MT. PICO DE LORO

ANG BABAE SA SEPTIC TANK

MOUNT PULAG

Mount Pulag is the highest peak in Luzon. This mountain is considered as a sacred ground to the Ibaloi and Kalanguya. Mt. Pulag National Park anchors the Cordillera’s largest national park.

This trip started from an invitation from my new found friend Weng (ByahengJologs) and Mina (Adventures of ManongUnyol). It’s been a month of preparation. Thanks guys for the efforts. Were supposed to go on this DIY (do-it-yourself) trip the three of us! I created a group page on FB for easy exchanging of thoughts and ideas and also inviting some of ours friends.

As the date of climb near approaching more and more were interested in joining us. From 3 we ended up into 15 in the group. Most of the joiners were members of The United Climber Organization (TUCO).

DAY 0

9:00 PM ~ Meeting place is in Victory Liner in Cubao. Long lines of passengers were queued. Its long weekend and we don’t anticipate the heavy crowed of travelers. Most of the trips going to Baguio City were fully-booked. We don’t have a reservation that is why our group decided to check the Genesis bus station. After some hours of waiting finally all our group members arrived.

11:00 PM ~ We boarded Genesis bus bound for Baguio City.

DAY 1

5:00 AM ~ We arrived at the city of pines Baguio City! From there we boarded the monsters jeep going to Kabayan, Benguet. A four hours top-load ride passing thru the scenic mountainscape of Cordillera. The jump-off point for our climb.

ready to topload

10:00 AM ~ DENR office for registration, payment of fees and orientation. Buy a souvenir shirt.

group picture with TUCO, Cecile,Racky, Weng, Freddie and Mina

climbers of mt. pulag

1:00 PM ~ Lunch at the Ranger station. Start of the trek Mt. Pulag via the Ambageg trail. Along the trail are the different kinds of flora and fauna that is endemic.

4:00 PM ~ After 4 hours of trek we reach the Grassland Campsite! We set-up our tent and fix our things.

grassland campsite

5:00 PM ~ we witnessed the breathtaking Sunset and embracing the Sea of Clouds.

sunset

sea of clouds

DAY 2

3:00 am ~ Wake up call to prepare for the Sunrise viewing at the Summit. I can’t resist the very cold weather that I decided to stay on our tent.

10:00 AM ~ the start of the trek going down.

12:00 NN ~ Finished the trek. Surviving the Mt. Pulag!

2:00 PM ~ boarded the monster jeep going back to Baguio City.

I’ve meet a bunch of good friends, awesome company and maybe some travel buddies in my future travel/adventure.

This adventure is one of the most memorable trips of my life. A journey that I will cherished forever!


Check out my friends' blog regarding this adventure!

• BYAHENG JOLOGS
• ADVENTURES OF MANONG UNYOL

A STORMY TRIP TO CAGAYAN VALLEY

Despite the typhoon hitting the Cagayan valley I pushed through with my plans of travelling the north. I was in the middle of traffic jam along EDSA boarding a bus going to Victory Liner terminal in Kamuning QC when my officemate texted me what she heard in the news. I replied to her to pray for my safety and my bahala na si Batman attitude rules.

It was raining when I left Manila that evening. After 8 hours of traveling I safely reached Santiago City in Isabela. I eat in one of the fast-food there to fill my stomach for the rest of the day adventure. I strolls the city even if it’s raining. I don’t want to waste a single minute of my time.

Places I visited:

•         Balay Santiago
•         Magat Dam
•         Callao Cave
•         Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral
•         Lady of Piat Church
•         Buntun Bridge
•         Cagayan River

Food I eat:

•         Pancit patil-patung
•         Pawa
•         Chicharabao

I stayed at Hotel Candice.

My original plan is to navigate the northern Luzon loop, from Isabela to Cagayan down to Ilocos Norte and back to Manila. But due to the typhoon some of the bridges that connecting Cagayan valley and Ilocos region were damaged so I have no choice but to go back to Manila boarding a bus from Tuguegarao.

Spending two days in Cagayan Valley is a memorable trip that I will try again soon. Hopefully the weather would cooperate with me the next time! :)

HIGANTES FESTIVAL

Finally the long wait is over. It’s been a year that I’d been waiting Higantes Festival. I was in Ilocos last year that is why I was not able to witness this gigantic fiesta. I invited my good friend Miko to join me to attend and have fun in Higantes.

