It was been a few years ago when I first saw about Monasterio de Tarlac from relatives residing in the city and since then it has become my goal to see it once I went home to Tarlac. When my relatives asked us where do we want to go I literally voice out where do I want to go, so when we had a lunch at my aunt house on November 4, we didn’t waste much time and heads up there.

The travel time to Monasterio de Tarlac was about one hour, it was my first time seeing the outskirts of the city and I realized it feels like home (Tablas). The monastery is a popular tourist destination among locals where the relic of the True Cross can be found, it is situated in top of Mount Resurrection Eco Park in the barangay of Lubigan, San Jose, Tarlac.

Since it was Sunday, there are plenty of people visiting and waiting for the mass at 3 o’clock in the afternoon, there was no entrance fee to the monastery and you are free to walk around the park and take many pictures as you want. Getting a solo picture under the 30-foot colossal statue of Jesus Christ is pain in the ass because it looks like it was the main attraction at the monastery.

We really didn’t take long because my aunt told my foreigner uncle that she will be home early, so after taking pictures we immediately left. Arriving back to my aunt’s house we ate some snacks and then one of my uncles brought us home.

One lazy afternoon, my mother told us to get ready and since I have thought we are just going to town, I replied, I am ready.  She asked if I am sure because I am just wearing a house dress, so I asked back if where we are going.  Well, it turns out, she is bored and she has something in her mind.

It was been a long time we are planning to visit the Bamboo Farm in San Andres, so that’s where we went together with our cousins, it was a good thing we brought them because if we didn’t we maybe lost our way. We made a right turn to the Sunflower Farm but it turns out it was a wrong turn, it should be next one.

We reached a point, where there are two roads and we don’t know which one to take. Gladly, the people were helpful and they told us to go on the road going upward, my sister driving the big bike asked our cousin to interchange since it was too big for her and she can’t reach the ground just in case something happened along the way.

Unexpected, but the road is concreted. It has been just a  challenge that is going upward, the view along the way is astonishing because you can see things below, the sea, houses and the streets.  We really don’t know where to stop, but gladly we found a group of people ahead of us, they are taking photos in the bushes which looks like bamboo to us.

It was disappointing because the bamboo farm wasn’t the way it looks to be in photos, it wasn’t cared of.  I think we visited in a wrong time of the year, we should not visit in summer.

Nothing much to do, we left the farm and went to downtown San Andres to feel cool by eating Halo-halo for ₱25.00 only. It  is a popular Filipino dessert with a mixture of shaved ice and evaporated milk to which various ingredients are added, including boiled sweet beans, young corn, coconut, camote, banana plantain, ripe jackfruit, sago, gulaman, fruits, leche plan and yam ice cream. It is served in a tall bowl.

It was been a long time since we hit the road for road tripping, my father was always at work and  my sister was already working for a cooperative in town so to speak we have no driver because my mother and I doesn’t know how to drive, my family have been telling me to learn how to drive a motorcycle but how can I when nobody is dare to teach me.

[Photo taken at a vacant shore overlooking Binucot Beach Resort]

Anyway, we headed to the nearest town and drove to a popular beach resort. It was popular in terms of hearing it from online friends, seeing beautiful photos online and etc. Partly, we are looking for a place to eat out as family during special occasions, outside Odiongan. I am anticipating to see a resort that could wow me but along the way I didn’t find any special maybe because I have seen better or it just look the same with other beaches in Romblon. We just passed through the resort and have a short stop along the vacant shore and took photos, our mother has been requesting us to get a snacks at the resort but the weather isn’t good and we are afraid to stay longer because we have to travel back to Odiongan and the road will be slippery if it rains.

My guess we went there on a wrong time and day (there was a low pressure brewing) so the sky and the beach wasn’t that splendid like what I saw on many photos online. With this, we must return at Brgy. Bunsoran, Ferrol especially at Binucot Beach Resort on a splendid day to see its beauty especially during sunset and experience a mouth watering meal in their resort, isn’t it?

We exited Ferrol going to Looc and have a short stopped at their municipal hall. We have been to Looc many times but never had a chance to take photo of their historic municipal hall.  Like what we are afraid of, we are caught by the rain, it rains a lot going back to Odiongan and we are all soak.

Disclosure:  Above written post was my own personal experience and might be different from yours.

With the scorching heat of the sun, humidity,  limited supply of water and without rain for a longer period of time it is definitely summer time. Some of our relatives went home when my aunt dies and my older cousin’s and her kids stays for short vacation and last Saturday it was agreed by many to have a dip to ease the warm weather.

