Baler, Aurora - Located approximately 155 miles northeast of Metro Manila, is a municipality that every Filipino has heared of at least once in their lives.
But what exactly gave this 36 square mile piece of land it's mark on the globe?
To answer that question, me, my girlfriend and a friend of ours took a break from work and let our desks collect dust to check if Baler can live up to the words of praises endowed to it.
Contrary to what others believe, going to Baler is actually an easy feat. Genesis Bus lines provides round the clock trips from Cubao to Baler, so we decided to take one of their Joy Buses scheduled to leave at 1:30am so we can start our tour early and finish visiting all tourist spots on day 1 since we planned to stay only for 3 days and 2 nights.
The Bus fare wasn't steep but it's not the cheapest around either. We mainly agreed to take it because my girlfriend had work the previous day and our friend came all the way from Bicol. Well for me, I agreed because I like sleeping on long Bus travels, and that's about the best thing you can do when taking one of these Joy Buses. Just imagine, 6 hours of sleep in a dark, fully air conditioned bus with a cozy reclining lazy boy seat and a comfy blanket to keep you warm and toasty all throughout your journey. Damn... This is what I love most about all my travels.
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| Being true to my words above, the picture below is the last thing I remember before arriving at Baler. |
We arrived at the JoyBus terminal in Baler at around 5:30 in the morning, an hour earlier than what we expected. Normally we could have requested a shuttle pick up from Costa Pacifica (our Hotel), but I had difficulties reaching them via phone the day before we embarked on our journey. So we just rented a tricycle to bring us to our destination... Costa Pacifica, one of the most expensive and luxurious hotels in Baler. And believe me when I tell you... This is the place to be... It was worth every penny we paid for. The room, the facilities, the service and the staff... All of them! Even if they doubled their rates, I would still gladly book my next Baler vacation with them.
Anyways, so we were feeling lucky and tried to see if we can check-in early in our rooms so we can drop our stuff and get ready for breakfast. And guess what... It seems like lady luck shines bright on our side.
The receptionist allowed us to check in early at 6am rather than the regular check-in time of 2pm. So off we went to visit the room that will serve as our sanctuary for the next 3 days.
But before leaving I took the opportunity to clip a couple of shots via my phone...
The receptionist allowed us to check in early at 6am rather than the regular check-in time of 2pm. So off we went to visit the room that will serve as our sanctuary for the next 3 days.
But before leaving I took the opportunity to clip a couple of shots via my phone...
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| This is my girlfriend talking with the receptionist. |
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| Here's the pool area just before the break of dawn. |
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| And this odd building that looks like a granary houses some of Costa Pacifica's Hotel rooms. |
We were checked-in in one of the Bahia De Casitas rooms that according to our tricycle driver/tour guide Mang Rolly, the Angara clan acquired from it's previous owners for more than 30 million pesos.
The room was great, it was actually better than what I expected or saw in some of the television shows that aired a couple of days ago.
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Well great is an understatement, the room was fabulous! I was actually thorn between getting ready for breakfast and laying my back flat on those inviting mattresses. The pillows were like made of clouds, they were so soft and fluffy... Damn! I could spend half of the day just rubbing my cheeks on them. Not to mention that they paired this with a freaking comforter that wants to be called by it's superlative form. And I mean no exaggeration when I say that all 3 of us were enchanted by the beauty and comfort that we saw in our hotel room.
But that was not everything, they also had a 32 inch wall mounted flat LCD screen, a hot shower and glass door that leads to a veranda facing the pool area. All of which I didn't bother to take pictures of because I was so enchanted by what I previously mentioned.
On a second note. I scavenged my girlfriend's phone and got this:
This is the view from the veranda. The water in the pool is clean and reaches about 5ft at most. There's also a small Jacuzzi which was not functional at that time.
So we dropped our stuff, and got ready to start our vacation.
So we dropped our stuff, and got ready to start our vacation.
