A SUMPTUOUS LUNCH AT PAMANA RESTAURANT IN TAGAYTAY

A table beside a fake fireplace in Pamana Restaurant, Tagaytay

Photos of different generations of the family (above the fake fireplace) who owns Pamana Restaurant in Tagaytay

Next stop from the Puzzle Mansion Bed & Breakfast was the Pamana Restaurant in Tagaytay. This was where we had lunch. 

A mini store will welcome you at the entrance of the Pamana Restaurant. The main dining area is on the second floor.

The ambiance in the restaurant is homey and elegant. The tables are made of heavy wood and the table settings are lovely with non-matching plates on each.

Lovely table setting at Pamana Restaurant, Tagaytay with non-matching plates

Drinks were served first which is quite the norm when dining out.

Pandan-luya drink at Pamana Restaurant, Tagaytay

I had the Pandan-luya drink as I was the more adventurous in the group. Pandan-luya drink is ginger tea which they serve with a small piece of pandan leaf to lend a color contrast to the yellow liquid and also to provide a hint of pandan taste to the drink. 

The Pandan-luya drink was good. It was sweet such that I was not able to taste or feel the heat on my tongue, which is expected, from the ginger tea. I only felt the warmth on my throat after sipping it every now and then throughout the meal. It is a good beverage to drink to cleanse the palate especially, when a meal one is having consists of fatty food.

My nephew ordered Chocolate shake which he described to taste like crushed chocolate twin popsies. He gave this drink a thumbs-up :).

Oh, and I was pleasantly surprised when I took a sip of their water as it possessed a hint of the inherent nutty flavor profile of the pandan leaf. 

We ordered the three-way lumpia (spring rolls) trio (P250?) as our appetizer. It is called three-way lumpia because it consists of three kinds of lumpia; kesong puti lumpia, lucban longganisa lumpia and tinapa or smoked fish lumpia. Five small and thin pieces each of these lumpias were served with plain vinegar with a piece of chili and pinakurat vinegar alongside the dish as condiments to dip in.

The nilagang bulalo was huge (P550)! It said in the menu that it's good for four people but it should easily fill eight hungry stomachs with its size. The meat was fall-off-the-bone tender and the soup was rich and creamy without tasting too fatty and yellowish which I assume was the result of the color of the bone marrow oozing out and mingling with the soup after boiling it for hours and hours.

We also had crispy tawilis (P220) which was sweetishly crispy, pancit buko (P220), a dish with coconut shreds as noodles with stir-fried vegetables and pork strips served in a coconut shell and, tinuktok (P280), pieces of buko and shrimp wrapped in taro leaves and cooked in coconut milk which was mildly spicy.

Our lunch at Pamana Restaurant in Tagaytay was sumptuous and the price was value-for-your-money because of the serving size and the quality of the food. There was one thing though, that spoiled the otherwise enjoyable meal that we had. Flies! They were all over our table. The lighted candles and air from an electric fan were unsuccessful in preventing them from ruining our meal. We had to constantly shoo them away with our hands. I hope that they do something about this to keep the experience really wonderful.

Directions to the Pamana Restaurant below:

Point A is Pamana Restaurant in Tagaytay

Please feel free to write your comments below.

THE PUZZLE MUSEUM IN THE PUZZLE MANSION BED & BREAKFAST IN TAGAYTAY

The Puzzle Mansion in Tagaytay

A stage on the floor above the Puzzle Museum where the largest jigsaw puzzle collection is located. One can take pictures here while seating on the chair at the right side of the stage.

The Puzzle Museum in the Puzzle Mansion Bed & Breakfast in Tagaytay houses the world's largest jigsaw puzzle collection assembled by Mrs. Gina Gil-Lacuna. Mrs. Lacuna's collection was recognized by the Guinness World Records which awarded her a GWR certificate for her achievement on November 29, 2012.

The Guinness World Record Certificate awarded to Mrs. Georgina Gil-Lacuna for assembling the world's largest collection of jigsaw puzzles

We did not get lost going to The Puzzle Mansion Bed & Breakfast in Tagaytay as they had signs placed on the main road which helped us reach the place without missing it. We are grateful, too that the rented van we rode in was reliable enough to go down and up on our way home, the very steep incline we had to navigate to get in and out of the place.

The admission fee to view the world's largest jigsaw puzzle collection is P 100.00/pax. A 20% senior citizen discount is applicable to the admission fee. We were six in the group with two senior citizens so we paid a total of P 560.00 as our admission fee.

The Puzzle Mansion Bed & Breakfast's Puzzle Museum, Tagaytay admission ticket

The jigsaw puzzle collection assembled by Mrs. Georgina Gil-Lacuna is truly amazing! There were hundreds of puzzles of all shapes and sizes in the Puzzle Museum. We saw traditional and 3-D puzzles and each was labeled with the identity of the puzzle's subject, number of the puzzle pieces for each, dimensions and the origin and maker of the puzzle and the number of hours spent by Mrs. Georgina Gil-Lacuna to finish each.

