Reaching Out Beyond Mountains | Hike For a Cause

The heart that gives, gathers. ~ Tao Te Ching

 

Scenes of my primary years:

I used to live in a far-flung barangay when I was a younger. I spent my primary years in a school 20-minute away from our house. I had to walk back and forth every day with my friends and classmates. I never mind the distance. I loved going to school. I could still remember my excitement at the start of every school year. Probably, why I love the month of June. (The school year starts on June back then.)

On the first two days of school, our teacher would let us write a long list of requirements. I would write it in an old notebook that my mom recycled from the previous year.

“Use this old notebook for the meantime. We will buy your school supplies when you have the list,” my mom would say.

I was then excited to go home and show mom the list. 8 notebooks, 2 pencils, crayon… my list went.

“Wow! That’s a lot! We don’t have enough money to buy everything on this list,” she would say again. “Let’s buy five notebooks and a pencil. You can borrow crayons from your classmates…blah, blah..”

We had this same scenario every school year. I couldn’t remember a year which I had the complete school supplies.

I know very well how it feels like to be the last one to submit your art project because you had to borrow crayons from a classmate. Therefore, you had to wait for him to finish. I know how it feels to recycle your old notebooks because you didn’t have enough. I know how it feels to wear a hand-me-down school uniform. I know how it feels to hide in the corner on lunchtime because your buwad (dried fish) stinks. Believe me, I’ve been through that!

Our family’s income back then was enough to keep our heads above the water. I would felt sad but I never complained to my parents. I knew they were doing their best to provide our needs.

Fast forward to the present:

This is the reason why I always love to participate in outreach programs or similar causes that benefits school children, especially in rural areas. For someone who didn’t have enough before, the idea of giving joy to the students is very gratifying. I’m grateful that nowadays, there are a lot of non-government groups that organizes events to provide school supplies to remote schools. (Something, we never had before.)

Ace and I have tried organizing such events. But mostly, we just support or join other groups. We give support in our small ways, sometimes pecuniary, often we do it by volunteering.

Last weekend was one of those successful causes. We got invited by the OMG (Open-minded Group) hikers to join their Hike for a Cause. It was specifically hosted by Sir Aldrich, Beboi, and Dian, the same group I was with when we scaled Mt Licos. The beneficiaries are the 150 Grade I students of Toong Integrated School.

When we arrived at Toong Integrated School, we were greeted by a crowd of parents and excited kids. I knew it was going to be exhilarating and fun. The school doesn’t have a wide ground. So we all squeezed in a small area in front of the principal’s office.

Because of the number of kids, there was a confusion at first. We grouped them by section, but most of them didn’t know which class they belong. I reckoned they were not acquainted with their section’s name. Good thing the teachers were there to assist us.

We had a few games before we distributed our present to them. Each student received a bag which contained some notebooks, pencils, and art materials. Afterward, we gave the kids some snacks to share with their parents.

The smile that I saw on their faces and the thank yous from the parents sent joy to my heart. It once again reminded me that I am beyond blessed. The happiness that I felt as I watch them comparing what’s inside their bags, and as they shared the hamburgers with their moms, was immeasurable. I received more than what I gave. It’s heartwarming!

After the program, the hikers headed to AO Farm for lunch. We shared each other’s food while talking about anything under the sun. But as usual, Tatay Raul was the favorite subject. We teased him about his love for food, sweeping food for that matter.

After replenishing our tummies, we hiked to the highest point of the farm where we cracked a birthday surprise for Tatay and Jonah. We stayed there for a few minutes, just enjoying the green vista of the neighboring mountains.

 

From there, we were to proceed to San Carlos Heights and make our way to Tulong Krus. However, AO Farm fenced the back exit of the farm where we were supposed to take the shortcut way. So, we went back our way and followed a different trail.

I went home that day feeling happy and content. It’s very nice to know that we can do a lot more than just hike or climb a mountain.

 

Over to you, have you participated in any causes? We’d love to hear from you! 

 

‘Til next time!

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi

 

Our Summer Story in Bantayan Island | Part 1

If the southern part of Cebu features the most explored mountain ranges, waterfalls, and also known to be home of the extreme adventure – canyoneering, the northern Cebu prides its stunning white sand beaches, paradise-like islets, healthy marine life and beautiful diving spots.

