It's been awhile since we went for a vacation.  Honestly, I missed it.  I miss the long drive especially those times when I used to take the passenger seat and just enjoy the ride while sitting next to my husband.  Life is a LOT different now, I always had to take the back seat with Rafa, who hates being buckled up and would constantly throw tantrums whenever he wants to. Oh my, motherhood had really brought a drastic change into my life.  It felt like I just lost control of everything the moment Rafael came.  But I must admit, life is so much happier when we had him.

It was an hour and a half drive from Abu Dhabi to Dubai.  We decided to drop by Dubai Mall to have lunch at the newly opened Jollibee.  (Yup, you read it right!  The food court in Dubai Mall is open even during the holy month of Ramadan!  That's happiness to every non-Muslim who doesn't fast during the day.)

This food chain is really such a hit among OFWs! Imagine, we had to wait in line for more than one hour before we were able to take our lunch.  It's crazy!  Good thing we had breakfast before leaving home, so basically, we were not yet starving and still had enough patience to wait for the queue.  (Confession:  I am a very impatient person, especially when I'm hungry -- I have the tendency to turn into a monster.  That's why my husband always makes sure that I'm well fed, so as to keep my cool.)

Eventually, our patience did pay off, we did get our order!  I was very excited to finally have a taste of my favorite Jollibee!  Unexpectedly, our excitement turned into a BIG disappointment upon seeing our meals -- it came in a very small serving size. Definitely not worth its price!  I'm sorry to say this but really, Jollibee Dubai Mall is a BIG FAIL -- not worth your time, effort, energy and most especially, not worth your money!  Save yourself from disappointment and just dine somewhere else.

Moving forward, after having lunch, we headed to our hotel which was about 15 minutes away from Dubai Mall.  Pearl Marina Hotel is located along the marina bay giving their guests a magnificent view of the waterfront.  If you've been following this blog, perhaps you already knew how much my husband loves the bay.  So it's no longer surprising that he picked a hotel with a great bay view.

We were actually planning to take a walk and have Iftar at THE WALK in the evening.  However, since Rafa was not able to take his second nap because of too much excitement and preoccupation with his new environment, he ended up totally knocked out as early as 7pm.  In short, the Iftar and the walk thing didn't materialize.

That's the thing with having a baby, you cannot guarantee that the itinerary of the trip will be implemented as planned because kids tend to be grumpy whenever they get tired and sleepy. So just for the sake of keeping my sanity intact, I just decided to stay in the hotel and rest with Rafa.  (Believe me, it's crazy to try to comfort an overtired child especially in public when people keep on staring at you because your child is screaming on top of his lungs.)

Another thing I loved most about this hotel is their buffet breakfast.  I was just not able to take a photo because I was too hungry and salivating already over delicious food to even take a single shot.  Anyway, the buffet is not that extraordinary, in fact it's just the typical toast, omelette, sausage, Alfredo, and pancake type of breakfast.  I guess I loved it because there's not so much Middle-Eastern food on the buffet table (maybe because it's Ramadan and Muslims do fast while the sun is up).  Meaning, I can eat anything!  Actually, I did eat almost everything they served, I was able to finish three plates of food just for breakfast!  Don't mention it, I know!  I'm so 'matakaw'!

Although we were not able to explore Dubai that much, I must say that I really had a great time with our short vacation.  Just relaxing and sharing time with my loved ones without having to worry about a thing -- what's more precious than that?  Nothing!  None that I can think of.

The Dambana ng Kagitingan was not really included in our itinerary when we had our vacation in the Philippines last year.  However, while we were on our way to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, this huge white cross standing proud on the summit of Mount Samat really caught our attention.  We were still too early then to check-in in Las Casas so we decided to drive all the way up the top of Mount Samat to discover what such gigantic cross is doing there.

The journey to reach the white cross had been scary for me.  Maybe because I have this fear of heights.  The zigzag road to the top and the constant need to step on the accelerator for gas made my heart beat hard and fast and I was like praying all those times for us to be able to get through this adventure alive.  This cross must really be effective on of making people closer to God because it will definitely leave you praying for your safety.