DAY 1
We started the day with a heavy breakfast at Bayler View Hotel. Since we saw a lot of people dining there, we deduced that the food must either taste good or the prices must be pretty cheap there. Well any of those 2 is good for me... Luckily we got the best of both worlds. The food tastes great and the price wasn't steep at all. I ordered shredded beef Tapa and wanted to have the egg poached, but unfortunately they don't poach eggs because according to the waiter it was hard to make.
Boo! C'mon, it can't be that hard! My girlfriend saw a video in YouTube and made me one right after a couple of weeks ago.
Anyways, I didn't want to spoil my appetite (and Hunger) so I settled for the "malasado" type sunny side up as a pair to my beef tapa.
The shredded beef tapa was intoxicating... It was very crispy but it seemed like it was melting in my mouth. The taste was good and I didn't have to bother with tearing it to bits since it was already shredded. Overall, I'd give it a 9/10, don't ask me why not 10, because I can't explain it myself. It just feels like it was missing something to be called a breakfast... Maybe a couple of tomato slices.
The shredded beef tapa was intoxicating... It was very crispy but it seemed like it was melting in my mouth. The taste was good and I didn't have to bother with tearing it to bits since it was already shredded. Overall, I'd give it a 9/10, don't ask me why not 10, because I can't explain it myself. It just feels like it was missing something to be called a breakfast... Maybe a couple of tomato slices.
After the breakfast we proceeded with walking the shore a little bit before starting the tour.
And here's a panoramic shot of the shores of Baler:
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| This is me and my girlfriend. Don't we look better than the scenery behind us? Joke! |
After the seemingly endless photo session of our friend, we agreed to meet our tour guide for the day in front of our hotel room. The guy is better known as tricycle number 601 or Kuya Rolly for short.
Doña Aurora house
Our first destination is the Doña Aurora house located in the heart of the town. It's the house where former president Manuel L Quezon lived the early stages of his married life.
Well, actually the house is just a replica of the original one which perished sometime in the past. But the location is the exact same spot where the original once stood.
Here's the place. We arrived at exactly 8:44 in the morning. There is no entrance fee but you can donate any amount to keep the place running.
The house overall didn't really interest me. There was nothing extraordinary about the place, neither was it interesting in the artistic point of view.
The only thing that caught my attention was the restored 1937 Chrysler Airflow which served as Quezon's presidential car back in the old days.
Don't get it wrong, I'm no car enthusiast, my girlfriend probably knows more about cars than what I will ever know in two life times. But I do know what makes me feel good. And just looking at that damn car and imagining me riding at the back must have felt really awesome.
The only thing that caught my attention was the restored 1937 Chrysler Airflow which served as Quezon's presidential car back in the old days.
Don't get it wrong, I'm no car enthusiast, my girlfriend probably knows more about cars than what I will ever know in two life times. But I do know what makes me feel good. And just looking at that damn car and imagining me riding at the back must have felt really awesome.
Here's the best shot that I got. Damn glass keeps on reflecting the other side which blocks most of the car.
Baler Church
Next up was the San Luis Obispo De Tolosa church or better known as Baler church.
The church is located just across the street from where Quezon's house is, so all you have to do is walk a couple of meters to get there.
The church is located just across the street from where Quezon's house is, so all you have to do is walk a couple of meters to get there.
This is probably the most historic site in the whole town as this is where the Spaniards held ground during the siege of Baler. According to historians, the Spanish guards fortified the church and held their ground for 11 months while the combined forces of Filipino and American soldiers placed the town under siege. The same church has also been featured in the movie adaptation of the same event.
Baler Park
After the house and the church... Comes the park (LOL). Baler park, which houses the town's museum and Baler's 2nd vintage car also serves as a meeting place and rehearsal grounds for academic activities.
Here is the centerpiece of the park, a life-sized statue of Manuel Quezon sitting crossed-legs seemingly taking watch over his nice little home town.
Which stirred the curious little cat in me to see what our former president sees sitting on top of that small stage.
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| The interior of the church looked simple yet very solemn. So we took the opportunity to say a little prayer and ask for a safe trip. |
Baler Park
After the house and the church... Comes the park (LOL). Baler park, which houses the town's museum and Baler's 2nd vintage car also serves as a meeting place and rehearsal grounds for academic activities.
