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!

Capones Island: Faro de Punta Capones

by lakwatserong tatay

The light from the Faro de Punta Capones or known as Capones Island Lighthouse, has been used for more than a century to search for and guide ships to into Subic and Manila Bays. The west coast of Manila has regular runs of shipping heading to and from the Philippines Northern neighbors.

The lighthouse is perched 53 mtrs above sea level. The actual lighthouse tower is 19.8 mtrs high and has a tower shape of square brick building. It's construction made of brick masonry. It has first-order lenses when it was first lit on August 1, 1890.

entrance to Capones Lighthouse grounds...

Capones Island is known because of its bone shaped like, off the coast of San Antonio, Zambales, hides a lonely sentinel of the sea from Northern Coast that for years, decades and even century survived the wars, earthquakes and countless typhoons but still standing and serving its purpose - one of the Spanish-era lighthouses of the Philippines in Northern Coast - the Faro de Punta Capones.

The historic lighthouse of San Antonio, Zambales

One of the few remaining old Spanish lighthouses in our country, one of the 4 lighthouses built in Spanish era in Northern Coast. Here are some of the lighthouses that can be found in Northern coast of our country as follows Faro de Punta Patar of Bolinao, Pangasinan, Faro de Cabo Bojeador of Burgos, Ilocos Norte and Faro de Cabo Engaño of Palaui Island, Santa Ana, Cagayan.

it's historic remains.....

Set in the grassy hill of the island, the original lamp and lantern room were replaced with modern solar-powered lighthouse light is Capones best kept secret, with its original red brick keeper's house structure still standing. Although the keeper's house is now ragged and neglected, it draws a dramatic picture of the place, it's empty and dilapidated rooms, halls, metal stairs, discolored tiled floors, broken windows and doors reflects its glorious past...Here are some of photos that could make you back on past....

now entering......

broken & dilapidated wood window...

broken rooms and doors....

the metal staircase.....

As you will enter the deteriorating building, you will hike up to the shakey metal staircase...and you may view one of this site....like as you can see below...here are some of my photos i could share to you when you up in Capones Lighthouse.....

the scenery that awaits you!!!!!

photo opps muna....^_^

Modern Solar-Powered Lighthouse Light

Once your on top of the lighthouse, this breath taking views will get you fascinated. But before you could get to this best sceneries, you must walk on a trail by following the stone guides from the eastern side of the island for approximately an hour of trekking on a rocky shore, passing to an unfinished building and status of Mama Mary. It would be best for first timers to have a local guide as the trail has no signage. From the other side of the island, (wester side) where the lighthouse is already visible, it is easier to reach the site although this side has sharp edges rocks and some of the angriest waves you would see, making i impossible for boats to dock most of the time (this part is not really recommended by  the boatman to dock due to humogous waves always occurs)....

the majestic view up in the lighthouse....

the deteriorating building....

my self portrait shot on top of lighthouse....

After an hour of grueling trek to the hill of this island and few minutes of photo sessions of the lighthouse and the experience to be up of a lighthouse. We all tripper got back to the grounds of this lighthouse, were a wishing wells is located, but im not pretty sure if this well is can used as a potable water but im pretty sure that it can used as a wishing well because as i've seen it, it does have coins that maybe the tourist and visitors throw it into and had some wish that could maybe come true....^_^.

a wishing well on lighthouse's ground....

Here is one of my last shots for Faro de Punta Capones..........

Faro de Punta Capones

Here is one of the trippers photo souvenir while at Capones Lighthouse's ground......all of us were resting by this time.....^_^.

trippers photo opps in the lighthouses ground....

L.T. x-plored Capones Lighthouse....

Of course, i wont miss my self portrait shot with Capones Island Lighthouse.
At last, after several months, im already done with my Weekend Getaway with DCPI Trippers. It was really a nice experience to be back in Anawangin and having also the chance to visit and trek the Capones Island and Capones Lighthouse and having also the glimpse of Camara Island was really a rewarding experience.
I do hope by my next visit i would see the sandbar of Camara and visit some of the other coves of San Antonio.....^_^...
See you in my next stories......

