just laugh and make the flowers bloom
I know it’s late but something I wanna talk about before I start with new stories for 2017. So many things happened in a year and some of those things are memorable to you so what are those things that made my 2016 special? Good or bad, everything happens for a reason 🙂 Well I can say that my 2016 is not that quite bad, but not even the best either 😀
And by the way—- (belated) HAPPY NEW YEAR! 😀
Before I end summer, my college friends and I went to Taytay Falls, Majayjay (pronouced as ma-hai-hai (●´∀｀●)), Laguna (⌒▽⌒)☆ It’s was one of the tourist spots here in Laguna aside from the ever famous Pagsanjan Falls.
I was curious about this place because this was introduced to me before by my office mates and how great this place is. We’re planning way back before but didn’t pursue. Good thing, these friends of mine wanted to try out Majayjay （￣ー￣）
A 10-15 minute trail to Taytay Falls （￣ー￣）
Majayjay is also home to the Taytay Falls. Others call it the Majayjay Falls or even Imelda Falls, because ex-First Lady Imelda Marcos financed the promotion of tourism in this place. It is a two-storey high falls located in a remote scenery where the forestry is abundant. To reach Taytay Falls, one has to go down the stone steps leading to a kilometer-long trail. Recently, the World Bank has sponsored the promotion of tourism in Taytay Falls.
-Wikipedia
If you’re a nature loving person, you would definitely appreciate how green and natural here in Majayjay. They still stick to the traditional camping method like Tent and Bonfire ヽ(；▽；)ノ There wasn’t any major development like others expecting to, (because Pagsanjan was overly developed, I think, for tourism). But no, you can still experience the being of an NPA (no permanent address) in the forest (^～^)
This is my very first time on a tent (-^〇^-) Never been into camping before (゜▼゜＊）
Unfortunately we didn’t had overnight in the place as my companions are kinda scared because we’re all girls and one has to work early the next day so it’s just a day tour. We rented a tent for our things to keep safe (/•ิ_•ิ)/
The place is very beautiful. The water is so clear as crystal and as cold as ice. Yes, IT’S VERY COLD! You wouldn’t let yourself stay in the water for long because you’ll freeze to death XD LOL (I was exaggerating). It was crowded though and not really that dirty but I admit, there are garbage everywhere, bottles and whatsoever. I hope people would preserve cleanliness to this place because the place is a treasure ( ≧Д≦) Not just some random summer spot!
Overall, I highly recommend Majayjay Falls specially to those who love both adventure and nature ヾ(＠⌒ー⌒＠)ノ I’ll comeback again here for sure and will take an overnight! XD For NPA experience XDDDD
HOW TO GET TO MAJAYJAY:
Actually, before, we’re having a problem on how to get there 🙂 So for the benefit of the others, I’ll share to you on how we reach Taytay Falls (ヘ。ヘ)
We took the route from Cubao – HM BUS Line (If you’re unfamiliar with this bus line, it’s across the Five Star Bus Line, near Mang Inasal. Use the overpass to cross to the other side.
Cubao to Sta. Cruz, Laguna: 148.00php
Tricycle from Sta. Cruz to Market: 15php each
Jeep from Market to Majayjay Terminal: 34php each
Jeep from Majayjay Terminal to Taytay Falls: 34php each**On to Majayjay terminal, we rented a jeep as we were bored waiting for other passengers to fill the whole jeep. This costs us 300php and you’ll take the jeep exclusively. Others, rode a Tricycle and costs them 50php each 🙂 Transportation is kinda hard in this place for commuters. Better to have your own car 🙂
Taytay Falls entrance: 20php day tour | 30php overnight
Tent: 200phpNote: Their jeeps have curfew. It only runs until 5pm. So if you’re planning on a day tour, you better get out before 5pm or you’ll miss the ride XD Anyways, there are tricycles available for ride (50php each).
One of our plans is to take a tour around Manila. I KNOW. It’s not really foreign into my sight but this office mate of mine actually haven’t gotten around much in Manila so we decided to take her a tour.
We pretty much got late, almost started the tour around 1pm XD although the said call time should be at 10am XD *so Filipino time* Anyways, we still had fun running around Manila 🙂
We met at SM Manila and had our lunch there then we start walking in Intramuros.
