Up, up, and away!

After 14 editions of the Philippine Hot Air Balloon Festival at the Clark Freeport Zone in Subic, Pampanga, it seems that there's no stopping the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Festival (PIHABF) organizers from continuously staging this annual event here. From a 19 balloons from across 13 countries last year, the organizers predicted 25 countries would be joining this time around. Although I'm not sure of the exact number of the participants this year, it still is a fact that this event has become an instant attraction for Filipinos and foreigners alike. Sadly, I wasn't able to go to this year's staging. But I was fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to attend last year.

At almost the same time last year, me and my girlfriend went to see the balloons' lift off with her aunt and cousins and with a friend of ours. We had to wake up way before the break of dawn, which I might add is the most advisable time to go to the venue. That gave us the chance to see the balloons being prepared and filled up with air.

It was quite a sight to behold with the enormous balloons being fueled with air with the sunrise as our backdrop.

That was actually my first time to see hot air balloons up close and personal. I usually get to see these contraptions in pictures and movies only. Haha! This was quite an experience for me. I wanted to make the most out of our trip and ride on one but it was just a little too expensive for my taste already. I just had to satisfy myself with the fact that I got to see not just one, nor two, but 19 hot air balloons lifting off one after the other.

What's so unique about the event is that it not only gives you the chance to see hot air balloons at a very close proximity. The organizers made sure that the projected 100,000 strong attendees wouldn't get bored by looking at gigantic balloons chasing a "rabbit" ( that's what they called the smaller balloon the bigger ones were chasing after as part of a contest). Other attractions were arranged for the event-goers to enjoy. Kite-flying, paratroopers, an aerial show, military equipment on display (which we enjoyed really), AUVs, tanks, and planes were also parked within the vicinity. All these were strategically placed all around the venue for the people to occupy themselves while waiting for the balloons to get back.

I heard from a few friends that this year's edition was equally a success as last year's. Most of the attractions remained the same. Hopefully next year, they'd add more stuff to the event to make it a more exciting and thrilling experience for the attendees. If they're able to add something that would attract my attention, I'd probably pack my bags and relive the whole experience again.

Peso Power: 5 (only real cost would be getting a hotel and gas)

Amor: 3

Over-all Rating: 4

Anawangin - An Untouched Paradise

Okay, so I was surfing the net as I always do in the mornings right before work, when I stumbled upon a blog about Anawangin Cove in Pundaquit, Zambales. I suddenly remembered this rumor my brother told me about some of the recent developments happening around that area. Apparently, the undiscovered paradise that was Anawangin a few years back, is now the target of a few private individuals wishing to generate promising income from developing the cove. But enough of the gossip and more of the place. Hehe.

Going with the flow

Around this time last year (almost?), I went there with my girlfriend, my brother and his girlfriend, and 2 other friends. I wanted to to see for myself what the fuss was all about. Almost everyone I knew already went to that place and came back awestruck. They just couldn't stop raving about it. I felt that I was being left out of something. So I decided to go with the flow and make the trip.

The Trip

We had 2 options. Either to take a bus or bring our car. If by bus, we could get there via Victory Liner Transit, going to Iba, Zambales. But we decided against it after computing the cost of the tickets and comparing it with our expected gas expense. So in the end, we decided to bring our car.

We left Manila early in the morning so that we could make the most out of our stay there. The drive would have been a very stressful one since we would have to pass by Tarlac and San Fernando, where the traffic is really awful. But after asking my other friends who've been there, they recommended we take the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, which would save us a lot of travel time. True enough, from NLEX to Subic, it only took us about 45 minutes, bypassing the traffic in Tarlac and San Fernando. :)

From there, we drove to San Antonio, Zambales and asked around for directions on how to get to Pundaquit, which was only a few minutes more away. But a word of caution, getting to Pundaquit and the resorts there will be tricky. There are a lot of parallel and perpendicular roads that you would need to pass through. We got lost just looking for our resort.

When we found our resort, we checked in our stuff and rested for a while, after our 4 hour long drive. Prior to our date of departure from Manila, we made reservations at Megan's Resort (http://megansresort.net/). There are other resorts available there like the Punta De Uian Resort, and such. You can try google these resorts as well.

I highly recommend the resort for travelers on a budget. The room rates range from 1800 to 2800 pesos depending on the room type. You can check our their website for the rates. We got the room for PHP 2500.00 which was the only room with a refrigerator. Another plus for this resort is that there's no corkage for guests. So we got to bring in all our drinks and snacks for free. Due to lack of preparation time, we weren't able to bring other food products on our trip. Apparently, you can also bring meat products and have the staff there cook for you at a minimal fee.

