2009 TV List

I know it’s a little late for this post. Several, if not all, shows have already begun airing. All the same, here’s my list for this season. Not a very good list, huh? Well, I’m not a hard person to convince when it comes to watching new seasons (and new shows) and giving shows (multiple) chances no matter how badly they sucked the last season. I’m too optimistic about these things. Or maybe I just have really low expectations.

1.)    UGLY BETTY – First off, Betty’s makeover rocks! And it’s about time. It’s a good thing the crew managed to do it just right. The season premiere definitely poured on the humor. Even more than the usual. I’m looking forward to more laugh-out-loud Ugly Betty. Minor nuisance: the unexplained eyebrows. Overall: Great!

2.)    THE VAMPIRE DIARIES – What’s with the vampire craze these days? A lot of good vampire-themed entertainment has come out way before that overrated piece of [insert appropriate noun here] came to bookstores and movie screens. That CBS show, Moonlight, had potential (although the Mick/Beth thing was a tad creepy). But it was a little premature, so it got axed. The guys at CBS must be hanging themselves now. I love vampire fiction. And anything supernatural. Plus L. J. Smith is one of my favourite authors, so naturally I wouldn’t miss the premiere of The Vampire Diaries. I’ve learned to lower my expectations when it comes to the CW, but I must have lowered it too much because it was actually better than I thought it would’ve been. It is mediocre, but at least it’s not absolutely terribly awful. Expect a lot of deaths when you tune in.

3.)    GOSSIP GIRL – I liked the books despite having zero substance (I’m even reading The Carlyles…it is addicting) and I congratulate the show for its initial success, but this is turning out to be a very boring guilty pleasure. Serena is downright annoying (even though I rooted for her in the books). And Chuck’s slow drawl just translates into this grinding sound in my ears that makes my skin crawl (I was a big Victor, Victrola fan, by the way). Blair is the only saving grace in this show. And maybe Dan. Now you know who I ship (just kidding).

4.)    HEROES – With its what-in-the-world elements and twists, it’s hard not to get confused or even totally lost in this show. Everybody likes some complications. But not to the point of being ridiculous. And certainly not this often. I used to really love this show. Now, I don’t know what happened.

5.)    SUPERNATURAL – I don’t even truly like this show. It just seems too fragmented. Some subplots are entertaining but there are those times when you get uninteresting ones in an episode. So it gets tiring at times, yet something about the show keeps me watching it. I just have to have the will to press the play button.

6.)    90210 – Losing a major cast member on its second season? And with no closure whatsoever especially after that out-of-the-blue scene involving said cast member on last season’s finale. I wonder what implausible scenarios the writers and producers have invented to save this show.

7.)    ONE TREE HILL – With two major cast members gone (what’s with the writing off these days?), tuning back in to the goings on in Tree Hill is going to be a chore. Especially with that annoying sister of Haley’s. Please go back to where you came from. Or just stop whining. I can’t believe the only person I’m looking forward to seeing is an oversexed high-maintenance actress. Oh, and just wondering, why does no one in Tree Hill seem to have normal jobs? They’re all in the entertainment industry! Or some form of it, anyway.

Where’s Lost and Smallville? Usually, they’d be in there somewhere on my list. They just don’t hold the same level of interest for me anymore. Not like they used to, anyway. When I’m not feeling lazy, I might watch the episodes I’ve missed and maybe, I’ll see it up there. Until then.

Now, these two aren’t airing until next year, but I’m already counting down.

1.)    TRUE BLOOD – I hope Eric has more screen time next season. Alexander Skarsgård is a surprisingly good actor, but his head seems to be permanently tilted down. I know he’s tall and everything, but it’s distracting.

2.)    SKINS – It’s a typical teen drama, so it has its faults, but it also has redeeming qualities in the issues it explores. So, it’s a good show. Better than most of its teen soap counterparts, that is. I still have a soft spot for the original cast members, so I’m still hoping for some guest star appearances in the 4^th series, however meager the possibility. And please, no more puppy-dog-eyed Freddie pining for I-can’t-let-myself-be-happy-coz-it’ll-ruin-my-image Effy. Please.

Lastly, a potential series that I’m wishing and hoping and praying will get picked up by HBO…

GAME OF THRONES – Based on George R. R. Martin’s epic fantasy series (and a personal favourite), A Song of Ice and Fire. Will definitely appeal to all hardcore fans of the genre (though it is a bit adult-oriented). The cast looks promising too. They are currently filming the pilot and this blog is a good source for updates and all things Thrones.

Well, it seems I’ve mostly been dissing shows on this list. So why even bother putting it up? I honestly don’t know. TV addict…

Amazon Shipping To The Philippines: Does It Work?

Hoy, noypi! Have you ever wanted something so bad from Amazon, but doubted whether you’ll ever see the products you paid for when shipped to the Philippines? Well, don’t despair. Due to a mixture of stupidity, curiosity and obsession on my part, I have successfully had a few items delivered to me. So it is possible to shop at Amazon and have the goods shipped to the Philippines, but with more than a few caveats. Two major ones, in fact.