After a few minutes, which for me seemed like forever, we finally reached the top and discovered that it was actually a historical shrine dedicated to the brave soldiers who fought for freedom and died in the battle of Bataan during the World Ward II.  The shrine was built from 1966 to 1970 and was commissioned by the former president Ferdinand Marcos.  By the way, we paid Php 20.00 each as an entrance fee to the shrine and Php 30.00 for the parking.

The historical shrine consists primarily of a colonnade and a huge white memorial cross.  The Colonnade is made of marble where you can find several bronze chandelier hanging on its ceiling, an altar, and a stained glass mural on the background.  The shrine complex also has a war museum where you can find a collection of several paintings and military weapons and equipments used during the second World War.  However, photography is strictly prohibited inside the museum so I don't have a photo to share.

On the other hand, the Memorial Cross is a concrete structure standing 92 meters in height with a viewing gallery (on the arms of the cross) where you can see a great view of Bataan, Corregidor and Manila.  You would need to take a lift (Php 10.00 fee) which was too small and too narrow it would make you feel like you're inside a can of sardines.  Riding that elevator made me realize for the first time that I'm a little claustrophobic too.  I was having a bit of hard time breathing and I found myself praying again for our safety.  You might think I'm going crazy but really, that lift looks too old or should I say "ancient" it seems like it can malfunction anytime.  Thank goodness we were able to get out of that lift alive!  I survived!  Lol.

Looking at the base of the cross, you would find several sculptures showing several historical events and significant battles made by no less than the National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon Abueva.

Overall, our journey to discover the Dambana ng Kagitingan scared the hell out of me.  This place is perfectly beautiful, peaceful, and serene but definitely not recommended for acrophobic and claustrophobic people like me.  If you're neither afraid of heights nor afraid of closed spaces, you would perhaps enjoy this place and find the view on top of Mount Samat priceless!

Here's another long overdue post of our family's overnight stay in Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar last November 2014.  That was five months ago already, I know.  I was actually planning not blog about it anymore but I realized that our family only gets the chance to enjoy a vacation like this once a year, so I cannot afford to miss a blogpost of such precious memories with my loved ones.

We have never really known or heard of Las Casas Filipinas before until my husband came across their promo offer in Deal Grocer.  Their super "sulit" overnight stay for 6 including breakfast which costs Php 6,000 was perhaps the greatest deal we had ever found online!  So without thinking twice, we bought the voucher and braved the long drive to Bataan.

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is a heritage park owned by Architect Jose Acuzar of the San Jose Builders, who bought several old houses from different parts of the Philippines and transported it to his property in Bagac, Bataan (which is approximately 3 hrs away from Manila) to make a Spanish colonial inspired village.  This place is really perfect for kids' educational tour/ field trip and for people who have great love for history and culture, like my dearest husband.

Upon arrival, we were greeted with a smile by the front desk officers wearing the traditional "baro't saya".  We actually came here at about 10am which was too early for check-in but they assisted us anyway and allowed us to get into our room to have some rest.  We were also given a map of the vicinity and several coupons for claiming our welcome drinks and breakfast for the next morning.

We stayed at Paseo Escolta's Executive Suite which is basically a two story house with a loft type bedroom on the second floor and a living and dining area on the ground level.  It also has two bathrooms, one of which is big enough to have a tub where you can soak yourself and enjoy a relaxing bubble bath after a day's tiring tour.  This accommodation is really spacious for 6 persons at a rate of Php 1,000/head.  Now that's what you call value for money!

By afternoon, we joined a guided walking tour around the village where we learned about the untold stories and history of each heritage house.  We also got the chance to enter some famous houses which will surely make you appreciate the beauty of vintage architecture and design.  By the way, please take note that you will be required to remove your foot wear before entering the house so better wear something that's easy to slip on/off.

