24 - A First Timer's Hike | Masungi Georeserve

The Masungi Georeserve is a wildlife sanctuary and conservation area boasting various rock formations and plant species. The trek lasts for 3-4 hours, depending on the capacity of the guests as well as the amount of time spent for photo ops (the view is breathtakingly beautiful one couldn't just resist). It is situated at kilometer 47, Tanay, Rizal.

The marker. You know you're in the right place when you see this.

This trip is about 2-3 months in the making. It was difficult to reserve a schedule with Masungi since they are always fully-booked, especially on weekends! Do not be disheartened if they do not reply to you asap when you email them since they receive tons of messages everyday, but they surely make it a point to reply to each and every one who's interested to do the trail. Anyway, here's some info about the reservation:

1) You may contact them in this email address:  trail@masungigeoreserve.com
2) Once your reservation has been confirmed, you are required to pay 50% downpayment. (Note: The fee is P1,400PHP per person, inclusive of drinks and sandwich after the hike.)
3) The remaining 50% is payable on the day of the hike.

Moving forward, I have to warn you about two things that we've encountered:

First, since we live in Antipolo, we took the Antipolo Shopwise-Tanay route (the one passing by Solid Cement), diligently following the instructions from Waze. Our van ended up stuck on the muddy road and we spent an hour or so pushing back the car to the main road. Apparently, the route we're taking is not passable (though Waze insists it was the way to get to our destination). We also learned from the residents nearby that even though we could pass that area somewhere in Baras, gates were already installed beyond it, and vehicles are not allowed to pass. Anyway, just take the Marcos Hi-Way-Tanay route instead! Will save you from all the trouble, really.

The aftermath. I should've taken photos of them pushing the van :P

Second, I know the reservations were made 2-3months earlier, so we had no way to know that there will be thunderstorms on our reserved date. As much as we want to push the hike (it is difficult to find another schedule that we would all be available plus we're already there after all), we had to cancel and ask them to fit us on another weekend; the earliest schedule possible. Note that there are wires installed along the trail (for the duyan, giant spider web, etc.), so it is dangerous to continue the hike during a thunderstorm.

Foggy

Fast forward to a week later, we're finally back and the weather is great! At the onset, you will be provided a bag and an emergency whistle for every two persons, two bottles of water each, and a raincoat if it is raining. Here are some of the photos:

Down the rabbit hole, adventure awaits!

(c) Amber Garcia

(c) Nico Apilado

(c) Frances Tan

(c) Roma Domingo

Since I am a first time hiker, here's a list of the challenges I've encountered, as well as a little bit of my inputs regarding them:

1) I was out of breath a few moments after we started the trail. Having no exercise for the past few months lowered my stamina plus the fact that I was feeling asthmatic due to a recent activity. I suggest you guys hit the gym or run a few kms everyday before engaging to hiking activities. It's all in the preparation!
2) The rocks may prove rough and kinda pointed at times, so it would help if you have gloves.
3) Do it slowly, but surely! Do not be pressured if your groupmates are getting ahead of you, or if they can easily climb or whatever. Your safety is of utmost importance! Nevertheless, do not be such a scaredycat and challenge yourself. Push your limits and conquer heights. The view is breathtakingly rewarding.

(c) Zeb Gozon

4) It wouldn't hurt if you bring your own first aid kit. Simple things like band-aids, alcohol and meds (in case of a migraine attack). Keep it light though. Remember that what you bring with you during the hike, you'd be carrying in your bag for the next 3-4hours or so. Those items that you think you will not be needing during the hike (like perhaps your extra clothes), leave it to your car.
5) Hardhats exist for a reason. Hehe
6) As the saying goes, rest if you must but don't you quit!

As Winston Churchill once said,
even if you're going through hell, just keep going!

(c) Amber Garcia

7) Reward yourself with a hot shower or put a hot compress on your sore muscles once you get home. The struggle to wake up the next morning is real.

with my favorite people!

