Mt. Manalmon... a hike to remember

This place seems to be memorable to us, since we had here our first bonding trip together way back July 2012.  I still remember that day, as newly bf/gf, to have a quality time together, hiking is a tie-bond for us and in this place we had our first climb together (just the two of us).  I never thought that a mountain like this can be found just nearby the city of  Bulacan.  This is our favorite hiking destination which is near the Metro. 

way back July 2012

Travel time is usually 2 hrs depending on the flow of traffic.  We take Cabanatuan bound bus from Baliuag Transit at Cubao which cost Php117/person.  Then drop off at Brgy. Kamias.  From there, we took a tricycle going to Sitio Madlum, Brgy. Sibul and it cost as around Php240 per tricycle. The trip took around 40 minutes and prepare yourself for a bumpy road trip as the road is quite rough.

Jump off Location: Sitio Madlum, Brgy. Sibul, San Miguel, Bulacan

Difficulty: Minor Climb (Ideal for beginners)

Activity: River Crossing, Monkey Bridge Crossing, Spelunking, Hiking, Swimming, Rock Climbing

(the activity depends on how far you can go... :) but I suggest go for Monkey Bridge Crossing - just make sure you know how to swim, just in case you fall.) 

 view from summit

River Crossing via balsa

 As soon as you get to the other side, a registration (php5) for environmental fee and a mandatory guide is also required (php300-600).  As per the locals, an assigned group will be in charge per week and by that time, Group 2 is in charge (Kuya Mel).  Unfortunately our favorite guide Kuya Duds belongs to Group 1  :(, I miss his skills in taking photos.  He really took great shots of us last year, esp. candid photos.

From the jump off, we took the other route from Bayukbok Cave.  We didn't pass through the Grotto  and Madlum Rockies for one of a kind river crossing experience.  I guess our second visit to this place was a kind of misfortune, our guide said that the water by the river was at chest level deep due to heavy rains these past few days, so it's not safe.

Backpackers - kaikai / yeye

TIP: don't forget to pour OFF lotion to avoid mosquito bites

The trek is just a normal hiking trails.  Easy trails of 30-40 minutes walked, so you can have a lot of time to take photos, and chillax!

Pitch tent @ Campsite

--a view from the top of majestic Madlum River--

 

 View from Mt. Manalmon

View from summit of Mt. Manalmon

No wonder we always want candid shots every time we hike,  it just make a "kilig" feeling ^__^ lol!!, not as a usual pre-nup pics but I really love capturing unexpected glimpse of emotions though... :)

candid shots!

On top, you can find a lot of posing space where you can strike any pose you want.  Somewhere, you can find a small elevated side part of a rock where you can sit down and make a side pose like below, but be sure to take care of every step extra carefully to avoid slipping off.

At the summit, you can also notice this small part of rock which is really an eye catching view, simply inviting you to go there.  There is a passage leading to it, unfortunately, locals advised that it is not safe anymore due to a crack portion in some part of the rock which is really dangerous.

Well then, it's time for me to prepare dinner before it gets dark.  This is one of the most exciting part you can really enjoy in hiking, cooking!  It just feels like your playing "luto - lutuan" (just what i was called during my childhood years).  We prepared a ready to cooked food, I mean, easy-to-cooked foods.  Thanks for his mom for preparing a marinated chicken chops, I just need to fry it.  

The good thing is that were the only campers that time.  I guess due to typhoon Maring, other hikers assumed for a gloomy weather, but, it's not .  The weather was favorable to us, it just had a little rainfall but it is a cozy night indeed.

cooking time!

Well, never in my mind that I would experience a candlelight dinner at a mountain summit.  Such a sweet ideas of my yeye ^__^ .  I never thought he has a good insight too when it comes to surprises.  While I'm busy preparing dinner, he's busy preparing these stuffs at the summit.  Just telling me, "Jan ka lang, wag kang aakyat.", sweet isn't it. ^_* (kilig much!) 

NO WONDER WHY HE'S PREPARING THIS

my man is so busy up there, while I'm cooking ...

Just love surprises!!

By night time, after I'm done cooking, he told me to wear a dress packed inside his dri-fit bag.  I just giggled and amazed to see that dress with a shoes and asked him "kelangan ko ba talaga I suot to?" lol! (no wonder, kilig much!) "kasama sa surprise yan", he replied.  So I just wear the dress before I went to the summit.  It was dark, and quiet.  Just a perfect sweet night for us.  I was truly amazed, especially when I reached the top and saw the lighted candles glowing in a dark starry night.  (aaawww... such effort...)  
Then, I found him wearing a white formal tops, formal pants and black shoes.---FORMAL TALAGA!!--  I just wonder what's he up to.  "wala lang gusto lang kita i-surprise, kasi di ba gusto mo ng formal dinner, kaya ito...", he said.  (kilig much na talaga ako!lol!).  Then,  he played some instrumental love songs while we eat.  I'm not much aware in this kind of dinner date, so I'm totally speechless.  We just have a regular conversation, I try to asked  how he planned these stuffs, well not to mentioned it anymore ---just for us na lang--- hehehe...

