Lolo Claro's Restaurant

After our Mt. Palay Palay hiked and Ternate Beach sight seeing we've decided to have a stop over lunch at Lolo Claros Restaurant which is located in Maragondon, Cavite.

They are known for their fried chicken which is comparable to that of a well known restaurant chain which the owner once worked as a manager. He was then inspired to start his own restaurant business and bring the taste of his cooking to the people of Maragondon and all traveler.

Ambiance is not that cozy, no air condition, but the whole place is well ventilated and uniquely inspired. The best part is that our orders did not take too long to arrived,  I ordered their famed fried chicken - not bad, it actually tastes like Max but much affordable. I also ordered "Lumpiang Ubod" - it was great except that the sauce is too sticky, "Halo-Halo" - it was big enough for two, ideal for sharing. 

All in all, it is best value restaurant that you can find in the middle of nowhere, prices are affordable with generous amount of serving. 

Rating:

7 out of 10

Patar Beach (Bolinao)

Bolinao is located in the northwestern most portion of Pangasinan composed of numerous beaches that lies along it's shoreline. Among which is the Patar Beach, where it boast of it's fine grain, creamy white sand and huge splurges of waves suitable for surfing.

The town of Bolinao is a primary tourist destination with numerous places of interest that includes: caves, falls, rock formation and the iconic Patar Light House which stands at 350 feet. It was built in 1903 and is located atop Punta Piedra Point - a towering hill of solid rock that has stood for more than a century of existence.

How to Get There:

1.) Take a bus bound to Bolinao (FiveStar), they have terminals in Cubao and Pasay.

2.) Once in Bolinao, you can then ride a trike bound to Patar Beach.

Todd English Food Hall

Todd English Food Hall was originally from New York with a flagship store in SM Aura, the food hall has a European-inspired culinary stations which offers the finest food and offer a delectable dining experience set in a stylish and convenient atmosphere. 

The  Food Hall is a communal dining space with well-curated stalls or food stations. It is not a buffet, because you can order from one or any of the stations. It is not a food court, because the food is typically handmade, with a cohesive theme which includes: Salad & charcutterie station, Sushi bar station, Raw bar station, Asian station, Flatbread pizza station, Grill & ocean grill station, Wine & tapas bar station, The dessert & bread bar station. 

The ambiance is nice, with a dim light setting and well decorated with store's specialty. The food is too expensive if you ask me, good thing our dinner was sponsored by the company. I like their Flat Bread and Food Hall Burger but their Macaron tastes just like a plain merengue and I believed the resto was just received with great hype but nonetheless food is just the usual.

Rating:
7 out of 10

Laiya Beach

The Southern Tagalog, specifically the province of Batangas is one of the most famous tourist destinations in the region with its fair share of scenic landscapes, mountains and of course beautiful beaches. Fifteen towns in Batangas lies in the coastline of the West Philippine Sea, whereas beach resorts in the said province are some of the places that tourists loves to visit due to its close proximity from Metro Manila.

Laiya is the coastline barangay of San Juan, Batangas which borders Quezon province in the North and is about 140 km. South of Manila. The coastline stretches a total of 12 km. and is composed of fine grain sand that varies between white, cream and gray sand. Several private resorts can be found along the beachfront that offers places to stay but I opted to just take the Public Beach.

The beachfront is enveloped with Mt. Lobo at the backdraft giving it a paradise-like setting.

How to Get There:

I.). In Cubao/LRT Taft there are buses (ALPS) that has direct route to San Juan (Batangas).

     Once in San Juan town proper, ride a jeepney bound for Laiya.

II.) Another option is to ride a bus bound to Lucena, then alight in Candelaria town proper.

     Ride a jeepney bound to San Juan, and once in San Juan ride another jeep bound to Laiya.

Mt. Sungay (Palace in the Sky)

Located at the peak of Mt. Sungay - the highest point in the province of Cavite, Palace in the Sky is known today as People's Park. It has an altitude of 2400 ft above sea level which can be reached by a short uphill trek from the entrance and consists of  about 120 ft. ascent.

Upon reaching the summit, a breathtaking and panoramic 360-degree view of the area surrounding Tagaytay City can be seen. The green curves of the winding hilly roads, Taal Volcano together with the lake and the vast landscape of the surrounding provinces of Laguna, Batangas and Cavite offers a picturesque sight to behold.

According to the locals Mt. Sungay was much higher before and one of the visible landmarks used by early navigators when sailing to and around Manila Bay. The peak was destroyed with the construction of Imelda Marcos's Palace in the Sky which started in 1979, thus it leveled the mountain to about half of its former prominence to accommodate the mansion.

The park was built to serve as a guest house for then U.S. President Ronald Reagan who was suppose to visit the Philippines. When the EDSA People Power broke out, the Marcoses was ousted, the visit never transpired and the whole project was scrapped, leaving everything into an utter despair.

A fee of 30 pesos is collected at the main entrance. Several establishments can be seen inside the park; among which are the souvenir shops, viewing deck, restaurant, amphitheater, PAGASA Dappler Radar and of course the dilapidated rusted structure that continually serves as a constant reminder how it could have been if the change of power did not come into place.

How to Get There:
1. From LRT Taft/ Cubao, ride a bus bound for Nasugbu, Batangas then alight at Tagaytay City (Olivarez Terminal).
2. You can then ride jeepneys bound for People's Park.