Mayo Uno sa Pinto

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was thinking of using "sPINTOneity" as the title but you guys might actually stop reading my blog posts altogether. Hahaha!

It was a dull, wind-deprived Labor Day morning for me this year, the heat accompanying my wait for my first night shift as a staff nurse. Then out of the blue, my good friend and (forever) apartment-mate Joey asked me if I want to go to Pinto Art Museum that morning. Just because. Of course the artsy-fancy-fart in me wanted to go but my rigid, boring self did a double-take since I would be having my first night duty later that day. Eventually, I gave in to spontaneity and off we went.

Hello, love.
(c) Cayton

Pinto Art Museum is highly accessible with public transportation and it helped that it was a holiday when we went there. Located at Antipolo, Rizal, you have to first ride the LRT Line 1 and alight at Doroteo Jose Station (15-20 pesos, depending on what station you're coming from), walk the footbridge towards LRT Line 2 - LRT 1's cleaner brother, in my opinion - and ride the train until Santolan Station (20 pesos). Then ride an Antipolo-bound jeepney on the LRT side of the road and tell the driver to drop you off at Ynares Stadium for 25 pesos. Bear with me for all these vehicle transfers but it's all worth it, I promise. Finally, ride a tricycle and tell the driver to drop you off at Grand Heights - ours even asked, "Sa Pinto?" - for 30 pesos.

Ta-da! You're finally there! For 180 pesos (150 for senior citizens and PWDs with valid IDs, 100 for students with valid IDs, and FREE for kids 3 years old below), you just availed yourself a ticket to one of the coolest art museum in the Metro, if not in the whole country. You will be given a map of the area upon registration since the whole estate is composed of various villas housing the galleries scattered across 1.3 hectares. And in that wide expanse of hilly land, there is art literally almost everywhere: from a statue in a nook of a building to an installation in the lawn. There are even occasional sofas and beds outside alongside fancy chairs and table sets!

Four-poster bed under a shade of a great tree? Because why not, right!
(c) Cayton

Pinto, as it is fondly called, houses contemporary art works of local artists within their Mediterranean-inspired villas, which is perfect because of the breezy location of the museum. The place flawlessly combines these artworks with the architecture and the environment, even leaving trees and large boulders unscathed, which made them appear like pieces of art in their own right. 

Hi, Erin! Thanks for becoming a(n) (un)willing model for the boulder!
(c) Cayton

One of the 'exhibits' you'll first come across upon entering the estate is the meditation garden built in honor of the failed love between our national hero, Jose Rizal, and (one of) his (many) lover(s), Leonor Rivera. It even has an interactive display named "Undelivered" where visitors can write anonymous letters to their own frustrated-partners-for-life and then keep these letters under lock and key in a cabinet. This was put up to relive the lovers' longing that they may had felt for one another when Leonor's mother kept Rizal's letters from her daughter. Cradled in the garden, too, is a sculpture meant to be the "tomb" of Maria Clara, Rizal's damsel-in-distress in his literary works believed to be inspired by Rivera.

Keeping them undelivered.
As how they should be.
(c) Cayton

Every square meter of the sprawling 1.3 hectare property is teeming with wonderful works of art: four-poster beds in the lawn, sculpture by the koi pond, and even an intricately-designed brass swing-chair under a tree shade! The villas inside this large art space serve as galleries of the museum and are more than packed with contemporary art works. Although I wasn't able to experience it, guided tours by Sir Andy are highly advised to make your Pinto visit worthwhile and more meaningful. 

Brain and (what seems to be) boobs. Broobs, anyone?
(c) Cayton

How about a fancy shiny cow?
(c) Cayton

One of the most notable artworks in the place is "Karnabal" by a group of artists who call themselves 'Salingpusa'. "Karnabal" is a 12' x 40' acrylic painting that dominates an entire wall in one of the galleries. Much like the monstrous 'Spoliarium', 'Karnibal' has a lot of things going on it; depicting scenes from, where else, a carnival which are mere representations of the societal ills - well, according to one of my college classmates that we bumped into when we visited Pinto (Hi, Erin, again!). 

