Hinulugang Taktak

One of Antipolo's iconic destinations, the curiosity brought about by how it derive its name, ("taktak" pertains to a bell that was thrown "hinulog" into it), and it being included in the song "Tayo na sa Antipolo") took me to this place.It is about 1.7 kilometers from the Antipolo Cathedral and can be  accessed through the Taktak road.  This was how it looked like when we arrived at the spot. This recreationalarea has been under rehabilitation for years and due to the oils spill in 2015.

The government exerted extra effort to protect and restore this important piece of history.It was evident though that there were problems with the trash and nearby waterways but the falls itself was a sight to behold. It will definitely take years to totally restore it to how magnificent it was before. 

The overall area is nice but not as spectacular and I'm hoping for better improvements in the years to come. The water still have this pungent odor and I think that's the biggest problem they have to deal with. I also wish that, aside from being in awe with the sight of the raging falls, it will be a great idea to put other activities in for children and adults to enjoy. As for now, it is still worth the visit as still is one of the most peaceful and relaxing place I have ever been, a wonderful oasis in Antipolo. 

Daranak falls in Tanay Rizal

Rizal province has been known for spectacular attractions and leisure activities ready for their guests to ; an adventure they will never forget. And since it's just 20 kilometers away from Manila, local and foreign visitors alike would flock the array of nature spots in Rizal. They have an an art museum for art enthusiasts, enigmatic caves, historical dams, and amazing falls. One of them is this famous Daranak Falls.

Daranak Falls is positioned at the foot of Tanay mountains. It is surrounded by lush vegetation and cascading rivers and ponds. Entrance fee is P50.00 (as seen above) and they offer picnic sheds and picnic tables for family gatherings and barbecue get-together parties.

You can take a dip, swim and bond with your family and friends in their majestic waterfalls. For nature photo enthusiasts, there is a trail that leads to another waterfall. This is where the Filipino sitcom "Okay Ka Fairy Ko" had their shoots for their program. 

They have a small canteen inside where you can buy food but it's better (and cheaper I think, specially for groups) to just bring their own food.

When you need a quick getaway, have a cool dip to save you from the heat, or to simply have a chill time, I'd still say Daranak Falls is one of the nice places to go.

Taal Volcano, 1/19/2020

Visited Tagaytay again to catch glimpse of Taal volcano. Bellow is an image I got imaging at Picnic groove.

Double Rainbow while travelling at Theresa Rizal

I got this beautiful image while travelling going to Lucban Quezon, used Samsung S10 plus to capture its beauty

Going to Tagaytay to image Taal Volcano venting ash

A day after the initial venting of steam and ash from Taal volcano, me and my friend decided to go to Tagaytay which is a safe distance from Taal volcano. So the plan is to take some images of this volcanic activity. Having sub 400cc motorcycle , we took the Aguinaldo highway route. Travelling is bit difficult brought about by volcanic ash, making visibility hard.

A view of Taal volcano spewing ash and steam

Arriving in Tagaytay, we can't find any open restaurants. No electricity and no water supply in the whole city, almost as if it is a ghost town literally.

Angkas riders giving free surgical masks

Ash deposits

A video of the road condition in Tagaytay

more ash deposits along the road

We found a good vantage point to take pictures, arriving at around 4 pm and sunlight is at its low. We still able to get descent enough images to post. We are planning to try to take better pictures next week  and try to arrive much earlier, Taal Volcano is best to image early in the morning.

dusty and tired but worth the travel

Eating at Buddys in Lucban, buying lucban longganisa

Our second trip to Lucban Quezon! It was all because of our craving for their original longanisa. During our first trip, we were more focused on the sights that we'd see. This time, our goal is solely to have another bite of their local delicacy. Maybe it"s the garlic flavor in it, could've been the spices that go with it. Either way, it was an unplanned ride that we're glad we took.