Among the 27 heritage houses, the most popular and most expensive place to stay-in is the Casa Bizantina with a rate of Php 150,000/night.  It is a three storey building with 7 huge bedrooms complete with butler service and Hermes toiletries.  So that explains their 6-digit accommodation rate.  I hope someday we'll get the chance to experience how it feels to be a VIP in Casa Bizantina.  I better start playing the lottery to get that chance!

The walking tour lasted for approximately one hour which left us all tired and hungry so we decided to have dinner at La Bella Teodora before calling it a day.  La Bella Teodora is an Italian Restaurant located in Casa Biñan which was originally owned by Teodora Alonzo's family.  The food was perfectly good but a little bit pricey.  It's actually fine to pay a little bit more for as long as you get your money's worth.  And that's basically what's good with La Bella, you not only get to enjoy their authentic Italian cuisine but their beautiful music and awesome customer service as well.  Satisfaction guaranteed!

The next morning, we had our breakfast at Cafe Marivent in Casa Unisan.  While La Bella Teodora offers authentic Italian cuisine, Cafe Marivent offers traditional Filipino and Spanish cuisines.  However, their breakfast menu has only two options, it's either longganisa or daing na bangus with sinangag, scrambled egg, watermelon, and orange juice.  The food tastes good but I find their serving amount a little bit small (or maybe it's just my appetite as a breastfeeding mom a.k.a. "kain kargador").

Aside from the beautiful architecture of the heritage houses and buildings (which I'm pretty sure you would never fail to appreciate), the clear blue skies, the crystal clear waters of their "batis" inspired swimming pool, and the cool breeze of the wind that blows as you walk along the beach make this place a perfect place for rest and relaxation.

There are still a lot of ongoing construction in the area - including this church.  I bet this heritage resort will really make a great destination wedding!  I can just imagine a Filipiniana themed wedding for such picture perfect place.  Oh, Las Casas Filipinas!  You are making me feel like wanting to get married again!

This heritage village is really amazing, you would feel like you have traveled back in the old Spanish times.  My husband was so in love with Las Casas to the point that he told me he wanted to retire in this place.  I'm sure this is not going to be our first and last time in Las Casas Filipinas!  Try to pay them a visit too and experience a no ordinary out-of-town getaway.  Believe me, the long drive to Bagac, Bataan will be worth it.

Manila Address: Mezzanine Floor Victoria Towers Timog Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines

Phone No.  +63 2 332 5338 / +63 2 332 5286

E-mail:  reserve@lascasasfilipinas.com

Website:  http://lascasasfilipinas.com

I'm back!  It's been quite sometime since I last posted anything on this blog.  I've been very busy lately with my new found love, PSE.  Maybe I'm getting old (or should I say mature because the word "old" sounds a little bit harsh), I'm starting to become more aware of our finances and I'm trying my best to help my husband grow his hard earned money through investing.  Anyway, I'm not going to talk about investments on this post, instead I will be sharing with you a long overdue post of our family getaway at Villa Escudero.

Villa Escudero is a coconut plantation located in San Pablo City, Laguna which is just about two hours drive away from Manila.  It was actually my second time to visit this place, the first time was a day tour in 2011 when my husband and I were still in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship.  For those who didn't know, I was raised by conservative and traditional parents who would never allow me (and my siblings) to go on an overnight out-of-town trip unless it is a mandatory school-related activity.  So technically, it's my first time to experience an overnight stay in Villa Escudero.

Upon arrival, we headed to their reception area for check-in where we were warmly welcomed by their staffs wearing baro't saya and handed us a gulaman as a welcome drink.  By the way, please be informed that you need to make an advance reservation if you intend to stay overnight in the resort because their units are often fully booked.  In addition, bringing in of outside food and drinks are not allowed. So don't bother because they'll only end up getting confiscated at the entrance gate.

