**For better viewing, kindly visit my multiply site ---> [link] **

Mom, dad, and I went on a 3-day vacation trip to Subic last sem break (October). We finally decided to try travelling! The kind that you do just for fun and relaxation or something (Something I really wanted to do since waaaaay way back..haha). Twas our first vacation trip and I just want to share some photos from it.

The first good thing we experienced was driving along the newly built SCTEX (Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway)! Well relatively new. Haha. It was like driving along a totally different place. The view of the mountains and the cliffs and the vast farms was just amazing! And there were hardly any vehicles around; just one or two behind or in front of you and its all road and nature. Too bad I wasn’t able to take any photos ‘cause I thought it was prohibited to stop there just to take photos and I was scared of being apprehended. Hahaha! Okay, moving on.

One thing you should know ‘bout Subic is that they’re really strict about traffic rules. When they say wear your seatbelts, wear your seatbelts. When there is a STOP sign written on the road, stop even though there are no other cars around. Hahaha! And we learned that. Haha. So, we finally arrived in Subic and naturally, we were unfamiliar with the area and I was going in and out of the car, asking questions, taking photos, and of course I was bound to forget to put my seatbelt back on. Haha! Then we saw a traffic enforcer, asked directions, and he noticed my seatbelt’s not on and poof! There we were, barely an hour in Subic and already caught with a violation. Hahahah! Here is one of the photos I took during that time:

[link] --->Waiting…

Moving on again, hehe! So the next thing we saw was hundreds, maybe thousands of bats sleeping on big trees! They were noisy. Hahaha. But it was pretty amazing to look at. They looked like the leaves or fruits of the trees themselves. = )

Next! The first destination we actually got to was Triboa Bay Mangrove Park. It was such a nice, peaceful, and serene place. If I was about to think deeply or contemplate about something or if ever I wanted to relax and have some quiet time, this is definitely one of the places I would go to. Too bad it’s going to be renovated or turned into something else in the near future (manong caretaker told us). Here are some photos of the place:

[link] --->Everybody Starts Small
[link] --->Another Path Towards Somewhere

After the mangrove park, we proceeded to Zoobic Safari. This is one of the places you should never miss when you go to Subic. I think the fee was about P400 for the whole tour and it was well worth it! I saw lots of animals from rodents, to birds, to different mammals, then snakes, crocodiles, and we even got to feed the tigers!! That was really the best part! You were inside a secure jeepney then you drive around the tigers’ ‘den’ then you feed them with chicken! Haha. About three tigers were around our jeep. I think my face was just about a foot away from the tiger’s! They were really cute but at the same time scary. Haha! It was a nice, new, exciting experience. Oh there were also tame tigers too! You can hug them and have your photo taken with them. I wonder why we didn’t try that. Okay! Here are some photos from the place:

[link] --->Tiger Feeding
[link] --->I Wonder What He’s Thinking
[link] --->Find The Turtle
[link] --->I Would Not Want To Fall Here

After Zoobic Safari, we were practically tired from all the travelling and roaming and being lost (hahaha) so we decided to look for our hotel and check in. We stayed at Courtyard Inn for the duration of our Subic trip and the place was simple, nice, and comfortable. Well it was my very first stay in a hotel so I don’t have any to compare it to (nalaman ko rin na mas masarap parin pala matulog sa sarili mong bahay. Hahaha). What I really liked was that the Inn was situated along Subic Boardwalk meaning that the place was right in front of the shore and the view of the sunrises and sunsets there were nothing short of spectacular. So we had regular walks along the shore every morning and went to see the sunset in the afternoon. Here are some photos of it:

[link] --->Along the Sunset
[link] --->Reflections
[link] --->Nice Parking Space
[link] --->Slim Setting
[link] --->Sky, Mountains, Ocean
[link] --->Slugs Slugs Slugs
[link] --->Follow the Line
[link] --->A Nice Morning Walk
[link] ---> Path Towards Somewhere

Our second day was not that busy because it rained that afternoon. But of course, a trip to Subic would not be complete without visiting Ocean Adventure Park. Here we got to see the dolphin and sealion show and a minizoo and an aquarium! It was well worth the visit = ). Some photos from this place:

[link] Dolphins
[link] Sea Lion
[link] Nemo

And finally! On the third day, we just took a last stroll around town before going home. The things I saw were: The largest Philippine flag I’ve ever seen in my entire life (hahaha); Ships in the Alava Pier; and Yachts at the Subic Yacht Club.

[link] --->A Bit Narcissistic
[link] --->Docked Marvel
[link] ---> Proudly Waving

Whew! Well, that’s about it. My longest DA entry ever. Hahahaha! There were still lots to do in Subic. There were forest trails and waterfalls (which we did not do because my mom wasn’t too fond of forest trails. but I really wanted to. Hahaha) and water sports (jet ski, kayak, etc.), Horse riding, and sooo much more! I think three days are not enough to fully appreciate what Subic has to offer, but I assure you, you really won’t regret going to Subic for a vacation. Tell me about it if you ever got there and experienced something I didn’t (and oh check out Grande Island Resort. It’s an island resort and I really wanted to go there. Hahaha). Alright! Happy Holidays Everyone! Woohoo!

Canon EOS 450D. 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS. Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2.1 and Photoshop CS3.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Sanctitas et Veneratio in Sapientia et Excellentia

Clubs: