses miraculous powers. Some people, however, believe that the original cross had been destroyed or had disappeared after Magellan’s death, and the cross is a replica that was planted there by the Spaniards after they successfully colonized the Philippines.

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Hesitant at first, tinuloy-tuloy na rin namin ang lakaran until we reached Plaza Independencia and Fort San Pedro!!! Andun na eh, sagarin na kahit mainit! :)

PLAZA INDEPENDENCIA

According to a source:
Plaza Independencia is the most historically significant plaza in Cebu. Its land and age-old acacia trees are witness to the many phases and stories of Cebu’s rich history. The plaza is strategically located between Fort San Pedro and the building that used to be the Gobierno Provincial in the downtown area of Cebu. The plaza is a popular hangout for many living or working around the area. It is one huge garden filled with trees, ornamental plants and flowers. There is also a public skating rink and a kiosk at the center of the circular skating rink. An obelisk dedicated to the memory of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the first Spanish governor-general of the Philippines, is planted at the very heart of the plaza.

FORT SAN PEDRO

From Wikipedia:
Fort San Pedro or Fuerza de San Pedro is a military defence structure, built by Spanish and indigenous Cebuano labourers under the command of Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi and the Spanish Government in Cebu. It is located in the area now called Plaza Indepedencia, in the Pier Area of Cebu City, Philippines. The smallest, oldest triangular bastion fort in the country was built in 1738 to repel Muslim raiders. In turn, it served as a stronghold for Filipino revolutionaries near the end of the 19th entury. This served as the nucleus of the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines.

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We didn’t get inside the museum anymore, kase may bayad! hahahaha! And also, we wanted to catch up with our schedule. So off we went to the Taoist Temple after some picture-taking at the Fort :) Initial plan was to take 2-jeepney rides to the temple, pero naha-hassle-lan na kame, so we decided to take a taxi. The Taoist Temple in Beverly Hills is quite far from the Fort; inabot kame ng about Php140 papunta dun.

THE TAOIST TEMPLE

Actually, we were a few minutes to an hour ahead of our schedule kaya natuwa kame…Initially, 5:15pm sa sched, pero 4:05pm pa lang, ready na kame mag-Taoist Temple! After a 15-minute ride from the fort to the temple, aba eh! Isang masaklap na balita bumulaga samin pagkababa ng taxi: 4:30 po ang closing time ng temple!!! anu daw???! wahhh!!! “Manong Guard, may 10 minutes pa o!!!” . So nagmakaawa kame sa labas ng gate, along with some other pips na kakarating lang din…Haist! Pinayagan kame pumasok, pero sa isang side lang…Di ko na nakita yung dating dinaanan namin nung unang pagdalaw ko dito sa temple, yung may malaking dragon! wahhh!! kaya gan’to lang mga pictures namin:

From Wikipedia:
Built in 1972, the Cebu Taoist Temple is located in Beverly Hills Subdivision in Cebu City, Philippines. The temple was built by Cebu’s substantial Chinese community. With an elevation of 300 meters above sea level, the temple is a towering, multi-tiered, multi-hued attraction accessible by three separate winding routes.

Unlike the neighboring Phu Sian Temple, the Taoist temple is open to the worshipers and non-worshipers alike. A ritual among devotees is where one prays to the gods to grant one’s wish. The ritual includes washing of hands, going inside the chapel barefoot and dropping two blocks of wood. If the blocks of wood are both face up then one could make a wish. If not then it is not yet the time for one’s wish to be granted and one has to come to the temple some other time.

Sadness! :( Photo op na sana un o! hmp! The temple closes at 4:30 on Sundays and at about 5pm on other days.