Just a few meters away from the reception area is the AERA Memorial Museum which is usually mistaken as an old church (because it actually looks like one).  This houses the colonial and religious art collections of the late Arsenio and Rosario Escudero.  Photography inside the museum is strictly prohibited that's why this is the only photo that I can share with you.  Let's leave the inside of the museum as a little mystery that's up for you to find out.

After checking-in, we went to the pick up area where carabao drawn carts await the guests to be taken to the activity/accommodation area.  This one is really unique, perhaps the only resort in the Philippines (I'm not quite sure of that) which has this kind of transportation for their guests.  You will definitely enjoy the ride especially with the music being played by their staff on guitar and the melodious voice of their singer singing Tagalog Folk songs like "Paru-parong Bukid".  It really feels good to experience a country-like life every once in a while!

For our accommodation, we chose the river unit which can accommodate up to a maximum of 12 persons.  It has a kitchen, dining, and a living area which is overlooking the river.  This room is spacious and the view of the river made the place even more peaceful and relaxing especially during sunset/sunrise.  The only problem I can see here is the non-availability of an air conditioning unit.  In our case, it's fine since we stayed here last November when the weather in the Philippines is pretty much cooler.  However, I cannot imagine if this accommodation would be comfortable enough for the guests during the summer season (better get their Executive/ Gumamela suites or the Katakataka unit which is fully air conditioned).  Another thing also, for those people who are staying overnight, please be advised that basic toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, soap, and lotion) which are usually complimentary in hotels/resorts are not available here so bring your own.

After resting for quite a while, we headed to their famous "Waterfalls Restaurant" to have our lunch.  Cool isn't it?  Literally speaking, you will definitely feel cool and refreshed eating your lunch in this place because you will have your feet soaked (so better get there on a foot wear that's easy to slip on/off) in crystal clear running waters of the so called man-made waterfalls.  Since the theme of the resort is Philippine country life, expect nothing less than a feast of your favorite Filipino dishes served on a buffet table made of bamboo.  See, this is what made this place so popular, not only among the locals but the tourists as well.  That is why it is no longer surprising to see this part of the resort jam packed during lunch time.  Whoever it is who have thought about this idea of using this spillway of the Labasin Lake dam to be a waterfalls restaurant is a genius!  It's really a one-of-a-kind dining experience you wouldn't dare to miss.  However, I would not advice this place if you've got a company who'll have a hard time taking the stairs because obviously, this place isn't accessible for PWD.

If you are planning to visit this place, I would strongly suggest you do it on a weekend because of their Philippine Experience Show.  It is a production number of the resort's staffs, accompanied by musicians playing rondalla, showcasing our country's rich culture through a series of dance numbers lasting approximately 1 hour.  This show is no mediocre intermission number but a world class performance created by the National Artist for dance, Ramon Obusan of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.  Villa Escudero's staffs are not just courteous and cheerful people, they're equally talented individuals as well!

You can also find the Chapel of the Ascension within the resort's vicinity.  It is a beautiful, spacious, and air-conditioned chapel perfect for intimate wedding celebrations.  Actually, I was thinking of having our wedding held on this chapel the first time we visited Villa Escudero.  However, we thought that having a destination wedding will pose a lot of hassle and more expenses on the part of our guests so we just decided to let this one go.

Our overnight stay in Villa Escudero was really worth every penny.  Spending Php 2,780/head which would cover your accommodation, full board meals (which by the way is a festive buffet), and many other activities that you and your family/ friends can enjoy (rafting, fishing, bird watching, biking, basketball, tennis, billiards, ping pong, swimming and videoke) is really super "sulit".

