DAY 1: Pico de Loro Cove at Hamilo Coast, Nasugbu, Batangas

Day 1 - May 23, 2013 (Thursday) 

"Puzzle Mansion, Tagaytay City - Pico de Loro Cove at Hamilo Coast, Nasugbu, Batangas - Lucban, Quezon - Pagsanjan, Laguna" Series

Pico de Loro Cove at Hamilo Coast

The orangy road kept me entertained all throughout the trip. And the many familiar  resorts (Canyon Cove, Tali Beach) made me reminiscent of offsites from years back!

Finally few minutes before noon and we reached the Myna cluster of the Pico de Loro at Hamilo Coast in Nasugbu, Batangas. (So hungry by now to take pix of Chimmy :()

The unit was huge and very nice :) No pix though to respect the unit's owner privacy :)

After consuming our packed lunch :) we headed to the Country Club for registration so we can use the amenities as member's guests.

Both of us were caught off guard that today's still peak season. We were expecting to pay only P500.00 each. 

The cash card pre-loaded with P1,000.00.

Now we can swim :)

Infinity pool 

We didn't swim yet but decided to visit the Beach Club first to check for ourseves if we'd love the sands or the chlorine :)

We asked the tram driver if there are other places to visit other than the beach club. He brought us to the Chapel.

St. Therese of the Child Jesus Chapel -

"Designed by renowned architect Carlos Arnaiz, the St. Therese of the Child Jesus Chapel is perched on a hill overlooking the coast and offers a stunning view of Pico de Loro Cove. Catholic Mass is celebrated at the Chapel every Sunday at 11:00 a.m" - http://www.picodeloroclub.com/pico-de-loro-cove/chapel

Welcomed by the sunset -

Follow the trail beside the chapel to reach the Beach Club -

Yellow alert that day -

A lot of beach-bummers despite it being a Thursday -

There's also a pool by the beach.

We decided to do the laps at the Country  Club's Infinity pool :)  

The country club was already closed when dinner time came. So we headed to the nearby Pico Sands Hotel (walking distance from the Country Club) only to be told they do not honor the cash card. 

No choice so we headed back to the beach club to take our dinner at the Sun Coral Cafe.

Prices are more reasonable compared to Pico Sands Hotel. No reason not to zero out our cash card:)

Our dinner - Chicken Pork Adobo (CPA) with kangkong and boiled egg. Good to Share @ P330.00!

Dessert - Ube Langka Turon @ P90.00.

It's dark when we finished eating. Time to go back to our condo and have my birthday toast! Yay!!!

GETTING THERE:

DIRECTIONS from Manila to Pico de Loro:

1. Take SLEX (Southbound) headed toward Laguna.

2. Take the STA. ROSA EXIT and turn right after the toll booth. Follow the road all the way to Tagaytay City.
    a.  Alternatively, you may choose to take the ETON EXIT (after STA. ROSA EXIT).

3. Once you're along Aguinaldo Highway in Tagaytay City, you will pass:
    a. Josephine’s Restaurant
    b. Taal Vista Hotel

4. When you reach the Junction of Balayan (Caltex Station at the Right), turn right again to go to Nasugbu. (You will pass Central Azucarera de Don Pedro on your left side)

5. When you reach the Shell Gas Station (Left side), turn right to go to the Nasugbu Town Proper.

6. Go straight until you reach the road that will take you uphill. You will pass by the “Brgy Wawa” arch and the following developments:

Canyon Cove
Kawayan Cove
Terazzas de Punta Fuego
Tali Beach Club
Peninsula de Punta Fuego
7. Go further uphill until you reach Pico de Loro by following the yellow signage of “Hamilo Coast”

Next post: 
Sidetrips at Nagcarlan and Liliw

Kamay ni Hesus, Lucban, Quezon

Pagsanjan Falls

DAY 2: Underground Cemetery at Nagcarlan, Laguna

Day 2 - May 24, 2013 (Friday) 

"Puzzle Mansion, Tagaytay City - Pico de Loro Cove at Hamilo Coast, Nasugbu, Batangas - Lucban, Quezon - Pagsanjan, Laguna" Series

Underground Cemetery at Nagcarlan, Laguna

It was a never ending road.

Passed by San Pablo Church without meaning to. "At the end of the road, make a u-turn", says Chimmy. Aint we lost now?

Well, it's okay. Maybe we need divine intervention now to find the right path :)

Until finally, we have reached our destination - the Nagcarlan Undeground Cemetery.

Years ago when I went here together with my CVX teammates, we weren't able to go inside. Now I have the chance :)

The stairs leading underground -

Inside was too eerie for Alol but its so small, it aint that much scary for me. I managed to quickly take a few shots.

After a  brief photo-ops, we hit the road again for Liliw.

DAY 2: Breakfast at Antonio's, Tagaytay City

We were supposed to stay at Hamilo Coast for 2 nights but decided that there's much more to see hitting the road than inside this enclave of a man-made paradise :)

We left early to head to Quezon. Chimmy said it will be a 159km drive today! Whhww!

Even though we had a breakfast already before leaving Hamilo Coast, we cannot resist dropping by Breakfast at Antonio's.

Enough space to park Chimmy.

Inside -

Cute chambermaid outfit -

Alol's refillable brewed coffee @ P180. I loved using muscovado for my coffee!

Hot choco for the birthday girl :) Petite @ P70.00.

Ham and cheese omelette with what's that as toppings? (@P375 - 3 eggs served with hash brown, whole wheat/panini/banana bread, and baked beans)

Alol, the sick girl, had a fresh corned beef. (@P400 - served with 2 eggs done anyway you want with hash brown/sauteed scallop potato, garlic rice with baked beans) 

Interesting "NOTICE" posted in the girls' restroom -

Tidy shop -

Then it's time to hit the road again :) 99.3 km more!

