After several months, I finally had a chance to freedive again. Even though there was nothing to see except for some dead corals and some fish, I was glad I was able to practice again and my lungs had a good workout. My long fins really made a huge difference because they allow me to dive deeper with less effort.
Photo by CallMeCreation.com
It was difficult though because we had with us my indescribable nephew. So after an hour we had to leave.
The rest of the morning was spent in the pool.
Twin A. Photo by CallMeCreation.comTwin I. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
To satisy Twin I’s deep desire to get thrown in the middle of the sea, we hired a banana boat driven by a jetski. It was fun but it was difficult to lift myself out of the water because my legs kept slipping off the banana boat; I blame the sunscreen.
Photo by CallMeCreation.com
We were rewarded again with a beautiful sunset to cap our weekend here.
Next time, it will just be the three of us when I’m freer to book Layag Resort in Anilao. It’s difficult to enjoy the weekend if a kid keeps on throwing tantrums.
Putting photography skills to the test. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Fujifilm XQ1 Focal length 25.6mm Aperture f/7.1 ISO 100 Auto white balance Exposure time 1/600 s
We left QC yesterday at 6:30 am and took Skyway 2 to exit at Mamplasan then Silang, Cavite.
I’ve been writing about CALAX since forever but this is the first time I used this Cavite-Laguna Expressway.
It was a smooth drive and we were ahead of our original ETA that I decided to have coffee along Aguinaldo Highway in Silang.
At Starbucks Downhill, Silang Cavite. Photo by CallMeCreation.comLovely breakfast and we’re getting a good dose of vitamin c.
We arrived at the resort at 10:30 am, so minus the Starbucks stop, it took us 2:45 hrs of driving from QC to Lian. Our family room is huge, it was as big or bigger than a two-bedroom condo unit in Makati.
Photo by CallMeCreation.com Photo by CallMeCreation.comPhoto by CallMeCreation.comPhoto by CallMeCreation.com
I left the kids to do their thing while I checked out the rest of the property.
I don’t want to walk around in my swimsuit. Photo by CallMeCreation.comPhoto by CallMeCreation.comPhoto by CallMeCreation.comPhoto by CallMeCreation.comPhoto by CallMeCreation.comPhoto by CallMeCreation.com
I had hung out in one of those floating rafts. And got stranded the rest of the morning there until I got hungry.
Photo by CallMeCreation.comPhoto by CallMeCreation.com
After lunch, we had hung out at the pool because I was tired from the drive to go diving somewhere.
Tequila Sunrise at the pool. Because why not? Photo by CallMeCreation.com
The rest of my family arrived. It’s my mom’s birthday on Thursday and my nephew’s last week so that’s why we’re all here.
Photo by CallMeCreation.comOne of my sisters. Photo by CallMeCreation.comPhoto by CallMeCreation.com Fujifilm XQ1 Focal length 25.6mm Aperture f/9 ISO 100a Auto white balance Exposure time 1/1300 s My sister and nephew. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Oppo Reno 7 Z 5G focal length: 4. 71mm apperture: f/1.7 ISO 100 white balance: auto exposure:1/873 s
Too much sun, two rounds of alcohol, and a too early drive knocked me out flat at 8 pm.
Breakfast by the balcony. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Well, surprisingly I was able to sleep before 12 midnight last night then that meant I was already awake at around 5:30 am. By 6 am I gave up and made breakfast for all of us. My sisters and my mom had to leave at 9 am due to prior commitments today. My girls and I had a more leisurely breakfast and allowed us to clean the entire place before checking out.
This gave me the chance to walk around the lagoon to fetch my car from the country club.
The pathway behind our condo unit. Photo by CallMeCreation.comFlowers that I will copy. Photo by CallMeCreation.comThis way to the beach. Photo by CallMeCreation.comThis way to the country club. Photo by CallMeCreation.comLovely lotus that I will also copy. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
We left the resort at 11 am and I showed the girls the reason the place was called Pico de Loro.
The protruding stone formation looks like the beak of a parrot from another angle. I saw the likeness last Saturday when we were approaching the resort. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
This was a popular hiking destination before it was overrun by amateur hikers that disturbed the flora and fauna of the area. The DENR closed the area permanently since the pandemic began.
Meanwhile, we encountered the monkeys of the mountain pass of Nasugbu and Ternate again. This time, I was ready with my digicam next to me.
A family of monkeys. I stopped by the road to take a picture, Photo by CallMeCreation.comThe inventor of the buko pie, hence, the name The Original. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
They ran out of buko pies at 2 pm. Oh well.
Blueberry cheesecake. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
When we arrived in my hometown, we ate in a resto-bar owned by a high school-mate. After college he took up culinary arts at CCA and decided to open restaurants in our town. Here is Twin I enjoying the blueberry cheesecake pie.
