The travel bug bit me again when I started to settled in the BTMS Project. I never thought my younger colleagues also have the same travel bug I felt waiting to be awakened. So our fotmer QA team member, Francis Olivarez, organized an island hopping trip to Isla Verde in Batangas City.
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| Stopover for dinner at San Pedro Foodstop |
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| The Slumber Party |
This was definitely the first for BTMS team, involving reps from the Joint Venture, FreeBalance and Globe-Innove, and the Government's Project Management counterpart. Six persons signed in, Luch, Alma, Aya, Bien, myself and Francis. We were joined by a friend of Alma, a friend of Aya, Francis' fiancee and sister.
The journey to Batangas started after the last hour at the office on Friday, March 24. Two cars were convoying, one of Francis and another of Luch. The ten of us squeezed in the vacation house of Francis' girlfriends' family to spend overnight. Before that slumber, we spend few hours at the rocky beach side of Brgy Ilijan playing the "bobo" (translation: brainless) game and drinking liquors in between.
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| Brgy Ilijan shoreline |
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| "All aboard" |
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| Isla Verde first stop: Rock formation |
The islet is true to its monicker, Isla Verde, because it's all green and unspoiled piece of land. We started our hop at the other end where a parcel of clay coated rock shut up so close to the seawaters, and it's backdrop is the silhouette of Mindoro islands. The group spent a while snorkeling around the area, while I was busy taking my almost naked selfies.
Then we cruised the opposite end of the islet which is the best site for picnicking. The rock formations in this point of Isla Verde is impressive, picturesque, and so natural. Here we spent most of our time, grilling fish and meat for our lunch, observing locals doing their industry (collecting rock fishes for sale, catering to markets fond of maintaining aquariums), and taking more selfies of course.
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| Huge rock along the shoreline |
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| Another huge rock in the middle of the beach |
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| The nautical highway in between Isla Verde and Luzon mainland |
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| Where the small community can be found |
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| Isla Verde's fishing industry |
After the sumptuous but late lunch, we headed back to the mainland. The tour did not end in Isla Verde, it continued on to jumping and diving at Ilijan Falls.
The falls is located in the remotest area of the barangay. Although the road is paved and some parts of the area are developed, we curious guests reached the peak where only brave and fit individuals could get. Since it was summertime, the fall was expected to be thin and safe for cliff diving or just mere jumping.
The BTMS had an enjoyable weekend... and proud to have discovered unique tour destinations in this side of Batangas City.
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