Lakbay Lokal: Laguna

For our annual get together, my bond brothers and I went to Laguna to spend a day with mother nature. It was the first time that we ditched the familiar cityscape in favor of a thrilling and novel reunion.

We trekked to and swam in Bukal Falls in Majayjay; had dinner in Liliw; and went back to Manila from San Pablo. 

Here is our itinerary (indicated fee/pax unless otherwise stated):

MAJAYJAY, LAGUNA

8AM-11AM
Ride a JAC Liner bus in Buendia going to Sta. Cruz, Laguna.
Php140
11AM-1130AM
Take a tricycle from Sta. Cruz to Majayjay Jeep Terminal.
Php25
1130AM-1230PM
Ride a jeepney going to Brgy. Bukal, inside Majayjay municipal proper.
Php34
1230PM-1245PM
Take a tricycle going to the drop off point/entrance to Bukal Falls.
Php20
1245PM-130PM
(Optional) Have lunch at Angelina's Garden (in front of the entrance to the Falls.)
Eating is not allowed within the Falls so it's important to fill your stomach prior the trek.
Php60 up
130PM-2PM
Trek to Bukal Falls.
(Optional) Take a tricycle to save at least 10 minutes of walking!
Php300 - tour guide fee per group
Php50 - life vest (recommended for non-swimmers)
Php20 - environmental fee
Php10 - for the tricycle ride
2PM-330PM
Swim and enjoy the cold, 15-feet water of Bukal Falls. You can take longer.
NO COST FOR SUCH AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE!
330PM-4PM
Head back to drop off point
The tricycle shortcut is still available for only Php10 
4PM-5PM
Shower and freshen up
FREE!

Cost - Php470 minimum

Bukal Falls

Bugans 2016

James, Derick, me

None of us is a swimmer

After swimming in Bukal Falls, your group can do whatever you please. In our case, we opted to maximize our time and visit another place in Laguna. 

LILIW, LAGUNA

5PM-520PM
Take a tricycle from Majayjay going to Liliw, Laguna
Php30 
520PM-540PM
Visit St. John the Baptist Church and its surrounding tsinelas shops
Church visit is FREE.
Additional cost will, of course, depend on your tsinelas purchase.
540PM-730PM
Grab your dinner at the popular White House Pavilion. They offer Filipino and Japanese cuisine.
Php1,000 up for a group of 3--complete and filling meal!

St. John the Baptist Church, Liliw, Laguna

Sto. Nino

Aaarrrggghhh Crispy Pata! for Php498

Beef Kare-Kare for Php398

There is a 645PM cut off time for jeepneys in Liliw, Laguna to transport you back to Sta. Cruz. Since we didn't make the cut off time (because our dinner was so good!), we had to find another route!  

SAN PABLO, LAGUNA

730PM-830PM
Ride a jeepney going to San Pablo city
Php35
830PM-835PM
Take a tricycle from San Pablo city proper going to the bus terminal bound for Manila
Php20
845PM-12PM
Ride a bus back to Manila (either via Buendia or Cubao)
Php127

Lakbay Lokal: My 2016 in Travel

While I'm glad that 2016 will soon end (and take away the negative stories that plagued it,) it will leave me with some good moments to cherish.

It brought me to new places and allowed me to revisit familiar ones.

APRIL: Holy Week tour in Bataan and Corregidor
My high school friends stayed in Abucay, Bataan to observe the Holy Week celebrations on that part of the province.

We also took the time to visit the historical Corregidor Island (and its War Museum), Balanga Cathedral, Abucay Church, Balanga WWII Museum, and of course, Mt. Samat in Pilar, Bataan.

Read more about our Bataan and Corregidor trip HERE.

Facade of Balanga Church

Facade of Bataan WWII Museum inside an elementary school compound

Abucay Church glows on the eve of Easter Sunday

MAY: Trek to Mt. Pamitinan, Rodriguez, Rizal
Few days before my 25th birthday, I thought that I wanted to hike a mountain to literally "thank the heavens" for my life thus far. I invited my closest friends to a trek to Mt. Pamitinan and enjoyed my prelude to #QuarterLifeNoCrisis. 

JUNE: Day trip in Tagaytay
On my day off from work, my best friend and I roamed around Tagaytay City where we visited Museo Orlina which houses the glass sculpture masterpieces of celebrated Filipino artist Ramon Orlina. We had a filling lunch at Dreamland Arts & Crafts Cafe. In the afternoon, we visited the Guiness World Record-holder Puzzle Mansion with its confusing alleyways of local and international puzzles owned by the late Gina Gil Lacuna. We had dinner at the cozy Java Jazz Coffee Shop then capped off the night with a whole body massage! 


Read more about our Tagaytay trip HERE.

at Dreamland

at Java Jazz

SEPTEMBER: Day trips in Puerto Princesa, and El Nido, Palawan
Because I did not have an international trip this year, I thought that I would maximize our 3-day company outing as it was also my first time to visit the majestic province of Palawan! Straight from the airport and after having breakfast at Haim Chicken Inato, selected officemates and I headed on to the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park for a guided tour inside one of the New7Wonders of Nature--the Underground River! On the way back to Aziza Hotel, we made a detour to Karst Mountain Elephant Cave, a 2-time pit stop in The Amazing Race. 

the view to the river's entrance

We were up early on Day 2 for a 6-hour road trip to the pristine beaches of El Nido. We paid for an island hopping tour and visited 7 Commando Beach, Small Lagoon at Minilok Island, Secret Lagoon, Shimizu Island, and finally the Big Lagoon.

at 7 Commando Beach. Look at that hues of blue, green, and brown!

inside the Small Lagoon

still at the Small Lagoon

It was my first time to: 1) kayak, 2) drive a large motor boat, and 3) free dive in saltwater so I would say, it was well worth the trip (and the cost!)

NOVEMBER: Day trip in Cebu City, Cebu
Third time's the charm. For my third consecutive business trip in Cebu this year, I finally squeezed in enough time to visit at least two known tourist attractions in the city--the Basilica Minore Del Sto. Nino (including the museum adjacent to it) and Magellan's Cross. 

I had enough energy to burn as I feasted on Garlic Shrimp, Pineapple Rice, and Fresh Coconut while dining al fresco at Shaka Hawaiian Restaurant in the middle of Cebu IT Park.

Facade of Sto. Nino de Cebu Basilica

at Shake Hawaiian Restaurant

DECEMBER: Barkada (+Solo) trip in Baguio City, Mountain Province
My best friend had the similar idea for her birthday so she invited us to hike Mt. Ulap in Itogon, Benguet. Sadly I wasn't able to join them because I just recovered from a viral exanthem.

We enjoyed a weekend eating at Pizza Volante and Good Taste Restaurant, biking at Burnham Park, playing inside its amusement park, and stopping by Baguio Cathedral. After that I had two days by myself so I visited Baguio Museum, and ate at Cafe by the Ruins and Oh My Gulay!

I also revisited my go-to places like Mt. Cloud Bookshop, Glen 50s Diner (in its new location,) and the Pink Sisters Convent and Chapel. 

"Ole Nick's Open Face Tuna:" Nick Joaquin's instructions to the cook: butter the bread, spread flaked tuna evenly over the buttered surface, dip in beaten egg and fry in even MORE butter"

"Bandilang Pula" - mountain rice, vegetables in season, mongolian sauce, tofu, and omelette

Facade of Baguio Museum where a mummy inside a wooden coffin is in permanent display

Facade of Baguio Cathedral along Session Road

Whang Od's trademark

My portrait

In Buscalan, Kalinga province, 98 year old Whang-od Oggay or simply "Whang Od" lives and thrives with her art called "pambabatok" or traditional tattooing. She is the oldest and the last of her generation of Kalinga mambabatoks. 

Whang Od is highly regarded for her work in the preservation of their tribal identity since World War II. It is no secret, however, that due to old age, cultural advocates are anxious about the influx of tourists in Kalinga who want to see 'the,' and be tattooed by, Whang Od, herself.

Critics dismiss this trend as anything from exploiting the rich Kalinga art form, to immersing in pop culture (where people are more into the 'pop' aspect of the visit than in knowing their 'culture'), to subjecting the almost centenarian to intensive labor than her frail body and eyesight can manage.

I won't deny my aspiration of meeting Whang Od in person because to me, she's a living museum. I think it would be a memorable opportunity to sit with her and ask her about the art form, her reasons for keeping it alive, and the inevitable day when she has to wash down the ink and clean her container for good.

Plenty of videos have previously surfaced on the net about these topics but until I hear from her, then I can gauge whether I will get a tattoo or just witness her leave her mark on someone else's body—turning it into enviable historical artifact while I settle on being a reliable witness.

