Museo Pambata

Dear parents instead of taking your kids to the mall for entertainment which is the usual practice nowadays, why don’t you take them to a museum? Remember entertaining your kids is not just about doing the usual things like going to the movies, playing in video game arcades and etc. There are more fun and best of all educational things to do as compared to your local department store. Where can you have fun and learn at the same time? In a museun!

Museo Pambata…from the name itself, it is a museum for kids! It is one of the first interactive museum in the Philippines. It was opened in 2000 a brainchild of Nina-Lim Yuson. It is located at Roxas Boulevard cor. South Drive, Manila.

 

Remember the rules!

Kids and even adults will enjoy this place. It is not boring because it is mostly hands on meaning kids can interact with the objects kind of like an educational toy! Goodbye to the usual paintings and glass enclosed objects.

Insects!

Feel free to touch! A lesson on textures!

Inside the museum, your senses will explode to happiness! As they say we learn best through experience and experience it is when you go to this museum!
Museo Pambata has 8 rooms with various themes that caters to different topics that visitors will enjoy. 

1. Kalikasan and Karagatan (Nature and Sea)

2. Maynila Noon (Old Manila)

3. Paglaki Ko (Jobs/Career)

4. I love my planet Earth

5. Pamilihang Bayan (Market)

6. Katawan Ko (The Human Body)

7. Bata sa Mundo (Children of the World)

Dolls everywhere!

In addition, the Museum also offers Party Packages which is absolutely great. You learn something while partying! LOL!  
To know more about the museum visit its official website http://www.museopambata.org

TELEPHONE NO: 523-1797/98 or 536-0595

HOW MUCH?

P250 for children 2 years old above and adults. It is very affordable! 😀

FREE for Museum workers and teachers with valid ID.

Manila residents with valid ID FREE on TUESDAYS and 50% discount on other days.

MUSEUM HOURS

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Tuesday to Saturday)

1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday

Monday – The museum is clos and selected offcial holidays.

The Fun Farm @ Sta.Elena

Do you want see tons of greeneries? Do you want to smell the fresh air? Do you want to feed and pet some farm animals? Well fret no more! You can all do this at The Sta. Elena Fun Farm at Sta. Rosa, Laguna. 

Welcome to The Fun Farm

LOCATION:
1. Just take SLEX going to Laguna then proceed to Cabuyao exit.

2. Pay the fees at the toll gate,  turn  right.

3. Just follow the signs until you reach the gate of Sta.Elena and drop your I.D. This is after all a huge private estate.

4. Drive again, there are signs that will lead you to the location.

Tip: Download Waze in Google Apps for a better navigation. 😀

HOW MUCH?

P400 per head which includes all the activities you can get your hands on. This is valid for 4 hours. 

20% discount for Senior citizens. (Don’t forget to bring your senior citizen I.D)

Php 50.00 for every succeeding hour after the 4 hour.

FREE for kids 2 years old below.

Operating hours: 8:00-4:00 p.m

CAN YOU BRING YOUR FOOD?
Why yes! There are a lot of picnic tables and pavilions where you can eat to your hearts content. 

CAN WE CELEBRATE SPECIAL OCCASION  HERE?

Yes. Pavilions are not just a place to eat. You can reserve it for birthdays, weddings and etc. Just make sure to contact them in advance.

WHAT TO DO IN THE FUN FARM? 
1. Feed little fuzzy animals like rabbits and guinea pigs.

Feed me!

Where is mah food?

Little Peter Rabbit has a carrot in his mouth!

More animals!

2. Ride horses. BTW, there’s a pony that that little kids can ride.

3. You don’t like horses well try our local farmers’ helpers a.k.a. The Carabao.

4. You can row a boat in the cute lagoon or traverse the rope over it! Make sure you don’t fall! But wait there’s more! You can also do some fishing. Good luck with your catch!

Hold on tight!

Fish, fish where are you?

5. There are also various obstacle course that your kids and even adults can enjoy.

Go over these logs as fast as you can!

Go up and come down at the other side!

Don’t let your feet get stuck in these tires!

Get your team mates ready!

The playground

6. Do your kids miss the white sandy beaches? No worries there’s a sandbox area for them to play.

Sand all over.

7. There’s an ampitheater to watch your groups presentation.

8. While on the farm there are words of wisdom written on cut out logs to inspire you.

9. The most fun part for the children  is none other than the zipline!

Zipline made for kids.

The Zipline area.

IN SUMMARY

The Sta.Elena Fun Farm is a nice and fun place for kids. They are free to roam around (with adult supervision of course) amidst the green and fresh surrounding. They can run and play without the use of modern technology.

