Wishing all a blessed Christmas and New Year. Let’s celebrate Jesus. The reason for the season and for all season.
I’m off to Ubud tomorrow and will be spending the New Year in the boondoks! Be back next year with more stories to tell. Before i sign off for the year, I leave you with David Phelps. Happy Christmas everyone! 😀
Credits: Alpha: Sharejoy- blue alpha puffy stickers; JSprague Festa Mini Kit – Orange Paper
Banaue comes to mind when rice terraces are concerned. True. It is not famous for nothing. And The Viewpoint, after weaving through a host of souvenir shops, has a magnificent view of it. But Batad is for the more intrepid traveler, more off the beaten path, so trekked to Batad we did one Halloween weekend and we discovered a marvelous view of more pristine terraces. An amphitheater, in fact, was what greeted us as we neared the village. Quite dramatic, if I may say so.
The village, 4 years ago, still had no electricity and is mostly made up of traditional Ifugao houses, most if not all would have a view of the terraces. A 40-minute hike down the terraces will lead you to Tappia Falls — an impressive falls and taking a dip means braving the icy-cold water. So, you think I braved it? Umm… 🙂
Touted as the backpacker’s mecca, getting to Batad requires trekking (as there is no other way to get there) so tourists aren’t as plenty as there are in Banaue. My kind of place. A place where you can get lost in the midst of tranquil beauty and isolation, and this makes the trek worth it.
Batad is on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Site in Danger since 2001.
Take a jeep from Banaue to the Batad junction, hike up to the saddle and from there, it’s a 40-minute hike down to the village. Alternatively, you can now hire a jeep that will take you up to the saddle.
Got myself a new toy for Christmas! Yipee! And so I played around with it some and here’s a shot of the salad I made from whatever I found in my ref and pantry. I’m a salad kinda girl so consider this a warning, you’ll see a lot of salad experiments around here. 😉
Mixed together spinach, arugula and a nut blend snack I found in Healthy Options called Sahale Snacks. The variant I chose is called Soccorro Macadamia Nut w/ Hazelnuts, Mango, Papaya and Southwestern Chipotle… yum!
For the Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette: I mixed together olive oil, balsamic vinegar and a teaspoon of Fig Conserve I got as a gift from Australia (but any preserve of your liking will do, I’m sure). Then topped it with shaved Parmesan.
Hey, the salad and the pic… turned out well! Who would have thunk?! 😉
Credits: Papers: JSprague (U&R week 4 kit) leafy blue, leafy green, stripe, yellow circles, green solid, blue flower; Brushes: JSprague swirl; Alphas: KPertiet Snap Frame Alpha
Feb 2003: Children of Balbalasang, Kaliga Province. Swimming and having fun without a care in the world. How lucky to have as their playground one of the most beautiful site in the Philippines. Owing to the difficult journey, Balbalasang is shielded from a lot of visitors, which in large part kept it pristine.
Balbalasang National Park was established to in commemorate Kalinga’s opposition to government-backed logging operations in the area in the ’70s (as per Lonely Planet Philippines- 9th edition). The drive to Balbalasang albeit very scenic was long and bumpy. But the beauty of this side of the cordilleras made the journey all worth it. Not too far away from where we got off is this nice campground with 2 converging rivers and an absolutely magnificent landscape. One can feel really small against the grandeur of Balbalasang. Take a look!
Take a jeep from Tabuk, Kalinga all the way to Balbalasang or Balbalan town. This might take 4-5 hours depending on the road conditions. The campsite is just walking distance from the town plaza. You can also arrange for a guide from the plaza to guide you through the different trails. Note that I was there 5 years ago so this information may be old.
So after all that hiking, I’m now dreaming of a sumptuous dinner. But of course! I worked hard and I’m in Tagaytay after all. So we showered, changed and set out to find this chateau.
After driving for about 20 minutes in semi darkness, we turned into a small road that lead us to Chateau Hestia. It had ample space for parking (not that we needed it as we were the only car there that night), a trellis lead us to the main entrance. The owner, Johannes Zehethofer is Austrian so it was not surprising to see Schnitzel in their menu but Osso Bucco and Viennese Roast Pork came highly recommended so Osso Bucco it was for me.
Let me digress a bit and dwell first on this charming bed and breakfast / restaurant. I really didn’t notice since we were there at night but I read somewhere that the entire place was made of container vans. The bed and breakfast part, I did not see but the restaurant interiors reminded me of a cozy country style home with lots of wooden furniture, all different in design. The staffs are well informed and knew a lot about their menu… am impressed!
Where are all the people? We were once again the only ones there so the service and food was quite good. My Osso Bucco was tender, cooked in tomato sauce. Since it came highly recommended, I expected a lot from it. Well, it didn’t really disappoint (but it didn’t leave a lasting impression either) but I want to go back to try their other specialty, the Roast Pork. From what I gathered, everyone was pretty happy with their food. Nothing to complain about, really. 🙂
Clockwise: Osso Bucco, Australian Rib Eye, Poutin, Crema de Limoncelo (melted vanilla ice cream w/ limoncelo & mango bits), Mango Napoleon (graham crust, mangoes, white chocolate)
But the passion fruit topped panna cotta… YUM! Had to convince K to order it as I wasn’t too impressed with the desserts we had. Am I glad I persevered! 😀 The sourness of the passion fruit totally complemented the sweetness of the panna cotta. The best among the dessert lot (for me).
Oh and I must mention that they serve dalandancelo (their version of limoncelo which I love, love, love). Well, you can’t beat the real thing but it was a good version. Perfect to warm our bodies on a chilly night.
