Journey to the past – searching were I started

After 5 years of living independently in Manila, I finally did it.

When I was in college, I often dream about this small park in Manila where my mom carries me around when I was very young. There’s this white dog that kept on barking near the paved garden with white painted rings on the side. It felt so real.

I realized that it was a memory from my infant period triggered by something. Somehow that memory has reserved a spot in my tiny hypothalamus!*haha (*I think that’s the part of the brain that stores memory) It has to be the place where mama and papa lived 2 months before they decided to migrate in Dipolog City and raise a family. That’s also when I told myself that someday I’ll go back to that place.

And so my adventure begins with my birth certificate…

Homesickness made me awake last night. Hoping to exhaust myself, I exerted effort in cleaning my room. While doing the *unkeenly deed, I saw my old certificate of birth. I know its there but I never really paid attention on the details.



That was the first time I learned the name of the hospital (DJFMH) and the exact time I was born (2:30 PM). My mama’s address was also there when they stayed in Manila. It made me think of the wild idea once I had to search my past. I found 3 clues in the birth certificate. Those are:

- 24-2 Teachers Bliss, Balintawak QC
- DJFMH
- Lady of the Holy Rosary

I searched for the clues and found Teachers Bliss Subdivision and Dr Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital. My mama told me that I can find the Holy Rosary Cathedral in Montalban Rizal.

Earlier, I went on a great journey to the past!

24-2 Teachers Bliss, Balintawak QC

I searched balintawak for Teachers Bliss and after a few turns with the cab driver I was able to locate the village.


I just know that this was the park in my dreams. Its now full with plants and the white arc rings was gone.


Unfortunately, I was not able to get in since a new family is now living in the apartment.

Lady of the Holy Rosary

I travelled an hour from Cubao QC to Montalban Rizal just to see this place. The feeling was amazing. I can imagine the baptismal photo from my mom while inside the church! (*gives me goosebumps)







I have visited the place where I was baptized/


I ate Adobong Manok, and pinakbet in Lina Carenderia near Holy Rosary Church.

Dr Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital

I took the LRT line 2 Katipunan-Recto route to get to this hospital. I then took a cab unconsciously knowing that Fabella Maternity Hospital is just a hundred meters away from the station. *haha


Meet Jose Fabella, in memory of this great contribution and keen sense of service to the public, this hospital is name herewith (*not kidding.. its written in the scriptures)




Patron of the new born child


I have visited the place where I was born!


I took a cab after and arrived back home around 7:30 PM. The experience was great. Visiting the past made me understand that no matter where life takes us, we will always have our tracks somewhere. Just like a footprint in the sand, that guides us to go further and not back or sideways...:P

Trip namin to - Isplash isplash Pagsanjan Pols! (Flashback Jan 2008)

Destination: Pagsanjan, Laguna
When: January 20, 2008,
ETD (Manila) 7:30 AM ETA (Pagsanjan) 9:48 AM
ETD (Pagsanjan) 3:10 PM ETA (Manila) 5 :45 PM

Who:

Keen (me)


Cath Herrera (Office mate, HP)


Iris Gelera (friend, IBM)


Things brought:
PSP (keen)
Ipod (Iris)
Extra clothes (which was not enough)
Digital Camera, c/o Cathy
Guts and wits

Money: (See below for breakdown)
Transportation

Bus(Cubao –> Sta Cruz, Laguna) = Php138.40
Bus(Sta Cruz, Laguna -> MRT Magallanes station) = Php121.40
Tricycle(Sta Cruz, Laguna -> Pagsanjan, Laguna) = Php 8.00
Tricycle(Around Pagsanjan) = Php 6.00

Food (Lunch in Riverside grill houses)
Big Barbecue = 50Php / stick
Rice = 10.00 per cup

Boat Ride = Boatmen fee (500.00Php) +
Resort fee (50.00Php) + Gov fee~not sure (110.00Php)
= Total Boat ride fee (660.00Php)

Raft fee = 90 Php
~ They ask additional fee if you want to go under the falls. This is not mandatory. Cathy and Iris got scared.nyahaha

Contacts:
Mark Vicuna
Tourism officer, Pagsanjan City Hall
Mobile - 09272993130
Landline - (049)8084057

They are always ready to assist other adventurers. Contact them if you want to go to Pagsanjan for assistance.


