beat the heat, find your own waterfall

It's summer and the heat is simply unbearable, what do you do? Well, aside from taking a shower every single time you enter the bathroom, you could take a break and head to one of the country's numerous waterfalls. While I wish I had one right outside the house, I may just have to comfort myself with the memory of some of the  waterfalls I've been to...

Hinulugang Taktak, Antipolo, Rizal is about 45 minutes to an hour away from Quezon City, depending on the traffic. Yes, the legendary HInulugang Taktak still exists today!  It's a beautiful sight to behold but a bit smelly and soapsud-filled from what we presumed were the waste of nearby factories. While I may not want to take a plunge in its waters  (however hot it may be), it certainly didn't stop the numerous barkada of kids and teens  who were there when we visited. (There are picnic tables galore and a pool for those who would rather not brave the waterfall.)

    

Cavinti, Laguna is where people gather to wash clothes in a roadside waterfall that you won't miss it when you cross  Caliraya to Cavinti proper.  A respite from the heat and a chance to catch up on what the natives are doing, the waterfall crosses an old road.... (Cavinti is home to many waterfalls including the famous shooting the rapids trek that starts from Pagsanjan)

Luisiana, Laguna - It may not technically be a waterfall, but how could you resist not stopping to freshen up from the cool water that flows through the mountains and trickles into the road via this tiny Luisiana water sprout? Wisik wisik na! 

Taytay Falls, Majayjay, Laguna - Okay, the Holy Week may not be the best time to take a dip in everybody's favorite Majayjay falls  -- mas marami ang tao kesa sa tubig (more people than water!) -- but it's still an ideal summer destination to cool off and spend the day and night in (camping is allowed). A little patience and leg work is required as you make your way down to the waterfalls via a well-developed pathway.

Kawasan Falls, Badian, Cebu -  The long walk from our small hut near the beach up to the numerous wateralls -- small, medium, large and in between -- was worth it. Whether you just want to eat after the long trek, take a plunge in the cool waters or take a raft ride to get a relaxing massage from the raging waters, Kawasan Falls is truly unforgettable. 

 I wonder where the next waterfall adventure will be. Recommendations, anyone?

tayo na sa little quiapo [in quezon city]

cool gazebo outside the main restaurant

palabok -- the best ka-partner ng halo-halo

classic halo-halo

Today was the hottest day of the year, my dad announced as I entered the door from an exhausting day outside.

 I believed him and it made me hungry for the cool, refreshing taste of halo-halo. 

And where else to get it but from a restaurant that specializes in the tasty treat?

 Little Quiapo, the most famous halo-halo restaurant during my dad's time, hehehe, has a branch in our side of the world.

 A place where I feel really at home during the hot summer days...
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For those who asked, Little Quiapo is located at
 90 Malakas Streetbarangay Pinyahan, Diliman, Metro Manila - 02 922 4131

ang prutas natin

a whole lot of papayas, honey dew, mangoes and chicos make up the contents of this fruit cart in Liliw, Laguna. ice-cream lovers will surely appreciate the dirty ice-cream cart beside it.

mais, mani and friendly smiles from the tinderas of a small pwesto by the highway between Teresa and Morong, Rizal

supots of camachile hang on a tree in a San Fernando, Pampanga highway

camachile, up close

apples, chicos and cheerful sellers in down town Cebu

at P35 a kilo, humakot ng chico si Ned

washed, plump and ready to eat
(parang line from Eat Bulaga, "it's clean, I washed it!) 

irresistible duhat in (street corner in Liliw, Laguna)

bubot pa, binenta na
such is the rarity of duhat that I bought some even though I knew it wasn't quite ready for eating yet
 

nothing beats the heat better than buko fresh from the shell

lovely mangoes ...
if only we'd tasted them before the passersby got to them

the heart and fruits of a banana tree in a seaside town in Cebu

senorita from Tagaytay --
green when we bought them there, yellow when we arived home in QC

picking caimito in Bocaue, Bulacan

langka, nangka or jackfruit -- whatever name you call it would still taste  as sweet

the yellow, clingy fruit (above) and the seeds ready to be boiled (below)

more corn by the highways of Lumban, Laguna

uncooked  (above) and cooking (below)

watermelon, papaya, mangoes, pineapple and balimbing in Moalboal, Cebu 

one balimbing, please!
bought one to remind me what it tasted like (maasim!) 

do you know what a mabolo looks and smells like? 

how about a camachile?

 or duhat?

spend the summer wisely by eating our very own fruits. 

while they may cost a lot in the groceries, you can do better by going to a neighborhood stores, looking out for roving fruit carts or vendors, going to  the public  market or inviting yourself to lunch at a friend's house so you can pick caimito and indian mangoes from their trees and bring home some for baon. while that may seem makapal, it's way much better than stealing them from someone else's trees.

 Hoy, isoli nyo na ang mangga namin!