Choose your own adventure in Bulacan

 

According to local legend, the city was named after Saint Joseph after hunters found his statue in the forest. It is the first city in Bulacan, known as the "Cradle of Heroes" for its historic spots including the Barasoain Church, the Gen. Gregorio del Pilar Landmark, and the Huseng Batute marker.

 

San Jose Del Monte is home to the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, which is an exact replica of the Lourdes Grotto in France. Built in 1963, the church is filled with devotees during Holy Week, who visit the six-foot image of the Virgin Mary believed to have healing powers. 

 

The grotto is cared for by Marietta Guazon-Holgrem, whose parents had it built using local materials. "Pati ‘yung Poon ng Mahal na Birhen, dito din po galing ‘yan… ‘Yung pong kahoy. Kaya naman talagang maipagmamalaki ang mga Bulakenyo. Talagang matatag na matatag. Masipag!" Holgrem told Weekend Warriors Raymard Gutierrez and Dan Trejano.

 

Holgrem cleans the grotto every Tuesday, and sprays the image with a perfume she made herself. "Bilin po ng nanay ko. Kasi noon siya po ang gumagawa nito, kasi gusto niya malinis na malinis at mabango," says Holgrem.

 

Trekking, swimming, strolling

 

Visiting the miraculous Lourdes Grotto is just one of many things you can do in San Jose Del Monte City. Certified couch potatoes like Dan and Mards can begin exploring by swimming at the Grotto Vista Resort, trekking along the river to the Kaytitinga Falls, or strolling around the Santo Cristo Orchidarium. As Weekend Warriors, they had to face some difficult challenges, but before that, they began by trekking to the Kaytitinga Falls. 

 

The three-level falls can be reached after about an hour of trekking through a forest, where members of the Dumagat tribe still live, planting root crops like kamote and talbos for a living. Although it's not exactly easy to get to the falls, it's all worth it when you reach the fresh, cool water. "Malamig ang tubig, fresh! Kitang kita mo na malinis e. ‘Yun ‘yung mga bagay na ‘di mo makikita sa pinanggalingan namin," says Dan. 

 

If you prefer to simply stroll and feast your eyes on beautiful flowers, head to the Santo Cristo Orchidarium, where orchids and other ornamental plants and even mushrooms are cultured in the laboratory. The lab, which is 10 times more sterile than an operating room, is designed to produce flowers so perfect, it's hard to believe they're real.

 

Adventure trip

 

Those who are ready for some serious challenges should head to Paradise Adventure Camp, where you can go zip-lining, jet skiing, wall climbing, and rappelling. 

 

Daredevils can test their physical strength at the Tree Corridor. With its hanging bridge and swinging logs, the Tree Corridor is definitely not for anyone who is afraid of heights. No doubt, these activities are great for burning calories. 

 

In case you need to replenish with food, San Jose Del Monte has several excellent eating places to choose from. From scrumptious seafood and fresh vegetables at Chloe's to TRF's mouthwatering bulalo, this place is heaven for foodies like Dan and Mard. At TRF, the meat is cooked for six hours, and the oil is removed before the steaming soup dish is served to customers.

 

San Jose Del Monte is a hilly place, with the majestic Sierra Madre to the east. As Dan and Mards discovered, one of the best spots in the city is at Dante's Peak, which is 1,000 feet above sea level. The Weekend Warriors trekked to Dante's Peak, named in 2004 after the 1997 movie starring Pierce Brosnan. 

 

For Dan, who usually avoids stairs, the 130 minutes of climbing must have felt like forever. But the Weekend Warriors didn't stop, and eventually reached the top, where they could see as far as Manila Bay, NLEX, Laguna de Bay and the Angat dam. 

 

"Sulit na sulit!" says Mard. Dan agrees, adding that victory is sweetest after going through hardships. "It's more fun in San Jose Del Monte! It's more fun in the Philippines talaga!" he says. The view is lovely during the daytime, and at night, the city lights sparkle like gems. "It is truly a wonderful experience," they agreed.

 

While the Weekend Warriors weren't able to complete all their travel missions, the experience itself was rewarding.

 

"I've realized that I can do better than I expected. I've climbed a mountain!" says Dan. "I realized that physical activities also have their own merit! They can be as fun as computer games… pero surprisingly enough, na-surpass ko ‘yung expectations ko about myself sa physical activities. Kasi expected ko talaga ‘di ako makakaakyat ng bundok. Hihingalin ako diyan, especially ‘yung sa Dante’s Peak," says Mard.

 

Although they were disappointed at not winning, the Weekend Warriors found that the experience was a reward in itself. "Nakilala ko itong San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan na meron palang adventure place just an hour away from Metro Manila. Isa pa… na-experience ko din ‘yung sarili ko na gawin ‘yung mga bagay na kahit ayaw kong gawin," says Dan. –KG, GMA News

 

“Weekend Getaway,” hosted by Drew Arellano, is a reality travel show for real weekend warriors. It airs Fridays at 10 p.m. on GMA News TV Channel 11.