Pangasinan tour July 2022

Baler Tour 2022

Hi, everyone,  I would like to share my tour  experience  had in Baler, Aurora, in the Province of Quezon, Philippines, last April 2 and April 3, this year.  

Truth is, I have no plans of visiting Baler this year.  Baler is known and famous as one of the famous spots for  surfing, and since I am  not really fond of surfing,  visiting Baler was not my priority then. My decision got changed when one of my bestfriends got interested in this tour because Baler is on her bucket list. She is a very good friend of mine  and I would like her to enjoy this tour with a good company, good food and loads of  fun. Hence, I joined.

The 1st challenge was completing the number of attendees for this tour- which we failed to complete before April 2.   At least minimum of seven people are needed to cover the cost of the tour expenses, and earned a minimal profit, at least, for our tour operator.

We  invited many friends, there are some who got interested, and yet none joined.  And the end result,  I have to asked a family members to join and forced a best friend   to  complete the required quota.   As of April 1,  11 pm, there were only  six (6) people who confirmed.   We were ready to pay the  additional   money to cover the shortage of the attendees.  That is additional 500 pesos per head.  

We are just waiting to be picked up by the tour van when we received a good news.  My host friend informed us that   four more people will be joining  us.  YEY! Thanks, God.  We were asked to wait a bit as the late joiners had to packed their stuff in a hurry.  The total number of people joining the tour are now nine people( 9 ) plus the hosts, total of 11 people. 

We were picked up at around 1:00 am on April 2, 2022. Though a bit uncomfortable on the seating arrangement,  a few hours of discomfort on the seat was manageable. compared to the additional money that we have to dole out.  After travelling  5 hours, in the curvy, zigzag roads, we reached  Baler  at past 5:00 am. We stopped in a souvenir shop to peed only and ended up buying stuff including a cap for myself. 

Day 1. 

Our 1st stop was Millennium Tree or known as the Balete Tree located in the Eco Park in  Maria Aurora, Aurora, Quezon. The tree is one of the popular attractions in Baler as it is 600 years old and one of the oldest tree in the Philippines and in the Asia. It has a crown diameter of 60 meter and the height of the tree is 65 meters high. Before we started taking pictures,  we  paid our respect to the tree first.  There were  stories told  that Balete trees are  mythical and  scary  too.  That in the Balete  tree lives mythical creatures like elves, a giant that is  half human and half horse ( in Tagalog it is called "tikbalang"), and  fairies too etc.  After 30 minutes we decided to leave the place as it is now getting crowded as people are started coming in groups.

It was starting to rain when we left the Millennium Tree and  our next stop  was the Caunayan Waterfalls located in Regunal Farm Resort, San Luis. By the time, we reached the resort, the rain started pouring.  After our host paid the entrance fees, and parked  the van inside the resort, we started  walking to the waterfalls which is  less than 10 minutes walk.  

The waterfalls was such an amazing sight  to behold.  When we went to  the water, it  was  freezingly cold. But  once in the water, our body got adjusted to the temperature,  and enjoyed the bath. After a while, we were just listening to the sounds of the  water splashing down which brought healing effects  to our stressed mind and tired body. We are so lucky to have the whole place all to ourselves.  It was a blissful day, in a  beautiful place,  so tranquil and  peaceful, the water  so clear and clean. That moment was magical. 

We stayed there for more than an hour:  took many photos, picked stones  as a remembrance, and basked in the beauty of  the Mother Nature.  We swam also in the  swimming pool as per the  urging of  our host.  After the swim, we had our breakfast right there in the resort surrounded by nature and the falling rain.  While waiting for the rain to stop, we went to a nearby souvenir shop inside the resort, and bought key chains, fridge magnets, wallets, T-shirts and slippers as our mementos. 

Our next stop was  Museo De Baler and the Quezon  Park.  The  town plaza  is also in the same area.  We did not went inside  the museum anymore as the fees increased from 20 pesos to 100 pesos per head.  We found it is not practical to pay the entrance fees that much.  Hence, we contented ourselves in taking photos outside the museum,  we posted in the  statue of Pres. Manuel L . Quezon,  took group photos in the  Baler Signage. After the  museum tour, we passed by a souvenir shops and bought T-shirts and sweets. 

And then our belly rules, we were hungry  and  had lunch- buffet style  in Picnic by D Bay.  The food was plenty, all kinds of dishes, like grilled pork belly, different dishes of meat, chicken, fish, seafoods, and vegetables too.  We have our fill, and  enjoyed the food as there were so many to choose and  ate as much as our belly could take. We  were lucky that there was no queue when we arrived in the place.  The desserts are mostly fruits, and native delicacies. 

Happy tummy,  we travelled to our next stop which is the Baler Hanging Bridge.  In this place, we were asked to walk in the whole length of the bridge which is 100 meters. We started walking and took pictures in between although it was a bit windy and the bridge swayed when we walked on it. I was half way in the bridge  when I turned back  as my stomach churned and felt dizzy.  I went down, and in the ground, I saw children.    It was nice to see them having fun time swimming in the river because it’s clean and safe enough. By the way, my bestfriend and brother  did accomplish walking the whole length of the Hanging Bridge.  

