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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RELATED POSTS

Zambales 1 of 3: Mt. Pundaquit’s Summit

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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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RELATED POSTS

2010: Tambay sa Tagaytay

Trek to Mt. Pinatubo Crater, Winner!

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

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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!

escapaDORA’s TRAVELs

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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RELATED POSTS

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

Semirara Island Invasion: LIFE SA BEACH!

Zambales 3 of 3: Lunes na Lunes sa Capones

escapaDORA’s TRAVELs

Zambales 1 of 3: Mt. Pundaquit’s Summit

Another delayed post! heheha! Anawangin was one of the must-go places on my list last 2010—just wanted to see the place where Bea’s Movie (And I Love You So ba yun? ehehe) with Sam Milby was shot. :D Aside from that, I’ve seen a lot of nice shots from other travelers slash shutterbugs that I wanted to see the place for myself and take some nice shots, too! [inggit-mode on! Hehe]. And so this trip happened!—in 2011 nga lang hehehe!

Since I was the one who initiated this trip, I took the responsibility to make all the necessary prep—from searching in the internet for tour packages, into finding a person who could help us in our do-it-yourself (DIY) trip. And so we came up with our schedule, itinerary, contact persons, and budget. Medyo madalian ang pagpaplanong ‘to, pero super thanks to the organizer, kahit medyo may konting aberya lang…mamaya ang kwento! ehehe!

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 1 OF 3: MT. PUNDAQUIT’S SUMMIT!

Thizzzizzzit! We purposely scheduled the trip on a Sunday ‘cause both of my companions had to work and had to take an exam that Saturday. Oks lang naman, kase long weekend, so kahit na-move ng Sunday, tuloy na tuloy ang gala! :D We met at about 10.30pm (Saturday) in Makati Ave and off we went to Buendia Victory Liner station to take the midnight trip to Zambales. Thanks to the organizer for informing us of the time of the trip, which was just perfect for the early morning trek in Mt. Pundaquit :).

It was more than a 4-hour trip that we just took the chance to get enough sleep and eventually get some energy for the trekking. As instructed by the organizer, we got off at San Antonio municipal hall and waited for Manong Rudy, the trike driver. While waiting, to pass the boredom and sleepiness away, soundtrip muna kame sa tabing-daan! LSS sa Kokomo ng The BeachBoys! Hahaha! ;D “Aruba Jamaica, ooohh I wanna take you..” :)

When Manong Rudy arrived, he brought us to Arman’s (a friend of Jherwyn I think) house. Actually, we haven’t met with both Jherwyn (the main contact) and Arman, text text lang, ganun haha! haist!; we were “welcomed” by Arman’s parents instead, who were kind enough to entertain us in their house. So boat pala nila ang ginamit for the trip, and sa kanila rin kame nang-rent ng tent! Hahaha! Unang aberya: medyo hindi well-informed ang parents ni Arman ’bout our arrangement with them (i.e., boat rent, tent, tour guide ang kasama sa pinag-usapan with Jherwyn); pero cge carry lang, nadadaan naman sa usapan :). And in fairness, responsive naman sa call and text sina Jherwyn and Arman, kaya game on! :D And so the arrangement was: We will have our things transferred from the tour guide’s headquarters to Anawangin Cove (via boat), while we take the Mt. Pundaquit trail (trekking) down to the cove, and meet with our things there hehe!