La Seine, Paris puzzle with 1,000 pieces completed by Mrs. Georgina Gil-Lacuna in 13 hours

Mrs. Georgina Gil-Lacuna started her collection 27 years ago and she has no plans of stopping yet. She was, in fact, putting together a 32,000 piece puzzle when we were there which is too large that they had to place it on top of about six ply boards to accommodate the whole puzzle while she completes the project. We were told that she has already put together around 20,000 pieces and would not take long to finish it. She will submit this to the Guinness World Records to be recognized as the largest jigsaw puzzle assembled in the world.

Part of the 32,000 piece puzzle being assembled by Mrs. Georgina Gil-Lacuna 

Below are some more of the puzzles we saw in the Puzzle Museum in Tagaytay.

The Guernica Puzzle at the Puzzle Museum in the Puzzle Mansion Bed & Breakfast, Tagaytay

Coca Cola Puzzle at the Puzzle Museum in the Puzzle Mansion Bed & Breakfast, Tagaytay

Cherry Blossoms Puzzle at the Puzzle Museum in the Puzzle Mansion Bed & Breakfast, Tagaytay

Irises Painting Puzzle at the Puzzle Museum in the Puzzle Mansion Bed & Breakfast, Tagaytay

Above the Puzzle Museum is a souvenir shop where puzzles (of course!), caps, shirts and several locally made products are sold. Mrs. Georgina Gil-Lacuna, a friendly woman, was present to greet us at the time. 

Before leaving the Puzzle Mansion Bed & Breakfast, we had to try their special and must-try dessert, coconut cream pie.

The Puzzle Mansion Bed & Breakfast's special coconut cream pie

The coconut cream pie is The Puzzle Mansion's innovation of the regular buko pie or buko tarts that are commonly sold in Tagaytay. A slice of the coconut cream pie costs P 50.00 each and one whole is priced at P 350.00. 

Images of cumulus clouds popped in mind after one bite of the Puzzle Mansion Bed & Breakfast's coconut cream pie. It has a light and airy creaminess which blended well with the delicate and subtle coconut flavor coming from the shreds of coconut flesh incorporated in the pie. What I like about the pie is that it is not sweet (one reason one will tend to ask for a second helping or more of it) and the texture of the crust is just perfect! Not too crumbly, not hard, just right : ). 

I recommend that you bring an insulated bag if you plan to buy this coconut cream pie to take home : ).

Directions to the Puzzle Mansion Bed & Breakfast in Tagaytay:

Point B is Puzzle Mansion Bed & Breakfast

We only had one of the coconut cream pie as we had to leave room in our stomachs for lunch in Pamana Restaurant.

Feel free to write your comments below.

REVISITING SONYA'S GARDEN IN TAGAYTAY

A garden path at Sonya's Garden in Tagaytay 

A fountain providing the soothing sound of flowing water at Sonya's Garden in Tagaytay

A garden-themed door on one of Sonya's Garden's function room

From the Chapel on the Hill, we passed by Sonya's Garden to taste their freshly-squeezed dalandan juice again which my sister and I tried on different occasions and found to be really good that it is worth going back to to enjoy. We also planned to get some breads from their well-known Panaderia.

Arriving at Sonya's Garden, we immediately noticed that the Panaderia was now located right near the entrance parking lot and not in the area where we remember it to be, which was somewhere inside near the path going to the spas. We visited the Panaderia first to browse at what they have and also ask if the freshly-squeezed dalandan juice is available to order from them since the restaurants were still closed by the time that we arrived. Sadly, the freshly-squeezed dalandan juice was not available yet.

As we opted to wait for freshly-baked breads which they promised to be available after a few minutes, our group went out of the store and meandered in the gardens.

Colorful flowers lend beauty to Sonya's Garden in Tagaytay

Sonya's gardens are colorful with the different flowering plants populating the place. The gardens also smell wonderful. The fragrant, sweet smell of roses enveloped us as we walked through the paths. They have placed concrete basins and concrete bird baths filled with water and rose petals in strategic areas and corners of the gardens from which emanates the sweet smell of roses.

A concrete bird bath filled with water and rose petals in Sonya's Garden in Tagaytay

We were also delightfully surprised by colorful butterflies which were not fluttering or hopping from flowers to flowers but stayed there on the concrete ground and did not want to flutter away even if repeatedly prodded to by kids visiting the place at the time.

The Country Store in Sonya's Garden is also a must-visit if you want to buy fresh cherry tomatoes, fresh and robust red, green and yellow bell peppers, accessories, lotions, linen and kitchen sprays and other beautiful stuff. 