Adventure moments

Bus ride to Pagsanjan. The cloud was so dark and we thought there is going to be a heavy rain. Good thing there was only drizzle. Yey! Cathy got sleepy cause of the cold weather. It took around 2:35 minutes for us to get to Sta. Cruz.Laguna from Cubao, QC station. See below for bus location.



Pit stop 7 eleven. While waiting for our contact Mark Vicuna, we grabbed some stuffed pandesal and pineapple juice in the common store.



Vicuna Ancestral House. Mark accepted us in his beautiful century house in Pagsanjan. We were able to meet his family and they were very accommodating.











Sto. Nino Festival. Aside from Cebuanos celebrating Sinulog to commemorate Sto Nino, Pagsangenyos were also celebrating it with a parade at noon and float exhibit at night.







The resort. We took a 10min tricycle ride from central Pagsanjan to a barrio were there are lots of Resort that offers boat rides. Errr.. I forgot the name of the result. There was a dried pool and I was game enough to go in the center of it.







The boat ride to Rapid’s gate aka Toll Gate. You will journey the long Pagsanjan River until a certain toll gate before you can reach the uphill boat climb.







Up the mountains boat ride. This is a very good ride. This is an exhilarating two-hour boat ride from Pagsanjan River to the Falls and back. Let the photos speak for themselves.



The great Pagsanjan Falls. I recommend that you see the view of this great waterfall. The town of Pagsanjan in Laguna is noted for the famous Pagsanjan Falls. The trip to Pagsanjan Falls is an experience of lifetime – the feeling was like eating Tobleron for the first time.


Finally made it to our destination.








To those who dare, they allow thrill seekers to go under the falls for 90Php. I took it ofcourse. Cathy and Iris doesnt want to get wet daw. anuhkeyahyun.





Shooting Pagsanjan rapids. I enjoyed this a lot. The return trip is where one experiences the thrill of " shooting the rapids", a headlong joyride with a smooth and swift guide with the current downriver, splashing through cool and foamy waters. All of us got wet.


Our boat went under a waterfall.


Meynard was kind enough to offer us to stop a while in a mini fall on the way down. Me and Iris plunged into the cold waterfall.hehe


Tour around the city. We walked around the city to view the old houses and other landmarks of Pagsanjan.



Pagsanjan City Hall

Victory Monument


Our Lady Of Guadalupe Parish. This is a landmark in Pagsanjan. At the moment, many floats were being assembled for the procession in the evening. Unfortunately, we were not able to see it. But we were able to take photos of the floats.




Puerta Real. Luckily, the kind tricycle driver allowed us to stay and get pictures for a while in the city gate. They say that this structure is the most strategic and historical landmark of Pagsanjan.








Back to Manila. We arrived around 5PM in Manila. We all tool MRT since we expect a lot of traffic in Cubao area.

Trinoma then home. Sa Tokyo tokyo trinoma na ako nag hapuna.hehe I fell aslep right away after lying down in my bed.

Special thanks.
To Sir Mark and his family. Maraming salamat po.
To boatmen Sir Lito and Meynard for the great trip. They let us go under the mini fall on the way back.
To anonymous drivers at kahit dun sa mamang flagger na sumusunod sa amin at walang nakuha. Salamat pa ren sa assistance…

At kay God, salamat sa paggawa ng Pagsanjan Falls. 

Lesson learned.

Super traffice pabalik ng Manila sa SLEX pag Sunday. Tsk.
Bring extra clothes (Not just shirt). nyahaha
Good things happen. Chill. *wink
Maroon 5 will have a concert this March.
Boat ride fee at 660 PER PERSON! :)

Links:
Catherine Herrera's Multiply Site