Baler Probe

I should have written a blog about Baler long ago but I felt that my visit wasn't complete yet. So I waited until the time came to explore more about Baler and this is it!  I remember Baler when I was still a little child and when my father used to work there. He said that it was a place so far away and until then I thought I could no longer get there at all. I was in Baler in year 2013 with the whole family and it is known to be one of the top surf spots in the Philippines. Baler by the way is a municipality of Aurora Province. There are many interesting places in Baler since it is a historical place aside from being a haven for surfers. During my first visit I was able to go to some of the historical sights in Baler. Museo de Baler would be the first one to flaunt which stands along Quezon Street in the town proper. The museum tells about the history of Baler through its displays of artifacts and paintings and shows some mementos of the late Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon.

Sitting President Manuel L. Quezon.

A replica of Doña Aurora Aragon Quezon's, Philippine First Lady (1935-1944)  ancestral house stands in the poblacion just across Baler Church, where some of her memorabilia are kept.  Doña Aurora was assassinated together with her daughter on her way to Baler to inaugurate the Quezon Memorial Hospital on April 28, 1949.

Doña Aurora Shrine

The Baler Church. A historical structure that played a major role in Baler history where the Philippine flag waved for victory. It was in this church where the last Spanish garrison of four officers and fifty men were besieged by Filipino insurgents and made the Spanish forces surrendered to American troops. It is such a simple church but rich in history that made the heroic people of Baler very proud!

According to history Baler has been affected by a great tidal wave which resulted to great loss and misfortune and that some of the survivors ran to a hill now called Ermita Hills for safety. A monument of the survivors at the foot of the hill was laid and a big cross stands on top of the hill in memory of the thousand of lives lost in that catastrophe.

People trying to survive from the tidal wave.

The Cross on top of Ermita Hill.

The view of Baler Coast from Ermita Hill Viewdeck.

The view of Baler fish port as seen on Ermita Hill Viewdeck.

Baler is not only rich with historic heritage but they also have abounding natural resources which made the town a complete haven for nature trippers, photographers and bloggers. Take a trip to Barangay Cemento and witness the breathtaking view of the Diguisit Rocks. A series of rock formations found along the coasts of Cemento Beach in Barangay Diguisit, a perfect subject for photographers.

The golden hour at Dimadimalangat Islet.

Well there is notion that cliff diving would be possible at the back of this rock formation for an added thrill while rock climbing. I think it is a bit scary for me to plunge in the Pacific Ocean, well I guess that would be a piece of cake for thrill seekers and why not?

The view of the Aniao Islet and Lukso lukso Islet.

These line of rocks stands on Ampere Beach in Barangay Diguisit, it is one of the tourist destinations in Baler, sunset is best viewed in that area.

And there they go!

Surfing is one of the reasons why tourists flocks to Baler, old and young ones cannot resists the inviting surge of water in Sabang Beach. It has a long stretch of beach with waves which swells during its peak season from October until February. Surfing in Baler started when the film "Apocalypse Now" was shot in Baler, it was during the scene of American soldiers catching some waves and after the filming the crews left their surfboards and that's when the locals awakened their passion for surfing.

Let it go...let it go!

Kite flying competition is highly recommended, I suggest you bring your kites and let it play with the wind! Another wonderful place in Baler that you should not miss is the Dicasalarin Cove in Barangay Zabali. Its white sand beach mingled inseparably with the verdant mountains around and the blue skies, and would make heart beat faster with the richness of the colors of nature!

Colors of nature!

Tourists are welcome to Dicasalarin Cove with an entrance fee of 300 pesos per head but if you're a guest at Costa Pacifica in Sabang, Baler you will only pay 100 pesos. It is a bit pricy for 300 bucks but the experience of getting there is unforgettable. Like getting a view of the cove with the lighthouse at the background which is the most photographed view in Dicasalarin Cove. This breathtaking scenery is best viewed at the main gate of the Dicasalarin Cove where you can get the full view of the lighthouse and the cove.

Taking pictures of the lighthouse under time pressure.

If you want to get nearer with the lighthouse you can go to the highest point of the mountain by stairs which will take only a few minutes before you could reach the summit and you'll see the expanse of the Pacific Ocean and Cape Encanto.

The Modern Baler Lighthouse.



Cape Encanto

It's my second visit to Baler and I can say that my mission in Baler is finished. The place is fast becoming progressive unlike during my first visit last 2013. I just hope that the once naive town wouldn't get chaotic in the coming days or years. I just want to leave a few words to the people who will come to Baler, please give respect to this native land for it has been the home of the noble people. Let's not taint their homeland with rubbish and instead help them improve their lives.

HOW TO GET THERE?
1. By private vehicle coming from Manila, take NLEX exit at Dau, then SCTEX exit at La Paz. Take the road going to Cabanatuan City then follow the signage going to Pantabangan and Baler. Normally it will take 6 hours but if you're speeding maybe it'll take around 4-5 hours but be careful the road is winding.

2. By public transportation, Genesis Bus Lines has a direct route to Baler from Manila with their terminal located along EDSA in Pasay City.

