Pandemic Pasyal: Highland Bali Villas Resort and Spa (Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija)

This trip was supposed to be a March 2021 rendezvous, but there was a COVID surge during that time. Metro Manila had another locked down, so we decided to postpone. After several months, we found ourselves traveling almost 4 hours to Highland Bali Villas Resort and Spa in Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija. Full disclosure: We paid for everything. We got the rooms on sale. We stayed in a Deluxe Room on our first night and in an Executive Room on our second night. We stayed three days and two nights. We are a family of 4 - Mama, Papa, a teenager, and a tweener. Since the rooms fit two adults and two kids (aged seven and below), we paid extra for the teenager (includes breakfast buffet and bedding) and paid for the breakfast buffet of the tweener. 

What are the top things we liked about our stay? 

1. They have nice rooms. 
They're good enough for the 4 of us. The Deluxe Room has two double beds, an ensuite bath, while the Executive Room has one king-sized bed with a couch and an ensuite bath with a bathtub. They have nice amenities too.  

The Executive Suite

2. The outdoor jacuzzi. 
They have two pools and two outdoor jacuzzis. I enjoyed doing some laps on the infinity pool near their Soraya Restaurant. We didn't stay in the other pool (near the bar) because it was too cold for us. We had a great time lounging on their outdoor jacuzzi. We were not ready for the cold and windy weather. But the outdoor jacuzzi was complementary to it. I can still imagine the cold breeze on my face, a vista of the mountains, and warm water massage from the jacuzzi while playing cards and sipping hot chocolate with the fam. It was a perfect moment. 

Outdoor jacuzzi

3. The staff. 
They were very attentive and helpful. They're welcoming and always smiling. It's nice to go around before the sun rises. Even then, the staff is up and about. And when they see you, they acknowledge you and greet you with a smile. They're always after your comfort and convenience.  

4. Instragrammable spots. 
It was a good thing that we went during the Christmas season because the place was well decorated. They have pretty Christmas arches and themed areas. We took our time going around and posing for each spot.

 

5. Buffet breakfast and free hot chocolate and cookies. 
For me, the food at the Soraya Restaurant wasn't cheap. We ordered two kinds of pasta and pizza for dinner, which were good, I must say, but I think they were pricey. The breakfast buffet was a nice reprieve from food spending. I especially like the omelet, the chicken tocino, and their Spanish bread. They're selling the Spanish bread by the boxes at 360 pesos per box of 12.  Another thing we looked forward to was the free hot chocolate and cookies that were available every 5:00 pm. Did I say it was cold? The hot chocolate with cookies was a very nice counterpoint. 

6. The view. 

We fell in love with the sweeping sight of the mountains and the lake. It's so serene. I particularly like sunrises, especially since the property faces the morning sun. 

7. Free kayak. 
The stay comes with 30-minute free kayaking. We went to the concierge to coordinate our intent to avail of this freebie and went to the lake.  We had the lake to ourselves because we went early. 

OTHER THINGS WE DID:

We decided to go out of the resort and explore the area.  We found two interesting places.

1. Montana del Sol 

We were looking for a view deck where we can have a better view of the mountains and the lake.  We saw some photos of Montana del Sol and decided to go and visit.  We paid 50 pesos each for the entrance fee. We're very glad we did it.  Although, there's really not much to do except to sit and talk, clown around and stare at the view.  It was so quiet and serene.  I wanted to stay longer but my crew was hungry for lunch.

2. Hillocks Coffeeshop and Restaurant

Thanks to the internet, we found this quaint restaurant.  It went unnoticed when we passed by the first time since the entrance is on the side.  