Intramuros is the oldest district and historic core of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Known as the Walled City, the original fortified city of Manila was the seat of the Spanish government during the Spanish colonial period. The walled part of Manila was called intramuros, which is Latin for “within the walls”; districts beyond the walls were referred as the extramuros of Manila, meaning “outside the walls”.[2][3]
Construction of the defensive walls was started by the Spaniards in the late 16th century to protect the city from foreign invasions. The 0.67-square-kilometre (0.26 sq mi) walled city was originally located along the shores of the Manila Bay, south of the entrance to Pasig River. The reclamations during the early 20th-century obscured the walls from the bay. Guarding the old city is Fort Santiago, its citadel located at the mouth of the river. -Wikipedia.com
You will not be able to see the whole “WALL” as it’s very long XD our digicam can’t capture it. But I’ll tell you it’s a long walk 🙂 Similar to China’s Great Wall, our wall is use for defense against foreign invasion as said above 😀
Today, Intramuros is surrounded by popular Universities/Colleges. Here you can see, Lyceum University of the Philippines, MAPUA, San Juan De Letran College, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Manila etc… You can also see here DOLE and the MANILA BULLETIN 😀 So you’ll see a lot of students roaming around. It wasn’t now so historical but you can still feel it’s history 😀
First picture was the Baluarte of San Diego. This is connected to the “wall” and i think the end of the wall 🙂 LOL. I personally do not know what is this for aside from defense 😀 *we don’t have a tour guide to explain XD*
Next stop was The Fort Santiago 🙂 2nd picture was the entrance of the Fort 😀
Fort Santiago (Spanish: Fuerza de Santiago Tagalog: Moog ng Santiago) is a citadel first built by Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi for the new established city of Manila in the Philippines. The defense fortress is part of the structures of the walled city of Manila referred to as Intramuros (“within the walls”).
The fort is one of the most important historical sites in Manila. Several lives were lost in its prisons during the Spanish Colonial Period and World War II. José Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero, was imprisoned here before his execution in 1896. The Rizal Shrine museum displays memorabilia of the hero in their collection and the fort features, embedded onto the ground in bronze, his footsteps representing his final walk from his cell to the location of the actual execution. -Wikipedia
Baluarte of San Diego and The Fort Santiago both have entrance fee nowadays XD 50php for students and 75php for non-students 😀
We visited Rizal Museum 😀 He was really awesome 😀 His writings and all. Not really a Rizal fan but I salute and proud of him 😀
You can also see here lots of Kalesa, the one with the horse XD We have failed to ride one because we thought there will be a lot more in Rizal Park and we have seen none. It was too late then~ Good thing I took that one shot of Kalesa 😀 There are different designs or I mean stuctures of Kalesa. There was this one with an elegant look, much like the one the Prince and Princesses used 😀 I have tried one before so not really a noob in Kalesa and it was fun 😀 But I honestly felt pity over the horses 🙁
Last stop was the Rizal Park 😀 It’s just really a park nowadays. There’s lots of people, most of them are lovers, people who jog, lots of students and of course some tourist. Statue of Rizal (Last Picture) is the highlight of this park 😀 which is guarded by soldiers(?) 24/7(?) For real(?)
Rizal Park, also known as Luneta Park or colloquially Luneta, is a historical urban park located in the heart of the city of Manila, Philippines, adjacent to the old walled city of Manila, now Intramuros. Since the Spanish Colonial Era, the park has been a favorite spot for unwinding, socializing, an urban oasis for family picnics on Sundays and holidays. It is one of the major tourist attractions of Manila.
Located along Manila Bay, Luneta has been the site of some of the most significant moments in Philippine history. The execution of pacifist Dr. José Rizal on December 30, 1896, sparked the fire of the Philippine Revolution against the Spanish colonizers, elevating the martyr as the national hero of the country. The park was officially renamed Rizal Park in his honor and his monument serves as the symbolic focal point of the park. The Declaration of Philippine Independence from American rule was held here on July 4, 1946 as well as the political rallies of Ferdinand Marcos and Corazon Aquino in 1986 that led to the EDSA Revolution that deposed Marcos ending his dictatorial government. -Wikipedia
Oh, FYI– We just walked all the way to Intramuros up to Rizal Park 🙂 It’s near but exhausting 😀 It’s actually a cheap but meaningful tour 😀
The tour was fun 😀 We actually didn’t expect lots of tourist (Chinese, Americans, Koreans, Japanese, Persians etc..) and on Monday! XD Though we still wanted to go to Manila Bay, we don’t have much time and we have work tomorrow XD So maybe next time! Manila is still indeed wonderful 😀 There is still this Spanish feeling! HAHAHAHA! Aside from the pollution and crowd. I hope they’ll restore MNL from its best before. More fun in the Philippines!
Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan.He, who doesn’t know how to look back where he came from, will never reach his destiny.
He who doesn’t appreciate his roots shall never succeed.
-Dr. Jose Rizal