Up Northwest: Zambales II

DAY ONE was Anawangin. :)

DAY TWO. After our satisfying breakfast at Nora's, where we had a yummy and generous serving of tocilog for only P100, we started our itinerary before 7AM— Capones Island then Camara Island. [Sol and her friends weren't able to find a bus ride to Zambales.]

First drop was Capones Island.

Nice fine sand and shoreline. But we couldn't see the famous Faro de Punta Capones (Capones Lighthouse). Manong informed us that it's on the other side of the island. Hay, bat di nga naman namin nilinaw. Pero di ba yun ang main attaction ng Capones? The other boatmen told him to bring us there and let his "assistant" guide us to the trail. "Entertain the visitors, " sabi pa nung isa. So there, sakay ulit kami ng bangka.

[We had another option: to treck from the east side of the island to the lighthouse. But it will take us an hour or so to reach the place. And since our time was limited and we only had our flip flops, we opted to ride the boat again. Oh, they say that some scenes in the TV series Marimar were shot here as well as in Punte de Uian Resort back in Pundaquit. :D ]

The ride to the other side was a challenge because of the strong waves and rocky shore. [Boats cannot just dock there.] The treck to the Capones Lighthouse was not easy either. The way up is a bit steep and, during that time, slippery because it rained the previous night. Aside from the uneven rock surfaces, there were too many leaves scattered on the unmarked trail, making the treck more devious.

[We wouldn't recommend taking the treck to the lighthouse during rainy days, unless you have the right trekking gears.]

But when we got there, worth it naman yung less than 20-minute climb. The spot was romantic and peaceful. A 360-degree view of Capones and the nearby islands boasts a good photo-op material.

My buddy was persistent to resolve his kite flying frustration from our Rizal Park's visit. Dala dala ang P60-saranggola all the way from Manila, hehe.

We went down and returned to our boat at around 830AM.

Our next stop was Camara Island.

We were welcomed by a picturesque rock formation, and fine off-white sand. The island somehow reminded us of Shimizu Island in El Nido, Palawan. And like Anawangin Beach, it also has strong undercurrent but with gradual rocky slope. My buddy had his chance to snorkel. I didn't; the current was too strong for me.

We had the chance to use the Flip-float that I got from my WWA 2009 coverage. Imagine the effort it took us to inflate that raft manually. :P

The sun was already piercing at 10AM. After several camera stunts, we went back to the main land.

By 1230PM, we hired a tricycle back to San Antonio then catched a bus heading to Caloocan. It took us four hours to reach Manila. Oh, our bus ride was fun. :)

*****
We're both beach persons. And our recent coastline trip is not one of most favorite beach destinations. Most probably, not his, too. But what I appreciate about it was our attitude towards the whole thing. We didn't take the flaws of the trip as off-putting. Rather, we found ways on how to inject gratification into each downside we met by chance. I think, this time, 80% of the trip's fulfillment came from each other's company.

Are we coming back? For a trekking and camping adventure, yes. But for a good unruffled swim, we both think one visit is enough.

Thank you very much for the weekend, buddy ko. *kugos*

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Day 2 Overheads (for two persons): P2452

Anawangin-Capones-Camara Island Hopping = P 1500
Food = 400
Tricycle fare from Pundaquit to San Antonio = 50
Bus Fare from San Antonio to Manila = 502

Up Northwest: Zambales I

We trailed a little up north this weekend.

After a series of go-no go discussions with some friends, my buddy and I firmly decided to hit the road to Zambales despite the erratic weather condition here in Manila for the past several days and the extended 5-day forecast by accuweather and PAGASA for our destination. After all, what could a few raindrops and light breeze possibly do to ruin our little summer outing? :)

So, with our backpacks and snorkling gears ready, we left the Victory Liner terminal in Pasay City around 530AM to Olongapo. We weren't able to catch the 5Am bus ride to Sta.Cruz/Iba, which would pass by San Antonio, our drop-off. We were trapped in a traffic mess somewhere in Subic, causing our trip to last for six hours. From Olongapo, we rode another Victory Liner bus going to Sta. Cruz/Iba to reach San Antonio.

[We recommend leaving Manila late in the evening, or having your tickets reserved before your preferred date.]

We had our contact boatman, Manong Randy, for our island hopping. And since we had settled on not having a camp, we did random quick calls to certain accommodations suggested by some bloggers and friends. Most of them were already fully-booked. Our choices were trimmed down to Punta de Uian, Ferriol's Residence, and Wild Rose Inn. Muntik na naming patulan ang Punta de Uian, probably the most expensive place there. But considering our time, our activities, and the place itself, we decided to go for a cheaper one. We got room F of WRI. Hmmm..let's say, in general, the room was pretty basic and the service was not exceptional-- sorry pero hindi proactive.