You can celebrate your wedding, birthday, pre-nup photoshoots and other occasion here too.

TRANSPORTATION

Well The Fun Farm is located at Sta.Elena…Sta. Elena Golf and Country Estate. Obviously from the name itself it is a golf destination located in a luxurious, high security and gated village. So going there probably requires a private vehicle. 

To know more about the place see contact info below:

Address: Sta.Elena Golf and Country Estate 4026 Sta.Rosa, Laguna

63(2) 886-8626

For bookings: Contact Ms. Wilma Villoso

Mobile +63 -(920) 9131349

Landline: +63 (2) 8868686

Email: wilma.villoso@gmail.com

Website: http://www.sta.elena.com/fun-farm.php

FB Page: http://www.faceboom.com/TheFunFarmatStaElena

Dalampasigan Resort

Quezon is one of the provinces that you can go for a quick swimming getaway aside from Batanggas. The nearest beach resorts that you can visit can be found in Brgy. Guis-Guis, Sariaya along the Eco Tourism Road and one of them is called Dalampasigan Resort.

Welcome to Dalampasigan Resort!

Reception/Payment Area

This parking lot can accommodate 150 buses!

 This is a vast resort consisting of 10 hectares which means it can accomodate 5,000 guests during the daytime. It also has a huge parking space in front of the resort’s entrance.

ENTRANCE FEE:

• Daytime 8:00 to 4:00 p.m. Adults P125 Child P60
• Overnight 3:00 p.m. to 12:00 the next day. Adult P150 Child P75
• And I think if I remember right, they have a discount for seniors but  make sure they bring their senior citizen I.D.

This way please!

HOW TO GO THERE:

According to thr website, Take a bus with a signage of LUCENA. Get off at Lutucan Sambat (Mazapan) and take a jeep to Brgy. Guis-Guis then get off 

ACCOMMODATION
There are so many to choose from! They have cottages of various capacity and hotel rooms for you to stay! It ranges from P1,500 to P8,000 depending on your budget. You can divide this amount of money with your family and friends so as not to hurt your wallet. He he he!

Below are pictures of cottages (huts and hall) that you can rent to your heart’s content! Hey that rhymes! 😀

Anahaw Hut the cheapest cottage of them all! P1,500

Elevated Hut P2,000

Now I’m sure one way or another; there are bound to be some company outing as a way of team-building to foster good working relationships with your colleagues. So the resort offers a huge cottage or halls to accommodate a large group of people. These halls can range from P5,500 to P20,000.

Hail to the hall of the resort!

Now if you are not into the natural breeze coming in your cottages and halls there is another option for you stay during the daytime or overnight.

There are hotel like rooms you can choose from:

1. Jasmine 3 storey rooms

2. Dahlia Rooms

3. Gumamela Rooms

Wow!

The resort also offers a playground for the kids and the kids at heart if ever they are already bored from swimming they can come and play here.

Children’s paradise!

Now of course this is not a resort without the beach right? So feast your eyes with the pictures below. Do remember that this is not a white sand beach. It is actually light gray just like all the resorts lined up in Sariaya (it come out as light cream in the pix especially when strong burning sunlight hits the sands)  but this resort is CLEAN and ORGANIZE which is the most essential part of a resort.

Sands for your sandcastle.

Neverending boats

Great view!

There are 2 pools in the resort as well. One for the kids and one for the adults. It is not that big though but still enjoyable.

Never stray your eyes away from your kids!

The 2 pools!

 Now I am sure you are interested on the specific prices of the accommodation right? Do not worry I got you covered! Note: Price Range as of May 2017

OVERALL

I highly recommend for you guys to visit Dalampasigan Resort. It not just a resort for swimming but they also acommodate functions such as wedding, birthday and more. 

RATING: 4 out of 5

To know more about the specific details such as location, booking, reservations and etc. of the resort you may visit their website http://www.dalampasigan.net or call the following:

PLDT MANILA 668-7527, PLDT LUCENA 662-4326

SARIAYA OFFICE

1. Landline 042-5258888

2. Smart 0920-9682278

3. Globe 0917- 5641938

*The rest of their telephone/cellnumbers are in their website.

Villa Cecilia

Looking for a cheap resort just to pass time and temporarily cool down the heat from this summer season? I have one for you! Say hello to Villa Cecilia Resort in Tayabas, Quezon.

A great deal

As you can see from the picture above it is indeed cheap. According to some locals this has been around during the 80’s so it is actually an old resort. It is still popular though because of its very affordable price.

