Liliw, Laguna

A continuation of my Laguna tour, I visited the church of St. John the Baptist in Liliw.  Liliw in Laguna is bounded on the north by Magdalena, on the east by Majayjay, on the west by Nagcarlan and on the south by Quezon.  Another small municiality of Laguna, it is famous for its slippers-making cottage industry.

I am not certain if the province has hotels available, but with its close proximity to Manila, it isn't really necessary.  Of course being me, I wasn't attracted to the place because of its slippers, it was the beautiful, brick church that really caught my eye.

The church of St. John the Baptist was built in 1605 but was damaged by an earthquake in 1800.  It was renovated but partially burned in 1898.

The inside of this bell tower is the stuff of hunchback stories.  Rickety wooden stairs, very cold interior... 

Beautiful facade.  I am always taken in by beautiful, old churches.  I always wonder what stories these churches have to tell. 

Intricate church altar.  Rumor has it that only one person designed most of the Laguna altars because of their similarity in design.

Church facade details. 

A sculpture of St. John the Baptist baptizing Jesus in the river Jordan on the church facade.

Recently added bricks.  Not sure how recent though.  But it was too new to be more than 20 years old.

Older bricks of the church. 

Vegetation in the church facade.  Moss covered bricks, and a few other plants. 

More vegetation.

Though I know that the real attraction to Liliw is the slippers industry, the town has a few more treasures worth looking at.  On the street leading to the church, there are still a few old houses that would make you think Kapitan Tiyago and Cabesang Tales.  So much history and character.  

When going to a certain destination, explore the surrounding areas.  Make the most of every trip.  Maximize.  In Liliw, don't just stop at all the shops that sell slippers.  Go further into the town proper.  So much to explore and discover.  Look for an old resident.  Share a cup of coffee or a bottle of soda.  Ask about the town.  Listen to the stories they have to tell.  It is oftentimes more fascinating than reading a history book!

Poetry in Photos

Sunsets have always been my favorite part of the day.  They just bring out so much emotion in me.  This is a photo book on a trip I took with my son in 2007.  

Photo credits: Miel and Matthew Maguigad Poetry: Miel Maguigad

A Glimpse of South Vietnam

A photo book on a trip to Vietnam with my son.  Enjoy browsing through the pages!

Magdalena, Laguna

Magdalena town in Laguna is situated in the foot of Mount Banahaw.  A small sleepy town of a little more than 20,000 in population, its primary source of income is rice farming.  Took a quick side-trip to the town a couple of months ago while doing work in Laguna.  

Mount Banahaw in the distance. 

Rice fields and coconut trees. 

The lush countryside. 

I have a penchant for old churches, and this church was really beautiful.  Atop of a slight incline, it was a magnificent presence.

The church had a big yard, beautifully manicured and maintained.  

The church was situated in a way that people in the town would see the belfry even from a distance.

This is the top of the belfry seen from a distance.

Top of the church.

The town's municipal hall, fronting the church. 

Closer look at the Municipal Hall.

The town's layout, with the church fronting the Municipal Hall was reminiscent of times when the church had a big say in the town's activities.  You could almost imagine a Padre Damaso walking towards the Municipal Hall to give a piece of his mind to the Mayor.  You would think it was something out of the Noli Me Tangere or El Filibusterismo.

The next time you're in Laguna, try to visit more of the country side.  You will be surprised at the wealth of culture you can find in small municipalities like Magdalena.

Tranquility in a Farm

A couple of months ago, I joined good friends BG and Jhoey and their kids in visiting a sustainable, organic farm.  They had very interesting processes but with me being me, it wasn't that that impressed me.  I was drawn to this one spot in that farm.  A place where you would want to sit back, open a book and just sit there for hours.  It was this one spot where you would want to immediately kick off your shoes, drop your shoulders, and breathe.  

There is comfort in the quiet

Peace in the silence

Breathe in the air of rest

Soak in the warmth of peace

A chirp, a tweet,

A splash, a rustling

Sounds of the lake

The lush green

The blue skies

Reflections 

Of life

Of love

The farm is located in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija.  About 3 hours north of Manila.  The farm is existing on sustainable, renewable energy and organically grows all their crops.

