justwandering.org » Laguna

Rain, rapids and racers

nina — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:59:55 +0000

The weather has been crummy last week in Manila. While the cooler temperature is a much welcome relief from the sweltering tropical heat, rain isn’t what I want when I’m spending the day outdoors. But as Eric, Rotch, Rael and I found out, the rain doesn’t stop the fun and activities at Enchanted Kingdom (though it did stop most of the rides). Neither did we need the rain to get thoroughly soaked.

Waiting for the go signal

Upon Ms. Myla’s invitation, we found ourselves headed south to Sta. Rosa, Laguna once more to check out Speed Month at Enchanted Kingdom. For the entire month of August, the park is the venue for races and activities geared to pump the gas and adrenaline of all race enthusiasts of all ages.

Pep talk

The 5th leg of the Magnolia Karting Series was one of the first racing events held at the theme park’s Kart Trak. Karters from the Formula SL Novice, Expert, Heavy, Cadet 60CC and Mini-Rok divisions were present, vying for the top positions. I knew we were there to watch the races, but I wasn’t expecting to see kids!

Rain? What rain?

There were plenty of adults milling around — tinkering with the go karts, giving pep talks, showing support, but none were driving. Kids as young as 7 were walking around wearing colorful racing jumpsuits, whizzing by in their custom-made karts. Never mind that it drizzled and eventually poured: the kids donned their raincoats over their jumpsuit while the adult change their kart’s wheels to rain tires for better traction on the wet asphalt. They roared through the tracks, spraying fine mist in their wake.

Before

In between races, we went around the park, enjoying our favorite treats and rides. I was just at the park last July with my family, so when Myla invited us back to the park, I was very hesitant to accept. I finally relented, and I dragged myself to the assembly point in Makati that Sunday morning. I felt different as soon as I stepped inside the park though. There’s really something about EK that gets you excited. All at once, I felt glad that I went.

After

The great thing about going to Enchanted Kingdom during the rainy season is that the park is fairly deserted. Aside from the racers and their support group, there are still families and group visiting the park, there aren’t as many people. This means no lines at our favorite rides! We chanced upon the Rio Grande Rapids just after it opened at 2pm. We raced through the queue, boarding the raft less than 8 minutes upon joining the short line. The rapids ride was fun, as always. Since there weren’t a lot of people going on the ride, we queued again for another round in the rapids. We were already soaked anyway.

Faster, faster!

As we were wringing out the excess water from our wet clothes, we were called back to the Kart Trak. The final races were starting. Back to the pit stop we went, angling for the best spots to take photos of the the participants as they raced through the tarmac. It was the perfect opportunity to practice panning, but at the same time, it was the best way to feel the excitement of the race as each young driver maneuver through each tricky turn at top speeds.

Roby Benito pulling out of the pack

In the end, it was Roby Benito of Ready2Race who bagged the ROK Jr. and Overall class titles. When asked about his strategy, Roby attributed his win to meticulous preparation before the race, which includes a daily 5km jog on top of making sure that his grades stay above average. Pfft, kids these days.

Eldar and Princess with Enchanted Kingdom’s President Mario O. Mamon & Marketing AVP Richard P. Burgos with ROK Jr. winners Joey Orduna, Roby Benito and Andres Calma.

Speed Month ’09 will also feature autocross, slalom and underbone competitions plus a spectacular display of classic and customized cars in the next coming weekends. Licensed drivers can avail of EK’s Regular Day Pass at P350 by simply presenting their valid local or international driver’s license the whole month of August.

Huge thanks to Ms. Myla of Enchanted Kingdom for the invite, and to Ms. Claire for the opportunity to meet the Ready2Race team.

Magicalympics at Enchanted Kingdom

nina — Wed, 13 May 2009 20:38:42 +0000

Amazing Race has always been one of my favorite reality shows. Though I envy the exotic places the contestants visit, I do not envy the fact that they would just race through the country, with hardly any chance to take in the sights and experience the culture. Though the prize at the end of the race is very enticing, it entails a lot of effort (and pain) to reach the finish line first. I’ve had a taste of this Amazing Race type of activity years ago, and that experience was enough to turn me off the game altogether.

Team leaders reading the contest rules

So it was with much hesitation and second thoughts that I accepted Myla of Enchanted Kingdom’s invitation to the park last May 10. She let it slip during our last trip to the park that there’s going to be an Amazing Race type team building activity. The warning bells went off in my head, and it was only my love for the park that compelled me to accept the invite. Come Sunday, I found myself with 49 other bloggers inside an ITEX shuttle van headed to Sta. Rosa, Laguna, hoping that the team building thing has been dropped from the day’s program.

Team Swine Blue waiting in line for our turn at the Dodge ‘em challenge

Turns out, that was the highlight of the event. Magicalympics is the theme park’s unique team building experience for organizations. Making clever use of the park’s thrill rides, you and your team get to have fun while working as a team to complete the challenges given at each station. I won’t give away the details of each challenge (because it has to be a surprise!), but I will say that on most of the challenges, you will be required to actually ride and finish the duration of the ride.

