Being a nature-lover, I’ve always enjoyed going to hikes with friends. I’ve witnessed the breath-taking view of Mt. Pinatubo in 2009 & successfully made it to the top of Mt. Manalmon in 2011.

Last February, I got the chance to conquer Mt. Batulao! I journeyed with officemates Joy & Neil, plus 2 new friends, Pj & McLein.

We got to Evercrest at 12:00 noon, took our lunch there and hailed a tricycle to take us to the end of the road. Started our hike under the striking heat. We came across a hut in less than thirty minutes, decided to drink buko juice and rest. =)

It was nice how other hikers showed courtesy. Most of the people we encountered during the hike either greeted us or smiled at us.

Stopped & rested for a few more times until we reached campsite at 3:00pm. Pitched our tents and started preparing for dinner.

Rice w/ Pork Sinigang & Adobo prepared by Pj

Woke up at 7:00am the next morning and started our journey to the summit. Oh, it wasn’t easy. The trail was steep and the hot weather added to the difficulty. But all the hardwork paid off when we finally reached the peak!

View from the Summit

Got up at 3:00am today and for some reason, I couldn’t go back to sleep. So I decided to revive my blog. Let me start by sharing my first trip for the year.

Last january, I got invited by a friend to go to Ilocos with her officemates. At first, I was hesitant because for one, I didn’t know her 2 other companions and second, I think I’ve had enough of 10-hour bus rides. But then I realized that it’s been years since I’ve last visited Ilocos and there’s so much more I’ve yet to discover about the place.

So I decided to go Laoag with Jo, Kat, Ella, and Tere. Started our tour by visiting Paoay Church, a historical attraction that has a huge facade and multiple buttresses. The Church was designated as a UNESCO Heritage Site in 1993.

Next stop was the Malacanang of the north. This residence is considered to be one of the 29 rest houses of the former President Ferdinand Marcos during his 20-year term. Overlooking the Paoay lake, the site brags of Spanish colonial style and sleek interiors.

Being the only 5-star hotel resort in the north, Fort Ilocandia is definitely a must-see. It’s a 77-hectare land composed of luxury rooms, restaurants & bars, retail shops, casino, and an olympic size swimming pool. Not to mention, it’s right in front of the beach.

It was getting late when we hopped on a bus going to Pagudpud. We checked-in at Cathy’s homestay, had dinner & a couple of drinks then called it a day.

Started off Day 2 with the very popular Bangui Windmills. Known for being one of the providers of electricity in Norte, it was also built to help reduce the greenhouse gasses causing global warming. Really looked forward to seeing this up close since it was featured in Wow Philippines’ first campaigns.

The Kapurpurawan Rock Formation is another site to see, or more appropriately, to climb. Approximately a 15-minute walk from the main road, this unique attraction draws hordes of tourists.

Our next stop was a refreshing revelation! Surrounded by a thick forest, Kabigan falls is definitely a treat for nature lovers like me! It’s a 30-45 minute hike from the national highway. The cool flowing water & verdant panorama was definitely worth all the mud!

The Bantay-Abot Cave is basically a hill that was wrecked by an earthquake, which explains the hole in the middle. Standing by the shores of Maira-ira beach, the cool wind & echoing waves gives delight to all the sightseers.

Made a slight detour to Patapat Vaiduct, a concrete coastal bridge connecting Ilocos and Cagayan Valley. This 1.3 km winding road is elevated 31 meters over sea level.

They say Pagudpud is the ‘Boracay of the north’, I’d consider Blue Lagoon as the beach closest to it. With it’s pristine sand & blue waters, anyone would be tempted to plunge in.

After showering & packing-up, we went to the terminal for our trip to Vigan. Checked-in at Green R Hotel. Went to the plaza to experience the happenings, fortunately, they were celebrating the longganisa festival that time.

Hired a Kalesa for Day 3. Being the first landmark when entering the city, Bantay Bell tower marked the start of our tour. The picturesque structure is well-known for being part of popular local films such as ‘Panday’.

The Crisologo Museum is the preserved ancestral home of Floro S. Crisologo, a congressman known for his landmark legislations. In 1970, he was shot dead inside St. Paul’s cathedral and his murder remains unsolved to this day.

The house exhibits a wide range of the family’s memorabilia and a collection of some religious and historical figures.

Next stop was the Hidden Garden. The place is full of blooming flowers, odd-shaped plants, and wooden benches. They also have a small restaurant  where most tourists sit and take their lunch.

The Baluarte is a wildlife sanctuary owned by Gov. Chavit Singson. The 80-hectare land comprises of a petting zoo, butterfly garden, and a picnic area.

Among all the sites in Vigan, The Heritage is my favorite. It is considered to be one of the very few Hispanics towns left in the country. It’s cobblestone streets and unique oriental structures makes you feel like you’ve entered a time warp.

Tried the famous Ilocos Empanada at Irene’s and went around to do a little shopping.

Special Thanks to Rb Ablan for letting us hang out at their Laoag Residence.

