3-Day Taiwan Trip November 2016: Day 1

Leofoo Theme Park, Hsinchu, Taiwan

Author's note: I wanted to try something new for this blog and so, I am writing this entry in "novel style". Let's see where this will lead us. On to the story.


The constant hum of the taxi's engine is lulling me as we zoom passed another wide and almost empty highway in Taipei on our way to the airport. Three days in Taiwan has been a great experience and that's what I've been mulling on as I close my eyes. Sleep wouldn't come. Of this I'm sure. Not only is it just a little past eight in the evening but also because I have this difficulty of sleeping in cars especially when the ride from our hostel in Taishun to the airport is only an hour by taxi. No, I wouldn't sleep. But I welcomed this muted hum of the engine as I recall all that's happened these past three days.


A little past one in the morning of November 11, 2016, myself and my friend, Lyn arrived at Taoyuan International Airport  in Taiwan. Rolling our cart full of bags on the aiport's polished floor, our heads are constantly kept up to read the signs and directions that decorate the walkways. One word came to mind as we stroll along the pristine walls, floors, and high ceiling: efficient. The signs are clear and plenty that it seems like we know the airport's bowels like the backs of our hands. We know which direction to turn to even before we come close enough to see the next corner.


Though sleepy, both of us couldn't hide our excitement towards the adventure ahead. It's evident in our every step and stride. The first thing we looked for after claiming our bags is the telecommunications area following Lyn's older sister's directions to secure a Taiwan sim and a portable wifi. We have no inclination by then how big a role these two would play in our entire trip.

The portable wifi in its pretty red casing.

Signs look like this. Pretty easy to understand, right? :)

Are we starving? No, we're not. To the taxi bay we went after an airport guard showed us two of her index fingers, indicating the number 11. We looked around and saw that the long stretch of the hall is numbered. We are currently in number 3 and had to walk all the way down to the other end to reach number 11. While walking, a man of full height called our attention by saying "taxi, taxi" with an accent that the words sounded like "tekshi, tekshi" while making this motion of holding the steering wheel in front of him. We smiled at him as we pass. We're thinking that for now, it's better to take an aiport taxi although according to our research, taxi drivers are really nice in Taiwan. Well, we're yet to see truth in that.


One of the things we took note of before flying to Taiwan is to make sure that the addresses of the places we plan to go to are printed in Chinese. And so, showing the address of our hostel to the taxi driver, we loaded our bags, buckled up, and stared at the meter as the numbers, starting from 70, went as high as 1,250 as we reached Taishun street in Daan district.

Kudos to the people from the hostel we booked in, they even sent us a photo of their front gate when they sent the booking confirmation. And so, staring at the red gate that has now been familiar to me, I rang the doorbell once as Lyn walked towards me with her luggage in tow. At once the gate opened and we were greeted by the smiling and friendly face of Toto, one of the two people I was exchanging emails with regarding our booking. Warmly we were welcomed after we say our thanks to the taxi driver who, though we couldn't understand a word he said and didn't guess that we couldn't as he continue to talk to us in Chinese, made sure that we reached the right place before reboarding his taxi.


Toto then offered us slippers and told us that we should leave our shoes on the rack by the wall. I like the place immediately. We were escorted in and there we placed our payment. This is the part I like most about this hotel. They have this "pay when you arrive" policy that after ensuring their proximity to the National Taiwan University and the MRT lines, I quickly booked a 2 bed private dorm for 3 nights with them. Payment secured, he then asked if he could give us a quick tour to the hotel. Of course we agreed. Both from courtesy and curiosity. The place is small yet quaint and very clean. Very homey.

A quick overview of the hostel. It is called Three Little Birds and it is situated just 5 -10 minutes (depending on your pace) walk to the National Taiwan University where foreign students are known to attend. Another street would take you to Taipower Building MRT station at yet another 5-10 minute-walk. Very efficiently placed if you ask me.


Now the lobby. This is where Toto received us. It is decorated with photos of past boarders with quick messages scrawled on them. Quick messages that state how happy their stay here had been. Though I've read many pleasant reviews of this place, it's still great to read those messages and stare at smiling faces framed for life. I wonder if our picture, the one we took before leaving the hostel for the last time, would be up in one of these walls as well. Pinned for future boarders to see.


The tour of the hostel is quick as the place is rather small. On the other end of the lobby is the kitchen where boarders can cook and eat using the utensils, cookware, and stove. Drinking water's right there by the countertop, the sink should be kept clean after use, label your food before putting it in the ref, condiments, coffee, and tea are free while the washing machine is at the far right corner of the floor. Our room is a floor down and so the tour was then taken there.


