My Sidetrip: Caleruega Church

by lakwatserong tatay

This is one of my so many stories that is draft status...hehehe....Happens last May of this year, together with my teammates when we had our team building activity at Tagaytay, this is one of the places that I visited together with some of my teammates as part of my sidetrips at Tagaytay.
Caleruega is located in Nasugbu, Batangas, that is a famous place for retreats and wedding ceremonies. This is a house of prayer wherein you can do a lot of activities like renewal workshops, recollections, youth camps, marriage and family encounters, leadership seminars, outdoor activities and so many more. If your an outdoor enthusiast, this is also the starting point if you want to climb and hike Mt. Batulao....

Trippers photo opps at Evercrest

Here is the start of our journey to Caleruega....it was a bit rough and dusty road going to this destination...although going to Caleruega, the view wer really stunning....^_^

views going to Caleruega

photo opps even riding a tricycle

When we were there, we saw number of tourist rooming around, taking photos anywhere on the place. Indeed the place is a good location for a peace and quiet surrounding were you could medidate or wanting to be a loaner or emo...^_^.

Welcome.....

Caleruega entrance

souvenir items...

souvenir shirts

According to what i have researched, Caleruega Church is a very in-demand when it comes it wedding ceremonies, that you have to book a year ahead of the schedule in order for your wedding to reserve the spot because it was really hard to get some available dates, if you want your wedding to be held here. The actual church is just small but the area surrounding was large with green hills and magnificient landscapes in different directions.

photo oppss again...^_^

What's inside Caleruega Office....

so we're are we going...^_^

Actually i was really excited to go to this place, because this would be my first time to see it with my one eyes and i've heard so much about this church. The scenic place it self makes me really excited to be there, so when i had that chance to be near on this place, i've researched and planed it, to visit at least two spots near Tagaytay.

one of the perfect place for prenuptial pictures...

photo opps where everywhere...^_^

Bricks and stone walled structure were everywhere at Caleruega grounds....and every spot here is perfect for photo souvenir, maybe that's reason why this Caleruega is always fully booked for pre-nuptial up to wedding ceremonies, and it has so many places where you could be alone and emo...^_^

Walkways at Caleruega

One of my favorite subject in taking photos were flowers, orchids and some unique trees, that you could see anywhere on this ground, and for that reason, you would really appreciate this place, the nature itself, and add also the breeze of the air, even though your not in Baguio, you would feel it too because Caleruega is located on a hill.

Flower fauna is everywhere....

Caleruega is actually a house of prayer and renewal. But i've realized this is really best for lovers out there, that would want to be married and to be there perfect place for their sweetest day ever.

metal scuplture infront of church

Here are some of my photos around Caleruega church....^_^.

photo opps @ caleruega church

According to their website, the entirety of the chapel is filled with symbols.

Its façade is a reproduction of the original chapel in Caleruega, Spain. Its hut-shaped roof is in remembrance of the temporary sheds that the apostles wanted to build for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah during the transfiguration (Mt 17:1-8). The seal of the Dominican Province of the Philippines is depicted in stained glass in the upper portion of the chapel’s façade. The seven grapevines entwined in the steel doors of the chapel not only portray Jesus as the vine and we as branches (John 15:5), but also symbolize the seven sacraments. The main altar is a carved tree trunk representing the “stem of Jesse,” mentioned in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah: then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit (Is 11:1). The tabernacle is a gentle reminder of the burning bush through which God revealed Himself to Moses in Mt. Sinai (Ex 3:2). The birds carved on the communion table are representations of  God’s providence in Matthew 6:26: Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap…and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. The stained glass depicts the Transfiguration of Jesus witnessed by Peter, John, and Luke. With Jesus are Moses and Elijah, two significant instruments of God in the Old Testament (Mat 17:3).

my pictures inside the church

Here's one of our group souvenir shot at the back of Caleruega Church....thanks ichan....^_^

trippers photo opps....

How to go here:

If you are going Caleruega via private transport, just follow the usual routes to Tagaytay City, it is either via SLEX (South Luzon Expressway) or Coastal Road - Aguinaldo Highway - Cavite.

