Baguio Solo Trip - Mario's

Mario's @ Baguio City

After the 4-hour jeepney ride from Mt. Pulag jump-off to Baguio City, I decided to stay another night here, instead of boarding the bus again for another 5 hours back to Manila.

I bid my fellow mountain climbers goodbye, hopped in a cab, and searched for a small hotel to spend the night. And then I was off again, food tripping alone in Baguio.

My first stop: Mario's.

Chowder @ Mario's, Baguio City

I ordered some chowder. After a night of freezing cold up in Mt. Pulag, this was blessed, blessed hot soup!

Pasta Napolitana @ Mario's

I checked the menu again for any vegetarian meals and ordered Pasta Napolitana. Sundried tomato, a lot of basil and olive oil, this is probably the only thing I can eat here.

The pasta is just ok; nothing really special about it. After devouring the soup, I didn’t have much space for the pasta. I only ate about a quarter of it before I gave up and had it wrapped.

But I did have a space for dessert! So I settled the bill and made a beeline to Vizco's along Session Road.

Mt. Pulag summited

Mt. Pulag Summit

After 4 hours of gruelling trek on bone-chilling climate, we finally made it on top! We had to pitch our tents as quickly as possible as we were about to lose natural light and the temperature was dropping. The winds were just too strong! Even the local guides claimed the winds were unusual. By 10pm, 2 tents collapsed; numerous got flooded in.

Windburns on nose and cheeks, numbed hands, wet socks, cold feet, praying that the sodden tent — the only thing that protects me from horrendously manevolent winds won’t give in, bruised ego for asking 2 climbing buddies to adopt me in their tent by 3am because the chill got so unbearable, broken cellphone --- is Mt. Pulag even worth all that trouble? Hell, yeah!

Ambuklao Dam

On our way to Mt. Pulag jump-off, we made a quick side-trip to Ambuklao Dam in the mountains of Bokod, Benguet. Considered to be one of the largest dams in Southeast Asia, it seems to be in deep, peaceful slumber. Mesmerizing, sinister and proud.



Built to prevent water from Agno River from gushing out and submerging the plains of Pangasinan and Tarlac, the dam and the catchbasin is a sight to behold and place to visit for people who venture in the area. Without the Ambuklao dam, I wonder, how would Pangasinan fare during the 2009 Pepeng devastation?

After a quick photo session, we're off again for another 3-hour drive on unpaved, uphill roads to the DENR office, where we would have to sit down for an orientation and to log our name. The office was also our last stop before we head to the rangers station, the jump-off to Mt. Pulag, Ambangeg trail.

Random Thoughts

Sunken Cemetery, Camiguin Island

maybe there are some things better left submerged in the ocean... 

Picture taken onboard the whitewater raft in Cagayan De Oro

maybe there are some things you just can't touch...

Calaguas Island

maybe there are some things better viewed in the past...because you couldn't get any more than that...

Baler, Quezon

maybe you're only meant to share a few good laughs...

Celebrating New Year 2010

maybe what you're asking for is simply too much...

boat ride to Calaguas Island

maybe you're holding on too tight when, in fact, it's time for you to let him go.

Driving back to Cagayan De Oro from Bukidnon

maybe you just have to pick up whatever is left and move on...

Sunken Cemetery, Camiguin Island

maybe he's just not meant to wait for you at the end of the tunnel...

view from a condo in San Juan, Metro Manila

maybe, after tonight, things will be better; or maybe they will remain the same.

San Juan, La Union

You'll never know...

so you just have to breathe...