Here is the centerpiece of the park, a life-sized statue of Manuel Quezon sitting crossed-legs seemingly taking watch over his nice little home town.
Which stirred the curious little cat in me to see what our former president sees sitting on top of that small stage.
And... There you go... It's just funny, because when you look intensely at the right side, you will see an establishment named "pakunswelo", in English: "consolation". Humorously pertaining to Quezon's final and eternal view as just a consolation.
The museum, which is just behind Quezon's back houses several loots from sunken ships, mostly trade galleons from the Spanish era. None of them looks really fascinating, but since most of those porcelain vases and plates are over 3 centuries old, they have been named artifacts of the pre-independence era. The museum also has some props used by the movie Baler and a couple of portraits of Spanish soldiers in display.
Here are some pictures of the museum:
They didn't have much in display, although the last one fascinated me because it had a slight resemblance to the Flying Dutchman as depicted by the famous movie about pirates.
After leaving the museum, we took a short detour and dropped by at the JoyBus terminal to book our trip back home. We later found out that we could have just asked our hotel to book the trip back home for us with just a simple phone call.
Yes, Costa Pacifica will have one of their staff go to the terminal to book your trip according to your preference. Starting to like them? I certainly do.
Yes, Costa Pacifica will have one of their staff go to the terminal to book your trip according to your preference. Starting to like them? I certainly do.
Lukso-Lukso
After the short detour, we started our tour to the spots which were located outside the city.
Our first stop was the Lukso-Lukso overlooking spot. We arrived there at 10:30 in the morning. The spot was just along the highway that we traversed. It was a steep cliff overlooking a rocky shore consistently being crushed by the furious waves of the Pacific.
Our first stop was the Lukso-Lukso overlooking spot. We arrived there at 10:30 in the morning. The spot was just along the highway that we traversed. It was a steep cliff overlooking a rocky shore consistently being crushed by the furious waves of the Pacific.
See those waves? They can be pretty lethal if paired with those black rocks on the shore.
And since we were already there, we asked our guide to take a jump shot of us three:
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| Thanks to Sony Xperia's Time Burst mode, repeated failed attempts of jump shots is now history. |
Another thing that fascinates me about Baler is how all these tourist spots are conveniently located along the highway. Which brings me to our second stop: Diguisit falls. A small water falls along the high way. The place where locals bathe their kids and wash their clothes under the bright morning sun.
Diguisit Falls
It wasn't much of a spot since it's just a couple of meters high. But it's still worth the stop since you can refresh your face and soak your feet in the cold waters coming from the mountain.
By the way, another great thing about Baler is that the wind always blows cold despite the scorching sun. Must have something to do with the wind coming from the sea and the rich flora in the area.
15 minutes away from Diguisit falls lies our next destination. Diguisit beach and some of it's rock formations.
Diguisit Beach
Unfortunately, there were students camping near the shore and a pictorial of the Bb. Aurora beauty pageant was about to take place. So we just settled for strolling the rocky shores a couple of meters away from the camp site.
Locals say that the best time to visit this place is during sunsets as the rocks provide a combination of eerie and serene ambiance when shaded by the diminishing light of the sun.
Warning! There are Sea urchins lurking between some of the rocks. So don't forget to wear slippers with hard soles and always look down before shifting your weight from one foot to another. We immediately packed up on our pictorial session upon finding this out as we didn't want to risk stepping on any of them.
At that time it was almost 12 noon and we all felt a mutual need to ingest something delicious. So we all agreed to head back to town to fill our empty stomachs.
But before going back, we briefly stopped by Ermita Hill and the monument erected in memory of the few people who survived a tsunami that almost wiped out Baler's entire population.
Ermita Hill
But before going back, we briefly stopped by Ermita Hill and the monument erected in memory of the few people who survived a tsunami that almost wiped out Baler's entire population.
As you can see, they even made a replica of the killer waves that claimed thousands of lives.
