The Hidden Beauty of Lake Pandin

I’ve always raved about the beauty and wonders of my beloved Philippines and I have to admit that there are still a lot of really majestic places I’ve yet to discover in my country. Thankfully, there’s Mr. Google (or Miss?) who’s ever so reliable when it comes to exercising one’s researching prowess.

I’ve always loved places which is not yet very commercialized and only those with a heart to really get to know more about the Philippines could discover. And the latest revelation to me was San Pablo Laguna’s Lake Pandin. All thanks to my sister who was really the one who discovered the place and was very excited when she shared it with me and my cousins. We could feel her excitement and we even shared it with her when we Googled for Lake Pandin’s images. Right there and then, we planned for a one-of-a-kind summer experience with our cousins.

Lake Pandin is one of San Pablo’s seven lakes (the other 6 are Lakes Bunot, Cabilato, Yambo, Palakpakin, Muhikap and Sampaloc). It is just approximately 2 hours away from Manila, which is another happy factor since you don’t have to go that far to experience serenity that Lake Pandin could offer.
There’s actually a water rafting tour being organized by the wives of the fishermen in the area and is supported by the local officials. According to some blogs I’ve read about Lake Pandin, it was the fishermen who built the rafts to give their wives something to do and earn from. These rafts are now being used to take the tourists from one point of the lake to another.

How refreshing can it get to be welcomed by such a beautiful view as this?

Tourists need to contact Aling Siony (I supposed the leader of the fishermen wives’ club) and reserve with her a balsa or raft. Her mobile number is 0929.9789565. The fee is P180 per person. You can also opt to avail of their lunch package for an additional P180 per head. The lunch package includes grilled tilapia, ensaladang pako, small shrimps, rice wrapped in leaves, and fresh coconut juice. Their lunch package is highly recommended because they are really yummy, plus you won’t have to bother bringing bulky tupperwares for your baon.

Before you have a view of the pristine water of Lake Pandin, you will have to walk/trek the road going to the lake for around 10-15 minutes. Aling Siony’s apo met us by the parking lot where we got off from the tricycle ride coming from the town proper. He was also the one who guided us during the trek.

The bus and tricycle ride and the somehow long walk were all worth it once you get to Lake Pandin. You will be welcomed not only by the picturesque view of the place, but also with the spirit of “bayanihan” among the community dwellers. When we arrived at the place, we were welcomed by Aling Siony and we sincerely felt like we were their relatives visiting the place again after a long time. They were all smiling and assisting us as we made our way to the big balsa.

our hearty lunch 😀

Two women rafters paddled our balsa going to the other point of the lake where we had lunch and had a quick but satisfying swim. Lake Pandin has an area of 20.5 hectares and a depth of 63 meters. It was quiet scary to jump into the water at first knowing its depth but since we were all wearing life vests, we plunged in anyway. Just a precaution to those who are not good swimmers, don’t try to swim farther from your balsa or dive hard since 63 meters (206 feet) is no joke.

Lake Pandin Pandin has a twin lake known as Lake Yambo. The two are only separated by a narrow strip of land so you can opt to visit Lake Yambo as well after enjoying Lake Pandin. According to folktales (and wikipedia :D), Pandin and Yambo lakes were named after two lovers. Pandin was cursed not to step on land or something bad will happen to her. Yambo is Pandin’s lover who did not know about the curse and had made her step on the land. The moment Pandin’s feet kissed the ground, a terrible noise was heard and a heavy downpour followed which converted the area into twin lakes separated from each other by a bare strip of land.

It was indeed a brand new experience for me and my cousins. It was the first time we went out on an adventure like that together and we really had awesome fun. In fact, we’re planning on completing all the 7 lakes of San Pablo in our next summer adventure. The only drawback of the place was that they don’t have a bathroom to clean up after swimming in the lake. They only have a changing room and if you wish to take a bath, you would have to ask the boys there to fetch water for you from the lake, too. So you will have to take a bath using the lake water as well. I, however, don’t see it as too much of a drawback since it even added a little spice to the experience.  It’s not everyday that you get to bathe with lake water 😀

The whole Lake Pandin experience is something I would definitely look back to and smile about whenever I want to feel calm and relax. Seeing places like that in the Philippines makes me feel so thankful that I was born in this country which is so blessed with lots of natural resources. Plus, it’s great to know that Lake Pandin tour is not being run by big tour operators but of the humble and accommodating fishermen and their wives living by the lakeside.I just hope they would be able to maintain the serenity and untouched aura of the place.