Salingpusa's 'Karnabal' in all its (panoramic) glory
(c) x-spotsaudiarabia.blogspot.com

Passing through a simple opening in the wall, you'd be surprised that another gallery teeming with sculptures and painting awaits you. What I love about this part of the gallery is the inclusion of a wheelchair ramp to help our PWD brethren to enjoy the rest of the museum. One of my favorite pieces in this gallery is Hilario and Alonday's collab, "Sophia"because of its undertones pertaining to the religiosity of the Philippine society. 

Hilario and Alonday's "Sophia" depicts a female Jehovah as a contrast to the
more-known male god

A walkway to the left leads you to a cafe and another villa-cum-gallery while the stairs will take you to a large mansion in a sea of grass that hosts private events. Looking for more art, we opted to search through the galleries to satiate our hunger. Again, we were never disappointed. Another room full of sculptures and painting welcomed us. And another. Basically, just when you thought that the surprises are over, Pinto will keep surprising you with more hallways and rooms filled with titillating and interesting works of art that will stimulate your mind. 

Montemayor's 'Panalo!', a triptych showing the three disciplines of a triathlon.
(c) Cayton

One of the latest addition to the growing collection of Pinto is a new gallery featuring works of art by our indigenous brothers and sisters. Currently, it showcases different forms of bulul from the different regions of Northern Luzon, and wonderful textiles from the same regions. I do hope their collection will grow and will soon include art forms from our equally artistic Moro brethen down South.

Bulul are wooden sculptures that are believed to bring a good harvest season, hence they
are placed in rice granaries to guard the harvest.
(c) Cayton

Pinto has one last surprise to calm that overwhelmed mind. Hidden at the end of corridor of the last villa is a man-made forest with dimmed lights and zen-like music which awesomely caps your visit in Pinto.

"Calm yo tits!" said the bamboo forest
(c) biyaherongbarat.com

Going back to Manila is easy-peasy. The guard of the place actually asked us if we were leaving and offered to call a tricycle for us. Talk about good service! Thirty pesos seems to be the standard price for a tricycle ride since you have to enter a private subdivision. Tell the driver to drop you off at Ynares Stadium or "sa bayan na lang po" to get you back to the heart of Antipolo. From there, you can do a side-trip and visit Antipolo Cathedral known as the "National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage". The church houses the famous Birhen ng Antipolo, known to be the patroness of travelers and sailors. 

Graaaaaand, man.
(c) servantsofcharity.wordpress.com

After doing a quick trip (and a genuflect, too), you can take a jeepney bound for Cubao for 24 pesos (a peso cheaper!) and alight at the Santolan LRT Station. Then hop on the train and stop in whatever station you can easily access to go home for 15-20 pesos, depending on what station you're going down. 

So if you have extra time and cash to spare, why not escape the stress of the Metro and head up to Pinto Art Museum. Feel the breeze. Absorb the art feels. You are definitely doing your artsy-fancy-fart-self a big favor for dropping by the place. 

P.S. Most of the pictures in this post came from my good and spontaneous friend, Joey. Check out his album of our trip to see Pinto through his trusty lens, an iPad mini.

Until the next trip!

- Paulo

Yes, I am STILL a kid.
(c) Cayton

Batulao: Through the Lens (and Photoshop)

What summer?

The Three Mountaineers

4/10

Of Peaks and More Peaks

Made it

Picturesque peaks that pique your interest

Down we go

Batu-WOW!

I know, I know. My blog post titles are becoming more and more...irksome, for lack of a better word.

After a dearth of trips since I got hired in a hospital as a staff nurse, I knew I have to grab every opportunity in a day-off and make every minute of it count. So after planning every detail of a day-hike, not even a sudden sixteen hour shift would deter me to climb a mountain the next day. Nope, it won't get in my way. 

With barely three hours of sleep, my good friend (and still apartment-mate), Joey, and I found ourselves preparing to conquer Mount Batulao in Batangas. Because of its popularity to hikers, newbies and experienced alike, operators of Nasugbu-bound buses already know where to drop you off. But just in case your bus operator and conductor are not in the know-how, tell them to drop you off at Evercrest Hotel in Nasugbu, Batangas. 

