INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS

Ninoy Aquino International Airport is the main gateway to the capital of the Philippines, Metro Manila. Loreland Farm Resort and Luljetta's Hanging Gardens and Spa are located in the mountain suburb of Antipolo City. It is about one hour to 2 hour drive from the airport.  

Airports transfers can be arranged. Please CONTACT us if you need assistance. 

Even if I'm hailed from Rizal Province, there are still destinations I haven't visited yet. 

Just when I thought I have covered almost all places that could be visited or explored in my home province, there are still just a few places on my list waiting for me to be discovered. Confidently, I can say that I have set foot at all towns of my province including Talim Island in Laguna De Bay. What a better way to learn more about my culturally rich province but to participate at the annual Rizal Travel Mart held last 21-25 November, 2012 at the Event Center of SM City Taytay.

Opening day was graced by Presidential sister Ms. Viel Aquino Dee and former Governor Nini Ynares.

This is  my final entry on Sitio Remedios Heritage Village. Save the best for last as they say. It took me four entries just to cover this destination alone. Just that there's so much to say and share. I can't miss anything. More entries to come to cover all destinations I visited during my one week sojourn in Ilocandia.

Sitio Remedios is located in small town Currimao, province of Ilocos Norte in the Philippines. By air  it is accessible from Laoag International Airport via Laoag-Paoay-Currimao Road or via the national highway through San Nicolas and Batac. By land it is about 8-9 hours away from Manila and 3-4 hours drive from Baguio passing Vigan City. 

Most of the people living in Currimao depend on fishing and farming as their main livelihood. There are no major banks, shopping malls and fastfood outlets. This provincial scenery is the setting of Dr. Joven Cuanang's dream to build a heritage village by the West Philippine Sea.

After experiencing warm welcome by its very accommodating Manager Josue Raymund 'Reyboy' Barona and having fine Ilocano gastronomic experience at Balay Piddig and Balay Batac, I finally had a chance to tour the village, visiting each home. 

From the moment I set foot in Sitio Remedios, I was transported to a genteel era reminiscent of 1950's. The decade my parents were born. The baby boomer as they say. And what made it more interesting was the experience to appreciate Ilocano culinary heritage. 

During summer months and holidays most people I know go home to their respective provinces for vacation. I, on the other hand have no other home province to call instead of Antipolo in Rizal. Both my parents were born and raised in this town along with other relatives who all have settled in Antipolo. 

Long drives to a so called 'provincial home' is non-existent. That's probably the reason why I get so excited whenever there's an out of town trip to a new destination. The long drives, plane rides and banca rides give me reasons to explore beyond my comfort zones.

When I heard about the construction of Sitio Remedios Heritage Village in Currimao, Ilocos Norte about six years ago. I promised myself to visit whenever I am in Ilocandia. I thought this would be my chance to experience a 'provincial home' far from Antipolo. A home reminiscent of a gone era. A home of vintage furnishings infused with modern convenience.

Sitio Remedios Heritage Village is a sister destination of Pinto Art Museum in Antipolo. Both properties are owned by Dr. Joven R. Cuanang, one of the foremost neurosurgeons in the country and medical director of one of the best hospitals in the country, St. Luke's Medical Center. He is also an art patron and leader of foundations that support culture and arts. It was built to recreate and showcase Ilocano architecture reminiscent of his mid-20th-century childhood and as a fitting tribute to his mother, Remedios.

Six years after Sitio Remedios was constructed, I finally had a rare chance to visit and stay for one night during my one week sojourn in Ilocandia. On October 25, 2012, I took a one and a half hour bus ride from Vigan to Currimao. The bus dropped me off at the junction of Currimao where I took a five minute tricycle ride to Sitio Remedios. It was already five thirty in the afternoon and drizzling when I arrived.

I was welcomed by Resort Manager Josue Raymund "Rayboy" Barona at the gate and ushered me to my assigned guest house. Along the way we walked at Avenida de Azucao which is a replica of an ancient bridge made from antique bricks. Immediately, I felt like I was transported to a genteel era. I was impressed by the grand entrance flanked by reflecting pools planted to azucao lotus plants. On both sides of avenida are the fourteen Stations of the Cross placed on cement plinths in the shape of lotus flowers. It took me awhile to cross this path as I was just stunned by its beauty.

Most often than not, when one speaks of travel - art galleries and museums are disregarded to make way for more "fun" destinations such as beaches, resorts and parks.

When I am overseas or visiting a new place, I make sure to include museums and galleries if they have in the itinerary because it is through these confined yet rich destinations that I can understand their culture and history. 

The last time I visited the National Musuem in Manila was during a field trip in elementary school about  17 years ago. So when I heard an announcement that the National Museum started doing renovations, I psyched myself to pay a visit again. On October 14, 2012 I went back in time for Museums and Galleries Month. This time entrance to the Museum was FREE.

The moment I read an announcement from Carlos Celdran's FB page that he was going to have an Imelda "Barter" Tour of CCP, I immediately cleared my schedule and made sure to be there. 

To those of you who are not familiar with Carlos Celdran, he is a Filipino tour guide, cultural activist and performing artist. He has quite a number of followers online and was controversial when he staged a protest against Catholic Church on the issue of reproductive health bill, among others.

This was actually my third tour by him. First was at Intramuros. Second at Silverlens Gallery. Third was this. What's really cool about Carlos was that he does barter tours. Meaning you can give him anything in kind in exchange of the tour. It can be a can of local sardines, pack of noodles, rice, plants, French wine, Italian cheese. Anything you can think of. You see the passion and love to what he does? He is such a gem. Truly, a man who is trying to change the way you look at Manila - one step at a time. As a gift to this one good fellow, I gave him a set of postcards designed by National Artist Bencab. 

If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to build a house or do renovations too. That's what I learned when I started doing construction at Loreland Farm Resort and at Loremar Realty.

My familiarization with construction materials started at an early age - first there were Lego blocks. I made sure that the house I built using Lego blocks were the biggest if not the most beautiful among my siblings. A few years later when I was old enough, I would help around our small hardware store. During that time, my mother was running a garments factory while my father was running the hardware. 

Every summer, when there was no "Loreland" yet, I would help out in the store by selling concrete nails, paints, hardware materials, etc. My salary If I remember it right was about Php 10.00 to Php 30.00 a day. They would also bring me to Wilcon in Libis to shop for more materials and when their real esate company was formed, they would take me to the site then I would see them supervising construction. The white sand delivered by 10 wheeler truck was my playground. I thought all kids have that kind of playground.

The moment I joined family business, I told my boss, my mother that she cannot make me stay in the office from 8:00 to 5:00 pm. I made that quite clear to her. I just can't sit in a cushioned chair and in an airconditioned room all day being a paper pusher. It wasn't me. Some people were cut out to be one, but not me. I felt I just had to be out there supervising something from scratch to its completion. So when my boss gave me the go signal to do renovations, I felt extra excited. I was so looking forward to every morning and fix anything I could get my hands on. Another reason was that I could get my clothes dirty in the process and that laundry would be more sulit. I like it when I'm out naiinitan, that way sulit din ang sunblock. (!)

I never get tired visiting Pinto Art Museum at Grand Heights, Antipolo which is just a stone's throw away from where I live. Each time I visit, there's always something new. In fact, this time there was an on-going exhibit entitled "Henerasyon".