Surviving Sagada Part 2

Woah! It's been almost 3 months since I last updated. Sorry for that. I've been busy with new work, and settling in to the new city... But enough of that! So now... back to Sagada!

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We took the first day off to recuperate after our misfortune. Keith joined Rodel and me for our own "city" tour to take some photos... We tried looking for those old Igorot huts and got to see some rice terraces upclose instead! 

For dinner, we decided to try out Salt & Pepper Diner. They different "flavors" of grilled chicken cooked their way. I had this:

It was also my first time to try out mountain tea. I'm not a tea lover but I loved it! I tweeted this picture and @SurvivingSagada suggested that next time I should try it with milk!

Surviving Sagada Part 1

Our leave policy changed last year and that resulted to limiting the carry over annual (vacation) leaves (AL) to only 10 days for Asia-based staff. It's supposed to force us to have work-life balance. But I simply don't get it as it would just require us to use 30days of AL this year then be back to use 20 ALs (assuming we still want to have 10 ALs carry over) as what we have been doing in the past. *roll eyes*

So with 10 additional ALs to spend last fiscal year, it was hard to think of how to spend those wisely (by wisely I mean relaxing, budget friendly and memorable). So Keith, Rodel and I thought of extending our trip to the Cordilleras after our Pulag adventure. Initially, our plan was to spend a night in Baguio to rest then Sagada the next day or two, then Banaue before going back to Manila.

I didn't really know much about Sagada. It was just that it is a must see town in the Cordilleras, aside from Banaue which is known of its rice terraces. All that I could remember was my geology professor speaking about limestones in Sagada which proved that the Cordilleras was under the sea.

Damn Summer!

Summer heat spoils it all!

I got plenty of things to do... clearance from my previous job, requirements for my new company, unfinished business... etc!

The high temperature these days really takes my mood off. News says 8 more weeks in this weather. Aaargggh!

Pook ni Maria Makiling

I was born in Mt.Makiling, Los Baños, Laguna. Well, my lolo used to work for FPRDI (formerly FORPRIDECOM) and stayed in one of the agency's staff housing in Forestry (UPLB's upper campus). Even if we're no longer living there, I still consider it my home.

How ironic is it that I call Mt. Makiling home but I haven't actually explored the place. I haven't climb its peaks or even reach the mud spring. I tried climbing the mountain with some friends but we've only got to see the flatrocks (the actual creek, not the bar!). So note to self: ask friends to climb the mountain and revisit tourist sites such as the Makiling Botanical Gardens, Boy Scouts of the Philippines, National Arts Center / Philippine High School for the Arts.

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Temperature is really insane this summer! In a few hours that I'm home, I'm literally dripping in sweat. So, I told my mom that we should go swimming. My brothers didn't want to leave so it was just me, my nephew and mom who went.

Laguna is known for its hotsprings. Dipping in warm water is totally out of my mind. I want something cool that could freshen me up, but near and not expensive.

There are 4 pools in Mt. Makiling if I'm not mistaken: 1 in Makiling Botanical Gardens, 1 in UPCO (UPLB staff housing), 1 in Boy Scouts Jamboree and 1 in Pook ni Maria Makiling. The pool in BSP Jamboree has a reputation. I haven't been in botanical gardens for years and I'm not sure if the pool there is still open but even if it still is, it's not an option since it has a side which is more than 10 ft deep. The pool in UPCO is small and we're no UPLB faculty/student so X mark there.

I've been in Pook ni Maria Makiling several times but haven't tried the pool there until last year when friends from college visited and we decided to go campus touring in UPLB. It is actually not maintained by UPLB but by the National Parks Development Authority under the country's Department of Tourism. The park is known for its olympic size pool (not sure if it still is under the new standards). Entrance fee to the park is 25 pesos while swimming fee is 40 pesos. For 65 pesos to cool the body off, it is actually cheap!

Mt. Pulag - First Attempt

Up to now, I don't know what went to the minds of my friends at work why they decided to become outdoors people. After camping in Nagsasa, next thing I know we were already planning for our trip to Mt. Pulag. We initially intended to have a preclimb activity but our work schedules were so tight. With our fingers crossed, we booked our Mt. Pulag adventure.