An impulsive trip brought us to one of the paradise in the northern part of the province — Bantayan Island.

Get to know Bantayan Island:

Tucked in the west part of the northern Cebu, Bantayan Island is an island group that consists of small islets mostly uninhabited.  Bantayan is the largest island of the group. The towns of Sta. Fe, Madridejos and Bantayan lie here, too.

Welcome to paradise!

 How to get there:

• From Cebu, you can take a bus or a van bound for Hagnaya Port from the North Bus Terminal. Depending on what bus you’re riding, the fare is around Php160-180.
• Secure a ferry ticket from Hagnaya Port (Php180) and pay the terminal fee (Php10). NOTE: If you are bringing your pets with you, don’t forget to get a local transport permit for them. No permit, no transport.)
• Once you arrive in the port of Sta Fe, you can ride a tricycle to your preferred hostel. Some hostels arrange transport and tour, you may inquire from your host.
• You can rent a bicycle or a motorcycle to tour the island. There are also motorcycles that offer land tours.

Our summer story in Bantayan Island:

Our trip to Bantayan Island was unplanned. One day before our departure, Bantayan island never crossed our minds. Ace and I, in fact, were thinking of spending the weekend doing the laundry. It was around 8 pm on Friday when Niña and I talked about going there together. Without any second thought, I agreed. My class finished at 10:30 pm. Niña said we were departing at 3 am which was only a few hours away. Since it was an unexpected outing, we didn’t have Elliot’s transport permit. We had no choice but to leave him in my sister’s care.

We arrived at Hagnaya Port and had our breakfast while waiting for Niña’s sister who lives in San Remigio. They arrived a little late, it was already 9:30 when we took a ferry to the island. Upon arrival, we wasted no time and immediately took a tricycle to Sta Fe Guest House which was our home for 2 days. Our friendly host greeted us at the gate. I like how our hostel is located just a few minutes away from the marketplace and few steps away from the beach.

Lunch at Big Jel’s Restomeat.

The same tricycle picked us up at 1 pm for a land tour. Our first stop was Big Jel’s Restomeat for lunch. Ace and I personally suggest you try eating here because aside from the big serving, their food is delicious and affordable.

After filling up our tummies, we headed to Oboob Mangrove Garden, also known as the OMAGIECA (Obo-ob Mangrove Garden Integrated Ecotourism and Conservation Association). It aims to raise awareness about the importance of mangroves and the role it plays in the ecosystem. The mangroves serve as the home of different underwater species.

Ace and Demi at Oboob Mangrove Garden.

This mangrove garden has an entrance fee of Php50 for adults and Php20 for kids. They also have this big sign showing where the entrance fee go. Now, that’s what you call transparency.

When the tide is high, you can tour the area by kayaking. We, on the other hand, chose to walk into the bamboo boardwalk.

Few meters from the entrance, there is a restaurant that serves fresh seafood and refreshments.

Ace and Demi in Oboob Mangrove Garden.

The kids bought some fish food in a small store along the way. We rested in the bamboo hut while watching them feeding the fish.

We also climbed the makeshift bamboo tower to see the entire mangrove garden from above. Only 3 people are allowed to climb at once for safety purposes. Because many visitors lined up to climb the tower, you can’t stay there for more than 5 minutes.

Ace and Demi

Soon after we explored the place, we headed to our next stop — the Paradise Beach. It was supposed a secluded beach area but due to the influx of tourist, the place became crowded.

Niña is enjoying the sun, the sand and the waves. 

 

But that didn’t make the place less of a paradise. The long strip of powdery white sand was worth its name. The beach has the finest sand we have seen.

Ace at the diving cliff. 

Our next stop was the Diving Cliff near a building ruin. Niña and I were eager to jump in the cliff. Yet, our spirits hid somewhere upon seeing how deep and high it was.

The Ruin is completely ruined. 

We were supposed to drop by Ogtong Cave in Sta Fe Beach Club, but we agreed to skip it and went to the market to buy some provisions for dinner.

Everybody was tired, especially Ace, Niña and I because we didn’t have enough sleep. (It’s right to say, we didn’t have sleep at all.) We scheduled an island hopping the next day, so we decided to call it a day.