Out of the lobby on our right, we saw the narrow stairway down. But before that, Toto explained that they segregate trash in there and we're asked to do the same. He then showed us the three white plastic containers stacked on top of each other and labeled with Metal, Plastic, and Paper. I'm liking the place more and more.

Down the narrow stairway we went. Pushing the screen door open, we were greeted by a corner sofa with throw pillows covered with pretty pillowcases and a white and low center table. Past that is the bath and rest room which is shared with the other guests. This has been known to me when I made the room reservation. Although by this time, I have no idea of the things that could happen in a shared bathroom. Clothes dryer is here as well. (I didn't use this. I merely hung my newly-washed pants in the room and leave the job to the aircon). Partly because I don't wanna waste any more money on it (it is coin-operated) and partly because I don't have the time to wait on it. I'd rather sleep as, for the first two days, we come back to the hotel rather late in the night and only craving for rest and sleep.

Back to the tour, we passed two more rooms before arriving to ours after turning right at the corner. A few more words from Toto asking us to make sure the lights and aircon are turned off when we leave and that plugs be unplugged before going out. Noted and noted, we bid him goodnight then closed the door.


First thing Lyn said to me in the room was, "Nasa Taiwan na tayo!" I smiled at her excitement. It's 2:30 in the morning. I was so tired that I skipped washing up and brushing my teeth. After setting the alarm for 6am, I turned off the light, the aircon on, and bid Lyn goodnight.


Official Day 1 in Taiwan - November 11, 2016


Waking up before my alarm, I had the liberty to just stay in bed as I convince my eyelids to stop closing. Minutes have passed after I switched off my alarm before I get up and woke Lyn who's still sleeping soundly in the top bunk bed. The weather in Taipei is just a few degrees colder than in Manila yet we still thank the hot water when we took baths. No one was about when we pick up our shoes and restack the slippers before heading out, hearts ready for the adventure ahead.


The cold hit us the moment we step out of the gate. Seeing how the locals are wearing padded jackets and pants, we laughed at our skirt and shorts then continue to trod along the short length of the street to 7-eleven where we had our breakfast. It may be so early in this narrative to say this but the food we ate in 7-eleven is the best tasting food we had in the duration of our stay. It could be that these are the types of food our taste buds are accustomed to. Hunger satiated and plan for the day ironed flat, we headed back out to the cold morning breeze.

Ordinary morning in Daan District, Taishun, Taipei, Taiwan

Set to meet her friend who's working in Taiwan and hasn't gone back home for years, I agreed without question when Lyn told me that for Day 1, we are to go to Leofoo Theme Park in Hsinchu, a place outside Taipei. To get there, we were instructed to board the MRT to Taipei Main Station before transferring to another train line that would take us to Hsinchu. From there, we are to take a taxi to the theme park as riding buses can be really tricky for non-Chinese speakers like us.


Here comes the true value of the 4G sim and portable wifi we bought at the airport. Using google maps, we walked to Taipower Building and totally got lost! This is really funny. We went round and round, following the arrow and blue dot on the screen and didn't find what we're looking for. In the end, we took a taxi straight to Leifoo. The bill is a whopping 1,400 NT (New Taiwan dollars). Understand that 1 NT is 1.45 PHP.


Now don't think badly of google maps for we were the ones at fault here. At first, we have no idea how the app works but as I continue on with this narrative, you will learn that before concluding this trip, we were warranted huge pats on our backs for what we've accomplished.


Walking the streets of Taipei is a great treat in itself. Sidewalks are nicely paved and clean from garbages as what we've observed insofar, and each corner is clearly labeled with street names. This is how we easily know that we're in the wrong place as oppose to knowing where we're going which made this whole thing really funny for us. Another thing I noticed while strolling through the streets is that bicycles and motorcycles are parked on the side of the road without chains, proving right the article I read about the crime rate in the country being low. Truly nice.

How the Taiwanese park their motorcycles on the side of the road.

We were still enjoying the hilarity of what happened even after we're seated in the first taxi that we hailed. But before that, Lyn googled the address of the theme park in Chinese to show to the driver. I really like that taxi drivers here don't give you that idiotic look and sometimes scratching of their heads saying, "traffic dun eh", or "dagdagan mo na lang kasi wala akong pasahero pabalik". These excuses among many other things, soured my appetite from riding taxis in the Philippines. I'd rather walk than deal with this idiocy. Now that I think about it, I only take taxis delightfully when I'm in another country. I really hope this would change.


