Showing posts with label Cebu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cebu. Show all posts
Photo of the Week: Sunrise in Osmeña Peak
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| Sunrise in Osmeña Peak Mantalungon, Dalaguete, Cebu. |
Osmeña Peak in Cebu
Osmeña Peak is the highest summit in Cebu - approximately 1000 meters above sea level. It is located in the boundary between two municipalities, Dalaguete and Badian. Because of its high altitude, the temperature on top may sometimes reach 15 degree Celsius, one of the coldest place in Cebu. It is also a very well known destination for adventure activities such as trekking and camping in the province. It is also hard to miss its amazing terrain and picturesque landscape.
Cebu
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Landscape
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Philippines
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Photography
Cebu Summer Adventure: Reaching Osmeña Peak
Oh yeah, It's summer time! It is time to enjoy the summer heat. So, what is the better way to enjoy it? Visit pristine white beaches around Cebu? Oh that's so common! ^_^. For our barkada adventure bonding, we decided to climb Osmeña Peak in Matalungon, Dalaguete, camp there and traverse to Kawasan Falls in Badian. Some readers might say "nay, boring! been there, done that". But for first timers like me, it will be a wonderful experience.
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| Trekking to Osmeña Peak Cebu |
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| Mountains in Mantalungon, Dalaguete, Cebu |
HOW TO GET THERE?
We ride a Ceres Bus from South Bus Terminal in Cebu to Dalaguete. However, Dalaguete town proper is still far from Barangay Mantalungon even though the barangay is part of the municipality. So, we still have to ride habal2x from town proper to reach Matalungon.
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| bottom: while waiting for our ride in south bus terminal cebu - top: over occupied bus to dalaguete |
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| habal2x or motorcyle ride from dalaguete town proper to mantalungon |
On my way to Matalungon, being a "know nothing guy", I was really curious of the trucks passing us by fully loaded with containers. It did not just happen once but many times. I have so many questions in mind. So, when I arrived my questions were answered. Mantalungon is one of the biggest supplier of vegetables in Cebu City, mainly of Cabbage, Sayote, and Onions. They also supply flowers. They have this cold climate which is perfect for those type of vegetables to grow. Mantalungon is just like Baguio of Cebu.
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| Trucks fully loaded with vegetables from Mantalungon to Cebu City |
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| Vegetable Products of Mantalungon locals |
Back to the main topic, we arrived around 1pm in Mantalungon and we were all hungry from our long trip. So we decided to eat lunch in one of the Carenderias there.
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| On the way to Osmeña Peak from Mantalungon Market |
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| Reaching Osmeña Peak as a Summer Adventure in Cebu |
After eating our lunch, we then started our trek to Osmeña Peak. There are many beautiful scenery along the way. I've done trekking before, some are quite average in terms of difficulty, others are quite really difficult, but trekking to Osmeña Peak is one of easiest track I've tried so far.
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| Photoshoot while relaxing on our way Osmeña Peak Cebu |
TRAVEL ADVENTURE: Osmeña Peak
Many people also happen to be there as we we arrived at the camping site near the Peak. Just like us, seeking for adventure. While others were preparing our camp and cooking our food, I with few others, went to the summit. From there, the view is really amazing. I have a hard time finding the right words to describe the view. It's just totally amazing. So, just like normal and vain people do, we take pictures with a scenic background.
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| Our camping site in Osmeña Peak Cebu |
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| Sunset Photoshoot with my buddies |
Osmeña Peak is 1035 meters above sea level. Because of its high altitude, at night, the temperature sometimes around 15'C.
Fast forward... night time comes, so, we eat our dinner and slept early because we need reserve energies for our long trek tomorrow. Around 2am, I was awaken my cold weather and the noises outside my tent. When I say cold, It was really f***ing cold. Just like me, the others were also awaken by the low temperature. I was not able to sleep back then.
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| Fog during sun rise in Osmeña Peak |
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| Morning Photo Opt with these lovebirds |
As the sun rises, we then took our breakfast and prepare our stuff to get ready to traverse to Kawasan Falls. When I say long trek from previous paragraph, what I mean of it, is that, It will take around 6 hours for us to reached Kawasan Falls. So you do the math, Heavy bag + long route + summer heat = warak means exhausted. I'm not complaining though, it is part of the adventure and fun.