Higantes Festival highlights the annual celebration of the people of Angono, Rizal. This festival features a larger than life paper-mache. It is also pays tribute in honor of San Clemente, the patron saint of the fishermen. Those higantes depicts image of famous personalities and some local farmers and fishermen. The streets of Angono are filled with locals and tourists waiting for the grand parade of the higantes, majorettes, bands and floats. The higantes were wearing a colorful costumes and dance gracefully in sync with the drum beats of the musicians that following them. After the parade there is a cultural presentation by different schools of Angono.

Angono Rizal is also the hometown of the two great national artists Carlos “Botong” Francisco and Professor Lucio San Pedro.  Francisco is a famous painter while San Pedro is music genius. Along the Dona Aurora St. in Baranggay Poblacion Itaas displays an array of mural/sculptured walls depicting the famous paintings of Francisco. Most of the murals are pictures of rural life.  The walls show the creativity and love for the arts of the townspeople.

The town of Angono is dubbed as the art capital of the Philippines.

How to get there:

From MRT Shaw Boulevard / EDSA Central ride a jeep bound for Angono or Binangonan. Fare is P30.00.

Know more about Angono, Rizal by visiting there website angono.gov.ph.

THELMA

LIGO NA U LAPIT NA ME

MT. ROMELO

HOTEL CANDICE

Blumentritt cor. Luna sts., Tuguegarao City, Cagayan

 (+63) 78 844-2001

 (+63) 78 844-2002

 (+63) 9062156009

http://www.hotelcandice.com/index.html

VIAJERO TRANSIENT HOTEL

this place is perfect for backpacker/budget traveller who plans to explore and discover the historical province of laguna. viajero transient hotel is centrally located in severino building along the streets of capinpin and j. gonzales in city of binan.

rates:

FESTIVAL IN THE PHILIPPINES

  dinagyang festival | photo courtesy of onlinetravelersguide.blogspot.com

January

• 9^th | FEAST OF BLACK NAZARENE | Quiapo Manila

• 13^th -19^th  | ATI-ATIHAN FESTIVAL | Kalibo Aklan

• 3^rd Sunday |  SINULOG FESTIVAL | Cebu  

• 4^th Sunday | DINAGYANG FESTIVAL | Iloilo

hotair baloon | photo courtesy of homeescapade.com

February

• 2^nd week | HOT AIR BALLOON | Clark Field Angeles Pampanga

• 4^th – 10^th  | PAMULINAWEN FESTIVAL | Laoag Ilocos Norte

• 4^th week | PANAGBENGA FESTIVAL | Baguio

March

• 1^st Sunday | PARAW REGATA | Iloilo

moriones festival | photo courtesy of phillipinen-reisen.com

April

• Holyweek | MORIONES FESTIVAL  | Marinduque

• 2^nd week | MANGGAHAN FESTIVAL | Guimaras

• 4^th week | ALIWAN FIESTA | PICC Pasay

pahiyas festival

May

• 15th | PAHIYAS FESTIVAL | Lucban Quezon

• 1^st-31^st | FLORES DE MAYO / SANTACRUZAN

• 17^th – 19^th | OBANDO FERTILITY RITES | Obando Bulacan

June 

• 24^th | PARADA NG LECHON | Balayan Batangas

• 29^th | PINTADOS FESTIVAL | Tacloban

August 

• 3^rd week | KADAYAWAN FESTIVAL | Davao 

July

• 1^st – 2^nd | SANDUGO FESTIVAL | Tagbilaran Bohol

September

• 16^th – 18^th | LEMLUNAY (T’BOLI TRIBAL FESTIVAL) Lake Sebu South Cotabato

• 3^rd  Saturday  | FEAST OF NUESTRA SENORA DE PENAFRANCIA | Naga

October

• 3^rd week | MASSKARA FESTIVAL | Bacolod

November

• 23^rd  | HIGANTES FETIVAL | Angono Rizal

December

• 15^th – 19^th | SHARIFF KABUNSUAN FESTIVAL | Cotabato

THE 80 PROVINCES

the philippines is consist of 7,107 islands. these islands comprises the 80 provinces. each places have its own unique identity-culinary,culture,arts and natural wonders! here are the complete list of the 80 provinces.truly it's more fun in the philippines! i highlighted the provinces that i've visited! 

