Potipot Island

             How many times I've mentioned before that I love Zambales to a  fault?  Oh, several times, right?  Well, you will always go back to the one you love no matter how many new 'place' you met along the way (even if those 'places' are prettier than your lover, right? He-he!).  So, here I am - coming back to Zambales and visiting one of Zambales pride: Potipot Island.

             Looking for a little distraction from the hectic schedule and stressful office life, I found my way here.  I search for a new place that will somehow makes me at ease.  Found out that my long list of travels in Zambales is not enough to get to know the place.  I haven't been to Potipot Island and its not as if its an infamous Island.  A simple click of my cursor generated a lots of website and results from Google.  Poor me, I don't really knew Zambales that much huh?

Big Rock Farm Resort

            It was almost midnight when we arrived at Big Rock Farm Resort in Coral na Bato, San Rafael, Bulacan.  Planned to stay overnight, we rented a bigger cottage right next to the biggest swimming pool, that will accommodate nine (9) of us and our, well, not-so-many swimming stuff.

             It was a Saturday night, almost all of the cottages - may it be the biggest or the smallest are fully-booked and occupied. You can choose to stay in a Nipa Hut cottage or executive cottages or you may also rent an open table available for small group of visitors and day tour packages. The moment we are settled and rested (from the long travel - I'll tell you later what happened on our way to the resort), we excitedly changed to our swimsuit and board shorts and proceeded to the swimming pool.  Oblivious of the cold water - we swum and dove.  The resort has three swimming pools.  Not only that, they also offers videoke-for-rent for those who wants to sing-their-lungs out (He-he!), billiard table and horse-back riding.  The kids will love to have their picture taken with the mini-jeep scattered inside the resort's premises and miniature of cartoon characters.

                The resort boost of a cave bar, cave pool with stage for the live band and singers of the night and Jacuzzi. They also have a large pool with orca slide, a hanging bridge with a man-made running water and a cute garden.  At the far end of the resort, at the back of the parking lot is an open space for a vegetable garden or such.  Terraces of eggplants or so I thought, are visible from the hanging bridge area.  They also have a huge space right in front of the resort for a parking lot (still in progress) and a farm.  In fact, we roamed around the area and took a picture of 'cute' ostrich (I found these ostrich cute for their big-round eyes. LOL!) in the cage.  There are different families of birds and even, monkeys.   

           

Red Box!

            If there's an adjective or phrase to describe Filipinos other than being hospitable and the love for eating like there's no tomorrow, it's the passion for music.  Filipinos love to sing, and because I am a proud Filipino, I am not an exception.  A celebration to Filipinos is not a celebration without the food and of course - the music.  Name the occasion - music is always in the air (even during wake/burial - yes, there is music!).

             I still remember my grandma would say that grandpa would sing to her (for Filipinos, we call it "Harana") in acapella during their courtship and even after the wedding.  My older cousins do sing too and they normally accompanied it with either a guitar or 'barabad' - a set of drum made by either bamboo or 'yantok' (rattan).  As time goes by, Filipinos love for music is still alive and getting  livelier as time passed.  People are getting innovative every time.  From guitar to piano; from 'barabad' to new and high-tech drums; from acapella to pop,  rock, country, R&B type of music, et al.

           

Manila Zoo

            Its a spur-of-the-moment escapade.  After work (we work in graveyard shift), the "Vermont Girls" decided to unwind and have fun.  Bored of going to the malls and hitting every karaoke bars in the city, we decided to go on a road trip and ended in Manila Zoo in Manila.

             Manila Zoo was opened to public last July of 1959.  From then on - hundreds of thousands of visitors frequent the zoo.  Manila Zoo, also known as Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden, is the first  and oldest garden and zoo of its kind in Asia.

Manila Ocean Park

            A park in the city?  I love that!  Manila is known for something else but not having a park within a park within the city.  Did I write it right? He-he!  A tour to Manila gets more interesting  when you visit not just the historical and old sites but the new and equally famous landmarks.  Yes, I am referring to the newly added to Manila's tourist destination - Manila Ocean Park.

              Manila Ocean Park is not really "new", new because it was built and opened to public last February of 2008 (If I remember it right).  Unlike its surrounding destinations: Manila Zoo; Rizal Park (Luneta Park); Intramuros - this site was constructed within 20th century nevertheless it offers a lot of interesting things to its visitors and a nobility to a place surrounded by Manila's ancient history.  It's located at the back of Quirino Grandstand in Luneta.

La Mesa Eco Park

            People may think Quezon City is just a bustling city of skyscrapers, noisy Jeep and buses, malls and other symbols of city life except a park, wildlife or anything related to nature.  I love nature and in the process of  looking for a best place to enjoy this "loving", I found La Mesa Eco Park. You don't need to drive too far, La Mesa Eco Park is located within the city of Quezon in Metro Manila - specifically in East Fairview Subdivision.  This breath of life offers different activities that friends and family can enjoy without spending all that much in your wallet.