THANK YOU FOR READING AND ENJOY!

Pahiyas Festival - A Thing You Can't Miss

Every 15th day of May, a grand festival is held annually in Lucban. It is located in Quezon Province and at the foot of Mt. Banahaw  which has been considered as a "holy mountain", and certainly the town is undoubtedly gifted with fertile soil which generously gives the townsfolk a bountiful agricultural output. " Pahiyas Festival " is held every year, the word "pahiyas" means ornaments in English, which corresponds with the charming place popular among tourists and that includes myself! Why? Because there is a breezy feeling as soon as you walk along its streets, especially when you see all the colorful decorations along the way, the specialty foods sold on streets, smiling and hospitable Lucbanons inviting tourists to come to their house...everything in that occasion are just pleasant to experience.

Organic ornaments.

The Pahiyas is one of the most celebrated festival in the Philippines and is gaining popularity all over the world due to its extraordinary representation of their products particularly in agriculture. This tradition has been going on since the 1500s, way back when the natives of Lucban, celebrated for their bountiful harvest of rice, fruits and vegetables in honor of their "Anitos". They gather their harvest to partake and drink "tuba" (natural wine from coconut, buri or cabo negro "kaong"). By doing the merriment, they believe to have another fruitful harvest on the following years. And as years passed by, the festival was dedicated to Saint Isidore, when the first church was built in Lucban.

Ginger and kaong (cabo negro) arranged like curtains.

Rice kiping is the symbol of "Pahiyas Festival", it is one of the main attractions during the feast which comes in different designs and colors and are decorated in front of their houses. They make artificial flowers with it or sometimes they make chandeliers out of it! The kiping is derived from the word "Kipi" which means to dehydrate the dough by putting heavy object on it! It was during the Manila-Acapulco trade era, when Capt. Francisco de los Santos and Juan Suarez both from Lucban, made a tour to observe home industries in Mexico which can be applied here in the country for commercial purposes. Since Mang Juan has a knack on making finger foods, he learned the basics of making "tacos" which is popular in Mexico and brought home his knowledge and applied it on rice by trying different ways on how to improve the product until he mastered the art of making "kiping". How smart! Kiping are edible because they're made from rice and water, they're crunchy and fun to eat!

Flower kiping.

Aside from the grand display of kiping on each household a mass and procession in honor of Saint Isidore is celebrated on the said day. A parade of lovely ladies from Lucban, displaying the most fashionable creations of fashion designer using organic materials are paraded in Lucban. The beauty of the ladies and dashing gentlemen were enhanced wearing all those unique dresses in attractive colors and decorations!

Well, houses had their own style of displaying their harvest too. They don't only hang kiping but they also flaunt their harvest in an amazing way that it will make you think how diligent and patient these people are! Like arranging "upo" (bottle gourd), "siling panigang" (green pepper) and tomatoes like curtains!

How about finishing the house wall with all sorts of grains?

Or squash, string beans, and chayote welcoming guests?

Well they also decorate their houses with native hand fans just in case you want to stay cool. Aren't they so creative and so interesting?  And there's so much to see in Lucban!

Well another reason why Lucban is being flocked by tourists, is because of their tasty Lucban longganisa (sausage). Those little red and garlicky sausages with aroma that has a distinctive scent that smells so good! It will make you hungry I swear. It is sold in market and stores in Lucban and other towns nearby. They are usually fried and dipped in vinegar served with fried rice and egg. It can also be grilled and eat them while roaming around the town during the feast!

Another street food which is a best seller in Lucban is the "pilipit" made from mashed squash and dipped in caramelized brown sugar and shaped like a pretzel. It is called pilipit because it's twisted! Hmm, the picture of pilipit always lingers in my mind since I had a taste of it.

Colorful native hats made from "buntal" are also sold in the streets to ease the heat of the sun while walking along Lucban. Buntal hats are made from the fibers of palm trees, which is also one of the livelihood industries in Lucban, they can also be made into slippers, bags and other things.

Well, so much for these, if I would post all my pictures here in my blog, it would take too long before I could finish it, well the best thing is go and visit Lucban, Quezon every 15th of May and watch the spectacular display of the Lucbanons bounty harvest right in front of their houses! Save the date!

HOW TO GET THERE?
1. Lucban is accesible by land via Lucena, take a bus going to Lucena Grand Terminal and ride a jeepney going to Lucban.

2. If you're driving your own vehicle, take SLEX (South Luzon Expressway), exit at Calamba and drive towards Sta. Cruz, Laguna then take Majayjay-Lucban Road via Nagcarlan, Laguna.

NOTE: I would like to acknowledge a friend for lending me some photos.

Thank you for reading.

Ramblers In Villa Pilarosa-Cagbalete's Hideaway

Rumor has it that there is an upcoming tourist destination in Quezon Province, teeming with fine white sand beach, pristine salt water, and a large number of mangroves which prevails over the island. I've read many blogs, saw photos from friends and it seems like I'm already left behind! But anyway, I sought the company of my friends and planned about the trip. We read a blog about a beach resort in the island and pinned a date for this rambling. The island is called Cagbalete Island (cug-buh-leh-teh), located in Mauban, a municipality of Quezon Province.

