Banawe! Banawe!!

Nope, it's not Banawe, Quezon City where you can buy cheap car accessories (and sometimes if you're a victim of car thief, the stolen parts ends here) but the famous Banawe of North Luzon what 'm talking about. Let me give you a glimpse of the 4 day-3 night stint which happened over Holy Thursday-Easter Sunday and spent on our wonderful trip in the mountains of Northern Luzon.

Just a little background, I wasn't planning any trip for the Holy Week actually but when I heard Dong and JC talking about the trip to Masbate for the Holy week I invited myself to their trip. I've never been to Masbate before and surely my cowboy hat (which I bought in Iran 5 years ago!!) would certainly be fit there (yes, they are called the marlboro country of the phils.)

Then plans change, from Masbate the trip was diverted to Kalinga!! But the problem was how to get the ticket to Kalinga =(. So, before the Holy week i made rounds of calls to bus stations inquiring for available booking for the trip. Alas, all trip going to Ilocos, Abra, Tabuk and Banawe are already fully booked! As the hope dims Dong told me to check out Ohayami bus in Espana. And as if my lucky star is upon me, i get a chance to secure a booking for the Banawe trip! And come Palm Sunday, as me and my college friends are having lunch at Sonya's garden I invited them to the trip. After they said yes I ask Dong's permission to have them on the trip.

Come Wednesday night, off we go to Banawe: me, dong, olive and rose (my college buddies) and floro. The trip was actually not comfortable because the space in our seats are small. "Hirap talagang maging long-legged" LoL!

Then morning came we find ourselves in Banawe already. It was drizzling when we got off the bus and it was cold and foggy which I truly loved!! After the meet-up we headed to the "name of resto" to get some breakfast. The view from the resto is awesome! See....

Floro having his coffee by the window

The fog slowly rising from the rice terraces

Slowly...

Slowly...

And gone =)

After eating breakfast, photo-shoot here and there and charging our cellphones, we managed to get a van that will bring us to Bontoc, Mountain Province. Luckily Dong is very familiar with Banawe and he managed to ask the driver to stop at the viewpoint sections of Banawe for much-needed profile picture for Facebook (c'mon admit it, you like to update your facebook profile pic given a chance =P )

Olive and her crazy peep-thru-the-window pose

Oh-lalala Banawe Rice terraces!!

More of Rice Terraces!

What's with the arm spread thingy pose?! LoL!

Shopping! Shopping! Shopping!!!

As we headed to Bontoc, Mountain Province, we did pass some landslide affected roads leading to Bontoc. My first thought was we're lucky there's only one landslide affected road and it's easy to navigate the road. Little did I know this is just a "patikim" of the more "rugged-death-defying-holding-on-to-your-dear-life" trip from Bontoc to Tinglayan. I'll share you that experience on my next blog post. 

We did pass another viewpoint and we just have to ask the driver to stop. Luckily he obliged.

The communities are on the side of the mountain, it was awesome! And down below is their river (that I assume will pass thru Banawe as well).



A lot of awesome scenery can be scene on our way to Bontoc. But unfortunately we can't ask the driver to stop because we have other people riding in the van going to Bontoc. So we just settled ourselves with taking pictures while the van is moving, hence the blurred and not-so-great photos of the mountains and rice terraces.

Here are some shots while the van is in motion (thanks to Rose for the other pics below jejeje. Ikaw na naka-galaxy tab sa bundok!)










The best experience is yet to come....ABANGAN!!!

Celebrating Friendships at Sonya's Garden

Last Palm Sunday, me and my college friends decided to visit Sonya's Garden in Alfonso, Cavite. Though it was a long drive, the bonding experience with the girls was priceless.

I was actually in the place a couple of weeks ago, and since we didn't get an reservation for a lunch, I decided to return to that place (with a reservation in tow). Here's the pic of the girls (all Mechanical Engineers) I'm with at Sonya's Garden.

(from Left to Right: Olive, Otly, Joy and Ka Kenny)

If you're into vegetarian food, Sonya's place is the place to be (parang wendy's lang jejeje) If only my crush agreed to have our date in Tagaytay, I should hvae brought her here. Kaso we parted ways before I even asked her out. (insert sad song here, lol)

(The main entrance of the Lunch Hall)

(Inside the Lunch Hall)
The place is full of organic/flower/plant-thingy, even on the shot glass! Gah, the ignorance in me complained to the waiter why there is a leaf on t he glass. Turns out it's some kind of a fly repellant. Wow!

(Sir di po ako dumi, pang-design po ako sa table.Duh! - dahon sa shot glass)

First meal course was the bread and ceasar salad. Since we arrived past 1:00AM already we we're patay-gutom na when they start serving the appetizers.

I think we had a second serving of the salad coz it was just totally delicious. yes i'm a sucker for green-and-leafy vegetables.

Second meal course was this fried salmon, though it was malaman, i didn't like it's taste =P.



But my biggest discovery in this trip is the so-called "taragon tea". The smell is so sweet and the taste is so sarap! One mistake though, i didn't bought a taragon plant at Sonya's. Shucks. Mental note to self: BUY TARAGON PLANT IN TAGAYTAY!!


