West Wind Resort, Morong, Bataan

Baranggay Nagbalayong of Morong, Bataan has a number of beach resorts.  Via JJ Linao Highway, Nagbalayong is less than 30 minutes away from Bagac, Bataan so that was where we decided to camp for the night after our visit to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar.    

Ten days before our trip, I have booked us a room in a resort called West Wind Beach Resort. I have read the reviews to most of the hotels in the said area and West Wind got good reviews.

Westwind is a relatively new resort, but it has a number of plus points.  One is that it is situated some distance away from the other resorts.   Which we liked.  That means, the beach was not crowded. Another is the clean beach with powdery sand (not white sand, tho)

The price of the room is good enough. A junior suite room , good for 5 persons with en suite T and B, costs Php3,600 or around USD80.

The owners and staffs are very polite and hospitable.  They allow guests to bring their own food and provided facilities to cook. They would willingly go to the market if the food you ordered is not available. 

Although they do not have wi-fi, they provide guests with some things to do. There was a photo booth, complete with hawaiian costumes:

At night they set up a projector for some concert shows.  And of course, guests can camp and setup tent at the beach, or play volleyball (net was provided).

And, of course, guests can always catch the sunset in the late afternoons.

Bataan: Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

Another must-visit in Bataan is the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar. Las Casas is a theme park /resort showcasing 27 houses (and counting) from the 1600s-1800s or the Spanish era. It has been developed like the "Old Philippines", with its plazas and cobblestone pavement roads.

 

Plaza Atienza and Plaza Belmonte

Plaza Mayor de Tobias

Replica of the Paseo de Escolta

The featured houses are from all over the country and were named from the places they were originally bought.  They dismantle the old houses, and relocate and restore them at Las Casas, using whatever materials they were able to salvage and following the original design of the house. 

Visitors can stay overnight at Las Casas, as some of the houses are used as hotel rooms.  It is likewise possible to do a day tour.  The day tour entrance fee of Php685 includes the tour, tour guide and use of pool and beach until 6pm.

Our guide, Dexter and Chinto and Ahyan during our tour.

We joined the  1:30 pm tour and got to know a few of the houses. The tour runs for about 1.5 hours, after which the guests are free to roam the resort on their own or go swimming at the pool or the beach.

Here are a few of the houses:

Casa Quiapo

Casa Jaen (from Jaen Nueva Ecija), where the tour starts

Casa Byzantina

 Las Casas Filipinas is in Bagac, Bataan and is an hour drive from Mt. Samat via JJ Linao National Road. 

Bataan : Shrine of Valor at Mount Samat

Bataan was a nice surprise: interesting history, mountains to climb and beaches to relax and recharge.

One should not miss to visit the Shrine of Valor (or Dambana ng Kagitingan) at the top of Mount Samat for a piece of history. The Shrine of Valor, which is marked by a 95 meter cross, honours the Filipinos and Americans who fought side by side during the Battle of Bataan during the World War 2 against the invading Japanese. A visit to the small museum should not be missed. The museum displays (gruesome) pictures during the WW2 as well as old military uniforms and artillery used by both Japanese and the Filipinos and Americans. History, literally written on the walls of the shrine, also tells of the infamous death march where around 72,000 Filipino and American prisones of war were forced to march 63 miles from Bataan, enduring lack of food and water and harsh treatment from the Japanese and resulting to an estimated death of around 10,000. 

Mt. Samat is located at Pilar Bataan. Entrance fee to the shrine is Php 20 and there is a parking space with parking fee of Php 20.

While in Bataan, you should also visit Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, a heritage park in Bagac, Bataan, showcasing restored old, historical mansions, from all over the country. The beaches in Morong, Bataan are likewise recommended. 

