DEMYSTIFYING MT. BANAHAW

We have different traditions during Holy Week. Others flock to the beaches for some sun, sea and sand. Some simply stay home and do a DVD marathon. And quite a few still practice the annual pilgrimage to what they consider as a Holy Place.

Mt. Banahaw has been in our books as a mystic mountain, possessing powers that heal. It's waters, which flow from the depths of its springs are said to cure illness and bring good health to those who drink or bathe it.

And for these people who brave the heat and the rough roads just to reach this legendary mountain, every effort is worth it!

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There are many points of entry to Mt. Banahaw. This is from Dolores, Quezon. When I visited the site last year, some areas were closed down (especially the higher grounds) in efforts to restore and revive the ecology. This is the foot of the mountain, where people continue to flock, get some "holy water" and have some bonding moments with families, friends and the gods.

SLOWING DOWN...

Have you stopped and appreciated the beauty of nature lately?

Life in the city can be very busy and crazy! But once in a while, we need to slow down and look at the simplicity and beauty around us...

WOW, SIARGAO!

I never thought that I would be able to visit Siargao! Thanks to my job, I was given the opportunity to visit this faraway island paradise famous for its wondrous waves surfers all over the world flock to.

If you're a surfer or simply want to see world-class surfers in action, the best time to visit Siargao is in the months of September to November, where the waves perfect for surfing. This is also the time when tournaments are held, participated by surfing superstars from different countries.

Getting there is quite exhausting. You can take a flight from Manila to Surigao del Norte and ride a boat going to Siargao Island. The boat ride is kind of an adventure with big waves and strong currents shaking your not-so-large sea vessel.

The other option is to take a flight to Cebu, and transfer to another smaller plane (Cebu Pacific - like the ones that land in Caticlan) going to Siargao. No more boat rides.

In our case, we took a flight from Manila to Cebu and got an ex-deal from a flying school that would take us to Siargao. That means, riding on a Cessna plane with a student pilot (mostly, foreigners) and an instructor, and me as the only passenger. (Each staff was assigned a plane individually).

At first, I was so nervous! The wind up there can easily make your ride a turbulent one... but as we ascend higher and higher (almost 10,000 feet), the ride became smoother and pleasant!

Siargao is a delight! I am surprised to see so many foreigners there, mostly Europeans, Aussies and Japanese. There were only a handful of Pinoy tourists and surfers. There are a number of beaches that cater to everyone's needs - for surfers and swimmers alike. The hostels / lodgings are cheap enough (fan rooms are only 500-700 pesos per day, air-conditioned rooms range from 1000 - 1500 pesos).

Cessna plane - Cebu to Siargao

(approx. 1 hour)

spectacular views of the islands

(somewhere between Cebu - Surigao)

Mangroves in Siargao

Siargao Island

(the white line is a main road)

The student pilot (girl) and her instructor

that took me to Siargao!

foreigners outnumber Pinoy tourists

the only public transportion

in the island - Habal-Habal

The Nude Beach for swimming

(No nude swimmers here. Locals call

this Nude Beach because it is treeless)

The wooden bridge going

to the famous Cloud 9 -

the best surfing spot in Siargao

a statue of a boy surfer in Cloud 9

The surfers' playground!

Not so good wave that day.

a great place to unwind.

Owned by an Aussie who

settled here since the 90s.

souvenirs

THE RUINS : A Hidden Old-World Treasure

Hidden behind the vast sugarcane plantation and rows of middle-class homes is Talisay City's toast to history and wealth of Negros (Occidental) during the golden years of sugar production. The Ruins is an old mansion owned by the powerful and wealthy Ledesma-Lacson clan turned into a tourist destination / restaurant / cafe in the outskirts of Talisay City - just 10 minutes away from Bacolod.

To learn more about this must-see destination (history and getting-there), visit this site:

http://tinyurl.com/ku35my

Here are the pictures I took during my visit there....