Waiting for the final tally: the purple and blue teams lead by Winston Almendras and AJ Matela

The great thing about Magicalympics is that it lets you experience the rides you go to EK for: the Wheel of Fate, Jungle Log Jam and the Dodge ‘Em bump cars just to name a few. The contest rules state that running is not allowed, so you don’t have to worry about dashing from one end of the park to the other. It takes you all around the park, so you will be familiarized with Park’s offerings and maybe discover a shortcut or two. And of course, you also get to exercise your problem-solving skills with your team.

Guess who won?

All in all, it was a fun-filled day spent with friends and new acquaintances. We still had plenty of time before we had to head back to Manila, so after the Magicalympics, we made the most of it by riding the Rio Grande Rapids twice, trying out the yummy treats from the park concessionaires, watching the fireworks and taking jump shots around the park. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday. Speaking of Sundays, I discovered that the best time to go to Enchanted Kingdom is during a Pacquiao fight, and during Mother’s Day. There were hardly any people at the park, making the rides much more enjoyable because the lines aren’t that long.

Interested in the Magicalympics for your organizations? Visit the Enchanted Kingdom website for details.

Summer at Enchanted Kingdom

nina — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:54:28 +0000

Enchanted Kingdom invited us once more last weekend to try out their latest offerings: Cenakulo Rock, SRR:X, and Journey to the Center of the Earth in 4D.

Cenakulo Rock at Enchanted Kingdom

Cenakulo Rock is EK’s show this Lent, that “allows guests to reflect while having fun.” It’s basically a condensed version of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar starring Roselle Nava, Jao Mapa and Enchanted Kingdom’s own pool of talents.

Flying Fiesta

SRR:X, short of Shake, Rattle and Roll Extreme is their version of the usual haunted house ride. Though instead of riding, you’d have to walk through the attraction. I don’t really know what it’s like inside (I was too chicken to go inside o_o ), but Eric, Rotch and Rael seem to have enjoyed it. They told me there was a section there where you’d have to walk through a vortex-like path. Huh.

My favorite ride: Rio Grande Rapid. Be prepared to get WET!

I haven’t tried Enchanted Kingdom’s 4D before, but I’m so glad to have finally get the chance to try it. The movie Journey to the Center of the Earth starring Brendan Fraser is a great choice for this sensory overload ride. The theater can only accommodate around 30 person at a time, so it’s best to buy a ticket for the shows beforehand. Tickets costs Php 60 for guests with Day Pass tickets, and Php 100 for guests with Carousel Special tickets.

A dance performs right at the park’s entrance

EK has a long line of activities this summer, that even guests who don’t like going on theme park rides can enjoy. There will be celebrity storytellers every weekend all through April and May, as well as live bands. There’s also a mini-bazaar at the Midway Boardwalk, with several booths selling the latest trends and fashion. Guests can also look forward to the Enchanté Summer Musicale featuring GMA 7 talents, a summer fashion show on May 16 featuring the creations of Junjun Cambe, and a Flores de Mayo on May 30.

Ryan, Rotch, Eric and Rael

The park is open daily this summer until June 7, from 2pm to 9pm on weekdays, and 11am to 9pm on weekends. It will be closed on Maudy Thursday (April 9) and Good Friday (April 11). The park will also be closed on May 4 for a private function.

Once again, thanks to Enchanted Kingdom for a fun-filled Sunday!

Enchanted Kingdom still enchants me

nina — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 10:20:37 +0000

Enchanted Kingdom has been a mainstay in family outings, school field trips and barkada road trips. Since the park opened in 1994, I’ve been to the park twice with family, once on a field trip and thrice with my barkada. Though we don’t get to go to the theme park every year, each visit is as fun as the last one.

Each trip has its own memories. The first time I went to the park with my cousins, I remember riding the Space Shuttle. I don’t remember much about the ride, but I do remember my knees shaking when I stepped out of the car. Once was enough for me, thank you very much.

The first time I went with my friends , I remember this one guy grimacing in pain as the protective bar on the Anchors Away ride locked in too tigtly (his exact words were: “aray, aray, naipit ang b***g ko!”). Another time when I was at EK for a field trip, my classmates convinced me to ride at the last row of the ship, because it gets the most height during the ride. During the ride, however, while I was waving my hands in the air, my classmates were gripping the handle bars quite tightly. And they were all guys. Since then, the Anchor’s Away has been one of my favorite rides.

When I went with my immediate family, my mother and our driver rode the Flying Fiesta with me, my siblings and their kids. They thought it was just a swing and looked harmless. They were surprised when the seats rose high above the ground, and tilted as the ride went round and round. The driver never went on any ride after that. My mother, on the otherhand, was talked into riding the Jungle Log Jam with my dad. It’s just a boat ride, my sister said. She didn’t mention that there were two drops in the course of the ride.

My friends and I visited EK again in 2002. A new ride has just opened, the Rio Grande Rapids. I already had an inkling of what kind of ride it was, having tried a similar ride in Jakarta years ago, but my friends had no idea they’d get drenched. Despite getting soaked, we had fun during the ride, an got some hilarious shots for posterity.