European food products are sold here as well. Most (ok, some) are available in Santi’s though.
So are you close to done with Christmas shopping coz I’m NOT!
Chateau Hestia Silang, Cavite 0929-7113289 www.chateauhestia.com
I am often asked when I start babbling about Angkor Wat – a fascinating temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia and the largest religious site in the world. It is one of a hundred or so monuments that remained scattered over an area of 300 square kilometers. Built by the Khmer kings in different times during a span of 4 centuries, it was abandoned and hidden by thick tropical foliage. The ornate architectural details and exquisite stone carvings are masterpieces. It is humbling to know that there were people before us who were capable of producing structures that would present a major challenge to architects and engineers today.
The most interesting structures are Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, The Bayon, and Ta Prohm. My personal favorite: Ta Prohm, deliberately neglected by perservationalists and looks rather like the complex must have appeared in the 19th century — overgrown by jungle foliage.
Angkor Wat has become a major tourist destination as evident during my visit in 2004. Restaurants and all sorts of accommodation from 5-star to hostels abound.
Credits: Digital sketch by Jen Caputo (http://jencaputo.typepad.com) available at Scrapbook Graphics; Jessica Sprague Echoes of Asia kit: Green Argyle paper (inner circle), Green Bamboo paper (background), Green Solid paper (scallop), Red Floral paper (fold), Red Solid paper (outer paper)
Credits: Katie Pertiet Flatjacks Frolic 2; KPertiet Flatjacks Frolic-green; KPertiet Flatjacks Frolic-ribbon stripes; KPertiet Acrylic Alpha; KPertiet Sanded Overlay
El Nido: a gateway to Palawan’s natural treasure, Bacuit Archipelago — a fantastic seascape with a collection of jagged limestone islands. It’s clear blue waters teeming with marine life. A top favorite.
Indeed one of my favorite getaway. Two ways to go; in luxury or rouging it up. I personally prefer the roughing it up route. Love the town. What’s not to love? With the limestone karst hills as your backdrop, dramatic eh? Accommodations are definitely far from luxurious but there are plenty of great places to eat! If you take the luxury route, you miss the town and the good food but accommodation wise, I must say is splendid.
Apparently is any garden that is designed to be enjoyed at night. These gardens are planted with a focus in flowers and foliage, which reflects the soft lights of the moon.
Tucked away from the main road, this garden is a wonderful discovery. The place looked promising as we approached the entrance and as promised, the garden is what makes this place. Old furniture pieces here and there, some floral themed paintings but what caught my eye as I approached the main area was this lotus pond accented by a thatched cabana. Nice. 🙂
We arrived late in the afternoon after our Batulao trek and we practically had the place to ourselves even if there were cars parked outside. The guests were probably out but even after dinner and during breakfast, they were nowhere to be found. Honeymooners, you think? 😉
The casita was charming, complete with a welcome herb tea drink, the bed comfortable and the bathroom… interesting, as it does not have a door. The headboard serves as it’s partition and both sides were kept open. Good thing we are not shy girls! Haha! 😀
At night the garden transformed into… well, a moon garden. It was indeed lovelier at night with the lights perfectly positioned to add drama to it. Love it! I must say, this place is perfect for honeymooners. 😉
Woke up early to take pics of the garden in the morning and to soak up this place. Did a little journaling too.
Breakfast was not bad, better than expected. Nothing great though. I had the ham and egg scramble with ciabatta bread and pineapple marmalade. Love the marmalade, not too sweet and it had chunks of pineapple. They served Batangas coffee cooked the old fashion way (the way Barako coffee used to be) hence the strainer (to catch the stray coffee grind). I love yogurt and the set came with homemade yogurt and honey (which was why I ordered it in the first place) but I was disappointed. The yogurt was too runny; I prefer it thicker like Greek yogurt thick. The guyabano juice, I’m not crazy about… I’d rather have it as a fruit.
Other breakfast fares:
Clockwise: Adobo flakes, Cheese Omelet, Homemade corned beef guisado, and Banana flambé
It was a great treat after the hike, beats having to camp out. It’s a perfect hideaway if you just want to chill out and get away from the Tagaytay crowd. Not too far from the main road so it is easy access to all the dining places should you decide to come out of seclusion.
The Moon Garden SVD Road, Bgy. San Jose, Tagaytay 09175023118 www.moongardentagaytay.com
02.21.2004 – Canopy Walk, Cagayan de Oro
First you have to know that I have this great fear of heights. Scared to rappel, scared of ridges (especially if it drops more than 10 feet), scared to look down the balcony of a tall building and definitely scared s**t to zip down to the first platform and walk on slippery (angled) bars and wobbly hanging walkways. No way Jose! But peer pressure and the thought of being left behind got the better of me and I lived to tell the tale. 😀
Credits: Amy Teets whitie tighties paper; Jessica Sprague Echoes of Asia dark blue solid paper, lt. blue solid paper; Jessica Sprague Echoes Ribbon – striped; Jessica Sprague Echoes frame 7×5; Katie Pertiet stamped moments-forever
So will I do it again? Are you kidding?! 😛
Update: Click on here for more information. Thanks B! 😀
Credits: Jessica Sprague’s U&R week 2 layout and alpha kit.
A stunning landscape and a beautiful lake has made this sleeping giant into a favorite hiking destination, 17 years after its eruption. Been there twice and I am awed both times at how a horrible event managed to turn a mountain nobody seemed to care about into something so spectacular.
my adventure odyssey 
