Quirino – the sound of its name does not make any impression. Have you heard of it? Do you know someone who came from this place? Where is it in the Philippine map? What to see in Quirino?
These questions that can’t be answered in an instant ignited my curiosity and made me want to visit the place. I wanted to find out for myself. Continue reading
I, n.
Me without anyone else.
– The Lover’s Dictionary, David Levithan
I often read about people who have been broken-hearted and took a solo trip. They were thinking and hoping that traveling solo will mend their broken heart. I have crossed this familiar street several times, but I have never thought about going for an adventure on my own. It was when I met thrill seekers a few years back that this idea came to me. I once included a solo climb on my bucket list. It did not turn out well; I lacked courage and time to research (just procrastinating). The dream of going on a solo trip has been haunting me for quite some time now. But why go for a solo trip? I have my logical and non-logical reasons. For the moment, I’d also like to know if going solo is for me.
So I decided to test the waters by going alone in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan. I’m not quite sure though if this can be considered as a solo trip. I prepared the itinerary with the help of a friend and searched for other information on Google. I originally planned for an overnight stay, but my sanity told me that the room is too expensive for one person, so I opted for a day tour instead.
On the day of the trip, I went to Five Star Bus Station in Cubao, and rode Bataan Transit bus bound to Balanga. I felt excited that I could have the window seat for myself and that nobody sat beside me. I enjoyed watching the scenic view of the green grass while munching cashew nuts and listening to Jason Wade. The travel took almost 3 hours to reach the jeep terminal in Balanga.
In Balanga terminal, I rode the jeep bound to Bagac. While traveling, my friend advised me via text to ask the driver to show me where the tricycle terminal is. The advice was too late; I was already sitting far from the driver because I thought that I knew the directions already. So I asked the old woman beside me where I should get off. Luckily, a couple sitting in front of me was also headed to Las Casas. “Sumabay ka na lang sa’min”, the man said. I was relieved and was able to close my eyes for the first time in this ride. I was then able to fully appreciate the smell of the grass, trees, leaves, and the earth that were surrounding the road to Bagac. I have felt and breathed the cold fresh air (amuy probinsya), and it calmed my spirit. I joyfully watched the markers of Bataan Death March and a few bikers on the side of the road (a runner must appreciate).
Finally, at Bagac, I rode the tricycle together with the couple, who I found out to be working there. The woman asked me why I visited the place by myself and I gave her a lame answer to satisfy her curiosity (oops! sorry). They had been nice to me and I am thankful. They even paid for the tricycle fare (yey!).
Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is a resort where heritage houses from different places in the country are kept and preserved. Some of the old houses are still original. They used the same materials and reconstructed the inside of the resort using the original design. Some are only replicas. The original was either destroyed during the war or has not been approved to be transferred there (Alberto House). These houses are rented like modern hotels today. That is basically the attraction the resort offers.
I registered for a day tour only, which includes a heritage tour and workshop tour. There are several packages offered. It may include food and other amenities. The staff members were warm and accommodating. They gave an accurate information about the place and they can attend well to my needs.
Upon entering, I started to look around while waiting for the next heritage tour. The beautiful architectural designs made me took a lot of pictures. That’s also why the place must be a favorite spot for prenuptial photos. It has a romantic appeal brought about by its heritage themed background.
Replica of Paseo De Escolta
Replica Hotel de Oriente. The original was destroyed during the war. It was the first building in Manila to have electricity.
A warning though, food and other amenities inside are pricey. I ate lunch at an Italian food serving restaurant in Alberto House. They are the only restaurant to serve a smaller size meal (good for 1 person). I ordered fettuccine pasta with homemade tomato sauce, served with a complimentary bread. Though expensive, it’s a five-star rating in taste and quality for me.
The Royal Lunch
I joined the tour after lunch. Our tour guide was Dexter Manansala. He was well-prepared and obviously a fan of heritage houses and vintage collections. He’s lucky that our group was small and the guests were not asking too many questions. The guests were allowed to enter few houses while the guide narrated its history. I got engaged in the beginning of the tour, but eventually got bored and sleepy in the middle until the end. I guess I’m not that much of a fan of heritage things, though I have respect for some old traditions.