Stay tuned for the story of our Virgin Island adventure!

‘Til our next adventure!

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi.

 

 

 

 

Came for Casino But Found a Shy Lugsangan Peak | Mountain Diary

Standing at a modest 1,013 meters above sea level, Osmeña Peak is known to be Cebu’s highest point. Everybody is familiar with it because of the wonderful view of Mantalongon mountain range from the top and its easy accessibility to the public.

But last year, another peak that offers a stunning vista of the other side of Mantalongon highland range made a fuss on the web igniting the curiosity of every adventure junky. The mountains around this peak resemble that of the famous Chocolate Hills of Bohol with their perfect muffin-like hills. But the fuss was not only because of that beautiful view but the name of the peak itself. I’m talking about Casino Peak now called Lugsangan Peak.

When the said peak started making a break, it went by the name Casino. Everybody became curious about it. What’s with the name? Is gambling going on there? Outdoor enthusiasts flak the place not only for the view but to discover the story behind that infamous name.

Ace and I were not exempted with that curiosity. We were also excited and we even made several plans to check it out. Unfortunately, we were not able to realize any of those together. His schedule didn’t meet with mine so he was unable to come with me when I visited the place with the Team Bang.

The Team Bang’s plan to trek Osmeña Peak and traverse to Kawasan Falls made my plan to visit Casino Peak possible. Few hours before the trip, I experienced a personal problem and I had to pull off my plan. I felt frustrated as I counted the remaining hours of our supposed departure. I was arguing with my subconscious whether to pursue the plan or stay home instead.

And yes! My will to taste an adventure won over. An hour before the agreed meet-up time, I found myself riding a cab heading to the terminal with my friend Abby. My friends Louise, Daisy, and Charlotte also tagged along. Oh, I forgot to mention, on that same day the other year (2016) we visited O’peak, so it was sort of an anniversary climb for us.

We arrived at the terminal earlier than expected. It was my friends’ first time to meet the Team Bang. Louise was especially excited to meet the man behind The Bisaya Traveler blog as she’s an avid reader. When everybody was all gathered, we hopped on a bus to Dalaguete. (See a guide to Osmeña Peak here.)

While we were riding a motorcycle going to Osmeña Peak, the rain started to pour. The road was covered with thick fog and the ride was freezing cold. When we arrived at the registration area, we did not waste any more time and started our hike after paying the necessary fees.

We already expected a foggy sight at the peak because of the weather. We didn’t stay long there because it was starting to get crowded. We had a short prayer at the top led by the Idol Wanderer and started our trek to Casino Peak.

We took a shortcut from the foot of O’Peak and passed by a cabbage field. Later on, we followed a concrete road that led us to the registration area of Casino Peak.

To my surprise, the sign said it’s Lugsangan Peak and not Casino. The man who was assigned at the registration enlightened us about the change of name. The owner of the land going to the peak is named Ka Seno thus the name Casino, however, the name sounded indecent and gave a bad impression. So they changed the name to Lugsangan Peak. Lugsangan is the barangay where the peak is located.

That sounds pretty interesting though.

The climb to the peak was not that hard. But the muddy trail made it dangerous and slippery. We also had to be cautious with the sharp rocks on the way.

The view from the top was breathtaking. It was windy and cold and we were standing only on slippery rocks with high cliffs on each side. I was amazed at the same time my legs trembled as I tried walking on a narrow rock. (I’m sure, Ace wouldn’t let me do that if he was there.)

The fog was thick because of the unfriendly weather. We were all seemed teased with the beautiful scenery as the wind blew and clearing the fog. But the murkiness just wouldn’t go away.

The mounds surrounding the peak was like a shy little girl having second thought whether to show up or not, a little girl wanting to play peekaboo.

As I sat in one of the sharp rocks, the situation made me ponder some things.

My life is full of failed expectations of myself, my family, and people around me. And sometimes, with me trying so hard not to fail, I forget to live in the moment. I sometimes forget to admire the journey. I have high hopes and all I see are those. I get too excited to see the silver lining that I failed to appreciate the things that made it glitter.