1.)    It takes forever. Yes, they have a tracker that sends you updates in your e-mail but that ends when the package arrives in the Philippines. I received about two updates. One informing me that the package has been sent and another one saying it has reached its destination (meaning the Philippines). This alone takes a while. But what’s even longer is the wait for that little piece of paper in your mail telling you to claim something from the post office. This takes months and months. I’ve already given up on receiving the package when I got the notice. It was that long. And after that, you still have to drive up to Parañaque City and wait in line among other people claiming their goods (again, for a long time…we actually just ate lunch in the car because it was a really long wait…and it was hot, too) in order to claim it.

2.)    It’s costly. Notwithstanding the shipping cost included in your Amazon payment, you still have to pay the customs and taxes laid upon your shipment. The dues vary depending on your items. Any kind of jewelry (even costume jewelry or plastic ones) have really high fees. The Philippine customs and duties system is really speculative and unreliable. Mine doubled my initial payment for the items.

Luckily, the items were as ordered and no damage had been done. Thank the LORD! I guess that’s kudos to the Amazon merchant or supplier. Probably the only part in this whole system which is close to efficient.

VERDICT: Not worth it.

On another note, I just wanted to share with you this neat little money-making website called Amazon Mechanical Turk (by, you guessed it, Amazon). I haven’t actually received any money from it since you need to have an account at the Bank of America to have money wired to you. Although you could also use your earned money to buy things from Amazon which is pretty cool. Maybe you could use it to cover your shipping costs. That way you’ll only have to shell out a couple of thousands in the customs and duties charges.

Café Laguna Blunders

We got a taxi to Ayala Mall and when we arrived, my aunt went straight to the Citibank ATMs to withdraw some cash. There was no money in the machines so we were hung up and had to wait for 30 minutes for the cash. After that, we went inside the mall and headed to Café Laguna near The Terraces for a merienda consisting of a bit of palabok and coffee jelly.

Waiting for our orders at Café Laguna

I would have had more if not for my toothache (damn these braces!). My aunt asked if the restaurant did catering, probably looking for a caterer for a party she was throwing. They did have the service, but my aunt didn’t go with them because the price was expensive for her budget. Four dishes at P250 per head. While in the restaurant, we couldn’t help but notice a group of crossdressers through the glass windows, passing by, back and forth. We had a brief laugh about that. My aunt got an extra seaweed along with her order of turon. She told the waiter and the dish was refunded. Nice. The restaurant had good customer service, at least.

When we finished eating, we encountered a slight case of mistaken identity involving the Girl With A Pink Shirt (GWAPS). My cousin, Shang, had a package to give to this GWAPS. So, we scoured the area for a girl fitting the description of the GWAPS until Shang pointed one out. The description fit, so Shang went over to the GWAPS, led her inside the restaurant and introduced her to us. We all smiled and brightly said our greetings. I said hello. We were starting to doubt her identity when she started rambling on about other things. And when Shang handed her the package, she looked hesitant and utterly confused. Finally, Shang asked her, “Are you Merci?” (that’s the name of the GWAPS she was supposedly going to deliver the package to). This GWAPS let out a small laugh and immediately began to shake her head from side to side, “No.” Um, okay. She left and we all joked about it. Then came the real Merci. She was a GWAPS, too, after all. First thing Shang asked her: “What’s your name?” “Merci.” Relieved. She introduced us. Again. And I smiled and said hello. Again. And after some small talk, Shang gave her the package, Merci said merci (but not in French) and we said buh-bye to her.

Then we proceeded to get haircuts at Jolly Barbers. My aunt took long, so when I was done, I began snapping pictures out of boredom.

Bored at the salon

Still not done

While waiting for our aunt to finish, Lore and I went window shopping and while browsing boutiques, she informed me of a new fashion trend: maps. I don’t know where that came from. Then she told me to choose a piece of clothing to compensate for her overdue pasalubong for me. Cool! I chose a blue-grey bolero-jacket from Human (thanks, Nang!). After our aunt was done in the salon, we stopped by True Value Home Center to look for products to keep various types of insects away before we headed home for dinner and balut.

It's dinner!

Late-night balut

C.H.A.I.N.

Hey T.H.E.M! Remember the old times? Yeah, we all miss Sir JB. Things weren’t so complicated back then.
Here’s the really embarrassing video we made for our English project. Have fun rofl.

Part 1

Part 2

and of course, THE MAKING:

Neslie, I commend you for making the most hand gestures in the entire video.
Maisie, do you need help with those chips?
Meg, you are a really convincing undead woman. And those eyes! Oh my.
<shakes head> Tsk. Tsk. What freaks.

Instant Subic Trip

Last night, I had an unexpected visitor. It was a pleasant surprise. As with all other visitors, my cousin’s arrival provided a viable excuse for me to set up another instantaneous excursion. So, we (or rather, I) started to talk about possible day trip destinations while we ate dinner and watched a bloody chop-chop movie, the Midnight Meat Train, based on the novel by Clive Barker. Bar-c was leaving on Tuesday and since both Karen and I were occupied from Monday to Friday, we settled on Saturday which happened to be the day after. Karen let slip something about Subic and I instantly made up my mind. We had our destination. Despite Karen’s evident reluctance, I called our trusty guide and fellow lakwatsera on the phone to confirm our plans.  Karen resumed with her trifling attempts to dissuade me, but in my head, I was already planning to leave Subic before dark so I didn’t have to drive at night.

That’s how we ended up in Subic the next day.

