PANGASINAN: Another Quick Side Trip

Since I have mentioned my quick yet noteworthy side trip to the Province of Tarlac, I might as well include another hurried yet remarkable visit to some of the key cities in the Province of Pangasinan.

The Hundred Islands National Park was actually my target destination but with my instant stop to some places in the province made me realized that Pangasinan is not just about the Hundred Islands. For travellers like me, there are many interesting places to appreciate while in the Province. And for my friends who also joined this trip, it was a great opportunity to see another new town in Luzon.

TARLAC: A Quick Side Trip!

My North Luzon Trip including my trek to Mount Pinatubo and Island Hopping at the Hundred Islands National Park will not be complete without mentioning my quick yet worthy side trip to the Province of Tarlac. Going there for the first time is like spending CUBA HOLIDAYS.

My side trip to landlocked Province of Tarlac brought me to some places that had somehow impressed me in a different way. I have heard of Tarlac as hometown of the Aquinos and Cojuangcos but never did I know that by some means Tarlac is not all just about that. There are many places to see and to discover in this landlocked Province.

THE HUNDRED ISLANDS: I Came To See You!

Back in my grade school years, one of my favorite subjects is "Sibika At Kultura". I find it very interesting and educational among other subjects taught in the class. The book, "Sibika At Kultura", illustrated the many "Wonders" of the Philippines that made my innocent mind realized that there are bountiful numbers of beautiful places to see and discover outside of my hometown Cateel. The book became an instant hit to me. It is where I first see the picture of Banaue Rice Terraces, referred as the 8^th Wonder of the World; Mount Mayon, known for having a perfect cone; Taal Volcano, the smallest volcano in the world; Mount Apo, the country's highest peak; the Chocolate Hills, famous for its unique unvarying formation; Maria Cristina Falls, the country's tallest; the Hundred Islands, the first declared National Park in the country; and many other important landmarks the truly become Philippines pride.

The book inspired me to make a quest in seeing all those mentioned places and somehow prove to myself that what the book has written is indeed true and correct. True enough, as time passed by, I have gradually fulfilled this quest. Blessed to afford a worthy travel, I have been able to visit many of those mentioned places in my Sibika at Kultura book. And without a doubt, those places are worth visiting especially for every Filipinos like me. For this year, on the top of my list is the world famous "HUNDRED ISLANDS" of Alaminos City in Pangasinan.

JOURNEY TO THE MAJESTIC CRATER OF MOUNT PINATUBO

One of the best known off road adventures today in the Philippines is the day trek to the Majestic Crater of Mount Pinatubo. Having seen the scenic beauty and read many interesting reviews on the internet of this once a destructive volcano, my interest of setting foot there was enough to make me fly to Manila from Davao City.
 

Just a little history, Mount Pinatubo became famous when it erupted violently in the year 1991. The eruption was recorded as the second largest volcanic eruption of the twentieth century. It killed 800 people and left 100,000 homeless. Not only that, the effects of the eruption were felt worldwide as millions of tons of sulfur dioxide were discharged into the atmosphere, resulting in a decrease in the temperature worldwide.