27/09/2023
So picture this – me, Gelay, and Inchang, all set for an epic adventure. August was a bit slow for me, so September was like, 'Let's make things exciting again!' And what did we choose for our comeback hike? Aliw Falls, baby!
I'd been dreaming about this place for like two years! I saw pictures online, and I couldn't believe if it was real or not. Last time, we got lost and ended up at Hulugan Falls. But hey, we weren't giving up that easily.
So, here's how we got there– we hopped on a bus at Buendia to Sta. Cruz Laguna, then grabbed a jeepney there to Luisiana, and told the driver to drop us off at Dafi Resort. Once we got there, we spotted these signs, and we just followed them to the Registration Area. It only cost us 30 pesos to get in and 300 pesos for our own personal tour guide.
Now, the walk to the falls was like a mini-adventure itself. When we finally laid eyes on Aliw Falls, I couldn't help but take pictures even before we got close. It was like a fairy tale, for real! There was a raft ride that could take you closer to the falls, and normally it cost 100 pesos. But we got on it for free. We also got to the top right side of the falls, where it was not as deep. And let us get soaked.
After all that, we headed back to the Registration Area, cleaned up, and got changed. To add an extra dose of fun to our adventure, we had an idea – why not indulge in some Samgyupsal? I mean, imagine this: you're fresh out of the water, feeling like a kid who just finished a swim, and suddenly, you're hit with the irresistible craving for barbecue, like hotdogs on a grill. That's exactly how we felt.
As we waited for our ride back, fate led us to stumble upon a barbecue stall that would soon become the highlight of our day. Without a second thought, we decided to dive into some barbecue and ditched our original plan. We confidently walked up to their dining table and picked barbecue sticks.
The guy in charge was still busy setting up the fire when we arrived, and I could feel the panic in the air as we casually selected 14 sticks of barbecue. He hurried inside, presumably to seek help from his wife. Being the cheeky customers we were, we took matters into our own hands and got that grill on fire.
With the table set, I couldn't resist giving it a quick wipe for it was a bit not ready. We requested some rice, and as our barbecue sizzled away, Inchang inquired for drinks. To our surprise, the friendly 'kuya' vendor informed us they didn't have any. He generously offered to fetch some from the nearest store.
Of course, there was no signal in the area, and we couldn't help to gasp about it. But you know what was really cool? They shared their Wi-Fi password with us. They also asked if we'd like some bulalo soup but only Inchang wants it. When they brought it over, I swear it was big enough to feed us three. We couldn't get enough of their offers and a little clumsy way of service. We asked for three more servings, only to be served one. Apparently, they'd run out of rice, which left us scratching our heads.
But here's the hilarious twist in this story – after we'd left the table, I couldn't resist asking the vendor if they typically had dine-in customers. And oh boy, were we in for a surprise! Turns out, they usually didn't serve dine-in meals. We basically crashed a barbecue joint and acted like we owned the place demanding all sorts of things, and unintentionally playing food critics. The embarrassment was real! We laughed about it so hard.
But you know what? That 'kuya' running the store was incredibly accommodating, and their food was nothing short of amazing. And there you have it, our adventure to Aliw Falls – a mix of excitement, awe, and some hilarious moments. Can't wait for the next one!"