I was thankful that we were headed north and taking the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) instead of its poor-excuse-for-an-expressway southern counterpart, the SLEX. It was around 7 AM when we arrived at the NLEX toll gates in Balintawak. We paid P38 and headed down the 80-something-kilometer stretch of smooth paved road, passing a chain of green rice fields along the way. We took the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) interchange/spur road right after the Dau Exit and were given a card at the toll gates. I grinned like a maniac when I saw the almost deserted expressway and was tempted to step on the accelerator to the hilt (I don’t, remembering my father’s warnings). I thought an average of 120km/hr would be reasonable (despite the 60-100 km/hr speed limits). I mean, come on. 100?

As we drove through the SCTEX, I saw why Karen had raved so much about this road after coming back from a work-related trip to Subic. The motorway cuts through fields of lahar, rolling terrains and green mountains – a repeating pattern that never gets old. The refreshing landscape will make sure you won’t get bored driving and enhance safety. Boredom = sleepiness = accidents = death. Disturbing, right? So I guess it’s for the best. Just don’t drive at night. I couldn’t appreciate the SCTEX when I first drove through it because it was night and all I could see were, well, darkness and the occassional bright headlights from the other lane. But now, I appreciate it. A lot.

Before we knew it, we had arrived at the Tipo Expressway going to Subic.

We made a detour towards the National Highway, not really knowing where to go. I made the decision and took a left turn at the junction going to JEST camp. Always the first stop on our Subic itinerary. Since we’ve already gone on the slide for life at the Extreme Adventure Park a couple times before, I decided to try the new Tree Top Adventure Park advertised in signs posted all over Subic with the tag line Get High on Nature. There were already a bunch of people when we arrived. Good news because it meant the place was open (from 8 AM to 5 PM daily) and bad news because it meant it would take forever to get on the rides. They had four main attractions: Tree Drop Adventure, Superman Ride, Canopy Ride and Trekking Adventure which starts from 10 AM to 12 NN and 2 PM to 4 PM. We first chose our activity package which was the Canopy and Superman Ride. They have several packages that could help you save when you want to try all, or at least more than one, of the attractions. The rates range from P100 to P350 depending on which package you avail of. Then, we signed a waiver and were given numbers for the rides, though the cashier really needn’t have bothered since they don’t seem to implement this number-queuing system, anyway. The lady told us to put on our harnesses and helmets for the Canopy Ride, but it turned out we had to wait for a rather long time before we were finally called up for our first ride.

Putting on the harness

Meanwhile, we entertained ourselves by watching someone trying to demonstrate how to create fire by rubbing two cut-and-shaped bamboo poles together to a group of people who were probably out on a company outing.

Bad luck befell us when I found out the camera had gone awry. Again. It could still review the pictures taken, but there was no way you could tell what the lens was seeing when shooting pictures. The screen was black with no indication of anything. So our solution was just to use our imagination and take our best guesses. Or hold down the shutter release button and hope for a good shot.

Waiting....waiting...

After a while, we were told we were going next on the Canopy Ride. Finally. So with our green harnesses and red helmets, the three of us took the ride together: Bar-c, Karen and me. They only allow a maximum of up to three persons per ride. I tell you, it’s a long, lonely ride if you go alone.

Up we go

We really didn’t expect nine Canopy Rides all in all. That’s ten platforms. When you look at the bright side, I guess it’s a good thing to get your money’s worth, but I can’t help thinking it got a tad boring at some point.

We proceeded to chat up the people manning the stations (learning the names of trees, facts about the place plus a bit of personal information) and tried different seating positions to liven up the ride. By the time we reached the final station, we had mastered the operators’ job of getting us safe and ready. We could apply for the position of canopy ride operator.

Before we went to the Superman station, I bought a popsicle from a Bisaya ice cream vendor. The Kimmie Jelly tongue kind. It reminded me of high school days and tasted good in the humid climate. So I bought another one.

Then we headed for the Superman station. We thought we were ready to go because there weren’t any people waiting in line, but we found there was a whole barangay of people up on the platform and they were just starting to go be like superheroes one by one. So it took a while for us before the operator signalled for us to go up. Bar-c went first, if only to prolong my anticipation. She was asked to climb some steel bars to get her on the harness and do the Superman position.

Getting ready for the Superman

Then with a zzziippp of the pulleys rotating, she was off. When she reached the other station, she was just as tiny as an ant. After a few seconds, she was back and smiling, but complained of pain in her thighs. When it was my turn, I immediately understood what she was talking about. The harness was so tight around the thighs that they were digging into my jeans and into my skin. The tightness probably could’ve cut blood circulation. It was like it was trying to pull me up, but I was too heavy. When I reached the other side, the operator told me to hang on to the steel bars. I did and when I put my feet down, the rope kept trying to pull me up and it got a bit painful. I just wanted to stay in the Superman position and not move. At least that way, the ropes don’t keep pulling me. But I had to switch directions.

I'm back.

When the ride was finished, I hurriedly got myself out of the harness. The operator announced his lunch break, but Bar-c told him to just let the boy who waited behind us go on the ride instead of having to let him wait while he chomps down food. I almost forgot to give the helmet back in my hurry to make up for the wasted time. We broke the good news to the group of people sitting eagerly in the waiting area: lunch break!

