Guest World Resort and Tourist Inn

The province of Sorsogon is emerging as one of the promising tourist destinations in the country.  Tourism is starting to soar. As the tourists flock the demands for tourists amenities are needed.  There are some looking for hotel and at the same time resort. Guest World Resort and Tourist Inn caters to that demand. It is located at the Maharlika Hi-way, Gulang-Gulang, Irosin, Sorsogon. They have hotel accommodations  start from 2,000 pesos. There are rooms with kitchen so guests can cook their own food. Although they have room service and restaurant too. For those who are guests of the hotel they are free to enjoy the resort as well but for those who just want to enjoy the resort, the entrance is very minimal: adult is 20.00 per head and kids are 15.00 per head.

the kiddie pool

Mt. Bulusan

Adult Pool

Guest World Resort has two huge swimming pools with slides. One kiddie pool and one adult pool. There are cottages for rent for those who are on day tour. From this resort one can enjoy the view of the mountain and Bulusan Volcano as well.

The water of the swimming pools are coming from Binarabudan cold spring. IF you don’t want to trek,  you can just enjoy the swimming pools of Guest World Resort and it’s like you have the taste of what Binarabudan Spring water is like.

Have fun exploring the province of Sorsogon.

Binarabudan Cold Spring - Gulang-Gulang, Irosin, Sorsogon

Mount Bulusan

Lush Vegetation 

the path

Some say the best thing in life is free. In Irosin, Sorsogon  and nearby towns there are natural springs that are open for public without entrance fee. One of them is the Binarabudan Cold Spring, which is located in Brgy. Gulang-Gulang, Irosin, Sorsogon. Binarabudan is a local term for spring, it is derived from the word burabod meaning spring. No trail signs to go there, one can ask a local to guide them in going to the spring. It is nestled on the foot of the Bulusan Volcano. Along the Maharlika Highway near Guest World Resort and Inn, in front of Soreco II office there is a path leads to the spring. Just ask the locals along the way they are helpful and gracious to give u  the direction.

Natural Pool

Salog means river

We had more or less 20 minutes trek. Our nephew was gone to the place but he forgot the exact way. It was fun for we don’t know where the right path so what we did was followed the passage of the water. We knew at the end of that water is the spring.  Along the way we were looking and were in awe of the beautiful  scenery, lush vegetation, butterflies flying over us and of course the full view of the Bulusan Volcano.

While walking we could hear the laughter of the people enjoying the water. The deep of the water is more or less 2-4 feet. It is surrounded by trees, ferns, wild plants and boulders. There is a huge stone serves as diving spot.

Diving Spot-Dive on your own risk

At first the water is cold but as time goes on, it’s so refreshing and relaxing. The water is crystal clear and there are fish in it. Why not experience swimming with the fish in a natural spring. We tasted the water right on the spring, it's cold and refreshing one. There is another spring nearby which the water supply of the Barangay Gulang-Gulang is coming from. This is the water reservoir of the community.

Great to explore places that not the usual destination for tourists. Hope the picnic goers and the local officials can maintain the cleanliness. Till next time.

Manila Central Post Office Building-a Neo-Classical Architecture

During our postal heritage walking tour we had the opportunity to explore the Manila Central Post Office Building. It is located along the river banks of Pasig River  near the Lawton Plaza and Manila metropolitan theater. I was amazed with the 14 huge columns and a beautiful facade. Manila central post office building is rectangular shape with two drum like on both side. While we were having a lecture amazingly it has natural ventilation, no fan but cooler inside and enough sunlight coming in, that is why  we didn't have to turn on the lights.

Exhibit of Post Stamps

Auction

Auction

Every third Sunday there is walking heritage tour and this building is part of that tour. At the same time there is an auction being held inside the building for collectors of post stamps, post cards, coins, toys and other collectibles. It becomes the place for different exhibits too.

This building is a perfect example of neo-classical architecture.  Manila central post office is part of the history. It withstood the test of time from World War II to people power 1 until at present time.

The Manila central Post Office Building became a Japanese soldiers' fortress  but the artillery coming from the American forces bombarded the Post Office until the Japanese soldiers retreated. After the war, the United States of America aided the Philippines to repair all d damages from the said war. That made the Manila central post office building restored to its original beauty.

In year 2012 there was a foreign company wanted to convert this building into a five star hotel. Some concerned groups rallied to preserve this heritage.

Philippine National Flag Day -May 28th

Today is the Philippine National Flag Day. It is being celebrated every  28^th of May to commemorate the date when the Philippine Flag was first unfolded and raised after the Philippine Revolutionary Army defeated the Spanish forces in the Battle of Alapan in Imus, Cavite in 1989.

Philippine Flag is the only known flag to indicate a state of war or peace. When in time of peace, the blue field is on top while in time of war, the red field is on top.

The Celebration starts from May 28^th until June 30^th, all Filipinos are encouraged to display the Philippine flag. All are expected to abide the law governing its proper use and display accordingly as mandated by 

The Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines or Republic Act 8491.

Arroceros Forest Park- the last lung of Manila

It’s called as “the  last Lung” of the Manila City. Arroceros is a Spanish word means Rice Traders.  It was a place where rice traders met in old times. This park is near the river bank of Pasig River, to the right side ayala bridge and to the left side quezon bridge can be seen. it has a 2.2 hectares land area but in 1992 there was a construction of a building, some of the oldest trees were cut. There were environmentalists and concerned groups opposed but it was still pursued. At this moment the land area of the Forest left is 1.1 hectare.  