When we we're in the place, there was a wedding reception to be held later in the afternoon, so we got a chance to see the intricate details and design of Sonya's Garden for wedding set-up. Look at this wonderful napkin design. At least you have an idea on how your table set-up would look like if you plan to hold your reception here =).






Oh this is not included in the wedding table set-up, this is our table lang, hehehe. I've notice also the design in the napkin is not the same as the other napkin. No two napkin are the same ( i think).




Outside the restaurant are the myriad of plants, shrubs, and flower where you can enjoy the relaxing surroundigns of the place. Also, you can buy freshly baked bread on their bakery and some pasalubong on the store. All are affordable in fairness.

(Sonya's store) (Flowers are abundant in the place, but no picking of flowers ha!)

(Roses are not always red, there's pink and white too)

(Inside the bakery for pasalubong)
(One fo the mini-water fountain inside the garden)

(Tourist buying pasalubongs)

Though the place are a bit far from Tagaytay rotonda where most of the restaurant are located, it is still worth the effort if you're really looking for a relaxing weekend get-away.

A Summer to Remember (International style)

Whew! Summer is officially here! Time to relax, have fun and sweat it out under the sun. I was doubtful if summer would really come this year coz over the weekend it was raining cats and dogs here in the South (especially in Tagaytay/Silang area) but my doubt was soon replaced by a astounding S-U-M-M-E-R-I-S-H-E-R-E when the temperature began to soar the followign day! Im sure most of you have your own cherish memories of summer. Well for me let me share with you some of my most unforgettable summer experience ever....

Summer adventure #1: The visitation to Persepolis (Islamic Republic of Iran)

I've blog about our visit to Shiraz and Persepolis here, here, here , here and here. It was summer of 2006, i think it was mid-September, when we visited the place. Lots of good memories when we're there, plus the fact that the food in Shiraz is soooooo good!!! it's like the gourmet capital of Iran! Would love to go bakc there given a chance.

 

Summer adventure #2: Road Trip to Hofuf and Judas Cave (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)

It was a change of season (from winter to summer/spring) when we decided to visit Hofuf last 2010. There was a sandstorm over the area hence the dramatic shots i've taken. It was memorable because I forgot my Iqama (foreigner's ID) when we went there, and if ever the police would make a random checkpoint on us surely i've be detained on that day! Scary noh? Well, that's Saudi life!

Summer adventure #3: The Dubai experience (United Arab Emirates)

It's still connected to my 2-year stint in Iran, we need to process our working visa for Iran hence we apply (or rather the company applied) for our working visa in Dubai. Got a 3 day 2 night stay there while waiting for the visa. It was memorable for me coz it was my first time to be out of the country on my own and got a chance to roam the city alone! Scary but fun. It happened also during summertime in the middle east which explains he short hair and sweaty shirt! LoL!

Summer adventure #4: Al-Baher resort (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)

Technically it was summer already when we headed to the resort of Baher but maybe the God of weather was against us that's why when we went to the place it was bitterly cold! Anyhow, the place is actually like a treasure found in dirt, knowing our place there's not too much locations where we can be totally "free" and have a good time, but in baher you can!=). Our trips to baher (together with my officemates) prove that friendships do become strong once your in a foreign land. Trips like this are like bonding moment with my officemates, whom until now are i still considered as good friends. Naks!

So there you have it, some of my favorite out-of-the-country-because-work-related-kaya-napadala-sa-abroad exerience. Now let's start doing memorable trips naman...the Philippines way...Abangan!!

"And by his wounds we are healed" (Is. 53:5)

Dear Lord, our heavenly Father

We thank you for this opportunity to listen and worship you on our retreat.

Thank you for the beautiful day, for clearing up our schedules, just to attend this retreat.

Lord, due to our hectic schedule in the office and personal life we often times forgot to talk to you.

As more and more time are being spent in the office, the less and less time i've been in touch with you with my prayer time and service.

Yet you never gave up on me. Your still there and waiting for me to be with you.

Thank you for sending me your servants, to constantly remind me that a prayer time is a good time to speak to you.

Thank you for giving me my friends who help me in my spiritual walk of life, most specially to Floro who 's always there through thick and thin. Thank you for the gift of friendship.

This retreat reminds me also the joy of serving you O Lord. I was awoken by the spirit of service and volunteerism once more. Thank you for showing me where my heart truly belongs O Lord.

Life has meaning when I help others, no matter how small or big it is.

Our life should be not centered to us. We belong to a community where we should care and be compassionate as Jesus was compassionate to others. Together, we will give glory and praise to you O Lord.

When you call us O Lord, you call us entirely. Even with our weakness and sins.

We respond to your call with astounding "YES" for we know you will take care of us.

  Thank you for realizing us that life is indeed beautiful. Being your humble servant we appreaciate more things about life.

The simple things in life is enough for us to be happy.

As we go to this journey, we will encounter trials and sufferings. We know this is worth fighting for. For we believe at the end of the day, your love will prevail like a flower in the vines.

Lord, lead us the way to your heart.

You have awoken my spirit, ignite the fire to serve.

Lord God I offer you my life, my strength and weakness, to fully serve you

and give glory to your name.

I am Ready Now.

AMEN.

(this is an excerpt of my prayer during our Lenten retreat last weekend @ Oasis Place of Prayer in Silang Cavite. May we all have a Blessed Lenten Season. Godbless)