We had a light breakfast (bread + coffee + cup noodles) offered by Arman’s parents hehe bait! :) Then Manang (the mom, i forgot the name! whew! hehe) offered to do some errands for us–like buy some food (rice and canned goods) in the market! hahaha! So-not-prepared pa pala ang trip na ‘to! bait! ‘lamats talaga at namalengke sya for us, dagdag na lang sa listahan! hehe! After a while, we went on with the trekking! hooray! :)

It was still dark at around 5:25am when we started off with the trekking. We were accompanied by Manong Rudy during this trek, and medyo mabilis maglakad ang tour guide na ‘to! Hehe pero keri, cge! :) There were some rocky trails, and some were sandy, especially nearing some rivers. And the farther we got, the steeper the trail gets. Nakakapagod din pala ‘to, but the good thing is, it’s still very early so hindi ganun ka-parusa ang init ng araw! :)

When we neared the summit, we were able to outpace some trekkers who went ahead of us. hehe yabang lang! :) –two guy trekkers with their guide (a friend of Mang Rudy). Feeling ko photography enthusiast din yung isa (ganda ng SLR nya eh! hehe), tapos yung isa naman, model-modelan, porma kung porma sa trekking eh! hehehe peace!

One of the many rest moments that we had haha! We needed to take rests in between, nakakahapo. Water and shade please!!! :D Humugot muna ng konting energy to trek the remaining 15 minutes or so…until we reach the summit of Mt. Pundaquit! After the short rest, nauna na lang kame sa kanila, eksayted na makarating sa tuktok eh! Kaya heto na, lakad ulet… and then TADAHHHHHH!!!!

It was all worth the struggle!!! :D In fairness! So far, trekking Mt. Pundaquit was second to the Batad and Sagada trekking in terms of difficulty (for me lang ha! looking forward pa’ko to the Mt. Pulag trek eh! :p) Nakakapagod din pala! hahaha! :D

Now what?? Pichuran time at the summit of Mt. Pundaquit!! :D Sabay post muna sa FB ng “After almost 2 hours of trekking, I’ve conquered Mt. Pundaquit!!!” ehehehe! may signal kase ang SunCel dito sa tuktok eh! :D Look at all the sweat on my shirt!!! yay!!! Pawis to the max, kahit na hindi pa ganun ka-tindi yung sikat ng araw!!! :D

Actually, hindi pa daw yun ang highest point ng Pundaquit. Tinuro samin ni Mang Rudy ang daan to the highest point, pero bihira ata umaakyat ang mga tao dun hehe, kaya hindi na rin kame nag-prisintang abutin pa ang point na yun! Okey na kame sa narating namin! :D

Pa-simpleng poses lang nagawa namin at the summit, kakahiya sa ibang mga andun eh! hahaha! ayus sana kung madami kame, eh tatatlo nga lang kame eh! losers! :D We had the opportunity also na makipag-chikahan with the two guys we met along the trail–I think they are working in an IT company in Makati, but we weren’t able to get their names! ehehe shy-type kame eh! nyahaha! :D

After about 30 minutes, we decided to descend to Anawangin Cove. This time, medyo rocky and slippery na ang trail, that I needed to get a walking stick (tungkod) to assist me! hehehe! Just before nearing the cove, we had one more rest by the side of a dry riverbed. The trail nearing the cove was already sandy and a few more minutes away from the beach, we were welcomed by a lot of those pine trees! Parang twilight lang oh! hehe! :D

And then there’s Anawangin Cove!!! whew!! :D —separate post! :p :)))

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MUST BRING:
- Lots of water
- Walking stick (optional)
- Shades B-)
- Cap / pwede din umbrella (parang donya!)
- Jacket (heehee!)

POINTS:
- Mt. Pundaquit is relatively easy to trek.
- Be sure to get a guide; you might get lost as the trail is inhabited, so there’s no one to give you directions along the way.
- No need to bring much food, just enough trail food perhaps.. but it’s just a short hike so kaya lang!
- Wear comfy clothes (naka-pants ako, madamo kase! bwehehe!) and footwear (naka-tsinelas lang ako! :D)
- Cam-whore! Have fun! :D

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RELATED POSTS

Zambales 2 of 3: Pre-Halloween in Anawangin!

North-Bound 1: BANAUE – Batad, Wala Kang Katulad!

Trek to Mt. Pinatubo Crater, Winner!

Trek to Mt. Pinatubo Crater, Winner!