The clan decided to do family outing at SATO Beach Resort which is just in a neighboring barangay, initially I am not attending since my family doesn’t want to go because my father isn’t in a good mood and he is at work, my mother thought if we tagged along he will not like it. My family offered to drop me at the beach resort but I declined since it feel awkward to be alone without them but when an older cousin came to our house and asked if we are not tagging along, my family pushed me to go and since I would like to visit the place that I have been only hearing from other people I went with them.

SATO Beach Resort was located in Brgy. Batiano, the resort was just a few meters away from Odiongan port it is overlooking the port and a beach shore but the main attraction was the large pool and slides. There are plenty of people on their family outing and there was also a wedding reception taking place at the main hall.  SATO Beach Resort has a pool for adult and a pool for kids to enjoy, the large pool was huge, the water is salty and the chlorine is very strong to the extent that it smells like Zonrox bleach for clothes,  the moment that my cousins dip in the pool they complaint that they felt itchy and keep scratching their skin same with the kids with us, I didn’t feel itchiness so I have told them maybe skin is thick like carabao skin and wasn’t so sensitive like theirs. I didn’t dip longer in the pool and just dip when it is cloudy, I just dip three times in short period of time but turn very dark easily like everyone, wasn’t sure if it was because of the salty water, the sun or is it a chemical burn from strong smelly water?

Browsing online here’s what I found from ask.com – According to clorox.com, chlorine levels in the water should not exceed 3ppm (parts per million) as measured by a pool testing kit. To reach these levels, very little chlorine is needed. For example, if a circular pool has water 3 feet deep and is 15 feet in diameter, only 5 cups are needed to reach the appropriate chlorine levels. Although liquid bleach and chlorine tablets both contain the same chemical, it is extremely important to know what other chemicals are contained in both products. Do not ever put chemicals in the pool that are not recommended for use in pools, and do not substitute products such as cleaners with bleach for plain, liquid bleach. Know the type of filtration system in the pool, and be sure to avoid chemicals that can react with other cleaning chemicals and cleaning systems. Always test the pool water with a pool testing kit before entering, and do not enter the pool if chlorine levels are above 3ppm. Wait until the sunlight breaks the chlorine down, and test the water again.

My aunts rented two cottage but was given a free one for renting two, I have forgot to ask how much does it cost for each cottage but the entrance fee cost ₱50 per head (adult) and ₱30 per head (kids) and ₱40 for senior citizen. The cottage was good but since the resort doesn’t have too many trees and it is overlooking the beach it was very open and not shady like it should be.

Anyway, I didn’t take long and went home early with our grandmother leaving everyone to enjoy on their own. I have informed our distant cousin that everybody went to SATO beach resort and I have informed the salty and strong smelly water, he seconded about it and says it was the reason why they didn’t went in the outing because they had a batch reunion less than a month ago in the said resort so they knew how the pool was like.

SATO beach resort is very spacious, good location since it is overlooking the beach, the downside not enough shade to enjoy and the water has a strong smell of bleach not sure if it is because the pool is using salty water unlike other pool around.

SATO BEACH RESORT
Pier, Batiano, Odiongan, Romblon
Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/satobeachresort/
Mobile No. – (042) 567-6279 / 09473421701 / 09353574631

Disclosure: This is NOT a sponsored post. Above written post was my own personal experience and opinion and might be different from yours.

San Agustin was the second town we visited, we have wanted to travel there for a long time but my father is stopping us, saying it was dangerous we might meet bad people along the way and etc., Well, nobody can stop me us isn’t it? So when my father and his workmates are scheduled to go home for Christmas (they are working in San Agustin) we travelled over there very early to avoid too much heat along the way, we planned to wander around at the town and then go home with them in the afternoon. We took our dog with us because there is no place to left her, there’s a celebration nearby and everyone is busy and nobody will feed Jinjoo.

The town of San Agustin was 2 hours from Odiongan, it is 4th class municipality of Romblon which is formerly known as Guintigui-an during Spanish era because of the abundance of the fish called “tigue” but in 1868 the town was renamed Badajoz by a certain Spanish soldier Andres Lebarde after his native city Badajoz, Spain and then on June 1957 it was changed to San Agustin after the town’s patron saint. – Wikipedia

It was not my first time in San Agustin, because way back in college we travelled over there to get the program we need for our thesis, and since the last trip was long gone I went with my friend classmate to their home in the island of Romblon, Romblon. It was the best thing to do than goes with our other two male group mates, I could tagged along with our other female member but she is just staying on her aunt and it was embarrassing to add burden to them. If not of me graduating my mother will never allow me sleep over, honestly it requires a lot of drama just to let me go with my group mates to another town far from where we resides.