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| Ready for our 6 hours trekking to Kawasan Falls |
After an hour of walking, one my friends gave-up because he was not feeling well. So, we just did what good friends do, we send him with our other friend to ride habal2x to Kawasan. Hahaha. But, others stayed and continued the trek.
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| Along with the other trekkers in Osmeña Peak Cebu |
The trek was a test of endurance. Almost everyone of us were already complaining. We were out of patience and our body already wanted to give up. However, we still continued... Fast forward again.. then, we reached our destination. and I feel like "Congratulations Survivors! Almost all of you made it here!". ^_^
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| At last, we finally arrived in Kawasan Falls Badian, Cebu |
Just like normal people do, we relax our muscles for a few minutes before taking a dive, dip and swim into the fresh clean water of Kawasan Falls.
It was a great experience even though it was tiring and energy draining - being able to be one with nature, being able to be away from the busy city life and being able to relieve the mental stress from work - what an amazing life I have.
EXPENSES
101 PHP - Cebu City to Dalaguete bus fare
50 PHP - Dalaguete town proper to Mantalungon habal2x fare
200 PHP - foods
120 PHP - Badian to Cebu City bus fare.
Budget: 500 pesos
Cebu
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Dalaguete
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Philippines
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Travels
Travel Down South: Argao and the Adventure that Awaits
"Efficiency and Effectiveness" are two words that are most important in the workplace. An efficient employer is one that does work in the quickest and fastest time possible. In other words, he/she has mastered the art of time management. An effective employer knows what he/she is doing given a certain circumstance. Well, I won't be talking about the dreaded world of "work" rather, let us try to connect these two E's to leisure and pleasure.
So what am I talking here? That's efficient and effective travel. That feeling when you stepped on that place and you know exactly that maximizing your time, money, effort and satisfaction are all packed in one destination. That is absolutely what every traveler craves. Well, one explicit example of gratification with these two E's was my travel down south to Argao and the adventures I experienced in the land of sweet torta, biggest cave for spelunking in Cebu, and their great original cocoa!
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| "Argaoanon motto is something very inspiring." |
It was that early Saturday morning when my friends and I decided to take a tour somewhere in the southern part of my province. No itinerary. No road maps. But plainly just our gist to travel somewhere. As soon as the car started its engine, we were heading for a road trip that defined loud speaker, babbling endlessly, stopping at every municipality that sells local delicacy, getting back in the car and munching vigorously and babbling again.
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| "Argao Nature Park" |
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| "Some of the animals that you could see in the nature park" |
We were entering another municipality which is 68km. away from the city with a lively welcome sign. With an hour or so of travel, we arrived in a first class municipality of Argao. The place is a fusion of contemporary and conventional living - there were infrastructures already built and restaurants mushrooming around the place especially kiosks that sell their native delicacies. On the other side of the road were areas of rice paddies with their cute scarecrows and the greenery of whatever sorts. This was also the place where we managed to spend our first devised-plan-on-the-road: Argao Nature Park.
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| "Here are some moments in the nature park" |
From the name itself, Argao Nature Park offers a temporary escape from the urban jungle. Here is a place for people that coincide with nature and adventure. With a minimum admission fee of P5 pesos, you would enjoy the feeling of communing with the animals in their mini zoo, rocking yourself in a hammock, and simply, sitting around and tasting their sweet torta delicacy and drinking their natural hot chocolate or their refreshing fruit drinks while you get to know the town's legendary figure: Mangao. Adventure comes when you want to try wall climbing for P10 each climb, their zipline for around P20 and their boat ride for P5. You can also try your brain-smarts by playing their giant chess. Well, we did those activities but of course, with our individual preferences.
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| "Antique collection" |
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| "Mango shake (main picture), waiting for the food to be served (bottom right), and the rotary phone (upper right)" |
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| "Narrow stairs to the bastion (upper left), the municipal office (upper right), the belfry (bottom left), and an altar (bottom right)" |
We had our stomach filled and it was just barely after lunch that we decided to brave the scorching heat to stroll around the municipal's center. The symbol of faith towered from the distance as we were approaching another century-old church - St. Michael Parish Church. Adjacent to it is also another stone-structured building which served as their municipal office while fronting the church was their famous, "Balwarte" or a bastion. It was interesting because before you could reach the top, you need to squeeze in a suffocating steep coral-stairs. Once at the top, you have a 360-view of the sea, the church, and the surrounding areas.
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| "Been waiting for this sunset" |
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| "That moment when your face is against the lens" |
Cebu
,
Philippines
,
Travels
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