One day before I culminate my one-month long vacation, I felt so bored at home in Malate. I was itching to have some more escapades to add more pictures on my wide array of online albums and so be it. I just wanted to top my vacation with a stroll in Tagaytay, Batangas.
It's a cunning idea to hire a taxi back and forth to just see the famous volcano at the center of the lake amidst my concern about my chipped molar which I accidentally hurt when I was eating pork rinds two days ago.
In the morning I went to Robinson's Mall in Manila and inquired about how much it cost for me to have my chipped left front molar to be filled. Apparently, they told me about the price (which to me was cheaper and reasonable) but they scheduled me to be back at 2 pm so instead I told them to put me down on the schedule the next day at 10 am.
When I left the mall I definitely decided impulsively to go to Tagaytay with Rika hiring a taxi for 3000 PHP (back and forth) which to me was a very reasonable price. Heck.... I don't care if it's expensive to somebody, as long as I enjoyed it, it's okay to me. I am very excited to had finished my vacation with a big-bang so I think Tagaytay is the best place to visit judging it's near proximity from Manila (an almost two hours drive).
We left Manila at 3 pm because I have to wait for Rika to come home from school. When she got home we immediately took off without a lot of fuss. The drive was smooth at the SLEX and there were sporadic traffic along the way but overall it's not that congested. We got to Tagaytay at exactly 4:30 pm.
First adventure was to look for the People's Park. Our driver was a Batangueno so we have confidence for him to show us around because he knows the place.
We drove more south to look for the People's Park. Along the way we saw the lake at the bottom of the hill and the mouth of the volcano was been visible from the road as we drove up high the hills going to People's Park.
Tagaytay is a very nice place with a cool weather in the afternoons. During that time the temperature had dropped down I think to 55 degrees Fahrenheit considering that summer weather in the cities was setting in. It seems that summer it's not even imminent in this part of the country.
As we drove along the long and winding road to the top of the hill, we saw the People's Park perched on top of the hill at a distance. We trekked the winding road going there until we reached it successfully. We were excited once we got there.
After we paid the 15 PHP individual entrance fee we then walked up the hill eagerly like small children shouting and yelling at each other and saw the beauty of the whole Tagaytay 360 degrees from atop the hill. Me and Rika had continuously snapped pictures of the whole panoramic picturesque with extra caution because it's getting bleak and grey during that time while the dusk sets in.
After were done at the People's Park our driver drove us to inquire for the boat ride but apparently the fee was very expensive for the two of us plus the fact that we don't have time already because it's getting dark already. So we discarded and ignored the plan for the boat ride.
We then planned to eat steak at the Tagaytay Highlands as what Rika had recommended. She was told by one of her affluent classmate about the rumored high-end steaks at the hotel but we don't have an idea where to find it.
So we asked people we met on the road then we headed there as instructed. We took the road we took when were headed for the People's Park. We then took the road on the right that had forked near the park but when got to the entrance the guard had intercepted us and told us that we cannot go down the road unless we have somebody to sponsor us from the club residents.
We never knew we have to have some conections in order to eat the rumored steaks at Tagaytay Highlands, so again we dropped the whole idea. Damn.... that was so frustrating! They just had forfeited a very good paying customer. Hehehe.
So we turned to the opposite side of the town and had end up at Gerry's Grill to order and eat for our dinner. The food was also great and we had enjoyed it despite our dreamy state of almost ordering and eating that high-end steak they rumored of.
Gerry's Restaurant was also near the mouth of the lake and the volcano so while waiting for our order to come out and be delivered at our table we went down the patio and snapped more pictures of the lake and the volcano.
After the dinner it was already dark so we decided to go back to Manila. We passed by the fruit stands or kiosks along the way and bought sweet finger bananas, the local and famous Tagaytay pineapples, ripe-sweet-yellow mangos, striped seedless watermelons, sweet and orange soft papaya, and my ever favorite sweet-sandy chicos which I haven't eaten for almost twenty years.
The drive home was very congested. Our driver decided to take the other route near the inhabited areas because he told us that the SLEX was so dark and risky to drive during this time. When we got to Dasmarinas, Cavite the traffic was very very tough and congested and I noticed our driver was also irritated of his decision of taking the route.
In the middle of the drive our driver had miscalculated the traffic and had beaten a red light which was caught by the traffic enforcer. After the long chase we got pulled over the road and our driver got the ticket for beating the red light and wreckless driving. It was horrible to have gotten that odd citation! I just have to comfort and console our driver to drive us back to Manila safely.
We got to Manila at 9 pm and me and Rika were been awed and mesmerized with our short trip and visit to Tagaytay. Rika thanked me for the little escapade and I recognized her extreme gratitude. She even hugged me tightly for being so generous to her and to everybody.
I paid the driver his dues when we arrived at our Malate apartment then we went inside and start munching some sweet pineapples and the sweet sandy chicos. It was so good that I just can't stop indulging myself for I know it will be quite a time when I will eat them again.
Our trip to Tagaytay was just an escape of the hustle-and-bustle of the busy streets of Manila and the humid temperature which always kill me compared to the cold and breezy temperature of Tagaytay.
It was a nice way to unwind at least! And what a nice way to end my vacation with a bing bang! I was so happy to have done it and I am positive that this vacation was full of unforgettable memories I won't forget.
I love having to unwind in a rustic place and commune with the beauty of nature. It was a very interesting idea and not apalling at all. I felt so blessed that I can do it despite of the time constraints and the economic situation of the country.
I am so thankful finding beautiful and understanding friends along the way and this is the most poignant part of my whole month vacation because friendship is the best thing I can add in my trinket of memories. Luv u all guys for everything you have shared. Thank you! Thank you!
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