For me, there are three obvious courses of action when one meets Whang Od:

1) The Fan. Greet, smile, and ask for a picture with the 'living legend.' Tell her where you're from and what brings you to their remote village. Post on Instagram with #blessed. If you can afford to bring a Polaroid camera, ask her for a signature and perhaps request for the same ink that she uses when tattooing. When Whang Od's relatives ask if you will get a tattoo, say you'll think about it or you'll get permission from your parents, first. 

2) The Culture Vulture. Come early morning in the village and approach her assistant so you can get in line first. Bring a draft of your preferred tattoo design and ask help from translators so Whang Od can get your rationale. If applicable, show her your other tattoos to prove that you're legit and you're not just there for the 'likes.' Make sure you can get through the pain of the 'pambabatok' process because as you know, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As a true cultural advocate and a tattoo aficionado, you know that having a Whang Od tattoo over your dead body equates to bringing another portrait to decorate heaven with.

3) Journalist/Blogger. Yes, you go through days of travelling the Cordillera highlands to finally see Whang Od in action. You document her every move and imply deeper meaning to her simplest nuance like, maybe moving her eyes, taking deep sighs, stretching her worn out arms, and washing her tattoo equipment. You narrate how she reacts alone and within the community, and how her tribesmen and neighbors respond to her celebrity. You end your journey with a question if Whang Od is indeed a national living cultural treasure or if the government and our people take her for granted just like other tourist attractions.

To fit in any of these categories is not at all unfortunate. Whang Od's legacy has been primed once locals and foreign nationals realize that she could be gone soon. She has been doing this since the post-World War but we only see her now. Whang Od's body and eye sight may be frail but we are the ones trying to catch up with her and her trademark.

Think about it, we have invented the emojis, hashtags, memes, and chat acronyms to decorate our communication and self expression but we are also the ones willing to travel for days and line up for hours to get that painful, long-lasting ink in our bodies. We are so busy making a mark as a generation and in order to do that, we seek the help from older ones like Whang Od. We cannot erase that fact; it's like our collective tattoo.

"The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari"

I stumbled upon this self-help book by writer and leadership guru Robin Sharma while browsing through the Personality Development section of Fully Booked.

I didn't pick it up the first time. I knew I would when the right time comes. And it did...three weeks ago when I was thinking of moving out of my comfort zone. 

The message could not have been more apt: be a monk, sell your ferrari. In essence, focus on the essential and rid yourself of life's excesses. Sharma didn't attempt to conceal it either, putting a tagline that it's "a fable about fulfilling your dreams and reaching your destiny."

In the book (also in Wikipedia), the story revolves around two characters, former law colleagues Julian Mantle and John, immersed in a 12-hour long conversation. Julian narrates his spiritual experiences during a Himalayan journey which he takes after selling his holiday home and red Ferrari. A successful trial lawyer, Julian collapses from a heart attack while arguing a case in court, and his lengthy recovery leads him to seek a spiritual path in the Himalayan mountains, under the Sages of Sivana, from whom he receive wise and practical lessons which bring drastic changes in his life. 

Julian shares valuable life lessons to John through a short story hiding The 7 Timeless Virtues of Enlightened Living. 

Here's the summary: "There was a [3] sumo wrestler who walked out of a [2] lighthouse in the middle of a [1] beautiful garden with nothing more than a [4] pink wire cable covering his private parts. While walking, he slipped on a [5] shiny gold stopwatch and fell to the ground. After what seemed like an eternity, he regained consciousness when the fragrance of the [6] yellow roses reached his nose. He then jumped to his feet in delight and was astonished to see a long, winding [7] path studded with millions of tiny diamonds. Of course the sumo wrestler took the path and, in doing so, lived happily ever after."

To spare you some time, here are the meaning of these virtues, according to Sharma:

Go pick up the book if you're into self-help. It probably won't bore you because the lessons are hidden in the form of a short story. It is unlike most self-help books these days which promise guaranteed change! in life after few bullet points and examples.

It's also helpful for meditation and Buddhism enthusiasts :)

Lakbay Lokal: Traipsing Tagaytay

My best friend and I had one whole day for free (June 24). After talking about our getaway options for almost an hour, we decided to go to Tagaytay (*surprise!*).