8) I will end my list with something as basic as charge your phone or bring your own power bank. As you've noticed, almost all the photos I've posted have the (c) sign, all because I forgot to charge my phone and was empty bat the whole time. Oh well. (But I surely enjoyed the view more than anyone else since I do not have to take photos here and then lol)

*insert good sigh-haaay* Masungi, you were fun, majestic and wonderful! The trail was not that difficult (wehh) so first time hikers like myself would surely enjoy! To more hiking activities! :))

For more info, here's their website:

http://www.masungigeoreserve.com/

23 - Things you can never teach your little girl

"Wow Tita this room is awesome!" my 8-year old niece exclaimed, her eyes full of admiration at all the panda stuffed toys and pillows all over the place. Her gaze focused on the 3-feet tall panda plush on my bed and when she found out who gave it to me, she said,

"Ohhhh he really likes you a lot. Didn't he?"

For a moment I was dumbfounded --my mouth hanging, my throat dry with words; a 'yes' barely escaped my tongue, but a resounding 'no' was playing at the back of my mind. Heck, how do you explain to a kid that a boy could give you everything you want on earth, but still not love you enough? 

I chose to stay quiet. Some things, you can never teach your little girl. 

22 - Dining with Pandas, Giraffes & Tigers

MAKATI CITY is probably one of the busiest areas in the Philippines. I've often heard people say this is our country's equivalent of the NYC considering that people in business attires seem to be walking and rushing all over the place. Amid all the chaos, pollution, tall buildings and honking of cars, herein situated is a haven where one could take a break, even momentarily, from the buzz of corporate life.

Zoo Coffee brings with it the serene ambiance of an animal-themed cafe where a lot of cutesy stuffed toys and furnitures would greet you at the onset. It is a Korean-franchised Cafe which opened its first (and only, as of this writing) branch at the ground floor of Alphaland (near RCBC). Outside boasts a towering life-sized giraffe while inside you will be greeted with stuffed pandas, white tigers, as well as monkeys hanging on artificial trees. They surely would love to dine with you! The cafe is decorated in zebra stripes as well.

The menu does not fall far from the origins: it's Korean! Smoothies with yogurt, ades, frappe, waffle, teas, specialty coffee, pastries, ice cream, sandwiches - chicken and hotdog with your choice of flavor (there's teriyaki, there's bbq). Pasta was not yet available as of this writing but they will be, soon!

Here's some snaps of our brunch:

You can choose between having the sandwich ala-carte, or with salad. And look, even the latte art screams zebra!

Hello there! You should come visit me soon. I give free hugs! - Panda

You should go and try it for yourself!

-Cheng

21 - On Double Chocolate Green Tea, Curfew & Magnetic Poetry

21 - On Double Chocolate Green Tea, Curfew & Magnetic Poetry

Every now and then, Starbucks is offering us new beverages which are available only for a limited period of time. This summer, they created entirely new beverages from our old favorites - one of which is the Double Chocolate Green Tea Frappuccino! Coming from the recipe of the Green Tea Creme Frappe, they added two layers of chocolate sauce for us to enjoy. I am definitely in love with this blend! Well, I know a lot of people do not appreciate strong tea flavors thus kudos to Starbucks for adding the chocolate to counter this. A must-try! I encourage you to try it, you will not regret it! 

Because YES. Everything is possible with chocolate and tea <3 

Photo grabbed from Starbucks PH website.
E kasi naubos ko na before I can even take a picture :P

Here’s the price list:

Tall – ₱ 175; Grande ₱ 185; Venti– ₱ 195

I ordered it “to-go” at around 9PM last June 23, 2016, then roamed around a little bit at the Plaza. I was observing the by-standers and in all fairness, there were no children wandering on the streets. The night before, I volunteered to join a group of people responsible for ensuring that the 10PM curfew is being abided by the citizens. Surprisingly, the streets were without minors! I was kinda expecting a little bit of drama, but hey this is a good sign that the people are actually taking this seriously. I have heard stories that when they first enacted the curfew, they were able to pick up a lot of minors roaming around past 10PM. It has been what? A week or two since then? Just wow. We’re so close to being a real child-friendly city. Kudos to our hardworking government employees, and of course, I’m giving credits to our incoming president. Keep the good change coming! :)

Going home with tea on my hand, what’s left to do but poetry? Weeks ago, I met with my college friends in Katipunan and whoa the changes since we graduated last 2013. We visited the Common Room PH, where artsy and cute stuff were being sold. What caught my attention is the black poetry magnets kit, costing around P350. (Thanks Eula for the magnetic board P180). I was actually lost at first. I cannot seem to think of any coherent thoughts with the limited availability of words. It took quite some time for my right brain to function and here’s the end results...