After the Baler Hanging Bridge.  it is time to check  in to our accommodation. Our accommodation was booked in Nina's Transient House which is 10 minutes walk to the beach.  Our  room is confirmed  for one Deluxe room based on the initial count of the people.   Our host tried her best to get another room, but failed because that time, it  was summer and a peak season.  We have no choice but to accept the one room given to us  rather than having none.  Albeit a bit disappointed, I was thinking how will 11 people fit  for 5 beds that was available in the room. 

We talked regarding the sleeping arrangements, each had their own suggestions.  And then our host intervened and  suggested how it  would be, which bed and  who is with whom etc. We listened quietly and  let it be for the moment.  All of us rested for 2 hours in the room, and then went down to  watched the sunset in the beach. Sunset time was scheduled  at 6:06 pm, our cameras were ready to capture the sunset but alas we waited in vain for almost an hour. The skies were gray, a bit dark and the sunset did not  show up much  in our area.  My brother tried to swim but the waves of the sea were so strong and high.  So we ended up just sitting in   the beach,  watching the current of the water  and  the people milling around.

Before 7pm, we were back to our accommodation, we showered and went down for dinner.  The food was grilled squids, fish, pinakbet and chickens. After meals, we talked again about the sleeping arrangements.  And we agreed to follow the arrangements suggested by our host. I added a picture of the room in this blog so you can imagine how it was.  All beds have 2 occupants, except for one bed which three people slept  on it ( 2 seniors and the youngest in our team, who is only 12 years old).   

We were tired already and since it was only for one night, we acquiescent  with the situation.  Good thing, majority are mostly females, there were only 2 males: my brother and the husband of my friend host.  But before falling asleep, we already had a plan to be up as early as 5:30 am the next day to watch the sunrise and had a  morning swim as well. That ends our Day 1 in Baler.   

Around 2:00 a.m. I woke up feeling cold, chilled actually and  switched off the electric fan as the air  was blowing directly in my bed.  Little did I know, my actions, gave some discomfort to some. The next day, it was fun to know the reactions and to hear the comments of everyone when I revealed it was me who switched off the electric fan. Mind you. there was no  violent reactions. 

Day 2 - date is April 3, 2022.  

We woke at 5:45am, we were excited and went to the beach, which is SABANG Beach, SABANG Beach is known as the birthplace of surfing in the Philippines. The waves were strong, and at times massive, that is why surfers love Sabang Beach. SABANG Beach are really best for those who love to surf and adventurous people who are interested to learn surfing .  There are local people there  who  teach  for a fee. 

We waited for sunrise and this time, was rewarded with its golden presence. We took photos as many as we could while watching its rise. After the sunrise, we swam and enjoyed the water though the waves are really strong.  As much as I wanted to swim and stayed long in the water,  we got tired as the sea waves hits hard.  There was times we are thrown and ended up lying face down.  Some who are lightweight are being carried into  the waves due to the strong current.  That is why,  it is advisable to come  in groups or pairs  even if you knew how to swim.  After a while, we ended up sitting in the shore, watching the people, the waves and the surfers.   It is true that the sea water is best for theraphy as it calms the mind and put our heart at ease. 

After the beach, we went back to our accommodation,  our host were still preparing our  food. We washed and dressed up.  Three of us,  got bored waiting, went down and  strolled around.  We rode a tricycle and ended up visiting Dona Aurora house, the birth place of  former President Manuel L. Quezon and the Aurora's  ancestral house .  Again, the entrance fees had increased from 20 pesos to 100 pesos so we decided to took pictures only outside  as a proof that we went there.  

Since Baler Church is just opposite Dona Aurora house, we went inside but there was mass that was ongoing and  we stayed outside.  After one hour, we went back in the accommodation and our food is still not ready.  And then the conversation started when I revealed that I switched off the electric fan and then everyone started  commenting about it. 

Someone said, that she perspired because she felt hot and the humidity  in the room.  Actually two people complaint, with the same reactions.  The other said  that she was awoken feeling hot,   she got up, switched on  the electric fan but she reduced the temperature.  It was all a self expressions,  each is sharing their thoughts.  

Someone  wanted the blanket  all to her self  because she felt  cold but shared  the blanket. Only to know that person  was throwing the blanket away (ha ha ha).   Another complaint that she did not slept well.  Because they were three in the bed,   three is a crowd and the bed is small for three people. The lady  beside me whom I shared the bed  said that she was amazed because I was not moving much in the bed.  I was lying  in one direction only the whole time.   Little did she know, that I moved a bit but very careful not to woke her.  I wanted the blanket all to myself but I know I have to share it. 

After hearing these comments, I  found out that these are good people.  We  smiled and laugh hearing  the different reactions and comments. At that moment, I felt light and  happy.  Gone was the stress and disappointment I felt yesterday upon hearing about the  room. I came to admire the honesty and openness of the people in this group.   I was glad that we did not make a fuss about the  beds. After all,  situations  are not always the way  as we wanted to,  everyone has to compromise.   

