a diary of (mis)adventures

I've been wanting to visit Pinto Art Museum for the longest time but never got around to scheduling a trip until just recently thanks to the hubby! He said he'll take me out on my birthday and this was part of what he had planned for the day. 

This place is perfect for photo shoots because every inch of this space is absolutely gorgeous. The reviews are right, every spot is really Instagram-worthy! It's also perfect for events such as weddings because of their wide open spaces -- no need to decorate much because the venue is really beautiful as it is.

Tips:

  1. I dressed in gym clothes because we were going on a hike after visiting this museum (more about that hike here). If you're the type who prefers to have your photos taken with the scenery, then DON'T be like me. Wear something fancier than gym clothes to make the photo nicer. The next time I go here I'm going to wear a dress!
     
  2. If you can, set aside at least half a day just for this trip. They have a lot of areas where you can just lounge and chat with whoever you're with. Or, if you're alone, there are a lot of nooks perfect for reading or working.
     
  3. Bring extra batteries and memory for your cameras. For sure you'll be taking loads of photos.
     
  4. Play hooky on a weekday and don't go to school or work. We went on a Wednesday and we saw only three other groups exploring the area. That's about 20 visitors (including us) at that time.

Everyone should thank Dr. Joven Cuanang for opening his family's personal sanctuary to the public!

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We found paradise by accident.

I planned a day-trip in the Rizal province as a surprise for my wife's birthday. Included in my list of places was Daranak Falls which has countless good reviews around the web. Being foreign to the area, I used Google Maps to get around the whole day, and when it was time to go to the falls, I simply typed away and followed the directions.

After an hour of driving, we were taken to a rough road with only one lane. It seemed normal at first, 'til the path just suddenly stopped - the car would no longer fit. Fortunately, there was an old lady in the middle of nowhere, so I asked for directions. She told me to just park my car and pointed toward a trail to the falls.

Being with two kids - a nine-year-old and a four-year-old, we decided to leave the swimming gear in the car in case the kids needed our help through the trail.

When we finally got to the falls, we found out that we weren't in Daranak Falls, but in Batlag falls instead. Daranak was just a few hundred steps away, but Batlag being the less known destination, had less people so it felt like we owned the place.

If you decide to go to either Daranak Falls or Batlag Falls via Google Maps, make sure the path you take ends up along Daranak Falls Road especially if you have kids in tow.

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