We went to Tagaytay after office last Monday, 9 May 2011 and arrived at 7:00 p.m. The travel time was almost three (3) hours from Edsa to Tagaytay due t traffic and the fare costs eighty seven pesos only (87.00). Our first stop, Tagaytay Havel Hotel to check if there are any room available for us and we'll just pay for the excess cost using our personal money to avoid the hassle of going to the seminar venue and going back to the place we're gonna stay in but unfortunately, ALL ROOMS ARE RESERVED for other seminar participants. :( This is a sample picture of the Hotel where our seminar was conducted.
Then we went to the Inn adjacent to the Haven named, Sunflower Inn. Shocked as we're, one night costs one thousand eight hundred pesos (1,800.00) per night excluding breakfast! (we we're given eighty pesos (80) per meal btw). Considering the facade of the Inn, it's too costly (more expensive than Haven to think it's only an Inn). so we decided to look for another place to stay. We rode a tricycle and went back to Mendez crossing where there are many Inns and Lodging houses. Then we landed at Country Sampler Inn. Ate Jane (name of the caretaker) was friendly enough to accommodate us and give us a discount. We got the one thousand two hundred (1,200.00) per night room at only one thousand pesos (1,000). The Inn also have other rooms and mind you, the other rooms have themes; black and white, pink, and purple room which looks nice and the beds are suited for a girly girl traveler. We became tired and exhausted so we decided to sleep since the seminar the following day id too early.
The Inn is near the food stops. Tagaytay is famous for its Bulalo, so we wanted to try it but the bulalo hunt became tapsilog (tapa, itlog, sinangag) hunt (since it's nice to eat tapsilog for breakfast). We tried three food stops, their tapsilog, of course is different from the other. The one nearest our inn costs seventy pesos (70.00), the other where we had our breakfast for the second day costs eighty five pesos (85.00) (+15.00 for the view of Taal..hehe!) and the third and most delicious tapsilog costs ninety five pesos (95.00).
After the first day of the seminar, we decided to go around the city, we rode a jeepney for only eight pesos (8) per ride (there is no taxi in Tagaytay, unlike in Baguio). We went to Olivares and found some fun-filled and exciting stores. First is Uno, a factory outlet store where there are so many cute and nice stuffs to choose from. I bought a mirror (107), 2 pony tails (9.75 each), a pen holder (39.75), 2 cellphone chains (24.50 each)and a stone loofa (19.00). Next, we saw a thrift shop! (my fav!), there I bought a very cute vest for only seventy pesos (70.00) and a puff-sleeve blouse for only thirty pesos (30.00)
After enjoying the first thrift shop, we wnet to another and there I bought five blouses and a dress. The price 4 blouses costs one hundred pesos (100.00), the dress costs fifty pesos (50.00) and I got the other blouse only for thirty five pesos (35.00)! (Imagine that??). The only thing I hated about Tagaytay was the flying insects at night, more familiar name of it is gamo-gamo but since it's too big (size of a cockroach), I prefer calling it mother gamo-gamo (iiiwww). After shopping, we ate at KFC where they had the slowest crew ever (I was standing for 15 minutes in the counter to order and another 10 to wait for my order, but it's okay at least I was able to eat.). Then, we rode a jeepney and discovered that the fare was 16php each! (poor jeepney driver that took us to Olivares, we owe him another 16php). FYI, there are no taxi in Tagaytay, the only mode of transportation are the tricyles (pricey!) and the jeepney (para sa masa).
Day II, we had tapsilog for breakfast (of course!). The seminar ended early (4:00 p.m. which supposed to end at 5) so we came back at the Inn early to sleep before going to SM Dasmato watch FF5. Well, that was the original plan but, we slept and woke up at 8:00 p.m.! Darn! Good thing I was able to watch a clip about the forbidden city (I'm a big fan of Chinese civilization) and an episode of Glee before sleeping. Instead of going to SM Dasma, we just went to Robinsons Tagaytay which doesn't have needs air-conditioning. There, we ate in a restaurant called, jeepney. We had pandan rice, pusit sa tinta, malambot na patang baboy and iced tea. How much? 427 php. Then had coffee at Starbucks that has the friendliest crew ever! I tried their sugar sugar-free classic mints (pricey but it's worth it!)
Day III, had our best among the rest tapsilog and went straight to the hotel for the seminar. Did I mentioned that every time I'm on a out-of-the-office seminar (whether an evaluator or a participant) I always gain weight? haha! After the last day of the seminar, we went to shop again for the last time. Then soon enough, am back home!