I was in a hurry to get to our next destination which was Ocean Adventure, by popular request. We had lunch at Ilanin Bay Café, a group meal which turned out to not be as expensive as I thought it would be. Their food was surprisingly good for a restaurant forced on people (you couldn’t bring food inside, not even a bottle of C2).

At Ilanin Bay Café

Just outside the restaurant, we found a group of colorful surfboard props and Bar-c just had to have a picture with them.

Surfboards!

First, we watched the Sea Lion Show which was pretty much the same as their last shows, but still entertaining. Then we were off to the Whale & Dolphin Show. Again, same program but the emcee this time was an American. This show never fails to make me smile, though.

We went next door to Camayan Beach Resort to try kayaking. The resort was undergoing some renovation. Personally, I thought the resort was fine as it was, with a kind of native ambience and a simple beach-y feel. More relaxing that way. Now, I’m guessing it’s all going to be commercialized with concrete, concrete and concrete everywhere you can lay your eyes on. What is wrong with people?

Playing with paddles

Before throwing on lifevests and getting aboard the yellow, sit-on-top kayak, we first went to The Reef Restaurant and Bar for some water to drink and to order drinks for our dear friends who didn’t want to go kayaking. I won’t go into the details of a certain olfactory problem a certain someone had regarding a certain lifevest. That’s for us to know.

Somewhere in the picture lies the olfactory problem

Readying ourselves at the edge of the shore, the three of us were pushed into the sea against the crashing waves. Once past the waves, we were all set to kayak the afternoon away.

We never planned to do any swimming. But I guess it was pretty stupid of us to think we wouldn’t get our clothes wet kayaking. Just getting the kayak into the water, our bottom half was already soaked. Plus it was raining. Barcelis was the first one to go. Karen and I remained in the kayak, while Barcelis started shouting complaints about how there were rocks and seaweeds everywhere.

The weather was this heat/rain combination that was certain to make my head ache. And that’s just what it did. Feeling the start of a headache, I decided to hit the water and take a swim. Something came to mind: some old wives’ tale about taking a bath when you got caught in the rain (so you don’t get sick). We returned the kayak and ourselves to the shore and went to the bordered part meant for swimming. Where I presumed, had less rocks and seaweeds. But the moment we stepped into the water, our feet were greeted by jabs and pokes and the occasional tickly weed that made me squirm. And worse, the waves kept pushing us back and forcing us to land not-so-gently on our feet. On the jagged rocks. I watched the toddlers around us, enjoying themselves and I thought, they must have inch-thick calluses on their feet.

Later, we found that when we moved away from the border and into the center, there were less rocks. So we found ourselves places where our feet could actually touch sand. We watched as a couple made their way through the rocky path we had just been through. Barcelis and Karen laughed as they saw their delighted faces suddenly turn sour and overheard the word rocks in their irritated conversation. I felt a little evil laughing along with them.

The sky was turning darker and I remembered something I said about leaving Subic before nightfall. Shoot. I’m going to have to drive in the dark again. I wasn’t looking forward to driving home, but we had to go, so we changed into the least wet clothing we had, tried to dry the rest and headed for Manila.

While approaching the turnoff to SCTEX, I suddenly found out I couldn’t see through the windshield. It was fogged up probably because of the rain and the cold or whatever. I don’t remember the rudiments of water condensation and evaporation back in high school science, but it’s probably due to imbalances in temperature. We stopped at the roadside, right before the intersection taking you to Manila and Subic’s Central Business District (CBD). We had to ask for directions before we knew that one. We wiped the windshield to get rid of the fog, but it kept coming back. We rolled down the windows and turned off the aircon. Some improvement, but not much. I finally gave up and just went on, keeping the windows down and the aircon off, praying the mist would just dissipate. And luckily, it did. By the time we were rolling along the dark SCTEX, the windshield was clear. I thought there would be streetlights by now in the SCTEX, but I don’t think they’re functional yet. How I hate driving at night from Subic to Manila. There was some traffic when we got to NLEX, which was really irritating ’cause I was really tired and just hurrying to get home. When we were nearing Manila, it started to rain torrents. Cars signalled their hazard lights. At least, it’s a free carwash. Luckily, it was just brief and the rain stopped before we reached Manila. I finally stepped foot inside our home sweet home. Within ten minutes, I was already in my bed, fast asleep. I was that tired.

View pictures of the trip on Flickr.

Contact Info for Tree Top Adventure Park

Upper MAU FSC Tourism
Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Zambales, Philippines 2222
(047) 2529425
(047) 2529427
treetopadventure@yahoo.com

Contact Info for Camayan Beach Resort

Camayan Wharf, West Ilanin Forest Area
Subic Bay Freeport Zone 2222
(047) 252-8000

Visit Camayan Beach Resort’s website for more information.

Tagaytay Picnic Grove: Cheap and Fun

The drive to Tagaytay is a little bit more than an hour. We left at about nearly 10 AM and took the Coastal Road route. I could immediately see that we were in Tagaytay when we reached the rotunda and took a left turn. The surroundings are cleaner and greener and to the left, you can get a glimpse of the breathtaking Taal lake scenery. We stopped over at GSP and got out of the car for a stretch and a walk, taking in the grassy environment and the wonderful fresh air. We also headed for the restrooms. The adorable, playful dog was there again, running around entertaining the guests (us).