It was during this hour-long ride to Leofoo that I realized that I've fallen in love with the city if not with the country. As someone who's only traveled 2 countries outside of the Philippines, Thailand being the first back in November of 2014, I still have a lot to see before ranking the best cities I have ever been but so far, Taipei is one of them. Aside from the clean surroundings, I also love that cars and buses don't emit smoke, cigarette smoking is prohibited on the sidewalks and most public areas (the first, if not the only, smoker I saw was outside Hsinchu station on our way back to Taipei), and that trains run underground with stations looking like airports in their wide spaces and polished floors. They're fast and efficient and the scheduled trains really depart and arrive on time. What magic! These are things I wish to I see in my home country in this lifetime.


And now we reached Leofoo Theme Park. After saying "Xei xei" (thank you) to the driver, we stepped out of the taxi and quickly hugged ourselves in fail attempts to protect our bodies from the cold, cold breeze that immediately chose to make its presence known to us. It was past nine in the morning by then but the clouds are so thick that we can't see the sun nor feel its warmth. When it finally did, we bathe in its rays and later on suffered from sun burn. The chill wind fooled us into believing that we're not getting too much sun as we stroll along the park, jumping from one ride to another.

Can you see the clouds?

Quick photo with the giraffe. Hehe

Securing our tickets was easy as really few English were needed to accomplish the task. Not long after, Carla, aka Carl and her girlfriend, Jaja, joined us. Introductions done, together we walked in and snap photos. On the way, Lyn and Carl exchanged stories about people they know while Jaja and I simply listen and occasionally chime in.


The first ride that caught my fancy is called Pagoda's Revenge. It's a ride where people are strapped in a chair, pulled really high up before being let go and everyone was sent to an abrupt descent that felt like a free fall. I was laughing at how people are screaming as they steadily go up then stop mid-scream as they quickly go down. It's funny as I think that the ride down is so fast and short that no one could even give out a full scream before it was over. These thoughts in mind, we went in line on the ride across it. Funny. Lyn is totally scared of heights and wouldn't, for her love for her mother, ride that. Understanding this, we fell in line in Mighty Mountain Flume Adventure after Carl purchased a raincoat for herself. On the way in, one of their office mates handed them two raincoats which they gave us, eliminating the need to purchase them for ourselves. In turn, Carl had to purchase one for herself as Jaja is hell bent on skipping the ride.


For almost two hours, we patiently stayed in line. It seems like a few, if not more, grade schools are having their field trips here. And so, lots and lots of rowdy, noisy, and excited kids are waiting in line with us. When finally we reached the top of the line, Jaja was forced to go through the ride as yet another of their office mates gave her a raincoat. I'm so excited!


Finally, we are in the boat and I can't help but laugh in delight. I've always been a kid at heart and I enjoy theme park rides so much that it makes me happy just by thinking of riding one. While standing in line, Lyn never failed to convey how scared she is and I, the natural non-worrier, kept telling her that it would be fun, that she only need to keep her grip firm on the boat, and that I will be sitting in front, willing to catch all the water that would splash at us as what's inevitable from what we've witnessed so far. Not sure if this calmed her of made her more agitated. But I'd like to say that I feel pride for her. She conquered her fear and screamed as I screamed when the boat finally made it's free fall and we were drenched in water finally. Oh how I laughed and whined at my drenched shoes at the same time.


Let me explain the ride a little. As what's already been told, we rode a boat that climbed up high first then went through a short tunnel before plummeting down two steep slides, one steeper and longer than the other. Naturally, falling from that height and falling on water, the water below will then be influenced to rise up before falling in the boat, drenching its passengers. Hence, the raincoats.


Fun is the widely used term to describe it and this term I would also use to speak of the ride and the experience even after that little accident of hitting my head on the front of the boat when we fell down the steeper and longer slide. This is my fault and I am ashamed of this. As I was recording a video of the whole ride, my right hand is occupied. Now, before the second, bigger slide, I didn't tie the drawstring on the hood of my raincoat and so, when the wind inevitably blow through our faces and blew the untied hood away from my head, I reached for it, relinquishing my hold on the safety bar on the side. And so, I went forehead to rubber in the front of the boat. In my head, I applaud them for having that rubber cushion there. Probably because there have been numerous similar incidents. I heard Lyn's worried inquiry which I laughed off. Not because I was trying to look tough and cool but because I wasn't hurt and even after that, I still really find the ride so much fun! And now that this one's over, we can head to the next one. That thought really excited me.


On to the next round we went. Right across the Mighty Mountain Flume Adventure is the Pagoda's Revenge. At first, the four of us: Lyn and I, Carl, and Jaja fell in line but Lyn made it clear earlier that she won't be riding this attraction. And so, as we near the top of the line, together with Jaja, they left Carl and I and picked a nice place outside where they can see us. Here we saw two more of Carl's and Jaja's officemates though a shame, a forgot their names. With these two women, we rode Pagoda's Revenge, screaming together as we go higher and higher up.


