Surviving Mt. Pinatubo

From the time I saw how the area around Mt. Pinatubo was converted as a tourist destination a few years back, it became one of my bucket list destinations. The way it was promoted was that it was a fun place to go and I always feel bad that I who have lived in the Philippines all my life have not seen such tourist destinations. I felt bad knowing that foreign tourists are always the first to explore and enjoy the hidden wonders of my country.

So when a friend came home from abroad, the wandering trio decided to scratch Mt. Pinatubo off our bucket list. We invited some more friends since touring Mt. Pinatubo is cheaper when you are in a group of four or five people.

Our meeting place was at the Victory Bus station in Cubao at around 3AM. We boarded a bus going North and got off McDonald's in Capas, Tarlac. Travel time is around 2.5-3 hours. We had breakfast first, then took the tricycles parked in front of Mcdo to take us to the tourist office for our Pinatubo adventure. The trike ride will take about 45mins to an hour.

At the tourist office, we registered and settled in for the briefing. The group was on an all time high, smiling and excited. Little did we know of the hardship we had signed up and paid for! haha

After the 30min briefing/orientation, we proceeded to our designated 4x4 jeeps. The (bumpy) ride to the trek jump off point will take also about an hour. Our eyes feasted on the surreal surroundings, with lahar towers everywhere. Our tour guide told us that during the rainy season, the whole area becomes a river.

We reached the trek jump off point at about 9AM. Someone in my group said that  7kms is a piece of cake, since we did trek Batad and that was 6kms. Oh, how wrong we were.

In order to get to the crater of Mt. Pinatubo, one has to cross lahar (volcanic ash), small rivers, stones of every shape and size and the last part would be a lush jungle path with slippery stones. For city dwellers like us who are on the heavy side of the weighing scale, it was pure torture! Plus the fact that we only look young for our age, but all of us were pushing 40!

Don't be fooled by the 2km marker that serves as a rest stop. It's like a cruel joke, because we were walking for about an hour or so to reach the crater, and we knew in no way it was 2kms. Walking from the Mansion in Baguio to the Botanical gardens is 2kms. Anyway, when the place was first opened to the public, this was where the jump off point was. Typhoons and time had made the trip via 4x4 jeeps to this point dangerous, that's why the jump off point is now at the "7KM" mark.

You'll know that you are near the crater when you see a cement path.

Swimming in the lake isn't allowed. They used to allow it but because the lake is very deep and the numerous drowning incidents of tourists, they have banned it.

After an hour or two of resting, we headed back. It was about to rain and the lahar paths become raging rivers once the rain pours.Our group was the last ones to leave since we were so tired, we were literally dragging our butts on the trail. The 4x4 ride that we enjoyed in the morning felt like being in a blender on our way back. Once we got to Capas, there was a restaurant beside Mcdo where we ordered sisig, bulalo, and inihaw na baboy and tons of rice. Our bodies ached for days, but if asked if it was worth it, I'd say yes.

Our tour guide told us that nature is slowly reclaiming the area around Pinatubo and soon it will be back to how it was before the mountain erupted in 1990. This is also one of the reasons why they are encouraging people to come and see it before the lahar towers crumble.

Visiting Sagada

The wandering trio's trip to Sagada has been a source of amazement to their friends. They could not believe that we were able to visit Batad, Banaue, Sagada and Baguio for only P4000 (that's roughly a hundred dollars). That amount already included transportation, food and lodging.

First, how to get there. The route we took is the Manila-Banaue-Bontoc-Sagada route since we wanted to see the Banaue Rice Terraces and visit Batad for a day. The Banaue rice terraces is the most famous one adorning many posters and is even featured on our P20 bill. Or, you can also try the Manila-Baguio-Sagada route. This is where the big chunk of your expenses will fall. The bus from Manila to Banaue is P400 ($10), then P150 for the van to Bontoc ($4), then P45 for the jeepney ride to Sagada ($1). To get back to Manila, you can catch the bus to Baguio for P220 ($5), then take any of the Manila bound buses from Baguio. Fare for Baguio to Manila ranges from P450-400 ($10-11)

Now, where to stay. There are a lot of inns in Sagada, the one where we stayed is George's guest house. For P200 ($5) per person per night, it's a good enough deal for us. The rooms are clean and comfy, and they offer free wi-fi. What we love about this inn is that on check-out, they will drive you to the bus station. No hassles of walking with heavy bags. Oh, in case I forget, wear comfortable shoes. There are no cabs in Sagada. You have to walk. The inn or tourist office can arrange a van to take you around the sights, but it can be expensive because not only do you pay for the services of the vehicle, you also pay for the day tour rates of the guide.

Where to eat? There are a lot of restaurants in the main street, our favorite one being Sagada Lemon Pie House. They serve good coffee and lemon pies, and they also serve rice meals. When we visited in 2012, we were fortunate enough to visit Haddeku cafe. They serve great meals within our budget of less than P150 ($3.50) a meal. Unfortunately when I went back last year, the cafe is no more. In it's place is a new George's guest house annex. Haddeku served Sagada cooking or dishes. It was our first time to try sinigang sa kamatis (pork stew with tomatoes. Traditionally, tamarind is used as the souring agent) and we loved it.

One of the new restaurants we tried was Sagada Brew. The prices range from P200-250 ($5-6) and the servings are generous. I never go to Yoghurt house. Not because the food is bad, but their prices will kill my budget haha!

I will make another entry for the sights in Sagada. Most of them, you can explore without the need for a tour guide. But if you plan on exploring the caves of Sumaguing or do the cave connection, hire a guide from SAGGAS. You can find their tour package rates here.

The Wonders Behind the walls of San Agustin Church

San Agustin Church in Intramuros is the oldest church here in the Philippines. It is also one of the four baroque churches declared as a UNESCO heritage site. Founded in 1571 by the Agustinian friars, this church remarkably has withstood numerous earthquakes and is one of the building spared by World War II bombings.

The Church is located in Gen. Luna St. in Intramuros. The cobbled stone courtyard has remained unchanged. I wasn't able to take a picture of the facade because of the crowd. It used to have two bell towers adorning its facade but an earthquake in 1880 damaged the left tower. Restoration was done, but the tower was removed.

The trompe l'oiel adorned ceiling is a wonder to behold. It also adorns the columns and wall within the church. The altar is a simple one, but beautiful. The 14 side altars also serves as the resting place of priests and the elite of the Spanish period, such as Miguel Lopez de Legazpi the founder of Manila. Juan Luna's remains can also be found in the church's crypt. The crypt is also said to be haunted, and some other parts of the church since it served as a prison and garrison during World War II.

Entrance fee to the museum is P100 for adults. Museum hours are from 8am-12nn, and 1pm-6pm. The museum closes for lunch but you can come back as long as you have paid for the entrance fees. How to get there? If commuting, ride jeeps or FX taxis bound for Mabini (Ermita). They will pass by the Intramuros gate near PLM (Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila). From the gate, just walk straight a few blocks down and you will see the church. After touring the church, one can proceed to either Fort Santiago, Manila Cathedral or just walk the parapets of Intramuros' walls. Or you can simply stay in Father Blanco's gardens within San Agustin Church, providing it doesn't rain or it's not too hot and humid.

Traveler tip: wear comfortable shoes since you will be walking a lot. The streets are narrow, and there is vehicle traffic so watch out for manic drivers who will run you down. For foreign tourists, be cautious of pedicab drivers or people coming up to you offering to tour you around Intramuros. Intramuros is part of Manila, so don't flash your expensive cameras around or make them your necklace.