No silly sixteen-hour shift can stop me from conquering you, love.
(c) Cayton

We went to the Pasay Terminal of DLTB and rode a Nasugbu-bound bus for 88 pesos *bring your student ID, people* where we caught up on our much-needed sleep during the almost-two-and-a-half-hour bus ride. Worth noting for coffee(shop)-lovers is that the bus passes along the Bag of Beans branch and the new Starbucks branch, which are both along the Tagaytay-Nasugbu Road. 

DLTB Pasay Bus Terminal is conveniently located beside the Gil Puyat (Buendia) Station of LRT Line 1. And they also have great air-conditioning for their buses. And 'electronic' ticketing system (because it's not entirely paperless)!
(c) wikipedia.com

Once you get near the archway entrance to the town of Nasugbu, it's only a matter of minutes before the bus conductor calls out "Evercrest! O yung mga magba-Batulao dyan!" which is your hint to go down. You'd be surprised, as we were, that most of the passengers in the bus that have large hiking bags would alight at the same stop-over. From this stop-over, you have two options: (a) walk for around 45 minutes to reach the jump-off point which is FREE or (b) ride a tricycle to reach the jump-off point in around 15 minutes for 30 pesos per person. You can also rent your guide from this stopover who would charge you from 300 to 400 pesos, depending on the number of members of your hiking team. Ever since I got lost at Pico de Loro, I always have a knowledgeable guide with me during my hikes (and that includes you, Dena, my friend for our OPeak hike).

While waiting for Michi, a high school friend who would complete our trio for this day-hike, Joey and I contemplated about our choice of clothing because of the morning fog (see pictures below). 

Not shown: Really short hiking shorts and vigorous chilling
(c) Cayton

What summer?

About twenty chilling minutes later, Michi arrived and we decided to take the faster route since we have to be back in Manila in time for Joey's half-PM duty. This proved to be a good decision especially if you're one of the early hikers of the day because you get to enjoy the cool morning breeze along the trail...and while there is 'still a trail' to trek on. More of that later.

Several minutes of walking along a rocky trail from the jump-off point, you will be welcomed by the beautiful landscape-cum-challenge ahead of you. The several peaks that you have to conquer are laid down before your eyes to be marveled upon and to inspire your inner spirit. The cool morning winds also help to invigorate your will to reach the summit. From there, the challenge begins.

When the winds were cooler and we were stronger (before Peak 1).
DAT PEAKS THOUGH!
(c) Cayton

Batulao has a total of 10 peaks, the tenth one serving as its summit. Keep your eyes peeled because some of the peaks have markers where you can take a picture to mark your progress, which we did of course being the camwhores that we are. Hahaha!

Peak One, y'all!
(c) Cayton

Sadly, markers for Peaks 2 and 3 are gone so the next
marker is at Peak 4.
(My pictures literally pales in comparison to Joey's hahaha!)

Having to walk along the peaks, both sides of the trail slope downward and are covered by tall grasses that appear willowy and 'graceful' when the winds rush through them. I'm literally out of words to describe them so I'll let the pictures do the talking.

*silence*
THE HILLS ARE ALIIIIIIVE
WITH THE SOOOOOUND OF MUUUUUUSIIIIC
(c) ricaparelejo.ph

After Peak 4, you will come upon a house which - according to Pinoy Mountaineer - sells buko juice for 25 each. Sadly, this house and several stalls along the trail were closed because the day we hiked was the feast day of Saint Martin and most of the people who manage the stalls were in their own homes, preparing for the fiesta. Again, this proved to be an advantage for us and I'll tell you more about it later. 

A few minutes of walking from this house will take you to the fork where you have the choice between trekking the New Trail or the Old Trail. Given our restricted schedule, we took the New Trail by taking the right-middle path which would take us along the peaks. This trail will take you up and down the peaks of Batulao which is a very breathtaking experience. 