Cute dog contemplating

TIERRA DE MARIA

Tierra de Maria, a haven of meditation and enrichment and the home of the majestic 50-foot image of Mama Mary, was our next stop. It’s open daily from 8 AM to 6 PM. I remember coming here when I was still in high school. It’s a good place to reflect and pray for the Lord’s guidance. There are a row of benches on the side decorated with a backdrop of plants and a colourful array of religious paintings depicting the Mysteries of the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross.

Forming a Cross

There is a comfort room but it costs P5. There are also vendors of native delicacies (good for pasalubong) circling the place. The well-known Jesus Christ optical illusion can be seen everywhere. At the center is a Wishing Well where you can throw coins and wish for whatever you’re longing for as the trickling of the water soothes you.

Wishing Well

Beside it, you can light a candle for your intentions. The Inner Peace Healing Center is like a prayer room inhabited by life-size statues of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Jesus Christ on the Cross and Our Lady of Manaoag.

Life-size images

Just follow the instructions posted outside (and inside) the Center on how to proceed. A healing ‘pray-over’ is conducted daily and a Holy Mass is held in the Center every first Saturday of the month. On the second floor, there is a big liturgical calendar covering several walls where you can find out who your patron saint is based on your birthday.

Patron Saint Calendar

There are names under some dates (probably birthday celebrants on that particular date). On the third floor is Mama Mary’s Angels Meditation Garden (angel figurines are scattered around the place) where you can hold the hand of the huge statue of Mama Mary and marvel at the beauty of God’s creation with a view of Taal volcano.

50-foot image

Just try to ignore the not-so-charming property behind the Tierra de Maria. Along with the view of Taal volcano, you can also see the horseback riding adventure trail in Picnic Grove (where we will be sauntering with our horses later on). There’s another floor above, but there’s nothing much to see here except for a higher vantage point of Taal volcano. Before leaving, check out the souvenir shop for bits and pieces to complement your spiritual activities or give them to friends.

TAGAYTAY PICNIC GROVE

The Picnic Grove is just beside Tierra de Maria, located at Brgy. Sungay in the east-end of Tagaytay City. It is one of the cheapest attractions here in Tagaytay and obviously, one of the most crowded. Before we could unpack our lunch on one of the picnic tables in the area, we had to pay our parking and entrance fees in one of the big cottages used by the staff.

The Cottage

We paid P285 for the five of us and a car. There are no signs for parking areas so basically you can just park anywhere you see other cars park, too (but usually there are people who show you where). Just don’t park your car near a coconut tree with big, big coconuts and leaves threatening to fall sometime soon. We settled on one of the P150 picnic sheds (the price varies according to the size and ranges from P100 to P250). There were barbecue pits scattered all around the picnic area for grilling food and we wished we had brought fish and pork for some mouthwatering sinugba and inihaw.

Picnic shed

Families and friends flying identical kites, running around the rolling terrain or simply sitting on the soft grass provided a cheerful backdrop while we ate spaghetti, fried chicken and kare-kare. On the other side was a breathtaking view of Taal Lake in all its glory.

Simple pleasures

Mmm. To top it all off, the shed didn’t cost a thing. The woman in the reception area told us that someone would come up to us to collect the payment, but no one came. So we went on our way to the Eco-Adventure Trail. But first we stopped to go up the view deck where you can get another enchanting view of Taal Lake while enjoying the breeze and taking pictures.

Below the view deck

Right beside the view deck, is a sign marking the entrance to the Eco-Trail, a long boardwalk with a hanging bridge which spans a mini-valley replete with trees, shrubs and other vegetation.

Eco-Adventure Trail

This landscape makes it ideal for a 250-meter zipline and a cable car, giving guests a unique angle for viewing the lush scenery. Even if the zipline only lasts less than a minute.

Zipline

When you’re walking along the Eco-Trail, flying people in the background is a common occurrence.

Flying people

We tried out the 5-minute cable car. It’s a less exciting ride, but it goes on longer (plus you can snap pictures while on the ride ). We made the most of our time in the cable car by taking pictures in every angle.

Green below

It was a weekend so we paid P200 for a one-way ride for each of us (P300 for a two-way ride). During weekdays, the rates are lower by a hundred pesos. The fact that it’s two-way offers a scenic form of transportation (albeit a very expensive one) from one side of the park to the other. The rides operate as early as 9 AM and close at 6 PM. Visit the zipline’s official website if you’re still curious about this new addition. There is a much better cable car in Tagaytay (according to my aunt) in the Tagaytay Highlands and it was free, as far as I can recall (it was a long time ago). Unfortunately, you need a member to have access to the place. I didn’t have the chance to ride the cable car although we were inside and ready to go. The operator informed us they were discontinuing the ride because there was a storm coming. I do remember riding this downhill train-like ride but I don’t know what it’s called (my memory’s so blurry). I also remember eating in a restaurant serving a lunch buffet and having this prickly sensation when I ate their tuna (I thought I was allergic, but it was probably just bad fish). Oh, and we scoured for real estate on the market although we weren’t actually intending to buy.

Anyway, back to Picnic Grove. After the cable car ride, we went to the souvenir shops lined up near the entrance and parking lots. The items they sell include t-shirts, caps, bags, keychains, slippers and some knitted pieces for cold climates. If you want Tagaytay to be branded on every souvenir you choose to take home, then this is the place for you.

