Baler, Aurora: The Epic Waves, Fabled Town (Day1)

"The waves of Baler have waited for me… Waited for me to come into its beaconing arms… so much that it almost sucked the very life in me…"

Although I have had my first near death experience amidst the whopping waves and treacherous depths of this fabled town, Baler would always melt my heart with memories.

--> Ermita Hill

--> Sabang Beach

--> Bay's Inn

--> Hanging Bridge

--> Museo De Baler

--> Quezon Memorial Plaza

--> Bahia De Baler...

 

December 16, 2010

At around 2300H me and my Travel Buddies  met up in Cubao Terminal station of Genesis  Transport Service. There was already a line of people waiting for buses going to Aurora and nearby provinces. We failed to reserve seats for their regular aircon buses  (and we did not expect the deluge of passengers) so we were left with no choice but to grab the more expensive 31 seater, air-conditioned Deluxe bus, with an annexed CR, headed for Baler. 

I say, grabbing a seat (with a bit of “tulak”) amidst the throng of fervent crowd was no mean feat. I can literally say that I fought my own way there…hahahha.

It wasn’t long before I dozed off to sleep, even before the bus departed. That’s how comfortable the seat was. Aside from being spacious, the recliner was being true to its word. Define recline, it’s “higa”. Deluxe bus wasn’t a bad choice for 500php fare.

The first and only bus stop, somewhere in Nueva Ecija

The Rise of Datus

Date:  February 6, 2011

Location: Summit of Mt. Manalmon, Madlum San Miguel Bulacan

Artists: AMS,  JAA, MEDC, CC

Make-up: AMS/MEDC

Intense photo shoot, approximately two hundred meters above sea level, in the comfort of dried trees, wild shrubs, and fiery afternoon sun... Who says trekking and high end pictorial can’t come together? We just gave a new meaning to the word, High End.

After taking lunch at the flat rocks over viewing the Cordillera Mountains, preparations were done for this photo-shoot.  In a short span of 10 minutes (that’s how fast we made it), the camera started rolling and it never ended until exhaustion took its toll.

Galang Paru-Paru (Wild Butterfly)

Babaylan (Priestess)      CC/MEDC

Mount Manalmon (Bulacan): One day Affair

At the summit of Mt. Manalmon, Sitio Madlum, San Miguel, Bulacan

The trek to Mt. Manalmon is not that gruesome (a.k.a challenging) if you would happen to compare it to the  trails  that we have experienced in Mt. Isarog in the Bicol Region or perhaps the treacherous turns of Mt. Makiling in Laguna. Nevertheless, the view on top is one of the most breathtaking I've seen, comparable to the postcard view of other mountains in Cordillera. The surge of fresh air is welcoming and the serenity of the place is one to be envied.The summit offers 360 degrees spectacular view of Central Luzon's unending plains, Mt. Arayat's towering height, Mt Mabio's Rocky limestone peak, and Sierra Madre's mountain ranges. 

Honestly, I wasn't expecting that kind of beauty that awaited me there. The place is so underrated, and certainly it deserves a distinction for something...