Good thing, a stall was open for business!
Although I didn't try their halo-halo, they said it tasted so much better up there.
(c) Cayton

Upon reaching Peak 8, there is a campsite good for overnight hikers. Situated here is the registration center for the New Trail where you have to pay 30 pesos for environmental fees. From hereon, the trek became more difficult as the sun started to beat down on us. Even upon entering a forested area, the sparse vegetation provided too little shade from the heat. Remember the 'still a trail' I talked about earlier? Batulao's trails, especially during the dry summer months, are composed of loose sandy soil, so imagine doing assaults and taking the rear. Yep, you are literally eating dust. Not to mention it's dangerous because you might slip on loos soil when lifting yourself. So better use the guide ropes to assist you in these parts. Moreover, because of its increasing popularity to hikers, the remaining compact soil are eroded leaving more loose soils along the trails. Imagine our relief when we had to walk along the jagged sides of a peak where the trail was rocky and we were behind the cool shadow of the 'Peak of Deception' which is a challenging sidetrip for adrenaline junkies.

Few slides along the trail and innumerable inhaled dust particles later, we reached the summit! Being the precise-things-loving person that I am, I rushed the last assault to clock in exactly two hours for my Batulao hike. The view from the summit is just wonderful. And that is even an understatement! Our very good guide, Kuya Allan, pointed out the other peaks in Batangas which can be seen from up there: Pico de Loro, Maculot, and Talamitam (the latest being next on my list of mountains to hike).

Happy faces at the summit!
(c) Cayton

Jeje pose for mah hommies!
(c) Cayton

Since it was Michi and I's birthday hike, we had a hearty lunch of canned tuna, crackers, and spaghetti (which later became tuna pasta once the crackers were gone). It was a simple celebration in such an extraordinary place. After taking in the view, we started our descent since the sun was already becoming more and more unforgiving even at an 'early' hour of 10 AM. The descent was faster although it was dustier because of the eroded trail as more and more hikers were making their way to the summit that morning. This only proves that hiking early was a good decision to make (take note of that). 

As we were nearing the jump-off point and the residential area of the trail, we were welcomed by the warm greetings of the locals and their invitations to their homes as it was the feast day of their patron saint. Who are we to say no to these invitations (and free lunch, too! :))), right? If we only had the liberty of time to stay a bit longer to celebrate the feast day with the people (and agreed to dine with everyone who invited us into their homes, which was practically every house we passed), we would stay because it was so festive with every house booming with karaoke songs, party music, and happy conversations.

 Thanks Tita Lita for the food! People, buy fresh buko juice from her 

for 30 pesos apiece! Definitely a must whenever you found yourself hiking Batulao.

(c) Cayton

An hour and forty-five minutes later (this included our hearty stop-over at Tita Lita's for lunch), we're back on the jump-off point. We took a tricycle back to the highway for 30 pesos per person. For those who want to clean up before catching a bus ride home, several houses right in front of the Evercrest entrance offer their homes (20 pesos for a bucket of water and free use of their restroom). Manila-bound buses for 88 pesos traverse the very same highway so you can just hitch a ride back to the Metro just by waiting, albeit under the blazing midday sun.

Batulao provides a unique hiking experience, as every mountain does for that matter, especially for beginners because of its easy but amazingly beautiful grassy trail and its numerous peaks - each a testimony of your strength as you push yourself towards the summit. The panoramic view from up the summit will also spur the hiker within you because other "dayhike-able" mountains are within sight - Pico de Loro, Talamitam, and Maculot. Now, Talamitam is on my list and a twin dayhike is in the (possible) works. Any takers? :D

P.S. Again and again, check out Pinoy Mountaineer's take on Batulao for more hiking tips and itineraries.

Until the next trip!

- Paulo

Honor and excellence at Batulao's Peak 10

Cebu: Through the Lens (And Photoshop)

There she goes!

Don't leave me.

Don't hurt me.

Wait for me.

Where are you?

Cebu, We Meet Again

After two glorious days in Bohol, it's time to conquer Cebu! Remember our very accommodating tour van driver Kuya Dodong? He asked his wife to purchase ferry tickets for the six of us (so hire him when you decide to take a trip around Bohol). We rode the ferry (245 pesos, along with the terminal fee) from Tubigon back to Cebu city where we were welcomed by our gracious Cebu host, the Desabilles. Our initial plan was to eat dinner then go straight to the airport to see Joey off and spend the night in a 24/7 food chain/convenience store. Lo and behold, Tita Mayet reserved an overnight room for us in a pension house in Mandaue City for 250 pesos/pax. The room comes with air-conditioning, WiFi, very comfortable beds and a clean bathroom. She also treated the six of us to a sumptuous dinner in a sutukil restaurant.