              Huts and cottages are available for rent, some are free, but you may also bring your own tent or picnic blanket for your own comfort.  The area is around five(5) hectares of picnic, grill, garden and exercises stations.  I've been to the place several times with friends and office mates.  We busied ourselves with  taking pictures of beautiful and colorful flowers around the area, different types of trees, satisfy our curiosity about the water shed, tried different activities such as: horse back riding (Oh well, in our case - we used the 'calesa'.He-he!), bicycle riding, kite flying, getting a temporary tattoo, badminton, wall climbing, etc.  There are other activities designed for more adventurous guests: paintball, wall climbing, zipline and rappelling.

Intramuros: "The Walled City"

             A self-confessed history vultures would go to museum and municipal/city library to satisfy their artistic needs.  A traveler would drive long and pack her bag to get away  and satisfy her needs.  Well, if you are a combination of both, no need to stay seated for a long time at the back of your steering wheel and waste your fuel to get this ecstasy - Intramuros is enough to get the same high.

          Known to Manilenos as "The Walled City", this unbelievably awesome place stands historically beautiful despite of the evident modernization  and high-technology showing in every corner of the site.  The place is located in Metro Manila.  Its surrounded by different and equally historical tourist destinations such as: Rizal Park (Luneta); Manila Hotel; Manila Ocean Park; Manila Zoo; Manila  Botanical and Zoological Garden; Carfel Seashell Museum; Kanlungan ng Sining (Artist's Haven); Japanese Garden; Forth Santiago and a lot more.

              Several churches are located within and around Intramuros.  Some of these churches are reserved all-year-round for weddings and different important occasions that needs the church's expertise.  The following are the list of churches within the area:

• Manila Cathedral
• San Agustin Church
• San Ignacio Church
• Lourdes Church
• San Francisco Church (now occupied by Mapua Institute of Technology)
• Santo Domingo Church (now occupied by Bank of the Philippine Islands)
• San Nicolas de Tolentino Church (now occupied by Manila Bulletin)
• Third Venerable Order Church (Mapua Chapel)

Pangasinan: Manaoag Church

           It started when three of my friends, Susie, Mitch and Mel ( I am sorry, I just love to include your names here. Hehe!) - mentioned that its been a long time since they last visited Our Lady of Manaoag Church in Manaoag, Pangasinan.  We abruptly packed our bags and off we go to Victory Liner, Cubao to get a bus ticket to Pangasinan (330Php/pax).  The ride took 6hours.  Its a good thing most of us are wearing our jackets (Victory Liner to Pangasinan buses are air conditioned) and brought a travel pillow to doze of to sleep while on travel.

           Right next to the terminal are rows of restaurants and cafeterias where you can choose to eat. We left Manila around 11PM and arrived in Pangasinan at 7AM.  We had breakfast at Pinkish Resto that offers Filipino cuisine and got the taste of their specialty (and Dagupan's pride) - grilled Bangus!  After breakfast, we ride in a Jeep that brought us to Manaoag Church and Manaoag Municipal Hall after 30minutes. A little to the right of Pinkish Resto's entrance, you will see an intersection.  After crossing the intersection, 50 steps away to the right is the Jeep terminals that will bring you to different towns and municipalities of Dagupan.  I almost couldn't bear Mitch's never ending question: "Are we there yet?" (Reminds me of donkey in the movie Shrek. He-he!)

Star City

            One of my friends posted a Facebook status that goes something like this: " I wish I was a little kid again when all I wanted is to play. Oh, and smile. Oh, and  laugh and eat ice cream!".  Needless to say, it got me thinking, and said to my self, "Why not?".  Just like what the cliché would say, age is just a number.  It doesn't define who you are nor limit what you can or must do.  Who cares if I eat ice cream even if its raining?  If I shout-my-lungs-out while the Blizzard swing back and forth several times and so fast I could not count?  If my grins so wide while driving a bumper car?  If I fall in line to Star Flyer ride even if I am the hundred and one person in the line?  If I get wet while riding the Wild River?  I bet, no one.  And I am betting my one-month salary they'll try the same thing once they get the chance. Hahaha!

            It was cloudy (a little overcast even) when we turned back the hands of time and enjoyed both adults and kid's rides in Star City.  This magical park is located within the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex in Pasay City.  From our office in Mandaluyong City, it took us about 30minutes to reach the park by taxi.  It's only fifteen(15) minutes away from Manila and five(5) minutes from Makati City and about thirty (30) minutes from Quezon City if you take EDSA (Please reconsider the traffic. Hahaha!).