OTHE INFORMATION YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW:

1. It's 3.5 hours away from Quezon City.

2. They did not require COVID tests results during check-in. 

3. They have golf carts to transport you and your belongings to the reception area and your rooms.

4. They accept credit cards.

5.  We found an ATM machine in front of a 711, near a market, outside the resort.

War in my Mind

I’m a listicle person.  I have a list of things to do, of things I want, of plans for the future.  And everything was moving towards the direction I envision.  Then suddenly, I’m caught dead on my tracks.  When ABS-CBN lost its franchise and the pandemic hit, a lot of my insecurities surfaced.  I encountered self-doubt, anxiety and fear.  My nicely pressed life looked like it’s just out of a dryer, full of deep-set wrinkles.

My demons are in my head.  My mind is my worst enemy.  I have a long list of what ifs. What if… we might not have enough… that things would be difficult financially… that things wouldn’t be how I imagined it. And so on.  Worries, that honestly, are stressing me out.  Then my rational mind, thank God, would cut my crazy thoughts and would always set things straight, and point things out - that these things that I’m mulling over, really, might not even happen. That worrying is a complete of waste of my time, especially since, historically speaking, none of my worst case scenarios ever materialized.

So what’s the point?  The battle is in our heads.  And we have to win it.

I subscribed to a plan in the YouVersion Bible app.  And it has lots and lots of reading plans that you can subscribe to depending on your current need or state of mind.  So I subscribed to the “Winning the War in Your Mind” reading plan.  I knew me.  And I knew that I need to reframe or rewire my mind so I wouldn’t dwell so much on the negative.  And Day 4 was spot on.  It was exactly what I need.  It mentioned that a tool for changing your thinking is the rewire principle.  To rewire the brain is to renew the mind.

It encouraged me to declare God’s promises, and put them as shields to bullet-proof my mind when negative vibes start to creep in especially when I’m faced with a lot of uncertainties.

I would like to share the verses that were included in Day 4.  This might come in handy when you wrestle with your “bad” thoughts.

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.  I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”  Philippians 4:12

“God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in very good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8

“God will meet all your needs according to the richness of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

“Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”  Romans 12:2

The plan also encouraged me to write my own declaration.  My own blueprint of a battle plan.  This would be my weapon to bomb those unhelpful thoughts.  Sharing this here as an example of how you can also write your own.

“I will always be happy with what I have.  I will never experience lack in any aspect of my life.  God blesses me abundantly so that I may abundantly bless others.  God, in his faithful loving ways, will fulfill all my heart’s desires according to his wonderful plan, and perfect timing.”

I hope that all of us will be able to win the wars in our minds.  And slowly but surely be assured that things will be alright.  It might not happen immediately. But let’s keep on trying. Three Ps: patience, perseverance and practice can lead to the ultimate P - perfection. Thank you for reading.  God bless you.  May all your dreams and heart’s desires come true.

Eats Taiwan: 13 Food We Tried and Enjoyed

Taiwan is a foodie haven.  Food is affordable and the choices are endless.  Here are some of the gastronomic delights that we tried and enjoyed.

1. Hotpot
All the hotpot we've tasted were good. The best we had was in Taipei Huaxi Night Market, very near Longshan Temple.

2. Japanese Cake
They were huge! It was like a pancake sandwich with a thick filling cooked in an iron griddle. Lines to this local fare is almost always long in the night markets.

3. Candied Fresh Strawberries
Fresh strawberries dipped in syrup then plunged to a bowl of water filled with ice, which turned the syrup into a hard candy covering.

4. Fried Milk 
This looks like curdled milk cut into cubes then fried on hot oil. It has some crunch on the outside and gooey on the inside.

5. Stinky Tofu
I love tofu.  And this smells.  But it's really good.

6. Oyster Pancake
This is your unshelled oysters mixed with egg and shallots, then fried like scrambled egg.

7. Ice Cream Wrap with Shaved Peanuts
Shaved peanut brittle to go with an ice cream wrap.

8. Sausages
I can't say much about the sausages because it's something that I don't eat.  But from the looks of how my daughters and my husband downed all the sausages I'm going to say they're pretty tasty

9. Grilled Mushrooms with Chili Powder
I really, really like them.  It tasted like grilled squid to me.

10. Starch Balls
They serve them hot like ginataan with sweetened coconut milk.  Or iced like halohalo.  I like them both.