There is also a stair way leading to a small picnic ground on top of the hill which provides a not so bad overlooking view of a part of the town.
GERRY Shan's
Fast forward to lunch time and we found ourselves dining at Gerry Shan's eat-all-you-can buffet for just 185 pesos per head.
The food's taste was mediocre, but there was plenty of dishes to choose from. Not to mention that they also have shrimps (fresh water) and squids on the menu. They also serve unlimited drinks and a couple of salads, fruits and desserts.
The food's taste was mediocre, but there was plenty of dishes to choose from. Not to mention that they also have shrimps (fresh water) and squids on the menu. They also serve unlimited drinks and a couple of salads, fruits and desserts.
After revitalizing our selves with 2-3 plates, it was almost 1:00pm and we all came to the conclusion that we had to move one of the spots for tomorrow because it would simply take too long to get there and the sun probably won't wait up on us.
So we once again rode our tricycle to head to the World-famous Millennium Tree.
One of the largest Balete trees in the world. Well Millennium is actually an inappropriate name since the tree ain't really a thousand years in age. But locals say that it is probably older than 600 hundred years old.
Millennium Tree
One of the largest Balete trees in the world. Well Millennium is actually an inappropriate name since the tree ain't really a thousand years in age. But locals say that it is probably older than 600 hundred years old.
We arrived there at 1:20PM and what I thought would just be a quick picture session suddenly turned to a tree climbing expedition thanks to my ever impulsive girlfriend.
I to be honest didn't climb it due to 2 reasons:
1. I was too big and I'm afraid that I may get stuck in one of those crevices created by the branches.
2. I hate climbing trees.
So if you're one with me, you can probably still find joy in taking pictures inside the small cavern of the Millennium tree.
I to be honest didn't climb it due to 2 reasons:
1. I was too big and I'm afraid that I may get stuck in one of those crevices created by the branches.
2. I hate climbing trees.
So if you're one with me, you can probably still find joy in taking pictures inside the small cavern of the Millennium tree.
I don't know the exact measurements of the tree. But believe me when I say that you'd probably be in a very bad shape if you fell while climbing it.
Luckily, there were lots of local guides ready to assist any tourist climbing the tree without expecting anything but a small donation coming from your kind hearts.
Once my girlfriend and our friend finished the way down, we continued to our last destination for the day.
Dimatubo or better known as Mother Falls. According to our guide, the locals living around the area, required that tourists transfer to "their" tricycles to transport and guide them to the falls for 100 pesos per head. But taking our guides advise, we went the other way around and got one of the locals there as a guide for the trek since he said that it would be cheaper if we went that way.
Luckily, there were lots of local guides ready to assist any tourist climbing the tree without expecting anything but a small donation coming from your kind hearts.
Once my girlfriend and our friend finished the way down, we continued to our last destination for the day.
Mother Falls
The trek to Mother Falls took no less than an hour. The trail was very easy as there were no steep tracks. The fun started when our trail started to converge with the "usual" trail and we started crossing streams of water and bamboo bridges.
We also came across a hydro-electric power plant connected to the dam harnessing the surge of water coming from the famous Mother Falls. And when we finally arrived at our destination, we were welcomed by the cold waters of the mountain.
We also came across a hydro-electric power plant connected to the dam harnessing the surge of water coming from the famous Mother Falls. And when we finally arrived at our destination, we were welcomed by the cold waters of the mountain.
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| This is the 3 of us before I decided to test the waters. |
The water wasn't deep but it was extremely cold. And believe me when I say that it is "extremely" cold. Anyways, you probably won't last an hour dipping in those waters without risking getting struck by hypothermia.
And that concluded the first day of our trip. We headed back to our hotel to freshen up and get ready for dinner.
Beach House Resto
At around 7PM, we proceeded to our Hotel's restaurant, the Beach House. We ordered 3 Filipino dishes: Pinakbet, Binuklad na Dilis and the all famous Chicken Binakol.
This is simply tinola served in a coconut shell, with only one exception, instead of using water to cook this famous stew, chef's used fresh Buko juice to give it a sweet and balanced taste.