My last gala for 2011!!! Nakahabol pa sa bucket list checking hehehe! It was during 2010 that I started thinking about visiting the famous Mt. Pinatubo, a dormant volcano in Zambales, after seeing lots of beautiful pix from friends. However, due to the hectic sched and unavailability of always-on-the-go friends, I wasn’t able to carry out the plan that year. So in 2011, I included Mt. Pinatubo in my must-go places! :D Before the year 2011 ended, I invited some high school friends to join me in this trip, and luckily, napapayag ko sila! :D We were supposed to be 4 in the group, but the other one had to go back home to Zambo City the day before this trip! so ang ending, tatlo lang kame! :D dami no?! ehehe!

Since we were only three, we decided to go for a public/shared group tour organized by:

Ms. Ann Pablo
TRIPinas Travel and Tour Ventures
http://tripinas.blogspot.com
email: tripinas@gmail.com
mobile: 09179037672
landline: (632) 392-2006

Tour cost: Php 2050/person for Filipinos and Php2850/person for non-Filipinos ( for additional conservation fee). A private tour, on the other hand, costs Php2690/person with the same inclusions but with a private van.

Tour inclusions:
round trip a/c van transfer (Manila-Pinatubo base camp-Manila)
round trip 4×4 vehicle with driver
local guide
conservation fee
certificate of conquest
service of a tour coordinator

**Instructions on how to book for this tour are detailed in their website.

THE PINATUBO TREK ITINERARY (old way*)

0300 Assembly time. (McDonalds, EDSA corner Quezon Ave. close to the MRT Quezon Ave. station)
Breakfast and buy your lunch (at clients’ account)
0630 ETA Brgy. Sta. Juliana (base camp) to finalize prior arrangements.
0645 Board 4×4 vehicles.
0800 Start trekking (2 to 3 hours walking)
1030 ETA at the crater of Mt. Pinatubo. Swimming, taking of photos, lunch (at clients’ account)
1200 Start return trek (2 to 3 hours walking)
1430 Back to the 4x4s.
1530 Back at base camp. Freshen up.
1600 Departure from the base camp to Manila.
1900 ETA Manila.
*Old way – will not use the Pinatubo Skyway; during our trip, the said skyway was closed because it was recently destroyed by a typhoon.

Optional add-ons:
Boat ride: Php 350/person
Use of Pinatubo skyway* (shortens your trek to 45-60 minutes, one way) : CURRENTLY CLOSED
Massage: Php500/person per service (Full body or Volcanic ash or Mud pool)
Use of shower and locker facilities at the base camp: Php 100/person

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THE TRIP!

It was raining so hard that dawn that we were quite unsure if the trip will push through or not. (Typhoon Sendong was destroying Mindanao at this time). But since we didn’t receive any cancellation notice, game on! :D We went to the agreed place (McDonalds, EDSA corner Quezon Ave. close to the MRT Quezon Ave. station) where we met with the organizers and other trippers. We paid for our tour fee (thanks to Fern for shouldering much of the cost! ehehe!) and we bought our trail food and packed lunch at McDo hehe!

Good thing’s that the schedule was really being followed. :) The van that we were into was so comfy! :D We were with 4 other trippers in the van, but we never had the chance to actually get to know our companions! haha! shy type kase kame haha! wapakels sa mga kasama! :D There were almost 4 or 5 vans during the trip. It was raining so hard during the road trip.

After more or less 3 hours of travel, we reached the base camp, where the 4×4 vehicles are waiting for us. A x4 vehicle can accommodate 5 trippers, so our 2 other companions in the van went with another 4×4. There were about 7 or 8 4×4 vehicles for this public tour! And off we went with the 4×4 ride! :D The rain has stopped! yeehee!!!

