To start off, the Regular Day Pass is now priced at P320 for weekdays and P380 during weekends for the whole month of October to commemorate the original ticket price when Enchanted Kingdom opened in 1995.

Grand Wizardry Competition

A fireworks competition will be held for the whole month of October and every weekend starting Oct. 10, you will see a triple dose of fireworks as pyrotechnicians all over the country will be showcasing their expertise.

Then on October 24, 6 finalists will be vying for the grand prize so expect a whole lot more of spectacular display of lights.

Otaku Kingdom

The 2nd annual cosplaying event for Enchanted Kingdom will take place on October 18. “Otaku Kingdom” will gather animé, manga enthusiasts, movie & toy hobbyists and cosplayers and there will be toy & manga exhibits, film showings, drawing & gaming contests, animé bands and Woodstock, the much-awaited grand cosplay contest and parade in the afternoon.

Guests wearing a full otaku costume can enter the park for FREE. They can also upgrade their tickets into a Regular Day Pass for only P250. Just head to the registration area at the front of the park from 10AM to 5PM.

Student Sembreak Anniversary Blowout

From October 1 to November 15, students get to avail the Regular Day Pass at a discount. It will be P275 during weekdays and only P335 on weekends. This is exclusive to students who must present a valid ID or certificate of registration/enrollment.

Only two tickets can be purchased per ID so that’s enough to bring the whole barkada to Enchanted Kingdom.

Enchanted Kingdom’s Princess 2009

The Grand Coronation Night for the Search for Enchanted Kingdom’s Princess 2009 will take place on October 25. Girls 6 to 10 years will be competing for the title of EK Princess 2009 and will get a chance to win cash, EK Privilege Cards and other fabulous prizes.

Mardi Gras Halo-ween

On October 31 to November 2, a haloween costume party will take place at the park. Kids and teens ages 0-19 are welcome to join the Mardi Gras Halo-ween and can enter the park for free if they come in their Mardi Gras costume.

Park Schedule

From now until December 18, Enchanted Kingdom is open Thursdays to Fridays from 12NN to 7PM and Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 11AM to 9PM with Fireworks Display at 8PM.

For more info, visit www.enchantedkingdom.com.ph.

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We call our YouTube vidcast Xplore Pilipinas! This is our debut episode and we’ll be doing more of them each month.

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Organized by the country’s oldest orchid and plant society, the exposure and wellness trip aims to treat the members as well as guest to one of Southern Luzon best kept secrets that few people knows.

Itineraries: Gintong Talulot Orchids and Ornamental Plants Farm (Laguna). This farm is one of the largest producer of semi-terete and quarter terete vandas for cutflower and top cuts in Laguna, the farm is also known for its high quality ornamental plants.

Golden Petals Orchids and Ornamental Farm (Sto. Tomas, Batangas)

One of the leading supplier of strap-leaf vandas in Batangas and adjacent areas, The farm also boast of native orchids such as Phalaenopsis schilleriana or Tiger orchid as well as other rare ornamental plants such as anthuriums and birds nest fern .

Earth Keepers Organic Farm and Garden (Tiaong, Quezon)

The farm boast of organically grown vegetables, fruits and organically grown farm animals such as pigs. Experience how traditional massage relieves tensions and relaxes your mind and soul.

Ugo Bigyan Potteries

Traditional Filipino potteries and the art of making these pots. Exported to Japan and other parts of the world. See and experience how these magnificent pots are created.

Fee: P 800 for Philippine Orchid Society members and P1,000 for non-members
Tour Date: March 29, 2008 (Saturday)
Assembly Place and Pick-up Points: Manila Seedling Bank Compound at 5:30 to 6:00 am
Magallanes Station at 6am to 6:30 am

Trip is inclusive of breakfast, lunch and merienda

Contact information :
THE PHILIPPINE ORCHID SOCIETY Headquarters
Unit 209 Delsa Mansion, Scout Borromeo corner Scout Torillo Streets,
Barangay South Triangle, Quezon City, Philippines
JENNY RIVERA – Executive Secretary at (0917)848-5468
or (02)929-4425
Lawrence Chan- Corporate Secretary (0919)390-1671
Email: philorchidsociety@yahoo.com

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To go to the resort you have to park your car along the shore and then the resort is a short boat ride from the shore [the parking area]. When we got to the other side of the lake at the resort side. It’s a nice walk to the garden, a well manicured lawn then you pass by some of the recreation facilities like the basketball court, some cottages and then there’s some horseback riding at the resort.

(photo courtesy of Karla)

Up at the resort good facilities for a group, team building or some conferences. A variety of rooms; some for families, some dorm-like rooms and then the recreation activities.