Going to Lake Pandin:

If you’re going on a commute, just ride a bus bound to Lucena in LRT Buendia (fare is P127). Ask the conductor or the driver to drop you off at San Pablo Medical Hospital. From there, you can either ride a jeepney bound to Ilog near San Pablo Church and ask the driver to drop you off at Sto.Angel, Lake Pandin for only Php17, or ride a tricycle on a special trip for P150.

2012 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 8,000 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 13 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

Post-Lee Min Ho “kaaningan” thoughts

I got extra giddy. I screamed at the top of my lungs. I hoarded posters being distributed at the entrance. I jumped for much joy and excitement.

I became a super fan again tonight.

I’m known to my friends as a great fanatic — tipong walang papalampasing opportunity basta makita lang ang kinaadikan for the moment. The first time I became a super fan to a foreign celebrity was during the Moffats days. I was just in highschool then and yes, I did go to their mall tour just to see them ( at hindi ko talaga pinalagpas yun!). Second was when Bone Thugs and Harmony had a mini- concert in Manila. The third time was when Kim Hyun Jung (Jihoo) visited Manila for Faceshop ( where I even had the chance to shook hands with him).

And tonight, I didn’t care even if I’m already way past that teeny-bopper stage. I put forth all my energy and excitement and screamed louder hoping my voice would come out on top of that thick crowd.

All for the love of my super crush Lee Min Ho.

I’ve waited for this for a looong time. I even went to Macau since that’s the closest I could get to have a feel of that JunPyo-Jandi moment (masyado pang maharlika ang Korea). I could still remember the different kind of kilig that I felt when I stepped inside The Venetian. I felt like one with Jun Pyo that time since I was walking on the floor where he walked on during the Boys Over Flower shoot.

I never really thought this day would come that I would ever see him live—like everything that happened a while ago at the Smart- Araneta Colisuem were just pigments of my JunPyo fantasy or some scenes from a Youtube video of LeeMinHo I always love to watch.

But everything was for real! The JunPyo of my life was really there on stage hours ago while I was one of the screaming and crazy ladies from the audience.

I think I like him even more now. I like that I could feel his sincerity when he showed concern for the safety of the crowd when he saw them pushing each other. I liked that he was very game during the show and that he even suggested additional “pampakilig” skits to the original flow of the program. I liked that he did eat adobo when he told the crowd that he will eat tonight what they would suggest as the best Filipino food. I like that he even proposed a group pic with the entire audience ( as if that’s possible but whatever!).

Most of all, I like that he’s truly cute (lahat ng angulo gwapo!) and that he really made me super happy tonight. It was a different feeling seeing him do that lip-biting and sudden wink thing live!

Nevertheless, in the middle of the screams and shouts and the craziness of the crowd when Lee Min Ho came out on stage, this thought just struck me:

If this mere mortal who just happened to be super handsome, could already make that entire crowd scream and shout for joy, what more would we feel when Jesus Christ would show Himself there?

In all honesty, i was screaming for LeeMinHo that time but I was also imagining that scene where Jesus Christ’s the one walking in from that sliding electronic backdrop. I seriously think that would be a million or even trillion times more wonderful! That would be screaming eeeeeehhh to the heaventh level!

Oh well, I think I’m already showing progress when it comes to mastering the art of guarding my heart:-)

I might like Lee Min Ho that much but Jesus Christ will always be the one and only Superstar of my heart:-)

By the way, while I’m writing down these thoughts from my head, I’m listening to Boys Over Flowers and Personal Taste’s soundtrack and I’m also thinking of doing another round of BOF marathon later:-) Hello totally-hooked-on-LeeMinHo-me!

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The Final Set–not a chance of closure for me

 

10,000,000 fans, but only 100,000 could get the chance to be part of the history….