I never expected to find something so refreshing in this farm.  The most I expected was to learn a lot about sustainable energy and organic farming.  This discovery was definitely worth the trip.

Calm in the Heart of the City

When living in the metro, one has to find ways to take a breather in the midst of the hustle and bustle.  I usually need to take a few breaths in between work-weeks and I look for spots in the metro to unwind.  Most often than not, I find myself gravitating to the bay.  I usually sit by the breakwater, be still and watch the sun set. If my favorite taho vendor is around, I get a warm one and catch up with him.  My favorite taho vendor has weathered quite a few storms with me.  

 

This is the kind of beauty I see on a good day.  

This kind of beauty allows you to take deep breaths in between work-weeks.

Calming.  Relaxing.  Breathtaking.  These scenes make you appreciate the beauty of life.

Fiery intensity.

Quiet moments by the bay rejuvenate the mind, renew the spirit and feed the soul.

There is a peace that envelopes me when I see visions such as these.  There is a sense of calm, of well-being.  I find my center, my inner strength.

A Spur of the Moment Trip to Bohol

Took a side-trip to Bohol on a supposedly Cebu only trip.  Couldn't resist the chance to go to Bohol after I found out it was less than 2 hours away by fast craft from Cebu.  As usual, nothing was really planned.  I asked a cab driver to take me the pier and I just took my cues from there.  

Took the last SuperCat out of Cebu, around 6pm and arrived Tagbilaran City at almost 8pm.  Since it was too late out to go to Panglao and I wanted to do the touristy thing and check the hills, the tarsiers and all, I looked for a place in Tagbilaran.  I stayed at Vest Pension House Hotel.  Rates where relatively cheap and it was clean and new.  When I stayed there, a room for an overnight stay for 2 pax was only 850-900.  Now I think it is only P1,150.  The hotel also helped me out with the tour.  Hooked me up with a driver to take me around.  Since renting a car was expensive (P2,500) for a whole day tour, I opted for a motorcycle.  It was only P500 and took me to the Chocolate Hills, the Tarsier Sanctuary, the Loboc River and eventually, Panglao.  Though the motorcycle wasn't really part of the tour options, they hooked me up with someone who could do it for me.  Economical, since I was alone, and exhilarating.  In Panglao, I stayed at Dumaluan Beach Resort.  It isn't the prettiest out there.  But it was inexpensive and clean.  It was quiet.  My aircon room was less than a thousand then and it faced the beach.  

I did the touristy thing in the morning, leaving my Tagbilaran hotel at 8am and went to the Chocolate Hills, the sanctuary, the Loboc River and church.  I was in Panglao by 1pm.  Had a late lunch in Panglao and just enjoyed being alone by the beach.  In the evening, I met up with a few Swedish divers I met on the ferry and went to check out the "night-life" in Panglao.  Nothing much compared to Boracay but I was glad.  The whole point of my trip was to breathe.

Got to talk to a few fishermen and they agreed to take me out with them at 3am.  Joined them in a small banka hoping to catch a glimpse of the dolphins that played around in these waters.  I saw some but we were really to far away to take any photos.  

Chocolate Hills, well it isn't as 
chocolate-y as it gets in the summer

Did you ever wonder why 
there are numerous hills in one area?  

Loboc Church.  

Beautiful. 

The Philippine Tarsier, the smallest primate.

They look more like rodents to me.  hehehe

Baclayon Church. Oldest Church in Bohol.

Panglao sunset. 

Scenes like this make you breathe.

My favorite spot in the resort.  

A book, the hammock, and I am happy.

The visit to Bohol, though spur of the moment was truly rewarding.  Just goes to show that sometimes, spontaneity is the key.  On your next trip, do not be limited by the plans you have already made.  Do not "box" your vacation time.  Vacations are supposed to be fun.  It should allow you to breathe.  There are no formulas nor are there perfect tours.  Just enjoy the moment.  