It was my first time to experience sharing accommodations, and I realized that time it wasn't bad at all.  Changes are always part of life.   But once you embraced it, learn to  accept it, we gain something more important.  New friends, new goal achieved, one higher up in maturity and an important lesson called  "wisdom".  Our lunch is now ready, we had to hurry down for the food as we have only 20 minutes left  to eat, collect our stuff and  checked out. 

After we left the accommodation, our next stopped was in Dona Aurora House (again ) as our tour guide missed this in yesterdays itinerary, and we went inside  Baler church and  there was no ongoing mass that time, and we said our prayers and went back to our  accommodation.

The  tour continued, our next destination was  Tromba Marina Sculpture.  The name Tromba Marina was given as a reminder to the people of Baler the destructive tidal wave that struck the town on December 27, 1735 which caught the people off-guard at 2:00 am. The town was devastated and lost many lives.  Only seven families survived this monstrous tidal wave and they were the Angara, Bijasa, Bitong, Carrasco, Ferreras, Lumasac and the Poblete clans. 

While there in Tromba Marina Sculpture,  we tried to positioned ourselves on top of the stairs climbing  just like how it happened  that time, like  fleeing in the hills of Ermita for survival.   We took pictures like that holding each other hands.  Kind of fun,  I even hit my head in one of the sculptures.  Thinking about it,  I realized it was  scary.   And imagine that night, sleeping  peacefully  and then waking up with this deadly tidal wave around you, it must be nightmarish  to be  engulfed by this big waves of water  and then be drowned, never waking up again.   Not being  able  to say goodbye to your loved ones at all, that was really sad and  dreadful.  Hence,  Tromba Marina Sculpture, is a daily  reminder to  people to care and to be always mindful and vigilant. 

After the picture taking, we climbed up more stairs to see Ermita Hill. When we reached  the top, we found it was closed and locked.   We  missed seeing the picturesque view on top; there is another route to take but our time was limited already.  So, we skip that and off  we went to our next destination. 

After Tromba Marina Sculpture, we went to Diguisit Falls which is just a few minutes away:  very accessible, and very close to the main road.  Diguisit Falls is one of the many small waterfalls in Baler, which is surrounded by trees and rocks. You have to climbed up to see the waterfalls up closed and hear the gentle sound of the splashing waters.  There are local people who were there in the waterfalls enjoying  the  bath. 

Last in our list was  the Diguisit Rock Formation which is nearby. When we reached the place,  around 1:45pm, the place was already crowded with tourists and guests  staying in the inn  hotel nearby.  We strolled around and saw big rocks.  There is  a beach but it is a bit dry, marsh water mostly.  It's kind of amazing to see these huge rocks look like an islands.   With that,   our Baler Tour is  almost over and time to go home.

Past 2:00 pm. we headed back to Manila, which  took  more than 6 hours travel.  There was  traffic in some areas as most people are now heading back to the city.  We have one last stop, and that is  is the souvenir shop.  Once there and since  it was daylight, we realized that there were many shops all lined up there selling goodies and souvenir items.  I bought a Blueberry wine, Buko Pie, and some sweets as presents back home.  

We reached Manila around 9:30 p.m.  It was an exhilarating day but thankful for the respite. There are still some places that we have not visited like Ditumabo Mother Falls, the Light House, Aniao Islet, Dicasalarin Cove, etc.  Hope we can see these places especially the Mother Falls in our  next visit. 

To sum up, I was glad I joined the Baler tour and realized that Baler is not only about surfing , it is also rich in history and culture, and the best are there waterfalls.  I did not expect that I will enjoy Baler actually.  Aside from enjoying the famous tourist spots in Baler, I learn many things from this tour like new experiences,   new insights,  new friends,  and an open mind into life's many possibilities, albeit new, and not the kind that you are used to do, but in this life, we have to be always opened to  many possibilities. 

Thank You to our host, and to the new people we met in this tour.  Till next travel.  Below are the pictures taken during the tour. 

Our accommodation..

Sunset at Sabang Beach....

Tromba Marina Sculpture

Simbahan ng Baler

The Cauyanan Waterfalls

Museo De Baler

Diguisit Rock Formation

Baler Hanging Bridge

Sabang Town

Pres. Manuel L. Quezon statue

River in the hanging bridge

The Hanging Bridge 

Sabang neighborhood

Diguisit Rock formation

Tromba Marina Sculpture

Balete Millienium Tree 

        Millennium Tree

                                                                    Sunset at Sabang Beach

                                                      Buffet Lunch at Picnic By D Bay

                                                   Cauyanan Water Falls, In San Luis

La Union or ELYU Tour 2022

La Union or ELYU ( as the millennials called it nowadays ) officially the province of La Union, and is a  province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region,  in the island of Luzon. The capital is  the City of San Fernando, which is also the regional center of the Ilocos Region.

The tour was hosted by my good friend, Emy and her husband   from  March 5 to March 6, 2022.   It was my 1st time to travel locally after more than a year cooped at home due to travel restrictions  because of the pandemic.  Getting a QR pass was easy,  just a simple registration online  and we are now ready for the  tour.    

