I stayed in this place for several days because of work. This hidden sanctuary is called Gintung Pakpak (Golden Feathers) Ecopark. Situated on the foot of Arayat, Pampanga, one should expect the tranquility and lush forest. The place is quite a challenge to reach, although adequate signages are provided along the highway. Waze can lead you to the place, but the directions are limited. Waze only accounts the narrow streets serving as the entrance to this secluded place. 

If you love nature, Gintung Pakpak maybe perfect for a getaway. A little reminder though, the place is really secluded. It will take more than 10 minutes and a challenging road to reach and leave the place. Except for swimming, there's nothing much to do. The place has no wifi or internet access, restaurant and spa services to complement the refreshing view of nature. Food is prepared only when there are booked guests. For those who are interested in trekking and nature tripping, the management can arrange for an additional fee. For those who need pictorial sessions with nature as its main theme, Gintung Pakpak is perfect. You can take advantage of its seclusion, as no one can bother you from the photography sessions. On a positive note, they have a very accommodating staff. Some colleagues sought the assistance of a few staff to purchase toiletries, chips and a few items from the grocery. I forgot to take photos of the rooms. There are two options for the accommodation, take the villa that can house around 4 persons or the cheaper dormitories without airconditioning units. And some minor survival tips, bring your own towel and toiletries as they are not provided in the rooms. Also, insect repellant spray or lotion can come in handy. 

Meanwhile in Manila, these welcomed me home 


Thank you Mother E for my vintage trunk and traveler inspired shawl


Thank you Ash and Muff for my monogrammed throw pillow and Terra for the lovely postcard.

I haven't mentioned it in any of my blog posts but I finally tried Uber over the past week. Two words, highly recommended! I initially thought that its services are only limited to key cities such as Makati, Ortigas and the likes. I was surprised that there are Uber services in my hometown. Although I can count the number of available Uber cars around, it was very easy to book for one. I was also expecting the rates to be expensive. Turns out, everything was reasonable. There was even a time when I booked a trip to the train station, which costed only Php 79. While I'm happy with this discovery, I'm quite afraid that I might get used to Uber. Hahaha Looks like not a good idea to have regular charges to my credit card.

The upcoming week serves as the culmination of my classes. I'm up for papers to check and grades to encode. One work almost down!