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So we had no choice but to stick to the rules: the temple’s gate closes at 4:30 on a Sunday, period! Sayang ang pamasahe o, tinaxi pa naman namin papuntang Beverly Hills! ehehe! So bumalik na nga lang kame… On our way down from the temple, we met a guy that led our way to a jeepney station kung sa’n daw kame pwedeng sumakay papuntang Larsian (kainan)… Nag-short-cut kame somewhere just to get to that station! Sorry, I forgot to take note of the street na dinaanan namin, medyo kabado kase ako nun kase a total stranger (isang malaking mama!) walked with us (pero actually, nauuna syang maglakad) to a place we didn’t know. Pero yun, pure intention naman pala, nakasakay naman kame sa jeep na byaheng Robinson’s Cebu—which is near Larsian.

After a few minutes, sabi nya baba na daw kame, Rob Cebu na kase…Yun! Robinson’s na! Then the guy just instructed us on where to pass by to get to Larsian’s, kaya heto, nakarating kame sa fufood-tripan namin ng safe. Pero pagpasok namin ng around 5:15pm, medyo nagpiprepare pa lang yung mga stalls…napaaga pa ata kame for dinner! hahaha! So we decided to pass the time off at Robinson’s… Upo lang kame sa mall, resting our tired feet! hahaha! nakakapago din maglibot sa Cebu ng buong hapon! ehehe! At about 6pm, we went back to Larsian’s para mag-foodtrip na!!!

Hayun o! Super busog ako sa dami ng rice na kinain ko! hahah! Foodtrip kung foodtrip to!!! :D Busssoogg!! Burp! After this overwhelming dinner, we decided to take the cab back to Sugbutel… :D Tapos, rest, ligo, then ready to sleep na in preparation for an early trip back to Bohol! :D

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Such a tiring day, but all good! :) A half-day DIY tour isn’t enough to see all the interesting spots in Cebu!!! Hayyst… Dami pa sana, pero kapos sa oras at budget eh! ehehe! Nung perstaym ko, napuntahan ko na yung Lapu Lapu City, tapos yung mga pagawaan ng multi-cab, yung mga madaming gitara, at kung anu-ano pa na hindi ko na matandaan! hahaha!

Pero eto, the next time I’ll visit Cebu, pupuntahan ko’ng mga ‘to:
- Bantayan Island!!! —beach bummin’!
- Sky Experience Adventure

Hoorrrayyy!!! :D

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RELATED POSTS

CORON: Last Day

DIY: Part 1 of 3_Nakapag-BOHOL Dahil sa Raffle!

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Zambales 3 of 3: Lunes na Lunes sa Capones

Again, I’m posting our Pundaquit-Anawangin-Capones Trip details :)

WHEN: Long Weekend – 2011 October 30-31
WITH WHOM: High school classmates

TOUR ORGANIZER/S and CONTACT NUMBERS:
Jherwyn (Main contact) – +63922-8132080 (facebook link: Jherwyn Anawayne Delavin)
Arman (Owner of boat and camping gear) – +63917-5671359
Manong Rudy (trike driver/tour guide) – +63918-7670982

THE ITINERARY (Pundaquit-Anawangin-Capones)

Anawangin-Capones Itinerary :)

THE EXPENSES

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PART 3 OF 3: LUNES NA LUNES SA CAPONES!

We had a not-so-goodnight sleep! Hahaha! It was so windy that once in a while I was awakened by thoughts of our tent being blown away by the strong wind! Kalurky! Yung feeling na bumabagyo na and all, ta’s paggising sa umaga, maayos naman ang panahon! Super lakas lang talaga ng hangin pala dito sa Anawangin! Haha!

7 am, and we’re already preppin’ for the Capones Island hopping! (island-hopping talaga ang term eh—isang island lang naman ang dadalawin namin before we go back to Manila). Guess nyo anu ulam namin for breakfast! Tuna ulit—kelangan pa bang i-memorize yan?!! ehehe! Dahil gusto namin ng bagong lutong tuna, inistorbo na naman namin si Manang Langga!

