If you were born and raised in Suburbia, Manila, then like the rest of us, you would be living most of your adult life driving your car to and from your workplace and depending on where this workplace is, would find yourself exposed several times to the intense heat, humidity, traffic and human congestion that is Metro Manila, be it in Makati, the Downtown area, Pasig, Quezon City or anywhere beginning the whole stretch of Highway 54, from Pasay to SM North EDSA.
Terrible, isn't it? Getting to the office is actually the start of your work-related stress. That is why long-weekends, particularly this year's 4 day observance of Todos Los Santos, is such a welcome respite for us weary denizens of the concrete jungle. Plans to get out of the city becomes the major agenda. Where do we go? I was initially set on joining Eric and his friends to Bantayan Island but the roughly P10,000 price tag made be back off. Not that it was a ridiulous amount, but more of me not wanting to spend that money all in one go. So I decided instead to go up to Tagaytay.
Tagaytay has always been a popular weekend destination by Urbanites because of its cool climate and, despite close proximity to Metro Manila, has maintained its laid-back lifestyle. Quite a number of the Makati and Ortigas executives have purchased properties in Tagaytay and have become weekend farmers. Other hie off to Tagaytay Highlands to play golf, one of the country's premiere Golf Clubs. The rest of the urbanites head to the garden-themed restos and cafes such as Sonya's Garden, Antonio's or Gourmet's cafe, look for a local Diner and savor the piping hot, artery-clogging Bulalo (saraaaaaaap, grabe!), get a much needed spiritual retreat from the many retreat houses of various religious orders, the most popular of which is Caleruega, or just simply soak in the view of Taal Lake surrounding Taal Volcano.
And so, together with a friend from Cebu who flew in for the long weekend, we removed our corporate masks, went up to this mountaintop haven, and de-stressed. En-route to Tagaytay, we made a side visit to Museo De La Salle, a lifestyle museum which showcased the 19th-century Philippine Ilustrado lifestyle. The museum, which was patterned after the "bahay na bato" during that era, houses a collection composed mostly of family heirlooms such as various furniture, ternos, portraits and other decorative objects donated by some of the the country's illustrious families like the Panlilio's, the Guevara's and the Sarmiento's.
We had a grand time going from room to room as our young guide explained the functions of everything that we saw. Going about the house, I was thinking to myself I wouldn't mind having lived during the 19th century. Life was easy and simple....that is, if I was Ilustrado born. Hehe!!! Well, a book I once read said that we are where we're supposed to be for a purpose only known to our Creator. However, at this point of my life where I am 3 years short of being 40 and haven't accomplished nor contributed anything remotely significant to mankind, I would argue with HIM that I would probably have made a better 19th century Mistress of the Manor instead of a confused and fledgling 21st century Asset Manager and part time badminton player and blogger. Haha!!!
That is unless, the Grand Plan for me pala is to sire a son who will be the future President of the Philippines who will ably fix this country's political mess or sire a daughter who will be the next Christiana Amanpour of CNN. Siguro if that happens, my heart would be bursting with love and pride as I watch him/her on TV, making a difference in the world.
Anyway, that's getting too sentimental already and I'm getting teary. Till the next long weekend.
P.S. Overheard my dad giving instructions to our helper to leave a small plate with food on the dining table for the kalag (bisaya for souls), roaming around this Hallow's eve. Told him that Gibby might come home in the early dawn and mistake it for food left for him. Kawawa naman the abuelos, ma-aagawan pa ng pagkain.