Not ready to leave Picnic Grove yet, we decided to go horseback riding and opted for the adventure trail. There’s no fun in just going around in circles in a small flat space. Big horses cost P200 and smaller ones cost P150, plus an additional P150 for the adventure trail. The guides offered to give us big horses plus the adventure trail for P300 each instead of P350 and we accepted. The adventure trail is actually just the small even field you can see from the third floor of Tierra de Maria where horses carrying visitors amble about. If you’d rather choose a narrow uneven path over the wide level field, you can ask your guide to take you somewhere else more adventurous. Our guides took us to nearby areas where we came across cows and small huts and a ridge overlooking Taal.

Going to the alternative trail

It was brief. We were then escorted back to the adventure trail.

The guide called the horse I was riding Samantha several times so I assumed it was her name. I’ve had little horseback riding experience. The first time I ever rode (really rode and not just take a picture) on horseback was when I was trekking in Taal. The horse I got was a bit on the rowdy side (it liked to kick other horses), but other than that, it wasn’t bad. The next time was when I went riding in Picnic Grove. The problem was with the guide. The horse wasn’t as rowdy as the first one, although it did like to eat leaves from trees and wander off who knows where, ignoring my desperate attempts in steering it to the right direction with my guide nowhere in sight. But that’s another story.

After that more recent experience, I was uneasy about horseback riding. So when coming back to Picnic Grove, I was a little hesitant to try again. But I’m always ready to take chances, so I tried again. But before we set off, we told the guides to actually do their jobs and guide us. I think that paid off. A lot.

Horseback riding

This was one horseback riding experience that I actually completely enjoyed. At first, I was a little worried, but after a while, I got the hang of it. Plus the horse was just wonderful! She followed my cues and didn’t stray off the path. I’ll be sure to ask for her the next time around (if possible). I was starting to feel confident, telling the horse to go faster that when the time was up, I felt disappointed. I knew parts of my body were aching and tired but I didn’t feel it. I wasn’t ready to go home yet. Even so, it was beginning to be late and we had to go home to Manila, so regrettably I had to get off the horse. The experience was incredibly fun for me that it put a ridiculous smile on my face for hours afterwards and I was already mulling over the next time I would be hopping on a horse.

On the way home, we stopped at the fruit stands and pasalubong stalls along Aguinaldo Highway to buy fresh fruits and Collette’s buko pie, then made a U-turn to eat dinner at Andok’s.

Andok's

We were rather worn-out at this time and I felt like dozing off right then and there, but I came around a little when the food arrived. The bumper-to-bumper traffic was unbelievable in Dasmariñas (it was somewhere between 7 PM to 9 PM). I felt like pulling my hair out or getting a good night’s sleep on the wheel or a combination of both. Thankfully, my trusty iPod still had battery left so there was music to entertain me. I get really lonely and jealous when I’m the only one awake while the others are sound asleep. So I raised the volume on purpose to keep my companions from dozing off. Hehehe. Finally, we got past Dasmariñas and everything was fairly smooth after that. Before we knew it, we were home.

After some quick Googling, I found that there’s horseback riding in Manila Zoo. Hmm…maybe I’ll go check that place out. It would be great to go horseback riding more often here in Manila. Without joining an expensive and exclusive club (Manila Polo Club, anyone?).

View pictures of the trip on Flickr.

Visit the Mama Mary’s Movement website for information on Tierra de Maria.

Contact Nos. for Tagaytay Picnic Grove Complex:

(046) 413-4206
(046) 413-0346

An Unplanned Trip To Enchanted Kingdom

A trip to Corregidor. That’s what I had in mind when I woke up Friday morning. At 7 AM. Oh, no. Wasn’t 7 AM supposed to be the check-in time? That was nagging me when I got ready to go to the CCP Bay Terminal. We got a taxi to drop us off at Harbor Square (we didn’t know where the terminal was at that time). I just assumed it was near where the evening dinner cruise docked. Wow. I haven’t ever been here this early in the morning. I was amused to see a throng of people in different groups doing their daily exercise routines (ala Fitness First promotions in malls).

Morning Routine

I also chanced to see a dragon boat team doing their early morning practice in Manila Bay. Hmm…the Harbor Square is a pretty good place to visit at this time.

Dragon Boating

After a bit of looking and asking around, we finally saw the CCP Bay Terminal. It’s directly beside Harbor Square.

The Terminal

But when we got to the check-in counter, we were told that the 8 AM departure to Corregidor was already fully booked and the only other option for us was to be one of the chance passengers for the 11 AM trip. Chance passengers? No thanks. I scanned the boarding area and saw the culprits for this inconvenience: students on a field trip. I left the terminal determined not to waste this rare day (when I woke up before 12 PM) with a newfound loathing for people in P.E. uniforms. An idea light bulb appears beside my head. Why don’t we head to Ayala and catch the shuttle to Enchanted Kingdom? It was still quite early (8 AM) and I remembered the last time we took the shuttle we left at about 10:30 AM. We hailed another taxi and we were dropped off at The Landmark in Makati. After another round of asking security guards for directions, we were near the Glorietta restaurant row (which is across Goldcrest) where the EK Shuttle pick up point was. The pickup schedule for a Friday was actually 11:30 AM (weekdays) and not 10:30 AM (that was available only for weekends). We paid P680 per head for the shuttle which included an EK Day Pass and of course, back and forth transportation. We were too early to be issued tickets yet so we decided to have breakfast (although we already ate) at an airconditioned establishment (Max’s Restaurant) which was just around the corner.

