Pink Sisters' Convent - Tagaytay City

We (My brother and his wife, my other brother's girlfriend and I) left Quezon City last January 31, 2014 for Tagaytay at 4:45 am to make it on time to hear the 6:30 am mass at the Pink Sisters' Convent.  This did not happen because of the traffic at EDSA that morning due to some road re-blocking.  We reached Tagaytay a few minutes after seven.

From the Olivarez Bus Terminal, we took a tricycle and told the driver we were going to the Pink Sisters' Convent or The Convent of Divine Mercy which was located at Holy Spirit Drive, Tagaytay City. The ride cost us P40.00.



The Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration or the Pink Sisters because of the pink habit their wore lead a contemplative life.  Here at the convent the nuns take turns praying every hour before the Blessed Sacrament.

St. Arnold Janssen founded the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters

Being a place of worship visitors should wear proper clothes and refrain from making noises.

Visitors can pray inside the convent's chapel, write their petitions and place it inside the designated box so the sisters can pray for it.  In the same box, you can drop your donations to support the congregation.

After saying our prayers and writing our petitions, we strolled around the garden of the convent and took pictures.


The place was very peaceful and solemn which was really conducive to praying and meditation .  The garden was beautiful and well taken care of.

There's a gift shop inside the convent but it was still close when we visited the place.

Our next destination after the Pink Sisters' Convent was at the People's Park in the Sky.

Sky Ranch - Tagaytay's Newest Attraction

To continue with our day tour of Tagaytay, after having lunch in Chowking (at the Rotunda), we (my brother and his wife, my other brother's girlfriend and I) hailed a jeep going to Mendez, Cavite.  We then asked the driver to drop us off at Sky Ranch. The jeepney fare was only P8.00.

Sky Ranch is the name of the complex while the amusement park is known as the Sky Fun.  Inside Sky Ranch aside from the amusement park, are food stalls, gazebos and restaurants.  Sky Ranch offers horseback riding at P250 for 30 minutes and there's a zipline as well.

Posing at the entrance

Sky Ranch's Map

Lining up for the tickets

Taking a rest at one of the gazebos

Entrance fee was P100.00 but since there was a promo we only paid P50.00 per person.    Guests at Sky Ranch were not allowed to bring in food and beverages.

You have to pay for each of the ride in Sky Fun.  They don't have a ride all you can ticket.  Most of the rides were intended for the kids.  Adults on the other hand will enjoy riding the Viking and the Sky Eye.

Price of the other rides:
Super Viking - P100
Nessie Coaster - P50
Mini Viking - P50
Wonder Flight - P50
Red Baron - P50
Express Train - P50

Sky Eye or the Tagaytay Eye is the tallest Ferris wheel in the country at 63 feet with 32 gondolas. This was the park's main attraction. Each gondola can accommodate four persons.  A ride cost P150.00/pax.

I am a scaredy cat and I hate heights!  But since it was Chinese New Year, I decided to try something I've never done before which is to ride a Ferris wheel.  So despite my apprehension I've decided to buy a ticket for the Sky Eye.

The view from the gondola

Taking pictures from inside the gondola

Me, all smiles and conquering my fear

Riding the Ferris wheel only took a few minutes. It was just one complete loop at the Ferris wheel and the ride ended. I savor the moment I was on it because I got to beat my fear and enjoy the Tagaytay scenery.

Sky Ranch I must say had the most breathtaking view of the Taal Ridge, Taal Lake and the Taal Volcano.

What a sight

Sky Ranch was our last destination for the day.  Before riding the bus to take us to Manila, we got some pasalubong from Loumar's.

Our Yummy pasalubong - Buko Pie, Buko Tart, Pastillas, Yema Tart, Uraro cookies, Panocha

Tagaytay City's - People's Park In the Sky

Because Chinese New Year was a holiday, my brother and his wife, my other brother's girlfriend and I decided to go to Tagaytay City and took advantage of this day off from work.

We were already at the Coastal Mall Bus Terminal at 5:30 am and were already in Tagaytay City by 7:00 a.m. Our bus fare cost us P74.00 each.

The aircon of the San Agustin bus that we rode was really cold and all I wanted was to step out of the bus to warm myself.  I can't wait to get off at Tagaytay.  Little did I know that Tagaytay was even colder than the bus' aircon.

Stepping out of the bus, we were greeted by the cold air of Tagaytay and the wind was blowing very hard as well.  My long sleeves shirt and sweater is no match for Tagaytay's weather.

Our first stop was at the Pink Sisters' Convent which was at Holy Spirit Drive.  I'll post a much lengthier post on this convent next time.  We said our prayers and offered our petitions here.

From the Pink Sisters' Convent we went to the People's Park in the Sky.  We rode a tricycle to People's Park in the Sky which is also known as Palace in the Sky.  The tricycle driver charged as P100.00.  It was a long drive from Olivarez.  We even passed by the Picnic Groove and Tierra De Maria.  It felt like we were going to the other end of Tagaytay.

There were a lot of tourists here at Palace in the Sky.  We paid P30.00 each for entrance.  At the entrance of the park you can take a jeepney ride for P5.00 to take you to the shrine and the mansion.  We opted to take the hike to the top.

People's Park in the Sky was located at Mount Gonzales.  Before it was known as Palace in the Sky during President Marcos' administration.  In the 1980's, the government started building a mansion here for the Marcoses and the construction was hastened in the 1981 so that it will be completed in time for President Reagan's visit to the Philippines but this did not push through.  When the Marcoses left the Philippines, the new government converted this incomplete mansion into a park and became known as the People's Park in the Sky.

This place had a breathtaking view of the Taal Volcano, Taal Lake and the Taal Ridge, and at its elevation, it was very windy and colder here.There's a shrine of the Our Lady of Fair Love and a Doppler Weather Station of the PAGASA inside the park.

There are picnic huts you can rent, food stalls and souvenir shops here.

It was just sad that the place has fallen into ruin.  I wonder where P30.00 we paid go into.

The place was rusty.  A fresh coat of paint was badly needed for the structures.

The signage had incomplete letters in it and was covered in moss.

I hope the city of Tagaytay can do something about the state of the People's Park in the Sky.

From People's Park in the Sky, we went to Tagaytay's newest attraction which is Sky Ranch.  Watch out for my post on it!

Maginhawa Food Trip: Parrillada Grill

Just barely a week after having a dinner date with my boyfriend at Via Antonella and Gayuma ni Maria, we were back at the Maginhawa food strip.

This time we had lunch at Parrillada Grill with my boyfriend's sister and nephew.  We came from a medical check-up at Saint Luke's and Ate (my boyfriend's sister) wanted something to eat that is not from Jollibee, Mc Donald's and other fast food joint.  Boyfriend and I suggested that we go to Maginhawa Street and look for a place that would be interesting to eat.

We were supposed to eat at Bowl and Brew but because there was no available parking space this did not push through.  We were really hungry so when we saw the restaurants near Makadios Street we decided that will eat in one of those.

Parrillada Grill is one of the new restaurants along Maginhawa Street.  The restaurant opened in September 15, 2013.

The restaurant has a very homey feel.  I liked the couch by the wall and the colorful throw pillows on it.

Their menu consists of grilled dishes, Pinoy favorite viands and other well-loved comfort foods.  The servers were very polite and attentive.

This is what we ordered:

Chicken Fingers

Seafood Pasta

Tinumis

Mediterranean Ribs 

I was not able to get the individual price of each of the dish that we had but everything in the menu was affordable.  Everything we had taste delicious.

So if ever you are in the Maginhawa area don't forget to give Parrillada Grill a try!