• ABRA
• APAYAO
• BENGUET
• IFUGAO
• KALINGA
• MOUNTAIN PROVINCE
• ILOCOS NORTE
• ILOCOS SUR
• LA UNION
• PANGASINAN
• BATANES
• CAGAYAN
• ISABELA
• NUEVA VIZCAYA
• QUIRINO
• AURORA
• BATAAN
• BULACAN
• NUEVA ECIJA
• PAMPANGA
• TARLAC
• ZAMBALES
• BATANGAS
• CAVITE
• LAGUNA
• QUEZON
• RIZAL
• MARINDUQUE
• OCCIDENTAL MINDORO
• ORIENTAL MINDORO
• PALAWAN
• ROMBLON
• ALBAY
• CAMARINES NORTE
• CAMARINES SUR
• CATANDUANES
• MASBATE
• SORSOGON
• AKLAN
• ANTIQUE
• CAPIZ
• GUIMARAS
• ILOILO
• NEGROS OCCIDENTAL
• BOHOL
• CEBU
• NEGROS ORIENTAL
• SIQUIJOR
• BILIRAN
• EASTERN SAMAR
• LEYTE
• NORTHERN SAMAR
• SAMAR
• SOUTHERN LEYTE
• ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE
• ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR
• ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY
• BUKIDNON
• CAMIGUIN
• LANAO DEL NORTE
• MISAMIS OCCIDENTAL
• MISAMIS ORIENTAL
• COMPOSTELA VALLEY
• DAVAO DEL NORTE
• DAVAO DEL SUR
• DAVAO ORIENTAL
• NORTH COTABATO
• SARANGANI
• SOUTH COTABATO
• SULTAN KUDARAT
• COTABATO CITY
• AGUSAN DEL NORTE
• AGUSAN DEL SUR
• DINAGAT ISLANDS
• SURIGAO DEL NORTE
• SURIGAO DEL SUR
• BASILAN
• LANAO DEL SUR
• MAGUINDANAO
• SULU
• TAWI-TAWI

HALO-HALO

CHOWKING

Halo-halo is a favorite Filipino dessert or snack.  It is basically a mixture of sweet preserved beans(red beans, chick peas), coconut meat (macapuno), jackfruit (langka), pounded dried rice (pinipig), sweet yam (ube), cream flan (leche flan), shreds of sweetened plantain (saba), filled with crushed ice, milk (or coconut milk) and  topped with ice cream.The halo-halo basically is sweet, creamy, and a filling dessert.

ALING TALENG'S HALO-HALO(Since 1933)
169 General Luna St. Brgy. Maulawin Pagsanjan Laguna

RAZON'S OF GUAGUA

PAHIYAS FESTIVAL

Pahiyas Festival is a colorful feast celebrated every 15th of May by the people of Lucban, Quezon in honor of San Isidro Labrador. It is the farmers' thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest with a grand display of colorful rice wafers, fruits, vegetables, and handicrafts adorning every house in the town.

The festival's name comes from the Filipino terms hiyas (jewel) and pahiyas (precious offering). This feast is an ancient farmers' harvest celebration that dates back to the 16th century. According to legend, San Isidro Labrador magically plowed the field whenever he went out of the church. This is the story that the Spaniards passed on to the Philippines from Mexico during their colonial period. Since then, the Pahiyas Festival has been a source of excitement for the locals and visitors of Quezon Province.

The highlight of the festival is a procession along the streets of the image of San Isidro Labrador, to ensure the people's bountiful harvest in the coming seasons. The procession features a pair of giant papier mâché figures of a farmer and his wife. This is followed by the image of the patron saint and his wife Sta. Maria de la Cabeza, who carries a basket with triangulo biscuits, which are given to the children during the procession. This culminates with generous sharing of food among the townspeople.

All the locals' houses are decorated with agricultural harvest (fruits, vegetables, rice grains, rice stalks, flowers, and ferns) and colorful rice wafers, called kiping. These thin wafers made from rice dough are usually arranged into two or three layers of chandeliers called aranya. The locals use different kinds of leaves to add flavor and color to the kiping. They also produce varieties of tastes and textures by using different ingredients such as kabal, coffee, talisay (umbrella tree), cocoa, and banaba leaves.

Each house tries to outdo each other in decorations in an annual competition as they vie for the honor of being recognized for their creativity. After the competition is over and the awards are handed over to the owners of the winning house, the decorations of the house will be thrown away to the huge flock of people as free treats. For the other houses, after the festival, those kipings that were used as decorations are cooked and eaten as rice chips. Also during the festival, the people display their harvest in front of their homes so that the parish priest can bless them as the procession passes by.