And here's the Dilis... 5 minutes after being served to us. The plate was full by the way.
Unfortunately, we were unable to take a picture of the Pakbet ad it suddenly vanished into our hungry stomachs.
The price was a bit high. But that was justified by the superb taste and service that we received that evening.
We then went to sleep to get enough energy for our trip tomorrow.
Day 2
We initially agreed to wake up at 4AM so we can have an early morning jog by the beach, but since our beds insisted that we extend our sleep... We regretfully obliged (Lol).
Anyways, we got up at 5 in the morning and started getting ready for breakfast and our trip to Dicasalarin cove.
Anyways, we got up at 5 in the morning and started getting ready for breakfast and our trip to Dicasalarin cove.
Breakfast
Our Hotel stay included complimentary buffet breakfast every morning, so we took full advantage of it and enjoyed Beach House's cross continental cuisine.
There was lots of stuff to choose from: Suman, cheese, pan cakes, fried rice, corned beef, omelets, oat meals, corn flakes and many more! Outside guests can also indulge themselves in this sumptuous breakfast for only 450 pesos per head.
Here is Baler's famous Suman, those dips are Aling Pacing's Coco Jam and Peanut Butter.
And these two are my precious companions.
After an hour of breakfast we finally started the ride towards the Famous land of the Angara's...
Dicasalarin cove
But let me warn you. Before going to Dicasalarin, there are a couple of things that you need to consider.
A good part of the road is made up of steep uphill roads combined with sharp curves. So make sure that you have a vehicle with good breaks and strong engine.
Get a Gate Pass from Costa Pacifica front desk. Guests who are checked-in will have an entrance fee of 100 pesos per person while others will have to pay 300 pesos each.
Expect about 30 minutes - 1 hour steep up hill and down hill hike if you decide to go there by land. Why? It is strongly advised that you alight your vehicles on steep roads to ensure your safety.
Costa Pacifica offers tour packages ranging from 1,000 - 5,000 which you can avail. I haven't confirmed this, but locals say that they provide boat accommodation too.
A good part of the road is made up of steep uphill roads combined with sharp curves. So make sure that you have a vehicle with good breaks and strong engine.
Get a Gate Pass from Costa Pacifica front desk. Guests who are checked-in will have an entrance fee of 100 pesos per person while others will have to pay 300 pesos each.
Expect about 30 minutes - 1 hour steep up hill and down hill hike if you decide to go there by land. Why? It is strongly advised that you alight your vehicles on steep roads to ensure your safety.
Costa Pacifica offers tour packages ranging from 1,000 - 5,000 which you can avail. I haven't confirmed this, but locals say that they provide boat accommodation too.
So off we went via our good 'ol trike. And after 30 minutes or so, me and my friend proceeded by foot while my girlfriend remained in the trike while going up.
At first I thought that this will be a piece of cake like the trek from the previous day, but I was sooo wrong!
Had I known what was waiting for me, I would have simply paid 5 grands to anyone to take me there via boat. But there I was, ignorant to the long and exhausting trek that was waiting for me.
At first I thought that this will be a piece of cake like the trek from the previous day, but I was sooo wrong!
Had I known what was waiting for me, I would have simply paid 5 grands to anyone to take me there via boat. But there I was, ignorant to the long and exhausting trek that was waiting for me.
The road was either up hill or down hill, no straight planes and no easy roads. And if you're overweight like me, you should know how hard it is to walk up a steep path and keep your balance while walking down hill.
This is me at the edge of my wits. I couldn't help but grab a branch to use as a walking stick. By the way, the shirt I'm using is a thermal shirt designed in Japan. It increases the body temperature every time it gets soaked in water. Unfortunately it does the same thing when soaked in sweat. So you can only imagine the heat I had to bear while exerting all of my energy to carry my own body weight.
You see that beach behind the first mountain on the right side? That's where we're going.
After more than an hour of trek, we finally arrived at the most beautiful place in Baler... Dicasalarin Cove. A paradise covered in the steep mountain range of Aurora. A place that nature shielded from human abuse and modernization.