Travel time is around 2.5-3 hours from Quezon City, through the following routes (less travel time if via SCTEX):

1. Via San Fernando Exit 

    - NLEX

    - Take San Fernando Exit ( toll fee from Balintawak or Mindanao Avenue:  Php 157)

    - Follow the road going to Layak

    - At Dinalupihan, take the main highway

    - Will pass by Orani, Abucay, Balanga

    - At the Pilar junction, turn right

    - After 2-3 kilometers, turn left and drive up the shrine

2. Via SCTEX

    - NLEX

    - SCTEX

    - Take Dinalupihan Exit

    - Take Roman Highway and drive to Balanga City

     - At the Pilar junction, turn right

    - After 2-3 kilometers, turn left and drive up the shrine

3.To commute

     - Take Balanga-bound or Mariveles-bound bus

    - Alight in Balanga City or Pilar town

    - Hire tricycle to Mt. Samat (one website says cost is around Php 200, one way)

Sunflower Power

Sunflowers are in bloom again along the long stretch of University Avenue at the University of the Philippines-Diliman!  What a joy to see people getting off their cars and happily taking pictures of and with the flowers (yep-that includes me--of course).

Along University Avenue-UP Diliman

My pink bike amidst the yellow flowers :)

The sunflower has become a tradition in UP-Diliman which is reported to have started sometime in the late 70s or early 80s.  The sunflowers are planted every summer and is timed to bloom for the annual graduation ceremony.

For non-UP alumni like me, it has become the symbol of summertime.  For years, I have never missed visiting UP to get a glimpse and a few shots of these beautiful flowers.

I do hope they keep it that way. :) (And yeah, shame on those who steal those flowers/plants).

Ancient Art: The Angono-Binangonan Petrogplyphs

Ok...this can be confusing.  The Angono petroglyphs is not actually situated in Angono (one of the towns in Rizal province)- rather, it in is Binangonan (another town in Rizal province).

Say what...?

The explanation from the very helpful National Museum staff assigned in the location, was that that this was discovered in 1965 by Botong Francisco, a National Artist of the Philippines, who hails from Angono.  Aside from the fact, that it is by the border of Binangonan and Angono. It was therefore better known as the Angono Petroglyps, despite it being technically a part of Binangonan.  There are some attempts to show this "shared ownership" , as seen in this signage.

An attempt to be "inclusive"

The Angono Petroglyps is considered a cultural heritage site with the etchings on the rock wall dating back to 3000 B.C. or during the stone age, as per our guide.  Engraved in the rocks are various animal and human figures.  The National Museum website reports about 127 drawings of such. Our guide says that these drawings could very well be related to some spiritual rituals, as some drawings appear to be in prayer. However, this, and the actual date of the drawings, needs more study and we do not have the money nor the technology for this. 

Some of the drawings

No..the drawings are not in a cave , contrary to the popular notion (I was also expecting a cave).  It is in a rock shelter. But yes, there is a tunnel leading to this open area where the rock shelter is.

The Petroglyphs is in a 63 meter wide rock shelter.

The rock shelter with the petroglyphs

  

The Angono-Binangonan Petroglyps "has been included in the World Inventory of Rock Art" and "was nominated as one of the 100 Most Endangered Sites of the World under the world Monument Watch List."  Sadly, it is in danger of disappearing due to natural causes (wind, rain, plant roots, and erosion) and due to vandalism.  

Our guide shared that the government has allotted a 5 million peso budget for the site.  From what he shared however, it will mostly be used, to develop the surroundings of the petroglyph (e.g. construction of picnic benches and tables) but nothing for the preservation (I hope I heard him wrong). I do hope these would be preserved- this gives us a glimpse of the Filipino culture dating back from the stone age.

It sure is a place which is worth exploring, while it is still here.

How to get there, from Antipolo:

Driving from Shopwise, Antipolo: Turn right at MLQ extension.  You will pass by SM Hypermart, and just go straight ahead until you reach the gate leading to Thunderbird resort.  Inform the guard you are visiting the petroglyphs and they will show you the direction.

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=200030074610864277559.0004c070cd14033680b3b&msa=0&dg=feature

Public transportation:  From the Antipolo church, take a tricycle to the gate of the property leading to the Thunderbird Casino Resort and tell the guard you are visiting the Petroglyphs and you may hike to the location.