Malou, referred to here as Nene, is the younger sister of Jovy, my girlfriend. Her contractual job in SM Marilao expired last December 31 so my girlfriend and I promised her a blow-out. Ang gusto niya ay outdoor activity as it is her innermost desire to go places na hindi niya nagawa since she arrived Manila.
My contagious wanderlust didn't spare Nene at gusto na rin niya ang sumama sa akin sa mga lakwatsa ko.
We choose Tagaytay because it's near and besides, Jovy and Nene have their cousin there who is managing a German restaurant catering to foreign and domestic tourists. Malou was very excited after she learned we're going out.
Jovy asked me to spend the New Year's Eve in our house. She has two reasons for such invitation: 1) I have nowhere to go 2) so we can leave for Tagaytay very early the next day. (The story of our New Year's Eve is here.)
The following morning, the trio,
Nene, me, and my Jovy, were taking jeepney from Valenzuela to Park 'n Ride in Manila. We passed by Liwasang Andres Bonifacio and made a few posed shots in front of
Manila Post Office. From there, we walk to Park 'n Ride and took an
air conditioned bus bound for Tagaytay City.
In less than two hours we were already in Oliveros to where we got off from the bus.
I told them earlier it will usually take us four hours to reach the place but at
that time the traffic was so light. The heavy traffic was the way going up to Tagaytay.
I hired a tricycle instead of taking passenger jeepney. I explained to them later that a tricycle can move faster than cars and jeepneys.
That was true. The tricycle driver was squeezing through traffic and made a
counterflow. I called it a calculated risk. Jovy later complained that she didn't understand why
I needed to put them into risk. She had the impression I'm not in favor of tricycles in main thoroughfares.
She noticed I seemed to enjoy with the driver doing something illegal and dangerous.
We arrived at the top of the park safely.
I paid the tricycle driver 100 pesos. We also paid 15 pesos per head for the
park's entrance fee. Their cousin Robert already waited for us there. He brought us to an eatery
so we could eat. After eating our lunch, we proceed to shopping for Tagaytay souvenirs. Poor boys, cousin Robert and me were tagging
them from behind. They know boys don't like shopping that's why Jovy and Nene were teasing us by staying long at the shops.
When
Jovy sensed I almost lost my patience, she asked me where to go next. I
told her that we need to go up to the palace to get a view of Tagaytay and the Taal lake.
I further explained we shouldn't waste time. The weather can change any moment and
should rain comes, we can't get good photos. So, we climb up yet passed by in a wishing well and a giant pineapple a short while.
They stopped for posed photos.
An hour later, it started to drizzle down so we took another tricycle ride going
down to Picnic Groove. The tricycle was contracted for 100 pesos even if it's
near. We can't do nothing otherwise we would walk from People's Park all the way
to Picnic Groove. Take note, entrance fee of Picnic Groove is 25 pesos per head.
When we get inside, we climbed up to the viewer's deck
and trod the eco-trail. It was fun. Nene enjoyed so much. Their cousin Robert was no longer with us because he went ahead so he could prepare food for us to eat.
There were also difficulties we encountered at Picnic Groove. We wanted to use the rest room but there was long
queue of people. When we decided to take a ride going to the public market where Robert should meet us, we found out transportation was difficult. After an hour, we were able to squeeze ourselves into a jeepney going to the market. Robert met us there and brought us to his German restaurant. The name of his restaurant is
Treffpunkt Deli - Resto - Pizzeria.
There were lots of foods being served and there were five of us there including Robert's staff who is shy. The reason we're the only person there is because they were closed for business on that day. What happened is that naging solo namin ang buong restaurant.
It was already eight in the evening when Robert sent us for a ride. Instead of sending us to Oliveros for a ride via coastal road/Baclaran, he sent us for a jeepney ride to Balibago to where we can transfer to a van going to Cubao. We heed for his advice.
The travel from Balibago to Cubao was smooth and safe. At exactly 10pm, we were already at Farmer's Plaza. We
transferred to an aircon bus going to Malinta. We reached home by 11pm and their nephew
(that handsome boy during the
New
Year's Eve celebration) was preparing us foods, leftovers actually, from the previous Media Noches.
Jovy and Nene were still full and didn't care about the foods on the table. I wanted to eat more but
Jovy stopped me. I had grown a belly and she wanted me to trim down. I lost several pounds when assigned in Antipolo and
she wanted him to keep just that.
When we slept, I can still see Nene's wide smile in her face. She's bringing with her the first taste of wanderlust into her dreams.
On a tricycle bound for People's Park in the Sky. Photographed
using Sony Ericsson K750i.
Labels: travelogue
published by dodong flores @ 12:38:00 PM • Permalink •
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