And I was there. Sitting, hoping and waiting for the sky to clear up. And I realized, I wasn’t there because of the view. I was there because of the journey. I was there because I want some adventure. I was there because I want to make new friends.

In the end, I realized, I was actually there to learn.

Over to you, what life experiences made you ponder things? What experiences taught you BIG lessons?

 

‘Til our next diary!

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi

 

Trailed The Spartan Ground.

Being widely known as the most challenging track in Cebu, Spartan Trail is not new to every hiking enthusiasts in the city. In fact, from being the practice ground for those who are up for a major climb, this trail has gone from being famous to infamous. Gone were the days when this treacherous terrain is only for experienced hikers. Recently, there are already first-timers who bravely track this trail despite their inexperience. Don’t get me wrong. I actually admire their courage and determination. 😀

Whilst its popularity, Spartan Trail was very elusive to Ace and me. Every time we set a date to try this trail it gets canceled due to uncontrollable circumstances. But we remained positive that we’d walk this ground one day.

Until the wait became over and the patience paid.

During our hike and discovery of the biggest cross in Cebu, Sir Aldrich (The Bisaya Traveler) told me that some members of the team were planning to tramp Spartan Trail the following weekend. I was ecstatic!! I couldn’t say no to that.

So the said day came. I was worried about Ace because he had not been trekking in the past two months. But he was persistent to see what makes this trail challenging. So off we went!

The first wave of ascending was tough. The sun was burning our skin, the slope was very steep and seemed never-ending. I saw myself catching my breath and even started doubting myself if I could survive the next wave.

Soar high! 

One step at a time. Until we came to a plateau. I looked back and whooaw! It’s the city below me. It’s not like it was my first time to see such sight, but the feeling of being on top was incredible. (That’s why I love the mountains.)

As we continued our journey to the deepest part of the trail, I began to understand why they dubbed it as the most challenging and treacherous training ground. Spartan involves a steep ascend, a march into thick and prickly bushes, a long walk through a rocky river, and another dangerous descend.

The dried river. 

Ace acting like Kuya Kim of MatangLawin. 

Although everyone was starting to doubt if we could make it, our will to be victorious in this quest was stronger. Like a real Spartan army, we marched through the rigorous path not minding the danger ahead. Instead, we entertained ourselves with stories of funny experiences. 

Demi and the river. 

We had to make a few stops to regain our energy. As we shared stories and snacks during our short breaks, we were also getting to know each other better. This is always my favorite part when traveling with new people — making friends. 🙂 

The dried Buhisan River. 

It was a long walk through the slithering river. The water was shallow but the rocks were slippery. Therefore, we had to be extra careful and vigilant with our steps.

A small waterfall along the trail. 

We arrived in a small waterfall where we took a long break to prepare ourselves for a formidable battle. A soldier, no matter how brave and strong needs to take a break after all. 

Climbing boulders. 

Walking on the Spartan ground actually taught me a lot. It made me discover more things about myself, my tenacity and my limitation. It helped me understand my body more and it taught me how to listen to my deep breaths. 

Kapit lang besh. 

The last leg of our adventure was a walk in a canopy of trees. I think it was the hardest part of the trail because of the abrupt inclination. I felt my legs trembled and tightened in my every step. My companions were already far ahead but I couldn’t keep up with their gait anymore.

My husband was already running out of words to encourage me. No, I did not stop, but my pace was slower. I did not plan to quit either. I had come a long way, why should I? Well, even if I want to, I didn’t have the choice. I was already on the battleground surrounded by the enemies. I had no escape. It was a do or die.

We heard roaring sounds of motorcycles which signaled a nigh road. That added encouragement to my already exhausted legs. Like magic, my steps suddenly became faster and this time I was even the one trying to encourage my friends to move. 😀

I guess that meant I won my battle.

We arrived at Barangay Pamutan on time for lunch. As if we did not have enough combating Spartan Trail, we carried on our adventure to find the abandoned cult cave and Tulong Krus. But that’s another story.

I must admit, Spartan Trail is indeed very treacherous. At first look, it seemed easy but wait when you set foot on its battlefield.

Ace and Demi survived the Spartan Trail.

Over to you, have you survived your Spartan ground? We’d love to hear from you.

’til our next adventure!

