Zambales Tour, May 9-10, 2012

Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales

A beautiful view of Pundaquit, over-looking Capones Island

Another Byaheng Jologs I made...After the very tragic insident in my work, a very special friend ask me again to go somewhere. She said, "tara, relax muna tayo...para mag unwind". At syempre, sa katulad kong traveller, marami tayong naka-stock sa notes para sa mga future places na gusto nating makita at puntahan. And she let me decide kung saang lugar. And because we only have a night and two days, I suggest her to go to Zambales. Aside sa malapit lang, I also read from other traveller's blog na maganda raw ang beach and island sa Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales.


We arrived Victory Liner bus terminal in Caloocan City around 8:30am. As per net search we must ride bus bound to Iba, Zambales. And the next bus will about to leave by 9:00am. And since we are both first time to go to Pundaquit, as usual, tanungan portion nanaman...nag mumukang tanga lang...LOL..Mababait naman ang driver at kunduktor ng victory liner. Di ka talaga maliligaw sa pupuntahan mo.  Drop-off point is San Antonio Municipal Hall or San Antonio Public Market. From the market, you can buy all the stuffs you need. Kumain muna kami ng lunch, its a four hour travel, and we arrived in San Antonio around 12:00nn. After we eat, tumawag na kami ng trycle papuntang Pundaquit. And since, we already had an advance booking sa Sir William's Lodge, diretso na kami dun. Kinailangan ko mag advance booking ng matutulugan because of my friend na di naman sanay sa gusto kong Byaheng Jologs. Medyo sensitive kasi ang balat ng kasama ko to insect bites....sensitive daw oh....weeh!

Here are some of my jologs pictures taken in Pundaquit....The place was so quiet and peaceful  that time...Sinadya namin na weekdays kami pumunta.  Alam nyo na...para umiwas sa crowd and baka kasi kami magkapalit-palit na ng mukha sa dami ng taong pumupunta dun every weekends...O, diba ang sarap pag solo mo ang beach....parang pag-aari mo ang buong dalampasigan...Naisip ko bigla ang mga kasamahan ko sa trabaho na sa lahat ng hirap at ginhawa lagi ko kadamay...Sabi ko sa sarili ko, next time dadalhin ko sila dito...Nakaka-relax talaga dito...malayo ka sa syudad na maingay, mausok at napakaraming tao...Pag pagod ka...itong mga lugar na ganito ang masarap puntahan...

After eating our breakfast the following day, we decided to ride on a boat to Anawangin Cove and Nagsasa Cove.

Anawangin Cove from our boat. Getting excited....

Touchdown...Anawangin Cove. The island was known as a camping site for those who likes more adventure. You can stay here overnight sleeping on a tent, do some bonfire and ihaw-ihaw. Just don't forget to bring stuffs for your camping needs.

Grabe ang ganda ng lugar, pine trees around you from where you can set-up your tents, may lagoon adjacent to the beach and a man made wooden bridge from the sea shore to the lagoon. Yun ang advantage pag walang masyadong tao. For me kasi, mas nakikita ko ang beauty ng isang lugar pag malaya ko itong nakikita sa ordinaryong araw.

View of Nasasa Cove from our boat.

After seeing Anawangin Cove, our next destination is the Nagsasa Cove...In going to the place, we have to ride again on a boat for another 30mins. Pagsakay mo pa lang sa bangka, marami ka ng makikitang magagandang view along the way....But one thing I noticed...kokonti na lang ang nakikita kong mga puno sa kabundukan. Naisip ko at naitanong sa sarili...ganito na ba talaga ang itsura ng bundok ng Pilipinas? Paanu na kung patuloy pang mawalan ng puno ang ibang kabundukan natin? Makikita pa kaya ito ng mga anak ng anak ko?

                                                                    

Watta place!...Nawalang panandalian sa isip ko ang problema nung mga oras na yun...Tanging nasa isip ko ay paghanga sa lugar na nakikita ko...sa tubig at dagat na parang walang katapusan sa paningin ko...walang kasawaan ang aking mga mata na ilibot ang aking paningin sa buong paligid...Pangaraping muling makabalik dito at ulit- uliting pagmasdan ang buong paligid....Inang Kalikasan...napakabait mong tunay...Ipinauubaya mo sa aming mga tao na pagmasdan ka at maramdaman...Taglay mo'y walang kapantay na kaligayahan...Sana lang ika'y pag-ingatan, upang ikaw lalong yumaman....



Bilang bahagi ng objective ng Byaheng Jologs ang makiisa sa pag-iingat ng Mother Earth, isang mensahe lang para sa mga kapwa ko byahera, bakasyonista, turista at simpleng pamamasyal..."Do not leave your waste or trash in every place you go...but only good and joyful memories to treasure"....Peace!
Love our Mother Nature...

