Mines View Park: Baguio City, Benguet

After having boat experience at the Burnham Park, we headed to Mines View Park. There is no doubt that this is one of the most favorite and visited places in Baguio City. It is a place wherein a panoramic view of Benguet's gold and copper mines can be seen. It is a spectacular site that should not be missed when visiting Baguio City. 

Chilling with the Dog, I forgot his name!

Php 10.00 per pic! LOL

You can enjoy the Mines View Park also by taking some pics with the animals there. Just be wise enough to ask how much. LOL. My cousin's wife got an unforgettable experience with the above pic. They charge every shot with Php 10.00!!! I as well enjoyed dressing like an Igorot... see the pics below. :)

Playing with my cousin and his wife.

Chilling with the local kids in the city.

At the entrance to the park you can find stall which sells plants, shirts, wood carvings among others. There is also canteen wherein you can enjoy local dishes. So there's nothing to worry if you got your stomach empty when visiting the park. 

Chocolate Hills: Bohol

Second stop: Chocolate Hills. Right after few minutes of spending time with the tarsiers at the Conservation Area, (see it HERE) our team headed to the famous Chocolate Hills. We hurriedly went to visit this place before the sun sets! Good thing it's not traffic in the area otherwise we would have reached the place at night and will not be able to see how beautiful the famous hills.

Do I need to tell about these famous hills?! I guess no. Bohol is very much known for this wonderful Chocolate Hills. Most of the tourists in the province would probably find time to visit this place. You'll really be amazed how these hills are scattered along the place. That's how God's creation is very mysterious. 

So here I will post my pictures while spending sunset at the Chocolate Hills. So relaxing! If you really want to reach the top of the view deck, be prepared to take more than a hundred steps uphill. I forgot the exact count. Haha! Sorry. 

With Maureen, Mylovelle and Me

So there, first visit will always be remembered. Spending sunset in this wonderful place will always be priceless. Will definitely visit this place once I go back to the province. How about you?!

Panoramic View

Mabnang Pool: Claveria, Cagayan

Ever tried swimming in a pool located at the mountain top over-viewing rice fields and lush green surroundings of Cordillera Mountain Ranges?! Well, my hometown got that! A wonderful place to have relaxation with your friends or families. Hit Mabnang, Claveria, Cagayan and you'll find out. See this for yourself.

Small Pool

Small but great place for relaxation. This was made through the idea of local officials to attract tourists. The area was under-development and can still be improved if right funding will be raised. Local personnel take charge for the pool. Just pay for the entrance of about less than P50.00 and there, you can enjoy the pool and the waterfalls (which I posted on my previous blog) click it here.  

Just a simple afternoon with my colleagues, we enjoyed our time at the pool. Good enough to spend one day from our one week vacation. More fun in my hometown with my relatives.

Give a try to visit this place if you happen to visit my hometown, Claveria, Coastal Paradise of the North. It will be simple but worth it experience for you to try.

Mt. Maculot: Cuenca, Batangas

Sharing you the views I've got on my first hike. See just how lovely the environment is. Let's enjoy these God-given gifts by sharing it to others and keeping it as good as before.

Mt. Maculot - Rockies: Cuenca, Batangas

Mt. Maculot

I was invited by a co-employee to join a day-hike in Batangas and I got excited. Checked on my calendar and I was free. I was hesitant to join because I am afraid of heights. Things that mountaineer does were running through my mind and as I see, it was not easy. But I've got the courage to try this new adventure and I said yes. "I will just give a try and who knows soon I will be enjoying this new adventure."

with SALT Mountaineers!

As a beginner, I searched on the net on what to bring, what to wear and did study about the mountain we will be climbing. Better be prepared and bit educated. A night before the climb, things were prepared and got little sleep because I am too excited to have my first climb.

Arriving on time at the departure area makes you feel relaxed because you have time to talk with fellow climbers. Got also time to socialize while on the road. Getting to know each other about same things that interests each other. We prayed together before we started ascending. Instructions to us beginners were relayed clearly. Climbing is not that easy as 1, 2, and 3, every time some of our colleagues ask to take a rest, we all rest as we just cannot leave them alone.

The trail is great. Easy for me even if I am a beginner maybe because of my experience during my younger years as I usually climb mountains in the province to gather ripe bananas in our farm. The trail is great because there were mini stores along the way where you can buy food and even buco juice. It took us couple of hours to reach the top. Maybe because every time there's a nice view, we took a lot of pictures and off course we need to take a rest for few minutes before we proceed.

We took lunch at the camp site. I had my bangus canned for lunch and a cup of rice enough to fill my hungry stomach. You can really appreciate whatever food you have once you're tired climbing up. After lunch suddenly rain poured that adds the experience. First climb, different weathers went on just for one day. That was cool anyway.

my  humble lunch: half rice and tuna

Rain stopped a bit and we started to assault the Rockies. Climbing this part was bit difficult. It's assault and you will hold and step on the rocks. One mistake and you will be at the ravine. I was so nervous climbing but I enjoyed the scenery. Wind and rain keeps on adding the adventure awesome.

scenic view from the top

rock climbing

View from the top was spectacular. You see the great views, other mountain ranges and most of all the beautiful Taal Lake and Mt. Taal. We really enjoyed this place. More bonding time and we did not care about the pouring rain and heavy winds. Took every moment to be memorable.

Going down was lot faster. We were all wet but still we managed to have smile on our face. Thanks to my climbing buddy, Sir Al, for the invitation. To the Salt Mountaineers as well for the job well done. We all went home with great memories. That first climb was very memorable, new friends and new adventure. I will climb again once I've got time.

with Al, my hiking buddy

group pic

TRIVIA:

At 930 MASL, the mountain has three destinations: the famous Rockies (706m), the summit (930m) and the Grotto (510m). These can all be covered by a traverse day hike, but most climbers head to the Rockies, which is the reason why Mt. Maculot is the paragon of an easy hike.