Last Dance

If you think that this post is about Diana Ross, then you are wrong. This is about my friend Cathy who just like Diana Ross, is into singing too. ( Take note, I said into singing, not GOOD in singing. Hahaha)

Anyway this post is about our (LAST) trip took place last March 2012. She left for NZ mid-March if I am not mistaken and a week or two before her departure, her Dad permitted her to take an overnight trip with friends.

You see, its been months since we were not able to hang out with her for an overnight trip because her Dad is a bit strict. That is why when he permitted her to go, we grabbed the chance to leave even though we did not have any plans at all.

We left on a Saturday morning. We headed to the Bacolod Ferry Terminal as we finally decided to hit Mambukal. Cathy may have been to Mambukal several times but Augustine, Erik and I were virgins of the place.

Upon arrival at Bacolod, we headed to SM City to buy stuff. For lunch, we ate at the Manokan Country. It was my first time to eat there. I may have been to Bacolod several times now but I have never been there.

After lunch, we headed straight to the Murcia Jeep Terminal. There are two routes in getting to Mambukal. One is by the ceres and another one is by jeeps where you have to go down at Murcia Town Proper and take another jeep that will to take you to Mambukal. Fare is the same for both modes of transportation, the only difference is the sort of hassle that the transfer will cause.

We took the jeep option, where we transferred to a mini-bus upon arrival at the Murcia Town Proper. We did not care about the transfer, we only wanted to make the most of our time so we picked this method as the jeep was leaving soon.

The terminal of the mini-buses was right in front of Mambukal’s gate. It is literally just a few steps away from the resort.

We did not have any tents, the receptionist told us that the resort was fully booked. It was a good thing that a guy who may or may not work there approached us and told us that we can stay at the rooms outside.

We haggled with the woman who owns the place. In the end, we had a  room with two beds, a fan and a bathroom with a huge window.

We changed our clothes and headed inside the resort. It was big and green. It was very forest-y.

We decided to do the falls trekking ASAP as we might not have the time tomorrow. The guide who approached us was the same guy that we used in the 7 Falls Trek. You see, there are a lot of guides lurking here and there in Mambukal. they offer their services to tourists who may want to check the 7 Falls out.

On the 4th or 5th  Falls, there were children who “guided” us. They walked with us until the 7th Falls. I thought they were doing it for fun but in the end, they asked for money. We gave them 20 pesos.

After the trek, we headed to the Sulfur Pool and rest for a while. It was scorching hot but very relaxing. There are lots of people in the pool. Old men trying to cure skin problems, paralytics trying to rejuvenate their dead body parts and so on. At this point, we can’t be so particular as we wanted to rest in the pool, who cares about diseases when you are dead tired?

We felt hungry so we went back to our place and slept. Since Augustine and I do not drink, Cathy and Erik has no choice but to not drink as well. I don’t know if they were forced but as far as I am concerned, I don’t care if they drink, all I want is to get some sleep as I was not able to sleep the night before the trip.

In the morning, we headed back to the resort which in a way caused trouble because they wanted us to pay for the entrance fee again. We told the woman there that the receptionist the other day told us we can come in and out of the resort as we please until tomorrow. She gave in and allowed us to enter the resort again.

We played at the playground. Waited for Cathy and Erik as they Ziplined and kayaked at the lagoon. Then we went at a nearby pool. Boy, it was a lot of fun.

The thing with Mambukal is that everything has its corresponding fees. Yes, the 50 pesos entrance fee may be cheap but it’s just the entrance fee. You have to shell out another 50 pesos for using the pool, another 50 pesosfor boating and so on.

After the pool, we headed back to our place. Changed our clothes, packed our bags and took the bus to take us back to Bacolod.

The word EXCITING does not even amount to the thrill that we felt as we were walking from SM City Bacolod up to the Pier. Of the 4 of us, Cathy was in a hurry because she told her father that we were just going to Tigbauan, a mere 30 minutes or so away from Iloilo City. It was a good thing that we were able to catch the last ferry going to Iloilo and arrived at about 6 pm or so.

It may or may not be our last trip with Cathy but it will surely be a trip to remember as years go by.

Mambukal Getaway

Last Saturday, Me, Augustine, Cathy and Erik went to Mambukal. It was Cathy’s second time there but for the three of us, it was our first time in there.

We took the 9 am ferry going to Bacolod and headed straight to SM for our groceries. We ate our lunch at Manokan Country and got a jeep to the Mambucal Bus Station. After an hour or so, we arrived at Minoyan, Murcia but it was fully booked. It was a good thing that there was this guy who told us about a place outside Mambukal where we could stay. We paid 1200 for a room with 2 beds, a fan and a CR.