Bistro Ravioli

bistro ravioli @ robinson’s place, ermita

my bestfriend and i hurried to bistro ravioli after the horrific scene they would like to call “pizza”  we saw at chicago pizza factory.

we got four-cheese pizza cooked in a real masonry oven and spinich and cheese ravioli with pesto sauce.

pure bliss. the four cheese pizza was so good! well, the crust was a bit burned at the edge but i'm willing to turn a blind eye to that.

the crust droops just the way i like it and when i touch it, it still leaves specks of flour on my fingers! i love it!

just how good the pizza is? we have some leftover and my bestfriend gave a couple of slices to her dad —- he kept on muttering “sarap nito ah!” in every bite!

my bestfriend now declares she’d ask me for resto suggestions from now on. yay!!!

the ravioli spinach in pesto sauce was just right —- my bestfriend and i split it so we didn’t end up so bochog after! the ravioli is still firm and when you get to the core the cheesy spinach is such a surprise. i had mine sprinkled with chili flakes so i still got my spicy kick.

great meal! but did it beat bellini’s? no effin’ way!! bellini’s rock!!!!

 

Pear with Honeycaramel and cinnamon syrup

After watching One More Chance for the first time ever and crying over one particular scene (when Trisha breaks up in such a classy manner with Popoy), I felt the need to elevate my endorphine level back to exceedingly high; so off I went to our kitchen and rummaged through our cupboards and our ref to find any suitable ingredients to cook with.


Found some pears in the ref, some honey caramel syrup and thought of heating the pear in a pan. I added some cinnamon powder, a tinge of vanilla extract, a lot of black pepper, tasted it and cringed. It’s much too sweet! I would have wanted to add in some cider vinegar but i don’t have any; i used a cup of white wine instead and let it simmer for a while.


It still turned out to be sweeter than I would have preferred it, even if I ate it with wine, and it would have been better if I baked it instead of using the pan but again, being a perpetual pollyanna, not bad for a first try! ^_^

Scrambled Eggs with Truffle Oil

to celebrate the first weekend of not leaving the house, i finally decided to open the truffle oil that my bestfriend got me from italy. i poured a few drops in a spoon to taste it --- found it earthy, nutty, and sweet. it's also hard to miss what j-- was talking about: the gaas-like taste and smell, but after a while, you kinda get used to it.

checking our cupboards for ingredients to use the truffle oil with, i finally decided on a simple scrambled eggs. i used some oyster mushrooms, parmesan cheese, oregano, black pepper, a bit of cayenne pepper and a few drops of truffle oil!

i loved it!

really, my instant noodles days are fast becoming a distant memory. hurray!!

Laing Pasta

saw chef bruce lim making a laing pasta at chef’s table in AFC last night. it looked really interesting…so interesting that during commercial break, i was rummaging through our cupboard to see if i still have those canned laing on hand. it turned out, i’m out of it.

after work and a trip to the gym, i passed by goldilocks to buy laing and made one at home! yup, i cheated coz i used ready-made laing, but no worries —- someday, i’ll learn. i boiled the pasta, heated the laing and combined them! plated it, sprinkled it with more chili flakes and viola!

the verdict: well, it tasted like..laing..haha! it was a big joke, actually. the only difference is that i used pasta instead of rice, but i still liked it. i prefer pasta to rice anyways. mom loved the idea, too ^_^

Cappuccino with a twist @ Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

Salted Caramel Infused Double Shot Cappuccino @ Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf --- it sounds really weird but it tastes surprisingly good. Salty, Creamy, Sweet, and Bitter! But it’s not going to be my regular drink. It’s much too heavy and I felt so bochog after! I still prefer my hot cafe americano --- serious, straightforward, no-nonsense coffee. my drug of choice.

I Survived Brazilian

Strip Manila, Greenbelt

I survived brazilian! yay!!!

And it wasn't as bad as I imagined it to be! Except for one part with the most concentration of hair, all-off waxing was actually tolerable. Cristina, my " stripper" (therapist naman daw!), is as professional as she could be! After 2 minutes of being in a compromising position, I was nearly at eased with her.