So, our feet took us to Buddy's restaurant. It was the spacious one we found so far in the area and a lot of people lined up for their seats; a sign that they serve good food! Our first choice is of course the classic longanisa, a dozen of it (you can actually order uncooked longanisa as well, for pasalubong). Next was the habanera, a combination of menudo flavored ground pork with potatoes and egg. I can't quite distinguished the exact taste lolz but it"s delicious! We also treated ourselves with their Pancit Habab. It's like pancit canton with a twist as you pour some vinegar on the noodles when you eat it. It was a bit odd for me at first but it surely blended well with the habab taste! Lastly, we were so thirsty and chose the pandan cucumber juice as its refreshing green color caught our eye. Verdict? Everything they served tasted heavenly! 

After a well deserved lunch, we found this other restaurant that sells Longanisa  as pasalubong. They have this really nice mini bayongs to put your orders in to. The longanisas were sold by the dozens, choose for the standard size priced at 80 pesos or the jumbo size at 180 pesos. We chose the latter and we're glad we did. That ended up our Quezon adventure, at the moment at least. For I know that we will be regulars of this place. 

Padi's Point Antipolo

I remember Padi's Point as elevated huts where my friends and I can unwind, drink, enjoy the view and savor the cold gusts of wind. Well, that's how I pictured it in my mind more than 30 years ago, it was an awesome place even back then!

This is how it looks like at present. It had gone massive changes from how I imagined it to be but the changes are so apt to the millennials of today.

Wide elevated restaurant with a view to behold! At first, we thought we could  readily sit in these situated tables as soon as the last customers finish their meals or had enough selfie pics and relax time; it turned out that other customers are lined up before us so they can have that coveted seat as well, whew!

They have great menus, comparable with the other shops you'd usually go for a night out. They have festive menus and we indulged ourselves in plates of crispy pata, tofu with onion leeks and oyster like sauce, and rice to match our appetite.

What do we think? Well, my honest review would be: the place is fantastic because of the amazing view but it could've been better. The coveted tables are so few and a lot of customers want to experience having those seats as they eat and take selfies with their families and friends. Maybe they could come up with a better strategy than lining up the customers (like in their mind? lol!) in such a way where you won't know when your turn will come. Most of us ended giving up the idea and just ate our bitterness away. The food was superb so that's a substantial enough consolation for others who want to visit the place. They have seats outdoors as well to cater to either smoking customers or big groups that can't be accommodated in their indoor space due to space. Verdict? recommending mainly because of the view. The food is comparable with the nearby shops along the area so you have other choices if view ain't in your number 1 curiosity. 

Crepeman in Lilac

After a satisfying dinner at Padi's Point Antipolo, (I had this trip included also in a separate blog, go check it out.) Lou has been complaining of a dessert to complete her meal.I felt obliged as she's gonna be here for just a week and I've been curious of a shop along Lilac in Marikina that seems to have delectable crepe menus. And off we went to Crepeman Marikina branch.

It was a neat shop that could serve around 8-9 small groups or couples. They also have a seat outside for customers who smoke.

It was surprising to find out that their crepes are not solely the dessert-type sweet ones. They have crepe menus similar to a sandwich meal, it's just that they make use of crepe and not breads (imagine the image of shawarma or the Nan that they serve in Indian curry, or clubhouse served in Nan not white bread.) They also offer breakfast menus served in rice and filipino traditional dishes such as longanisa, hotdogs, ham and eggs among others.

I'm fascinated with antiques and old memorabilias. And their display caught my eye; an old radio, polaroid camera neatly mixed with the modern displays in their shop.

Lou ordered caramel banana crepe in whipped cream plus a coffee to balance the sweets she'll indulge herself in.

Lou loved the sweet blend of caramel, banana and whipped cream filling in her crunchy-prepared crepe served in metal stands. I think we would definitely visit it again when we can. The place is small but cozy, and the ambience is homey, I recommend it to small groups or couples looking for a sweet bite or for simply famished groups who likes homey atmospheres in their dining destinations.