Anyway, we dropped our belongings to my father’s workplace and went to the port to eat and use their toilet and then we loiter around the town and their public market to shop for food especially “kakanin” and then return to my father’s workplace, my younger sister helped them to cook the fish we bought. After lunch, we loiter some more, we drive where the road take us. We stumbled to a beautiful spot where we snap and snap some pictures, when suddenly a jeepney with foreigners riding in top passed by, my sister pointed it to me but it was only later I have thought of taking a snap of them. It is seldom to see foreigners in Romblon but lately I am seeing a lot of them especially in our hometown.

If I remember I was only a little kid when I first saw foreigners wandering around our public market with big bags on their bag, which my cousins and I joked around that they have pans, kettles and pots on them that’s why the bags are taller than them and then never see one again so often.

Anyway, it was a downer because we have no more other place to go my companions are not ready yet for adventure, they are dead tired already because of the heat and plus I didn’t do a research where to go in San Agustin. *sigh

We have been travelling for over 4 months already, currently we are in Paris, France.  It was not included in our original itinerary but flying from Instabul to Paris and then Paris to Morroco is hell lot cheaper than flying from Istanbul to Morroco. My husband plan is just to spend one day in Paris as it was very expensive city but I reasoned out that we are already going to Paris why not make the most of it because who knows when we can travel to Paris again, although he can fly anytime he desired, unlike me I need to endure dreadful visa application before I can fly to progressive city like Paris.

Visiting the famous Eiffel tower is in everyone’s top list in Paris so that’s the first place we visited when we arrived in the city, we just check-in our bags and left.  Seeing the tower for the first time is magical and seems unreal, you know you just see it in pictures, books and magazines. But seeing it in front of you is really a dream come true.  My husband wanted to climb the Eiffel tower first but I insisted to go to the nearby Park first before it is too late, as it was sun down already. I want a clear photo of the Eiffel tower during day light and not during the dark (haha choosy).

We choose to use the elevator for higher fee than climb the stairs to the summit of Eiffel tower because we are both tired and there’s no energy left to be spend. As expected the Eiffel tower is jump packed of people, from young to old.  Visiting Eiffel tower will not be completed without buying souvenirs so I went to the souvenir shop at top and when I am paying my purchased, the  asked me if I am a Filipina I replied yes and guess what she was a Filipina too, I was happy seeing a  fellow countrymen.

Our first day didn’t end in Eiffel tower, we hit the road to see Arch of Triumph and then walk to the famous street of Paris – Champs-Élysées. See the Obelisk of Luxor. It was already early in the morning when we return to our hotel room, we almost didn’t make it to the last train.

I am not been active on blogging these past few weeks, most of my blogs was not updated in a month.  It is not because I am not interested in blogging anymore but because I am quite busy, it was been a month since we left Korea and it was been a month since we are travelling.  In one month, we have been to more than 5 countries already,  Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and now we are in Romania and I am looking forward to see Dracula. Haha!

I wake up this morning reading a message that my photo in this blog was stolen and used by someone in Facebook.  I felt a rushing feeling to my veins (thinking what photo) so I immediately went to my blog but I was welcomed by a note that my blog is suspended. Oh, I forgot the transfer process, I didn’t renew my hosting few days ago and I forgot to transfer my blogs to my other hosting.  I immediately started the transfer (from an old back-up) but because I am running out of time as we are living to do sightseeing I just log-out and continue the process when we returned to our hotel.

When I checked my FB page I have found out what photo was copied, I am thankful to the sender for letting me know and alerting me that I have to tighten the security (I mean to add more secure watermarked). I also found another message dated almost 2 months ago about the card recharge thingy (sorry was not around my FB pages that’s why late reply).

With this, the procrastinated me thought of updating this blog today! Thank you again for the helpful note (you know who you are)! 🙂

We left Korea on March 2nd, like expected we have to surrender our Alien Registration Card if we have no plans of coming back.  I felt sad thinking it is going to be my last time to come in and out of the airport, and seeing Korea.  With my almost 5 years of living in Korea I didn’t gained a lot of friends, if Cathlaine didn’t email me or show an interest to meet me after my blog help her on the visa requirements I probably didn’t have a friend at all in Korea,  she left ahead of me to US after her spousal visa was granted so I am left alone by myself although nothing has changed because we seldom met, we probably met 4 times in four years. Lol

Anyway, our flight to Moscow leaves at 12 something in the afternoon, we arrived at the airport around 10:45 in the morning but still we didn’t have a chance to roam around because there’s a long line in the check-in counter which took most of our time, so after we check-in we went directly went to the immigration, took the train to our gate and in few minutes boarding time.