With our eyes already full with nature's beauty, we trekked back to the Panaderia and bought a pack each of Cheese hopia, Chocolate pinwheel cookies and freshly-baked "Hispanis" bread.  

Cheese hopia from the Panaderia in Sonya's Garden in Tagaytay

We were lucky to get freshly-baked "Hispanis" bread as these really taste wonderful when eaten straight out-of-the-oven. These are simple breads which are very soft with  cheese spread filling inside. My nephew finished the last piece in a short time that I did not get the chance to take a picture of it  ;). The Cheese hopia was quite good, too. The flakiness of the crust reminded me of the traditional hopias we used to buy and the salty-sweet cheese filling lend these hopias a unique flavor for one to experience. While the Chocolate pinwheel cookies were ordinary for our taste.

Below is a picture of the Google map that we referred to and an image of the map's legend to get to Sonya's Garden in Tagaytay.

Point C refers to Sonya's Garden

Off to the Puzzle Mansion, our next stop in our Tagaytay itinerary. 

Next post coming up!

A PLACE OF REFUGE NEAR TAGAYTAY - THE CHAPEL ON THE HILL

A serene view from the Chapel on the Hill near Tagaytay

The Google map we printed to refer to going to the four destinations we visited in our recent Tagaytay trip

Legend of the map: A is Pamana restaurant; B is Puzzle Mansion Bed & Breakfast; C is Sonya's Garden and D is Chapel On The Hill

It has been a while, five or six years, since I last went up to one of our country's popular summer destinations, Tagaytay. A lot has already changed in this span of time, new restaurants sprouting and new attractions built and being created at the same time. These changes I heard and read from television and our dailies, respectively.

Since it was my birthday a couple of days ago and there were no thunderstorms predicted to occur in the latter part of last week, we found the perfect excuse to go up and visit Tagaytay and try out two places we have not been to before, Pamana restaurant and Puzzle Mansion. We also included two destinations we have been to already in our itinerary, Sonya's Garden and Chapel on the Hill.

We started out early to avoid the expected traffic on the way since some schools have opened last week and we wanted to be in time for lunch in Pamana on our way down from Chapel on the Hill. We designed the route we will take to begin on the farthest of our four destinations coming from Emilio Aguinaldo Highway, Chapel on the Hill, and end in our last stop, Pamana, which is the nearest from Emilio Aguinaldo Highway.

Chapel On The Hill near Tagaytay signage

The Chapel On The Hill in Batulao, Batangas

I first heard of this chapel in a television show years ago and my curiosity about this chapel peaked when the host of the show mentioned about a labyrinth inside the chapel. 

A drawing of the labyrinth at the Chapel on the Hill

The first time I visited this special place was memorable that I always include it as a must-visit destination every time I have the opportunity to go to the south.

We had to go up a flight of stairs at the side entrance to reach the chapel. Once up, a short walk towards the chapel followed. Before entering the chapel and walking through the labyrinth, one needs to walk to his right first and read the instructions written on a marble slab placed on a boulder of rock, in order to enjoy a meaningful journey inside the labyrinth.

This dedication is right beside the boulder of rock with the marble slab where the instructions on how to use the labyrinth is written

The Labyrinth, Journey into Inner Peace

The marble slab where instructions on how to use the labyrinth is written

As written on the marble slab, the labyrinth is a sacred circle with a single path that leads to its center. Walking the path leads itself to prayer and meditation. This kinesthetic style of prayer is especially valuable during those times when words cannot express the depths or heights of our experience.

One needs to remove his shoes when he walks through the labyrinth. This is done as an act of humility and letting go and connecting one's self to the earth.

One approaches the labyrinth for different reasons. The reason maybe to reflect, to intercede, to ask, or to express gratitude.

Whatever the reason, the peace and calmness that one experiences when he reaches the center of the labyrinth makes the journey worth taking.

The first time that I approached the labyrinth and reached its center, I closed my eyes while facing the simple altar inside the chapel. I felt the cool wind touch my face and while taking deep breathes felt that I was alone, although there were friends beside me at the center at the time. I connected with God and whatever burden I brought with me  vanished and the assurance that everything will be alright was the gift that I brought home with me.

The labyrinth inside the Chapel On The Hill

The path near the center of the labyrinth

The center of the labyrinth

The simple altar that one faces upon reaching the center of the labyrinth

A stained glass window above the cross with the blue colored forms representing footsteps (this is my unverified interpretation though)

A statue on the grounds of the chapel which I failed to look   at to identify

This time was no different. I still experienced peace and a quieting of any worries that I had.

If you find yourself needing refuge, seeking for an answer or maybe dreaming to get away from it all, this is a place I recommend that you go to. It is near Manila and guaranteed to soothe your tired spirit. 

Our next stop was Sonya's Garden which I will write about in a separate post.

Please feel free to comment : ).