Confession: I, too, am scared of heights. Really scared of it. My knees shake and lose their ability to remain straight and still whenever I go up to and down from high places. But I'm a walking contradiction and so, I enjoy the things that scare me, keep doing them, get excited over the thought of doing them, and enjoy that I get to do them over and over again. This I shared with Lyn and if this cheered her a little or made her think  I'm a weirdo, I have no way of telling for sure.


Now, the ride. Securedly fastened in the seat, I can feel my heart beating loudly. I set the camera earlier and put the monopod inside my jacket, securing the camera right under my chin. I'm afraid I'd let go of it if I was simply holding it during the ride.


When at last we started going up and up, we were all screaming like the set of people before us. I was laughing as I scream. This is exciting and oh so scary. I can already feel my body tensing up and when we reached the highest point of the ride, I can already feel the fall, how gravity will pull us all down any second now. And there it goes. My scream caught in my throat and I couldn't scream anymore. Now I understand why the ones before us turn silent mid-scream. It's because as you fall down, your heart and your breathing stop for a few seconds that render you unable to scream. Oh how I laughed at my earlier arrogance. I really thought the ride was so petty that people couldn't even let out a full scream before the ride is over. Shaking still and totally laughing out loud, the attendant unbuckled our seatbelts and, laughing, shared the whole experience with Lyn and Jaja as we regroup.


I wanted to ride the Viking next but lunch seems to be the more urgent matter for the rest of our small group. Walk around we went, searching for a restaurant that caters to our craving. We wanted rice. Shame, there's none. In our wandering, another ride caught my attention. I didn't take note of the name but it's a smaller version of the Viking and instead of just swinging left and right, this one completes the circle and at times pauses at the top with its screaming passengers turned upside down. I was screaming from fear and excitement at the same time laughing while taking a video of it. Carl was laughing at me as she watch it too. Lyn and Jaja went ahead in search for food.


Lunch was fries, coke, and a burger with a smiling monkey's face on it. Snapped a photo as it is rather fun to look at before devouring the whole thing. For an hour we stayed in the restaurant, again falling into exchange of stories between Lyn and Carl, then and again joined by Jaja and I.

This sign right outside the restaurant. :)

Right outside the restaurant are pretty and photogenic decors. Here we saw Halloween and Christmas coming together with pumpkins large and plenty occupying one side of the street and Christmas trees and huge ribboned boxes situated on the other. Click click. Walking around, something caught our eye that soon led us to another fun ride, possibly the one that the four of us enjoyed equally: Big Canyon Rapids Ride.


The line was short this time, thank goodness. But as it involves water yet again, raincoats are preferred. Alas, the three of them threw their raincoats away after that first ride while I kept mine, thinking it a waste to throw something still very functional. How I thank my spendthrift-ness when the ride proved to be more than a simple jacket could handle. Screams and laughter are constant as we ride along the waves. When it was over, everyone was drenched and had to move quickly to the restroom to try and dry themselves lest they want to shiver in the cold wind that then and again blew past us. My shoes were slightly moist but the wind took care of it not long after standing outside.


Where to next? With the map of the theme park in hand, we searched for the location of the aerial bike. Another ride that involves heights yet Lyn was willing to do it. I smiled, already anticipating the fun screaming and laughter that's definite to come with it.


The map were no use to us though, we simply went towards the direction where we haven't been yet, thinking the ride could most probably be there. We fell in line and for some time, remained there with our patience reigned in. Then it was time and the train came. Train? Wait, we're here for the bike! Turns out we're in the wrong place. We laughed this matter off and just went with the flow and rode the train. Apparently, it's the tour to the safari. The driver and tour guide was obviously explaining stuff about the animals but since she's speaking in Chinese, her informative speech became a background babble for us as we simply took photos of the animals that we pass. Would have been great if I can understand what she's saying. The animals are the ones I haven't seen before in flesh.

The inevitable jump shot. hehe

Zebras at Leofoo Theme Park and Animal Zoo. Love this photo.

There are zebras, camels, a specie from the goat family, peacocks, buffalos, rhinos, and some more that I know not the names of and couldn't gather from our Chinese-speaking tour guide. Two remarkable parts of the tour are: the stench of the animals especially the rhinos and the speed (or lack of) of the train. I think it only ran at 5kph. Would have been faster had we walked. But sitting there while looking out to the animals was relaxing so the press for time can be waved away.


I mentioned being pressed for time, so I reckon this is the part where I discuss the real reason for this trip. Firstly, as I mentioned earlier, I chose the hostel because of its proximity to the National Taiwan University. The reason behind that is because the concert of my beloved Kpop group, Teen Top, will be held there. This is the main reason for this trip: to attend Teen Top's concert. And now we're pressed for time because we are set to meet my Taiwanese friend who bought our tickets for us at 5pm in the venue. It's already 3pm and we're still in the slow moving train.