It was more or less an hour of bumpy ride, mahirap matulog sa 4×4! :D Wala pa naman kame tulog tatlo! @_@ . After the 4×4 ride, we had some picture-taking, and then the trek started! :D

We started off with the trek at around 8am already. The weather was so trekking-perfect! ehehe! really! It was not too hot, probably because of the typhoon Sendong (hayy). We had to cross rivers, but those were not deep. The trail was not steep as compared to the other treks that I’ve experienced before (Batad, Sagada, Pundaquit-Anawangin). What made this trip a little challenging are those slippery and sharp rocks hehe! Buti na lang naka-tsinelas lang ako sa trek–seemed like it’s difficult if you use rubber shoes or something that’s closed, because pebbles can get into your shoes and un na! masakit! :D After walking for about 2 hours, we reached that part where there was a sign board showing how far we have to walk to the crater, depending on the age! haha! See the pic below.

We rested for a while before we trekked the remaining distance to the crater. It took us about 30 minutes before we reached the crater! And then…. tadah! Amazing! ehehe! What a sight! Can’t help but be amazed by the view of the crater. :D

We were all so wanting to take our early lunch! :D I cannot hold my gutom anymore, so nauna akong kumain pagkadating pa lang talaga sa viewdeck! haha! And after a couple of minutes, and since marami pa ang nagpipikchur dun sa famous picture-taking spot with the big signboard of Mt. Pinatubo, we decided to go down first at the mouth of the crater, for my companions to take their lunch and to take a swim! ehehe! :D Too bad, there weren’t any available banca during our visit so we weren’t able to take some tour sa lake! hehe!

The water was so freaking cold!!! :X Pero ang sarap magbabad sa lake! For those who don’t know how to swim, just be careful not to go far from the “shore”, medyo malalim agad yung tubig! :D After a few minutes of dipping into the lake, we decided to rest and let ourselves get dry for a little while. There were also other groups of trekkers who went with another tour organizer (Pinay Keypoint), and they set up tents just at the side of the lake. After a while, we went to change our clothes and prepare for the trek back to the base camp. Ang bilis noh?! ehehe! Here’s how the comfort/dressing room looks like:

And right after freshening up and while waiting for the others to trek back to the base camp, picture-taking muna!!! :D Here’s my shot of the famous Mt. Pinatubo viewdeck:

More…

and moorrree…

and mooorrreee…

Hooray! I was fast asleep during the 4×4-ride back to the base camp, where the vans were waiting for us. hehe! nag-foodtrip muna kame sa tabi-tabi–inihaw na baboy at hotdog habang inaantay namin yung iba naming kasama sa van. :) It was a tired but fulfilling and fun activity! ehehe! Bucket List checked!!! :D

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RELATED POSTS

2010: All the way to Taal…

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

Jump Shots!

CORON: Last Day

Final day at Coron and it was still raining! ayaw talaga kame tantanan ng bagyo!!! ehehe! pero carrybels pa din! Below was our itinerary for the third day…

Buying Pasalubong

Accordingly, the best buys in Coron are the cashew nuts and danggit! So with Kuya Mark (tryke driver), we headed to the famous Cashew vendor, Manang Lydia. But before that, we stopped by MJ’s souvenir shop first to get some (hulaan!) hehe keychains for pasalubong…

Now here are our pix taken at L.Escarda’s Coron Harvest:

Noticed the wall photos at Manang Lydia’s store? These are pix of Manang Lydia with her customers, which are mostly local artists ehehe! as in mga artista! While we were taking a group pic with her, she also had her assistant took a group pic of us using her cam; and she said she will be posting our group pic on her wall—wow! Wall of Fame! =p Now reader, if you happen to go to this store, can you please check if Manang Lydia did post our pic on her wall?! ehehe! =p

Anyway, the cashew nuts come in 3 different packages, which cost around PhP100, PhP300 and PhP500. May kamahalan ba? ehehe! I’m really not a fan of cashew, so I had no idea if it’s too expensive or tama lang. :D Aside from the plain nuts, there are also flavored/coated cashew nuts in her store. You can actually ask for a free taste! :)

More pasalubong at pagtatambay sa Coron Market!!!