After that, we headed straight to the resort and paid our entrance fee of 50 pesos each. We explored the place but when we got the area where hiking at the falls is being done, we decided to grab the opportunity as the sun will set in 4 hours or so. We wrote our names, bought water and asked help from Manong Lando, our guide.

The first falls was easy. There was a guard station and there were a lot of people in that area. Bathing however is not allowed on this falls. In getting to the second falls, you have to climb steep stones, again bathing is not allowed. The third falls also require trekking in stone and no bathing still. The fourth falls was damaged by a typhoon so it was gone. The fifth falls has a no bathing policy too.

We were targeting the 6th falls as bathing in there is allowed. They also have a sari sari store there so we could take a short rest and buy more water. It is in this part of the trek where we met the child guides. At first, we thought they were just playing along with us as they have nothing to do anyway but little did I know that they were also guiding and at the end of the day, they would also ask for tips. There were two girls and three boys. They were neighbours. They were helpful but they are not as good as our adult guide.

We bathe in the sixth falls, talked to the children there and after a while, headed straight to the seventh falls. The seventh falls is out of the way but getting there means passing by wild sunflowers, houses and such. It was more flat and therefore easier to trek.

We also bathed in the cool water of the falls. After that, we went back via the “short cut”, the kids are still with us. We saw a few rice terraces, Bacolod from afar and so on. We reached a point where the kids said they can’t go from there. I wanted to give them 20 pesos each as there were 5 of them but Erik Cathy and Augustine protested.

After that, we were left with our original guide, Nong Lando. We passed by this house where we saw a 5 year old kid asking for money and holding a lit cigarette. We were shocked by it but our guide told us that it’s natural for people in that area to have different behaviours. He even told us that our children guides were smokers and gamblers too.

We went to the Dipping pool but before that, we paid Nong Lando 250 pesos. The dipping pool has a lot of people. You need to dip yourself slowly as possible as it would be too hot to jump into the pool right away. Entrance fee for the dipping pool is 50 pesos. I felt rejuvenated and relaxed on its waters. The 7 falls trek was nothing; I could do it again and again if and only if there is a dipping pool escapade in the end.

After that we went back to our place and ate dinner. I was not able to sleep the night before so I slept from 8 pm to 8 am. In the morning, we headed to the playground, the boating lagoon. Cathy and Erik took the Zipline. We took their photos as we did not bother with the Zipline.

After that we bought softdrinks, swam at the pool and packed our bags to catch our 5:15 boat ride back to Iloilo. It was a good thing that the place that we are staying in is just a few steps away from the bus terminal. We arrived in Bacolod city at around 2 pm and went straight to the Wharf via a Tricycle to get back to Iloilo before 6 p.m..

Lonely Tree

Solitary Tree

Comfort in Calmness

The “sinking” the Maricalum Mining Corporation in Sipalay City

The Road Not Usually Taken

This dirt road leads the way to the mine, the Maricalum Mining Corporation.  It used to be busy and all but when the mine closed, the place is as good as a ghost town.

Negros Museum: From a Museum-Junkie’s POV

If you are in Bacolod, it’s a crime not to visit the Negros Museum. If there is a thing such as museum-junkies, we are definitely one of those. That is why for us, its a crime not to visit this very interesting place at the heart of Bacolod City.

The Negros Museum is located in Gatoslao Street. It is near the Capitol and the Lagoon. The building where it is located is at the left side of the lagoon. Its entrance is in the back area near the Chinese-looking mall. Getting there is as easy as pie if you take the cab which will cost about 50 pesos if you are coming from SM City Bacolod.

If you are adventurous enough, jeep would be your better option. Just don’t forget to tell the driver to stop at the Capitol or if its one of the many jeeps that pass by Gatuslao Street, tell them you’re getting off at the Museum.

The building where the Negros  Museum is located was designed by the national artist, Leandro Locsin during the1920’s. Entrance to the museum is 50 pesos.

Unlike the Iloilo Museum, the Negros Museum is impressive. It is divided into several sections. The the second floor is where the “historical” stuff is. A vast collection of dolls from all over the world can be found in one of the galleries. I was dying to take my camera out.

The Negros Art Scene is very much alive as evidenced by paintings made, exhibited and probably sold by local artists which can be found on the left side of the museum.

Over all, I can say that the fee we paid was very much worth it.

For a museum-junkie, the Negros Museum is like snorting a good, expensive and out of the ordinary cocaine.