The bridge.

After paying the entrance fee, you go down a stair then cross the bridge as seen in the picture above. While there enjoy the sound of the stream.

View from the bridge

View from the other side of the bridge.

Continue walking and to your right you will see this…(see pix below)

What goes beyond?

After 2 minutes of walking starting from the entrance you will finally see the accommodation which ranges from P200 to P500 rent.

Umbrella type cottage: Good for 2 to 4 persons

This must be the kubo type.

Long table good for 12 persons.

After choosing the cottage you can now swim to your hearts content in the resort’s one big pool. Don’t worry though there is a kiddie pool just beside it.

Swim away!

Kiddie pool

The downside….

According to a local, this resort has encountered some mismanagement problems maybe that is why it did not really flourish as compared to the other resorts in the area. 

Furthermore upon closer inspection there were only 2 restrooms/shower room. One for the males and one for the females. In each restroom there are only 2 cubicles/stalls each. It needs constant maintenance….no it actually needs a major overhaul. Do not worry about the water the resort has no shortage of it. 

 There are some areas in the resort that needs to be reconstructed. The truth is Villa Cecilia because has  great potential in being at par with the other popular resorts in Tayabas or Lucban. It just needs a bit of supervision, good management, landscaping, addition of pools, shower/bathroom stalls and a good function hall.
The place is actually clean and decent though the parking space can only fill up probably up to 4 to 5 large vehicles like cars or vans.

 This resort can be compared to a large resthouse in a province wherein the owners used their backyard to put a large pool and surround it with cottages.

If you are not that really choosy and if you just want to swim to your hearts content plus the fact that you are in a mega tight budget then Villa Cecilia is for you.

RATING: 2.5 out of 5.

Villa Elma @Quezon

Off to Jurassic Park!!!!

Aside from the famous Pahiyas Festival and popular local longganisa found in  Quezon, there is a place where you can visit to see the wonders that Mother Nature has to offer. Say hello to Villa Elma which is located in A.Mabini, Lucban Quezon.

How did i came to know about this place? Where else in Facebook!!!! Its FB page looks promising and curiosity started to spark so I decided that when I go back to Quezon I will definitely visit the place.

I totally agree with that caption!

     According to their FB Page, Villa Elma is “….a Pilgrim site and Nature Park.We are open every weekends! Weekdays are by appointment only! Message us if you would like to visit!”

Entrance Fee
Adult : 100
Kids 7yo. below: FREE!

You can bring food for picnic. No additional charge for the use of tables and picnic areas. We don’t allow swimming in our batis for Day tour guests in order to maintain the water clean. We do allow swimming for OVERNIGHT guests only

       Once you get inside it is a smorgasbord of all things interesting! It feels like an outdoor museum with the mountains and trees surrounding it. There are lots of religious ornaments, antique furniture, paintings, sculptures, and a giant statue! You can definitely feel that each collection came from memorable travels of the owners.

The statues have their own umbrellas???? Tee hee!

The place is actually vast obviously because it is a 10 hectare land! There are so many things to do there. You can have a picnic, go glamping and tour the pilgrimage site.

Hmmmm…I think this is the bust of the original owner. Not sure though.

We did not really get to explore Villa Elma in its entirety but still we did enjoy the place.

I wonder what does this symbolize??? Hmmm….

There’s more down the mountain!!! Gasp!

 

This place as I have stated before is a pilgrimage site. Therefore it has this sanctuary ambiance to it . A place to pray, meditate and just quietly enjoy the beauty of Nature. You can have a day tour or an overnight stay.

Hanging Bridge!!!!

AFTERTHOUGHTS:

I guess they were in the process of renovation or spring cleaning when we visited the place last summer of 2016. You can tell from the series of furniture, cabins, decorations and all the assorted unique collections that this is an old place. It did not WOW me the first time I stepped foot (must be the overcast weather) but it was highly interesting nonetheless or maybe because we just stayed in one location and did not get the chance to explore more.

Do you think the Mountain Giant is sleeping?

A pilgrimage site/museum/bed and breakfast rolled into one!

In all honesty there is this air of mystery that surrounds Villa Elma. It feels like you are  being drawn to Mother Nature itself. So if you have the chance go and visit this place and maybe just maybe you may find what you are looking for in life!

FOR MORE INFO:

Visit: http://www.villaelma.com.ph/blog

FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Villa-Elma-Lucban-Quezon/334722029996365

Call: 639955045385

Email: info@villaelma.com.ph

 

The Gingerbread House!