We're in Hsinchu and getting back to Taipei to our hostel, getting ready for the concert, and navigating our way to the concert venue are things we wish to accomplish before 8pm as the concert will be starting then. I simply sent a direct message to Choi that we're still in Hsinchu and asked her to please hold on to our tickets until we get there at probably an hour before the concert. Being spontaneous and lover of fun and excitement, I didn't allow myself to feel worried about missing the concert. About missing the very reason why we flew all the way here. Nope. We still have time. And we still haven't ridden the aerial bike.


At last the slow moving train came to a complete stop. We were half running towards the aerial bike when we got out. Again, we had to wait in line and again, we used this time to talk and laugh over the silliest things. The sun is still shining brightly, the sky clear, showing a beautiful pattern of clouds right on top of the main theme park. It's a huge delight that the weather has been really kind to us. That though the wind was a little brutal that morning, it eased up a little as the day drag on. Most of the time it was cloudy yet here and there, streaks of sunlight would pierce through and bring warmth to everyone.

This elephant's head poking out of the shrubs right outside the Safari train ride.

The ride itself was rather short, the area small. But since the ride is commanded by the riders, pace set by the speed of our pedaling, the attendants had to space each bike from one another. This is the part that made the wait long. What's even more exciting about this ride aside from the fact that we are cycling some 15-feet above the ground is that as you progress, you will come to the part where the side rails, acting as your safety net, will be gone and you are left with the feeling that you're cycling on a thin wire alone. First to go were the rails on my side. This got me really scared. I was shaking as I pedal yet feeling elated and truly exhilarated. Lyn was screaming nonstop. Even telling me that she'll be closing her eyes from there on and would just open them when the ride is over. I was laughing, of course. Not at her but at the whole experience.


Below us, more animals are safely caged. I saw small monkeys so black they perfectly resemble their replicas in the form of stuff toys being sold in the souvenir shop right by the entrance/exit of the ride. There are skunks too. And tall, lithe, and pink flamingos. I can't not mention how loud Lyn screamed when she opened her eyes and saw that the railing on her side was gone as well. It really felt like we were cycling only on thin wire and the car, accommodating two passengers side by side, would lean on one side whenever we turn on curves, escalating Lyn's screams and my laughter. Too bad I wasn't able to record all these in video. For some weird reason, I failed to turn my camera on when in my head, I did.


When the ride was over, I repeatedly congratulate Lyn for a job well done! She conquered her fear twice that day and though shaking still, she was smiling and I can see delight in her eyes as we climb out of the car.


There's still an hour or so before the sun sets but we've already turned our backs on it and head towards the other direction, out of the theme park. We have fulfilled our goal of riding the aerial bike and we really should be heading back to Taipei. Jaja helped us bargain with the female taxi driver that would take us to Hsinchu station where we will ride a train to Taipei. It surprised and entertained me how complete my ignorance of the local language is. I stood there listening to them talk and understand nothing but "Taipei" and "Hsinchu". It came to mind the question as to why not just run the meter but I kept it to myself as Jaja definitely know what she's doing, bargaining for us. Before letting us go, they made sure that we were taken to the station and that we pay the driver only 600 NT and nothing more. We thanked them countless times before closing the door.


Now alone in the taxi with our first and only female taxi driver, she asked us something we couldn't comprehend as she was speaking in Chinese. Only when she said, "Indonesia"? had Lyn understood that she may be asking where we're from. Lyn then quickly said Philippines while I mull over the thought that we looked Indonesian to her.


The reason why the taxi driver asked our nationality was quickly revealed to us as she typed Philippines on her tablet. As we watch this progression, we were soon staring at the screen and at Maja Salvador singing with Abra in the video. Lyn and I laughed at this. It's amusing to us how we couldn't recognize this song and the songs that followed suit. Sure we know the artists but their "hit songs" are totally unknown to us. We then realized that neither of us really listen to Philippine pop music and even joked that we should've just said we're Korean so that she'd have played Korean songs which were more probably familiar to us. When we reached Hsinchu station, I was singing "dahan-dahan lang..." with Maja dancing in my mind's eye.


We thanked our taxi driver as we exit the vehicle but then we saw her standing outside and waiting for us. She then walked us to the station and didn't leave until we were being assisted by a station personnel and not before waving to us with a kind smile on her face. What a good lady. :)


The station personnel is another lady with a very pretty face and eyes of light brown color the thought that she couldn't be Chinese crossed my mind. But then her skin and eyes say otherwise. Speaking in good English, she then asked where we're going. We said Taipei and she went ahead and purchased our tickets for us. Thank goodness that the taxi driver made sure we will be properly assisted in the station. Everything on the screen of the machine is in Chinese! We couldn't have figured out which boxes to press to save our lives!