First, I stayed loyal to the exact words available:

I'm OKAY.

Home :)

Second, I added a little bit of creativity by forming words with the available letters like below:

Rage

Lyrics from "Fight Song". Too much feels when I watched this being
performed in America's Got Talent. You guys gotta see it!
Check on youtube. 

Drowning

This new toy keeps me up at night! If you’re interested, visit Common Room PH at Katipunan OR order online through Poetry Magnets PH web below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PoetryMagnetsPH/?fref=ts

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poetrymagnetsph/

Love,

Cheng

PS. Coz wordporn & foodporn are the only porns I love :P

20 - Traveling Solo & Exploring Baguio

I have always wanted to try traveling solo. I dream to become a backpacker and see the world and wander and decide for myself where home is. But things, as always, happen. It’s like I was suddenly living a life tied up with circumstances that I can never change. Circumstances that do not allow me to live as I see fit. Suddenly, I felt old. It was like one day I woke up and reality hit me, brutally hard, on the face. When did I let myself get tangled up in this toxic adult life? Going to work five to six days a week, spending the weekends doing chores and errands. Repeat. It was so frustrating. It was a routine. It was lethal. I had to stop doing it. So one day I woke up, packed my bags and rode that bus going to Baguio. And man, I’m telling you it was liberating. It was worth it.

So here are the things that I’ve learned on this trip:

1) You do not need an expensive hotel to stay at, especially if you’re out on the streets for most of the day. In Baguio, there are a lot of transient homes and dormitories/hostels that are cheap but have good reviews. You may book and check with Agoda. I’ve seen dormitories that offer P500 or less for one night, while a standard room in hotels range from P1k to P3k per night.

I would’ve booked for a bedspace in a dormitory but I had a last minute cold feet about the idea. Roughly two years ago, I had a horrible experience of bed bugs in a condo in Makati which costed me a fortune, thus my kaartehan when it comes to beds. My skin is very sensitive to insect bites and the scars have not fully healed yet. I do not want to risk it. Cringe. Also, if you are a sucker for soft fluffy beds and have no itinerary (and are considering to just waste away on a bed in a hotel), and for the life of it cannot YET stand the thought of common bathrooms, then you may opt for the more expensive ones. Yep, I have so many issues that i hope I could move on from so I could stay a little longer in the places I wish to visit. Comfort doesn’t have to come too high a price (I wish). 

While I’m at it, I would recommend the place that I stayed at: Casa Vallejo. Located at the Upper Session Road, the place is accessible and is near SM Baguio, Burnham Park, Baguio Museum, Harrison Road (where there’s a night market from 9pm to 12 midnight), and different restaurants and spas. I booked this through Agoda for 2k per night (expensive for a solo traveler but not so much if you have someone to split the costs with). The room comes with a bathroom with hot and cold shower, a television with sky cable, and complimentary breakfast for two at The Hill Station. Check-in time is at 2:00pm while check-out is at 12PM. I was surprised though that Casa Vallejo doesn’t have any airconditioned rooms. They just have these giant wooden ceiling fans installed in each room. Nevertheless, you won’t be needing the ACs since it’s plenty cold already. Must add, friendly staff too!

Casa Vallejo

giant ceiling fan

standard room for 2pax

There are three choices for the free breakfast at The Hill Station, Pinoy Style, Country style & Omelette. The meal comes with either coffee or juice. The regular cost of the meal is P200.

by the window @ The Hill Station

Omelette with bacon & onions, potatoes & bread
with strawberry jam + butter on the side

2) Google maps is the best companion, ever. Download it in the app store NOW. It got me to places and saved me from the trouble of searching blindly. I walked around the city proper since the hotel I was staying at is in a good location. Saved me a lot of taxi fares too. If possible, try to learn how to commute via jeepneys. The jeepney terminals are located at the public market. I still recommend taxis though especially if you’re traveling as a group. Taxi drivers in Baguio (in my experience) are very disciplined and would not ask for you to pay more than what is stated in the meter (unlike in Manila…). When I went to Ben Cab Museum, I asked for the driver to wait for me while I roam around because based on online blogs that I’ve read, it’s hard to get a ride back to Burnham Park - which I could kind of attest to considering that when I got there, there were groups of people hailing my cab. Even when I was leaving, a lot of people are outside waiting for a ride back. 

