Pangasinan... a place to visit this summer...

Before classes ended last March, we had already planned this R and R (Rest and Recreation). And as the president of our organization, together with our boss, we have created strategic plans for this activities. Activities like team building, sports and recreations. We planned also on how we will maximize the funds we have for this activities. We asked financial assistance from different sponsors like the politicians which is suprisingly, not all of them responded to our needs. We asked some of them for a monetary assistance and some of them were asked to provide us vehicle to be used for our trip. But unfortunately, the vehicle we requested was not granted. And we just decided to commute and go on with our trip as planned.


On the day before our trip.. april 12, sunday, i sent text messages via General Message informing all the members that we dont have a vehicle to use instead we are going to commute using public utility bus. And advised them to prepare at least P700 for our transpo fare. (back and fort). Of all those people i've sent the message, only 17 responded positively. Biglang nagsipag atrasan ang iba pang 35 na members who originally agreed to join.

April 13, monday 9:00pm ang oras ng aming antayan.. isa isang nagsisidatingan.. At around 11:00pm.. nagpahatid na kami sa bus terminal. Dagupan Bus station sa Cubao Edsa. After waiting for almost an hour, dumating na ang bus na magdadala sa aming patutunguhan. Ang Agno Pangasinan. Dito nakatira ang isa sa aming kasamahan. Kaya una palang plano ay dito na agad sa lugar na ito ang aming unang destinasyon. Dumating kami sa lugar eksaktong 6am. Maganda ang lugar. Kumbaga sa isang resort, exclusive ito ang wala masyadong tao. Kakaunti lang ang mga nainirahan.

Nagpahinga lang ng konti dahil sa pagod sa biyahe, habang yung iba ay abala sa paghahanda ng almusal na aming kakainin. Naglibot libot ako sa paligid. Tahimik ang dagat. Wala masyadong alon na nakikita. Ang larawan nakikita ay kuha ko gamit ang aking cellphone. Mga bandang hapon na yan. Sun setting.

Matapos ang aming almusal. agad na kaming nagsipagbihis.. bihis pampaligo at nagtampisaw sa tubig.. masarap maligo.. tahimik ang dagat. Malayo ka na'y mababaw pa din ang tubig. Pino ang buhangin na kulay brown. Mga ilang oras din kaming nagsipag ligo. Buong araw kaming nagtampisaw sa dagat.

Isa sa mga plano namin ay ang pagpunta sa Manaoag, Pangasinan upang dalawin ang imahe ng Birhen ng Manaoag. Pero bago kami magtungo doon, napagplanuhan din namin ang pangpunta sa ever famous na Hundred Islands sa Alaminos, Pangasinan. Kinabukasan, matapos naming mag almusal, agad kaming bumiyahe sakay ng jeep patungong alaminos. Isa sa mga kasama ko ang kumontrata ng jeep na aming sasakyan na maghahatid sa amin sa alaminos, at hinintayin kami hanggang sa matapos kami mag island hopping sa ibat ibang isla ng nasabing lugar. Nag rent kami ng banka. Since we were all 18, we were divided into two groups. Each banka cost P1000 each. I took some pictures of these islands... and it is very amusing.. napakaganda ng lugar. Our tour lasted only for about 2 and a half hours.

From Alaminos, we went to Bugallon, Pangasinan. We met the uncle of one of our colleagues and who works in the Philippine Customs. Dinala niya kami sa kanyang bahay. Malaki ang kanyang bahay, na punong puno ng ibat ibang klaseng halaman, lalo na ang kanyang orchids farm.

From his house, we went directly to Manaoag, Pangasinan. Probably you're visit to Pangasinan would not be complete without visiting the Our Lady of Manaoag Shrine. Kahit bawal magdala ng cellphone sa loob ng church, i took picture of the image. We stayed there for about 30 minutes. Nagtirik ng candles at nagdasal..

From Manaoag, we went to Lingayen. Napunta kami sa historical places nila. We saw the relics of the world war II like the tora tora plane, the tanker, and the canon. These are all located at the back of Town Capitol. Nag take din ako ng pictures.. kaso ibang cam ang gamit.. kaya wala pa akong ma ipost. hehehe. We just stayed there for a couple of minutes and we left right away.

Our next destination was in Dagupan. One of our colleagues, Ate Badette took us to her sister-in -law's place. Coincidentally.. they were celebrating a fiesta called Pigar Pigar Festival. Pigar pigar is a popular dish composed fo beaf with repolyo. Along the streets of Dagupan were lots of restaurants, tables and chairs filed along the the bangketas.. You can really feel the festive mood along the streets. We ate our dinner there, and after eating we immediately proceeded to our next destination, to Labrador, Pangasinan.




to be continued..