JADSpirits Travel Log

JADSpirits Travel Log is our way of chronicling our travel footprints with links to specific blog post as available.

Also included are our own photos with some of the best travel quotes that sums up the reason why travelling became an integral part of our lives.

We are not rich...as Jonjie will always say "may kaya lang kami"..."may kayabangan". But kidding aside, in our travels...most were unplanned...we seldom splurge. 

We always chose the cheapest lodgings. The few times we were able to stay in a good hotel  because it was booked months ago at a discounted rate. And right after we we arrived in our destination, the first agenda is to ask around...from the hotel or lodging staff or tricycle drivers...the best karenderia in town.

THE ROAD TO ADVENTURE. Taken last March 24, 2016 along the Quirino Highway during our trip to Naga and Albay.

2016

03.23~27 – Camarines Sur (Naga) & Albay (Legaspi, Daraga, Camalig, Polangui)

03.05~06 – Benguet (Baguio, La Trinidad)

02.06~08 – Rizal (Antipolo, Tanay)

01.30~31 – Pampanga (Lubao)

01.01~02 – Benguet (Baguio, La Trinidad)

THE BOATMEN. Bolinao, Pangasinan taken last April 04, 2015

2015

12.30       – Camarines Sur (Naga City)
12.29       – Leyte (Tacloban, Palo)
12.28       – Samar (Allen, Calbayog, Catbalogan)
12.27       – Albay (Daraga, Camalig)
12.26       – Sorsogon (Donsol)
12.05       – Batangas (Lipa City - Our Lady Mediatrix Parish)
10.10       – Laguna (Santa Rosa - Enchanted Kingdom)
08.29~31 – Cagayan (Tuguegarao, Iguig, Piat)
08.29       – Nueva Vizcaya (Dalton Pass)
07.12       – Camarines Norte (Paracale - Pulandaga Beach Resort)
06.13~14 – Benguet (Tuba - Sitio Pungayan / La Presa)
06.13       – Pangasinan (Our Lady of Manaoag Church)
05.23~24 – Pangasinan (Dagupan City - Leisure Coast Resort)
05.23       – Pangasinan (Balungao - Balungao Hilltop Adventure)
04.18       – Pampanga (Candaba - Lola Corazon, Leisure Farm)
04.12       – Pampanga (San Fernando - Villa Alfredo’s Resort)
04.02       – Tarlac (Visita Iglesia 2015)
04.03       – Pangasinan (Visita Iglesia 2015)
04.04       – Pangasinan (Bolinao)
01.10~11 – Benguet (Baguio City)
01.01~03 – Aurora (Baler)

THE CARABAO AND THE CART. Villa Escudero, Tiaong, Quezon taken last January 3, 2014

2014
11.01       – Camarines Norte (Daet - Bagasbas Beach)
10.05~06 – Benguet (Baguio City)
10.04~05 – La Union La Union (San Juan))
08.21       – Metro Manila (Quezon City - St. Pio Church)
08.18       – Camarines Norte (Paracale - Tabas Watermelon Plantation)
08.18       – Camarines Norte (Paracale - Labnig Beach)
07.19       – Bulacan (Bulacan (Malolos - Barasoain Church)
06.07~09 – La Union (Bauang, City of San Fernando, La Union)
05.04       – Pampanga (Porac - Sandbox @ Alviera)
05.03       – Pampanga (Pampanga (Clark - Haduan Falls)
04.16       – Bataan (Visita Iglesia 2014)
04.05~06 – Zambales (Candelaria - Potipot Island)
01.11~12 – Benguet (Baguio City)
01.05       – Tarlac (San Jose, - Monasterio de Tarlac)
01.02~03 – Quezon (Tiaong - Villa Escudero)

THE WINDMILLS, THE SHADOW AND THE PEOPLE. Bangui, Ilocos Norte last March 29, 2013

2013
12.21       – Pangasinan (Our Lady of Manaoag Church)
12.21~22 – Pangasinan (Alaminos - Hundred Islands)
10.12~13 – Bataan (Bagac - Las Casa Filipinas)
05.07       – Bulacan (Pandi - Villa Concepcion Wet and Wild Waves)
03.28~29 – Ilocos Norte
03.28       – Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur (Visita Iglesia 2013)
03.27       – Ilocos Sur
02.24       – Pampanga (Clark 18th Hot Air Baloon Festival)

THE SHIP AND THE LIGHTS. Symphony of Lights in the Avenue of the Stars, Hong Kong taken October 13, 2012

2012
10.11~13 – Hong Kong
04.05       – Tarlac (Visita Iglesia 2012)
02.12       – Pampanga (Clark 17th Hot Air Balloon Festival)
01.22       – Tarlac (San Jose - Monasterio de Tarlac)

THE ZIPLINE AND ME. Dahilayan Adventure Park, Bukidnon last October 16, 2011. I couldn't help but include this. I have a fear of heights, as in, but I was able to brave  Asia's 1st Longest Dual Zipline

2011
11.06      – Tarlac (San Jose - Monasterio de Tarlac)
11.01      – Pampanga (Clark - Nayong Pilipino)
10.16      – Bukidnon (Manolo Fortich Pineapple Plantation and Dahilayan Forest Park)
10.15      – Cagayan de Oro
04.22      – Bulacan (Marilao - Divine Mercy Shrine)
04.02      – Pampanga (Porac - Poracay Resort)
02.12      – Pampanga (Clark 16th Hot Air Balloon Festival)
01.27      – Metro Manila (Manila Ocean Park)
01.01      – Bataan (Pilar - Mount Samat Shrine)

THE COVE. Anawangin Cove, Pundaquit, San Antonio, Zambales taken November 29, 2015

2010
11.29     – Zambales (San Antonio - Anawangin Cove)
11.13     – Cavite (Tagaytay - Picnic Grove)
10.03     – Tarlac (Gerona - Isdaan Floating Restaurant)
07.18     – Pangasinan (Our Lady of Manaoag Church)
07.03     – Pampanga (Clark - Zoocobia and Paradise Ranch)
04.02     – Bulacan (Visita iglesia 2010)
04.01     – Pampanga (Visita Iglesia 2010)

The Crossroads. Taken last January 1, 2015...we left the house...ready to travel...but no definite destination.