------------

Map & Directions

Antonio’s is located at Purok 138, Barangay Neogan, Tagaytay City, Batangas, Philippines

For inquiries, please call +63 (917) 899.2866 or
+63 (918) 899.2866.

Breakfast at Antonio’s is located along Aguinaldo Highway, Barangay Bagong Tubig, Tagaytay City, Batangas, Philippines

For inquiries, please call +63 (46) 413.0738

The Grill by Antonio’s is located at One Destination, Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay City, Batangas, Philippines

For inquiries, please call +63 (46) 483.4847

Download Map (PDF)

Hours & Dress Code

Breakfast at Antonio’s is open everyday for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We serve our all day breakfast and grazing menus from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm.

Service is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Breakfast at Antonio’s is available for unique, private events. Reservations for private events can be made one year in advance from the calendar date. For private event inquiries, please call +63 (917) 899.2866 or send us your online reservation form.

Breakfast at Antonio’s dress code is casual.

For inquiries, please call +63 (46) 413.0738.

DAY1: Puzzle Mansion Museum @ Puzzle Mansion Bed & Breakfast, Tagaytay City

Day 1 - May 23, 2013 (Thursday) 

Puzzle Mansion - Pico de Loro, Hamilo Coast - Lucban, Quezon - Pagsanjan, Laguna Series

Puzzle Mansion Museum, Tagaytay City

Chimmy said we'll drive 126 km today!

We made only 3 stops along the way. 1st  was to deflate Chimmy. 2nd to take a water break. And the last stop was when we followed the signages marked "Puzzle Mansion straight ahead; Guiness biggest jigsaw puzzle". 

The signages brought us to Brgy. Asinan where the Puzzle Mansion can be found -  house of the largest collection of jigsaw puzzle.

Entrance fee to the museum is P100/head - expensive I would say! But what I found inside somehow amused me :) Didn't matter that we only stayed for  about 10 minutes.

The "cashier" - 

Inside -

More - 

3D -

Some more -

A total of almost 1,000 completed puzzles. A collection 27 years in the making.

And this one will be the yet another entry to the Guinness World Records - the biggest jigsaw puzzle (32,000 pieces).

Almost half-done. Septemper is the target date to be finished, according to the the staff at the Souvenir area at the 2nd floor.

The coconut cream pie ad was enticing but since we were running after time so we can reach Hamilo Coast already, we made a pass! 

Off the road again...

PUZZLE MANSION BED and BREAKFAST

Purok 4 Cuadra

St. Barangay Asisan, Tagaytay city, Philippines

Tel: 02 661 0019/ Tel: 0905 225 0229

Email: puzzlemansion@gmail.com

Website: http://thepuzzlemansion.com/

Next post: 

Pico de Loro, Hamilo Coast

ANGKOR-WAT Finally!

Well, the travel date is still in November but as always, to save money, hunting for promo airfaresstarted early. Airfare Manila to Siem Reap - checked! Recently, airfare Bangkok to Clark - checked! Scouting for Siem Reap to Bangkok is still on-going. I really don't want to take the bus (for safety reasons and to save time) so hopefully, we will be able to find a cheap airfare. Quest for a decent hotel is still on-going! Also still studying itineraries for Bangkok to Laos. But maybe, we'd rather avail of a tour package. But soon.... Angkor-Wat, finally we'll meet :)

OSAKA: Day 2 - Universal Studios Japan

Day 2 - February 22, 2013 (Friday)

No WIFI connection still :( We approached the reception and was advised that maybe "many people are connecting" so they cannot do something about it :-(

Anyways, it's USJ Day and we cannot but let the lack of  "connectivity" ruin our supposed to be FUN day!

Breakfast at McDonalds. PS. it's CLAYGO - Clean as you go! Hope we in the PH do this as well :)

We didn't mind lining up for the opening of the studio at 10:00 AM since we were busy taking pictures :)

Universal Studios Japan

We ensured to take MOST of the rides. Little did I know that during winter, most rides are indoor. Space Fantasy was wow. Enjoyed still the Amazing Spiderman Show. At Back to the Future, I started to get bored :(

We had lunch at Louie's.

Since we have just eaten, we went to see "Backdraft" - it was just okay. I dozed off already at Terminator 2. Shrek is the same show as I've seen in Universal Singapore. Whheww! If aint for the cool breeze, I'd cry in boredom.

Wandering in Wonderland

Studio's operating hours is up to 5:00 PM only. I haven't enjoyed much yet and it's time to go home already :(

Before going back to the hotel, we dropped by Hard Rock to get my souvenir magnet. Then headed to Takoyaki Museum, to taste "authentic" takoyaki. 

But since we are all not big takoyaki-fans, we still dropped by the Choco cro to fill our tummies :)

OSAKA: Day 1 - Keihan Hotel Universal City

Just outside the JR Universal City Station is the City Walk already :) Starbucks beside Lawson Station (convenience store) then Hotel Keihan Universal Tower on the left. Hushush Index (a dress shop) then our place - Hotel Keihan Universal City on the right. We initially thought we'd walk for some time and froze to death :) Thank God not :)


The bed - spacious and cute.

Family room - too big for us 3 :) but which we like so much

No worries about toiletries - everything you'll need is here!

toiletries  - everything we need
(toothbrush, shaver, hair brush, hair clamps, cotton swab, sponge, facial cotton)

shampoo, conditioner, body - which all smells good :)

even have a foaming facial wash

However, it's 7:15 AM (Osaka time) and still we cannot connect to the WIFI, which by the way is our 1st consideration in choosing the hotel to stay at :(