Jillian and I went to Manang Langga’s house at dun namin niluto yung tuna… Kala ng Manong dun sa bahay ni Manang Langga ay pagkain ng aso ang niluluto namin!!! Hahaha! yung lalagyan kase ata namin ay para sa pagkain ng aso!!! Syet!!! (see my post on Anawanin—ung nag-iisang picture dun ng pagkain! nyahahaha!) Bunch of losers!!! :D Buti na lang, hindi kame maselan! Charr!

9 am na, we’re done with our breakfast and done with packing up. Yey! and Mang Rudy was just in time for the island-hopping! As usual, si Mang Rudy na naman ang nagligpit ng tent, kase hindi kame marunong magtupi boohoo! Just as we’re all ready to leave Anawangin, Manang Langga once again made sure we’re still okay hehehe! and before we hopped on to the banca, she kissed us on the cheek yay! Hangsweet lang! :D

All throughout our stay in Anawangin, Manang Langga never failed to be a mother to us! Nux! :D Maybe because we can speak her dialect, which is Visaya. Plus, according to her, I look like her daughter-in-law, kaya siguro gustong-gusto nya kame! :D swerte! ;)

‘twas a 45-minute super-hot-kinda-bumpy-and-splashy ride from Anawangin to Capones! Hunggginetttt lang!!! Kaya todo-cover ng mga mukha namin, kala nyo naman kung sinong mga kutis poselana! Hahaha! super init lang talaga kase, masakit pa rin kahit maitim ang balat! ;) After 45 minutes, there’s Capones!!! Tadahhh!! We were welcomed by this sight; with other campers trying to find shade under big rocks! Hehehe pramis, sobrang init, masakit! Then, we started off with our little hike to the Capones Lighthouse!

The hike was really a torture!!! nyehehe! Hindi sa nag-iinarte, pero kase ang inet na nga ng araw sa ulo, pati yung buhangin na dinadaanan namin ay soooobrrrrannnggg init din! Ayus lang sana, kaso yung buhangin na tipong lulubog yung mga paa mo sa sobrang buhaghag nila! :D boom! reklamadora!

On our way to the lighthouse, we passed by this spot where there were a lot of slippers! Sa isip-isip namin “baka tsinelas yan ng mga nalunod na sa islang ‘to!” ehehe! scary! :D Pramis, dami talaga!

The trail’s rocky and a bit slippery, and as we neared the lighthouse, the trail becomes steeper; but there’s a rope which you can get a grip of when you reach that part of the trail na medyo mahirap akyatin. I was careful enough not to strain my right knee, parang sasakit na naman kase eh!

Pero, in fairness it was all worth it. Ewan ko, nagandahan ako dun sa dagat papuntang lighthouse, pero walang naliligo! ehehe! After a few more steps, finally, we saw the lighthouse!!! Galing! :D Parang perstaym lang nakakita ng lighthouse, matagal akong nakatanga! hehe! There was a group of youngsters atop the lighthouse, so we waited for a couple of minutes down .

Jillian and I went inside the lighthouse, just when the first group descended. Medyo nakakatakot yung spiral staircases, umuuga kase! ehehe! pero keri lang! :) I got a little nervous with the last vertical staircase going up, feeling ko madudulas ako sa tsinelas ko! But my trekking/hiking slippers never failed me.. :)

Tadahhh!!! Whew!! I was amazed by the view on top of the Capones Lighthouse! Saarraapp!!! :D

After a couple of minutes of cam-whoring and appreciating the beauty of nature, we finally decided to go down…

When we were down, we managed to get some more pictures of ourselves ahaha! Pikchur pikchur with the old walls of the lighthouse, while Manong Rudy’s still waiting for us! ehehe abuso eh! Pahirapan sa group pic! :D

There it is!! We started off with our descent via the same trail..this time, medyo mabilis na kame, since the trail’s downhill… Pero mainit pa rin, hehe! Hindi na natapos ang reklamo eh! When we reached the shore where our banca was waiting for us, we hurriedly dipped our feet into the shallow water, hangggiinnett sobra ng buhangin!! :/ Then off we went back to the tour guide’s headquarters!