2 Nights, 2,000 Pesos and the Banaue Rice Terraces

A trip to the Banaue Rice Terraces isn't expensive.  With 2,000 pesos, you can spend 2 nights in Banaue.  

Florida Liner in España cor Galicia streets in Sampaloc has daily trips to Banaue.  Trip is either at 8.00pm or 10.45pm.  A bus ticket one way will cost 450 pesos.  It is an 8 hour trip to Banaue, so if you leave at 10.45, you will arrive Banaue at around 7.00am.  When you get to Banaue, there are a host of hostels to choose from.  Room rates range from 350 - 1,500 pesos a night.  Green View Lodge near the town center has standard rooms with a shared bathroom for 500 a night and People's View Lodge, at the same strip, offers it as 350 a night.  Meals in the hostels are pretty pricey (100pesos/meal) since they usually cater most to tourists.  You can get cheap and good meals near the market in the town center.  They serve home cooked meals for about 30-40 pesos.

When I went to Banaue, I did not join a tour or get my own guide.  I just rode a tricycle to a certain spot and walked.  I wasn't into the "hike-on-the-terraces" tour, I was more into just breathing, sitting, and basking in the beauty of the terraces.

A view of the Banaue Town Center 

 

 The mist that surrounds the mountains in the early morning.  

This is the sight you see when you arrive.

One of the many mountain springs that you see by the roadside.

Breathtaking.

Can you even fathom how this was done with crude materials?

On trips like these, I usually just take a tricycle to move around, walk a bit and just really bask in the color and beauty.  If you want to join a tour or have a guide take you around, there is a tourism assistance booth by the center of the town, near the market.  They can immediately hook you up with the a tour guide with the rates.  They also give out maps if you are adventurous enough to go on your own.  Frankly, it is doable.  Especially if you'll just go to the areas close to the town.

                                 Fare:    P 900 (Manila - Banaue - Manila)

                                 Room:     700

                                 Meals:     200

                                 Fare:       200 (Around Banaue - estimation)

                       Total Cost:   P2,000

Do not let money stop you from discovering new places and the beauty of the Philippines. A weekend in Banaue will even cost you less because you will only get to spend a night there.  A weekend might not be enough to see everything there is to see, but a weekend in Banaue is enough to rejuvenate and give you breathing space.

So, on the next weekend you are free, why not think about Banaue as your next destination?

Packing Light

I have learned to pack light from an early age.  Maybe it was seeing my mom pack for our road trips when I was little, or maybe I have learned it when I was commuting with my son to spend weekends with my aunt.  I have learned how to travel with the bare necessities.  Literally.  Just as I said previously, with sarong, I could travel anywhere.

The Essentials
For me, the essentials are really very few: my sarong, my camera, my phones, my notebook and pencil, phone charger, my small towel, and my meds.  Anything else, I knew I could get wherever I went.  Shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, I get in the nearest sari-sari store.

This camera bag usually doubles as my sling bag where I keep my phone, wallet, passport, extra batteries, extra CF cards.

This 28L backpack can usually fit clothes for a week for me.  I roll up my clothes when I pack them so I can maximize the space of the bag.  I wear the heaviest clothing I bring and my shoes when I travel so I don't need to carry a heavy pack.  I usually make it a point to bring very lightweight clothing.

This is a bag Mae Perez gave me that I usually use for overnight or day trips.  It can fit a change of clothing, a towel, a sarong.

Though I am sure that when Mae gave me this bag, she really thought I would use it as a production bag not an overnight pack!

A hand towel is enough for me.  I don't need a big towel as I also have my sarong to double up as one if need be.  Thank you to Cindy Andres for introducing me to Aquazorb!






Learning to travel light has allowed me to just pick up and go whenever I want.  I do not need to wait in cues in airports, no check-in baggages, always ready to just go.  Don't need to take a cab, no fear about lugging around so much while looking for a place to stay or figuring out what to do next.  Packing light has given me a chance to explore with no worries.