Breakfast. Again.

We spent almost two hours there just talking and sitting and eating chicken burgers. Max’s serves breakfast up to 10 AM although they also offer their regular menu during the breakfast period. We left the restaurant, got our tickets and headed for the underground boutiques because Beryl wanted to find a pay phone. We found one at one of the stores.

Store with the phone

We also bought P100 shirts for changing in (in case we got wet at one of the rides). I found a Booksale outlet and resisted the urge to browse the books and magazines and leave with heavy plastic bags. Someone informed us that most of the stores here have closed and the rest were about to because the building was going to be demolished. The van wasn’t ready to leave yet when we went back to the pickup point, so we ordered stuff to munch (yet again) at Icebergs for takeout to eat when we were travelling. Is there such a thing as restaurant-hopping?

Icebergs: No patrons yet!

At last, we were ready to go, so along with two other parties of EK goers, we left for Sta. Rosa, Laguna. The shuttle bus is probably the most hassle-free way to go to EK next to bringing your own car and driver.

Upon arrival, I realized that my newfound loathing followed me. There were tons of school buses with tons of P.E. uniformed students! Aaaggghhhhh! Why!? I don’t know if it’s just Fridays or weekdays when students go on field trips but here’s a big tip: don’t think going on a Friday will let you avoid the weekend crowd!

The good thing about the shuttle is that you have a few minutes where you can enjoy having the park all to yourselves. Before the crowd rushes in. After validating the ticket and entering the park, we enjoyed the crowd-less place while the students in P.E. uniforms still waited in line outside (bwahaha!). I always like strolling along Portabello during the early hours. You feel you are transported to some bygone European era through the fake facades. They still had some Chinese decorations from the Chinese New Year celebration.

No one in sight. Just us.

Wandering around, we met several people in costumes and had a fine time taking our pictures with them.

Latin Dancers

They’re part of several live performances being held all over the park. There were also men in blue tights (supposedly aliens) paying homage to a blue Teletubby-like mascot, jungle people in leopard prints and bare stomachs, and zombies dancing to the beat of MJ’s Thriller. There were also princesses (and their escorts) lurking around the front gate (for picture-taking purposes, I suppose). Just ask for a photograph and they will be happy to oblige.

Wise ol' wizard and...some girl

Except for this one.  This pink princess was very particular about the picture-taking process. And also appeared to be enjoying her role immensely. Not.

Now, on to the rides:

SWAN LAKE

Swan Lake

I didn’t hear any bells ringing for this ride. We stopped of our own free will. Maybe that’s just because it was still early. Anyway, this ride is a great work out for your legs. You can really feel them exerting incredible effort in pedalling the swans. Learn how to maneuver and beware the mini waterfall. During hot days, the ride can be a bit uncomfortable and you may be forced to find some shade among the plants in the mini islands.

JUNGLE LOG JAM

Jungle Log Jam

One of my favourite rides in Enchanted Kingdom. I love rides where there’s a possibility of you getting wet. And the exhilaration you feel when your log ride comes plummeting down from the steep drop (there are two, one is higher than the other). It’s great. Be sure to lean back when going down and don’t forget to smile for the cameras on the second drop. Make it a point to sit at the back if you only want to get a few splashes, not get drenched. The bridge you cross when exiting seems a good place to take some pictures. Check out the photo booth for pictures of you and your friends during the ride. The prices are very expensive (as you would expect). An electronic copy on a CD is available for P119.

BUMP ‘N SPLASH

Bump 'N Splash

The popular bumper cars go on water. They let you wear life jackets (reminiscent of Fear Factor). Steering the bumper boats is simple enough. To make them go faster, just twist the left handle (as you would when starting a motorcycle) and bump the other boats to your enjoyment.

ANCHORS AWAY

Anchors Away

I like to sit on the last row (on either end) for rides like this. It gives the most satisfaction. Not recommended for those with queasy stomachs and those who don’t like the feeling of ‘stomach drops’. But if you were really thrilled to get on this ride and realized too late that you couldn’t take it (like someone I know), then my advice to you is this: SCREAM. At the top of your lungs. If that doesn’t work, yell “I’m gonna throw up!” and make loud gagging sounds. Let’s see if that catches the operators’ attention (and makes them stop the ride). By the way, people do throw up on this ride so don’t be surprised if the queue gets hung up because park personnel are still cleaning up someone’s vomit.

4D DISCOVERY THEATER

4D Discovery Theater

The separate admission fee for this is P40 for day pass ticket holders and P80 for carousel special ticket holders. You are given yellow 3D glasses once you enter the theatre. I recommend sitting on the front row. If you don’t like me spoiling the surprises, then just try not to read the black text after this: Your seat might suddenly drop, rise or vibrate. Water may be sprayed and air may be blasted on your face. Some flimsy thing might stroke your feet. Objects may seem to be closer than they really are. During our visit, Pirates 4D was showing. It was about a kid trying to get some pirates, led by a clumsy but slightly nasty captain, off an island. It lasted about 15 minutes. The last time I was here they were showing a horror movie, Escape from Bane Manor. You have to pay P300 if you damage the glasses, so be careful. On your way out, you’ll pass by a photo booth and a pirate skeleton statue conducive for picture-taking.