Here are some of the pictures that we took before proceeding to the beach area:
This part is being taken care of by the helpers of the Angara family. They've been keeping the place clean just in case the Senator decides to spend the weekend there.
I was about to rush into the waters when my girlfriend pointed towards a sign that said: "Bawal Lumangoy".
Upon closely examining the waters, I too was convinced that swimming in those waters should be prohibited.
The waves were just too fierce, not to mention that there are several rock formations on the side of the clear shore. The sea bed too proved to be too perilous for swimmers as there is a sudden ledge leading to greater depths.
Upon closely examining the waters, I too was convinced that swimming in those waters should be prohibited.
The waves were just too fierce, not to mention that there are several rock formations on the side of the clear shore. The sea bed too proved to be too perilous for swimmers as there is a sudden ledge leading to greater depths.
That's our friend soaking his feet in the cold water since that's all we could settle for.
Here are more pictures of us being happy on the beach:
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| Yes. That's supposed to be a Cart wheel. |
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This is the view from the opposite side. |
There's a passage through the rocky part of the beach that leads to a 170 steps stairway towards the lighthouse which looked more like a monument rather than an actual lighthouse.
Warning! If you're afraid of heights you may probable feel a little stiff when you reach the top.
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| Here's a picture of us walking the stairway. |
And this is the view that awaits you when you get to the top:
This. Ladies and gentlement is a U.S.O., short for unidentified standing object. It's supposed to be a light house but it looks nothing close to an actual lighthouse.
And here's our friend Rod standing on the other side.
Everything seemed so magical that I almost forgot that we still had to walk the same path that we did before arriving there.
And again, believe me when I tell you that I almost succumbed to the heat and fatigue, not to mention dehydration.
Because despite all efforts of preparation... None of us ever thought of bringing bottled water! I almost resorted to chewing some of the leaves we passed by just to rehydrate my mouth.
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| Believe me, you wouldn't want to be standing where she is. |
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| See. I look stiff, don't I? |
Everything seemed so magical that I almost forgot that we still had to walk the same path that we did before arriving there.
And again, believe me when I tell you that I almost succumbed to the heat and fatigue, not to mention dehydration.
Because despite all efforts of preparation... None of us ever thought of bringing bottled water! I almost resorted to chewing some of the leaves we passed by just to rehydrate my mouth.
After the long trek, we went to the rolling stores back in town to have lunch. The food was cheap and the taste was alright, end of the story, nothing to complaint about.
With lunch being done, we went back to the hotel to freshen up and get ready to ride the waves of Baler.
There are plenty of options as almost all resorts and hotels in the area offers surfing lessons and board rentals. But we ultimately decided to have our baptism of fire at Aliya's Surf Camp.
Aliya Surf Camp
The price was 350 pesos per hour which already includes board rental, instructor, ballers and discount coupons on items displayed in their hotel shop. Nice deal right?
Well, if you are on a tight budget, other surf camps offer cheaper rates. Just walk the shore and you'll surely come across cheaper rates.
Well, if you are on a tight budget, other surf camps offer cheaper rates. Just walk the shore and you'll surely come across cheaper rates.
By the way, ladies: you may want to protect that silky white skin of yours by getting a rush guard. Gents: as if we ever cared! Right?
Anyways, the first part would be practicing how to get up and balance yourself on the board. The instructors will explain the steps to you before rushing head on into the waves.
Guys, pay very close attention to this!
Missing these instructions may lead to a total waste of time and money as you won't even have the chance to stand up on your board.
Guys, pay very close attention to this!
Missing these instructions may lead to a total waste of time and money as you won't even have the chance to stand up on your board.
Here's a picture of Rod listening eagerly to his instructor:
Another thing to keep in mind, a bulging belly may give you troubles when standing up. Just tell your instructor that your belly is giving you a problem and they'll give you some tips on how to get past that.
Another thing to keep in mind, a bulging belly may give you troubles when standing up. Just tell your instructor that your belly is giving you a problem and they'll give you some tips on how to get past that.