Entrance to the BenCab ecotrail

Here are some of my favorite pieces in the museum: (I won't be posting much. You are encouraged to go see the beauties for yourself! :) )

"I think, therefore I am." - R. Descartes
Thinking Man

Gaze

3) Check the hourly weather forecast on your travel dates. This is so you could plan where you would be if the rain falls. With this being said, ensure that you go to Tam-Awan Village BEFORE the rainfall. The Garden in the Sky is a refreshing experience, though the climb was really physically exhausting, and muddy too. After exploring the village, I treat myself to a strawberry shake and Tam-Awan Cafe’s pride: Highlander Pasta. The pasta is a 4/5 for me! It’s oil based, with lots of tomatoes, plus smoked meat too!

Exploring Tam-Awan!

The Dreamer: Exhibit at the Tam-Awan Village

Tam-Awan Village: Garden in the Sky

Rest mode @ View Deck 1 after an exhausting climb

DREAAAAM CATCHERRRRR :))))

Well instead of eating it in the confines of a coffee shop, I had the Highlander Pasta wrapped for take out so I could eat my lunch under the tree at Burnham Park.

Highlander Pasta P220

Burnham Park

Swan Lake @ Burnham Park; Brownish water is due to the rain

One of the few times I wish I know how to ride a bike
@ Burnham Park

4) Put your money in different places: have some in your bag, in your pocket, in your wallet, heck even in your undies if you want to. Just don’t put it all in one place. First, this is so when you lose your wallet or something, you will still have enough money to go back home. And second, this is an additional measure so I could restrain myself from splurging too much. Hehe! It works!

5) Do not wear slippers or sandals. Wear comfortable shoes please. Have pity on your soles. You may travel with style but my dear, how could you enjoy the beauty that is not you if you are constantly worrying about your dying feet? I wore my sneakers during my trip but hell I’d be wearing rubber shoes the next time I go here!

theviewfromwhereistand

"Mabato man ang daan, hinding hindi kita iiwan" whuuut #hugot

6) It’s okay to stick on a budget when traveling, but I hope you’re not spoiling your happiness by keeping tabs in everything you spend. 

7) When it comes to food, GO OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE! You do not go to Cafe by the Ruins and order pesto or spaghetti meatballs, you have them in cafes at your hometown! Eat food that are not available elsewhere. Eat food that are tatak Baguio.

Cafe by the Ruins is a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Well, the weather is cold so walking for 10mins with a sweater on is okay. :)

Cafe by the Ruins

Iced Ruins Coffee & Chicken Adobo Terrine

While waiting for the night market to open at 9pm, I went to Majic Oven (1minute walk from Casa Vallejo) and tried their strawberry cake. It was really cheap, costed around P70 if I remember it right. 

Strawberry Cake + Tea @ Majic Oven

Nightmarkets in Baguio also mean... foodtrip!

Try their binatog. It's good!

You may also want to try Tsokolateria's champorado! The cafe opened 2015 and is located at the higher upper session road, near Casa Vallejo.

Champorado with bacon, chicharon & espada on the side!

And of course, the visit won't be complete without the famous strawberry taho! I was able to buy one at the Mines View Park.

Wish I could’ve stayed a little longer. I’m sure to go back here one day soon and try the other cafes I haven’t had the luxury to visit, as well as go to Sagada (where broken hearts go). Lol. Nevertheless, it was an awesome experience! But like all other life moments, this, too, shall end.

Chasing the sunset. MNL bound by 6PM.

Love,

Cheng

PS. I am very thankful to the Lord for taking care of me this whole trip. It was not possible without His guidance. To tell you the truth, I am a coward when it comes to sleeping in hotels alone. I had to turn on the TV the whole night and watch Adventure Time haha! You had no idea how much courage I needed to pursue this life goal. Now that I did it, I am looking forward to more solo travels in the future! (But first, I have to find a job so I can finance myself :P)


Anyway, here's a breakdown of the costs/expenses:
Fare from Cubao to Baguio and Baguio to Cubao: P1,000
Hotel (Casa Vallejo - 2k per night) P2,000
BenCab + Baguio Museum + Tam Awan Entrance P200
Taxi Fare (BenCab, Tam-Awan & Mines View) P500
Food and others est.  P1,300