A very rare occasion when Tutubi's growing family went on a field trip to Tagaytay, a week before Christmas, ended up at Tagaytay Picnic Grove for a day of fun and family bonding with his parents, siblings, nephews and nieces during a cold, rainy day.

Tutubi's first and only prior visit to Tagaytay Picnic Grove was about 12 years ago and he remembers the place as if nothing much changwited except for the addition of zipline and cable car rides.

The main attraction still of Picnic Grove is simply the picnic cottages with breathtaking view of Taal Volcano, enveloped by cool, crisp air of Tagaytay City, a city perched on the ridge of an ancient caldera home to Taal Lake.

picnic cottages rental offered to visitors. The ones shown can be rented at PhP150.00 per use. Tip: occupy them first then wait for the person collecting the payment. Cottages are a rarity during lunch on weekdays and holidays so better come early


a school holding a family day at Picnic Grove with Taal Volcano and Taal Lake as backdrop.


Kite rentals are present but what the heck, Tutubi can make a kite DIY style using walis tingting, paste/tape and newspapers for a simple setup and better using other materials of course


horses can be rented for an hour for about P200 and can seat two medium-built persons

Overnight accommodations at Picnic Grove are also available for those looking for a place to stay in Tagaytay beyond the usual day tour. Restaurants are waiting for park visitors who didn't bring the usual picnic meals. Souvenir shops line the pathways for mementos and pasalubongs like t-shirts, mugs and other things stamped with Tagaytay brand.

Tagaytay Picnic Grove Travel Information:

Tagaytay Picnic Grove Entrance Fee: PhP50.00/person
(free entrance fee for children under 4 years old)
Parking Fee: PhP per car/vehicle
Horseback ride price: P200/hour big horse
Picnic Cottage rental: PhP150.00/use for small cottages

Picnic Grove
Address: Barrio Sungay, Tagaytay City
Telephone number +63.46.413.4206

For details, you may call Tagaytay Picnic Grove contact number or visit their official website/email address.

For Tagaytay Picnic Grove review, the place is operated by Tagaytay City government but is not really well-maintained usual of government-run establishments. There are inadequate toilets for use (better use the ones inside the restaurants). But being a cheap place to spend time with family and friends, and bring food to share. Tourist traps and nuisance in typical "tourist spots" abound where you'll be offered horses every now and then (much like Boracay's boatmen)

How to get to Picnic Grove, Tagaytay:

Please click this How to Get to Tagaytay post for detailed post on getting there with commuting and driving directions for those with cars/vehicles. Note that the usual van rental rates to Tagaytay from Manila is P3.5k, whole day, all in except toll fees. Vans can seat 12 people or more so it's cheap to organize a Tagaytay tour if you're a big group.

Coming up: Tagaytay Zipline and Cable Car Adventure

Related Posts:

Taal Volcano Trek
Tagaytay Highlands,
Good Shepherds Ube Jam
How to Commute to Tagaytay

Labels: Metro Tagaytay, Tagaytay City

Call it Disaster Tourism, the latest craze in Philippine Tourism, as the brewing explosion of Mayon Volcano is now attracting foreign tourists who wanted to see an exploding volcano up close and personal.

Update: Mayon Volcano "exploded" on May 7, 2013 as a result of rain water getting in contact with hot magma/lava inside the volcano setting off some sort of a pressure cooker explosion.

Latest Mayon Volcano Explosion Videos on YouTube:





Being the adventurous and curious type, Tutubi also wanted to see for himself the majestic Mayon Volcano exploding but doesn't have the time and resources to go there as well as personal reasons holding him back.

For those who are in Legazpi City, the best view of Mayon Volcano might be on Lignon Hill near Legazpi Airport.

Philippine Military is there to secure the lava flow paths to ensure a zero-casualty explosion but there are always the pasaway types who ignore safety warnings and endanger the lives of others who come to their rescue.

Updated: May 2013

Labels: Albay, Bicol Region, Volcanoes

An unassuming place inside an exclusive gated community of Bel-air, Makati is a house on Amapola street, fronting Rockwell Center and Powerplant Mall, is home to former streetchildren now under the care of Bahay Maria orphanage.

This is Tutubi's second visit to the charitable institution and the third orphanage for his annual gift-giving "Orphanage Tour" before a heavy (so-so) lunch at C2 Classic Cuisine at Powerplant Mall.

