Tayo na sa Antipolo

Five days ago, I felt the need to travel again.  To be in a place I haven't been to.  The question is, where will my limited budget take me?

Good thing that I was asked to pay our annual real property tax in Antipolo.  As a traveler, you should always take advantage of the situation to travel and learn new things.  I have lived in Antipolo for almost two years before, but I haven't been to Via Dolorosa, also known as White Cross.  Nor Hinulugang Taktak.

I immediately texted a friend who has not been there too.  I asked if she's willing to explore Antipolo.  Good thing that she agreed even on a short notice.

We rode on a jeepney bound to Antipolo from JRU in Mandaluyong.  Fare is P33.00 per person.

After accomplishing our primary reason why we were in Antipolo.  We paid a visit to Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Church, or the famous Antipolo church.  We also went to the museum of the Virgin of Antipolo. We couldn't take pictures inside because camera's are not allowed.

Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage

We just had to take pictures with the church before we leave.  On our way out, a lot of vendors are offering the  famous suman (a Filipino rice cake steamed in banana leaves).  We bought our pasalubong suman from a nice vendor who offered to give us additional suman for the same price of P100 and she also gave us a free rosary bracelet.  Look for Aruray Store along the souvenir market.

Our free rosary bracelets blessed with Holy water.

We then headed to White Cross, fare is P40 per trip.  But since there are no tricycles going out from White Cross, the driver offered to wait for us for P100. Not bad.  He even became our photographer.  But to our dismay, the gate of White Cross is closed.  And no one is there to attend to us.  We were told to come back at an earlier time.

Via Dolorosa

A peak of what's inside Via Dolorosa

And so we went to Hinulugan Taktak.  Paid an entrance fee of P8.00 per person.  The falls wasn't as nice as it was before.  It was not even pleasant to smell.  It smelled like a canal.  A canal falls.  When I asked our driver/photographer why was the falls foamy?  He said that it was foamy because of the dirt from the resident's who live on top of the mountain.

Hinulugan Taktak

The government should do something about this national park.  Maybe rerouting the resident's drainage?  Just a thought. :)



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