My Ilocos travel...2nd part Ilocos Sur (Jan. 9 to 10, 2012)

Vigan, Ilocos Sur...Ilocos was known for its old stuctures...like churches, houses and museums. And this is one of them...Ang Simbahan ng Sta. Maria. This church catches my attention dahil sa gawa siya sa bricks and stones. It was elevated from the street and kailangan mong umakyat sa malapad at mataas na hagdanan nito para makita mo ang kabuuan ng simbahan.  It was made of brick stones,  and the surroundings of the church was so beautiful. Its landscape was overwhelming and you can feel the solemnity of the place. It's very quiet and peaceful...


 Another attraction of the place is the Balluarte or others called it Balluarte ni Singson. Balluarte is a wildlife sanctuary owned and manage by Gov. Chavit Singson. It's a very nice place from which most children like to see.  From there, you can see a camel, an ostritch, a pony that you can touch and walked with you, birds, deer, snakes, and a lot more. The main attraction in this place are the tigers...which you can take pictures with one of them. Tingnan ko lang kundi manginig buong katawan mo while taking your pictures with the tigers. Whew...OMG! I really prayed a lot for the tiger to behave while I'm on her side....I even can't smile when the photographer says....SMILE...How about you?...Can you??? You can also ride the karitela na hinihila ng maliit na kabayo...Nakakapagod maglakad dahil sa lawak nung area. But its all payed off when you see the beautiful birds na wala sa kulungan....

These are some of the animals that you can see inside the Baluarte...I'm sure lots of kids love to see these place...Don't forget your cameras! Kids...give your big SMILE!!!

After the tiring tour in sunctuary, my next destination is the famous street in Ilocos, the Calle Crisologo. Some says, "you haven't been to Vigan if you did not see Calle Crisologo or the Vigan Heritage Village". In this place you can see the bahay-na-bato, a house made of stone or bricks on its first level and a big slab of hard woods on its second floor. Windows are made of capiz. When you are in this place, malalaman mo talaga na matagal tayong sinakop ng mga Kastila. Even the streets alone are made of bricks and only calesas are allowed to pass thru that street. 

At present, this houses became tourists spot and commercial stablishments from where you can buy some souvenirs. You can buy here their famous kumot na iloko as my nanay asked to me buy as a pasalubong.  There are also wood curvings, antiques, cloth decors for the house, key chains, and lots of native products of Ilocos. Haaay...I wasn't able to buy many souveniers... Pero di bale, I know someday, babalikan ko ulit ang Ilocos. Kahit ilang beses siguro akong pumunta dito sa lugar na ito di ako magsasawa...malinis, tahimik, maraming magagandang pasyalan, at mababait na mamamayan....

After finished shopping for pasalubong, a friend from the place invited us to eat their well known orange colored empanada. Literally "orange colored". It was so delicious and sobrang nakakabusog. Ang sarap nya isawsaw sa suka with chilli... I highly suggest the reader to try this when you go to the place. Nam-nam-nam...

Did you recognized the man sitting in this photo(your left)?  Yes,... your right...this is the photo of our late Pres. Elpidio Quirino.  And on your right, is the Mansion Syquia. This was once became the resident of the Quirino-Syquia family. This house is located just a few blocks away from Calle Crisologo. If you go inside the mansion, you can easily recognized that the owner of this house was really rich and has a big family members...There are so much antique furnitures and decors inside the house...For the antique fannaters, I'm sure you'll love this place...

Travelling in Ilocos Sur and Norte is really tiring...but my 4days of stay is not enough. I discovered lately na ang dami ko pa palang di napuntahang lugar. That only means na kailangan ko talagang balikan ana Ilocos...I love Ilocos!

 Sa mga katulad kong beginners...try to make your itenerary as much as you can before you make your travel adventure...But as many says...talagang ganyan sa umpisa...may kulang, may mali, may nakakalimutan, and higit sa lahat...minsang nagmumukang tanga lang...LOL...Goodluck!

My Ilocos travel...first part Ilocos Norte (Jan. 9 to 13, 2012)

Should I say this is my begginer's tour? Well, I think it is... 

When I was asked by a friend if what I want to do at that time, ang bilis ko sumagot agad..."pumunta sa isang lugar". And she ask me again, saan? Kapal ng mukha ko at napakabilis ulit ng sagot ko....Ilocos!

I don't know why I answer that fast. Knowing na wala akong budget for a tour...Swerte? Yes it is....she paid for our transpo and accomodations....imagine that? Diba ang laking swerte!