Credits to Kraevth for the photos! =)

References:

http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Paoay_Church

http://visitpinas.com/malacanang-of-the-north-paoay-ilocos-norte/

http://www.fortilocandia.com.ph

http://lantaw.blogspot.com/2009/11/burgos-kapurpurawan-rock-formation.html

http://www.mynomadichabits.com/2011/11/bantay-abot-cave-pagudpud-ilocos-norte.html

http://www.pagudpud-ilocos.com/patapat.html

http://www.lagawan.info/2009/04/19/visiting-bantay-church-in-ilocos-sur/

http://www.vigan.ph/crisologo_museum.html

http://www.chavitsingson.net/baluarte/general-info.html

08-27-11 Met some college friends to see Cars 2. Didn’t know where to go for dinner.. then we saw Oliver’s Super Sandwiches on our way to Glorieta 4.

Tried the Oliver’s Super Club & Classic Carbonara :)

The sandwich is packed with ham, egg, cabbage, etc.The ingredients are really fresh!

The Carbonara was good and creamy, just a little expensive considering its quantity.

08-26-11 Komrad is a new Chinese-themed restaurant that recently opened in Eastwood Mall. I was very intrigued when I first walked past the resto because the furniture and decor really looked different inside.

Decided to try it one time with Joy & Milyn, and I must say, we were very satisfied!

This is the view from our table. Lots of frames and paintings on the wall, all of which added to the unique ambiance.

Got piglet ears for starters. It was something different, a bit spicy for me but It was okay.

Of course, we had to try their yang chow fried rice.. It’s just perfect for all chinese dishes!

This was our favorite! Braised Pork in Pot. (Really really good! You should try it!)

General’s Chicken was another savoury dish, just the right amount of saltiness & sweetness!

Their eggplant recipe was also very tasty, a healthy treat :)

08-10-11

It was an ordinary weeknight and I was about to go home when Angela suddenly called. She had (cash cash pinoy) vouchers for Red Box which includes 4-hour use of karaoke room plus dinner buffet.. how could I say no to that?

So I met them at their office lobby and went to Eastwood Mall. I was starving!

As you can see, there’s pesto, chicken fillet, pork strips, lemon fish, potato salad and baguio beans.. plus four hours of singing! :) It was really worth it (considering we got the passes at 50% off)!

08-08-11 As I’ve mentioned in my older posts, Jack’s Loft is one of my favorite restaurants/dessert bars in Eastwood. I’ve tried a lot of their dishes and I could say that most of them were pretty good, plus the prices are just right.

So whenever we feel like we’re stressed out or just need a little mood booster, we go to Jack’s loft. This time around, we tried their mango cheesecake. It’s equally good as the blueberry, I must say.

Should try the raspberry/strawberry flavor next time :) Thank God for Jack’s Loft!

08-07-11 It’s been a while since I’ve last had this and it tasted really good at that time. I ordered Paboritong Meal 2: Pecho w/ rice :)

Their meals also comes with soup that goes perfectly well with their chicken. So when you’re hungry and in the mood to eat a lot of rice, you better go to the nearest Mang Inasal. They now have branches everywhere! :)

http://www.manginasal.com/

08-04-11 As I’ve said in my previous entry, we need good food to keep us going in our jobs. Therefore, we had to go to Eastwood Mall one week night and try The Flying Pig :)

The store’s ambiance is actually very appealing. The walls, the paintings, and all the other decors really looked nice.

To give you an idea of what I’m talking about. Here’s what my view looked like :)

Now, let’s talk about the FOOD! :)

We got the Grilled Caesar Salad for starters. It’s different from the other salads I’ve had before because the leaves were practically toasted. Love the effect on the flavor though! :)

I actually forgot what they call this dish. All I know that it’s fish topped with tomatoes, bell pepper, etc. It’s quite a unique taste for me, liked it at first.. but ended up digging on the pork platter! :p Lol.

The King’s Sampler consists of garlic rice, mashed potato, sausage, and grilled chicken). Everything in this plate is really good!!! Definitely A MUST TRY :)

And since it was just barely two weeks after my birthday, we told the waiter that we were celebrating my special day. Hence, a free chocolate moist cake.. with lettering :)

Plus, we tried their cheesecake :)

Need I say more? I highly recommend Flying Pig! You might have to spend a little more than usual but it’s surely going to be worth it!

07-27-11 It was a hectic day, just needed to go out and take a break! Had dinner at Handuraw’s with Milyn. This place is our cheap alternative when craving for pizza and pasta.

This time, I tried their carbonara. It may not be as good as Cibo’s or Mr. Kurosawa’s but I like it. The mojos on the other hand, well, tastes like mojos.. and that’s a good thing! :p

Given our work, we always need meals like this to awaken our tired brains and energize our exhausted bodies. Lol! :) We love Hanuraw’s! :)

07-24-11 Headed to GB3 after mass to have lunch at Yakimix. Since we didn’t have a reservation, we had to wait for more than an hour. But just like what my brother said, it was truly worth the wait.

Got in at around 12:30, tried the cooked food first since we were already starving.

Salad Bar

Cooked Food Section

Raw meat section

My first plate. I got rice, spareribs, roasted chicken, chicken lollipop, fried squid, tempura, california maki, and hawaiian maki :)

Since I wanted to rest for a while, I got raw food for my second plate. The cooking part gave me enough time to digest the first batch. Lol!

And It’s cooking time! :)

Of course, the experience won’t be complete without trying the desserts! :) Started off with my favorite, ice cream! <3

Also tried different pastries.. some of which are too sweet! :p

I’d recommend Yakimix for special celebrations/gatherings. Just a tip though, you’d better get a reservation at least one week before to avoid hassle :)

http://www.munchpunch.com/7284/yakimix-greenbelt-3