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Daily Log: It’s Been A Year Madey…

Pinned from www.lovethispic.com/

It’s been a year since you left us…forever…and it seemed like yesterday…the pain in my heart…the tears of missing you. The realization that I would never see you…again…or hear your gentle voice calling me Nene…ever again. 

Will it be like this? When sadness overtook all reasons…and I will feel the pain of losing you…of longing to be with you…even just for a while.

Will the tears stop falling? Will the pain go away and be replaced with just a dull ache? Will the longing fade away? Will I stop missing you? In time???

One thing is sure...July...my birth month...will always be bittersweet. It's the time of year that "God took you home"...the same time I was born...through you from God.

One of my favorite pictures of you. Taken during our trip to Hundred Islands, Alaminos, Pangasinan last December 22, 2013

I missed you so much Madey. And much as I want to remember your smile and the warmth of your love...but the pain won't go away.

You may also read:

• Farewell, Dearest Mother
• Remembering Mother A Day Before My Birthday
• Dearest Inay...I Remember You

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Sitio La Presa of Forevermore

Sitio La Presa is the fictional site of the famous television series, Forevermore. In reality, it is called Sitio Pungayan located at Mount Santo Tomas in the town of Tuba, province of Benguet.

Last June 13, 2015, after our visit to Our Lady of Manaoag Church in Pangasinan, and our dilly-dallying whether we go to the beach in Lingayen or up the mountain in Baguio, we finally decided to follow the road to La Presa.

And as always the case in most of our road trips…we do not have accommodation. So while on the road, I tried to search the net with the help of Mr. Google, no less, and easily pointed me to Cafe in the Sky. When I call the cell phone number indicated, the person on the other line gave me a direct number to the place. Luckily, there is an available room, good for 2 persons, but can accommodate a child and another adult.

When we reached the end of Marcos Highway, known also as Aspiras-Palispis Highway, we turned right (opposite Petron Station) and follow the winding road going up, up and up to Sitio Pungayan.

We reached the top...almost the top of Mt. Kabuyao...and checked-in at Café in the Sky.

The view from the window of our room...with the sea of cloud...and Baguio City down below

The caretaker, Ate Vangie, mentioned that La Presa is just a walking distance. And so after, we settled in our room, Jonjie and I decided to hike. Daniz wanted to stay in the room and Mommy Lydia cannot go, even if we wanted to, because of the long walk and steep uphill and downhill.

Sights of our afternoon walk to Sitio La Presa

Sitio La Presa is located several meters after the radars.

Looking down in the middle is a house. Or is it a kamalig (barn) for storing the harvest. The picture below is a hoist...like a zip line...for transporting items from and to the kamalig. The post is located near the side of the road.

Mang Bogs and Agnes house is the one behind. Entrance to the house is P20 per head.

The House of Mang Bogs (Joey Marquez) and Agnes Calay (Liza Soberano)

There is no problem with our camera…it’s the fog…the house is engulfed in fog.

The famous Sitio La Presa sign...with the bench where Agnes and Xander usually had a conversation.  Left below is the main door of the house and on the right is the back of the house.

Right after we left the Calay’s house, the rain started to fall. Light at first that we were able to walk a few meters more. Then, it became a downpour that we need to stop for shelter in one of the stores that lined up the street. There’s no sign that the heavy rainfall will stop…and we have no way to know the time,my cell phone is dead.

The rain was the least of our worry…the most was…the last call for dinner at the Cafe is 7:30pm…the only place nearby that will serve us dinner.

We look at each other and we knew what to do. With the “Agnes’ hat” that we bought earlier, red for Jonjie and blue for me, we decided to brave the rain.  A good decision because we reached the Cafe just a few minutes before the last call for order.

The black plastic that served as our raincoat is from the two ladies who were able to ride a jeepney...that fetched some of the store owners.

Early Morning in La Presa

We woke up early. The sun is clear…and we have more time before breakfast will be served. So we decided to go back and re-visit La Presa. This time, Daniz join us.

We left the Cafe just after 6:00am. But not like our afternoon walk, this time we rode our car until the area allocated for parking. Then we follow the road to the famous La Presa…taking our time…enjoying each other and the scenery.

One of the many Sitio La Presa sign that lined-up the streets...for picture-taking, with a fee

The Plantation

After about 10 to 15 minutes walk, we reached Agnes Calay’s house. The house is already open but the gate is not…there’s an on-going photo session, for prenup or something. Not to wste the time, we went to the plantation just behind the house.Unfortunately, there are no strawberries in sight (not yet in season)…but an abundance of cabbage…terraces of cabbage.

Love her smile!!!

Spot of bright colors amidst the green mountains and blue skies

The View

The Calay's House

My Selfies

Footnotes: From the web...

• Mount Kabuyao and Mount Santo is formerly known as the Twin Peaks of Cordillera. Mount Santo Tomas has the highest point between the two.
• Cafe in the Sky and the radars are located in Mount Kabuyao.
• Sitio Pungayan / Sitio La Presa is part of Mount Santo Tomas

You may also read

• Road Trip to Manaoag and La Presa of Forevermore
• Cafe in the Sky: The Breathtaking View

Please wait for my next posts:

• About Cafe in the Sky...a bit of history and the available accommodation

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