After such a long time, was able to visit Enchanted Kingdom again, this time with new and old friends. Though I’m now closer to 30 than 20 (eew), setting foot in the theme park again got me all giddy and excited like a child. There’s just something about EK that makes you forget about your worries and just live for the moment.

We didn’t get to ride the Log Jam nor Anchor’s Away (definitely no Space Shuttle!), but we did manage to ride on some old time favorites: Rialto, Rio Grande, Flying Fiesta (always advisable to ride after the rapids to help you dry up quickly), Wheel of Fate, Roller Skater and Dodge ‘em. We also get to race at the Kart Trak. Of course, in between there were much eating done. There were lots of new concessionaires at the park now: Hot Shot burgers, Dimsum ‘n Dumplings, Pita Mania Shawarma, Ice Monster, Potato Corner, Karate Kid and Pizza Hut.

Enchanted Kingdom has always been a fun place to visit, and I’m happy that until now, it still is.

Big thanks to Myla of Enchanted Kingdom for the invite to Enchanted Kingdom’s tribute to Elvis Presley. In my panic over which one to ride next, I neglected to take a photo of at least one Elvis >_<

Enchanted Kingdom
San Lorenzo South Village, Santa Rosa, Laguna
Tel. Nos. (632) 843-6074 to 78
Fax Nos. (632) 843-6071
Website: www.enchantedkingdom.com.ph

Makati Sales Office
Unit 1B Ground Floor, The Biltmore Condominium, 102 Aguirre Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City
Tel . No. : (632) 830-2111 to 16
Fax No. : (632) 812-7118

Discovering the Secrets of the South

nina — Wed, 21 May 2008 23:16:26 +0000

I’ve always lived in the North. Save for the couple of years that I lived in Makati, I never really ventured south. It’s too far, I always say. I wince at the thought of having to travel all the way to Fort Bonifacio or the Mall of Asia. Last February, when we went to Tagaytay, we passed several budding real estate properties, I kept on thinking, “I wouldn’t want to live here; it’s too far!”

Caine at Verdana Homes’ gorgeous lagoon pool

Verdana Homes and Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet changed my mind though. Apart from the plans for a new business center right in the heart of the south, Anton showed us the best that the south has to offer.

Just stay calm and they won’t sting

After a short presentation at Verdana Homes Mamplasan’s clubhouse, we set off to our first destination: Ilog Maria Honey Bee Farm. Established by Joel Magsaysay and his family, this is a working farm. The most impressive aspect of their farm is how they’re actively working to lower their carbon emissions. They use energy efficient electrical appliances, utilize solar energy and even store and re-use rainwater. Ilog Maria, aside from producing and selling honey, also sells beeswax candles, mosquito repellants, and organic soap — basically anything they can produce with honey.

Yong & Ver Tatlonghari with their children

From Ilog Maria in Silang, Cavite, we headed back to Tagaytay for our first major food stop: Bawai’s Vietnamese Kusina. This unplanned restaurant is run by the Tatlonghari family. Each dish is personally cooked by Bawai — Yong Tatlonghari – herself, and each dish is simply fantastic.

Is that a priest in the beer label??

We were all full and content with our hearty Vietnamese lunch, but we were excited about our dessert stop. Just down the road from Bawai’s was Chateau Hestia, a garden restaurant surprisingly made from recycled cargo containers. We were welcomed by one of its owners, Johannes Zegethofer. Chateau Hestia specialize in European cuisine, and they even produce their own wines and spirits. We sampled their sumptuous desserts, and their homemade dalandancello — limoncello made with our local dalandan.

It’s the jolly golden buddha!

Satiated with our lunch and dessert, it seemed everybody in the bus drifted off to nap during the long ride to Yoki’s House. A bit disoriented, we stumbled down the bus and through the huge gates. The sight of the 30-foot golden buddha shocked us all awake. It wasn’t that it was huge; it’s quite unlike the buddha we’re used to seeing. While the usual buddha has a smile, this one has a huge grin! Yoki has a huge garden, that includes a hydrophonic garden where they grow different varieties of lettuce.

Class picture: AJ, Ryan, Noreen, Nina and Noemi

Next in the list was T House, Tagaytay. I don’t really know how T House should be classified. Is it a bed and breakfast? A guesthouse? An inn? A boutique hotel? No matter how it’s classified, T House lives up to its name — tranquility. There are different clusters of rooms, each decorated accordingly and beautifully. We were welcomed by their staff with a cool glass of the most unique shake I’ve tasted so far: kamias. It has a pleasant flavor and not as sour as you would think.

Welcome to the Kanin Club

As the sun was setting, we drove to our final destination: Kanin Club at the Paseo de Sta. Rosa. Anton said we’re going to have a feast, and what a feast! Though we were full from eating all day, we couldn’t stop indulging in all the dishes that they put on our table. Kanin Club gives traditional Filipino dishes a unique Kanin Club twist that made them an instant hit, and guaranteed to make you reach for that bowl of rice.

An awesome sunset to end an awesome day

This is certainly one of the best food tours I’ve joined. And this, apparently, is just a sampling of what the south has to offer. The strong sense of community and the proximity to Tagaytay makes living in the south very appealing indeed.