And yes, I was part of that 100,000—and I super love the feelingJ Thanks to my friend Em who hurriedly and panickly bought two tickets when she found out months before that tickets for the concert were already being sold at Ticketnet.

To be honest, I love the first reunion concert more. For a starter, the band’s introduction and opening salvo wasn’t as thrilling and heart-thumping as the one that occurred last August 2008. Of course, there was still the excitement and the jittery feeling, but the first time was really different that even the countdown could already make you melt with uber anticipation. And if I may add, the long sponsors-thanking spiel of the MTV vjs honestly bore me off.

I don’t know if it’s just how the everything was presented that made me a little low-spirited during the first set or was it because I was stuck in the area where the crowd was so ‘patay’ in the sense that they are really ‘walang buhay.’ It’s like they were just there because they just want to join the band wagon. Some weren’t even watching the concert—with their backs to the stage (whatever!). And yes, how can I ever forget that group of teenagers beside us who were very much fond of shouting curses and bad words that I almost want to crush their lips when they shouted “gago ka pag di ka bumalik jan susunod ka kay francis!” to Ely when he said “thank you, goodnight.” Just that gesture of these kids could already prove that they’re not really a genuine follower of the the Eraserheads. From the way I see it (and Em, too), they’re just there to join the band wagon and to brag something to their networking sites, telling they were there at the much-awaited concert. They didn’t even know some of the songs that the band sung during the concert. What a waste of space given to these kids who doesn’t even know how to respect artists and their talents and were far more interested in posing cool by shouting bad words or talking trashes.

And then again, there were also those lovestruck couples standing close to us who looked more concerned on being mushy to their partners than joining the crowd jumping and singing to the Eheads ‘ songs. And yes, I hated it that I had to stay there just because the place was so jampacked that looking for a greener pasture (I mean, clearer view) could mean you settling in an even worst location. We were in the Silver A section but because the place was too crowded and wide, it felt like everyone in front of us grew suddenly taller and bigger.

But of course, it’s the final set I’ve long been waiting for so I’ve got to make a way to make this an ultraelectromagnetic memorable one. And that I did by not minding my ‘patay na lukan’ crowd beside and just jumped and shouted for joy whenever I want to. The hell I care about them! That was Eheads’ moment so that’s got to be my special moment, too!

One of my most memorable part of the concert was when Markus sangHuwag Mo Nang Itanong the reggae way—the Markus Adoro version, if I may say. Very very funny and very very catchy. I could even sense the other guys on-stage  also smiling to Markus’ way of rendering that song. I just simply love it! Then there’s Ely introducing Raymund in the vocals to sing Slo Mo. And then Raims continued on to sing Alcohol  as if to let Ely rest for a while to avoid any emergency. And since all three of them had their share of the vocals already, the crowd cheered for Buddy to give his share, too. Not really a singer, Buddy just answered the crowd by saying-or singing- a few lines from a certain commercial tag I think in which he was really the voice the behind.

And then, there was the tribute to Francis Magalona wherein Ely asked the entire crowd to shout Francis name as intro to their Superproxy song. And much to my surprise, they also did the chorus of kaleidoscope world which was a bit poignant.

It was really a fun night. I may have liked the first reunion concert more for most parts but seeing the four guys on stage interacting with each other already and even jesting a little as opposed to the first concert wherein you could really feel the tense between them, I could say this Final Set was made better. At least now you could say that past is already past and let bygones be bygones. We may never know if they’re really all okay na with each other but one thing’s for sure, I could feel the spirit of togetherness in their sets now than the first one. When they sang Minsan,everyone cheered in delight as if to tell the four to be honest with themselves and admit that they indeed miss each other and their good old hey-jay days.

Another memorable part was when everyone thought that the concert was already over. Little by little, people started going out of the venue. Good thing Em and I decided to stay for a while since I still want to have a picture in front of the stage. Very much surprising as it was, I think it was Buddy and Raims who went up the stage again and asked the crowd if they really want more.  Everyone was shocked and thrilled. I really screamed in delight. Then Buddy called Ely and Markus through the mic. Ely came first and then he said ‘wala pa si Markus, tawagin ninyo si Markus. Then the crowd shouted Markus! Markus! Next thing I know, I’m already in one with the crowd screaming while singing to the last three-for-the-road songs of Eheads for the night, Ligaya,Sembreak, and Toyang.I could really hear my screaming voice in the background of my recorded video.