We decided to take a trip package, as we did in Nagsasa, so we wouldn't worry about food and camping stuff. Well, most of us are first time mountain climbers so we need some help in Mt. Pulag. Note, it is the highest peak in Luzon so this is something major. So we got in touch with Nino's friend Alain to arrange our trip.

Preparation meant shopping for some gears. We needed some trekking pants, trekking shoes, big bag, sleeping bag, fleece jackets and other stuff to survive the cold weather in Pulag. I thought 3K budget each was all that we needed. It covers the package only: transportation, fees, food. Nobody mentioned it would cost more since we didn't have trekking stuff! Tina and Annie went with Keith and me to Divisoria to shop for some stuff and they said, "mas ok pang magbeach, 'di kelangan ng damit at madaming gamit!" Well, they were totally right!

So it was me, Keith, Lee, Bobby, Nino, Logan, Rodel, and Chris to Pulag. Tina wasn't able to come as she can't take a leave on her new job and Glenn hasn't been cleared yet but his doctor to go trekking. Bobby invited his cousins and their friends and that's another 10 people... Sorry didn't get all their names, too shy but we all got along.

The plan was to take the Ambangeg-Ambangeg trail. It is called the executive trail since it's the easiest. Another trail, called Akiki trail, would take climbers 3 days to reach the mountain's summit.

Coron 2013 with my ACN Team

Cloudy, a friend and former team mate in Accenture invited me to Coron. It was supposed to be her homecoming last January but then she got another assignment in the US so it was just us Manila peeps on the trip. Amabel, whom I was the closest and treated as my best friend in the team forgot to book me a plane ticket! Ryan had to pass since he got an offshore assignment as well so luckily for me I took his seat. Got fake IDs so I could board the plane using his ticket!

This was my 3rd time in Coron and I want to keep coming back! 

We checked in at Islands View Inn. It's kinda new. Set meals with 2 viands included in our tour package. 

Missing Sea Dive Resort in my first time in Coron... They used to serve sit in buffet and we could ask any food we wanted like unlimited lobsters!

Our first stop was the park. 

Then our van took us to a pasalubong center. We didn't but anything yet since it was our first day and we've only been to 1 site! 

Bacolod-Iloilo-Guimaras with Paksyon Part 2

We took the 5pm ferry to Bacolod. Met this hardworking dog, sniffing all the bags to ensure the passengers' safety.

We arrived in Bacolod around 7pm. We were booked at the Northwest Inn. We were so tired but cabs and trikes just wouldn't let us ride on their normal rate. Good thing there was this manong jeep who was kind enough to take us to the inn at a minimum fee.

We took the roof deck room for more bonding time. Had some extra beds but still put some effort to rearrange the room so we could take our telenobela photos.

pang drama ito, bawal ngumiti!

Lent 2013

I was raised as a Protestant. Growing up, I never had to experience not eating meat during lent except for fish. No fasting... In contrast to the Catholics, our observance of lent is more of a celebration... thanking what the Lord has done to save us from our sins.

My father's side was Catholic. Whenever we were with our nanay and mamay, they would always say to keep our tones down. Well, it was almost a sin to be happy during lent.

I remember not long time ago, we went to a resort on a Black Saturday. We were the only family checked in . The pool was our own to enjoy. Other people only started checking after the salubong on Easter.

When I came to work this afternoon (well, yesterday), Maundy Thursday, I was surprised that the food served were pork adobo and chicken ala king. There's red meat! And dinner, it was grilled chicken and beefsteak.

I am fond of tradition. I am no Catholic but hey, it's part of my culture growing up in this country. It just that what's happening now feels weird and wrong.

Bacolod-Iloilo-Guimaras with Paksyon Part 1

In 2005, I joined Sykes as a technical support agent for one of the largest telecommunications company in the US. I was lucky to be with a group of wonderful people whom I became friends with until now.