Via SLEX, take Carmona exit and drive down to Governor's Drive and Siland up to the entrance of Tagaytay city. Other route is Sta. Rosa exit going to Tagaytay City, via Coastal Road, drive south to Aguinaldo Highway passing thru Bacoor, Imus, Dasmariñas and Silang, Cavite.

From Tagaytay City, Rotonda, follow the Rd. (Aguinaldo Highway) that leads to Nasugbu, then turn left at the Evercrest Golf Club right after the Arc of Welcome Nasugbu. This will lead to a "Caleruega" sign pointing to a road to the right. Follow the sign and Caleruega is at the end of the road.

For commuters: There are buses from EDSA Taft going to Nasugbu or Balayan, they will pass thru Tagaytay City and Evercrest Golf Club. Get off Evercrest and take a tricycle (Php20) from there.

For more information:

Caleruega Chapel
Close to Nature, Close to God
Address:  Brgy. Kaylaway, Batulao, Nasugbu, Batangas
E-mail: caleruega_philippines@yahoo.com
Contact nos.: (043) 706-0348 / 0921-830-4226 / 0921-270-9890

Entrance is Php30 per person.
Check out their website: http://www.dominicans.ph/caleruega/index

Latwatserong Tatay x-plored Caleruega

Truly Caleruega Church is a photography's haven. I promise my self to go back and will spend more hours and be able to see this place at night.....^_^...Bring much better camera than i used on this visit, and to have better skills in taking picture so i could show it more, what the Caleruega could offer.

After visiting, we headed back to Tagaytay and visit the most highest part / hill that can be found in Tagaytay, the People's Park in the Sky....watch out for this story....^_^.

Out of Town Trip to Tagaytay

An Overnight Stay at Foggy Heights Village
by lakwatserong tatay

One thing i really love in our company is when we do team buildings. It's been almost 5 years since i've been in my work, transferred to different department at my work, and because our company giving team funds, luckily i've been to different places together with my teammates and this recent activiy with my team was one of the highlights of this year. A 2 days escapade in Tagaytay City, which is one of the counterpart's of Baguio's cold cities, due to it's cold weather specially at night. I've been to Tagaytay for several times, because you could reach Tagaytay easily and several ways, whether you have your own car and you would choose to go commute. Aside from being considered as the cold city in Metro....this town also known for Pineapples...sad to say we did not have the chance to buy when we got there.

The Resthouse we've been in Tagaytay

It was last May, when we visited this resthouse located at Foggy Heights Village in Tagaytay. We booked this place one month ahead of our planned date and got the place for overnight accomodation for Php5,000. There's a saying that even you planned ahead of time, there's will always be trouble up aheadwe , prepared for so many things, from our stuffs, food, beverages and activities that day. We have some trouble finding the exact landmark for this subdivision...hehehehe...^_^.

Bar area....

Here are some of my shots around this for rent resthouse in Tagaytay.....

Receiving area....

Here are shots around its pool area, the pool area's depth is ranges from 4 ft to 6 ft, expect it to be cold because you in Tagaytay, it has two slides, as we visited this place, the slides were in currently on going maintenance, so we didn't have the chance to try it, but one of my officemate tried it we just poured water on the big slide, it still works...hehehehe. According to it's caretaker, Kuya Rommel, few month's ago before our visit, it has a jump board on the deeper side of the pool, but due to an accident made by the visitor's that time, the owner decided to remove the board before it could cause another accident.

The pool with slides

Most of my groupmates did night swimming and also while swimming we have our small drinking session.

at another angle...

here's another one...

Aside from it's swimming pool amenities, this resthouse also have their own videoke and billards set. Most of my girl groupmates spent their time singing on videoke. But sad to say videoke usage is not part of the rent, you may used this videoke machine with Php5/song and the billiards set has incomplete balls and you may want to bring your own cue stick, or much better to bring your own set of billard balls & a pair of cue sticks just to be sure. But upon asking Kuya Rommel, he already requested to the owner for the billiard set to be replenished and have to buy new sets of balls & cue sticks.

the billiards and videoke area....