The tour operator is Byahe ni Chef and the plan  is to visit the famous and beautiful spots in La Union for 2 days, there were around 12 famous spots listed in the itinerary. In this tour, there were 9 passengers  including the host:   me and my best friend Beth, my good friend Dey and  her family (her husband Rudy and son),   my good friend Emy and her husband.  As early as 1:00 am on March 5,  we were picked up in  our  house and the  travel took 5-6  hours including the in-between stops to used the toilet. We reached La Union at 7am. 

Our 1st  stop was St.  Catherine  of  Alexandria Parish, The Shrine of Our Lady of Namacpacan, located   in  Namacpacan Road, Luna.  Namacpacan is an Ilocano word  which means "one  who  had  given  food". According to the history,  that  on October18, 1906,  the town name was changed to Luna, in honor of the Luna brothers, Antonio, the General and Juan  the  painter, whose mother  hail from the town.

Also, the  original site of the church was in Darigayos, a barrio of Namacpacan and was transferred in 1741 to its present site as it was heavily destroyed by an earthquake in 1854. The image of the Our Lady of Namacpacan was enshrined in the church in 1871.

The 2nd stop was in Bahay Na Bato or Bato De Luna which in English meant "The House of Stone".  This place is nestled in San Juan, in the surf town of La Union. A  paradise for art lovers, as they have an open art gallery which you will pay an entrance fee of 20 pesos only . 

It was called Bahay Na Bato as it was made from stones and pebbles found along the beaches of Luna, owned by the professional doctors, Dr. Edison and Purita Chan-Noble. Bahay Na Bato is a Spanish type   house made of stones and rocks. The place  should be visited by creative enthusiast as the house has many fabulous paintings and creative arts. There were many old items, and stuff made of stones,pebbles and wooden carvings.   

After Bahay na Bato, we passed by the Man-Made Forest , a typical man-made forest with lots of mahogany trees. shaping like an arc when seen afar.  We had fun in this place because of the photo shoots.   Several attempts we did for the jump shoot, since it is a main road,  frequent vehicles are oftentimes passing by from time to time.  The jump shoot took  several tries before we achieved it. The best  shot is also  sitting  down  solo in the  middle of street with green background from the forest.

After  Man Made Forest,  we visited Baluarte Ruins or the Watch Tower in Barangay Victoria  which is  a restored 4th-century watchtower. The structures were classified as a National Treasure in 2014 as it is 400 year old located along Luna.  I learned from the internet, that the tower collapsed during a typhoon called "Lando". The tower lies along the shore of West Philippine Sea. 

According to Google, the 5-6 meter watchtower was built during the Spanish period as a solution to the frequent ransacking of Japanese, Chinese and Moro pirates in the coastal towns of La Union.  It was used by the Spaniards to warn its residents against the looters.  During World War II, the fortress functioned as the communication tower post for a temporary airfield for the USAFIPNL forces.

Do you love adventure? thrilling experience? If you do, Tangadan Falls is your place, which is our  next stop.  From  San Diego town to  San Gabriel Municipality, the  travel  took 30 minutes.  From the municipality, our host hired  a tour guide and registered us as it is required before going to Tangadan Falls.  BTW, Tangadan means  "Looking Up" .  

We also rented a jeep that took us in the foot of the mountain of San Gabriel as our van is not  made to navigate   the narrow terrains, the up-and-down route, imagine  a  roller coaster - one minute you are up and  another minute, gliding down, that's how the road is traverse like a riding a roller coaster.  In order to experience something new, we were told  to placed ourselves on the roof top of the jeep  while navigating the route and experience "TOPLOAD"  and  it was scary in the beginning but I was told to look straight ahead and don't look down- that is the best way to  enjoy the sceneries and the experience  which was effective as I love the breeze of the air in my face, Sadly, I was unable to took a video while on top, as I was afraid I might fall or the new cellphone will fall, which is newly bought.  

The travel time from San Gabriel to Tangadan Falls by jeep took 30 minutes.  When we reached  the foot of the mountain, we were told to walked by foot as that is the only way to reached the waterfalls-walking by foot.   Our tour guide told us that we have to take  300 steps to reach our destination.   We had to stop and rest in between during the climbed down the footpath. 

The footpath is  not for the fainthearted. But for  those who loves adventures and thrilling experience, this place is for you.  The footpath took  another 30 minutes to climb down.   We had to stop several times to catch our breath and energize ourselves and carry on the journey by foot. 

When we reached the waterfalls,   our hardships were forgotten, and  rewarded instead  with the beautiful sight of the waterfalls and the greeneries around, The water is such a welcome sight  to us  as we  splashed and  relieve ourselves and  feel the cold  of the water in our body.  It was pure joy being in the water that time.  The waterfalls is 40 ft. and the water deep is 30 ft. There were many people already enjoying the water, the nature , and most of them are taking their photos,  videos  and jumping in the waterfalls, it was fun, seeing this many people enjoying the swim and the sceneries around.  I was glad I took the challenge, trekked 600 steps and  swam in the waterfalls.