Thank you friend....Now, I have a chance to share my very first travel experience to all the persons who can read this blog...I can let them see the beauty of Ilocos region....Here are some of my photos from where I really enjoyed most and humbly sharing it to all of you...See this folks!!!

O, diba ang ganda ng Pilipinas! This is one of the beaches in Pagudpod, Ilocos Norte. This was taken with my jologs digicam last January, 2012. It was so windy that time and had some rainshowers. Pagudpod was so beautiful even the weather is not so pleasant that time.  I love to see the waves. It looks like dancing back and front. And it sounds like music to my ears. So relaxing...so hearth warming...Di siya nakakasawang pagmasdan...Di siya nakakasawang kodakan...
     













The Bangui Windmills in Ilocos Norte. Wow amazing!!! Giant Windmills...Napakasarap nilang tingnan. Just imagine, it gives an electricity to some places in Ilocos, and yet they also became one of the most beautiful tourist attraction in that province. It was lined along the sea shore and pinagagana sila ng ating kalikasan. God is really good. He gave us this special place and let the people of Ilocos Norte serves its community. I can consider this as a gift from Mother Earth. Ito ay isang biyaya ng langit at kalikasan.

The Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Burgos, Ilocos Norte...What can I say about this beautiful Spanish architecture during 1887? The structure was really amazing. Its very old and preserved well by our government. I hope it will last for the next generations. The experience to see the view when you where up there was great, the sea, the land scapes, its priceless! I cannot resist to have a picture of it. Photgraphers out there...this is a very good  subject for your photo shooting. Don't miss it when you go to Ilocos Norte. Bigla naman akong nalungkot dun... How I wish I had an SLR camera!


 Ilocos Norte tour is not complete if you did not see the Marcos Museum and Mauseleum in Batad. In this place you can allowed to see Pres. Marcos' body lying in a glass coffin  surrounded with flowers and with a carpeted and airconditioned room. Ups! Pictures not allowed inside mauseleum. A big No!...No!...All I can say is...it's like a mauseleum for a king and queen. Di tayo pwede sa ganun mga ka-jologs. Magkano kaya binabayarang kuryente ng Marcos family? Sabi ng caretaker 24hrs daw and aircondition dun. How i wish I had an airconditioned room lalo na sa ganitong tag-init. O, bakit? Sino may ayaw? LOL..

Paoay Lake, Ilocos Norte. Another intersting subjects for photographers...you can see the view of the lake from its viewdeck and accross in it is the Malacanang of the North. 





This is one of the structures built during the term of Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos. This place is so huge and from the veranda, you can see the Poay Lake and a big golf course...Inside, you can see a lot of expensive furnitures. How I wish the present administrator think about how this building can be re-used for the benefit of todays government and the future. Ang daming mamahaling gamit sa loob. Papano kung di ito ginagamit at masira lang. Sayang naman ang mga taxes na ibinayad ng mga magulang natin dati na ginamit para maitayo ito. What do you think? Pwede diba?


The Paoay Church. This is one of the oldest church in Ilocos built in 1710. Even when you go inside, you can see that the people of Ilocos is preserving its old looks. That is why this church was recognized as UNESCO world herritage site. Nakaugalian ko na everytime na pupunta ako sa ibang lugar sa unang pagkakataon, di ko pwedeng palampasin na di bumisita sa kanilang lokal na simbahan. Bukod sa pagkagusto kong makita ang iba't ibang struktura nito, nakaugalian ko ang mag-wish. Sabi kasi nila, pwede ka daw mag-wish sa unang pagkakataon mo na mapasok sa isang simbahan. And that's what I always did when I go travelling. Try mo...


Paoay Sand Dunes..Paoay, Ilocos Norte.
Remember the movie of Marian Rivera, "Temptation Island"? How about the late Fernando Poe, Jr. and Sen. Bong Revilla's"Ang Panday"?  Well, this is the place. Disyerto sa Pinas....The moment I stepped down my feet on the ground...I felt so excited. Sabi ko sa sarili ko..."Di ko palalampasin ang rare adventure na 'to. Masaktan na ang masasaktan". I tried to do sand boarding na kahit na sa napakainit na buhangin sige lang. Pati na ang mag-drive ng 4x4 jeep sinubukan ko. Sumakay sa likod ng jeep na para kang nakasakay sa roller coaster ginawa ko. Isa lang ang binilin ng mga locals duon. "Wag ngumanga ng sobra"....baka sa sobrang tawa mo, makakain ka ng buhangin...LOL Grabeng experience ito talaga...makangawit ng panga!

Guys...wait...This is only Ilocos Norte...You must also see my Ilocos Sur adventure...See Yah!