Somebody's catching up on sleep already
(c) Cayton

Sutukil comes from three Bisaya words sugba (to grill), tuwa (i-sigang or to stew with tamarind), and kilaw (to serve in vinegar). In a sutukil restaurant, you first choose the seafood you want in your meals and the cook will prepare them sutukil-ly (for lack of a better word) or you can have them cooked the way you want them. Tita Mayet ordered shrimps, calamares, fish sinigang, and kinilaw for us. The waiting time is less than an hour, just enough to keep you at the edge of hunger without losing your appetite altogether. There was a karaoke in the restaurant and since it's late at night, they sang their hearts out for five pesos a song. After dinner, we went back to the pension house to rest (and have a round of drinks with snails as pulutan). I opted to enjoy the WiFi until the break of dawn.

Post-sutukil faces with the Desabilles (Dena - holding Arya Snow - Tita Mayet and Dhin)
(c) Cayton

Our first destination was the whale sharks in Oslob which is way south of Cebu so I decided to just visit Dreamland on our way there. After checking out of the pension house at five in the morning, we first had our breakfast with the Desabilles where we also left unnecessary things and repacked essentials for our hike later that day. From there (take note, we're from Mandaue City), we went to Parkmall via jeep for 8 pesos and rode another jeep to Cebu South Bus Terminal for 10 pesos. I like how Cebu has codified jeepney routes that traverse its streets and placing these 'route codes' atop the jeepneys-ala-taxi. This app may come in handy for those who want to commute around Cebu: Go With Jeepney in Cebu.

Four and a half hours of sleeeeeeep!
(c) maps.google.com

We first bought trail food and canned goods in a convenience store for our overnight hike at Osmeña Peak. You may want to buy energy bars or make your own trail mix using nuts and chocolate candies. Whatever your choice, make sure it's easily accessible and gives you a boost while trekking. Remember to rehydrate and replace the lost electrolytes so sports drinks come in handy. Canned goods, a loaf of bread, and some crackers are good enough a breakfast-cum-dinner for us. 

From Cebu South Bus Terminal, ride an Oslob-bus bound for 124 pesos (so remember to bring a student ID, especially for the young travelers). The bus ride is almost four and a half hours, enough time for me to catch up on sleep. Around noon, we reached Barangay Tan-awan, Oslob and went to Aaron's Beach Resort which offers diving and whale shark viewing experience for 600 pesos.

Pricey....but what the hell, you don't see whale sharks everyday, right?

Before meeting the gentle giants of the seas, we first attended an orientation of the do's and don'ts during whale shark watching (ie. do not feed nor touch the whale shark, keep a distance of 4 meters between you and the whale shark, etc). After the lecture and a quick shower, we're off in our boats with our guides that will take us near these majestic creatures.

Whale shark viewing has become quite the 'community business' for the people of Oslob. I do hope they do their part in the protection and conservation of the whale sharks.

The viewing area was already full of other boats that were waiting for the whale sharks. We were given thirty minutes of interaction with the whale sharks which started when you start swimming with these large creatures. A boat that goes around the viewing area carries a fisherman who (sadly) feeds the whale sharks so the other boats will just have to wait for him to pass by, with the whale shark tailing behind him. We got a chance to have pictures with the shark, individually and as a group, thanks to Erika's GoPro camera and our guides' instructions - when to dive, not to blow bubbles for a picture-perfect shot and for dunking our heads underwater (no sarcasm intended)! The last one is especially helpful because I was the only non-swimmer among the group, hence the need for a life vest.

Four meters. Yeah, right.
(c) Crisostomo

Wow. Much struggle. Such organize.
(c) Crisostomo

We may not have the most picture-perfect shots but, hey, watching these gentle giants gliding a few meters from you is enough experience to bring back grins in our faces. The whale shark passed by our boat several times that we were satisfied by the half hour given to us. We went back to the shore to have our lunch, again courtesy of Dena's parents. After washing up and a bit of rest, we're up and about to go to our next destination: Osmeña Peak in Barangay Mantalogon, Dalaguete, Cebu.