While we were walking towards the Arroceros Forest Park, we passed by the Manila Metropolitan Theater and we noticed too many informal settlers. Specially along the side walk of the forest park.

Mr. Tony Magno was our tour guide inside the Forest Park. He is a member of the Winners Foundation, which take care of the park together with Catholic Women’s Club. He is urging  Filipinos to move and get involve in preserving the forest park. It has a key role in providing fresh air to the people plus it’s also a sanctuary for some animals. Mr. Magno and some organizations continuously plant trees, he said he will not see the forest in the next decade but it has to be preserved for the future generations.

We noticed concrete roads and path inside the forest park and some trees have wrought iron and bricks covered, it could be better if they can preserve the Forest Park in its natural beauty. Bed forest is much better. There is a fish pond inside the park, visitors can feed them.

It’s great to know that we still have forest right in the heart of the busy Manila. We need to preserve and help bring back its glory.  

A Free Guided Philippine Postal Heritage Walking Tour-Escolta

There are groups of concern citizens who are trying to awaken the patriotism among the Filipinos by giving free tour and lectures on the Philippine Heritage thru post stamps and key historical buildings around Manila. I and my sister joined it twice the first one was the Philippine Postal Heritage walking tour-Intramuros and the last one was the Philippine Postal Heritage walking tour-Escolta.

Every third Sunday of the month this Philippine Postal Heritage walking tour is being held. Those who are interested you can visit their website.

The tour is from 12:00pm till night. No specific time to finish, it depends upon the weather and the participants too. We arrived in Andres Bonifacio Monument in Liwasang Bonifacio at 12:30. It  is the usual meeting place and it’s the place where the tour starts. We were just on time the tour was about to start. The tour guide was Rence Chan.

Manila Central Post Office Building was our next stop. There we were given a free starter kit in collecting stamps and there was a lecture too on understanding the post stamps as part of the Nation’s heritage, history and building the nation.

Inside the building there were group  of collectors having auction, postal exhibit and photo shoot. It was a busy building at that day. Before we left the Manila Central Post Office building we were asked to give small amount to help the Arroceros Forest Park.

After the lecture we proceed to Arroceros Park. I didn’t know that there is a park in the heart of Manila City. Inside the park is where the Department of Education’s Division of City Schools Manila. It was named Arroceros because in this area the rice trade was being held between foreign traders and the locals. Before it was a huge forest park but as time goes on and as the city’s leaders changes the forest park area became lesser, at the moment it has 1.1 hectares left.  Some area are converted into commercial area. There are wild birds, snakes and other animals and insects inside this park. It will be of great help to maintain the cleanliness of the city’s air, to  prevent more smog  and to maintain the ecosystem as well. Hope the local leaders to have that political will to make the people’s welfare on top everything.

Manila Metropolitan theater also known as MET was our next stop. It was one of the theaters during the Spanish colonial period, where local and foreign artists performed. During the world war II it was slightly destroyed but it was restored in year 1978. Sad to say the building is deteriorating. Hope the concerned institutions can find the solution to restore this beautiful historical building.

When we finished exploring the Manila Metropolitan Theater it was already dusk, the weather was cooler and nice to walk seeing the beautiful Manila. At this time we were asked to give small amount for the guards who help us in our tour.

While we were walking on our way to Escolta we passed by Mc Arthur Monument, Fire Trees, beautiful landscape of Manila. Manila is a beautiful City, the problem is there are sore to the eyes too like informal settlers, litters,   smell coming from the banks of Pasig River. Hope the government local or national can study and look for the solutions to these problems. Have political will to preserve our nation and its heritage.

This is my first time to appreciate Escolta, during  week days it’s a busy street. The buildings are beautiful although needs restorations and repairs. One of the buildings that we visited was the United First Building, this was the house of the movie outfits before.  RVQ production’s office is there although at that time it was closed so we didn’t see the museum. It was an “epic fail” but it was fun too, we climbed five floors then when we reached the unit it was closed. We were not allowed to use the elevators because its Sunday plus it was just a free tour.

The next building was the Calvo Building. It was built in 1938. It was the first  house of the GMA 7, a television channel. The Calvo Building was the house for prominent recording studios  and companies.  Today in its mezzanine there is an exhibit it is called Escolta Exhibit Hall, where showcases the collection of old music sheets, print ads of Filipino movies,  bottles, pictures and more. We were asked to pay 100.00 pesos per head for the entrance fee.

Our last stop was the Juan Luna E-Services Building. It is still on its renovation,  according to Rence Chan by August there will be no tour allowed in the building for it will be occupied by Business Process Outsourcing Offices. Juan Luna E-Service Building is registered with the National Historical Institute of the Philippines (NHI).   

There are too many beautiful and historical buildings in the City of Manila but there is no much effort to restore  them. Specially the private owned ones, its owner mostly don’t know the importance of these buildings. Hope we still have ample time to think the welfare of our beloved land.

It was a great free tour. We were just talking and laughing all throughout the tour. Relaxing it’s not a pressured tour. No time bound. Participants  can leave the tour anytime.

Kodus to the group of Rence Chan for lending their precious time to conduct free guided tour.