We made use of the toilet at Arman’s house to freshen up, before going back to Manila. After 30 minutes of preppin, hinatid kame ni Mang Rudy back to San Antonio municipal hall, kung sa’n kame nag-antay ng bus pabalik ng Manila! Tapos..homesweethome na!!! :D See you again Anawangin! :D

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RELATED POSTS

Zambales 1 of 3: Mt. Pundaquit’s Summit

CORON: Island Hopping and Snorkeling Even if it’s Raining!

escapaDORA’s TRAVELs

Zambales 2 of 3: Pre-Halloween in Anawangin!

Again, I’m posting our Pundaquit-Anawangin-Capones Trip details :)

WHEN: Long Weekend – 2011 October 30-31
WITH WHOM: High school classmates

TOUR ORGANIZER/S and CONTACT NUMBERS:
Jherwyn (Main contact) – +63922-8132080 (facebook link: Jherwyn Anawayne Delavin)
Arman (Owner of boat and camping gear) – +63917-5671359
Manong Rudy (trike driver/tour guide) – +63918-7670982

THE ITINERARY (Pundaquit-Anawangin-Capones)

Anawangin-Capones Itinerary :)

THE EXPENSES

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PART 2 OF 3: PRE-HALLOWEEN IN ANAWANGIN!

Now here’s the second part of the Zambales weekend getaway! Anawangin finally! :D At the end of the Mt. Pundaquit trekking, we were welcomed by this sight!!!! Awesome! hehe :D When we reached the shores of Anawangin, it was already crowded with campers that we had a hard time finding a spot for our little “campsite” ehehe! Most of the campers came to Anawangin the day before (which was Saturday), so most of the good spots were already occupied. Buti na lang may mabait na manang (Manang Langga) na tumulong samin makahanap ng mapupwestuhan! :D

When we finally found our little spot, Manong Rudy did the setting up of the tent for us–mga inutil tlaga kame, walang alam sa pagse-setup ng tent! hahaha! When we reached the shores of Anawangin after trekking pala, wala pa yung mga gamit namin, including our food, eh medyo nagugutom na kame sa pagod! :D So what we did was, tambay tambay muna kame; and at that time, it was already scorching hot! Wala kame gaanong mapagsilungan! Sound-trip, higa-higa sa sand while we waited for our things and food! :D

Matagal-tagal din ang pag -aantay namin, nakakabato! Aberya na naman! :D We looked so helpless, we didn’t have food. We all felt like we wanted to change our sweaty clothes already, pero wala eh. After almost 2 hours (?), saka dumating yung gamit and food namin! And the bad thing was, hindi pala naluto yung bigas! :( Sadness! So yung tinapay na lang muna yung tinira namin, pantawid-gutom na rin un!

Buti na lang, super accommodating si Manang Langga; she checked on us once in a while, kung okay lang ba kame. Ganun kame ka-loser, that she had to make sure that we were all okay. hahaha! When she knew that our food’s still uncooked, she volunteered to cook for us, even if she’s busy with her little store. And by the way, Manang Langga is the one in-charge for collecting the entrance fee in the cove. Anyway yun, we were once again saved by her! :D

After an hour or two, aba, biglang nagbago ang panahon. Kung ga’no katindi yung araw kani-kanina, ay biglang nagdilim sabay buhos ng malakas na ulan! :( So we immediately secured our things and food, habang kame naman ay nagpaulan na lang hehehe! :) Nakakabato rin pala kapag walang naka-prepare na activities dito, madaming time eh! hehe! Tinamad kase kame maligo pa sa beach nung una, kase super init, ta’s nung umulan naman, di na namin trip mag-swimming! hehe So yun, boredom for a moment! :)

‘bilis ng oras that before we know it, lunch time na! ehehe! Luto na ang bigas!!! :) Pero aberya na naman, wala kameng abrelata para sa tuna namin! hahaha! But then again, Manang Langga saved us! yehey! Kainan na! [wala pala akong napikchuran na pagkain namin! hahaha!]