Bahay Maria (not Bahay ni Maria) is a nice home for former homeless girls turned into an orphanage.

Bahay Maria, an unassuming house in an exclusive gated community is home to former streetchildren

Tutubi and his "tour-mates" were treated to song and dance numbers by the children and their own depiction of the nativity.

the holy family visited by the three magis...err..two magis as the third one was playing somewhere

finally caught up with the third magi still wearing the crown

the "missing" magi caught on cam

This "orphanage tour" is really a nice thing to do even at least once a year to share to underprivileged people even small things.

Christmas is not just about gifts to your family, friends and loved ones but it's much more meaningful once shared with strangers and people in need.

How to get there:

for directions from Ayala Avenue, head towards Makati Avenue going to Mandaluyong and turn right on Kalayaan Avenue until you see the gate of Bel-Air fronting Powerplant Mall. Bahay Maria is just along Amapola St, the street immediately after the guard house of the subdivision entrance.

Bahay Maria Center
Address: 95 Amapola Bel-Air 3 Makati
Contact Person: Sis. Carmela
Telephone Number/Contact: +63.2.890.4539

Related Post:
Manila Charitable Institutions

Labels: Charity

For many years now, Tutubi does "charitable institutions tour" in December days before Christmas for some sort of reality-check that even if he was much affected by typhoon Ondoy, so many others out there live miserable lives that need some kind of help even once a year.

For information of those wishing to get to Missionaries of Charity in Tondo Manila, this one's for you.

Note that there's no photos of the place here as picture taking and videos are not not allowed in the facility. It's not also your typical "bahay ampunan" for the center caters to the need of the sick and dying children and elderly that can melt your heart unless you're a typical "wooden-hearted" politician.

How to get to Missionaries of Charity, Tondo, Manila:

landmarks near Missionaries of Charity:
Manila Cathedral School, Immaculate Concepcion Church and PLDT Tayuman

Commuting to Missionaries of Charity is easy via the LRT where you get off at Tayuman Station then transfer to a jeepney plying the Pritil route. Alight in front of the institution managed by members of Mother Theresa of Calcutta.

Driving directions to Tondo's home of underprivileged children: for those blessed with cars or service vehicles from Makati, head towards Quirino Avenue, pass Nagtahan Bridge, straight to Lacson St (formerly Forbes) pass SM City San Lazaro then Yuseco St (formerly Tayabas St, to bypass heavy traffic on Tayuman), cross Rizal Avenue (Avenida, LRT) cross the PNR railroad tracks then turn left on the first corner then left again where the center is on your right.

From the North i.e. Caloocan or Quezon City, you can use Bonifacio Drive right on , Araneta Avenue (C3) left on Rizal Avenue then Abad Santos on the fork, then right again on Tayuman St where the charitable institution is on your left (parking is small there and lots of kind-hearted people visiting the place to drop donations, even people who offer time as volunteers to help feed and take care of the children and elderly)



Missionaries of Charity
Home of Joy for the Sick Children
Address: Tayuman St., Tondo, Manila
Telephone Number: +63.2.255.0832
Contact Person: Sis. Nirmalata

Related Post:
Charitable Institutions and Orphanages

Labels: Charity

For those who intend to spend Christmas day in Metro manila (or other cities with SM malls), here's the schedule of shopping hours of SM City across the country

December 24, 2010: 9am to 7pm (to give way to the traditional noche buena)
December 25, 2010: 10 am to 12mn (yeah, lots of time to wander with kids)

SM City North EDSA, SM City Sta. Mesa (formerly SM Centerpoint), SM Megamall, SM City Cebu, SM City Southmall, SM City Bacoor, SM City Fairview, SM City Iloilo, SM City Manila, SM City Pampanga, SM City Sucat (formerly SM Supercenter Sucat), SM City Davao, SM City Bicutan, SM City Cagayan de Oro, SM City Lucena (Quezon), SM City Baguio, SM City Marilao (Bulacan), SM City Dasmariñas (cavite), SM City Batangas, SM City San Lazaro (Manila), SM Center Valenzuela, SM Center Molino (formerly SM Supercenter Molino), SM City Santa Rosa, SM City Clark, SM Mall of Asia (MOA), SM Center Pasig (formerly SM Supercenter Pasig), SM City Lipa, SM City Bacolod, SM City Taytay, SM Center Muntinlupa (formerly SM Supercenter Muntinlupa), SM City Marikina, SM City Rosales, SM City Baliwag (Bulacan), SM City Naga Camarines Sur, SM Center Las Piñas Las Piñas City, Metro Manila, SM City Rosario Cavite, SM City Tarlac, SM City San Pablo Laguna, SM City Calamba Laguna, SM City Novaliches Quezon City

