Liliw scenes On my way home to Manila, I dropped by San Pablo's neighboring town Liliw which is just 30 minutes or so away. Going there, we passed by the towns of Rizal, Nagcarlan (site of the Underground Cemetery) and Alaminos (where another tourism spot, the Hidden Valley is located.) Liliw is famous for being a prime producer of tsinelas (native slippers) and in fact held its annual tsinelas festival recently. ... Continue Reading...

Tahanan ni Aling Meding I am in San Pablo City as a guest of the Tahanan ni Aling Meding which is by far the most heavenly place I've stayed in a long time. Why is this so? Because it is not as stiff as a hotel and boasts of the comfort of home while providing all the amenities you need as a valued guest. This place was originally a rest house for a family of 11 siblings who made it big as migrants in the United States. This explains the 11 rooms in the mansion of which 10 are now open to the public."Aling Meding" is the late family matriarch and ... Continue Reading...

Sampaloc Lake collage Originally uploaded by annalyn. Depressed with work and other pressures, this Wednesday found me on a last-minute sojourn to San Pablo City.All I needed was a hop on the bus to get me out of the city and into the long stretch of a highway lined with quaint shops, fruit stalls and coconut trees.On bright sunny days like this, the majestic view of the Philippine countryside as seen from my bus window is all I need to get out of the hustle and bustle that staying too long in the city brings. ... Continue Reading...