Just when I thought it would be a sad, sad weekend for me I got a hasty invite to accompany an exploration team to Mt. Matalisbong to check out mining developments on their claims.

We thought the SCTEX (Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway) would be open so we exited at Mabalacat in NLEX only to find out that it is closed once again because of some repairs. Because of this we turned back to San Fernando and wasted a good 30 minutes and precious gasoline. The SCTEX developers should make an early warning system regarding the status of their expressway so as not to cause travelers unnecessary inconvenience.

The road to Sta. Cruz is a long drive, passing by Pampanga, Bataan and finally Zambales. I once thought that Sta. Cruz was a developed, bustling hub because almost all of Victory Liner’s buses had the town as its ultimate stop. There had to be something in Sta. Cruz worth warranting the bus placards. It turns out Sta. Cruz is a small, sleepy town and is Zambales’ northernmost town. A few kilometers further and we’d have hit Infanta, Pangasinan.

We arrived at Sta. Cruz at around lunch time and almost everything was closed since it was a Sunday save for a small Jollibee cart at the plaza selling Regular Yums, Jolly Hotdogs and pineapple juice. That was it. But still, God bless the bee.

Mt. Matalisbong was still mountains away. Those who were riding “city cars” were asked to transfer to a Ford Everest and a Ford F150. When we encountered a deep river crossing, the Everest owner decided to leave his car behind and then transferred to the cargo compartment of the F150. Leave it to the F150 to survive rough terrain! It’s been with us since 2002 and has trucked its way all throughout the Cordillera’s roughest roads.

Enough talk. Here are the photos.

Almost Temperate

Flare Problems

Hi! Ho! F150 Away!

Dead End

Rich in Minerals

I really have mixed feelings regarding mining operations. On one hand, it provides a source of income for the community but then I have to add the disparity in profit between the claim owners, the operators and the humble workers.And then there’s the whole issue concerning the environment.

It’s complicated.

More trips/photos at Pinas or Bust!

Spent two days at Subic, Zambales to visit the much talked about Zoobic Safari and at the same time checked out Ocean Adventure. My expectations for Zoobic was high considering that I just visited Avilon Zoo in Montalban, Rizal. Zoobic Safari is a 25 hectare land which is part of Subic Freeport Zone’s jungle forest attraction. Zoobic safari has several completed attractions and additional under construction attractions that were recently opened to attract more visitors. Among these attractions is the Zoobic Park, a petting area where several animals are located. However, due to the recent typhoon Milenio, the park was badly damaged. A number of big trees were uprooted and several animals escaped from captivity and are nowhere to be found within the Zoobic vicinity.

The park is a good 20-30 minutes walk with an assigned  tour guide explaining the different species that still can be found inside the park. Most of the animals left inside the zoo after the typhoon were the same animals that I saw in Avilon Zoo.

Aside from the park there was also the Serpentarium (snakes and reptiles), Savannah (freely roaming ostriches and pot bellied pigs), Croco-Loco (100 plus crocodiles from Palawan) Close encounters with Cowhead-milk-fed tigers in captivity and the Animal Bone museum.

Of course, a visit to Zoobic would not be complete without going to the Tiger Safari area where a number of tigers are freely roaming around. However, the tigers did not pay attention to our arrival since I did not bring them some dressed chicken for snack. The closest I could get from the tigers was a few feet away. I took some pictures, the tigers stared at me blankly then continued resting. Good enough for me, since I don’t want to spare a few hundred bucks for some over-priced chicken just for the thrill of getting an inch-away encounter with those snob tigers.

So, that not-so-exciting Tiger Safari visit ends my trip to Zoobic. If not for the real-jungle-feel setting of Zoobic, I would prefer Avilon Zoo for Zoobic. But then, the jungle-like-forest athmosphere of Zoobic adds excitement to the trip. If you don’t mind sparing a few hundreds worth of gasoline, then go visit Zoobic. Otherwise, you can visit Avilon Zoo to save a few hundreds worth of expenses.

But to maximize your travel time and gas money, you might as well visit Ocean Adventure which is 15 minutes away from Zoobic. While in Ocean Adventure make sure to watch the sea lion, dolphin and false killer whale show. These creatures are more intelligent than the ones featured in Hong Kong (a friend confirmed this fact). Want proof? Watch Thalia, the intelligent sea lion!

Technorati Tags: zoobic, sbma, ocean adventure, tiger safari

Having spent most of my adult life in Southern Tagalog, over the years, I’ve grown tired of the beach and pool resorts in Laguna, Cavite and Batangas. I already know Los Baños and Calamba resorts almost like the back of my hand. Add to that the hordes of tourists that ply the South Expressway each weekend to take a dip at Laguna’s hot springs, and you’ll understand why, when asked for a beach getaway, I would almost always recommend something outside of this region, travel time permitting.

Zambales is an ideal location to get away from it all. Instead of joining the throngs, you’ll be driving the opposite direction. While Subic has been, hands-down, the most popular Zambales destination, a less tourist-infested stretch of beach lies a few more kilometers farther from Manila. The coast of Iba, Zambales is of fine silvery sand: not the white powder of Boracay, but not the gray fine gravel of Batangas, either. The beach is wide, long and most importantly, less populated (except during holidays, of course, when it could receive a lot of the locals).

Where to stay? Iba has yet to make it to Manileños top destinations. Although there are lots of pension-type of places to stay the night, The Palmera Garden Hotel and Beach Resort is one I wouldn’t hesitate recommending. Their website is a bit tacky, but I assure you that the facilites are made in good taste. Don’t expect marble bathtubs and such, but the cottages are clean and charming. For those who abhor sand, they also have a pool, with fountains playing water games that little guests will find fascinating. Ah, and the food! A balanced mix of international and Filipino cuisine, from appetizers to cocktails, their two restaurants will most likely have whatever your tastebuds crave for. Don’t pass up the delectable seafood!

And when you get tired of the Iba coast, you can sign up for a day-trip to go whale watching or hopping on a hundred of the 7,107 islands of the Philippines. Or, if you’re up to the height and the heat, go hiking and check out Pinatubo’s crater. Definitely a good way to round up your visit of Northern Zambales!