Rekindlling my Love to the City of Pines

There is no doubt that Baguio is one of the most famous tourist destinations in the Philippines. It may be a common destination for some but for me, Baguio has a distinct charm that is somewhat very homey and relaxing. This Yuletide break, my husband and I spent our 5th wedding anniversary visiting the Summer Capital of the Philippines. This was my third time in Baguio and since it's my husband’s first time (after 32 years, for Pete sake!), he was the most excited! I was also excited because we road-tripped from Manila to Baguio together with our kids and my husband's nephew and niece using our car for the first time. If your'e a first timer (just like my husband), you may consider adding to your itinerary some of  the destinations that we've visited during our quick getaway in the City of Pines.

LION'S HEAD

My husband, who is so fascinated with lion (his name is Leo after all), insisted that we should stop at the Lion's Head monument and took some selfies first before heading off to the city proper.This 40-foot limestone head is a famous landmark along Kennon Road that you don't wanna miss out.   Alongside the monument were souvenir shops where you can buy stuffs like "I love Baguio" T-shirt, bonnet and scarf that you could wear during your Baguio tour.

TEACHER'S CAMP

My husband's mom and sister were in Baguio three days before our arrival and we had to meet them up at Teacher's Camp before their departure back to Manila. We also reserved a room at Teacher's Camp since rates for hotels and pension houses is way costly during holidays. We're lucky to get a room that is good for 4 adults and two kids. Since I am a public school teacher, they gave me a 10% discount so we had to pay a minimal fee of Php 720 for an overnight stay! Not bad, eh? Just never mind the ghost stories... =D

BAGUIO BOTANICAL GARDEN

Baguio Botanical Garden is one of my favorite destinations in Baguio. You can do a lot of sight seeing here from the towering pine trees, sculptured statues, themed gardens and of course the Art Gallery of the Baguio Arts Guild. You can take photos with real life Igorots who always graced the entrance gate with a minimal fee (Php  10/ Igorot). 

           

THE MANSION

Say hello to the official summer residence of the Philippine President - the Mansion! 

Did you know that The Mansion's gate is considered to be the most photographed gate in the country? Well, don't forget to say cheese!

WRIGHT PARK

The Pool of Pines

Just across The Mansion's gate is Wright Park, a 27-acre estate devoted for trees (arboretum). It's main feature is the scenic body of water which is called "The Pool of Pines". Some activities that we enjoyed doing here are horse back riding and dressing up like Igorots for picture taking.  

Things to do at Wright Park

Hot strawberry-flavored taho for a cold afternoon. This is the best tasting taho for me so far!

BURNHAM  PARK

Nestled at the heart of Baguio City is a 32.84 hectare urban park named after the American architect and city planner, Daniel Burnham. Burnham Park is the "mother of all park" in the city. It's main feature is a man-made lake situated at the center of the park where tourists can enjoy boating with rented boats. Other attactions include children's playground, skating ring, themed gardens, the Melvin Jones Grandstand and a lot more. This must be the most vibrant and merriest park in Baguio City.

CAMP JOHN HAY 

The beautifully landscaped Camp John Hay is a resort in the mountain. It served as a recreation facility for the US Armed Forces during the American occupation in the Philippines. Today it boasts numerous attractions from its lush pine forest, golf course, museum, shopping centers like the Ayala Techno Park, and several hotels and lodgings like Forest Lodge and The Manor to name a few. It's crisp mountain air and stately pine trees made me feel that I was in the US soil. No wonder it has made Baguio the "Little America" of the Philippines. 

LA TRINIDAD, BENGUET

The best way to end Baguio getaway is to visit La Trinidad Valley in Benguet. Referred as the "Strawberry Capital of the Philippines", La Trinidad has a refreshingly cool climate that is best for vegetable and flower production.  After an unfortunate chance of not being able to pick some fresh strawberries (due to its shortage), we've just toured the farm and my husband was contended in lettuce picking instead. I was solaced on the other hand by buying veggies (leaf lettuce, broccoli and cauliflower to name a few) from variety of stalls within the farm complex. Like many tourists, I opted to buy veggies when in La Trinidad because the price here is lower compare in Manila. As a vegetable lover, this place is a haven for me!