After  the swim, its time for us to return to our group at the foot of the mountain.  For your information, not all joined the trekked to the waterfalls for comorbidities and not up to long walk . So, we walked back and  little did we know,  that the going back is doubly hard,  climbing down is better than climbing up, we had to force our legs in  going up the staircase again. Several stops happened again and that included buying our souvenir items  like broom, ginger, and honey.  I bought the fridge magnet as a reminder that we came and visited the place. 

As we walked back,  it was  good there is a hand rail  that we can pulled ourselves up  and heaved our way up to the staircase.  But there are some areas there is no handrail, and only our sheer determination  that we managed to moved up albeit slowly.  Luckily, when we felt that we are so tired and breathless, there was a good Samaritan  who offered his hand and helped us and  pulled us  up. He is  like a angel that came to our rescue in times of need.  God Bless Him !!! When we reached our group, we are so thankful and grateful because we know we delayed the group with our progress.  So we had lunch and after eating, off we go to our next destination which is to check-in our accommodation.  

In our  accommodation, we refreshed ourselves by taking a bath and a  rest.  That was already 4pm.  Our accommodation is very near to the beach,  around 5 minutes walk only.  After we settled in our room,   our next destination is Thunderbird Resort and Casino in Poro Poro Point Free Zone.  We wanted to watch the sunset at around 6:06 pm, so we left our accommodation  at 5:45pm and headed to Thunderbird Resort.

Thunderbird Resort is an Santorini, Greek inspired resort.  The resort was located in Poro Poro Point Free Zone and  was called the Santorini of Asia. One thing that captivated our attention is the beautiful sunset here , from light orange to dark orange tint to violet hues, it is indeed an amazing sight  to behold.   My bestfriend and I  took a lot of photos in the lobby of the hotel and outside too.  The group had a  light snack  in one of the restaurant  inside  and afterwards, took group shots again in one of the white pavilion there. After 8pm, we went back to our accommodation, had dinner again  and fell asleep  at 9pm. But before I fell asleep, the group had agreed to for an early morning swim and watched the sunrise at 6:13am the next day. 

Recharged, we woke at 5:45am for the early morning swim.  We took our swimming gear and off we went to the beach as early as 5:55 am.  The beach is very near in the house, just 5 minutes walk only.

San Juan Beach – as we all know,  is one of the surfing destinations in the country.  Though, the sand is not as white as Boracay, hanging out with  friends,  sitting back and relaxing  with its dirty white sand is the best way to simply enjoy the place.  Especially,  that early morning  was not crowded and we found a  shallow part of the sea  to  dipped and felt the taste of the seawater.  Our host was left in the accommodation to prepare our breakfast. I did not  swim much as the water is deep and the current is strong,  I just watched  my friends . enjoyed the swim  and relished on it with gusto.

After the swim, we hurried back to  the accommodation for breakfast and change of clothes and  attended the Sunday mass  at St . John the Baptist Church  at 9:00 am.  The church is nearby only as in  10 minutes drive only from our accommodation.  St. John the Baptist Church, is located in the municipality of San Juan itself. The church is also considered one of the historical places in the province being a century-old church, constructed in 1707. While inside the church, we noticed a painting of St John the Baptist  in a river in the  ceiling of the church.  After the mass, we took photos in the entrance of the municipality written I Love  San Juan as a group.

Back in our accommodation, we waited while our lunch food is being prepared by our host.  I even had a nap while sitted in the porch for 10 minutes.  When food is ready, we ate with gusto and prepared out stuff for check out.   

Our next destination is  Ma Cho Temple – The Guardian of The Sailors,  A Taoist Temple situated on a hill, 70 feet above sea level. It was built in 1975 located in Barangay II, San Fernando La Union facing the China Sea. It is also recorded to be the biggest Taoist Temple outside China.  I was fascinated with the statues of the monks displayed there , there were around  18 of them and took pictures of each, and  had solo pose near the temple and off we go to the next destination.

We planned to go to Flotsam and Jetsam and ended in Urbiztondo Beach instead.  Urbiztondo Beach, where the waves and surfers meet.  We roamed in the beach and noticed many people are surfing in the heat of the sun.  After the picture taking, we had the Halo Halo Iloko which was the answer  to the scorch heat of the sun, a bit pricey, for 160 pesos. but its delicious and enjoy the sweet treat. 

Grape Farm.   Our last stop. 

Do you love grapes?  More so, have you experience grapes picking?  It is also a first time for me.   Among the popular places in La Union, an  interesting place to visit is the Sobrevina Grape Farm. They have no entrance fee but grape picking cost you P350/ per kilo. The staff will offer you a free fruit wine tasting. I bought the blueberry wine which I love, not so sweet but delicious especially when serve cold and grapes to experience grapes picking.

After Grape Farm, we stop in a shop  selling dried good  and   once the purchased is done, we  travelled back to Manila.  That was around 5pm , in between, we sang  as the van had a Karaoke videos which is  to entertain their guest.  We reached Manila around past 9pm. 

Here are our photos taken during the tour.