Run! Run as fast as you can! You can’t catch me I am the Gingerbread man so goes the ever so famous Nursery Rhyme. I do wonder where did he ran off? Perhaps back to his home…the Gingerbread House!

Why hello sir!

The holidays are just around the corner and what better way to spend it is where else? In Tagaytay! Being in this  wonderful place is an absolute must. Aside from enjoying your all time favorite meal in a variety of restaurants, you can also somehow get to feel the cold breeze during these coming festive months.
Tagaytay does not just offer food, cozy ambiance and nice chilly weather but there are places where you get to do fun activities as well. One of them is the Gingerbread House!

Welcome to the Gingerbread House!

The Gingerbread House is actually located in Baranggay Palumlom Alfonso, Cavite! So I stand corrected; it  is not really in the Tagaytay proper. (click bait perhaps????)  Anyway, I noticed that it took almost an hour from the border of Tagaytay to get to the Gingerbread House. Going there feels like going to province with that one and .3 width of a road and a bunch of trees and grass on the sides.

TRANSPORTATION: We went there using a private vehicle (a van!) which is more convenient because the Gingerbread House is not like the Skyranch or the Residence Inn Zoo that is perfectly situated beside the highway. No you will really go off the road…but do not worry the road is cemented. And because it was our first time to go there we conveniently just used WAZE! (he! he! he!) 
PRICE: P30 only. Kids below 2 feet are free but wait there is more! Here is their notice from their official FB page.

NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC:

          Beginning December 1, 2016 our entrance fee will be P50 per person. Kids below 2 feet are free.Operating hours:

           OPEN EVERYDAY including HOLIDAYS

               DEC. 1-15: MON- FRI. 8am – 6pm.   SAT- SUN. 8am -8pm

                DEC. 16-23: 8am -8pm

                DEC. 24. 8am-6pm only

                DEC. 25 – JAN. 8, 2017: 8am-10pm

REACTION:

Well there was really a giant gingerbread house in the middle but that is actually a bakery/alfresco restaurant. 

Is that real snow? Nahhhh!

The main attraction of this cutie patootie site are the booths where kids and adults as well can participate in various activities such as making gingerbread man cookies, gingerbread house, smores, and maybe soak your feet in the Fish Spa and more.

Create smores with your friends!

Yummy Gingerbread house!

Unfortunately though we were just walk-ins there and during that time there’s not much visitors and it was a Sunday. 

Where is the staff?

Oh there she is! We can finally make some cotton candy!

So I guess that must be the reason why they are sort of under-staffed and the usual interactive booths are mostly closed. Though I reckon if it’s a field trip then that is another story. Surely 100% of the staff attendance will  be there and the booths will all  be opened. Still, we enjoyed it. The place is interesting enough to take lots and lots of pictures.


Overall the Gingerbread House is mainly for kids but if you are an adult who is still a kid at heart then you will still surely have fun in this place!

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

 

 

 

 

Monte Vista Resort @Sariaya, Quezon

Hey what’s up guys? Ready for a good swim in a beach? Well here’s one for yah!

Quezon province boasts many natural wonders and one of them is their gorgeous beaches. Sariaya is one of the nearest places in Manila where you can swim in a beach but not the powdery white one  (gray/light gray/black sand) still it is quite enjoyable.

Off to the beach!

When you go to Sariaya there are various resorts to choose from and one of them is Monte Vista Resort which is located in Brgy. Bignay II, Sariaya Quezon. It is just 2  to 3 hours away from Manila depending on the kind of transportation you have.

A scenic view!

Rise and Shine!!!! Low tide in the morning!!!!

The resort is a bit expensive as compared to the other resorts in the area but I assure you it is worth it! We paid P3,000 (All in! It includes the entrance fee for kids and adults.It is the cheapest one too.) for a long table with two benches because the other cottages/huts were already full. It was the peak season!

As you can see in the picture below, the long tables and the benches are inside this big open house structure. You can bring your own food and water in the resort. Outside, are  barbecue grills where you can cook your own food. Shower rooms and toilets are spacious too with mirrors.

The Family house is the most expensive!!!

Hello there Mr. Carabao! Time to get the trash!

Monte Vista Resort offers a day tour ( 8:00 – 6:00 p.m) and overnight (1:00 p.m. to 11:00 a.m.) Accommodations varies from bungalow, bahay kubo to nipa huts and those long tables.

The Nipa Huts are a few meters away from the shore!

More accommodations!!!

There are many hammocks to choose from for you to swing your worries away and some tents too.

If you are tired from swimming in the beach because of the incoming high tide why don’t you try their swimming pool located within their vast children’s playground.