Like most of our out-of-town trips, we knew where we would go but not what we wanted to do. We were just sure of one thing: we wanted to see art (and kaartehan) everywhere we go.

So here is our 16-hour budget itinerary for local tourists who want to escape the city and reignite their creativity as they rediscover Tagaytay:

*All prices good for 1 person only

0845AM

-Ride a DLTB Co. bus going to Tagaytay from Buendia (below LRT station) for only P83.

1045AM

-Arrive at Tagaytay Rotonda where, interestingly, a statue of Ninoy Aquino with a red sculpted steel tree now stands.

-Ride a tricycle to Museo Orlina for only P30. Entrance to the museum is P100.

-Museo Orlina houses the glass sculptures of renowned sculpture architect Ramon Orlina, as well as works of other local and foreign artists. It's a four-storey museum with huge open windows that let the fresh and cool Tagaytay air in, and white walls accented by colorful glass sculptures and recurring red-yellow-blue color patterns inspired by the works of one of Orlina's idols. It's four floors are named after his children (in order): Naesa, Ningning, Anna, and Michael.

 0100PM

-Ride a tricycle going to Dreamland Arts & Crafts Cafe near Cityland Condominium for only P20.

-Go grab your lunch! I tried Chick-A-Dream (Grilled Zesty Chicken with Herbs and Spices, Egg, Summer Salad, Fried Green-e-Rice, Tubasuk Vinegar, and Soup) for P180 and Lychee Smoothie with Yakult for P150. My F&B tasted better than expected :)

-The place is dreamy and artsy but they play loud remixes of OPMs that you would normally hear at pedicabs in the Metro; that is a major turnoff. Luckily they have a more appropriate playlist upon our request.

-For social media whores, sadly Dreamland doesn't have WiFi because it encourages customers to "talk to each other." They have group games (i.e. UNO Stacks, Sungka, Domino) to encourage bonding and books to help you pass the time alone, in another world. They also sell various items from dream catchers, dresses and bags, hand painted portraits, keychains, even hand sewn socks and wallets.

0330PM

-Take a short walk or ride a tricyle (for only P10) back to the Rotonda then ride a jeepney going to Nasugbu for only P10. Ask the driver to drop you off at Puzzle Mansion in Brgy. Asisa. 

Caution: A tricycle driver tried to trick us for P400 for 2 straight to the Puzzle Mansion from Dreamland. That's P380 more than what you really have to spend for!

0345PM

-Ride another tricycle for only P30 going to the Mansion. You have to walk five minutes from the drop off point because it's located in a low land. Entrance to the mansion is P100.

-Puzzle Mansion holds the Guinness World Record for the “Largest Collection of Jigsaw Puzzles of Any Size, Shape or Form."

-The over a 1,028 collection of jigsaw, crystal, and wooden puzzles on the ground floor is overwhelming. They have 2D and 3D puzzles and even puzzle balls. Better to create your route going around it (i.e. left to right, clockwise, zigzag).

-Watch the playback of the owner's TV interviews to learn more about her humble beginnings, success story, and aspirations to contribute to our tourism, one puzzle piece at a time. Or simply search for Georgina Gil-Lacuna.

-The 2nd floor features the world's largest and second largest jigsaw puzzles! You can also buy souvenir and rare puzzles at the shop, and have a snack break at the cafe.

0500PM

-Travel back to Brgy. Asisa tricycle terminal. Ride a jeepney going to Olivarez Terminal for P12.

0555PM

-Ride another tryk going to Java Jazz Cafe for only P25. It's near Ina ng Laging Saklolo Parish.

0610PM

-Have your dinner in this quiet and indie-artsy cafe. I tried Pan Fried Fish Fillet in Creamy White Sauce (P119) and Pandan Green Tea with Chips and Fries (P99). Both weren't great and they were served small considering the price :(

0830PM

-Cap off the night with a nice, light massage. We tried the whole body massage at Touchpoint Spa in front of Olivarez Terminal for P450. It was okay, not good nor bad. I still prefer Nuat Thai massage which is P100 cheaper.

1000PM

-Walk shortly to the Rotonda then ride a bus going back to either Buendia or Pasay for about P80 only. 

And voila, welcome home!

In all, you have to allot about P1,500 to enjoy a day trip in Tagaytay. If you want to spend the night, you can find a Bed & Breakfast accommodation for P500. Most of the cafe and restaurants have them, you just have to ask the locals to find the affordable ones :)