SOUVENIR SHOPS

Chinese New Year

There are a lot of souvenir shops scattered all around the park. You can buy all kinds of Enchanted Kingdom merchandise here (for a steep price, of course). They also sell candies by the gram if you need a sugar rush.

RIO GRANDE RAPIDS

Rio Grande Rapids

Expect to get wet on this ride, says a sign. Your extra change of clothes (pants!) might come in handy when you ride the rapids. It all depends on where you sit. With a bit of luck, you can get through the ride without getting completely soaked. One way you can maybe avoid this is to sit facing the direction you’re going. But you can never be too sure since your ride turns around. Although the queue for this ride is looooooong, it’s one of my all-time favourites.

Lining Up

So I suggest you line up early on (upon arrival) to avoid the long lines. A camera takes your picture just before you are left to the mercy of the turbulent river. You’ll pass another photo booth after the ride. If for some reason you weren’t able to bring extra clothes (and if you have the money), you can also buy them here. But personally (after looking at the price tags), I think you’d just be better off drying yourself up walking around in the heat. Or eating stir fried rice from one of the many food vendors around the park (like we did).

KART TRAK

Kart Trak

Nothing out of the ordinary. Just the usual go-kart track. You pay P280 for a one-seater kart and P370 for a two-seater. You are required to sign a waiver and wear helmets (balaclavas are optional, besides they’re kind of smelly). There are racing suits in the room where they store their gear, so if you’re a Schumacher wannabe, you can try putting one of the suits on and sneak a picture (just don’t let anybody see). I don’t keep the visor down since it distorts my vision. Be careful not to let your skin touch the engine. It’s mighty hot and it could burn you. Be sure to check your brakes before you step on it. Right foot to accelerate and left foot to brake. The kart operates somewhat like an automatic transmission car although the pedals and steering wheel are a bit ‘stiffer’. You’ve got ten minutes to feel like a race car driver. The track in EK is really easy and great for beginners (compared to the Boom na Boom track).

WHEEL OF FATE

Wheel of Fate

For the most spectacular view of the park, get on board the Wheel of Fate. If you’re lucky, you might stop at the peak while some of the passengers dismount. When you ride at night, you can enjoy the cool night air and the pretty lights below. Take your cameras and videocams with you when you ride and get some quick pics or vids. It’s a nice way to end your visit, offering a living map (instead of the brochure they give you at the entrance) as you recount the rides you’ve been in and take note of the ones you missed due to lack of time.

SOME OTHER RIDES/ATTRACTIONS (FROM MY FIRST VISIT)

SPACE SHUTTLE

Whhhooooo! I really like roller coasters. How cool would it be to ride the world’s longest and highest roller coasters? Although the ride is short, it’s really really fun. Two upside down spins. I wish it could have lasted longer. Although it was scorching hot that time, nothing could stop me from riding it. I screamed out loud…especially on the upside down thingies. There was a time, though, when I felt the handle (I don’t know exactly what it’s called) that was supposed to support you move. Luckily I was able to push it closer so it could support me during the anti-gravity turns. I think it was a coaster powered by hydraulic systems. (Uh, what? Sorry. Too much physics.)

STEEPLECHASE ARCADE

Just arcade games. Tried the ring toss. Won nothing. Mostly went there for some airconditioning.

DODGEM

The bumper cars. Oh my. It was so hot at that time. It’s fun bumping into people. Only it was very short. But then again, as I said it is fun trying not to get squished or bumped by people. BuMp bUmP BuMp.

EXODUS RIDE

From the Filipino movie, Exodus, I think (which I haven’t seen or plan to see in the near future). This one lets you drive an ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle). It’s a kind of motor-type vehicle with four wheels and it’s supposed to tread any type of terrain. Riders need to view an instructional video about the ride. I wore shades and a balaclava and also a helmet. Without the helmet, I looked like an armed robber. We started off slow trying to get the feel of the vehicle…then began to tread rough road, small hills, some not-so-small hills, a bridge-type structure, not-so-shallow mud water, a seesaw-type thingy and I guess others I forgot to mention. Just try it yourself. Downside of this ride: the track is short and it would have been better if it was longer and they added more variation. We went through the same path and obstacles again and again. But like all other rides, it’s fun just experiencing it. The ride closes early (at about 6 PM, I think), so if you want to try it better not make it last on your list.

ROLLER SKATER

The cars in this one are shaped and made to look like shoes (or maybe rollerskates? I don’t know. I saw them as shoes). It’s a very, very less thrilling version of the Space Shuttle. I think it’s more for the kids (or those who wouldn’t dare try the Space Shuttle). It’s a really short ride even compared to the others. I don’t think we even reached a minute staying on the Roller Skater.

Alas, it’s nearly 7 PM. It’s time to head back to the shuttle for the drive home to busy Manila. We got off at Ayala, had a hard time hailing a cab (very choosy!) to get home, finally caught one and when we arrived, I rubbed alcohol on my right wrist to get the EK stamp off and browsed through our digital pictures to relive the day.

Visit the Enchanted Kingdom website for more details. The rest of the pictures can be found at Flickr.

It’s my mother’s birthday today, so I’m just gonna say: “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAMA!”