11. Beef Noodle Soup
Very flavourful soup with thick noodles.  Perfect for the rainy afternoon in Shifen.

13. Flying Cow Ranch Cheesecake
I must say that this is the best cheesecake our 50 pesos has ever bought in Taiwan.

Taiwan Day 3: Jiufen, Shifen, Taipei 101, Modern Toilet, Ximending Night Market

This is day 3 of our Taiwan adventure.  We travelled to Ruifang Station to visit two old streets.

Jiufen Old Street
It’s known to be Hayao Miyazaki's inspiration for the Academy Award winner Spirited Away. I remember the street lined with red lanterns where Chihiro's parents sat down and ate until they became pigs. Jiufen Street, reminiscent of the movie, is lined with red lanterns and everywhere I look, there were food stalls left and right. We also came into a street with different masks which also reminded me of the animated film's artistic design. It was surreal. 

Taiwan Day 2: National Palace Museum, National Science Museum, Taipei Children's Amusement Park, Shilin Night Market

This is day 2 of our Taiwan adventure.

National Palace Museum
We went for the children’s section because it’s free. The exhibits are tactile and interactive. Everything can be touched and played with.

National Taiwan Science Education Center (National Science Museum)
We went into the Dreamworks Animation exhibit. We were very impressed with how everything was laid out. From the displays to the presentations. My favorites were the projected images in inanimate objects. At first glance, it looked like the images were really part of the design, until everything moves and changes, then it would dawn on the spectator that all were projected images. My daughters were really amused with the interactive displays. There's a nook where you can color Dreamworks characters, then you take a photo of your colored page using a dreamworks app, then the character, exactly how you colored it, appear on 3-D and can be manipulated using your fingertips. It was so cool!

Taipei Children’s Amusement Park
Nothing fancy. It's your usual "tsubibo" rides. But with class and sophistication. I like how the entrance is priced cheap, so going in is very affordable. But you have to pay for the rides. But this is ok for us. We just choose the rides we like and pay for them.

Shilin Night Market
Shilin Night Market was love. It's so huge and full of novelty dishes to try that we reached a point that we've thrown in the towel. It's man versus food. And no matter how we tried, food won. We wanted to try more, but there was no more space. We're filled to the brim.

DETAILS:

National Palace Museum

Address: No. 221, Sec 2, Zhi Shan Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111

How to get there: From MRT Red Line Shilin station (士林), walk outside the station and board Bus R30 (紅30), fare NT$15, payable by cash or Easycard Do not cross the road, as busses on the MRT station side of the road head east towards the museum. Busses generally leave every 30 mins on weekdays until 7PM and 15 mins on weekends until 6:55PM. Additional buses are available after hours on Friday and Saturday evenings. Bus BR20 (棕20) also travels from the museum to Brown Line 1 Dazhi station, however, Shilin is recommended for speed and convenience.

National Taiwan Science Education Center (National Science Museum)

Address: No. 189, Shishang Road, Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111

How to get there: From Red Line Jiantan station (劍潭), exit the station towards Shilin Night Market (士林夜市) and walk left towards the bus station (busses heading north). Take route R30, 41, or the shuttle bus to the Taipei Children's Amusement Park (the museum is across the street from the park).

Taipei Children's Amusement Park

Address: No. 55, Section 5, Chengde Road, Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 11169

How to get there: From Red Line Jiantan station (劍潭), exit the station towards Shilin Night Market (士林夜市) and walk left towards the bus station (busses heading north). Take the shuttle bus or route 41 to the park.

Shilin Night Market

Address: No. 101, Jihe Road, Shilin District, Taipei City, Taiwan 111

How to get there: Take the Red Line to Jiantan Station (劍潭), not Shilin Station. After leaving Exit 1, diagonally cross the street to the left to enter the night market.

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