After dinner, he asked me to dance.  (lol!! kilig much)  Sa sobrang kilig and surprise di ko na matandaan what song he played.  We danced.  Then after a while, he knelt down while holding a blue velvet ring case and asked, Ms.Katherine Rose Paz, will you marry me?... (sa totoo lang, a couple of words he asked pa before that final words, but gee, I can't remember anymore.  that was the last line I just remember)  Well, I'm totally SPEECHLESS!  I don't know how to react, what my actions will be. ---- will I cry--- but I didn't, but I can feel that I'm shaking while I'm looking  at the ring and him, and I said, "Yes", "oo naman". 

--and it's because of this--

 

a PROPOSAL was made

Nuvali Wake boarding

Wake boarding is indeed a great activity. It's a surface water sport which involves riding a wakeboard over the surface of a body of water. Gee... I can't imagine my self like floaters in the water. It was month of July 2013 when I joined my boyfriend with his travel peeps though, I decided not to try it literally (lol!! still afraid of water...dang!) but, I swear of my self I must try this soon. (another list for my checklist)

Nuvali is located in Sta. Rosa Laguna, Philippines. The lake looks very similar to CWC but due to limited space it does not have a beach where guests could indulge in beach sports. The place was spotlessly clean and tidy the facility was well maintained.

How to get there:
DRIVING
It is just simple. Take the SLEX and exit via Sta. Rosa while taking a right turn after going past the toll gate. Just go straight ahead, and in no time you'll find Nuvali. You will then pass a circle, on the second corner, turn right. Further down the road, you will pass two guardhouses, just go straight, there are signs as to where the wake park is.

TIP:
Much as well rent a car if your a group. There's no public transport accessible inside. NO SHUTTLES AVAILABLE INSIDE


They have a bar which serves different kinds of foods and beverages. You can just chill if you want but instead of heading to one of them, his peeps registered first.

My boyfriend (yeye), his sister (abby), his brother (kuya noel)(photos on top-below)

(sorry for the photo) entrance fee is depending on the number of hours you want to avail, but there is a refundable Php 800 for the wake board gear- wristband,life vest, and helmet (which is MANDATORY), which is not bad beginners.
Rates
Republic Wakepark Cable BASIC Rates

1 hour pass - 250php
2 hour pass - 475php
4 hour pass - 595php
8 hour pass - 995php

TIP
Republic has a lot to improve though. They don’t have lockers so expect to leave your bags and valuables out in the open. Thankful I'm the one left in the hang out area which is located in between the advanced and beginners lakes (hehehe... pity me). So I just watch, observe and took photos.

Photos above are provided life vest gear. (Gee!!! I think there should be a lot of improvement for these stuffs)

Though, you can see wake boarders in expensive signature outfits and fancy wake boarding paraphernalia for the day. Fancy ankle guards, personalized ornate helmets , Swanky knee guards looking like trinkets something you will never see anywhere else. I wonder how much it will cost for such nice gears and boards, consider it an expensive sports too for those who really want to get unto it.

The Rider's shed...

and the beginner's lake... for amateurs like them :)

Main part of the activity is these... (see photos below) Braced your self for a breathtaking water sport activity. It is better to start early, for there would be throngs of guest by noon time. Proper orientation will be held first. I observed that there should be an addition of a 2nd cable line in the beginner’s lake. While the 1st line is doing a run, the instructor would be briefing the rider in the 2nd line already. It would make the waiting period much shorter.

Unfortunately, they were only able to get 3 to 6 tries – 2 every 45 minutes. Be ready to stay the whole day in order to get the most out of your visit.

Abby

Improving strokes....(in photos:yeye, kenneth and PK)

Can’t keep fulsome about the good weather we had on this trip. Just a wonderful day to wakeboard. (in photos: Chabs and PK, Me and Yeye)

wwaaahhh!!! not a good day for yeye... while unto activity, before letting go the cable hand grip accidentally bump back onto his face, OUCH!!! that was a total nose pinch, I guess...

It was that bad after all, he made it through from end to end. Well, better luck next time. Hehehe..

So after his incident, he just took photos of massive advanced riders who made extreme stunts like the kicker stunts, grab moves, board slide, flip stunts and more, I just don't know what they called it...

To Sum Up!!!
This place is provides easier access for wakeboarders as well as enthusiast who would love to delve into the sport. A man-made lake make wakeboarding like this is a perfect water sport under any weather circumstances. Unlike surfing and windsurfing which are both driven by seasonal winds and waves, this requires little or no natural occurrences to play the sport. Riding wakes don’t require a year-long wait before your next thrill-inducing experience, cable wakeboarding will simply kick it a notch up in the extreme water sports scene.

For side trip and late lunch we had at Leslie Restaurant located in Tagaytay City. It specializes in “Lutong Bahay” or Home Cooked Filipino Dishes. The restaurant has a very spacious and luscious garden at the back which offers a magnificent view of the Taal Lake and Taal Volcano.
On the road, we also have stop over the new Starbucks along Aguinaldo Highway (I guess). It's just situated right beside Discovery suites. It has a huge sitting capacity (especially indoor area)compare with other two branch in Tagaytay. Yet, not much over looking Taal Lake unlike the other one which is located near Leslie Resto, RSM Resto and Dencios. Also, parking problem is also a heck! since the place is so stiff.

Have a Safe trip!!! GOD BLESS!!!