Here's is one of their amenities a half-court basketball court, luckily we bring our own ball and we've already informed ahead by the owner, because she's not sure if there's still a ball that can be used. Actually most of us boys stayed here and played all the way up to night...hehehe...

basketball court area (halfcourt only)

Here are the other features inside this resthouse....a grotto near one of the room accomodation, a huge wall paint was also an additional backdraft of the basketball court, of course there also a dirty kitchen, grilling area and the cooking utensil were all provided, we just bring our disposable plates, bowl, spoon and fork.

the grotto part...

one huge wall painting....^_^

grilling area....

And for the accomodation, this resthouse could accomodation up to 18 persons max, there are two rooms that could be used, you could divide it by gender used like we did, one room is for the boys and other room with veranda is for our girls.

one of the rooms

This first room has two beds for 2 or 3 persons per bed but you could request for extra bed (i'm not sure if there's additional cost...) This first room is located near the dirty kitchen area, a two floor small house, the room is located at the 2nd floor with also a veranda as you can see above, and about the room you could see it below, this room has only electric fans.

inside the room...

The second room was located near the pool area and also can be found on 2nd floor with a big veranda and has the pool area view. This room is really quite big with four beds that could accomodate from 2 or 3 persons per bed, it also has electric fans and has the front veranda of the house.

here's another one...

Here's the photo opps of my girls teammate where they stayed for overnight. Here some of the photos around this room.

my teammates accomodate this room

veranda area....pool view...

A living area place was also located outside where it has tv set with cable, it has also wooden furniture for additional backdraft of the place, this also near the dirty kitchen area, this place also has one of the bathrooms.

one of the restroom and tv area too....

Here's one of the bathroom and also the shower room, but this room really need maintainance, and i do really hope that upon posting this accomodation, the shower room and this restroom is now repaired and functioning well....^_^.

shower room....

One of the major reason why we had this team building, because this would be the last time that our team would go out as one "Team Shan", aside having fun, playing pinoy henyo games, charades and different games. We secretly hides our gifts for our boss, up to the time that we would give our surprises and last talks together with him...."coaching sessions...hehehehehe..."

surprise time to our boss....

Here is the photo of our individual gifts, we do have also one major gift for her that we gave after we had our coaching sessions...

our gifts....

Here's are some of our group photo opps with a a very nice wall mountain painted background.

Team Shan....^_^

Girl power.....^_^

The X-men boyz.....^_^

Of course, i wouldn't miss my photo souvenir on this accomodation, btw, i was just only kidding while taking this shot....hehehehehe...(pasaway pa ko nito..meron pa po hangover..^_^)

my photo opps....im just kidding with this picture...^_^

We departed Foggy Heights Village around before lunchtime, most of my groupmates specially with cars, go home already, but yours truly decided to have some sidetrip, together with my 5 groupmates, Aleli, Ritz, Jheng, Roger and Ichan had sidetrips from Caleruega Church of Nasugbu and People's Park of Tagaytay, i will do separate post for those places and share also our adventure while our trip on those places.......^_^.

Foggy Heights Village Map

The landmark is when you reach the Rotonda, right beside Olivarez Plaza, and along Aguinaldo Highway, look for the Metrobank which is right beside is the gate of this village.

Here's the Contact and Address information of this Resthouse Accomodation in Tagaytay:

Foggy Heights Village (Tagaytay)
Address: Road 2, Block 3, Lot 6 - 7, Foggy Heights, Tagaytay
Owner: Mr. & Mrs. Cruz Residence
Contact Person : Mrs. Norma Cruz
Landline: 807 - 2981
Alternative contact : Ms. Leny (daughter)
Landline: 836 - 3673
Caretaker: Rommel

Hope to see your reactions and updates regarding this accomodation if you will pass by this on this post and get the accomodation of this place.

*** this post is not intented to give the owners some advertisement but likewise what i'm always doing in every place that i've been with, im just sharing it, maybe some of my readers or vacationers that may be looking for some accomodation for their relaxation and vacation needs.