The Province of Iloilo is home to few mountains and when there is a mountain, usually a waterfall exists. Last week, I and a few friends head to the town of Igbaras to explore one of the waterfalls in the area.

We left Iloilo City at around 6:00 in the morning and by 7:30 am, we were already in their public plaza waiting for the motorcycle that will take us to the drop off point. The hike, and even the motorcycle ride, is not for the faint-hearted. Two or three passengers plus one driver were crammed in one motorcycle and have to endure the approximately 30-minute bumpy ride. The ride can be tiring but the view of the mountain ranges is really worth it. The motorcycle ride ended before the bridge that is ruined by flood and is no longer passable, both by people and vehicles.

New bridge and hydroplant area (Photo credit)

With this, we crossed the shallow river where a hydro plant is also being built. From the river, we hiked the uphill dirt road that is more than 100 meters long. For me, this is one of the toughest parts of the trail as I almost ran out of air and had to take minute-long stops to rest and catch my breath. Maybe, this didn’t happen if I have been consistent with my running. :D

From the dirt road, we turned right to enter the real trail. Along the trail, there are various kinds and sizes of trees as well as rocks. There are rocks taller than me, smooth ones as well as rough ones so be careful when passing on those as they can be slippery. Wrong placement of your feet or distribution of weight can land you flat on your face so take extra caution. 

Big rocks along the way. (Photo credit)

Nadsadjan falls from afar (Photo credit)

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After we hiked the Balaan Bukid trail, we asked the motorcycle driver if he can take us to Tatlong Pulo in Sinapsapan. At first, we told us that we may not be accommodated since we didn’t place our reservation but considering that we haven’t been to the beach in a long time and we are so eager to visit this place we (and most of our friends) haven’t been to before, we insisted that we go and try our luck.

Talong Pulo is located in Brgy. Sinapsapan in Jordan Guimaras. Since commuting can be challenging in far-flung areas, we decided to hire the motorcycle to take us there and fetch us in the afternoon after we’re done swimming. It took us around an hour to reach the drop off point from Balaan Bukid. It was a long and bumpy ride, I tell you. After passing by Guimaras Provincial Capitol, the roads became narrower and the cemented road replaced with rocky ones. The winding brown road seems to go on and on until we reached the point where it is no longer friendly for the motorcycle to continue. Our driver is supposed to just drop us there but thinking of the distance and how rough the road is, he decided to stay with us and guide us.

Trail going to Tatlong Pulo

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If it is a holiday and the weather is fine, scorching even… what ones gotta do?

The bf and I went to Balaan Bukid last Wednesday, April 9, a regular holiday in the Philippines to commemorate the fall of Bataan during WW II. A few minutes away from Jordan Wharf, the Balaan Bukid (Sacred Mountain) is located in Balcon Meliza, Jordan Guimaras. It was discovered by an Italian priest in 1956 and is now managed by the Parish of St. John the Baptist. Devout Catholics flock to this place and endure hiking through the rocky trail for a pilgrimage on the 14 stations of Jesus Crucifixion.

One of the 14 stations located along the trail.

Shaded part of the trail.

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Though I consider myself a foodie, there are some cuisine and restaurants in the city I haven’t tried yet. Yes, I haven’t been to a Korean restaurant before though there exists a few near me. I am more on Italian cuisine (pizza and pasta monster here!) and of course our very own Filipino cuisine.

When the guy said that we try Korean restaurant this time, I immediately agreed because I am curious about their dishes and how everything works the Korean way. Of all the Korean restaurants in the city, we chose Kang Byeon Riverside Restaurant located at Times Square (in front of University of San Agustin) since it is easily accessible.

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Classic Savory opened in Iloilo many months ago but we get to eat there just last week. We often neglected the said restaurant because we believed that it is just one of those chains serving “normal-tasting” grilled or roasted chicken. But a friend tipped the guy that their chicken is the bomb so we decided to finally eat there.

Classic Savory Chicken Half (Php 195)

I wanted to order mixed seafood broccoli since I am trying to avoid chicken dishes due to my pimple flare up but the guy said that it would be a waste to eat there without eating the specialty of the house so I agreed that we order chicken but I promised that I will only eat just a small slice. Do you think I was able to keep my promise? No, absolutely not! After eating one slice, my taste bud loved the feeling it got thus forcing me to eat more… and more. Their chicken is one of the best chickens I have tasted here in Iloilo - juicy, tasty and soft. If only I don’t get undesirable reactions after eating chicken, I’d definitely order it each time we eat there.

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I didn’t have plan of buying this but while window-shopping at Bi Store Big Discounts, I learned that they are so affordable so I decided to get a bottle. Choosing which one to get can be challenging as their are lots of variants and scent available and besides, I haven’t read a single review of this shampoo so purchasing one is a bit of gamble. Anyway, there is nothing to lose in case this doesn’t work for me as I can always turn it over to my mother or my cousin. :D

What I got is the balancing variant. After approximately a month of almost daily use, here is my verdict:

Product Description: The sublime delights of chamomile and the bold, provocative presence of fresh raspberry in this balancing shampoo for beautiful hair are fantastic for cleansing and clarifying. Your lush locks will thank you.

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The month is coming to an end again and unfortunately, I wasn’t able to reach the minimum number of blog posts I set for myself. Actually, it’s the first time since I started to set the goal but well... I have no choice. I have been busy with my extra work and my Iloilo wedding blog that I rarely have time to think and organize ideas for this blog.

Anyway, going back to the original purpose of this post, like in the previous months, I didn’t get much this month as I am still on my acne treatment and I do not want to hinder my treatment by trying other products along with my medication. Here are my finds for the month of March:

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Summer is here! This time of the year is, without a doubt, one of the most exciting times for students because summer means no assignments, no waking up early, no pressure to pass the exam and so on. Summertime is vacation and relaxation time for them unless of course they are required to take summer classes for some reasons.

Unfortunately to a full time employee who happens to be a blogger at night, summer is like any other day. The daily grind continues but with a bit less traffic since there are less people hurrying to get to their destinations.

While we cannot freely take weeklong vacations, there are ways to make summer fun for busy-buddies like me.

Weekend getaway. To a full time office employee who works 8 hours a day, five times a week, a weekend getaway is never impossible. An overnight in a resort in another town or island is not impossible. Not only you will enjoy your moment with nature but you will also have potential content for your blog. People nowadays turn to internet for information on almost everything so someone will definitely find your post helpful. Just remember to take lots of blog-worthy pictures (which I sometimes forgot to do especially if I am enjoying the place) and be as detailed as possible with your information such as the resort’s amenities, activities best done there, food and how to get to the place. You can also include their contact information to make things easy for future guests. I’m sure the resort management will thank you for it. Who knows, the next time you visit, they might give you discount.

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