The Heritage Tour with Casa Binondo as background
The heaviest Milk Canister
Flat Iron, believe it or not
Function room – Casa Quiapo
Hogwarts
I left the group immediately after the storytelling. I did not join the workshop tour anymore because it was already late in the afternoon and I was hoping to visit Mt Samat Shrine, but I still failed to visit the shrine because the receptionist at Las Casas was doubtful that I could make it on time at the junction, which is still 1 hour away.
Solo Trip for Me
I had two major failures in this trip – late and unfinished itinerary. But generally, I enjoyed it. I loved the feeling of freedom being on my own. I’ve made all the decisions on how I wanted the trip to turn out. I had to admit though that I was scared on several occasions during this trip, yet it taught me to think and decide quickly, and that I had to trust that decision no matter what so I could keep moving. My stood by mantra – “Just stay calm in order to think straight and just enjoy the view outside the bus window.”
Have you had that wanderlust too? If yes, then go for it!
Get out, dear!
A Quick Guide to Las Casas
0700 ETD Five Star Bus Station, Cubao, QC (fare php200)
1000 ETA Balanga Transport Terminal. Take jeepney bound to Bagac (fare php47).
1130 ETA Las Casas. Register (entrance fee Php685).
1230 Lunch (Php295)
0130 Heritage Tour
0300 Go back to Manila (same route)
0800 ETA Manila
Polen currently works as a professional accountant for a top wellness company in the country. She is known by her colleagues to be a quiet girl. At these moments, she must be thinking either about her next destination or a subject to write on her blog.
The waters had never been my friend. Though it says it’ll hold me and won’t let me fall, I am still scared of it. For someone who don’t speak the language of the ocean, who will be brave?
I do not know how to swim. Until now, I can’t conquer it. I am too terrified when my feet won’t touch the pool tiles. But this incapability did not stop me from exploring the greater depths of the ocean. With the thought of wearing a life vest as security measures, I’ll jump into it.
I flew to Cebu this January to join the Cebu Marathon 21km category and spend little time in the nearby town of Oslob to make the most of my short weekend stay in the city. My adventure started in Cebu City where I met with friends. We travelled for about 3 hours by bus bound to Oslob at the South Bus Terminal. Upon arrival at the resort, we registered and pay for the activity, changed clothes, and left our things in the locker. We were then escorted on the way to our boat that transported us to the briefing area for the house rules. We were not able to hear the do’s and don’ts because we came in late for that session. Though, some important take-away notes are emphasized – “do not touch the butandings, if they get near you, give way” and “not to apply sunscreen, it will poison them.”
Before going into this trip I trained my brain not to entertain any doubt. My bravery meter is still high as we ride the boat. We were brought to the area where these humble sea creatures socialized with the tourists. I got too amazed, excited, and overwhelmed at the first glimpse of them. They looked like “Toothless”, a character from a movie “How to Train your Dragon”. It didn’t scare me. I wanted to touch and play with them. It didn’t take long before we were told to go down in the water. It took me a while and took a deep breath, or rather took a deep thought – “This is it, you can do this!” – I mumbled to myself as I make a very tiny splash in the water. It’s a very quiet plunge than even sea planktons won’t notice. I felt confident at first, but the waves came faster than the whale-shark. I battled against it and became too busy with it that I didn’t saw the whale-shark coming. We were supposed to immerse in the water to get a good picture with the whale-shark in the background. After a while, my arms got tired holding on to the “Katig”. Yes, I did wore a life vest, but I don’t trust it that much; I was still battling against the waves. I drank some salt water and had difficulty breathing and so I got off the water few minutes ahead of our scheduled time.
kapit sa katig pose
I didn’t get to have that shot with the whale-shark; I felt half happy about it, but somehow I knew that my there’s a progress in the level of my courage. It’s still an achievement. Someday, I’ll break this PR (just like running my marathon races). I just need to keep on trying! 🙂
How To and How Much
Here is the itinerary for this trip with the estimated expenses.
Get Out Dear 