2011: A Retrospect of Lakwatserong Tatay's Adventures

by lakwatserong tatay

Thank You 2011 !!!!!.........Welcome 2012 and hope to have more DIY travel and camping activities this year!!! I would like to take this chance to show my appreciation to all of my travel companions, the new and old ones.....hehehehe.... It was really nice to be with you and hope to be travelling with you again this Year of the Dragon. Thanks for entrusting me to be your travel buddy/companion and one of your friend. I do promise that our escapades and adventures will not be ended but it will be surely pursue up to the end....nonstop na galaan and tipid trips ang gagawin natin muli ngayon 2012......cheers and more travels to us!!!!!!!!

2011 has ended, but the memories, places and travel is been part of my life. It was really a jam packed year for me, inspite of having nonstop OT's at work, different travel opportunities together with my travel buddies..."Xplorerboyz" and another set of travel/blogger buddies "Tropang Tits & Pips". It is nice to look back on all of those things...the chance to visit different places. Travelling via plane, bus, jeep, tricycle, habal-habal and small boats and roro transfer. Visit different churches of our country, Chasing of Waterfalls, and  Encourage other trippers to make their own blogs to share their own stories. There are two happenings in my life that i would not be able to forget in the year 2011: The chance to be seen in GMA News TV for Weekend Getaway Show with Drew Arellano as Weekend Warriors for Vigan Episode and of course the Birth of my Third Angel "Gabriel".

Here to share my adventures, travels, climbs, events, and happenings in 2011:

JANUARY:
San Pablo, Laguna : DIY Trip of Seven Lakes (Bunot Lake, Lake Calibato, Lake Pandin, Lake Yambo, Lake Palakpakin, Lake Mohicap and Sampaloc Lake). Trek to Mt. Malauban

Nagcarlan, Laguna :  Underground Cemetery, Presedencia Nagcarlan, St. Bartholomew Church and Bunga Falls.

FEBRUARY:

Antipolo, Rizal : Gift Giving at Precious Heritage Children's Home

FEBRUARY:
Puerto Princesa, Palawan : Food Trips (Bilao't Palayok, Kinabuchs Grill & Bar Restaurant, and Balinsasayaw Chicken Grill & Restaurant), Trip to Binuatan Creations, Manny's Guest House, Mitra's Ranch, Baker's Hill, Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm, Crocodile Farm, Tiangge Tiangge, Palawan Museum, Plaza Cuartel and Immaculate Conception Cathedral.

Taytay, Palawan :  Parish Church of Santa Monica and Stone Fortress: Fuerza de Santa Isabel

El Nido, Palawan : Marina Garden Beach Resort, Trek to Nagkakalit Waterfalls, Island Hopping (Small Lagoon, Shimizu Island, Secret Lagoon, Big Lagoon, Seven Commandos, Pinagbuyutan Island, Cudugnon Cave, Cudugnon Cove, Snake Island, Natnat Beach, Bukal Island) and Parish Church of Saint Francis of Assissi.

MARCH:
San Antonio, Zambales : Church of Holy Infant Catholic

Pundaquit, Zambales : Anawangin Cove, Capones Island, Camara island and Faro de Punta Capones.

MARCH:
Biñan, Laguna : Family Trip at Splash Island Resort

MAY:
Tagaytay : Overnight Stay at Foggy Heights Village and People's Park in the Sky.

MAY:
Nasugbu, Batangas : Caleruega Church.

JUNE:
Vigan City : St. Paul Cathedral, Vigan Heritage Street (Meztizo District): Calle Crisologo, Vigan Plaza Hotel, Vigan Heritage River Cruise, Arce Mansion, Plaza Burgos , Plaza Salcedo, Pagburnayan (Jar Making Factory), Baluarte (Mini Zoo), Vigan Airport, Food Trips (Irene's Empanada, Hidden Garden, Los Mojitos de Vigan, Cafe Leona, Legacy Super Club)

Here's the first part of my Weekend Getaway (Vigan Episode) taped last June 9-12, 2011 and aired to GMA News Channel 11 
For the rest of the videos just click this link (lakwatserong tatay)

Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur : Pinsal Falls 

Cabugao, Ilocos Sur : Cabugao Beach Resort

JULY:
Kalibo, Aklan : Kalibo Airport, Solina's Residence

Boracay Island : Helmet Diving, ATV Ride Adventure, Everland Aviary Farm and Amigos Beach Resort

JULY:
Rosario, Cavite : POD Outing at Mount Sea Resort

SEPTEMBER:
National Capital Region (Quezon City) : La Mesa Eco Park.