This story is part of: Weekend Getaway to San Antonio, Zambales

A Glimpse of Camara Island

by lakwatserong tatay

The Camara islands known and called sometimes as Camera Islands lie a few kilometers from the shores of Pundaquit, Zambales. The Camara islands are 2kms offshore and counterpart to this islands is Capones Island which is a 3 kms father (5.2 kms offshore). Camara island is known for white beach, speckeled with colorful crushed coral, clear turquoise waters held us spell-bound, and a high rock cliffs beckon rappellers.

The Camara Island

Camara island is the closest and most accessible island from the Pundaquit shores because within 20 minutes away from any nearby resorts depending on the ocean currents, that is usually smoother when it is summertime. This island appears like a giant rock in the middle of the sea that has huge rock formation.

One part  of the shoreline of Camara Island

Here are some of my shots why is this island famous from rappellers enthusiast and i do hope by the next time i'll be back on this place i could try to rappel into this rock cliffs.....^_^.

Rock formation along it's shores

The rock cliff of Camara Island

According to Kuya Joven, there are two Camara islands. Most of the visitors make a quick stop at the bigger island and just pass at the smaller one, what we did we did not passed by on the bigger part of Camara island due to it wavy sea condition when we visited this island.

Some of the rock boulders in Camara

This rock formation below is one of my favorite, because it is the best spot to see the vastness of the ocean and waves smashing the island. You can't see any tree on here because it's not their place to be. Since trees are unavailable to give shade under the sunlight, here are the big rocks that could accomodate them...^_^.

My favorite rock boulder in Camara Island

The island has a great view of the open ocean. It has two sides separated by a white sandbar that visible during lowtide and disappears during high tide. It not maybe perfect for swimming due to big waves that smashing on this island but it could be perfect for snorkeling. For me, the white sand is not fine enough to match the perfection of the aquamarine water as you can see below, but rough rock boudlers and pebbles are very evident in the island.

Our boat ride going back to Pundaquit...

The sands of Camara Island

Here are some of our photo opps while staying in Camara Island....^_^

Trippers @ rockies....^_^

The silhoutte shots....^_^

my solo silhoutte shot...

My co-trippers (Barbie & Elnie) photo opps with Kuya Joven....^_^.

Our boatman...Kuya Joven

Here are some tips while cruising this bay:

Prepare for the rough waters...according to Kuya Joven, waters surrounding Capones island in particular is known to be rough. It is relatively calm only on early morning up to near noontime. It is advised that trippers make take boat ride on the early morning and headback noon time at the latest. If your afraid to experience the rough open seas, or you and your group could go to Camara island instead of venturing on further to Capones island. The waters to Camara islands will be a bit less rough. The fishing boats that are for rents tends to allow their boats to go dangerously near full load which makes the boats dangerous on rough seas, but as of now most of the rented small and big boats have their own life jackets for the safety of their trippers and visitors, so please do cooperate when the boatman ask to wear life jackets....^_^.

Seashore of Camara Island....

This is one thing that i've missed out to find out, were the white beaches moves around....it move around throughout the year. Half of the year they are on one particular side of the island then on the other half, it moves to the other side, so do not be surprised if the beaches on some of the pictures on internet are no longer when you visit Capones. Go to Capones during rainy season (June to Sept) and you will see the white beaches on the North side. Otherwise, you will find the beaches on the South side. For Camara island, near the end of the rainy season and you will get to enjoy a wonderful sandbar linking the two Camara islands, this sandbar literally moves away, not just sink or due to tides of the water but literally crawls away, pushed by changin currents during the other months of the year....^_^.

One last shot.....bye...Camara Island

From this island, you may not want to miss the picturesque contour of Pundaquit and mountains that surround it. This would be a rare moment to see a scenery like this, so rare that i had to stare at it for more than a couple of minutes taking pictures before i realized that we were near the Pundaquit shores....hehehehe..^_^.

Up ahead the Pundaquit Beach....

Landscape shot of Mt. Pundaquit



Pundaquit shores....

Below is one of my souvenir shot on Camara's shore, i do really hope i could see this island again and maybe next time i could experience the "invisible sandbar" of Camara Islands....

Lakwatserong Tatay x-plored Camara Island

Now it's time to say good bye to those islands and cove, Anawangin, Capones and Camara.....but definitely i'll be back......watch out for my other post all about the "Capones Lighthouse"....^_^.

This story is part of: Weekend Getaway to San Antonio, Zambales