                                                    Bahay na Bato or Bato De Luna

Sunset at Thunderbird Resort & Casino

                                                             Thunderbird Resort and Casino

                                                                In our accommodation

                                                            Urbiztondo Beach, San Juan

                                                                Tangadan Waterfalls

                                                                    Tangadan Waterfalls

                                                                Baluarte Ruins

Overall the tour was fun, the money we spent in this tour was worth it.  My best friend and I had so much fun and  laughter watching the pictures that we took. I was glad I invited her in this too.  The new experiences  are also noted,  Top load was scary but I  was glad I did it,  Grape picking is another new experience and missed the Blueberry wine I  bought for 200 pesos only. We also met new people in this tour, Kai and Patty who are good and fun to be with too.

In this tour,  gained new insights as I realized La Union has many beautiful spots to offer and look forward to our next visit.   In retrospect, my wander lust  was filled again with happy memories, good food, good people  and a chance to commune to  Mother Nature, one of the best therapy that is free and worthy of your time.

Till next tour, we are planning to visit Baler, in Aurora, Quezon next time.  Ill keep this blog updated again.

Thank You for your time reading this blog and  enjoy life while we may especially during this time. God Bless and Good Health to all. 

Life Changing Books 📚

Reading is one of the best way to develop mind, it is  also the most effective way to learn something. 

As Francis Bacon said  not every book will have an impact on you and change the way you think and  bring out the best version of you as a person. 

“Some books should be tasted, some devoured, but only a few should be chewed and digested thoroughly.”

So  the question is  “What are the books that expand our mind?”

Here are the 9-life-changing books that will  change your thinking and attract happiness, abundance and success in  life: 

1. Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers, written by Timothy Ferriss (Author),  Arnold Schwarzenegger (Foreword).

The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers is a self-help book by Timothy Ferriss, an American writer, educational activist, and entrepreneur. He interviewed more than 100 "world class performers" in diverse fields on their advice for success.

2. The Richest Man in Babylon is a 1926 book by George S. Clason 

The book is about  financial advice through a collection of parables set 4,000 years ago in ancient Babylon. The book remains in print almost a century after the parables were originally published, and is regarded as a classic of personal financial advice.

3. The Compound Effect Paperback –published on  October 2, 2012  by Darren Hardy  (Author)

No gimmicks. No Hyperbole. No Magic Bullet. The Compound Effect is based on the principle that decisions shape your destiny. Little, everyday decisions will either take you to the life you desire or to disaster by default. Darren Hardy, publisher of Success Magazine, presents The Compound Effect, a distillation of the fundamental principles that have guided the most phenomenal achievements in business, relationships, and beyond. 

This easy-to-use, step-by-step operating system allows you to multiply your success, chart your progress, and achieve any desire. If you’re serious about living an extraordinary life, use the power of The Compound Effect to create the success you want.

4. Think and Grow Rich    Author : Napoleon Hill

Think and Grow Rich was written by Napoleon Hill in 1937 and promoted as a personal development and self-improvement book.  He claimed to be inspired by a suggestion from business magnate and later-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.

5. Crushing It!: How Great Entrepreneurs Build Their Business and Influence-and How You Can, Too.   Written by Gary Vaynerchuk

Four-time New York Times bestselling author Gary Vaynerchuk offers new lessons and inspiration drawn from the experiences of dozens of influencers and entrepreneurs who rejected the predictable corporate .

6. Rich Dad, Poor Dad   By Robert Kiyosaki.

Rich Dad Poor Dad is a 1997 book written by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter. 

It advocates the importance of financial literacy (financial education), financial independence and building wealth through investing in assets, real estate investing, starting and owning businesses, as well as increasing one's financial intelligence (financial IQ).

7. The Millionaire Fastlane: Crack the Code to Wealth and Live Rich for a Lifetime!  The book is written  by M. J. DeMarco

Have You Been Hoodwinked into a 40-Year Financial Lie? There’s a Fastlane to millions, a short-cut paved by mathematics, where you can LIVE RICH NOW versus DYING RICH LATER. Instead, you’ve been brainwashed by an army of financial gurus who pitch a dream-killing dogma known as “Get Rich Slow”.

8. The Intelligent Investor,  Book by Benjamin Graham

The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham, first published in 1949, is a widely acclaimed book on value investing. The book teaches readers strategies on how to successfully use value investing in the stock market.

9. The 4-Hour Workweek  Book by Tim Ferriss

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9–5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich is a self-help book by Timothy Ferriss, an American writer, educational activist, and entrepreneur. 

Note:  Some of the book details mentioned here are  from Wikipedia and below image is ctto of incomealpha.

#joycuriousbookshop #joycurious #lifechangingbooks #books #learningneverstops #entrepreneurbooks #businessgoalsetting #reading

5-Days Egypt Tour

Egypt is home of the ancient Pharaohs, famous monuments like pyramids, the Great Sphinx, Nile River which is considered the world’s longest waterways, where the oldest tombs and mummies are, and famous people like Moses, Cleopatra, Mohamed Salah, Saladin, Tutankhamun and many famous Pharaohs are born.  Egypt is considered a destination full of dazzling temples, tombs, and historic treasures that amazes all who visited it.

Visiting Egypt is listed in my bucket list as a top travel goal.  And I  ticked  this goal "achieved"  last October 2010 when I went on a 5-days tour of Egypt with my friend and ex-colleague, Ms. Jane Otic.  Let me share our travel experiences to this beautiful and famous country,  full of antiquities and ancient relics.