Of course they have swimming pools and I think basketball, volleyball and the feature would be the water sports available at Caliraya. They have the speedboats, we have the jet ski, some wind surfing and then kayaking, what else?…the swimming pool.

You can go fishing and there’s also a new wall climbing … wall . They say it’s the highest outdoor fiberglass wall in the Philippines, you have to check that out for yourselves.

We went on a speed boat ride there. On the speed boat ride went around the lake for one hour. I think it cost us about Php1200 for a one hour speed boat ride and then we took our turns driving the speed boat, that was exciting, that was fun…that was fun!

Contact Caliraya Recreation Center call these numbers:

Manila: +63(2) 632-1010
mobile phone: 09285010480
Telefax: +63 (2) 637-7027
E-mail: reservations.crc@asbgroup.com.ph
Website: www.asbgroup.com.ph

Have fun at Caliraya. Enjoy the ride!

Related: Caliraya Lake – previous entry Karla on PinoyTravelBlog
Podcast permalink: Lake Caliraya Recreation Center

EdXcribe

10 August 2007
PinoyTravelBlog

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The town of Pila is a typical Philippine town during the Spanish occupation. This is what our towns and cities look like before modernization stepped in. A large plaza surrounded by stone houses also known as the bahay na bato.

The houses around the Pila town plaza has been perfectly restored and kept for the next generations to appreciate. The town of Pila was also granted the status of Villa during the Spanish Colonnial Period. The town was then called La Noble Villa de Pila in 1610.

In more than three centuries of Spanish occupation, only eight cities and towns were given the title of Villa. These are the La Villa del Santisimo Nombre de Jesus de Cebu in 1565, La Villa de Santiago de Libon (Albay, 1573), La Villa Fernandina de Vigan (Ilocos, 1574), La Villa Rica de Arevalo (Iloilo, 1581), La Noble Villa de Pila (Laguna, 1610), La Muy Noble Villa de Tayabas, (Tayabas, 1703), La Villa de Bacolor (Pampanga, 1765), La Villa de Lipa (Batangas, 1887).

It is also interesting to note that the first Philippine dictionary was printed in Pila, and it is still housed in one of the museums there. And in May 17, 2000, the National Historical Institute declared the Pila Town Plaza and the ancestral houses surrounding it as a National Historical Landmark.

Source: List of Spanish Villas

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Better late than never… the remaining Lupi of the Turumba Festival 2007.

Ika-5 Lupi ………………………….Pistang Linggo………………………… May 6, 2007
……………………………………………Pistang Pakileña ………………………May 12, 2007
Ika-6 Lupi ………………………….Pistang Pag-akyat…………………..May 18, 2007
……………………………………………Daan ng Krus sa Ping-as………….May 26, 2007
Ika-7 Lupi ………………………….Pistang Pagpanaog …………………..May 27, 2007

……………………………………………Pistang Domingo de Dolores……..September 16, 2007

More info here in my last year’s entry.

Info: My Sarisari Store

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The boat ride to Pagsanjan Falls is about 1 hour upstream rowed by two men on a banca. A trip costs Php650 per person and a boat can carry up to 3 passengers. You’ll also need Php90/each as toll fee on your way there.

Depending on the season, the ride could get really wet and rough as the banca men with wade they way thru strong currents, huges rocks and monkey’s throwing objects at you. You can bring a camera with you but be careful it might get wet. Better bring a zip lock plastic wrap to protect your belongings. You will be passing several likely stop-overs where you can have a picnic, buy a quick meal or some drinks.

When you get to the falls, you can ride a raft (or balsa) to go directly below the very strong falls. That’s another Php90 per head. During the rainy season, the river could get really high and newer falls could appear at the ravine halfway. The current may also be too strong that the banca can only get to the first stop.

The beauty that once was Pagsanjan seemed to have faded already.

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Ten to 15 years ago, Grove is a line of old residential establishments whose ground floors have been converted into a student’s eatery or restaurant, bookstore and boutiques.

Now, UPLB Grove is  buzzing with it’s new night life. The new buzz word for gimmicks and the place to be: LB Square.

LB square is much like a landscaped sunken garden surrounded by food and bar stools. The cuisine is international, catering to the melting pot of culture that is UPLB, from good old Pinoy, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese and western cuisines to satisfy the varied palate.

While the bars…the bars never run out of anything with alcohol.

If you are like me, I’d rather sit in a quiet place, put my feet up (or curl them under my legs), have a coffee or two while waiting for my friends to arrive, preferably in front of a computer, surfing the net or checking my emails. The last time I was in LB square, Crib Tea and Coffee Bar allowed me to do all of the above. Cool eh.