Here are a couple of pictures taken by my girlfriend:
I promise you, you'll feel a different kind of ecstasy once you get a grip on this.
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| That's Rod... Under his board as opposed to being "on" it. |
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| There you go my friend! |
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| This one kills! |
I promise you, you'll feel a different kind of ecstasy once you get a grip on this.
Here's another one for the road:
Well, as basic as all this might look like, be prepared for a hand full of frustrations. Merely standing up ob the board requires a lot of concentration and timing. Staying on top of it is another story. So don't feel like giving up whenever you fall off the board. Just relax and focus on one step at a time. I, for example took more falls than the number of successful "rides" I made. Also, don't ever compare yourself with others, some people are born with an extraordinary sense of balance, while some are not. Some will just need an hour of "training" to be able to surf on their own, while some may take 3. Just don't give up and always remember: "There are only two things you need to surf: One, a board. And Two, freaking nice waves."
Still not believing me? Look up Nick Vujicic and you'll know where my optimism in surfing is coming from.
Still not believing me? Look up Nick Vujicic and you'll know where my optimism in surfing is coming from.
After an hour of surfing my companions decided to hang out by the pool area while I took off to town to get some money and buy cake and flowers for my Girlfriend.
Here are some pictures of my companions enjoying the pool:
During this time I stumbled upon one of the undiscovered delicacies of Baler. A choco waffle enclosed chocolate chiffon cake topped with cream cheese. It just tastes so awesome you'll forget you bought it for someone else! The cheese on top is just mouth watering and the chocolate part tastes just as good.
It's something worth your time and money as you'll hardly find a cake that tastes as good as that one here in metro manila. By the way, did I mention that it only costs 350 pesos?
Unfortunately, I forgot to take note of the name of the pastry shop and the cake. Neither did I manage to take a picture of the label on the box.
So if any of you know what I'm talking about, please send me the name so I can give them credit for their fabulous work.
It's something worth your time and money as you'll hardly find a cake that tastes as good as that one here in metro manila. By the way, did I mention that it only costs 350 pesos?
Unfortunately, I forgot to take note of the name of the pastry shop and the cake. Neither did I manage to take a picture of the label on the box.
So if any of you know what I'm talking about, please send me the name so I can give them credit for their fabulous work.
Here's a picture of that mouth watering devil:
...with my Angel holding it. :-)
By the way, she just turned 27 last February 13.
Later that evening we decided to have dinner at Hungry surfers resto which was just located beside Costa Pacifica. Prices were mid-range, as well as the taste.
But what surprised me was the poor service we received from the waiter. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't the resto as a whole, but just that particular waiter.
Smiling isn't a necessity, but that bastard of a waiter wasn't even wearing a neutral face. He was literally making face while rolling his eyes as we were trying to decide what to eat. But what ticked me off the most was how he dropped his tickler in front of me and said: "pa check kung tama."
I didn't react because I didn't want to spoil my girlfriend's birthday dinner, so I just let it slip and promised to myself that I'd freaking shove all 3 of our plates down his face should he piss me off again.
By the way, she just turned 27 last February 13.
Dinner @ Hungry Surfer
Later that evening we decided to have dinner at Hungry surfers resto which was just located beside Costa Pacifica. Prices were mid-range, as well as the taste.
But what surprised me was the poor service we received from the waiter. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't the resto as a whole, but just that particular waiter.
Smiling isn't a necessity, but that bastard of a waiter wasn't even wearing a neutral face. He was literally making face while rolling his eyes as we were trying to decide what to eat. But what ticked me off the most was how he dropped his tickler in front of me and said: "pa check kung tama."
I didn't react because I didn't want to spoil my girlfriend's birthday dinner, so I just let it slip and promised to myself that I'd freaking shove all 3 of our plates down his face should he piss me off again.
Here's our dinner:
The taste was mediocre but there were a lot of people dining and drinking there. Probably because of the nice view ambiance.
The taste was mediocre but there were a lot of people dining and drinking there. Probably because of the nice view ambiance.
