Rizal Shrine (Bahay ni Rizal)

The Rizal Shrine is located in Calamba City where Jose Rizal was born on June 19, 1861. He is one of the most celebrated patriots, a national hero whose contributions led to the social transformation and revolution against the Spaniards. The current house is just a replica of the original house which was destroyed during WW2.

In 1949, President Elpidio Quirino passed the Executive Order no.145, facilitating the reconstruction of the house. The Rizal Shrine is a typical rectangular "Bahay na Bato" which is a reminiscent of upper-class Filipino homes built during the Spanish Colonial era. The lower portion is made of adobe stone and brick, while the upper portion consists of hardwood.

Rizal Shrine is open from Tuesday to Sunday 8am to 5pm with no entrance fee.

How to Get There:

1.) Take a bus bound to Sta. Cruz (DLTB), they have terminals in Cubao and LRT Buendia 

2.) Tell the conductor to drop you off in Halang, Calamba.

3.) Once in Halang, you can then ride a jeep bound to Calamba Town Proper, just tell the driver to drop you off in Rizal Shrine.

The Quezon Memorial Circle

The Quezon City Memorial Circle is a 27 hectare park surrounded by the Elliptical Road. The Quezon Monument was built in honor of the late President Manuel L. Quezon wherein a mausoleum can be found inside that contains the remains of Manuel L. Quezon and his wife, First Lady Aurora Quezon. The site was originally intended to be the National Capitol where the house the Congress of the Philippines was to be established.

The Quezon Monument consists of three vertical pylons that represents the three main geographic divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. It has a height of 66 meters tall, symbolizing Quezon's age when he died.

When President Quezon died on August 1, 1944 in Saranac Lake, New York he was first buried at Arlington Cemetery. After 2 years his remains were then brought back in the Philippines and was buried at the Manila North Cemetery. His remains were reinterred at the Quezon Memorial Shrine on August 19, 1979.

Various shopping stalls (tiangge), food establishments and several amusement park can be seen inside the park which includes: Sky Bike, Merry Go Around, Go Kart, Pedal Bike, Paddle Boat, Zip Line, Botanical Garden and Land of Titans.

How to Get There:

1. Located in Quezon City, ride a bus bound to Fairview and alight in Philcoa where you can find the underpass that leads to Quezon Memorial Park

Kainan sa Dalampasigan

One of the iconic and most popular resto in Los Banos, Laguna is the "Kainan sa Dalampasigan". Having withstood the test of time, Kainan sa Dalampasigan only proves why they are endorsed by the said municipality as part of Turismo de Los Banos.

There are so many fond memories of family lunch/gatherings here (My Mom usually treats us during payday). To be precised, it was more than 15 years ago when we had our lunch here, my despida party when I entered a school in Baguio. Not much has changed in the interiors, though the chairs and tablecloths looked new. What I like about the resto is the restaurant's open air atmosphere and gaze at the Laguna de Bay. Back then, during the 80's and 90's the lake was still scenic compared to it's current condition which is cluttered with fish pens and water lilies.

The resto's specialty is "Halo Halong Inihaw sa Bangka" but we ordered a different menu. Sinigang na Bangus etc. The waiting time for your order is usually 15 to 20 mins.

Rating:

7 out of 10

How to Get There:

1. Ride a bus bound to Sta. Cruz, Laguna. Tell the conductor to drop you off in Los Banos Bayan.

2. Then ask the locals where the old municipal is, that's where Kainan sa Dalampasigan is located (beside)

Erwin and Milas Canteen

"Erwin and Milas" Kainan was established in 1978 and they offer a great alternative to other restos and cafe in Pagsanjan a.k.a. the Tourist Capital of Laguna. We've been a regular "suki" to this resto every time we are in the said place. We ordered a jumbo serving of Halo Halo which is served with generous amount of ingredients, Buffalo Wings on a Chili Sauce and of course their house specialty which is "Sweet and Spicy Pancit Canton" - a must try on their menu, an affordable yet satisfying meal.

It's quite hard to find a nice parking space, so you just have to be patient or you can try other resto and cafe along the area.

Rating:
6 out of 10

The Baguio Botanical Garden

Also known as "Igorot Village" where one can find authentic Igorot Nipa huts set in a picturesque landscape adorned with well cultivated landscape of plants, trees and different species of highland flora and fauna. It is one of the most popular tourist spot in Baguio City which has several attractions that includes: Japanese Tunnel, Chinese/Korean friendship park and different stores that sell different items and "pasalubong"can be found inside the garden.

At the main entrance a group of Igorots are dressed in their authentic native attire and they are willing to pose with visitors for a souvenir picture. 

How to Get There:

1.) From Baguio City ride a jeep that passes Leonard Wood St. (Mines View, Pacdal and Itogon)

Kamayan sa Palaisdaan

We celebrated Chinese New Year in "Kamayan sa Palaisdaan" which is located in Bay, Laguna along the national highway. It is a floating restaurant that is consist of Nipa Huts set in a fish pond. The food is great at an affordable price and their main specialties are Seafood dishes and Crispy Pata.

We ordered Ginataang Tilapia (fish with coconut cream), nothing special since I don’t like Tilapia that much. On the other hand, the must-try dish in Kamayan is their Crispy Pata (deep fried pork leg) - the skin is very crispy while the meat is soft that melts in your mouth. We also ordered Seafood Kare Kare (it taste great but on a very small serving) and Pancit Bihon, which taste just ordinary. We also had Leche Plan for dessert which has a rich creamy goodness of milk blended with perfect sweetness of its syrup.

Rating:

7 out of 10

Mindoro Black Beach in Vigan

The not so familiar beach in Vigan is located in the coastline of Brgy. Mindoro of the said city. Playa de Oro Resort, is the only resort that caters to the Black Beach that is comprised of fine grain black sand which faces the West Philippine Sea and offers a picturesque sunset that can be best viewed here.

As Black Beach is not popular to Filipino beach goers, the opposite goes to foreign tourist who will die for a black beach sand. According to some locals that I've talked to, the beach was legally and illegally mined in the previous years before the locals protested and halted the quarrying. As it turned out the sand is rich in iron ore or magnetite, a precious mineral commodity. 

It's a nice place to visit when in Vigan, the place is not crowded - fresh air and calm waves from the sea will greet anyone who wishes to relax and be alone with nature.

How to Get There:

1. Once in Vigan, just tell the Trike driver that you are interested to visit the Mindoro Black Beach. It's way above the normal fare.