The sun was scorching hot again by lunch time, but we still managed to do some pikchur pikchur after we took our lunch na parang mga construction workers lang kung kumain! ehehehe! and then, pictorial na!!!

Ahhh. The ala-Twilight scenery at Anawangin!!! :) Jillian and I went to check the place; Si Lucky kase vain, ayaw magpa-araw! Arte! ehehe! There were other groups doing their own pictorials at this spot of Anawangin. Kame naman, pose din ng pose! :)

So puro ako! hehehe No group pix in here kase Jillian and I took turns in taking pictures! :) Minsan parang gusto ko na ring maging model instead of being the photographer! hahaha! lokolang! :D After the so-called pictorial, we decided to take a swim, when it became a little cloudy again.

We didn’t bring our swimsuit! :) As if nagsswim-suit talaga ako no! hahaha! We call ourselves na mga taga-bukid, naka-t-shirt habang naliligo sa beach! :D It was like we’re just taking a swim in a river!!! :D Ayaw lang namin magka-allergy! haha rason! :D Swimming in Anawangin was one of the best experiences I ever had! hehe seryoso, tama lang ang alat ng water (tinikman eh! haha!), I mean, hindi mashadong masakit sa balat at sa mata. And then ayus din yung sand, tapos walang seaweeds hehehe! Kase yung mga napuntahan kong ibang beach, hassle mag-swim eh! ..well I have yet to see Bora and Bantayan and Calaguas!!! madami-dami pa sa listahan ko! :) Oh Philippines! :)

After a while, we got a little hungry, kaya lamon ulit! hahaha! Gan’to pala itsura ng pagkain ng mga losers! tsk tsk!!! :) pero pwede na rin, camping nga eh, koboy kung koboy! :D

Nung busog na, tinuloy na namin ang swimming, while we wait for the sunset! It was cloudy still, but I was hoping the weather would turn out fine, kahit during sunset lang! ehehe! so hayunn!!! Sunset na!

And how could I not love these sunset shots!!!! <3 hayyy!!! I am always amazed by sunsets…ewan ko, ako lang ba, o kayo din? hehe! I just love the feeling that such a sight could trigger! ahahay! :D Medyo cloudy pa nung time na ‘to! I hurriedly got my cam, which I left on the shore! ehehe! sorry na lang sa cam ko, kung medyo wala akong pakialam; kung hindi nabubuhanginan eh naaambunan namn! :D

After a few sunset shots, aba! Memory card full na, and then my battery went dead! boohoo!! Good thing, I have an extra batt and extra memcard, but I had to hurriedly run back to where my camera bag is! hassle lang! ehehe! :D

But look at these shots!!! heehee! pagpasensyahan nyo na po ako, mashado lang ako nagagandahan sa mga gan’tong view! :D

And it ended there…after the most-awaited sunset, we decided to head back to our campsite to freshen up. Another Manong suggested that we transfer our tent to a better spot, just in case it rains, merong puno na magsisilbing shield ehehe! :D Bait lang tlga ng mga tao dito, nkaka-touch! :D

Ready na for the night session!!! After all the pagbabanlaw, kwentuhan, sharing, open forum, reflect (haha!) lang ang ginawa naming tatlo! shempre over bottles of RH un! hahaha!

You could actually do bonfire pero wala kame ganung gamit eh! kaya we just made use of the free lamp, sabay soundtrip, hanggang sa antukin kameng tatlo! hehehe! Tuuuuuulllllllllloooooooooggggggggggggg!!!!

[camping 'to pero we didn't have pictures with our tent! haha! LOSERS talga oh!]

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Zambales 3 of 3: Lunes na Lunes sa Capones

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