[We have no idea how the other rooms look like, but taking into account the quality of service, we wouldn't recommend the place. Try Ferriol's based on a good feedback from a couple of friends who stayed there last Holy Week or Punta de Uian based on its posted rates and photos. Or, bring your own food and go for a camping to save some pesos.]

DAY ONE. After searching the area for a decent lunch, we ended up eating at the resto of Nora's Beach Resort, a 3-minute walk from WRI. Then, around 130PM, we met Manong Randy's contact boatmen (he was still in Capones) to take us to Anawangin Cove fronting the South China Sea.

It was a 30-minute bumpy boat ride. Inspite of the nasty weather for the past few days, the place was still packed with campers. Parang tent city. We roamed around, took some pics, then tried the beach.

[Another way to reach the camp site is by trekking from Pundaquit for four to six hours, depending on your speed. The trek usually starts at 430AM.]

Malakas yung undercurrent ha. Para kaming weightless. The water would swiftly toss us to the shore then fiercely pull us back into the sea. After a number of attempts to look pro in the water, we decided to stay near the shoreline and just wait for those waves, hoping they would be a little calmer when they reach us. The sand is fine (not like Boracay's but more of White Beach, Puerto Galera's) and almost gray— sabi ng buddy ko magnetite daw yun. Around 3PM, the sea toned down. Ayan, our chance. After an hour, we decided to take a rest on the sand. He dozed off; I took pictures. Before 5PM, ikot-ikot ulit.

We both appreciate Anawangin as a great camp ground. Looking at the tent set up, we could imagine how cinematic it is when you wake up the next day, with the early morning sun rays seeping into the pine trees and the soft sound of the waves complementing the scene. Parang masarap magkape o kumain ng champorado. :)

[Try swimming around 3-5PM, or early in the morning. However, if your goal is just to have a smooth and safe dip, we wouldn't recommend Anawangin Beach and Pundaquit Beach. Closer to Manila and, for us, a wise choice is White Beach in Puerto Galera for a long stretch of fine sand with a gradual slope during weekdays and minus the night parties.]

We headed back to Pundaquit around 530PM. The rain started to pour. I somehow enjoyed the boat ride back to the mainland, thinking the little risk we took traversing the rough open sea in a relatively small boat. It was another 30-minute but bumpier ride.

I wasn't feeling so well in the evening. May nagbabadyang sore throat. Nadale ata ako ng halo-halo sa Anawangin. After refreshing ourselves, we planned to rent a tricycle to go back to San Antonio proper. Wala lang, ikot ikot lang sana. Realizing it was already dark outside, we decided on exploring the vicinity of Barangay Pundaquit to look for a place where we could have our dinner. But the place does not have that much establishments. After several minutes of strolling, we reached a sari-sari store that sells varied products— from toiletries to liempo to banana to Pringles to Amoxicillin. I bought a hot Nissin cup noodles and a stem of bananas; he bought rice and chicken curry from a nearby carinderia. And that was our dinner. :)

[Most accommodations there don't have cable TV in their rooms. The Dream Satellite is usually installed in the main TV of a resort's restaurant. Not that it is a priority; just an FYI. :D]

DAY TWO was Capones and Camara Islands.

*****
Day 1 Overheads (2 persons): P2860

Bus fare from Manila to Olongapo = P498
Bus fare from Olongapo to San Antonio = 102
Tricycle fare from San Antonion to Pundaquit = 60
Accommodation for 2D/1N = 1500
Food = 700

(Anawangin entrance for a day tour is P50 per head and for an overnight stay is P150 per head. Anawangin-Capones-Camara Package is P1500. These are standard rates.)

Wake Park

Ela, one of my closest friends since UP CMC days, offered a spanking sideline last week (thanks, thanks!). A seven-day production for the 2009 WWA Wakeboarding Championships at Camsur Watersports Complex (CWC) in Pili, Camarines Sur. Initial hurdle set in: I would be needing five VLs in a row--- and that would be too much. But my cool manager gave me a go signal right after my wInsight project was released last March 20 (woohoo!).

It had been a week of mixed emotions: fired up for learning a new sport (which, I sense, could possibly be a potential hobby), inspired for an out-of-town vacation going back to production, and glum for a weeklong unusual break without my buddy.

I met up with Ela and Giselle (another CMC batchmate) around 1AM at Starbucks in Morato. I wanted Kopi Roti or Seattle's that night but I realized I was wearing my charcoal Starbucks tee. So, out of respect to coffee (hehe) I waited for them at Starbucks. Luckily, I earned another complimentary beverage for my next visit.

Our convoy (an L300, an OB van, a Canter, and a Montero) left Manila at 2AM. The crew consisted of 25 individuals, including their ever reliable drivers. I didn't know what my job would be. Ela just told me they needed someone to help on the creative side. But in one of our stopover chitchat, Direk Bebs Francisco, a noted TV director for sports, started discussing scripts, segments, and AVPs with me and Giselle. Exciting na nakaka-tense. Parang college ulet, hehe.