One day, my circle of friends were discussing some issues (well, every company has those) and we were called into a room we fondly call bartolina (prison solitary confinement) by our team lead, Arvin. He then started pointing to us one by one, saying, "ikaw, ikaw, ikaw, ikaw... mga paksyon kayo eh!" (you, you, you, you... you have a faction!). And that is how we got our name, Paksyon.

Fast forward to 7 years later... we are no longer with Sykes. While some of us stayed in the country, some has gone to Singapore, Australia, the Netherlands and anywhere else in the world. Our "OFW" friends have decided to come home for a Christmas vacation so we set to have reunion of sorts in Bacolod where Arvin is now based.

Capones - Nagsasa

I can't remember exactly how I learned that I was signed up for a camping trip. All I know is that I can't back out. I don't know why all of a sudden, friends at work decided to be outdoors-oriented and I was tagged along with them.

Camping... is something at the bottom of my list when going out of town. I'm actually glad that I'm done with scouting and CAT so the idea of going on a camping trip is basically out of my head (except on an expedition to Mt. Pulag). But if and only if there is no other choice but to camp, the only time that I would say yes is if there is a decent (clean) rest room with running fresh water.

I was assured that there were clean rest rooms in Nagsasa. We marked our calendars to save the last weekend before Christmas for the trip. Uh-uh, my Christmas mode was off until I returned from camping (except for those times I had to shop for presents for my family).

The itinerary was basically depart from Makati at late Friday night, arrive at Pundakit early Saturday morning, set camp at Nagsasa and stay there whole Saturday morning, sidetrip to Capones Island before leaving for home Sunday. I asked to have it revised to go to Capones Island on Saturday instead so when we leave on Sunday we won't be drenched in salt water and they agreed.

The trip to Zambales was fine. We weren't able to sleep in the van since manong driver seems to be in a hurry. We arrived in Pundakit before 5am and it was still dark... had a short break to eat a little (thank you office for our supply of Gardenia bread and mayonnaise/sandwich spreads we were able to prepare some egg sandwiches) and pee before sailing to Capones Island.

Baguio Revisited Part 2

We were really tired in our first day. We originally planned to get up early to pick some strawberries in La Trinidad then visit BenCab Museum and dine at Cafe Sabel. But we woke up a little bit late and you know how much time girls take to prepare. So BenCab and Cafe Sabel were scratched off the list.

Weather was good when we arrived in the strawberry farm. It wasn't strawberry season so no picking this time. Shopped for pasalubong instead! 

Went back to Baguio and had late lunch at Forest House. It seemed like forever whil waiting for the food to be served. 

Baguio Revisited

What to blog about??? It's the re-birth of my "online journal" so I'll just start this off by telling how I celebrated my birthday last year. And here it goes...

I wanted to have some time away from everything. I felt that I need to go somewhere but my budget was tight and there wasn't any airline seat sale. Baguio was the destination that went to mind easily. I figured, I could just ride the bus one night, sleep on my way there and start my adventure when I wake up in the morning. No plans. 

I checked out some hotels online and found some discounted rates. I opened up the idea of going to Baguio to friend at work, Xan, who will be celebrating her birthday a day after mine. She said she could take some time off for herself as well and we invited two more girl friends at work as we had an idea months ago to have a weekend getaway to Baguio as well (that didn't happen due to some marital technicalities which I will not discuss further). 

So the idea of having no plans was scratched out. Hotel was booked ahead. We got the priciest accommodation at a low rate. We all wanted to eat somewhere local delicacies are served or somewhere which is only known in Baguio. Xan got this all figured out and poof! She sent our itinerary.

Back

Meeting some of my college friends last year made me realize that I really have poor memory. It was fun reminiscing our student years. However, more than half of what was told, I couldn't remember if those really happened.

I have been telling myself to start blogging again so that I could at least save my memories digitally. It was just that I was too busy procrastinating. Well, blogging needs time...

So here I am today... got nothing to do except to kill time. There's nothing on cable, movies are still being downloaded, I'm done with the laundry, and I just had my breakfast so I can't workout. I couldn't think of any other thing to do except blog.