Just wait for a Cebu City-bound bus along the highway and tell the conductor to drop you off at Dalaguete, Highway Junction for 80 pesos. From the crossing, ride a habal-habal for 100 pesos that will take you to the jump-off point. 

Buwis-buhay shot while reading the habal-habal. The road to the jump-off point is (thankfully) paved except for the last almost-a-kilometer of unpaved, rocky and rolling path.

You can ask the drivers to first drop you off at the town market of Dalaguete to buy your overnight food and supplies, which we did. We also bought large transparent bags since signs of a pending rain were threatening us since we left the junction. We asked the contact numbers of the habal-habal drivers so we would have a way to get from the jump-off point back to the highway junction.

Upon reaching the jump-off point, you have to sign in a logbook and their are no fees to be paid (yeay!). Some children offer their services as a guide for a fee but since Dena already hiked the peak, we decided against getting a guide. Had it not rained, the trail would have been much easier. Be sure to pack jackets and raincoats when hiking Osmeña Peak during the -ber months. Mantalongon is known as the Summer Capital of Cebu because of its cold temperature during the said months. Moreover, rains frequent the area during the same period and the windchill will definitely get into you. 

View from the (foggy) summit

View from the (foggier) campsite

We reached the summit in about an hour and there was also a group of day-hikers there. It was cloudy when we reached the summit so we only had glimpses of the numerous peaks the, er, Peak is known for. As the winds started to pick up speed and the clouds started getting darker, we started to become hesitant to spend the night........but we did, anyway! Hahaha! We set up camp in the designated area below the summit. Again, it would have been an ideal campsite had the winds and rain stopped bombarding our tent and flooding the inside. Scary stories about men robbing lone overnight campers in the area did not help at all. 

Malong burritos
(c) Agullana

We planned to welcome the sunrise at the summit by five in the morning the next day but the winds and rain kept bashing our camp and we only got out of our tent when it was almost seven and it was light outside. We took the opportunity in the lull of the rain and winds to break camp and start the descent . It was still foggy when we started the descent but at least it wasn't raining, which would be harder given the muddy trail. We also contacted the habal-habal drivers to meet us in the jump-off point. 

Silent Hill: Osmeña Peak version

The descent was much farther and (thankfully) less wetter because as we descended the cloud-hugged peaks, we were welcomed by the warm rays of the Sun. As I looked back at the camping experience we had, I still love it, no matter how strong the rain beat us, how scary the wind whistled, how cold and wet we got. It's the experience and the people you've spent it with that matters the most.

Osmeña Peak Collection 2014
Collage (c) Desabille\

Wet but happy. Wait. Wet and happy.
(c) Crisostomo

From the jump-off point, we were greeted by more kids and, thankfully, the habal-habal drivers that drove us back to the highway junction for another 100 pesos. From the junction, we rode a bus back to Mandaue for . We then took a jeepney ride back to the Desabilles for 8 pesos. Muscle soreness kicking in, we opted to just stroll around the mall before heading back to prepare for our flight back to Manila later that night.

Remember the airline where we booked our flights? The one with the sunshine-y yellow logo? Guess what happened to our flight back home (and to the others', consequently) - It got delayed. The long waiting at the terminal is a story on its own. Basically, our flight got delayed by a measly four hours compared to some who had been waiting for more than six hours just to get in their flight. Some even had their flights cancelled! In retrospect, we're quite lucky that we got home before Christmas because the said airlines made news when passengers who booked their flights waited for more than half a day, some even spent the night on the airport, only to know that their flights got delayed the next day or worse, cancelled. So people, plan your vacation details well, taking into consideration the credibility of the airlines (if you're planning to fly) and the dates of your getaway, so you can enjoy it!

P.S. Check out Dena's travel blog and her take on our Bohol-Cebu trip at I Wonder so I Wander

Until the next trip!

- Paulo

Trying my best to look fine underwater.
(c) Crisostomo

Bohol: Through the Lens (and Photoshop)

My Little (and Big) Kisses

Fishing Dreams

He. She.

Dat Beach. Dat Sun.

Standing Watch Through the Ages

Cheers! Let's Drink Our Blood! Cheers!

Bone(s) of the Father, Unwillingly Given

Downtime Between that Four Seconds of Fun

Xenophora: The Twisted Cousin of the Hermit Crabs