Journey to Bataan | Mt. Samat, Balanga City and Morong

Bataan is one of the great place for historical  and old buildings, i went to Bataan to explore the Mt. Samat, Las Casas De Acuzar and many more. Start to Manila i flew from Iloilo around 1:30 in the morning and catch the 1st  trip of genesis bus going to Balanga City at 3:00am. I arrived at Balanga around  6:50am that supposed to be at 5:30am. I hate genesis bus because they don't even turn off the light or to deemed it all the way to Bataan and i can't sleep, also there's a lot of stop over to pick up some passengers in the road, its so annoying to me.

I ate my breakfast in one of the carenderia near in the terminal I ordered pork adobo, sunny side up egg and 1 cup of rice for 50pesos to energize my body before to start my adventure. I start of Walking tour in the City hall, Balanga Cathedral and The nearby attraction before heading to Mt. Samat in Pilar.

I went back to the terminal and ride a jeep with route Cabog-Cabog and drop off in the highway of Pilar going to Mt. Samat. I arrived at Pilar and asked the tricycle driver in main road how much will cost to me if i hire him and take me to Gate of Mt. Samat and he say 400.00 pesos, for me it's too much so i declined, he also told me to wait for other traveler to split in the fare, I'm thinking if i wait, it will takes time. Time is Gold so I trek all the way to samat, I thought it just about a kilometer unfortunately I was wrong.

When I was in almost 1.5 kilometer i saw a guy working on the sidewalk I asked him if I already near in samat, he says that I need to hike about 5.5 kilometers more,I said to myself "Oh my, this is too early for Holy Week hahaha"  I don't have a choice because i already started this, so i will finish it.

I walk calm and relaxed but my feet felt going to give up, 1 hour ago i stopped and waiting to hitches to other traveler, but no one stop to give me a ride, I am walking alone in the road and thinking not to give up and there's no one around but only me, 2 hours later i saw guy again working and i ask him if I am near to the Samat? He replied to me it is about 3 kilometers more from here, but it will be shortened if you use the other way the shortcut it is about 1 kilometer going to Samat, Unfortunately, I did not use the shortcut because there's a lot of wild animals hahha, so I keep going and choose the 3 kilometers instead. Almost 3 hours when I feel that I'm already near, when I see a glimpse of the cross, I keep walking until finally reached my destination.

I arrived the gate almost 3 hours and rest for a while, I brought 2 bottles of Coke to cure my thirstiness  because i already consume my 2 bottled water.The guard asked me who's with me I replied I'm traveling solo, despite of my tiredness ate Esperanza  the store owner approach me and offer me a lunch, when she know that I'm ilongo, I refused to accept because I'm shy lol but she insisted so i grab and eat it , in to exchange I gave them back a 1 pack of Piyaya that I brought from iloilo that supposed  to give them in my friend in manila  and I told her that while eating just imagine that you are in iloilo.

They informed me that the elevator going to the top view got broke down 2 weeks ago, "I said to myself, I hike 7 kilometers to see  a good view of the entire Bataan, but this? The elevator got broke down" I asked the guard if is allowed to use the stairs going to the top, he replied that they don't allow anybody to use it because its dangerous, I am a little bit disappointed of this trip though.   

12:30pm when I decided to visit the museum to take a photo ops, I don't try to attempt to hike again to the cross because its useless,30 minutes later i went back to the guard house and waited a van,bus or tricycle to hitches going to the main road. Lucky me the husband of ate Esperanza offer me a ride and i asked him how much? He replied just 100 pesos, before i sat down to his tricycle i give the 100 pesos for fare so that he will never change his mind to increase, hahaha.

I arrived at the main road 15 minutes later  and waited a minibus or Jeep going to Bagac, while waiting i made a "chismiss" conversation with the people there, they asked me where I am going, I replied I'm going to Bagac at Las Casas De Acuzar. The tricycle driver informed me that the Las Casas day tour fee was increased already at 999.00 pesos instead of 680.00 pesos as per other blog I read. I said 999 ? oh s**t i can't afford that, "kuya driver said" at least I informed you before you headed to Bagac. I changed my mind and i decided not to pursue the Las Casas instead heading to Morong where my booked accommodation is.

I booked my accommodation through Airbnb, I find the place so relaxing. The people of Barangay Mabayo, Morong Bataan is very friendly  and nice, I was welcomed by my host the family of Ate Marilyn the caretaker of the house. I really love local people, maybe because i love off beaten path adventure. Merilyn the daughter of ate Marilyn toured me around in their place, as always the life of people far from the city is very simple.

I love how they live there, the kids are playing in the streets that no one can't stop them, the happiness that you can see in their face and every kid around they can play with freedom until sunset.

I fall i sleep around 5:30pm in my room and the family wakes me up at 7pm to take my dinner. I don't expect that they will serve a dinner for me, I feel like I'm home and the family is very caring, I really appreciate their effort. They served a fresh grilled fish and I don't know what is the name, it just like family of tuna. We eat together on the floor of their cottage and  she told me after my dinner that I can go back to sleep again because they know how tired i am.

I slept well even there's a lot of mosquitos hahaha, I woke up around 6:30am and they offered me a coffee, but instead i brought some food outside to be cooked for our breakfast, I cooked a scramble egg and sardines with fried rice. Hmmm Yummy!

My Family/Host

I left the house by 8am and walk to the main road, one of the tricycle drivers noticed me why i'm walking instead riding a tricycle, he asked me "oh why are you walking you did not find any tricycle inside?: I replied I'm walking because I am #BUDGETARIAN and his laugh. :) 

I waited a minibus going to Subic and meet some of my friends.
I promised to myself that i will go back here again before 2017.