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi

 

 

 

Feeling High In Mt. Kan-Irag (Sirao Peak)

So, the adventure continued and we’re feeling so high…

The higher, the closer to heaven.

Ace and Demi in Mt Kan-Irag

We feel high…

We felt high… when we learned we were climbing Mt. Kan-Irag through Budlaan.

We felt high… despite the gloomy weather the day before our adventure.

We remained high… although there were only five of us who showed up on the day of our scheduled jaunt.

Ace and Demi in Budlaan Falls

We felt high… when we started trekking Kabang River and witnessed the mightiness of Budlaan Falls.

We felt higher… when we bathed in the flowing water of Kabang river.

Sirao Peak

We still felt high… just by eating isaw, and chicken feet bbq for lunch beside a basketball court.

We felt higher… when we continued our quest to the peak of Mt. Kan-Irag.

We felt high… seeing our national animal taking a dip in a muddy puddle under the scorching heat of the sun.

We felt high… as we took a short break and rested our bodies in the grassy field.

We felt higher… when a mother cow chased us and saw her sexy baby posing elegantly in front of our camera.

We still felt high… though our paced slowed down because our bodies were already exhausted.

We felt high… even though we had to take a lot of short breaks to regain our energy.

We felt even higher… when we reached the shoulder of the peak and saw the city below us.

We felt high… as we enjoyed the wonderful view and pointed the trail we passed through.

We felt high… as we realized we’re just a dot in this vast universe.

We felt high… as we contemplated on mundane things that we missed to notice below.

We felt higher… when we were welcomed by the blooming flowers of cogon grass which brought us to a different world.

We even felt higher… as we started walking and making our way through those grass that are taller than me.

A beautiful paradise.

We felt SUPER high… when we finally reached the top and saw a beautiful paradise below us.

We felt high… as we rejoiced because we finally reached the peak.

We felt higher… while looking at the clouds and identifying the shapes they formed.

We felt high… talking about life and past experiences.

We felt higher… while dancing to beat of the infamous Despacito and the Shark Song.

We remained high… even until the sun started to set painting the sky a different hue. Even higher… as we argued whether the hue was pink or orange.

Truly, Mt Kan-Irag being the highest peak of the city’s highland, made us feel high as we scaled her wonderful trail. Even looking and reviewing the photos we took during our trek make us feel high. No wonder why most outdoor souls who are always hungry for adventure love to go back to her peak.

Should we come back, too? We’d love to.

’til our next adventure!

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi.

 

 

A Serendipitous Trek To The Other Side of Budlaan Falls Through Kabang River.

After a hiatus, the hubby’s schedule has finally agreed with mine. I had 10 days off from work and Ace also filed a time-off. Because it’s not every day we get this long break, we made sure all of the days are jam-packed with adventures.

So, our second day was set for a trekking experience through Budlaan Falls in Talamban all the way to Mt Kan-Irag also known as Sirao Peak. With the help of our guides, AJ – The Wandering Soul Scamper and his friend Lakbay Lawin, our plan was made possible.

We agreed to meet-up at Gaisano Grand Mall-Talamban at 9:00 am. And just a few meters away from the mall, we hailed a motorcycle to take us to Barangay Budlaan where the jump-off point is. There, we registered our names and immediately started our trek. Along with Ace and me, was our good friend, Louise.

Our guides suggested taking the river trail because it was more challenging and exciting. We can’t say no to extra challenge, you know. So, as expected we followed the river upstream. Before we arrived at the banks, my heart jumped as I heard a loud cascade which signals the river nearby.

When we arrived, we saw a group of outdoor enthusiasts already enjoying the waters. Our first sight was the infamous heart-shaped waterfall basin. The water was brown and muddy, probably because of the rain on the previous days and nights.

After few minutes, we continued our upstream adventure. We saw more mini-waterfalls along the way. I heard these falls have their names but I can’t tell which is which. Trekking the river involved climbing boulders and jumping from one rock to another, and even crawling if the situation requires. My experience brought me back to our Mulao River adventure.

The sight of a bigger waterfall welcomed us after almost hour of following the river trail. I reckoned it is already the Budlaan Falls. But contrary to what I’ve seen on the internet, the descent of water was stronger and mightier compared to those photos on the web. The water was abundant up there maybe because it had been raining the past days and weeks.

