Gel Jose

A Quick Walk Around the Picnic Grove Eco-Trail, Tagaytay

I went on a solo adventure by walking along the eco-trail in one of Tagaytay’s most famous tourist spots, Picnic Grove. It’s a 500-meter trail surrounded by lush vegetation and scenic views. I took advantage of the cool early afternoon breezes (unheard-of back in Manila), armed with my comfy rubber shoes and my iPhone to track my steps and to provide me with some tunes (via my Spotify Emo Trip playlist) while I go on my walk.

Entrance fee is only Php50, quite affordable, so there are actually a lot of other tourists taking in the sights and chilling practically anywhere. The were lots of stairs (some quite narrow), stones steps and even a wooden bridge! There are a few wide gaps in between some of the wood slats in the bridge which triggered my acrophobia but I was eventually able to conquer it and walk over to the other side (looking quite pathetic as I was holding on to the railings for dear life). The views were worth it, though.

The trail winds around the grove passing by the cottages and the zipline and cable car stations. When you reach the end of the trail, you can buy souvenirs or plants from the many shops there.

Next time, I swear I will prance across that wooden bridge!

Hungry after wandering? Check out Jaytee’s for some hearty eats with the family or barkada.

Hiking Around Snoqualmie Falls, WA

When my husband and I visited my brother in Seattle last summer, he took us to one of Washington State’s most popular scenic attractions: Snoqualmie Falls. It’s waters cascade down to the Snoqualmie River, most of which are diverted to power plants.

We hiked down to the viewing deck and later down to the river’s stony edge, following the trail that’s really meant for people much more physically fit than me. The view of Snoqualmie Falls from the viewing deck and the adventure trek at the river were well worth it though.

Now, if only the hike back up wasn’t twice as hard.

Snoqualmie Falls is located east of Seattle on the Snoqualmie River between Snoqualmie and Fall City, Washington.

A Quick Getaway to Bahay Bakasyunan

I mentioned in a previous post that during a recent stay in Bahay Bakasyunan, our family caught sight of the Pililla Wind Farm. Bahay Bakasyunan has become a family favorite for hassle-free out-of-town trips as it is more easily accessible to people like us who reside east of Manila.

It is a sprawling resort in Tanay, with amazing views of the Sierra Madre Mountains and the Laguna de Bay. It has accommodations that can house pairs or large groups. Use of its various swimming pools (3 infinity pools near the main office and 2 near the cottages) is part of the accommodations package but the more adventurous family members can engage in ziplining, ATV rides (like my son!), wall climbing and more.

If you’re planning to stay at Bahay Bakasyunan anytime soon, here are some tips to make your stay even more enjoyable:

Be prepared to be disconnected. Mobile data signals are spotty at best and totally non-existent in some areas.
Provide the waiters in the dining room a list of your preferred meals (refer to their menus) at least 2 hours prior to dining. Use the order slips at the reception. That way, your food will be waiting for you when you get to the dining room.
Try to get up early to see the view in the morning.

Let me know what other places are great for quick getaways near the Metro.

Bahay Bakasyunan Resort and Conference Center is located at Sitio Balimbing, Barangay Plaza Aldea, Tanay, Rizal. For reservations, call:

Landline: 02 7064509
Mobile: 0917 5755116, 0998 9942513, 0917 8303438

(We learned that other guests were able to secure discounts from deal sites like Agoda or Expedia but we haven’t tried booking from those yet.)

Know more about Bahay Bakasyunan Resort and Conference Center here.

Exploring the Pililla Wind Farm

During our family’s stay in Bahay Bakasyunan in Tanay earlier this year, we were able to catch sight of a row of windmills near the shores of Laguna de Bay. These are some of the 27 windmills of Pililla Wind Farm in Rizal, operated by Alternergy and helps serve the need of Metro Manila for renewable energy.

The family took advantage of the holiday break and headed over to Brgy Halayhayin in Pililla, Rizal to see these structures up close. Aside from the windmills, we also saw the glittering expanse of Laguna de Bay.

There’s a viewing deck which provides great perspectives of the windmills and the lake. It also has a cafe that serves coffee, shakes and pastries.

Despite the heat, nearly non-existent mobile data signal and the long trek going here, the trip here was worth it.

Check out other scenic places nearby:

Christmas Every Day at Casa Santa Museum

In keeping with the holiday season, I took the family to Casa Santa Museum. It is a structure situated inside Jardin de Miramar in Antipolo City.

It houses over 3,000 Santa Clause items, ranging from life-size statues to miniature trinkets (even the washroom has Santa items!), all part of a privately owned collection.

After perusing the Santa collection, we strolled around the gardens and found spaces to enjoy the cool breezes and greenery.

If ever you’re in the Metro, drop by Casa Santa for some holiday cheer. It is open everyday from 8.30am to 5pm. Tickets are Php180 per person (whether adult or child).

Casa Santa is located at 276 San Jose ext. Brgy. San Isidro, Antipolo City (inside Jardin de Miramar events venue). For inquiries, call +63 917 89122 08 or +63 2 85843199 or email info@casasantamuseum.com. For more details, visit its website.

A Place for Wine Lovers: Chateau Ste. Michelle

During my trip to Seattle last summer, my brother took me to Woodinville for a wine-tasting in Chateau Ste. Michelle. It is the oldest winery in Washington State which boasts of stately grounds, lush gardens and an amphitheater where outdoor concerts can be held.

I’m not much of a wine drinker but I loved Chateau Ste. Michelle’s grounds and the winery interiors.

Chateau Ste. Michelle is located at 14111 NE 145th Street, Woodinville, WA 98072. For inquiries and bookings, call (425) 488-1133 or (425) 415-3633 or email info@ste-michelle.com. For more information, visit its website.

Eclectic Aesthetics at Pinto Museum

I originally planned to visit Pinto Museum with my officemates but our planned outing kept on getting postponed. I decided to take my kids on an adventure to Antipolo and check this place out.

If you’re taking kids (or any student) with you, be sure to bring their IDs as this slashes Php80 off the regular Php180 entrance fee.

What impressed me about this place is the melding of culture and nature. Sculptures and other artistic installations are displayed outside amidst the greenery. Many of the paintings are hung inside wide and airy galleries that let in a lot of natural light (I hope that the museum curators are able to preserve the quality of the artworks as sunlight does have an adverse effect on pigments).

The meditation garden dedicated to Jose Rizal and Leonor Rivera also has an escritoire where you can pen a missive to your “the one who got away” to help you “let go.” (Cue the #hugotlines and #walangforever diatribes.)

I marveled at how, in various ways throughout this place, nature provides a backdrop for artwork and at how architecture and art provides a frame for nature.

We explored the different galleries containing various artworks. I wished we arrived earlier so we could have taken our time exploring.

All that walking around will soon get you hungry so it’s lucky that the museum has a cafe where you can hang out in while having refreshments.

My kids and I had a tiring yet fun adventure here. I’m looking forward to showing this place to my friends from out of town.

Pinto Museum is Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 6pm. Tickets are priced at Php200 for adults, Php180 for senior citizens and PWD with valid IDs and Php100 for students with valid school IDs (Children below 3 years old are free).

The museum is located at 1 Sierra Madre St, Grand Heights Subdivision, Antipolo. Rizal.

For inquiries, call +63 2 6971015.

Know more about Pinto Art Museum by visiting its website.