From Moscow, we have connecting flight to Budapest, Hungary as expected we have to sit in the airport to wait for boarding time.  It was a tiring day, 2 long flights in one day!

We arrived in the evening in Budapest, we just slept for few hours and we started our first day of sight seeing early in the morning.

We still have five months left before our visa expired in South Korea but we are already boxed the things we don’t use anymore, they are going home ahead of us. I am boxing the things as much as I can so I can travel light,  we are planning to travel for six months when we left South Korea our main destination is East Africa and Eastern Europe. We have first planned to travel to Central America and East Africa but we have thought there are more things to see in Eastern Europe and there’s no mugging incident unlike in Central America.

My husband told me that I am going to start applying for my visas on December and I am praying that all of my visas will be approved or else I can’t travel with my husband in six months.

I feel like a crippled right now, I was not able to blog yesterday as I am dead tired. We finally did the hiking tour yesterday, we wake up at five o`clock in the morning, eat breakfast and headed to the bus station, we reached Seoul at around 7:00 AM and took another bus to Sokcho. Then took another bus (7-1) to Seoraksan National Park. We purchased ticket entrance and we started our hiking journey, along the way up to Biseondae there’s a lot of students in group keep saying hi and hello to Pookie Bear, he is so kind not to response to few he said if he did everybody will do the same, imagine how tiring is it. Haha!

When we reached Biseondae and started walking in the trail we’ve seen only few people mostly are old couple which is a great relief to be away from the group of students. I have experience to climb on rocks, which is sometimes very tiring as it feels like I am going to crawl already. My legs are sore and so thirsty too, we just bought one small bottle water each as we thought we can buy more water at the end of our trail.

After three hours we reached Yangpok Shelter, we just stayed for five minutes while the other hikers are preparing their lunch, then we move out to return to Seorak-dong (Park entrance)  where we begin our hike.  We hike around 13 kilometers in almost six hours which is already good for first timer hiker like us according to me. Hehe, we didn’t continue to the peak anymore as we need to go home, we need to catch a bus much better if not the last trip.

Well I thought I can’t see the park entrance anymore as my feet, legs and shoulder are already sore, I walked like crippled already, it is really painful to walk. I keep asking rest time but Pookie bear says we need to hurry so we can get a bus and take a rest, when we reached the third shelter from the entrance we bought water and I one waffle for me as I am already hungry I never eaten anything aside from my breakfast and one piece of cookie.  We had a rest for few minutes while watching the mountain climbers, then when we reached the second shelter I bought a milk shake ice cream, Pookie bear asked me if how many times I am going to eat.  Well I am really hungry plus I believed eating something while walking will help my feet to walk, so my attention is not on my aching legs but into my food, isn’t it?

After one kilometer and so, we finally reached the park entrance but we need to walk more to go to the bus stop. We took the bus for 40 minutes and took another bus to Seoul for around 2 hours and another bus going here in our place for 1 hour. Actually Pookie bear is kinda angry with me because when we are in Seoul, the lady in the ticket office gave us a 9:30 PM (last trip) bus so he asked me to ask her if there is an early bus but I am too hard headed to follow as I can’t speak Korean so he did it, the lady in the window I purchased can’t really speak English so the lady in the next window was the one who answered. I didn’t hear what she says all I know we still got the same bus ticket, when we reached the platform we found out there’s a bus that will left right this time, 7:30 PM. So I told Pookie bear maybe he could ask the driver if we can get inside as it looks like it is not full, that’s the way I see in another bus station where the driver allowed other passenger with another schedule, he asked me again if I can do it but again I said I don’t know what to say, in short I did not follow him so he did it again and voila we are allowed to take the bus as it is already leaving and there’s a vacant seat at the back.

When we reached home I just take a bath and eat my dinner while my foot is soaked in hot water with little salt then sleep with a wet hair. I am really sleepy and dead tired as we just sleep three(3) hours before our hiking tour. Pookie bear wake me up though he asked if I cooked rice for his breakfast as I didn’t I have to wake up and cook with a sleepy head.

So right now my lower body is sore,  oh yeah if I forgot to say I had a fever last night, I walked like a zombie (lol) and  Pookie bear is angry with me, I had a cold treatment from him, as what he said last night, much better if he left me in the bus station (lol) he will took the bus and I will wait for the bus scheduled in our ticket.