SEPTEMBER: 
Cayagan De Oro : White Water Rafting Experience, Victoria Suites, Food Trip (Street Food Dining at Plaza Divisoria and Hammer Time Bar and Grill).

Misamis Oriental : Balingoan Port and Roro Boat Ride Experience. 

Camiguin Island : Taguines Lagoon, Giant Clams Sanctuary, Sto. Niño cold Spring, Gui-ob Old Church Ruins, Sunken Cemetery, Mt. Vulcan/Walkway to the Old Volcano Station of the Cross, Bura Soda Pool, Katibawasan Falls, Ardent Hibok-Hibok Hot Spring, Pabua Cottages, Island Hopping (White Island and Mantigue Island). 

Bukidnon : Camp Phillips Del Monte Plantation and Dahilayan Zipline Adventure.

OCTOBER :
Iligan, Lanao del Norte : NPC Nature's Park, Maria Christina Falls, Tinago Falls and St. Michael the Archangel Church.

NOVEMBER:
Tanay, Rizal : Daranak Falls, Batlag Falls and San Ildefonso Parish Church.

Paete, Laguna : Mt. Humarap (Tatlong Krus), Matabungka Falls and St. James the Great Parish Church

Antipolo, Rizal : Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (Antipolo Cathedral) and 3B Resthouse 

My Greatest Achievements for 2011:

Last March, 2011, my wife gave birth of a bouncing baby boy named as "Gabriel Rein Enzo", youngest of my three adorable kids. My son Gab just have his christening few months ago that happened at Antipolo Cathedral and reception follows at 3B Resthouse.

Last 2010 when me and wife finally decided to purchase a house and lot. Our house is located near Thunderbird Resort (Rizal). After 6 months of paying the equity our house was started and had the chance to visit just last quarter of 2011 and 1st floor was almost done and just last December, together with my wife our house is finally built and ready for turn over and hopefully this year we could already transfer to our dream house were also my brother bought a house and lot too......^_^

I'm proud to say that i've influenced some of my fellow newbie tripper to create their own blogs with their own taste, on how to share something about their self, trips, and etc. Although their all newbie when it comes to blogging, im pretty sure that they do more than what did i do for the past 2 years in blogging.
Anak ng Kidlat (Ichan), Lady Traveler (Judith),
Valiant Wife (Lorna) and Batang Kaladkarin (Aleli)   
and hoping that Jheng would follow....

I just want to thank this time to give THANKS TO YOU ALL.......who is behind why am i called the Lakwatserong Tatay now........My travel buddies (The Xplorerboyz and Tropang Tits and Pips), thanks to all funny memories and activities we've shared on 2011 and hope to travel with you more this 2012.

To all my kabundukeros.....SPIMC and YABAG MC....i really miss you guyz, it's been a while since the last time i've joined any of your mountaineering activities...i'm hoping this 2012, i could get back on trails and reach again each of every mountains that i'll be walking and trekking on....^_^

To my online friends, especially the Pinoy Travel Blogger community, that is always there when it comes in sharing different travel tips and helpful guide in everytime one of the member of this community is in need of  TRIP GUIDE, im proud to say that i'm part of of this blogging community that shares the passion for traveling. Even though as of now i'm not really active in making out of my blog stories....hehehehehe.....

To the readers and followers.....Thank you so much for making me more comfortable sharing my travel trips and showing appreciation by simply saying that i helped some of your trips, getting you more reliable contacts, and plan your dream getaway. I promise that to update my site by early quarter this year and continue to share my upcoming trips, the funny stories behind it and make it very easy to you my readers to plan your dream getaway......^_^.....Thank you for the visit, shares, likes, tweets (bago palang ako dito....), and comments. Hope that someday we could meet and join any of your travels.....^_^....