 

But what really made my night was when my dear friend texted me when I was about to go home after I rested a bit while drinking brain-freezing coke (the opposite). Menans asked me to come to 7picados for the after-party of the concert. Without thinking twice, em and I got a taxi and even agreed hurriedly to pay P150 just to get to Sofitel in 5minutes. And in 5 minutes time, we were already there at 7picados, melting in delight over the sight of Ely. Never mind if Em and I both looked like fanatic college girls with our Eheads shirts still on. It’s Eheads and there’s no way we won’t do anything just to stand near them. “Friend, ginagahasa mo na si Ely sa tingin mo…” thus was my friend Menans told me when he saw me looking intensely at Ely. Then we saw Buddy and we had our picture taken with him. So far, I find him the nicest and most approachable of all. Then outside while waiting for the QTV staff’s van, we saw Markus and Menans asked his colleague to take our picture with Markus. Raymund was not at the venue that night—I think he’s already at Saguijo Bar that time. As for Ely, I almost gave up having a picture with him since we were already outside. Good Heavens! God heard my heart’s utmost desire that very special night and He did make a way for me to finally have my picture taken with Ely. Menans’ nice cameraman escorted us back to 7picados and talked to Ely’s bodyguard just so we could have a picture with him. Never mind the long qeue of fans waiting for their turns for Ely’s picture, we braved our way to Ely and I asked him if we could have a picture with him. And right now, while I’m typing this, I could still feel th kilig remembering how Ely answered me with a sweet and nice ‘Sure, sure!’answer. And voila! One of the most memorable pictures of my lifetime had just been shot.

 

 

 

 

 

Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! I could still feel the rush of emotions until now. Perhaps this after-shock will go on for a long, long, long time—longer than I expect it to be. And yes, even if people say that the Final Set is a chance for closure for the Eheads fans, I guess I will not and I’ll never have. For me, Eheads will forever be the best band of my youth and their songs will forever be a part of my ipod playlist or whatever new music gadget would be invented some 30 years from now. Ely, Buddy, Markus, and Raymund will always be The Eraserheads for me—the band who bravely started it all.

Note: repost (March 2009)

Just the three of us:-) Happy Birthday Ma!

It was my Mom’s 50-something birthday last Friday (June 25), and since we’re three na lang in the house, we decided to celebrate it out na lang. My sister and I treated her to a late lunch at Larry’s Cafe & Bar. Okay, so that does not sound like a ‘for-lunch’ resto, but we were left with no other option. Originally, we were supposed to eat at Healthy Kitchen in Serendra. I even searched and read reviews about that healthy resto for like 3 hours the night before just to make sure that we’ll get our money’s worth for the food we’re going to eat. I was all giddy the night before and even while inside the cab on the way to Serendra because I saw that the place is good and fab. Just by looking at the pictures of Healthy Kitchen in the net, I could say that dining there would make you feel like you’re blissfully eating in a home by the countryside. So excited, I super was!

Due to the super heavy traffic jam along EDSA, we arrived at Serendra I think around 3:30pm. When we finally found Healthy Kitchen, I was so heartbroken to read the signboard on the door: CLOSED. The resto’s closed from 3pm to 6pm. So technically, Healthy Kitchen will be opened by 6:01 pm pa. I was okay to wait but of course, it was my mom’s birthday and she was so dead hungry already bec we didn’t even eat lunch in the house kse nga we were excited of Healthy Kitchen.

So off we went to look for other resto in Serendra. We looked and looked and still found none. Two reasons: 1. We don’t like the food. 2. i don’t have enough budget.

So since il be the one to pay for that lunch, i’d have to choose a place which serves yummy foods on a reasonable price. With reasonable I mean not going beyond 2k! I’m still poor! Waaahhh!

