I was not anticipating the usual buzz with my cousins like last week. They were headed to the capital city for the summer vacation. On Tuesday morning I sat on the couch looking out the window and plotted an easy weekend getaway to help us take advantage of the summer’s charms. I sat rooted to the spot when I heard sounds of telephone ringing in Mom’s room. Minutes later, voices of my sister and cousin flowed around me. Within seconds they perched beside me on the sofa fanning the tickets in front of my face and both of them were laughing. Amusement tugged at the corners of my mouth. “Hmmm, I know that look. Things too dull for you guys?” I asked. “Something like that,” my cousin answered. “Ditche bought you a ticket. We’ll be going to the capital city just like the rest of our cousins.” “Kind of like the escape the city at the drop of a sun hat scenario,” my sister said excitedly.
Arriving in style was not that easy. It was too hot in Manila. There was an air of excitement and anticipation among the other passengers and crew members that was infectious. I felt a growing sense of adventure and eagerness to see my cousins. I saw my uncle waving at us from afar. We joined the throng, confident that I would see my cousins in a few seconds. That confidence slipped a notch, however, when it was only Uncle and Auntie who came into view. No sign of my cousins. They were up to something, I knew it.
A blast from the car’s horn and the opening of the gate told us that we were already at Uncle’s house. We entered the living room and suddenly the music started playing and everyone appeared and said “Surprise!” They placed on our heads graceful garlands and pendants of flowers around our necks.
Taal Vista Hotel
Summer may seem like the worst time to visit the capital city Manila ‘coz it was too hot and it was crowded. A change of scenery, fresh air and escape from the city’s crowds and hectic pace were what we really wanted. We chose to drive away from the hustle and bustle of the city to get to Tagaytay, it had plenty of perks. It’s 55 kilometers away from Metro Manila. Tourists love this place because of the cooler climate due to its high altitude, 2,080 feet above sea level. I knew that the close-up view of the incredible Taal Volcano would be spectacular. The usual temperature is 24 °C, but it’s cooler from December to February.
Climbing Trees
We were relaxing back with some drinks in the Lobby Lounge of an English Tudor mansion-style designed Taal Vista Hotel. Just a little longer after swapping stories of the day’s adventures, we were in the mood for a breathtaking view, so, we had a nice morning stroll through the hotel grounds. One of my cousins ran and checked the nearest tree as if evaluating it while we leisurely strolled. “Come on everyone, climb this tree,” she shouted. Climbing trees had never been on my list, even back in my elementary school days, but my cousin had climbing in her soul. She climbed just about anything. The first tree was easy to climb. The branches were close together, no creative thinking needed to climb it. It was a small tree, anyway. The second was quite a challenge, it tested our strengths and limit since we had to map our ideas to get to the top.
The Art of Horseback Riding
How do you boost confidence when you ride a horse for the first time? It was a question that first entered my mind when the group decided to go horseback riding just a few minutes after climbing the trees. I was thinking that riding was just sitting in the saddle and the horse carries me around with my leading. “Remain calm and confident,” the man in-charge advised us. “If you feel nervous or anxious, the horse will pick that up and start behaving the same way,” he continued. “Riding requires practice, skill coordination and balance.”
At first there was a man who was guiding and controlling the horse I was riding so I could develop balance and grounding. The next thing I knew, I was riding by myself, explored a large space and started enjoying myself. Suddenly, I heard someone shouted, “Help!” I turned around and saw my cousin. The horse was running and it played tricks with her refusing to obey her commands. She definitely got a mischievous horse. Luckily a rider helped her stopped the horse. I didn’t know what the rider told the horse. I noticed he used gentle aids to guide the horse and keep him going. Minutes later, my cousin enjoyed her ride. Everyone was having fun under the sun in Picnic Grove.
Taal View
A day wouldn’t be complete without enjoying the breath taking Taal Volcano. We had an awesome time enjoying the spectacular setting nestled among the hills and with fantastic views of the smallest active volcano in the world. The whole atmosphere was totally serene, very relaxed with all the little extra luxuries that made our stay special, the staff, the food, activities, everything. The charms of Tagaytay were indeed magnetic.