Finally, to my family and friends, who is always supporting me and keeps me comfortable doing all of this trips. to my travel buddies/friends that is always on the go when i planned an unexpected trip......to my tatay, at mga kapatid, who is always reminding me every time when i'm in out of town, that it is always show respect to other and be courteous to greet each everyone....and of course to my loving wife, that understand my passion of travelling even though sometimes...galit na talaga siya kasi ba naman...sa isang buwan 2 -3 times ako gumala (day trip or overnight man siya)...Thank you so much Hon....sana this year payagan mo parin ako sa mga trips ko....hehehehe.....and lastly to my three adorable angels....Kuya Gian, Ate Gayle and Baby GabGab, this passion of sharing my stories behind my travels is for them. That hoping someday when they know how to read, write and understand things, they will be proud of me....and follow my footstep in exploring our countries beauty and share it to the world the unique sights, festivities, food and people in the Philippines...once again Thank you so much!!!!!!!

I hope this year 2012 will be more fruitful and very jam packed trips again for me and also wishing that someday we could meet and bump within our travels....

Cheers....and more travels to you all this 2012!

Bunga Falls

Twin Falls of Nagcarlan, Laguna
by lakwatserong tatay

Our last destination, Bunga Falls, after visiting some points of interest in the Provine of Nagcarlan. The Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery, Nagcarlan Presidencia and St. Bartholomew Church. This waterfall is just the same with this waterfall Taytay or Imelda Falls. It is easily accessible, it has large catch basin and it is a popular local tourist destination. It has a campsite that can accomodate 6-8 tents which is located at higher elevation before descending towards the waterfalls. There are stalls near the waterfalls area. The height of the falls is about 10-15 feet high, compensated by the depth of the basin which is as deep as an ordinary electric pole submerged into its waters. One of the unique charm of Bunga Falls is the fact that it is a "twin falls": two waterfalls, almost identical, descending side by side. According to the locals, the basin has already claimed a number of lives of the locals who have threaded its waters.

Bunga Falls

Some myth stories about this falls:

The name Bunga was derived from once abundant Bunga palms located in the area. Bunga is the tagalog term for Betel Nut, an addictive substance used by the elders and is also known as "nga-nga". Presently the place is known as a Lanzones orchard where the same fruit abounds. Aside from that in keeping the richness of Tagalog cultures, This falls is steeped with traditions, according to some locals of Nagcarlan. It is used to be a "test of manliness" for boys to jump from the falls down the deep basin. Added to that, a local folklore has it that there is a creature that dwells in the pool of Bunga Falls, snatching unsuspecting outsiders(dayo) into the deep waters. Other locals would swear that they have felt the hand tugging their feet down. Perhaps these tales were inspired by the depth of the pool, said to be around 10-15 meters. But due to curiosity our co-xplorer Newbie Daddy Johari tried to swim in the basin, he said to us, that there was a feeling that your feets were struggling under waters maybe because of the current beneath it, as long as you know how to swim and always have some precautions to yourself. One of the locals that time explains to us, maybe due to sudden plunge of the catchbasin into a deep pool, had a perception of "being pulled". But you can not always rely, even you know how to swim, the very important thing is always ask some question around the area before trying to swim in such basins like this.

The trail to falls

A signage about the waterfall

Regie and I going down the waterfall

The water stream above the falls

It's me above the Bunga Falls

Streaming water going down

We had a chance to stay for a while. Of course we tried to swim along the falls for few minutes, but only Johari tried to swim really on the basin and below the waterfalls, me and regie does not have the courage to go that far....hehehehehe....^_^ "takot in short"...

Some locals are also present that time

The rocky end part of Bunga Falls

One last look of Bunga Falls, we will definitely go back in here........and maybe that time we will try to go swim up to the water that goes down the basin.....hehehehe....^_^

Bunga Falls "Twin Falls"

One of the Kubo's along Bunga Falls

How to go to this Falls:
There are two options in going to Nagcarlan:
1. Via Sta. Cruz, Laguna - from Manila take a bus bound for Sta. Cruz, then ride a jeep from Sta. Cruz Public Market towards Nagcarlan. You will be arriving at the Nagcarlan Central Market (from their you could buy your supplies). From their you could take Jeep or Tricycle. In Jeepney ride getoff to Brgy. Balayong. From that you will need to walk for about 600 meter to the falls. In Tricycle, it is much expensive, but the distance to the falls is just only 200-300 meters walking only. We choose to do the Tricycle ride for P80 (3 persons) which is not bad.