We boarded the plane bound to Cairo, Egypt last October 22, 2010.  We departed  at 7:25 am via Kuwait Airways and travel time took 5 hours from Dubai Airport with a one hour stop over at Kuwait airport. We arrived Cairo airport around past 1:00 pm  on the same day and that marked our first day in Egypt.  We took a taxi and it took 45 minutes to reached our hotel which is Cataract Pyramid Resort Hotel located in Giza District.   After dinner, we arranged a tour guide in order to maximize our stay and covered as many places as we could. 

The next day started with an amazing breakfast as there is so much food.  The complimentary buffet breakfast was excellent with ample food choices from the breads, beverages, cut fruits, cereals and eggs served with hot/cold milk; eggs, bacon, sausages, salami etc.  That is one of the best breakfasts I ever had up to now.  After a sumptuous breakfast, we toured the hotel grounds first while waiting for our tour guide.  Our tour guide name is Wissam.  She is a lady and very pretty.

Since our hotel is very near to Giza Plateau, our first stop is a carpet village named Kerdasa- famous for its handmade native-styled carpets, cloth and textile and it is regarded as the main economic resources of the city. My friend bought a carpet which is a good quality and the price is affordable.

The next agenda is we visited the museums.  We went first to Mit Rahina Museum where we saw the giant statue of Ramses II which is about 10 meters in height.  We had photo with a local guy (as shown below) beside the giant statue. We also took photos with the Sphinx of Memphis which is another famous and popular statue.

Afterwards, we went off to The Pyramids of Giza which is one of most visited tourist attractions as it was considered by the UNESCO as the last surviving of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, as the Pyramids of Giza is one of the world's most recognizable landmarks. Photo is shown below.

We were lucky because our tour guide purchased the ticket in advance so we don’t have to take the long queue. Right on the edge of the city, this place was bustling with tourists like me as pyramids have thrilled travelers all over the world for centuries and continue to be one of the country’s main highlights. Despite the heat, dust and tourist bustle, we joined the crowd and went up the pyramid climb and felt triumphant when we succeeded the uphill climb (photo is also available).

The Pyramid of Cheops, also called the Great Pyramid or Pyramid of Khufu which is the largest pyramid which we visited mostly narrow passages and empty sarcophagus.  Further south on the Giza Plateau, the Pyramid of Khafre and the smaller is the Pyramid of Menkaure.  Outside the temple and protecting these mortuaries and also one of the iconic monuments of the ancient world is the Great Sphinx, with the body of a lion and the head of the pharaoh. These tombs of the Pharaohs are guarded by the enigmatic Sphinx, which top of most visitor's lists of tourist attractions to see and a highlight of any Egypt trip.

After the Pyramids of Giza, we took a break and had lunch in one of the Arabic restaurant.  We were amazed as the bread was served hot and straight from the urn and very tasty and delicious. Photo shown below.

The last museum that we visited for that day was the Imhotep Museum & Saqqara-Giza, which during our visit there are areas that was under construction.  Imhotep Museum is an archaeological museum located at the foot of the Saqqara Necropolis complex, near Memphis in Lower Egypt.  The museum was named for the ancient Egyptian architect Imhotep. 

It was a tiring day having visited 3 museums in a day and did  mostly walking.  In the evening time, we attended a dinner cruise in the Nile River.  We were picked up in the hotel at around 8:00 pm and was taken to the place.  It was complimentary buffet with a live band in the background and after dinner,  there was a cultural show. 

On the 3^rd day, we visited the Egyptian Museum and The Citadel.  The Egyptian Museum contains many treasures and kept 100,000 items of ancient antiquities.  The Egyptian Museum is also considered one of Cairo’s top attractions. There are two main floors of the museum, the ground floor and the first floor.

On the ground floor there is an extensive collection of papyrus and coins used in by the ancient Egyptians. On the first floor there are artifacts from the final two dynasties of Ancient Egypt and also many artifacts taken from the Valley of the Kings. Highlights include the objects from the Tomb of Tutankhamen and the Royal Mummy Room containing 27 royal mummies from pharaonic times. We were not allowed to take pictures while inside the museum that time. 

Th next stop is the Citadel of Cairo. In order for us to enter the mosque, we have to wore the Hijab Muslim dress and scarf to cover our head. The Citadel of Cairo or Citadel of Saladin is a medieval Islamic-era fortification in Cairo, Egypt, built by Salah ad-Din (Saladin) and further developed by subsequent Egyptian rulers.

And according to Wikipedia, it was the seat of government in Egypt and the residence of its rulers for nearly 700 years from the 13th to the 19th centuries.   It is now a preserved historic site, including mosques and museums. The Great Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha or Alabaster Mosque is a mosque situated in the Citadel of Cairo in Egypt which is 1 minute walk from the gate of the Citadel. 