Nadine Lustre's music video playing in Taiwan. 

Hsinchu Train Station looking like an airport. Woah!

Home bound.

Our train tickets.

The tickets cost 580 NT for 2. Lyn and I immediately exchanged looks. Expensive! We should've just took the taxi all the way to our hotel had we known! Quick chat to Carl about the price of the tickets got us even more convinced that we should've just taken the taxi to Taipei. Apparently, that price was for the bullet train and yet we rode an ordinary one. We never unearthed the mystery behind this confusion. Looking at the bright side, at least we get to experience riding a scheduled train. :)


It's past 5pm, concert is just 3 hours away and yet we're still in Hsinchu, waiting for the train which will arrive in 25 minutes. True enough, 25 minutes after, here comes the train. The seats were printed on our tickets and the platform was clearly labeled with the entrance number through which we can easily find our seats. After a minute or two, the train departed and for 32 minutes, we rode the train. Exactly 5:59, we arrived in the Taipei Main station. Exactly how it was printed in our ticket. Very impressive.

Don't look at the couple. Look at how the Taiwanese keep the left lane open. Applause!

Look at how steep it is! Woah!

Up we went from the platform and quickly, we found ourselves in a wild hunt for comfort rooms. The first one was full and so we moved on to the next. This one was a traditional one and so is the next one after it. Traditional in a way that the bowl is so close to the ground and that it's long rather than tall. Simply put, it looks like a mini bathtub with its wide opening. One look and we know that we don't want anything to do with that. We moved on and got lucky on the fourth comfort room we entered. This is how big the station is. Next we searched for the exit that got us to the shops. The thought of looking around for something interesting to buy occured to us but then it's past 6pm and we're still a half hour or so away from our hotel.


We were lost inside the building and we know it. Though the signs are clear and plenty, we know not where they go. And so we decided to just go out in the streets and figure out from there. Even in my home country, I get lost inside buildings. Only when I'm out in the street do I get a clear indication of where I am. You can feed me directions as I move along and I can get anywhere but put me inside a building and I will totally lost my way.

Ordinary night traffic in Taipei.

The moment we were out, we were searching for a taxi. Immediately we found one right after I pulled our hotel's address from my phone gallery. Inside the taxi, we tried to stay calm but in reality, we were feeling agitated as 7pm is fast approaching. When finally we reached the hotel, setting our bags and getting ready for the concert were swiftly done that no sooner had we walked in that we're already about to walk out. But not until I get to talk to the people in the hotel and ask about how to get to the National Taiwan University.

Tiffany, the other hotel personnel, was more than happy to point us the way but even she had a hard time explaining the streets to us as we all know that we've never been there. Finally, Sarah, an American doctor who's staying in the hotel for a quick course (I think) volunteered to walk us to the concert venue. What an angel!


It was a short walk, indeed, but still we were able to exchange stories. Sarah can speak little Chinese and so I asked her about it. She said she studied basic Chinese before flying to Taiwan. Next she was talking about her husband who is a musician. I said that was pretty cool and she had this dreamy and very pleased look on her face. The face of someone in love. :) She then said that her husband would be joining her soon and together, they'll fly back to New York.


We were talking about the many dialects in the Philippines when we crossed the almost deserted 4-way street. I told her about the seven thousand and so islands of the Philippines and its dialects by the hundreds. She was really amazed by this and asked whether we can speak any of those. No. We only know Tagalog and English. We talked about the Chinese community in the Philippines next and soon, she was letting out her exasperation about "Trump!"


The revelation wasn't given easily. She talked about being heartbroken when I asked her if she miss home. She didn't elaborate why and I didn't ask. A few seconds passed and she simply blurted out "Trump!" while looking so distressed. I just smiled. I don't know what to say to that.


Soon we were looking at vendors selling merchandise with Teen Top members' faces on it. Immediately, we know that we're in the right place. Sarah then went ahead and asked where the concert venue is though we all figured that there was no need for asking. The crowd was going one way and it's a rule of thumb to walk the direction where the crowd gathers. A quick wave and ample 'thank yous' to Sarah and we were off.


Staying online was really convenient as meeting with Choi, my Taiwanese friend, would've been impossible in this thick of crowd. Now with our tickets in our hands, we walked inside the venue and stayed in our seats with our hearts beating even more rapidly than when we were in that boat falling down the river earlier that day.

Proof shot from the concert venue :)

The concert was fun and is everything I was hoping to see and experience. We walked home that night feeling happier than ever.