We would like to eat at Conti’s na lang sana since we really loved their Chicken Ballotine there, and of course, the fave Mango Bravo. Sadly, we would have to wait pa for another 20 minutes kse they’re full pa. We were so hungry na so we decided to take out Conti’s from the option.

Then I saw Larry’s Cafe & Bar. Actually, it was one of my top choices during my food review-reading moment the night before. I saw kse in the reviews that they serve yummy pasta there. I asked my mom and my sis if they want to try Larry’s na lang. Since they were so gutom na, they decided to follow through na lang:-)

The rating: The setting was good. I think I could give it a rating of 8 out of 10. The carbonara and the other pasta which looked like lasagna with leaves inside (okay, i forgot the name!) tasted so delicious, but Larry’s Grandburger was not really as appetizing as it was described.

We were supposed to have our dessert at Conti’s kaya lang we felt so heavy after that sumptuous meal so we decided to take a walk muna. Then we passed by Croc’s. My mom became so giddy about owning that pair of Croc’s shoes she’d long been looking for in 168 mall (japeyks ito!) so my sister told her she’ll buy that croc’s shoes na lang for her as a gift since the perfume she promised was out of stock. So we asked for size 6. “Ay sorry wala na po kaming size 6 dito ng style na yan. Try ninyo po sa ibang branch.”

Ayown oh! Nandun na eh! Mapapasakanya na eh. Biglang walang size? Waaahhhh!

But because she so wanted to have that shoes, we decided to go to Glorietta na lang and check if they have a size 6 there.

Luckily, they did. We could tell from her face that my mom was so happy:-)

Dessert time! We headed to Conti’s in Greenbelt 2 to finally satisfy our cravings for sweets–especially Mango Bravo:-) We ordered just desserts kse we’re still full pa from our late lunch thing at Larry’s so we just ordered a slice of Mango Bravo, moist chocolate cake, and mocha sanzrival  My sweet tooth was happy again:-)

Since my sister was so bangag na and she wanted to go home na, we decided to go home na. And losers we were because we were welcomed by a super long queu in all taxi lanes of Glorietta. So my mom suggested that we watch a movie na lang kse it was raining na din that time. I suggested ‘Letter to Juliet’ and my sister looked at me like i’m sort of the most stupid girl she’d met. “Teh, lullabye yan eh. Kaya nga tayo manonood para magising ako eh tapos manonood tayo ng mala-lullabye na palabas. Baka bukas na lumabas nang sinehan niyan sa sobrang pagkatulog.”

Boink! Oo nga naman. i’m just so…..!

Okay, so my mom just decided to have coffee at Gloria Jeans na lang since Starbucks were all full. Very bad choice. Gloria Jeans in Glorietta really fared so low among other coffee shops you can find along the vicinity. First off, the service was poor. I ordered for Peppermint Tea and the barista gave me brewed coffee. Plus, the lid of my iced latte cup didn’t fit the cup well and it was so messy. As in tumutulo siya! Their wash room was awfully dirty and there was not even tissue inside. And the music!!!! They’re playing old love songs! I mean, I love love songs din but it’s just that those songs are soooo not for coffee shops! They could have just played a jazz song or something feel-good. If i were to rate them, it’s negative zero!!!

Buti na lang that was the last part of the celebration na. At least, we didn’t start off with something as disastrous as that.

 

Me, my mom, and my sister–we really had a great time last Friday. It was a total mother-daughters bonding time. It actually felt like the old times, when we were just little kids and my mom would bring us to Children’s Playground after her Saturday’s work. That thing was soo long ago, but because of our last Friday’s episode, we were put back to those carefree times again.

We could only wish that Papa’s with us physically to celebrate Mama’s birthday. Oh well, we know naman that he’s always with us in spirit. At least now he no longer needs to use a walker to walk with us. He could even walk farther than we could now. Papa will always be with us wherever we go because he’s always in our hearts.

I think that thing about us missing Papa’s presence was the only setback of my mom’s bday celeb. Nevertheless, it was a fun-filled moment that i am sure to put inside my memory box that has a tag which says “PRICELESS.”

 

Note: repost (june 2010)