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CWC is absolutely huge. It offers little cabanas, tiki huts, trailer homes, villas, and a mansion for accommodation. It also has two big man-made lakes for wakeboarding and waterskating: one using a cable system and the other using a motor boat. The newest addition is the World's first Winch Park (it looks like a skateboarding vert ramp with funboxes but this time with water). The Clubhouse also provides guests with a moderately good menu, free WiFi, a game room where you can play pool, foos ball and table tennis, and another area for air hockey and basketball. And the province has had a very hip and meticulous governor (thanks, Gov, for the interviews!). :)




The place, as expected, was stuffed with hot bodies, six-pack abs, trendy boardshorts and bikinis, funny commentators and DJs, and Mac laptops owned by a few riders. We had been feeding www.cwcwake.com and www.justin.tv/camsur with real time (although sometimes late by a few minutes) video coverage powered by Bayantel, and moderating a chatroom facilitated by our graphics editor Kuya Mond (who's been listening to podcast about Twitter, Microsoft, and Apple while editing).

Equally remarkable and chic was the event itself. Imagine a whole day of video and photo coverage taken directly from the Republik chopper for almost seven days. There were large, multihued, and visually striking posters and tarpaulins everywhere. There was a party with a unique theme each night, from Arabian Night to Retro Party to Masquerade Ball. There was a decent fireworks display before each party began. There were invited known TV and movie personalities, and there was a press conference that included Solar Sports, Sports Unlimited, and other members of the International press to its guests list.

Hitches? Undeniably, a number of them. Their constantly changing timetable; thus our relentlessly shifting camera setup. The sudden request for specific details and output by some people. The
misguided communication among team members (in a big event like this, everyone needs to carry compact handheld radio I think). And the sun. Graaah-- who can beat the burning sun? Super iniiit! For those who are moderately brown like me, what would you expect afterward aside from sunburn? :P

Good thing we discovered three literally cool hangout places, the OB van where we can listen to Direk Bebs demanding a smooth panning shot from camera 2 or saying "o sorry na" for his wrong call to camera 4, the Clubhouse where we can see everyone including event coordinators, roaming camera guys as well as riders, and the Melo's airconditioned booth where we can enjoy a watermelon shake or a brewed coffee with one or two small coffee buns.

By Tuesday, Ela and her dad left us for their Earth Hour prod prep in Manila. We didnt' know where "the calling" came from but Direk Bebs had been assigning me and Giselle as producers of the show. The last three days was not as busy and as stressful as the previous days, though. We were able to roam around, buy some souvenirs, and take photos. The exhaustion sank in Saturday afternoon. Giselle and I went for a short trip to Naga (lakas loob yan, commute) and desperately looked for a nice foot spa. We asked a saleslady at E-Mall, and she recommended Blips Spa Center, just almost a block away. Relatively pricey, parang pang-Manila na. But since we'd been walking for several minutes, we availed its foot spa with paraffin and pedicure (this one we didn't avail) for P500. The ambience is OK by the way; dimming the lights would be better.

Sunday was the sweetest-- a resounding "pack up". Ela and her dad, Tito Fernan, returned from Manila. We didn't finish the awarding ceremonies. After a bottle of Coors Light, a couple of quesadillas slices, and a barbecue stick, we headed home courtesy of the Penafrancia's lazy boy seats. We left some cameramen and Ela's dad to cover the last part of the event.

And I got a giant inflatable slipper-shaped raft, Flip-Float, from Havaianas! Thanks to the girl who spotted me. =)

*****

I missed you already at the end of the third day. Let's go back there one of these days, and try to bunny hop and sideslide. And when we get the hang of it, we can move on to ole and boardslide. :)

Kite for Dummies

Two Sundays ago, we went to Rizal Park for kite flying. It was an awfully humid afternoon at home, and Gabi had been throwing tantrums-- must be the heat.

Gabi with her emoticons-- damay lang ako. :)

We assumed it was a sure thing since we already knew the basics: hold the kite and pull the string when a moderate wind blows. He did those stuff actually. He was a one-man show at first, carefully tossing the kite and pulling the string while calling Gabi's attention; the kid was running loose everywhere. But our colorful butterfly kite kept on descending after several seconds in the air. He was a bit frustrated by the scene. Gabi was in awe— maybe not of our kite but of the other kites fluttering like silky patches in the sky.

Feeling for his late afternoon toil, I helped him pitch the kite up. I lost count of the times we did our routine: me tossing that piece of paper and him winding and unwinding the string. We were able to redeem ourselves though, but not for a long time. That stubborn butterfly kite eventually tumbled down, either hitting a tree branch or landing on the thin grass.

After two hours and several attempts, we decided to pack up and just eat dinner. So much for our kite flying know-how; we underestimated its physics. But at least we burned some calories! :)

*****

Buddy ko, you did a good job. The kite just sucked. :D