But before closing the first part of this narrative, let me say that we got lost. Again. After exiting 7-eleven for a quick and light dinner, we entered Lane 62 rather than Lane 60. We only noticed our mistake when after walking for a few minutes, we still couldn't see that pretty red door. This isn't supposed to be the case as our hotel is only a minute's walk from 7-eleven.


Laughing in the middle of the night, out in a street in a foreign land, we retraced our steps and finally, found our way to our temporary home.

Tree Planting at Mt. Banahaw with Sidetrip to Bukal Falls

The first (soon-to-be) tree I planted

August 29, 2016


I've always wanted to go tree planting. I can't remember the first time I realized I was in love with trees, but when I did, I just can't stop. Back in 2012, when I first set foot in Baguio, I can't stop myself from stopping and adoring every huge tree I come across. And did I take pictures! Now that I think about it, I must've looked like a weirdo, taking photos with and of trees while the other tourists are busy with the actual spots and destinations.


Growing up in the humble province of Antipolo (yes, it started as a province of Rizal before it became populated and named the capital city). There used to be only 4 houses in our area. The vast land that separates the houses were dominated by trees--fruit-bearing and not, tall and short, thin and thick. When our humble turf started attracting attention of settlers from everywhere, the vast populace of trees and the food-bearing plants we had in our backyard started thinning. I think it was then that I started missing the trees we used to have all around us. I think it was then that I realized that we have been cutting down trees faster than we could plant them.


And so, this recent trip is extra special for me. I went tree planting and in Mt. Banahaw, no less. The tree planting I will share in this post. The topic of Mt. Banahaw and why it's special to me will have to wait for another. *wink wink*


So, the tree planting. As usual, I joined another group of outdoor-goers I found on Facebook. When I first read the words "Tree Planting" I already know that I'm joining. I then messaged the organizer and learned that he was also with me on my first adventure in a cave which was also my first interaction with The infamous Pagsanjan Falls. Although back then, we didn't get to talk as much as we did now. Fun!


D-Day. I left Manila aboard a DLTB bus (which station was a pain to track in the wee hours of the morning) and arrived at half past 6 in Sta. Cruz, Laguna. I then went on with my breakfast at the hotel and restaurant situated directly in front of the station. Food was great. It was truly awesome to be served a genuine sinangag and not the pretentious white rice with oil and ground garlic chips people serve in the main city. I like the restaurant because I get to eat good food and also because of their slightly entertaining menu. Here's the list of the ones that kept me entertained while sipping my tea: Top silog, Pancit ulam, 1/2 fried chicken, chicken curvy (oh wow!), liver steak, Mike bihon (who's Mike? hehe), and lomie/loumie. :)


At 7, the organizer, Marco arrived. We then headed to our destination with the hour and a half trip filled with stories of other places we've been privileged to visit. Of all, it was the story about how Calaguas Island is now a total tourist destination with all its huts and night life and ever-growing popularity amongst beach goers that stood out for me. Don't get me wrong. I like that more and more people are experiencing the beauty of the island. It's my favorite and I like that people are appreciating its beauty. Only one thing I'm worried about is that it become populated and destroyed. Two of the things that humans in general are so good at. I feel so great that I get to visit the island when it was still "new". You can read my Calaguas Island trip here.


Back to the trip. We boarded the jeep bound to Majayjay (Mahayhay) and alighted at Bukal where we boarded a tricycle that drove us up to the Brgy. Hall. Here we met our fellow tree planters, met our guides, registered, bought the plants (they call it seedlings but they're grown plants so I will call them so), bought our lunch, and headed out. 2 tricycles brought our group to the jump off point where we started our trek that, according to the itinerary, would take an hour. I think we took more than that with all the rest stops we had to take. The terrain was actually friendly, it's just that some of our co-hikers are beginners. It's all good. At least I got the chance to drink in the green, enjoy the beauty of nature, and inhale lungfuls of fresh air. Sarap!


The sun was high up when we reached the spot delegated for our tree planting activity. You see, we didn't really climb Mt. Banahaw since it's still closed to the public after, drum roll please.. suffering gravely from the hands (and feet) of humans. It's closed for rehabilitation and would open again in 2018 (fingers crossed).


I forgot the name of the tree we planted but they're supposed to block the wind when they're full grown. Block the wind and protect the food-bearing plants behind them. So we planted soldier trees. Woah!


There were 7 of us and each were given 3 plants. We left the site with 21 new plants and light hearts with the thought that we did something, though small, for our planet. I would like to come back after how many months or years to see how tall my trees have become. :)

Posed for the camera after planting :)

Fave part of the trek up. I like that it looks like a tunnel of vines minus the darkness.