San Pablo City, Philippines

Telephone Nos. (632) 521-0830 / (632) 523-0392 / (632) 523-2944

Fax Number:  (632) 521-869

E-mail: info@villaescudero.com

Website:  http://www.villaescudero.com/index.php

This is going to be the fourth and final part of my review of The Farm at San Benito.  For the first three parts of my travel review, here are the following links:

1.  A Sneak Peek of The Farm at San Benito

2.  The Farm Accommodations:  Anahaw Family Villa and Sulu Terraces

3.  The Farm's Facilities and Activities

4.  The Farm's ALIVE! Restaurant

ALIVE! is an award winning vegan gourmet restaurant of The Farm at San Benito specializing in "living" cuisine perfectly prepared by their living food chefs.  It is so called "living" because instead of cooking the food, they actually use specially designed dehydrators to give raw food a variety of textures.  This process would prevent the nutritional properties and enzymes of the food from getting destroyed by heat.  In addition, they also have their own organic garden where they harvest their fresh produce daily and an extensive Kitchen Garden which produces a wide variety of sprouts used in their menu preparation.  So basically, you can be rest assured that what you eat is fresh, healthy, nutritious, and organic.

The Farm's ALIVE! Restaurant is a tropical inspired bungalow which is located just a few meters away from the reception area.  It has both indoor and outdoor seating areas, so you can choose which ambiance you prefer to have while dining.  If you wanted to enjoy the beauty of nature while having a delicious, healthy meal, you may opt for their outdoor area.  However, since we have my son with us, who is not used to an air continuous environment (problem with kids born and raised abroad where air conditioning unit seems to be a part of their Maslow's hierarchy of basic needs), we decided to just stay indoors.  The indoor seating area is not air conditioned but they do have ceiling fans and stand fans which help to make the area somewhat cooler in order to keep their guests more comfortable.  In addition, it is also noticeable that the restaurant's windows and doors have screens to keep the mosquitoes and other insects from entering the dining place.  By the way, since The Farm is a huge well-manicured garden where there are plenty of plants, trees, flowers, lagoons, and several different types of animals, expect the insects that comes along with this natural environment.  So if you are planning to visit this place, do bring an insect repellant with you.  It is definitely a must!

Our breakfast is a three course gourmet set meal which is complementary if you booked a room with them overnight.  Their menu comes in a set of two different plates for each course.  My husband and I decided to get one of each kind so we could just share and basically have a taste of everything.  As I have mentioned earlier, ALIVE! is strictly a vegan restaurant. Meaning, no meat, eggs, and dairy products.  Please be advised also that The farm is a healing sanctuary, therefore, the food that they serve here is balanced not only in terms of its nutrient content but the amount of serving as well.  So basically, the fiesta buffet or eat-all-you-can type of meal is NEVER applicable here.  In addition, bringing in of outside food is not advisable because they do charge a corkage fee.

Being the carnivore that I am, I was a little bit worried that I may not be able to enjoy the food in The Farm.  To be more accurate, I was actually anxious of not just enjoying the food, but starving myself as well since I am also breastfeeding my one year old son.  To my surprise, I found myself enjoying every bite of food on my plate!  Yes, everything that they served on our table was delicious!  In addition, I also found myself feeling full after finishing my breakfast.  The serving of each course may look like small in size, but it was definitely heavy on stomach.  Not only did my tongue enjoyed their tasteful meal, my eyes were also fed well with the beautiful presentation of each plate.  It was certainly gourmet!

Before we left the restaurant, we were given a complementary cake by their staff since Rafael is about to celebrate his first birthday the following day.  We then sung him a birthday song (which he really loves) and their stand fan was in perfect timing to blow off the candle just in time when I was about blow it for Rafa.  Anyway, their cake was truly irresistible as well!  Imagine eating a slice of dessert without having the guilt of taking in too much calories.  My mind can't think of a way how they were able to come up with such dessert without using eggs or dairy products.  Their chefs must be really talented and well educated of preparing "living" food.

It was indeed one of the most memorable breakfasts I had.  Never have I imagined that there will come a point in my life that I would love a vegan diet.  Kudos to all the living food chefs of The Farm at San Benito!  ALIVE! Restaurant is definitely a must try!

119 Barangay Tipakan Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines

Reservations:  +632 884 8074

Fax:  +632 889 1150

Mobile (6am - 10pm):  +63 918 884 8078

Website:  http://www.thefarmatsanbenito.com