2. Via. San Pablo, Laguna - from Manila take a bus bound for Lucena and get off from Town of San Pablo. From there you will ride a jeep to Nagcarlan. The jeepney fare from San Pablo to Nagcarlan is P24 each. Just follow above instruction when you arrived at Nagcarlan Central Market.

Lakwatserong Tatay, Newbie Daddy & Married to be......This place is been Xplored

Lakwatserong Tatay is been here......@ Bunga Falls

At last, i've finished doing our day trip xploration in two provinces of Laguna. Watch for my entry from my recent Five Days Valentine Trip @ Puerto Princesa, and El Nido, Palawan. And we will go back to the province of Laguna, but now our next destination is Paete and Kalayaan, Laguna.

Nagcarlan Cathedral Church

St. Bartholomew Church
by lakwatserong tatay

After walking thru hihways of Nagcarlan, and having the lunch right across Nagcarlang Church. This is one place that was part of our sidetrip in Nagcarlan, Laguna. Yours truly is really fascinated seeing old churches, so when everytime i had a chance to visit a church whenever im on a travel and trips, i do usually visit their churches, not just to offer some prayers and get some blessing. But also to see its uniqueness from the other churches that i've been.

St. Bartholomew Church

St. Bartholomew Church is a tiered-wall church created by the Franciscans from 1500 to 1700. It has done in Baroque-style. Its facade has asemicircular arched main entrance flanked semicircular windows. Its bell has a Muslim-inspired crenellations.

St. Bartholomew Church was done in Baroque-style. Its facade has asemicircular arched main entrance flanked semicircular windows. Its bell has a Muslim-inspired crenellations. The embellishments of the facade and the side entrances are distinctly Baroque and this impression is enhanced by the play of light and shade among the architectural detals which include tall pedestals which lift the columns on the second level, fenestrations, and columns of varying number and length. These details alters the church's otherwise-stolid rectangular structure.

Church's History Marker

St. Bartholomew Church was already noted for the miraculous cures of the images of St. Bartholomew and San Diego de Alcala, but it became even more popular when it was declared one of the country’s Jubilee Churches.

The Front Baroque Style Architecture of Nagcarlan Church 

Center Aisle of this Church

Nice ceilings and chandeliers

According to the information sheet you can get to Parish office secretary, Sis. Emma, the Franciscan Missionaries under the leadership of Frays Juan de Plasencia and Diego de Oropresa started the christianization of the locals in 1578.The first church was constructed by Fray Tomas de Miranda; it was made of light materials. In 1583, under the supervision of Fray Cristobal Torres, a new structure made of bricks and stone was constructed. When fire razed the church in1781, another structure was erected by Fray Atanacio Argobrejo and finished by Fr. Fernando de la Puebla who had the belfry constructed. When Fray Vicente Velloc (of the famed underground cemetery) became the Parish Priest, he had blue porcelain floor tiles laid, and he added the convent, sacristy,"bautisteryo" and choir loft. From then on, the church underwent a lot of renovations to repair damages caused by calamities and to answer the call of modern times. In 2002, Rev. Msgr. Jose Barrion restored the "retablo" and had "Machuca" tiles (designs commonly used in Spain and Italy) laid as flooring to make it more in sync with the Baroque-inspired architecture.

The Church Altar upclose

When the time we went it here, there was actually a wedding ceremonies going. We waited for few moments to take some of our souvenir photos around the church.

Some of the Saints inside the Church

The Bowl of Holy Water

The Confession Room

One of the Patron inside St. Bartholomew

The Choir Lobby

The Front Door

The latest claim, why this century old church is known, is that this was used as the setting for ABS-CBN's telenovela "Kampanerang Kuba." the story revolves around a hunchbacked lady who used to ring the bells of the church.

The Famous Church Belfry



A Grotto on the right side of this Church

Other Side of the Church

This Church is been Xplored

Watch out for the last part of our Day Trip to Nagcarlan and San Pablo, Laguna. The Bunga Falls.

Lakwatserong Tatay is been here @ Nagcarlan Church