Tree planting done, we then went back to the path towards Bukal Falls. We passed it on our way to the site. That is also where we left one of our fellow hiker to rest. She apparently has an asthma (if I remember correctly) and so, her lungs couldn't handle the strain of the trek. She was sleeping when we get there and her fellow teachers (yes, we hiked with teachers. awesome!) took photos of her and laughed at her when she realized we were all watching her sleep. Haha!


Down, down, down we went to the falls. It was a different terrain with larger trees and colder wind brought forth by the falls below. I love it. While going down though, even as I marvel at the beauty around me, I am already dreading our way up when it's time to go home.

At last we reached the falls. But before jumping in the cold water which sir Raffy and sir Ramil kept telling us is ice cold (I got really excited and scared at the same time), we had our lunch first. This was another exciting experience for me. We ate together on a banana leaf. It wasn't my first but I also can't remember the last time I had that. It was awesome!

Food is yummier when shared :)

Lunch done, it's now time to meet the falls and its icy cold water. But before that, pictures!

Thanks to sir Raffy for the pictures :)

About to jump!

The teachers, apparently, have no plans of going into the water and actually have other plans after the trip. And so, they're off to their next adventure: Piyestahan while Marco, sir Raffy, and I remained behind. And just like what they warned us about, the water is, indeed, icy cold. It really did feel like the water you take out of your refrigerator to drink. Teeth chattering, fingertips numbing cold. Wow!


And yet, we went in, swam, and dove. It was so refreshing especially after hours of walking under the sun. Totally amazing.


Here's a little trivia. According to sir Raffy, during rainy season, the water falls from high up the mountain, falls down on the 10-foot deep basin before running down onto another, smaller falls and its smaller basin, then running down the river of large rocks. Though it's been raining, it wasn't really the rainy season and so, we weren't lucky enough to see and experience Bukal Falls in its full grandeur. Please watch the video to have a clearer image of the falls.


And now comes the dreaded ascend. I usually like going up than going down since the latter seems to be more dangerous for me but the ascend from Bukal Falls is really something. I am quickly reminded of the metal stairwell we climbed up when we went to Pagsanjan Falls. But that's shorter. Yes, steep as that one was, the steps are definitely fewer. This one was extra steeper and longer but I managed and survived. Hoorah!

Look at how steep the walk up is! Woah!

After washing and tidying up at the Brgy. Hall, I asked sir Raffy for the basketball I saw the kids playing with earlier that day. I play like a kid but I still like to play basketball even when all I do is shoot and run after the ball then take shots again. That was another fun part of the day and thanks and salute to sir Raffy for giving in to my whims. :)


The day is ending and I have hours of travel ahead of me. We said our thanks and bid our goodbyes. Aboard a tricycle for the last time that day, Marco was kind enough to ask the driver to stop for a while so I can take a photo (a video actually) of Mt. Banahaw. But just like how it's been all day, it remained shy and covered with clouds. It's still very pretty though.


One last treat before the day ended, I ate a pancit habhab while listening to some "tito jokes" one of the barkers is throwing at the merienda selling ladies in the station. The jokes are funny given that I usually find the jokes of older people funny. The day ended well and I, smiling as I remember it now. :)



Here's an overview.


According to Marco, the DENR launched a project where farmers are given thousands of seeds which they will nurse and plant for the rehabilitation of our forests. Thousands of new trees with roots that will prevent soil erosion and landslides, thousands of new trees with leaves that give off pure oxygen, thousands of trees that will help cool down our planet and prevent its destruction. I can only imagine how beautiful a world can that be with the addition of thousands of trees in our forests.


On our way down to Bukal Falls, I get to talk to sir Ramil, the President of the Philippine Farmers Association of Majayjay, Laguna. Formerly known as Abaca Farmers Association, the members agreed on changing the name to "attract more attention" and also, to not be caged with abaca which was their main product from years ago. Now they also plant and sell vegetables after admitting that the market for abaca has grown weaker through the years.


Through the project of the DENR, 7,000 seeds went to the municipality of Majayjay. 7,000 seedlings that the Philippine Farmers Association of Majayjay, Laguna, nursed and nurtured for planting. While talking to him, I realized that doing so wasn't easy. It takes huge amounts of labor, patience, and dedication.


The bad new is, they almost don't get anything out of it. For people whose primary source of income is their plants, these farmers are actually spending more on fertilizers than earning anything from selling the plants or its fruits.


The good news is, you can help them by buying their plants and you can help yourself and the Earth we call home by planting them. If you can't go directly to these farmers to buy and plant their seedlings, get in touch with me and I will redirect you to the right people who are organizing tree planting activities. If you know anybody else, ask them. I salute people like them who think and work towards the betterment of our planet. They also help the farmers and us, by spreading awareness of what we can do for the world. Naks!




And here's the video I made of this trip. Enjoy!