My favorite chocolate chip cookies. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Then I dropped by the confectionery that I had been going to for 25 years. This has been my comfort food since my high school days. Love, love, love it. Bought 400g of this to bring home.
My undergrad college. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Its facade hasn’t changed much since 20+ years ago. We used to sit on the plant boxes or the steps and just hang out in between classes or just people watch.
I waited for my best friend, T, to finish work so we can have dinner together.
Sitting under the kalachuchi tree where we used to hang out.
We were planning our next dinner/lunch probably this weekend but we’ll do it out of town. T then drove me home and I called the girls to talk to Tita T because we were planning to bring the girls to a K-Pop concert in July and August. She and the girls chatted about so many things and we planned to go to S. Korea with the girls. In theory.
So tomorrow I’ll be talking to another contractor for another quote for my apartment. It’s better to shop around. I will decide later if we drive back to QC tomorrow or stay here for another day.
Meanwhile, Ate C said the cats miss me so much that they always slept on my empty bed. I told her not to wash my bed covers so that they can sleep with my smell.
Kimchi waiting for me outside my bedroom door. Photo sent by Ate C.
Not impressed by the beach and yet the access to this entire resort complex is by membership only, ergo, expensive. 🙄 The beaches in Maricaban are much better than this…Bantayan island is 100x better.
Anyway, we lacked sleep so we didn’t attempt any freediving today plus there are jetskiing dudes around.
What my girls did is they buried their aunt alive to pass the time.
Photo by CallMeCreation.com Photo by CallMeCreation.com I just watched them from afar. Photo by CallMeCreation.com Somebody needs to watch the bags. Because mommy.
Need to sleep early tonight to adjust my body clock again. Tomorrow I will attempt to walk around the lagoon before kayaking and diving. Not really sure about the quality of diving here though.
Today’s life quotes are brought to you by Instagram Reels.
When the world has gone mad, take a breather and have some Vitamin Sea.
Back in Anilao again.
Bagalangit Hideaway, Mabini, Batangas. This photo is owned by callmecreation.com
Booked Bagalangit Hideaway on Agoda, which was on sale this past weekend. The weather was good for freediving. The resort had a seafront access, unlike its neighbor, Bontoc Seaview Guesthouse/Bontoc in Batangas, the customers of which had to use the public access road/footpath to be able to swim. The food at Bagalangit is ok, not spectacular. And like in any other Anilao resort, meals are a bit pricey. It has a dive shop but for other equipment like underwater flashlights and diving donut, you’re better off renting it from other resorts like Anilao Diving. Their office in Marimar Building just a few km from the Anilao Port also rents out motorbikes.
On the way to Anilao Diving to rent the flashlight (PHP 400/night), I saw this beautiful sunset.
Anilao, Mabini, Batangas. This photo is owned by callmecreation.com
The cost of a boat ride to Sombrero Island and some diving spots like the Cathedral and the Castle is standard at PHP 3,500. If you want to go to Masasa Beach in Tingloy Island, it could go up to PHP 5,000.
My boatmen said tourism in Anilao dropped significantly after the Taal volcano eruption. Then it took another hit from the corona virus/COVID-19 outbreak, reducing foreign tourist arrivals, that boatmen like them were barely scraping by. They said if it weren’t for the locals, they wouldn’t be able to earn a living.
After visiting the Cathedral/Castle, I decided to go back early to Bagalangit because I was not feeling well and the water was choppy. Even at Sombrero Island the currents are strong. So I only spent 2 hours diving.
The rest of my stay there was spent sleeping and gazing out in the sea.
Road trip
On the way back to Manila, I decided to take the semi-Taal Lake loop. After Mabini, I drove to the town of Taal, which I have not visited in 30 years. My maternal grandmother had a store there that sold embroidered items like table napkins, table cloths, bed sheets, etc.
Taal Basilica, St. Martin of Tours. This photo is owned by callmecreation.com
The old church is under repair as I understand it sustained damage from the strong Mindoro earthquake some time ago. Then came the series of volcanic earthquakes when Taal erupted in January. Thankfully the interior is still intact.
Taal Basilica, St. Martin of Tours. This photo is owned by callmecreation.com
Then after lunch at Taal Bistro, I drove straight to Starbucks at Twin Lakes in Laurel, Batangas to have a view of Taal Volcano after the eruption.
That brown wasteland is Taal volcano island. Viewed from Twin Lakes. This photo is owned by call me creation.com Watched the sunset at Starbucks at Twin Lakes. This photo is owned by callmecreation.com
It was getting chilly at the outdoor sitting area of Starbucks so I had to get inside to warm myself. And jump to another restaurant in that dining complex to have a savory crepe before driving back to Manila.
From Anilao to Taal, it only took me 1 hr then from Taal to Twin Lakes, it was about 1.5 hrs. Another 2.5 hrs from Twin Lakes to Quezon City. I was almost dead from exhaustion when I got home.