There is a small store where visitors could buy some snacks and fresh buko or coconut fruit. Fresh coconut water is a good source of hydration and electrolytes. And its meat could be a source of energy. We bought one for each of us as we rested in one of the cottages nearby.

We resumed our quest after we finished eating our buko and had our energy replenished. We stopped in front of the mighty falls for a while to take some photos and enjoy its mightiness at the same time.

The vehement pressure of the water was like pulling us as we stood in front of it. The pressure was too strong that the moist was enough to wet our clothes. We did not swim here because we don’t have any idea how deep was the catch-basin now that the water is abundantly flowing.

Instead, we headed to the right side of the waterfall to continue our journey. We climbed a steep slope and cliff, holding only to roots and giant rocks to avoid falling. One wrong step, I would have tripped and fallen down giving me only 30 percent chance of surviving. (Charot!) This trail is not advisable for those who have the fear of height, else you’d end your life here. (Another charot!) 😛

But, really. You must dare! The price is worth it! 

A good find!

You must be wondering what made our adventure serendipitous. It was this water flowing on a steep and slippery slope after that dangerous and risky climb above the main waterfall. Now, I’m not claiming we were the first to discover it because this water trail has been here for a long time ago. But on that day, the water was flowing in a torrential flow.

I could say, we came at the right time indeed, perhaps we’re just lucky.

The water was inviting and it was clearer compared to that of the main falls. Louise and I decided to take a quick dip while the boys were taking a rest. We really enjoyed the cold water. It was a pure bliss from nature, a therapy per se.

Louise and I enjoying the cold water.

After ten minutes of indulging with nature’s therapy, we quickly changed into our dry clothes so we could continue our trek to Sirao Peak. And yes, it was timed because we had to catch the lunch-time. 😛

Ace and Demi at Budlaan Falls, Talamban, Cebu.

This is where our Kabang River and Budlaan Falls adventure ends. But we’re sure to come back because we believe “no experience are the same no matter how many times you do it”. 🙂

Stay tuned as we continue our adventure to Mt. Kan-Irag on a later post.

’til our next adventure!

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi.

 

 

 

Temple of Leah | Of Love, Devotion and Architecture

And his love was too strong that it became the pillars of the temple.

Truly, love does wonders. It’s so powerful that it goes beyond a bouquet of roses, a romantic picnic or a dinner in the fanciest restaurant, a diamond ring or a strand of pearls. Remember Taj Mahal in India, Swallow’s Nest Castle above the waters of the Black Sea, and the Boldt Castle in upstate New York? What do they have in common? Yes, they are all built out of love. ❤

Temple of Leah

Cebu also prides this magnificent landmark Temple of Leah as a testament of an architecture-romantic Mr. Teodorico S. Adarna’s undying love and devotion to his wife – Leah.

Temple of Leah, Cebu

Perched on the highlands of the city, Temple of Leah continously draws tourist because of it’s splendiferous architecture similar to that of Rome and Greece. Knowing that this is built in the name of love is another thing that invites people’s curiousity.

The girls — Tin, Gichelle, Demi, Louise and Daisy. (L-R) 

Some time in January, after our visit in the botanical garden of Terrazas de Flores, we dropped by this temple to see how lucky Leah must be.

Temple of Leah.

We were collected Php50 each as an entrance fee. The temple was not done yet but it is already open to public. We went there on a weekday so there were not too many people at that time.

 

Ace in the Temple of Leah. 

The edifice resembles Rome classical structures, inspired by Leah’s travel to Rome. It is very evident with the rectangular designs, the Doric columns, the podium and the altar.

The shrine. 

A huge bronze statue of Leah was built in the altar. This spells Mr Adarna’s devotion to her that he treated her like a goddess.

Leah V. Adarna

This temple was meant to be a repository of Leah’s items which she gathered from her travels. According to her daughter, Arlene, her mom was a collector. Before she died, she worried where to put all her collections. Her good husband promised to build this temple to store all her things. Now, this shrine serves as a museum of Leah’s things. However, the museum was not yet open for the public during our visit.

Demi in the Temple of Leah. 

While classical temples have their storage rooms behind the altar, the chambers for Leah’s collection were built on the opposite wings of the edifice.