So after relaxing for a bit and taking our lunch, we all headed out to rent a "bangka" to take us to the cove. At that time, boat rental was at PHP 650.00 to Anawangin Cove and Capones Island, and PHP 600.00 to Camera Island. These are off-peak rates. Usually these would go up to within the PHP 800.00-1000.00 range.

From afar, it doesn't really represent itself so much as a looker, viewing the island from the "bangka." But when you get to shore and take those first few steps up the sand dune, you suddenly doubt if you're still in the Philippines. Never have I seen such a majestic view in my previous travels.

The place is really a photographer's haven. I don't think there is any angle that you could shoot poorly there. The tall pine trees lining up the clear river, old tree stumps artistically scattered around the cove, and a mountain range view that would leave you flabbergasted. I was satisfied just sitting there and enjoying the view with a few drinks with my brother and friends, while my girlfriend was busy taking pictures. But these aren't the only activities you can enjoy once you're there. Other activities include:

1. Skimboarding - the shoreline is very ideal for this.

2. Trekking - there is a clearing just beyond the trees that leads to a trail up to a large hill. Just be careful of unknown wild animals that might be lurking around. :p

3. Camping - there is a campsite set-up a few meters away from the shore. Not sure of the fee you have to pay but last I heard it's around the PHP 50.00-100.00 range per person. All that's left for you to take care of are the camping gear. Oh, by the way, the bathroom there is quite primitive. Haha.

4. Sports - beach volleyball, soccer, frisbee, etc. Sports you can play on the sand.

Anawangin Essentials

Here's also a short list of things you might consider bringing to make the trip a little more memorable:

1. Camera - To document the whole experience. You will never go wrong with your pictures here.

2. Food and water - Since there are no commercial establishments here, better to bring supplies to last you throughout your planned stay there.

3. Essential camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, cooking set, flashlights, etc.) - Self-explanatory.

4. Booze - To help you relax even more. Haha!

5. Other stuff - Really up to you what else to bring.

We left for our resort a little before sunset, but not before taking a few more pictures. :) All in all, this was a one-of-a-kind experience for all of us. I've heard that similar places are still left for us to discover all around the country. I'll try to research on other "untouched" and "undisturbed" places such as Anawangin and hopefully, get to visit them as well.

Peso Power: 5

Amor: 5

Over-all Rating: 5

Getting Started...Again...

Finally! I somewhat finished my blogsite. Well, about 85% finished? Honestly, blogging's not that difficult. From the extremely well-versed individual to the slowest bloke, anybody can write. He/She may or may not make any sense with whatever topic they're writing about, but still anybody can write. Want to know the hardest part of setting up a blog???

Thinking of the best blog name and URL for your blog!

Most advisable way to go about naming your blog is to think of something that would best describe the content you are planning on posting on your site. That's why most people end up limiting their blogsites to a specific topic only (i.e. travel tips, photojournals, food reviews, etc.) to make it easier for themselves. That's why I had a really stressful time setting up this blog. I wanted to take the unconventional route of writing about just about anything, from the most mundane of topics to supernatural phenomenons, or what have you. But this "unconventional route" proved to be a lot harder than I had expected it to be. So here's what I came up with.

What's with the Title?

"Lakwatsero" in Tagalog is a slang term for an individual who enojys going out (on a trip, to the mall, to meet with friends, etc.) that has gained a negative connotation to it through the years as someone being a truant or something similar to that nature. I would rather be classified as the latter as I am someone who enjoys trying out new things, going to new place, discovering new cultures, etc.

"Kalbo" on the other hand, is the Tagalog translation for a bald person. Although, technically I can be considered as someone being "semi" bald. Haha.

So being a "semi" bald person who loves to go out, hence the title, "Lakwatserong Kalbo."

What to Expect

I think all topics have been made the subject of online blogs already. So trying to think of a unique format for my blog was a seriously tedious task. So to spare myself of the unnecessary agony, I finally decided on focusing my blog on my own intersests. Basically, I hope to make this blog an informational tool for most followers/visitors on topics mainly on, but not totally limited, to food, travel destinations, photography, and culture in the Philippines. I'd like to share my experiences as an avid traveller to others in the hope of giving valuable input and advice on these targeted topics.

Tips on Reading my Blog

As an additional feature to my blog, I would like to make my entries a little more interesting. I'll be supplying you readers with my ratings on applicable topics. The following ratings would be used:

1. Peso Power - Was the money shelled out worth it?

2. Amor - What are the chances of me trying it out again? What impression did it leave on me?

3. Over-all Rating - Obviously, would rate the experience as a whole.

All ratings will be at a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being the highest.

I guess, that covers the basics of my blog. If you do have any suggestions or comments, I would love to hear from you guys. In the meantime, enjoy browsing through my blog.

Thanks!