Before we decided to end the day, I bought a couple of bottles of smb light in one of the sari-sari stores near our room and consumed it in the veranda area until our eye lids gave in.
Day 3
We didn't have anything planned for the day since we were scheduled to leave at 3pm and we didn't want to be cramming for time if we schedule a trip somewhere. So we just took our time to eat breakfast and take a couple of pictures by the pool area.
This time we decided to eat breakfast outside.
After breakfast, we just chilled around the pool area. So we swam here and there and took a couple of pictures every now and then to kill time.
Here's the drinking station by the pool area. There are no waiters stationed here, so you have to pour yourself your own glass.
Here's Rod in chest-deep water.
And this is him under the water.
And since we didn't really have anything to do, we took more photographs to throughout the day.
Here are some of them:
The view by the pool area is just fascinating.
Just imaging floating in cold water while watching the Pacific throwing it's mighty waves on the shore.
Just imaging floating in cold water while watching the Pacific throwing it's mighty waves on the shore.
These pictures are taken outside our hotel room:
Upon checkout at 12 noon, we decided to get some "pasalubong" for our loved one's waiting at home.
Upon checkout at 12 noon, we decided to get some "pasalubong" for our loved one's waiting at home.
So we left our bags in the custody of the receptionists at the front desk and rented a trike to bring us to the nearest market place.
One thing that I can recommend would be Aling Pacing's Peanut butter.
You can get some from their store located beside the Joy Bus terminal.
You may also want to try Baler's Suman and Paco as they both are very delicious.
You can get some from their store located beside the Joy Bus terminal.
You may also want to try Baler's Suman and Paco as they both are very delicious.
Lastly, we made sure to fill our stomachs with a sumptuous lunch before embarking on our trip back home.
We ordered Baler pizza and Macho Nacho at Costa Pacifica's resident resto.
Baler Pizza although just an ordinary pizza topped with Paco and Baler's authentic Longganisa far exceeds the taste of your everyday pan pizza.
Why? It's the crust! The crust made such a big difference. It's crunchy, tasty and doesn't taste like ordinary dough.
I definitely recommend this to anyone visiting Baler.
Macho Nacho on the other hand, is just plain nachos with "everything" on it. Yes, everything that you can think of that fits in the context of being nacho toppings is included.
We ordered Baler pizza and Macho Nacho at Costa Pacifica's resident resto.
Baler Pizza although just an ordinary pizza topped with Paco and Baler's authentic Longganisa far exceeds the taste of your everyday pan pizza.
Why? It's the crust! The crust made such a big difference. It's crunchy, tasty and doesn't taste like ordinary dough.
I definitely recommend this to anyone visiting Baler.
Macho Nacho on the other hand, is just plain nachos with "everything" on it. Yes, everything that you can think of that fits in the context of being nacho toppings is included.
And that concludes our Baler trip. We were lucky to have booked our trip on weekdays since the place is swarming with tourists every weekends. This is due to the province's proximity to the city.
Overall I'd say that Baler is awesome, I love the food and the different tourist spots we visited.
But most of all, I love the hotel we were checked in. I probably wouldn't have enjoyed this vacation as much had we booked a different hotel. The service and comfort that we received amplified everything about Baler. So heed my advise and book your hotel at Costa Pacifica.
You won't regret it. Their service is worth every peso you'll pay them.
This definitely won't be my last time in Baler. There's just so much to love about this little town that makes you wanna come back for more. In fact, I already made up my mind to go back there this summer and just spend the whole weekend surfing there.
But most of all, I love the hotel we were checked in. I probably wouldn't have enjoyed this vacation as much had we booked a different hotel. The service and comfort that we received amplified everything about Baler. So heed my advise and book your hotel at Costa Pacifica.
You won't regret it. Their service is worth every peso you'll pay them.
This definitely won't be my last time in Baler. There's just so much to love about this little town that makes you wanna come back for more. In fact, I already made up my mind to go back there this summer and just spend the whole weekend surfing there.
Ciao and have a happy summer guys!
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