A day or two are not enough when in Baguio City. We wanted to stay even just for an extra day but we have to go back to Manila to prepare things for the coming Holiday. The next time we'll visit Baguio, I'll consider adding some destinations in our itinerary especially Sitio La Presa (Sitio Pungayan) though I'm not a LisQuen fan. =D

~GDA

Nuvali But You!

I was so eccentric to the idea of a fine sunny Monday morning and no classes in our town due to some provincial sports event. You read it right! No classes and it's Monday! So when my husband asked me if we could go somewhere else to unwind, preferably not too far away from our place, I suggested if we could go to Nuvali Park. The idea of going to malls for the sake of unwinding is actually a nuisance for me. I always prefer places that are close to nature whenever I want to relax. When he finally agreed, I was singing my heart out ala-Wonder Girls!

"I want Nuvali, Nuvali but you...". Lol.

"You're so corny", my husband chuckled as he starts the car engine before hitting the road to Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

With my kids, Sabina and Caleb

Nuvali is located in Sta. Rosa, Calamba and Cabuyao, Laguna. It is 40 minutes drive away from Quezon City and accessible via different exits along the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) so its an ideal place for a quick getaway. 

Since its Monday when we got there, there were very few people swarming around the complex. We just took some pictures first because of the beautiful landscape before we realized that there were some activities that we can do in Nuvali. My two kids actually enjoyed some activities like fish feeding, boating and bird watching. I personally enjoyed sightseeing and walking in a tranquil environment together with my family. 

FEEDING THE KOI

 This man-made lake is a wonderful attraction in Nuvali because of the koi fish. Visitors are allowed to feed them with fish feeds available at the nearby cashier booth for only Php 15/ bag.

Our finned friends came rushing to the surface.
 It seems like they already knew we have some fantastic treats for them!




My two kids enjoyed fish feeding so much that we bought more bags
  - and the fish became more friendly to us. =)


WATER TAXI RIDE

Water Taxi ride is a must-do activity when you are in Nuvali. It costs Php 30 per person with a minimum of 6 passengers. We really enjoyed the gust of cool winds while riding the water taxi and savoring the beautiful scenery around the lake.

I took this picture while waiting in our queue.
 Its scorching hot that day but we patiently wait for our turn 
because we don't wanna miss this boat ride. 

My two kids squealed in enjoyment when the boatman sped up 
the water taxi and made turns in every directions unexpectedly. 
It causes some medium size waves that a bit of some splash 
wet my camera and shirt. Kudos to the boatman!

My little Caleb wants some more...

.

SIGHTSEEING 

If you want to do a lot of sightseeing, Nuvali won't fail you. Nuvali has a beautiful, quiet and well-planned landscape. The vast grassy area near the lake is ideal for family or barkada picnics. Kids could roam around freely or play Frisbee here perfectly under the blue sky. 

BIRDWATCHING

Nuvali has a sanctuary for the migratory birds and for the bird watching enthusiast as well. We're just lucky enough to see some flocks of migratory birds in the afternoon but my camera was shutting down like crazy so I couldn't take some photos of those feathered beings.

EAT, EAT and.... EAT!

You can do a lot of eating in Nuvali. If your'e a certified foodie like me, you may dine at any restaurants located in Nuvali Solenad 1 and 2. You may choose from a variety of restaurants here  such as Domo Tomo, Italiannis, Contis, Starbucks, Clawdaddy's, Buffalo's Wings and many more. But if you are a shoestring budgeted traveler when you got there, you could buy some foods at Robinsons Supermarket located in Solenad 2 and just have a simple yet nice afternoon picnic beside the lake. Enjoy!

At Clawdaddy

A PROMISING NEW DESTINATION

For me, Nuvali is a promising new destination near Metro Manila. It has a lot of potentials be it an ideal residential or commercial complex. Its feels like living in a first world suburb, I reckon. Indeed, my dream community - modern yet close to nature, just true to its tagline "a haven where man and nature coexist". 

~GDA

Surfing is More Fun in Baler!

Baler, as they said, is the birth place of surfing in the Philippines. Since I've never been to La Union beaches or Siargao Island, I couldn't claimed if Baler is the best surfing destination in the country for advanced surfers . But Baler, however, is a haven for beginners like me. Sabang beach in Baler provides medium size waves that is best for beginners. Well, I am not a surfing enthusiast but my Baler experience wouldn't be completed without trying this kind of sport. 

Clad in our spandex surf suits, me and three of my travel buddies headed off to Sabang beach at 7 am together with our respective instructors. We couldn't hide our excitement - and anxiety!