Octopus Slide!

The playground has a mini golf course for kids, the usual swings and slide and even a giant chessboard which I forgot to take a picture can be found there.

Time to play! The other swings ,slides, and monkey bars are behind this  wooden structure.

A fun and creative mini golf course!

For the adults we can play some beach volleyball!

High tide slowly coming in at 12 noon under the scorching sun!

The giant ship (not a real ship)  near the entrance makes the resort interesting.

 

HERE ARE THE RATES AS OF MARCH 2016!!!!

HOW TO GET THERE!!! (Via the brochure given to us! he he he!)

VIA PRIVATE VEHICLES:

ROUTE 1:

From Manila, take SLEX and take the Batangas Exit. Turn left at Sto. Tomas in the direction of Alaminos. Follow the highway through the towns of San Pablo, Tiaong, and Candelaria. Once in Sariaya, enter through Mazapan, Sambat, Montecillo, Puntor towards Bignay II.

ROUTE 2:

From SLEX pass through Star Toll then take the Ibaan Exit. Follow sings passing through Rosario and San Juan. Upon passing San Juan Junctions, take the route going to Lucean. You will get to pass by a bridge, gas station and at your right, you will see Eco Tourism towards Monte Vista Resort.

VIA PUBLIC BUS:

From Manila, take the Jam or Tritran Bus liners (their terminal are located at the corner of Buendia St. and Taft Ave. Manila) whose destination is Lucena. Get off at Mazapan and take a tricycle or jeep to Bignay II.

And if you are from Alabang just take any Lucena Bound bus and get off at Mazapan then take a tricycle/jeep to Bignay II.

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE RESORT CONTACT THE FF:

A. (+63) 9285596791  or (+63) 9274375958

B. email at info@montevistabeachresort.com.pj

C. Visit the site at http://www.montevistabeachresort.com.ph

D. Connect through FB, Twitter and Instagram –> @MonteVistaBeachResort

THE FISHERMAN

Haul in the net!

Enjoy thy stream, O harmless fish;
And when an angler for his dish,
Through gluttony’s vile sin,
Attempts, the wretch, to pull thee out,
God give thee strength, O gentle trout,
To pull the rascal in!
~John Wolc

         As the journey through maturity unfolds before my eyes, appreciation of other people starts to penetrate into my mind. A person who may seem ordinary or too simple to be even notice has now gained a better understanding.

         A modest living…welcome…the fisherman.

         A humble profession and yet his sweat and hard work goes beyond. Many of us may know that they are always there but we do not truly recognize their value. Their lives will always be intertwined with us because without them the food that we desire cannot even reach our hungry mouth.

Rowing slowly!

         Sad to say, the fisherman in our country are deprived of their basic necessities. What can an ordinary person do to at least alleviate their pitiful and sometimes depressing status in life? What can you do? What can I do? My mind until now is still thinking for anwers…..

Mechanically Human #edcmooc

I’m a slave for you!!!

WALL – E. The Disney movie that made a huge impact on how technology can be an advantage and disadvantage in a human life.
Indeed, technology has come a long way. It makes our life easier. For example, there is no need to be at home or use a pay phone to call your love ones. The mobile phones are just there tucked inside one’s pocket or bag. The big and bulky computer became slimmer and spawned laptops and notebooks. Nowadays it is Computer + mobile phones = smart phones. Remote controls are not just for television but it can also be use in a variety of appliances as well. And of course who can forget the Internet? It helps us connect to the people all over the world via social net workings sites and videos. Amazing right?
Unfortunately though focusing too much on the use of technology makes us feel like machines. We are dependent on the use of gadgets that we forget connect to other people face to face! The world of the internet and media can be informative and the same time hypnotized us into a world full of creative illusions. We become robots that the need to attach and socialize to REAL people are neglected.

Take my case for example. I absolutely love Face book. It made me reconnect with my high-school and college friends plus the games in FB are not bad either. It helps in finding lost persons, informs me on health benefits of certain foods, notified me on the modus operandi of criminals, and more. The negative side is that I concentrate too much on this networking site that I tend to ignore that there is someone waiting for a hug and a kiss and a bit of lovey dovey conversation…and that someone is my husband. He was not really mad but he feels neglected which is my fault of course. We talked about it and being a good wife I decided to limit my use on FB. I realize that I have become too addicted to it.
Overall, technology will always be constant in our life but at the end we are beings that have a choice to make. We can either let technology drives us or we can maintain a balance of using these wonderful inventions incorporate it in our lives and yet still be human.

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 2,000 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 3 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.