Aberya at Coron

After buying our pasalubong, we already prepared for our departure. We were taking 2 different flights, via Cebu Pac and AirPhil, but our flights’ schedule are not that far apart, so we all went to the airport together. While we waited, we took our light lunch at Cafe B.O.G., coffee and some pastries lang…medyo badtrip lang kase di agad na-serve yung iced-coffee, kase brownout (anu un, walang yelo? ehehe). Anyway, cge lang. :) Hindi pa ‘to ang aberya. hehe

While waiting for the plane, eh biglang buhos ng malakas ang ulan! And just before the Cebu Pac plane could land in Busuanga’s airport, eh nagdilim ang paligid. So what happened was, the plane couldn’t land at the airport and it just stayed up in the air for a couple of minutes…matagal din, and then it finally decided that it would just go back to Manila. Hassle di ba? Lalo na sa mga pasahero from Manila to Busuanga…Andun na eh, bumalik pa! hehe Hassle din sa mga pasahero na sasakay from Busuanga to Manila, and that included 3 of my companions! ehehe! They had to stay for another night in Coron–so additional gastos pa un kase hindi covered ng airline company yung mga expenses due to natural calamities. :)

Those 4 pips at my back were the ones left behind because of Cebu Pac plane's failure to land in Busuanga Airport! :D

But for us na sasakay ng AirPhil, aba eh, tuloy-tuloy ang byahe kahit bumabagyo. A few minutes after CebuPac plane left, dumating yung AirPhil plane! hayun, so nakabalik kame (with Jack) ng Manila, just as scheduled. :)

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RELATED POSTS:

CORON 101: The Tour Package, Itinerary, Accommodation and Contact Persons

CORON: Hiking to Mt. Tapyas and Dipping into the Maquinit Hotspring

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

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

Yey! Finally na-post ko na rin ‘tong part 2 ng Coron Trip ko nung 2011! haha! epic fail tlga ang pagtatapos ng post na ‘to, mashadong delayed! I thought of finalizing this already, kase parang ang daming nagse-search ng Coron Trip the past few days…I just thought, this post might somehow help ahaha! in whatever manner! heehee! :D
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…And the heavens didn’t seem to care about our excitement for this trip! Tsk tsk tsk! Day 2 at Coron—the weather got worse. The rain didn’t stop since it started pouring at around 3 in the morning, demet! You know, it’s kind of frustrating knowing that the island hopping thing might not push through due to the strong waves and things like that! Hmm but no, nothing can stop us from executing the Day 2 activities!!! hehehe! :D …and so we begin the journey…

Here’s our actual itinerary for Day 2 in Coron:

We were ready for the bad weather as all of us brought our umbrellas! hahaha! ..it was still raining on our way to the “boulevard”. Our rented motorboat, with 3 boatmen, was already waiting for us to board. The two of us brought our cameras with us but it was only me who cared less about my cam hehe! Rain or shine, I’m gonna take pictures as we go along with the island hopping! Sayang ang opportunity eh! :D Badtrip lang, ayaw tumigil ng ulan! :(

Island Hopping!!!

1. Siete Pecados – This is one of the best snorkeling spots in Coron (accordingly hehe!). Though I’m not a big fan of snorkeling, kase takot ako sa underwater, I managed to enjoy this first stop. Siete Pecados, a Spanish Term for “Seven Sins”, consists of seven islets where schools of fish and a variety of corals abound. As explained by Ate Shawie, the tour guide, it was named Siete Pecados to refer to the Seven (Siete) Islets that are abundant with schools of fish (Pescao). Hmmm makes sense? hehe Personally, i think, if that’s the explanation for the term, then it should be “Siete PeScados” hehe! :) Opinion lang po! :)

2. Blue Lagoon – or sometimes regarded as Kayangan. At the shore of Blue Lagoon, you can find beach huts where tourists usually take their lunch during the island hopping activity. Toilets are also available in this area.

