seventeen of my most memorable trips of 2009

here are seventeen of my most memorable trips of 2009. a year filled with great trips along with great travel buddies and unforgettable experience. it was a year of searching the beautiful beaches of Luzon, dropping by historical churches and ancestral houses and journeying some of the country's unusual spots.

[17] Hot Air Balloon (Clark Field, Pampanga)
attending several times now, yet those giant balloons always have that appeal as they easily bring out great photos. this year though was quite different as the inclusion of the powered paragliding which dominated at the end of the balloon show. most likely, i'm still attending this event this year.[16] Old and Historical (Liliw and Nagcarlan, Laguna)
one of the most famous daytrips in Luzon would be a trip around the old and historical towns of Laguna. this year, we made stops at two towns Liliw and Nagcarlan. the underground cemetery remains to have stories of a hidden deeper and longer path. good that it is now under the National Historical Institute and still owned by the church.[15] Power Palace and a Shot of Beer (San Miguel, Manila)
invited by the witty and friendly Ivan Man Dy for a trip inside the president's compound, the Malacanang palace. their tour of Old Manila Walks is highly recommended as they have some of the secrets or less-known facts of Manila. the guided tour ended with delicious and heavy merienda at La Cocina de Tita Moning.[14] Around Gaspar Island (Buenavista, Marinduque)
our sidetrip after the Moriones festival was one of the three islands of Marinduque. this island has a pebble bar beach on its main docking area but a trip around the island will expose some secluded beach coast with fine white sand and crystal clear waters. our guide even mentioned that there's a cave on one side of the island.[13] Heritage Town of Taal (Taal, Batangas)
walking around this this town with several ancestral house well preserved or refurbished. one of which is the Villavicencio house, considered to be unique because of its design and color. but one couldn't miss out dropping by the country's biggest church and the miraculous church of Caysasay. we had our chance to get to the bell tower where one can see the whole town of Taal.[12] Trekking Pinatubo (Capas, Tarlac)
twice this year yet different from each trip as i was with two different groups and with changes on the area in just a span of eight months. the highlight of the last trip was the 4x4 race ride which will be posted soon. this crater lake never fail to amaze me. still as stunning though the development in one way will disappoint those who crave for adventure.[11] Diplomat Hotel in Baguio (Mirador hill, Baguio)
went there to bring my cousin and tour around the usual spots yet included two of the unusual stops. one is the Maryknoll Ecological Park, a walk following a route that displays each stage of how the universe was formed but one of my favorite stop was the ruins of the Diplomat Hotel. intrigued by the rumors of it being haunted yet ended up appreciating its structure.[10] Dasol and Around (Dasol, Pangasinan)
not one of the usual beach trips as main concern would be accessibility. what made it more challenging was we traveled in the area at night while it was raining so hard. a boat trip to an island and some other beach coast was fine but there was not much to see. the partly submerged wooden wreck captured my attention the most.[9] Tondol Beach (Anda, Pangasinan)
our community's summer outing there was one of the best as we rented one big house. we arrived there at night and it was only in the morning, when we saw this beach with crystal clear waters. some parts were already developed yet the beach is at its best during sunset when the water recedes and expands its low level flat area. cross the island and it will complete your Tondol beach experience.[8] Hidden Pagbilao Beach (Pagbilao, Quezon)
an unexpected and unplanned trip. it was when we were in Cagbalete island that a group invited us to join them to a beach in Quezon. hidden behind hills is this private owned beach. whether you stay in the cottages or just merely sit down below the coconut trees, you'll love the view. an add on to the beautiful beach is a small cave. perfect for swimming.[7] Exploring Cagbalete Island (Cagbalete, Quezon)
one of the destinations that i made sure i'll explore that year. an hour away from the coastal town of Mauban. the docking area has a beach with houses along its shoreline, which destroyed what could have been a very beautiful beach. in contrast, the other side of the island looked untouched. an area with pine trees lined up along its shoreline is my favorite. it has one of the largest area of sand ripples during low tide and the flat rocks are mysterious to me.[6] Mairaira Beach and Around(Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte)
it is where the mountains meet the beach. a beach so beautiful which is now gaining popularity, more known as Blue Lagoon for its bluish shore during summer. great waves during the rainy season transforms it to a surfing haven. the view around it are beautiful, drop by the nearby Bantay Abot to get a view of Patapat's coastal highway. sand are not as white but the great view compensates it.[5] Moriones Festival in Marinduque (Boac, Marinduque)
authentic that its origins rooted from way back. now it is a mix of devotion, tradition and a festival. mainly based on the story of the conversion of the Roman soldier Longinus. hundreds of this masked person can be found around town during the festival that happens in several towns. one of the best festival i've been. not so loud beats makes this festival interesting, you have to be there and experience it.[4] Halsema Highway (Benguet and Mountain province)
i consider this as my best six hour drive ever since i started traveling. the views are stunning from rice paddies, pine trees on steep mountain edges, the unusual house walls, view of Chico river and mountains covered with fogs. to journey on each of the towns along the way will be my next goal. it is also considered as the highest highway in the country.[3] Spelunking in Sagada (Sagada, Mountain province)
four hours inside the country's deepest cave, this one you shouldn't miss. technically challenging yet very fulfilling once you completed the cave connection from Lumiang cave to Sumaguing cave. but an option to do just Sumaguing will be still be rewarding as the rock formations are amazing. Sagada as a whole is a great place for those who enjoy trekking and food tripping.[2] Kapurpurawan Rock Formation (Burgos, Ilocos Norte)
naturally beautiful formations of this large coastal rock located along the coast of the town of Burgos. also secluded that one needs to take a torturous tricycle ride from the highway. but it's not the only thing one can see there. its environment itself is quite unique. the plants, the rocky hills are amazing. not the usual view one can get anywhere.[1] Batad Rice Terraces (Banaue, Ifugao)
the country's greatest man-made structure built as a livelihood and ended up to be one of the world's most admired community. it has sustained the method of rice terracing at exceedingly high levels. if one looks at the rocks that holds the paddies, you won't believe how those rocks were brought to the top without any modern construction equipments. it reveals the country's splendor. other rice terraces in the province of Ifugao are unique from each other giving us enough reason to go back there again and again.the whole week will be dedicated to Eskapo's second anniversary. up next my second anniversary post with a list of all those who travelled with me and followed this blog.