Petiks. 

And we planned to go to Villa Pilarosa, that we can't wait to see the place because of its captivating photos we saw on a blog. So off we went to Mauban, took the passenger boat at the port and arrived at the resort past noon. The tide was high then but the ankle deep water on the concrete pathway didn't stop us from going. A lady met us just beside this hammock, and said, "Magandang hapon, sino po kayo?" ("Good afternoon, may I know you?"), and afterwards called the owner of the resort and asked the same question. We were all speechless at first, thinking that we would be accommodated at once, but the owner explained that the place is private and a reservation should be made before going to the resort and that they had refused to accept visitors because they are already full. We were kind of getting lost, but despite of the situation the kind owner still let us in and gave us a place to pitch our tent. We were very thankful for her generosity, that was so nice of her.

The pathway leading to the resort during high tide. 

After the tents were settled, our adventure had just begun! We started roaming around to get familiar with the place. The island is verdant with various species of flora and fauna. Old and sturdy mangroves are mostly found along the coast, and a sanctuary to a variety of bird species. In fact, an oriole was nesting atop of the trees where we pitched our tents and thinking we would be a threat to them, they kept on attacking us whenever we move or talk or laugh. They're cranky birds but they're cute.

The cranky oriole.

Birds spying behind leaves.

Late in the afternoon we explored the beach area which was then still submerged with sea water, the mangroves are all over the coasts, big and small. This area is the beach on the left side of the resort but it is not a swimming area but you can walk along the mangroves. It is a suitable place for taking photos. You can find interesting subjects along the coasts.

Not a swimming area.

The sun was about to set and we can't miss it for we have been waiting for this moment and each of us had set our positions onto where we could get the best angle. But the sun was covered with clouds, I was slightly short in time when I arrived that it has almost descended, and just peeking behind Mt. Banahaw, nevertheless the view was still splendid.

Why are you hiding from us Sun?

The fiery sky and ember sea met after sunset and it was so captivating that we can't get out of the water to capture this natural phenomenon, even if it was already getting dark! Isn't that fantastic?

Fiery.

Well, dinnertime came, we feasted on grilled fish which the resort staff willfully prepared for us, some salted eggs and steamed rice. I would like to thank the resort staffs for their kind assistance in providing us all that we need, they all wear smiles and very polite when talking to their guests. Dinner is over we went back to the campsite and planned for the next day's activities. We were anticipating for a sunny day on the next day but it rained in the wee hours of the morning, so the ripples of sand that we were waiting were delayed. You know whatever happens, it can't get away from us for we will patiently wait.

The water starts to subside but it was still raining on the other side of the island. Can you see it?

Patience pays.

Cagbalete Island is gifted with a great extent of mangroves along its coasts, they come in trees, shrubs, palms and ferns. As far as I know, mangroves plays a major role in protecting a landmass from possible water surges that can devastate natural resources and so as with people's lives. So, please let us propagate and preserve mangroves, it is a gift of Mother Nature.

Ped Xing.

Villa Pilarosa is a haven for nature lovers and photographers, there are so many photo opportunities along the beach area and inland as well. The texture of the waves of sands are just perfect accessory to the the big and twisted stems and roots of old mangroves. And it was such a nice feeling to commune with them even if it the sun was hiding, it still projected the subject you want to show.

SWIM!

There are may areas where you can swim, you can choose for your own, just avoid the baby mangroves, it can hurt your feet also. But this one is perfect for swimming. Do you think so?

The line of boats in the photo, takes some tourists on this part to swim, the beach is free from mangroves and it has a long stretch of beach so it can accommodate a lot of tourists.

Baby mangroves sprouting. 

I have a lot of photos to show but my space is getting smaller, I will write again about this place when I go back there. The Villa Pilarosa adventure is another experience that I will truly cherish. Aside from the company of friends who made this trip exciting,  I also want to thank Ma'am Cynthia the resort owner and her staffs for their cordial accommodation, even if we don't have any reservation. Sometimes you meet kind people in places least you expect it and we were in the right place.

HOW TO GET THERE?
1. Cagbalete Island is accessible by land and by water. From Manila, you can take the road going to Tayabas, Quezon Province via SLEX, Pan Philippine Highway. Take the road going to the town of Mauban which is the gateway to Cagbalete Island.

2. Take the big passenger boat bound for Cagbalete Island for 50 pesos fare or you can rent a private boat from the resort.

3. If you prefer the passenger boat, you will disembark at Sabang Port and take another private boat going to the Villa Pilarosa. The fare is negotiable.

4. An overnight stay at the resort is preferable, cottages are available, you can also pitch tent like what we did, just advise the owner if you are going to do so.

For more information you can call Villa Pilarosa at mobile no. 09993663884.
I hope I have provided enough information. Thank you for reading!!

Reminders:
1. Bring food and water.
2. Bring insect repellant and don't forget your sunblock lotion.
3. And DISPOSE YOUR GARBAGE PROPERLY. BRING TRASH BAGS.