Strip Manila in 4F Greenbelt 5 actually uses hot wax compared with cold wax that most salons, like lay bare, use...and it made a lot of difference. Hot wax opens the pores making it easier and less painful to remove unwanted hair. The salon is also very hygienic! The therapist uses disposable gloves and throws away the wooden popsicle-like applicator once she applies the hot wax on my skin. She, then, uses a new applicator to dip it in the hot wax!

The price isn't bad either. All-off brazilian is P1200 but since it's my first visit, I got a 20% discount and paid only P960! I also got a post-treatment cream at P1650 that is said to prevent skin irritations, itchiness and ingrown hair.

The inner sex goddess has been unleashed! This is the birth of a monthly ritual, it seems! ^_^

Details:

Strip Manila, Ministry of Waxing 
4F Greenbelt 5Legaspi Street, Ayala Center
T (632) 501.3997
Store Hours: Sun-Thurs: 11AM to 9PM
Fri-Sat: 11AM to 10PM

Strip Manila - Serendra
2nd Floor, Serendra, Bonifacio High Street
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
T (632) 856.9145
M (63917) 847.2112
Store Hours:
Mon-Sun: 10AM to 10PM

La Union Solo Surfing Trip

Kicking off 2011 with a solo trip to San Juan, La Union.

A few days before Jan. 2, I realized I don't have anything planned yet! Well, as early as November, I had penciled in trips in my 2011 calendar, but I somehow lost my calendar (great!) and was back to zero!

So I decided to go on a solo trip to San Juan, La Union! It didn't matter that I had no idea what bus to take going there (good thing, the cab driver I asked knew enough to take me to Partas terminal in Cubao where I could take the one going to Ilocos), or if my room reservation was not confirmed (I ended up staying at another resort since the only available room at San Juan Surfing Resort is for 4 pax -- so not willing to shell out that much money, sorry!), or if the waves are high enough to surf in (back in August, we looked like roasted pigs on our surf board, waiting for waves to come).

In a series of fortuitous events, the bus dropped me off the highway, walking distance from where the resorts are, found a cheaper place to stay (P700/night, compared to P1500/night in most resorts in San Juan), got back in Manila at 9pm on Monday and got in the office with 15 minutes to spare, and the waves --- they were so amazing! I was mesmerized, overwhelmed, humbled by its majesty. I was at its mercy --- like anytime, it could engulf me and take me away if it chooses. In the morning, when the undercurrent is not so strong, it's perfect for whitewater surfing!

San Juan, La Union

Look at how strong the waves are!!

People by the shore brace themselves for the coming waves...

The waves are so strong that nobody agreed to lend me their surfing board.
They said, the waves are not for beginners and,
even with an instructor, the undercurrent was just too strong.



So I just sat on the shore --- the sky alone was enough to keep me amused! 



Look at that!!

Simply majestic.

After a quick display of amazing sunset hues, the whole area was engulfed in darkness.

By 7am, I finally got to surf! Hurrah!!

I think I found my hideaway. This is a great place to disappear to every once in a while, and definitely worth the trip --- even if I have to go alone again! ^_^

Aside from fulfilling a long-overdue trip to the beach, I realized it's not so bad to be alone. Heck, it's not a state anyone would consciously aspire for but it's also not something to be dreaded like a disease! Every so often, it is imperative that we spend time alone. One of the things I liked about this trip is that nothing is required of me except to be myself. I could choose not to talk to anybody or be somebody else! I could be Dikya Marie, the writer/surfer, and not Señorita, the Oracle HR shock absorber. I could sit by the beach and dig my toes into the sand, stare at the waves the entire morning and do absolutely nothing. I could just breathe in and out and revel at the incredible lightness of being! And in a world of almost 7 Billion (the exact figure is 6,893,200,000, 40% of which are Chinese and Indians), can we really be fully alone?

But the so-called silence in solitude didn't last for long --- after 1 day of being quiet, I was practically begging for the locals to talk to me!!! teehee!!! but yeah, great start for 2011!! ^_^