Reminiscing my summer of 2021

 

Rainy days and thunderstorms are here again. Restrictions which were a little looser in the early months this year were tightened again. Meanwhile, new variants have triggered new lockdowns. Frustrating as it may, I just want to look back on the places I was able to be allowed in last summer. So this is an early throwback or a super late post..better late than never. These are some of the places I would like to visit again if given the chance. Please note that my descriptions are more of the places than the food.

 

Klub Keluarga Resort (San Juan, Batangas)

 

Tucked away near a mountain within a residential development, I was lucky to have a daytrip there before the March lockdown and no medical certificate was required then. This was the only beach I was able to go since last year. Maybe until this year too, sad. So this beach trip have been quite memorable especially during this pandemic. 

Looking back, how can I forget the luscious halo halo and filling choriburger amidst that relaxing seascape that day. That halo halo and burger will be seared into my memory as one of the happier times during this pandemic. Remembering it now, I just miss the beach. I miss swimming in the warm ocean water floating on my back while looking up the azure skies. I also miss eating near the ocean with a light ocean breeze. 

We also went to a cove near the beach that day. I remember it was quite hot so we placed our towels on our head while we walked on the hot sand. It was hard walking on the sand as our sandals keep getting filled with it. But that short trek was worth it because of the refreshing sight of the ocean and the lapping sound of the waves on that cove. Exhausted, I even laid down in the sand happy to feel the rush of cold water on my back. How I missed that feeling of lying in the sand again. Seeing the ocean after a year of lockdown made me feel quite happy and emotional. Sometimes, you appreciate the freedom to travel when it is taken away from you especially now that we are on lockdown again. Given the chance, I hope to visit here again and I hope soon.

Bukid Amara (Lucban, Quezon)

How can one not appreciate a beautiful place filled with rows of flowers and a glimpse of Mt. Banahaw. It was my second time there because on the first time, it was after a typhoon so the flowers were not that many. But this time around, the blooms were substantial. Varied types of flowers of different colors abound. 

Dining outside with a view of the flower fields and the majestic mountain was a memorable sight because it was not everyday where you can dine like that. And like my time at the beach, halo halo was my go to food that summer, trying to capture it in different backdrops. It was a humid day that day too so the ube topped ice cold halo halo was a great treat. 

After dining and before heading back to our hometown, I bought a variety of petunias in assorted colors for our garden. They have quite a selection of plants and flowers there like the celosias and the petite sunflowers. But if there's one thing I wish I could have done that day, it was to go fishing in their tilapia pond. I have not tried fishing in a while so that would be another activity I could try there and look forward too. Maybe next time.

 

Girasoles Farm (Candelaria, Quezon)

Nature always had a relaxing effect on me and being surrounded by rows of flowers is always an incredible sight. Beside the colorful flora, what I like about this farm were the quirky elements to it like its painted water containers and shaded and decorated pathways. Their souvenirs like the sunflower magnets were also a joy to bring home to as well as their masks with sunflower designs. 

Of course, I also had halo halo here. Having halo halo in different places last summer was something I wanted to do maybe because it was a semblance of normal life during pre-pandemic times, of happier summer days. I especially liked roaming around their radiant sunflowers too. It was a welcome sight during these times. Before we left, I bought different shades of vinca flowers among their wide collection of flowers and plants. Definitely, one of the places I want to visit again.

With the lockdowns restricting our movements again, looking back at these summer photos made me surprisingly hopeful. It reminded me that there are scenic places like these waiting for me to be discovered or be visited again. Venturing outside and watching the beauty of nature unfold somehow restores my mental health after days of anxiousness in the city. I can't wait to travel and maybe sample halo halo in different settings once again.