Our tour guide gave us a brief history of the mosque and what stayed in my mind, is the ceiling architecture which were made in circle or dome. The design was so amazing and we were told it was an Ottoman inspired design and the interior was made of a central dome and four small and four semi-circular domes. The main material that was used mostly was limestone, which was actually sourced from The Pyramids of Giza and for the floor, the materials was made of alabaster.   The rest of the day was spent shopping souvenir items and we visited several stores for the papyrus paintings like Merit Papyrus Institute and the Royal Perfume Palace.  In the evening, we were treated to a lovely dinner by our Egyptian colleague with his mother and brothers.  Quite thankful that we met them and he offered to accompany us to Alexandria on our 4^th day.

On the 4th day, we went for a day trip to Alexandria and was accompanied by an Egyptian friend and colleague, Mr. Ahmed Waziry.  From Cairo, we took a bus going to Alexandria and travel time took more than 3 hours.  We arrived in the city almost 1:00 pm and we took a quick lunch first in  one of the burgers fast foods. 

Alexandria is considered the third largest city in Egypt and a port city located on the Mediterranean Sea in northern Egypt founded in 331 BCE by Alexander the Great, hence the name. One of Egypt's most romanticized destinations, Alexandria was home to Egypt's last pharaoh, Queen Cleopatra, and was one of the ancient world's great centers of learning.

After lunch,  we headed off to Bibliotheca which is our first destination  in Alexandria.  There was already a long queue when we arrived and we bought three tickets.   The Library of Alexandria was founded in the 3rd century B.C. and for six centuries, was the cultural center of the world, it was in operation for six hundred years and was destroyed definitively between the years 250 and 270.  The idea of reviving the library began in 1974 and reconstruction work started in 1995 and was inaugurated in October 16, 2002.

Once inside the library, we explored the place and was amazed by its collection of 8-million books and the huge dome.  The library has shelf space for eight million books, with the main reading room covering 20,000 square metres (220,000 sq. ft.). The complex also has conference centers; specialized libraries for maps, multimedia, the blind and visually impaired, young people, and for children; four museums; four art galleries for temporary exhibitions; 15 permanent exhibitions; a planetarium; and a manuscript restoration laboratory. We stayed for more almost two hours touring the library and off we go to our next destination which is the Citadel of Qaitbay.

The Citadel of Qaitbay in Alexandria is a famous site for tourist as the castle was built in 1480s by Sultan Qaitbay (1468-96) and in the site there is also a Lighthouse which they called “Pharos Lighthouse”; the materials used in building this castle is from a dilapidated building.  Within the castle, there is a small mosque and it is the oldest one in Alexandria and also there is a Naval Museum which display relics from the ship that sunk, which is from the battle that happened between the Roman and Napoleonic Sea battles before

We were not able to enter the citadel as it is closed during that day so we took pictures only as a souvenir that  we visited the place (photo is also available).  The rest of the afternoon was spent walking in the corniche, a waterfront promenade in the city.

At around 5:30 pm, we took a bus for  the Alexandria Misr Station.  The train was jampacked as it was a peak hour and went down at Ramses Station in Cairo, and from there we took a taxi  back to our hotel. That was already almost 9pm.  It was a tiring day but we were happy as we accomplished and visited one of the biggest libraries in the world.

Day 5 which is October 26, our last day in Egypt was spent having our last breakfast in the hotel and taking final pictures in the hotel.  Our flight is around 12:00 noon. That ends our 5 days journey to Egypt.

My 5 days tour of Egypt is an amazing experience and quite unforgettable too.  Though my first impression of Egypt was not good in the beginning because in my mind Egypt is a modern city like Dubai and have  modern facilities and infrastructures.   But around the city of Cairo and in the Giza, there are some  roads are in ruins or shambles, probably it was destroyed during the war.  And it is not easy to find  clean toilet in the public areas during the time.    If you want to use a clean toilet, you have to pay a certain fee.  But  that was in 2010, and so much time had passed and by now things must have improve there.  

After my  2^nd day in Egypt, I  came to realize and find Egypt rich in culture and historic places.   There are tombs, that are 2000 years old.  Isn't that rare and amazing. I guess that is why Egypt growth is not like any other cities as they have to protect and preserve many historical sites so that people can see and  visit these places. And I was happy that I visited this place and the experience brought fond memories and good  ones too.

I felt lucky that I have  visited Egypt as it was quiet and no unrest yet during those times . The tourists were protected as there are many police around checking the transportation from time to time for any kidnapping of tourist.  Tourism is one of the major sources of income in Egypt aside from selling carpets,  agriculture and natural gas. In December, 2010, mass demonstrations and uprising broke out in Egypt and the following year, revolution erupted in Egypt toppling the Hosni Mubarak regime. We were very lucky for visiting Egypt before the  protest happened. 

I would like to come back to Egypt in the future someday. There still so  many places to see and visit like Aswan, the ancient temples of Luxor and the Valley of the King, the mountains of Sinai, the Siwa Oasis which is in the boundary of Egypt and Libya, Abu Simbel as I have read a book written by Christian Jacq entitled Ramses (The Lady of Abu Simbel) and Karnak. 

I have made my you tube channel regarding my 5 days Egypt tour, and feel free to watch the below link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWeQGtS9KBU. Please like and subscribe. 

Thank you for reading my blog  and please keep safe everyone!