After making the rounds at LB square and you’re full and tipsy, then nothing like good coffee or tea to perk you up for more chika into the middle of the night at the Crib.

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It is easy to find a fisherman who will tour you around the lake. How much you will pay him depends on your bargaining skills… You can ask the boatman to bring you to one of the many houses/cottages that are built on the lake. There is a cottage near each fishpond. Most caretakers will be happy to have some company. (It might be nice to give them a little something when you leave the cottage. Those guys are earning less than 2,000 pesos a month…)

You can stay on one of those cottages for a few hours. Make sure you bring your own baon (food) & drinks. If you like fishing you can try your luck. Don’t be surprised if you bring back a full basket of fishes back home. There are a lot of fishes in the lake.

Bangus (milkfish), tilapia and mamali (big head) are mostly raised in the fishponds. Ayungin, kanduli, hipon (shrimp) and biya are swimming in the open.

The sight of all those bamboo sticks everywhere in the water is a very eerie sight. It is extraordinary beautiful and peaceful place. From where I was I could see the Makati skyline in the distance. The big city was looming nearby but at the same time I had the feeling I was somewhere in the province.

Don’t forget to bring sun cream, a hat and sunglasses.

Named after Ba-é, a town on its southern shore, Laguna de Ba-é is a salty lake, with a depth of two meters. Fed by rivers and streams from the Sierra Madre, it empties into Manila Bay through the Pasig River. It was in the town of Ba-é on the lake’s southern shore that the Augustinians, established their first Christian mission station in Laguna, in 1571. Hence, the lake’s name.

American cartographers misread the name “Ba-é”, leading to the cartographic error of some contemporary map: a lake that is a bay. By definition, a bay is a body of water, usually salty; with a large opening making it an ideal harbour while a lake, usually fresh, is encircled by land.

The heart-shaped lake, Laguna de Ba-é, is encircled by two provinces, Rizal and Laguna, and Metro Manila. To the east is the Sierra Madre, to the south are the volcanic mountains–Banahaw (2,177 mts), San Cristobal (1,470 mts), Makiling (1,090 mts), Atimba (654 mts), and Nagcarlang (629 mts)–and to the northwest the plains of Metro Manila.

Laguna de Bay got three bays: The West Bay, Central Bay and East Bay that converge towards the South carving out what resembles a large bird or dinosaur. The West and Central Bays are separated by Talim Island, the largest and most populated of the nine islands within the lake.

Varied opinions have been advanced by early geologists regarding the origin of Laguna de Bay. The most generally accepted theory, however, based on recent findings, is that the basin was once part of Manila Bay.

The lake also serves as a huge waste sink for solid and liquid waste coming from households, cropland areas, industries, livestock and poultry
production as well as fishery activities. Because not a single municipality is equipped with a sewerage system, pollution are carried through surface
run-off to all the 21 tributary rivers into the lake. In addition, polluted waters from the Marikina and Pasig Rivers also flow into the lake.

At present, the lake’s most dominant use is fisheries. It is estimated that the lake has a potential yield of approximately 80,000-90,000 MT of fish annually both from the fish pens and open fisheries.

The boom in the lake fishery production has led to continuing conflict in the region. The large scale fish pen culture has threatened the economic conditions of fishermen dependent upon open water catch. Because investment in fish pen culture requires considerable amount of capitalization, the marginal fishermen could not afford to establish their own fish pens. Traditional fishermen are battling for fishing grounds in the open water and this has been a major social conflict since the early eighties. The clamour now of the small fishermen is the dismantling of big fish pen owned by corporations, the owners of which are politicians, retired military personnel and other influential persons with strong connections to the government. Fishermen associations are pushing for the proper allocation of the allowable area to include fishermen cooperatives.

Where: Laguna de Bay. There are many possibilities to hire a boatman.

My rating: 10/10. Extraordinary experience. Close to Manila. I discovered another world out there.

Source: My Sarisari Store, Bahandi, Wikipedia, Laguna de Bay Masterplan, Living lakes

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If you bring some canned foods and cooking utensils, the better. There are some stores along the campsite where you can buy canned foods and pay for them to be cooked (usually fried or sauteed). That could cost you about Php20 to have a meal cooked with some rice. Mineral water is being sold and ice is brought in very early in the morning so mildly cold softdrinks and beer can be had anytime of the day.

Once you’re there, schedule your trips to several of the really cool places around — Sampaloc Falls, Buruwisan River, Lansones Falls, and the Batya-batya which is my personal favorite.

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