The Blue Lagoon is the spot that’s usually featured in internet sites. Taken from a top view, here’s how Blue Lagoon looks like:

3. Kayangan Cave and Kayangan Lake – Just beside the Blue Lagoon spot is the Kayangan Lake, said to be the cleanest lake in the Philippines. In fairness, malinis naman tingnan pero I can’t say that it’s the cleanest ’cause I’ve only been to two lakes in the Philippines so far (one is Taal Lake hehe!)..But yes, it’s cleaner than Taal. Anyway, before you could go to the lake, you have to trek your way up from Blue Lagoon’s shore to where the Kayangan Cave is (peak). It’s about a 150-step trek up (no sweat right?! ehehe!), then another 150 steps down to the lake. The Kayangan Cave is said to be the place where natives used to reside during rainy season, pero ewan nga ba, di kame makapasok sa cave na ‘to ehehe! :D

The peak is the best spot for cam-whoring! hehehe! I love how the Blue Lagoon looks like from the top! :D Thanks to Ate Cecile for taking the group pix, in fairness marunong syang gumamit ng SLR at marunong syang kumuha ng magandang anggulo! :D And thanks to the now-cooperative weather! yeehee!!! The rain has finally stopped pouring! Napagod din! :D Below are some pix taken at the the peak of Kayangan:

Now here are some pix taken at the lake:
You can ask the tour guides to accompany you to swim and/or snorkel in this lake… As usual, okatokat! Loser-me! ehehe! So hanggang panunuod na lang ako at pagpipikchur! :D

After a few minutes, we headed back to the Blue Lagoon shore to take our late lunch, via the same trekking route. More pix at this part of the island! :D

4. Twin Lagoon – This one’s one of the best spots in Coron; i love the aquamarine color of the water, ang linis! Plus the surrounding rock formations are a picturesque! Sarap mag-photoshoot! hahaha! I took some photos and eventually decided to “swim”, with a life vest of course! :D Dito lang ako hindi natakot bumaba ng bangka, kase wala mashadong isda sa part na ‘to. haha! Swim swim swim!

5. WWII Skeletal Shipwreck – Diving spot in Coron…ehehe! On this spot, you can find abundant marine life and a scenery of World War II Japanese shipwreck sunk after it was bombarded by the American troops. Ewan ko lang kung nakita nung mga kasama ko ung ruins ng shipwreck! ehehe! Anonther bad thing is, we don’t have an underwater cam! ahaha! …no underwater shots for us… :( but we enjoyed feeding the fish with bread! :D

6. Vivan Beach – This is a private resort owned by someone named Vivian (i think hehehe!). We were actually only the ones who stayed in this white-sand beach, and I loved it–very private. We stayed here long enough to have taken our meryenda, while we wait for Jack (oh yes! nakahabol sya sa island hopping activity na ‘to! ehehe!). By the way, there’s a little sari-sari store in this island, pero ang mahal ng chichiria! ehehe!

7. Twin Peaks – Nasa’n kaya ang twin peaks? hehehe! actually, I wasn’t able to figure out where the Twin Peaks are! ehehe! Nonetheless, this “spot” is also good for snorkeling, as schools of fish also abound this part of the sea. Actually pinagbigyan lang namin si Jack na ma-experience ang snorkeling dahil superduper late sya! ehehe! kidding! Cam-whoring again, while we wait for the sunset! :D

Woah! Finally we’re done with the Island Hopping Activity that we were all so eager to get home and prepare for—lam na! DINNER!!! :D After Twin Peaks, we headed back to the boulevard, where the tryke was waiting for us, to get us back home. We then prepared ourselves for dinner. As suggested by Manong Tryke Driver, we decided to have our dinner at Kawayanan Grill Station–ayus naman ang food, sarap yung sisig, in all fairness! :)

After dinner, to cap the day off, we had an open forum about relationships! hahaha! hanggang mag-lights off ng 1am ang usapan! :D

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