Being beginners, none of us have any idea what will awaits us. 

Now this is Surfing Lesson 101. Surfing tutorial fee costs Php 350/pax per hour.  

                             
Our kuya instructors taught us first the basic surfing tips for beginners. To ease my fear, my instructor told me that surf boards are made to float with water so I must not worry. This made me calm for a while. Then they taught us the proper way on how to lie, sit  and stand-up on board. Our instructors were all very hands-on that when were already clashing with the waves, they assisted us to make sure that we're not wobbling on our board. Another tips that I've learn from my instructor is when a large wave is coming, you must duck or lower your head to avoid waves whipping your eyes. 

Be gentle to us, dear Poseidon. We're just beginners. Lol (*nervous laugh*)

My first attempt standing up on my surfboard is a failed one. Well, my board became wobbly as my standing position was uncertain - and I'm a bit nervous, too. According to my instructor, the technique is to remain calm while pushing my upper body until I gain my balance. And while in a standing position, I should bend my knees (avoid standing erect for I will surely fall), always look up and lessen my movements.

Then, I made it on my second attempt! Woo-hoo!

The next attempts were a mixture of failed ones, the "pwede na" and the successful ones! The entire experience is superb. I will definitely do this again if I would have a chance to get back to Baler.

Well, that's me again! Cowabunga, dude!

~ GDA

Baler, the Beautiful...

Ta-daah! I'm back!  'Just back after several months of hiatus. Yeah I'm a bit of a lazy blogger, ye know. Been busy doing some teaching job and online business as well. Likewise, I'm so sorry for my late replies to those peeps who inquired me about Bohol trip and stuffs.

 Hohoho, 'nuff said.

Well, its summer vacay now. The season of sun, sea and sand.  Its time to have a little break away from the hustle and bustle of city life. So after the school year ended, me and my comrades decided to spend our summer holiday in Baler, Aurora. The Baler experience is superb! The angst of a long road trip from Manila to Aurora was no compare to the post-card scenery and the adventure that awaits us.

Our first destination is Costa Pacifica Resort. Beach front hotel like this is a bit pricey but who cares if the ambiance is lively, cozy and yet relaxing. The amenities are great, too. But if you're a shoe-string budgeted foodies like me, its best to explore restaurants outside the hotel. There are many carinderias or eateries out there that provides appetizing meals in affordable prices. I so love the grilled blue marlin tuna that we feasted in an eatery beside the Museo de Baler. 

Next destination is Ermita Hill. The hilltop is shady because of the lush vegetation that surrounds the area. What I like the most here was the panoramic view of the Baler Bay. Since the place is elevated, the view gave you the illusion of the blue skies kissing the azure sea. This is tranquility indeed! I wanna take a nap under a shady tree, lying on a hammock, the next time I will visit this place. 

One of my favorite spots in Baler is the Aniao Islet. The picturesque scenery is just like what you see in postcards. But the live version is too good to be true.  You see, the rocky formation along the shore line is too inviting to do some photo shoots. ('Wanna be on top? ANTM if you know what I mean. Lol). Anyway, we really enjoyed this trip despite of the scorching summer heat. Baler is indeed blessed with beautiful scenery like this.

After bathing under the summer heat, the air-conditioned Museo de Baler served as a sanctuary for me and my comrades . Well kidding aside, the museum showcased some displays and artifacts that tell the history of the town of Baler and  of course, the Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon since Baler is his hometown. There's not much to see here but its worth to pay a visit if you love history. 

Our next destination is a secret abode from mother nature. A place of total serenity and beauty-DITUMABO FALLS. The trek heading to the falls took us almost an hour (30 minutes if without "photo shoot interruption"), but the award is priceless- the lush forest, granite rocks, the breath taking view of the cascading water falls and its pristine water pool are so invigorating for a tiresome afternoon. The enchantment it brings can make you forget the misery of the world for a while. 

Before the sun dies down, we relished once more the beauty of Baler in an afternoon walk along the shore line of Sabang Beach. I so love walking at a beach during sunset. Its so serene and romantic I wish my special someone was with me. So cheesy, 'nuff said. 

And last but not the least, Surfing in Baler is more fun! I have a separate post for this. 

I really do enjoyed our Baler escapade. I'll recommend this for group outing because its so fun, fun, fun in Baler.  

~ GDA