Upcoming SM malls under construction/planning:

SM City Masinag (SM City Antipolo) Rizal, SM Center Commonwealth Quezon City, SM City Taguig Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Metro Manila, SM Center Pagsanjan (Laguna), SM City North Davao (SM City Lanang) Davao City, SM City Santiago Isabela, SM City General Santos South Cotabato, SM City Tagaytay, SM City Dagupan

No confirmed information but other malls of Robinsons (Galleria, Pioneer, Malate), Ayala Malls (Trinoma, Greenbelt, Glorietta, Landmark, Alabang Town center, Market!Market! Bonifacio High Street), Starmall, Marquee Mall, Eton Centris, Gateway Mall, Eastwood City Mall, NCCC, Gaisano, Star Mall, Sunstar Mall usually have similar if not the same mall operating hours.

Note: MMDA number coding is lifted on Christmas day even in the Republic of Makati

related post:

SM Holy Week Mall Hours
Ayala Mall Hours Holy Week

Labels: Christmas, Shopping

The Pasiyam and forty days of prayer for the dead are traditions to offer novena prayers at the home of the departed that ends with a simple meal

Both of them are reckoned from the day of the death of the loved one though some places people set it from the day of the first mass said for the soul of the dearly departed. The "ritual" simply consists of regular formulaic prayer, novena for the dead and several litanies that can be recited from memory by the "prayer warriors" probably due to almost everyday usage.

a group of elderly women volunteers to say the novena prayers for the dead

Why do Filipinos hold the pa-siyam or nine novena for the departed? One elder once mentioned it's for the departed to realize that he/she is already dead while the forty days prayer is similar to Jesus Christ's forty days stay on earth before the ascension, the dead's spirit is claimed to leave the earthly realm. (Tutubi is not an expert in theology nor in doctrines of different faiths so please leave a comment for other explanations)

the meal at the end of the lengthy prayers shared by the "prayer warriors"

even the departed is offered food to share in the meal with a lighted candle

the star of the 40 days feast that day was grilled milkfish

On the first death anniversary another tradition marks the day called Babang Luksa when mourning has to end.

Related Post:
Burial customs, Traditions and Superstitions in the Philippines

Labels: Culture

For the information of commuters to Quezon City and Bulacan towns of Meycauayan, Marilao and Malolos, hope this post answers your "How to get to" and "How to Commute to" questions to your intended destination via the LRT and MRT at Trinoma Transport Terminal (that is also adjacent to the SM City North EDSA Transport Terminal)

Trinola Transport terminal is Located on the Ground Level beside North Avenue Open parking.



Jeepney, Vans and FX terminals service the following routes:

Shuttle to Lagro
Route: Tandang Sora, Manggahan, Litex, Commonwealth Market, Regalado

Fairview
Route: SM Fairview, Robinsons Fairview

Jeepney to UP Campus
Route: Agham Road, East Avenue, Quezon City Hall, PHILCOA

Vans to San Mateo
Route: Sandigan Bayan, Rodriguez

Vans to Sangandaan
Route: Congressional Avenue, Project 8, Sta. Quiteria

Vans to Novaliches
Route: C5, Sauyo, Holy Cross, Bayan

Vans to Meycauayan - Marilao
Route: NLEX, St. Michael, Sto. Nino

Vans to Malolos
Route: Balagtas, Bocaue, Tabang, Calumpit

Trinoma Open Parking where SM City North EDSA is visible. (picture taken from Trinoma using Olympus Stylus 850SW)

No information of current fares and trip schedules as of posting time.

How to get to Trinoma Mall, Quezon City.

To commute to trinoma, the fastest is via MRT North Avenue station where the Ayala-owned mall is directly connected. From Manila, jeepneys going to Project 6 pass by the shopping mall. The on-going construction of LRT from Monumento to North Avenue will also hasten travel time to the mall.

For driving directions to Trinoma from Makati, it's just a straight drive via EDSA until you see the distinctive yellow signs of Landmark department store right after passing Quezon Avenue on EDSA.

Labels: Public Transportation