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BACK in
the ’70s as I was growing up, I remember taking a lot of
road trips with my family. Despite the energy crunch
then, we would still go up to enjoy the chilly weather
in Baguio City, travel to Dau, Pampanga, to buy PX
goods, motor down to Tagaytay to enjoy the cool breeze
and the fabulous view of Taal Volcano, or to Cavite and
Batangas to swim in their once-clean beaches.
When I
started working the agricultural beat in the late ’80s,
there were also frequent land trips to as far as Ilocos
Norte or down south to Quezon, as I tagged along with
whoever was the Cabinet secretary then on his visits for
chats with farmers and local officials, or check out
whatever was the agency’s pet projects.
Land
trips can be exhausting, especially if you ride the bus,
and during my time it took almost 11 hours just to
travel from the Quezon City bus terminal to Laoag. In
between, there were only two bathroom breaks. (Of
course, these days, most major provincial bus lines have
restrooms onboard, and DVD players to keep passengers
entertained.)
In the
last couple of weeks, my friends and I have been going
on road trips to the north and south of Manila, just
near enough not to bust the gas budget or get enervated
because of the slow-moving traffic. The trips have been
a way for us to bond and, at the same time, marvel at
what’s left of the remaining beauty of the Luzon
countryside.
Taking
the new SCTEx
THE
Clark free port in Pampanga has so much to offer weekend
tourists. Aside from the casinos, where my friends have
reported winning tidy sums from playing the slot
machines, there are a number of new hotels offering
comfortable accommodations, swimming-pool attractions to
delight the kids and a number of restaurants to satisfy
even the most discriminating palate.
The free
port also plays host to a number of new spas which,
unfortunately, I was unable to try, as the gang had an
inspired idea to try out the new Subic-Clark-Tarlac
Expressway (SCTEx) during a trip just a few weeks back.
Because of the SCTEx, it is now possible to travel from
Clark to Subic in 20 minutes flat, or from Manila to
Subic in just two hours.
(The
only thing I don’t understand about the SCTEx is why it
doesn’t have an off-ramp from the Clark free port
itself, considering that it does run parallel to the
main gateway road of the free port. To get to the SCTEx,
one has to drive out of the free port, traverse the
traffic in Angeles to get to the North Luzon Expressway,
through a circuitous route to exit Dau, before actually
entering the new SCTEx. I would be glad to hear the
explanation behind this unusual engineering feat that
can only be ascribed to, as usual, a Philippine
government construction project.)
It took
us about 40 minutes between Clark and Subic. While the
SCTEx is not as wide as most expressways in the United
States, the drive was incredibly smooth and the scenery
just spectacular. As our van sped on, the rice fields of
Zambales came into view, some just freshly harvested or
newly sown. There were lush mango orchards along the
way, while at a distance we admired the remaining
greenery of the Zambales hillsides. Soon, we saw the
winding road travelers used to pass in Dinalupihan to
get to Subic and other Zambales municipalities to the
north.
The
SCTEx takes travelers straight up to the Apec road,
which leads into the Subic Bay free port, which, on the
Saturday after payday when we visited, was teeming with
local tourists. The Royal Subic Duty Freeport was pure
bedlam, chock full of customers.
These
days, however, duty-free shopping can be as expensive as
supermarket shopping in Manila, so it’s no longer
practical to go there just to buy your groceries. But at
least guests can still enjoy its beaches, watch the
dolphins in the ocean park, see the little monkeys still
crossing the road or go through survival jungle training
with the Aetas.
To
Tagaytay and Silang
WITH
construction at the South Luzon Expressway now almost
completed, traveling to Silang, Cavite, or Tagaytay City
has improved, with traffic moving at a faster clip. We
normally take the Sta. Rosa exit and make a restroom
stop at the Paseo shopping mall, or check out the usual
sales at the Nike and Speedo stores in the mall on the
way back to Manila.
Tagaytay
City is really an old-time road-trip favorite for Metro
Manilans because of its proximity. Along the Aguinaldo
Highway, there are numerous restaurants to choose
from—from budget/fast-food meals to fine-dining
establishments, with or without a view of the
world-famous Taal Volcano. My personal favorite is
Viewpoint, which serves the crunchiest crispy tawilis
and the most delicious sinigang na maliputo.
To enjoy
the sites at a more leisurely pace, one can stay
overnight at the newly renovated Taal Vista Hotel or the
luxurious Discovery Country Suites. We also recently
discovered a relaxing hideaway called The Moon Garden
along SVD Road, which shoots out from the Aguinaldo
Highway. Its guest rooms were divine and the interior
design was an interesting eclectic mix of Filipino
craftsmanship in a modern setting. (More on Moon Garden
in a future story.) For those on a budget, Days Inn is
actually not a bad alternative with its clean rooms,
gorgeous swimming pool and affordable meals.
A visit
to Tagaytay City is never complete without stopping by
the Adoration Convent of Divine Mercy, otherwise known
as the Pink Sisters Convent. The best time to go is
during lunch time as the nuns pray and sing their
noontime vespers. Suddenly, one feels blessed and
inspired as those voices—as soothing as an angel’s
whispers—fill the air. As is the usual tradition,
devotees come to pray in the chapel and later write down
their prayer requests that the nuns are expected to
intercede for.
 Since
I was little, I have always been fascinated by the Taal
Volcano sitting in a caldera of lake water (nowadays
teeming with fish pens). On a clear day, the volcano is
just stunning, and the knowledge that it can still erupt
without notice adds to its mystique and alluring
dangerous beauty.
The best
view of Taal Volcano is, of course, still at the Taal
Vista Hotel. On a coffee stop a couple of months ago, we
noticed the change in its interior design, lending
itself to quiet luxury.
Before
returning to Manila, a must-stop is Gourmet’s Café in
Silang, Cavite, for its freshly harvested salad greens,
dips, salad dressings and pasta sauce, and the best
Filipino home-grown coffee (I personally buy the Premium
Blend or Reserve ground coffee). If you’re lucky, you
may even be invited to see the lettuce and herb farm at
the back of the restaurant, and The Sanctuary, a place
for spiritual retreats and meditation.
Although
rising gas prices may now make road trips prohibitive,
it’s still the easiest way and fastest way to destress
from the pollution and noise of Metro Manila. |