A fountain at the facade of the podium. 

There is a fountain in front of the shrine’s podium which is inspired by her trip to Europe. Truly a work of art. Look at those meticulous carvings.

Panoramic view of the city. 

The temple also gives a panoramic vista of Cebu City. Although, it’s hot to stay here in the mid-afternoon. We wonder if the sunrise or the sunset looks great from here.

The girls’ groufie. 

The place is sooo perfect for photo ops to flood your Facebook and Instagram. Every corner is “instagrammable”, they said. (Is there such word, by the way?)

Demi and the lion statue. 

From the high rising pillars to the precised carvings, the temple is just WONDERFUL, it’s brilliant. Mr Adarna must have really made his wife happy even when she’s already gone.

The pillars of the temple with Demi photobombing. 

Indeed, love does wonder. The Temple of Leah speaks of a man’s real love and devotion to his wife. And this our friends, we hope inspires you to not give up on love because it really exists. Yay!

Ace and Demi in the Temple of Leah. 

We hope you enjoyed our photo-diary of the Temple of Leah. Over to you, what would you do for love? Leave us some words.

‘Til our next cheesy adventure.

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi

 

Garden by The Lake | TIEZA Botanical Garden

TIEZA Botanical Garden

Bloom where you are planted! ~ Anonymous

It has been a while since the infamous Sirao Flower Farm made a fuss all over the web. Curious visitors flocked the place but sadly, due to some people’s negligence, the farm suffered an unfortunate fate. Some were lucky to have witnessed the beauty of the place yet, I wasn’t one of them. When I visited Sirao Flower Farm last January, I did not see any of those that I saw in the internet. All I found were newly sprouting plants finger-span length. The local farmers were trying so hard, pouring their sweats to cultivate those plants, I just hope people know that and we should be responsible enough to take care of the vegetations, too. Let us not be selfish and say “I paid for this. I paid an entrance fee.” Paying the entrance fee does not give us the right to step and kill those flowers. Our money can’t afford the hardwork of the farmers who are working so hard to give us this wonderful view.

(I’m not here to scold or act like ‘I-know-everything-right’. I’m just saying.  LET US DO OUR PART!!!)

Anyway, here’s another fruit of our local farmers’ labor. The former Philippine Tourism Authority which is now called TIEZA (Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority) is developing the formerly Kan-Irag golf-course located in Barangay Malubog, Busay into a botanical garden by the lake.

According to the farmers whom we talked to, this lake was once a small hollow filled with rainwater then it resembled a lake. There were wild floras growing around the area and it showed a great potential to become a scenic garden by the lake, hence this project.

Despite not being able to see the wonderful beauty of Sirao Flower Farm, I am beyond lucky to have seen this enticing beauty of this new attraction. My hopes for this place not to experience downfall because of people’s lack of discipline. Let’s give others the chance to see this beauty.

Leave nothing but footprints. Take nothing but pictures. Kill nothing but time.

 

Demi in Kan-irag Golf Course.

You might want to visit the place. You can contact our kind driver to take you there just in case you are commuting. Here’s Kuya Roel’s number: 0919-954-4254. If you have your private transport, the place can be accessed through the transcentral highway via JY Lahug and take turn towards the corner of Busay Holiday Pool. You can also ask the locals for directions.

The flower doesn’t dream of the bee. It blossoms and the bee comes. ~ Mark Nepo

 

‘Til our next adventure!

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi

 

 

 

 

The Vast Beauty of Mulao River

The river once told me: There is no hurry. We shall get there someday. 

Mulao River

Slithering through the valleys of Liloan and Compostela is this splendid river that serves as the boundary of the two adjacent municipalities. It is called the Mulao River.

After our pre-valentine climb to Lanigid Hill last Saturday, we decided to have a quick visit to the said river. But what supposed to to be a quick one became a few hours of astonishment and exciting adventure.

The gang. 

Halfway through our struggle going down the never ending steep slope, we finally heard the gushing water and we felt relieved to know that we’re near.

We were welcomed by the enthralling beauty of this body of water.

