MARTIN LAZARO might as well be humming the Beatles’ ‘I’ll Follow the Sun’ as he explores Viaje del Sol
If you’re planning on having a nature trip to Quezon province, try to take the Viaje del Sol (Way of the Sun) route to Laguna via Antipolo, Rizal. Dense forests, excellent bay views, old houses, churches and other rustic sights—these and more await the adventurous traveler.
Paete’s Pleasures
Paete is a town known for its excellent woodcarvers and skilled artisans. There are numerous stores in this town—food stalls that sell bibingka, halo-halo, handicrafts, Christmas décor made out of wooden sticks, and even statues of various saints. The Municipal Hall provides visitors with guides for a more in-depth tour of Paete’s history and woodcarving culture. A chance to meet the town’s celebrated artists in their own homes is also a possibility.
Rock the Boat
Pagsanjan, Laguna
Prepare for a wild ride to one of the Philippines’ famous waterfalls, Pagsanjan Falls (Brgy. Pagsanjan, Laguna). For Cavinti residents, it’s known as Magdapio Falls where the falls is actually located. For Php1,350, you get a licensed boatman, life vests, and a raft. The two-hour, two-way adventure starts with a relaxing cruise down the river on a banca (outrigger boat) that passes by spectacular views of waterfalls, thick forests, fantastic gorges and giant rocks covered with moss and the roots of narra, balete, and acacia trees.
Hold on tight when the boatman starts to expertly maneuver the boat’s direction by jumping from rock to rock and carrying the boat upstream as he tries hard to counter the flow of intense rapids. This is really the thrill of Pagsanjan.
Upon reaching the 320-foot Pagsanjan Falls, visitors can go rafting under the raging waterfalls. The trip back is when one really gets a taste of the rapids—one of the most exciting parts of the journey. Remember to sit tight, protect your camera, and simply go with the flow. All in all, the trip takes about two hours.
Sweet Treats
After a trip to the falls, drop by Aling Taleng’s Halo-Halo (169 Gen Luna St., Pagsanjan, +63917 899 8484; aling_taleng@yahoo.com), an institution since 1933. Run by Rita Zaguirre, the granddaughter of the owner, Aling Taleng’s uses seven special ingredients that distinguish their traditional Filipino dessert-beverage from the rest: kondol (candied winter melon), mongo (mung beans), kaong (sugar palm fruit), macapuno (coconut sport fruit), leche flan (crème caramel), sugarcane bits, and ube (purple yam).
Carlito’s Way
Sculptor Carlito Ortega at work
In San Pablo, Laguna, Carlito’s Workshop (Barrio Sta. Ana, Laguna; +049 562 0351, +63919 837 7755) is an excellent spot for a day trip to glimpse Old World affluence. An old-fashioned house with a charming garden rests in the middle of a vast estate surrounded by coconut trees. Behind this house is renowned sculptor Carlito Ortega’s dwelling place where one can view his pieces made from welded steel and brass and his collections of indigenous items.
A Peek into the Past
Sulyap Gallery Café (Brgy. Del Remedio, Cocoland compound, San Pablo City; +049 562 9735, +63920 951 9184; rarewine@lycos.com; www.sulyap.net) is an old stone house transported piece by piece from Quezon province to San Pablo. Proprietor Roy Empalmado is fond of finding old houses and rebuilding them. Designed with traditional Filipino interiors, Sulyap Gallery Café looks fantastic at night when the lights illuminate the one-hectare lot.
Sulyap's antique gallery
Across the café is the owner’s extensive collection of artifacts from indigenous tools, antique beds, century-old chairs, and old statues of saints and idols. Try the cafe’s specialties like pork belly, bangus (milkfish), and other excellent dishes from their homemade menu.
Casa De Obando, Sulyap’s bed and breakfast, offers guests a native Filipino house with exquisite Spanish-era-type rooms. Room rates range from Php1,800 to Php 2,900 per night.
Cusped between a running stream and a forested facade is Casa San Pablo (Brgy. San Roque, San Pablo; +63917 812 6687; info@casasanpablo.com; www.casasanpablo.com) a special blend of nature, art, and space run by Boots Alcantara and his wife An. Think landscaped grassland and sprawling gardens dotted with centuries-old pine trees. It has 18 uniquely stylized air-conditioned guestrooms, decorated with various original artworks of local artists and a variety of antiques.
Old World Comforts
One of Lucena’s secret gems is Villa Javierto (2497 Gulang Gulang, Lucena City; +042 710 5753, +63917 506 2161; villajavierto.multiply.com), the unsung queen of all B&Bs in the area. It is a family-owned resort that features fully restored old houses decorated with priceless Filipino and Spanish antiques that the owners, Dionisia and Catalino Javierto, have collected in the span of more than three decades.
‘Nostalgic Organicisms,’ would best describe the house, a natural escape through time and space. Two staircases lead to two quaint and traditional rooms with vintage lamps and antique wooden beds that guarantee a good night’s rest. Rental rates are Php1,800 per room and Php3,600 per night for the whole house.
They also have an adobe-walled stone house that can accommodate an entire group for Php2,200 per night. The al fresco accommodation has two floors, complete with antique four-poster beds with mosquito nets and an excellent collection of very rare glasses in the kitchen.
Catalino's Restaurant in Villa Javierto
Catalino’s Restaurant, still in the vicinity of Villa Javierto, is a beautiful rustic-designed restaurant that overlooks the mystical Mount Banahaw and the flowing Alitao River. Enjoy your breakfast here with a fresh cup of native barako coffee.
Watch and Learn
Lunch at Ugu Bigyan's home in Quezon
Celebrated potter Augusto ‘Ugu’ Bigyan (Brgy. Lusacan, Tiaong, +63917 560 5708) offers an earthy, relaxed atmosphere surrounded by a beautiful vine-drawn garden in his gallery in Tiaong, Quezon. A variety of his works—clay pots, bowls, mugs, vases, and ceramic plates—are displayed and can also be purchased. He also offers pottery workshops for those interested in learning the craft. Overnight accommodations and excellent lunch meals are also available.
Surrounded by rich forests, towering mountains, and lots of history and culture, Viaje del Sol is a good getaway to revisit Filipino heritage, an experience any traveler will never forget.
Looking forward to try the route…please notify me if there will be a group tour, maybe its time to join…before I bring around my friends from abroad. Thank you.
*Bolette Orqueta