The stupendous rocks that were artistically formed eons of year ago are just magnificent. I can’t keep myself from saying “wow” even though we’re forewarned not to make big noises while in there. The locals believed that some nature god or unknown spirits are living in the river, and they hate to be disturbed. I don’t know if you believe in it, too but I grew up in the countryside and have always believed in superstitions and myths.

There’s just something in the river that we can’t explain. As if the nature really showered all it’s care on this place. Imagine the enormous rocks of various shapes and forms. Made us wonder how they formed all these years.

Our main goal was to see the “Stone Ark”, yet the way to it is not easy. We had to climb the large boulders and jump from one rock to another. We mastered our art of balancing just to get through the cliff-like path. One mistake and you’ll get yourself hurt.

The Stone Ark. 

Finally, we reached our goal. This colossal rock, it’s not really surprising because all of the rocks in the area are this huge, but if you look at it, it indeed looks like a ship drydocked in an unreliable base. I say “unreliable” because the stone ark is REALLY big. (See the capslock there? LOL) And the base is too small for it. But lo and behold, this ark has been here thousands of years ago but not even the strongest flood shook and moved it.

Now don’t you call it amazing?

Just near the stone ark, we noticed the rocks looked different from the ones we saw. Here, the rocks resembled the waves in the ocean. The locals said that there are some nights they hear the ship moving as if it’s sailing, and they hear the waves that of the ocean. Could it be? (Now that depends on your belief.)

What more can we say? Mulao River is indeed enchanting. Along with the enigmatic beauty and mysterious stories of this river, it’s all worth the visit. And I really appreciate the locals for keeping this place a clean haven. I’m pretty sure the spirits and nature god are happy thus providing them a good harvest from the river.

Over to you. Have you visited this place? Or a place like this? Have you heard stories such as this? Share it to us.

We hope you enjoyed this travel diary.

‘Til our next adventure!

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi

Terrazas De Flores Botanical Garden | A Sweet Escape

Gardens and flowers have a way of bringing people together, drawing them from their homes. ~ Clare Ansberry 

While the Chinese and Korean communities were celebrating the Lunar New Year, we found ourselves jaunting the highlands of Cebu City to escape the bustle in the metropolis and get ourselves an ounce of repose.

Together with some wonderful friends, we visited Terrazas de Flores – Cebu’s first ever botanical garden in terraces. Located in Barangay Malubog, Cebu City (900 meters from La Tegola, Busay), just across Malubog Integrated School.

This botanical garden started operating last October 1, 2016. Since then, it continuously draws the attention of many people from all walks of life.

With over 120 species of local flora that are arranged on a mountain slope to form a flower terraces, it’s impossible to leave the place without getting the dose of relaxation we needed.

In collaboration with the Department of Biology from University of San Carlos, the species and names of these local flowers were being identified, as well as its horticulture.

What’s more amazing is that these flowers are very common and are often ignored. We have seen most of them in the streets, in the wild, in our grandparent’s houses…but we did not really notice their beauty.

Could it be because they are meticulously arranged here? Or, it could be because they are well taken cared of by the local farmers whom the owner hired to tend the place.

Aside from the garden, the place also has a cafe where visitors can have a sip of their preferred beverages while enjoying the scenic surrounding.

From the cafe, one can see the view of the neighboring hills which are breathtaking.

You can also choose to stay in their beautiful cabanas while you enjoy watching the butterflies land from one flower to another.

Or, while you read your favorite book. 🙂

Or, just chitchat whith your friends. 🙂

 

Girls just wanna have fun! 

Or, you can bring out your inner emo!?

Emo girl. 😛

Or, perform Yoga?! Why not, the place is quite and peaceful, not to mention the smell of the nature.

Everywhere here is so wonderful. You can’t help smiling and falling in love with it. Every corner is also picture perfect. You’ll love how the colors of the nature compliment each other.

Ace really had a great time practicing his phonetography, er, phone photography. He took over 50 photos of the flowers.

The gang!

But of course, the whole gang did! We left the place feeling relaxed and ready to face the city life again. 🙂

The garden is open everyday from 7am to 8pm with 100 pesos entrance fee.

Ace and Demi in Terrazas de Flores Botanical Garden. 

We hope you enjoyed our photo diary of the place. 

‘Til our next escape.

Keep safe!

Love, Ace and Demi.