This year's Maundy Thursday schedule was a day tour of Villa Escudero Plantation and Resort to experience the country life and to get a breather from the hustle and bustle of the metro. 

 Reservation is not compulsory as they accommodate walk-ins but if you are planning on going during a holiday it's better to give them a call rather than using the online reservation form as it is faster. Surprisingly, we still paid the P1250 rate instead of P1400 even though Maundy Thursday is a declared holiday. They open at 8 AM and it's better to go in early so that you can have the place almost to yourselves.

 The 2-hour drive mentioned in the website turned into 3 hours due to the holy week traffic rush at SLEX and Sto. Tomas, Batangas. The entrance to this coconut plantation and hacienda is located just after the Quezon arch. You can commute as it is easy to find but during the holidays it's better if you bring your own transportation. Directions can be found in their website too.
the dirt road leading where you can see lots of coconut trees along the way

a scenery of the rural life will greet you outside the reception hall
inside the reception hall
Sago't gulaman was served as the welcome drink and the ticket included carabao cart rides, lunch at the waterfalls, entrance to the AERA museum and use of outdoor recreational facilities like the pool, bamboo raft, fishing, etc.  


Sadly we didn't get to experience the cultural show as they were preparing for the procession for Good Friday. We were also supposed to do an overnight stay but by the time we scheduled our reservation, the lodgings were all fully booked. During the day, we also didn't see the colorful jeepney mentioned in the website.

 First stop was the AERA museum which was just across the reception, through a covered walkway. It was amazing to see an old BLTBCo bus parked beside it (and it's still in good working condition though a bit dusty) as well as an old plane and old weaponry in the overlooking garden. 
posted just outside the museum
 

As stated in their website:
The AERA Memorial Museum, founded by spouses Arsenio and Rosario Escudero, houses one of the largest collections in the country, unmatched in its eclectic diversity. Housed in a replica of a long-gone church in Intramuros with painted trompe-l'oeil ceilings, the present building opened for viewing in 1987. The core of the collection is its trove of colonial religious art. The superbly executed silver altars, gilded carrozas, ivory santos, embroidered vestments and intricately carved inages and bas-reliefs and tableaux, most dating from the Spanish colonial era are a testimony to the artistry and piety of the Filipino. Reflecting a lifetime of dedicated collecting and the wide-ranging interest of the Escudero couple, there are also extensive collections of Oriental ceramics, natural history and ethnographic dioramas, costumes, household furniture, weaponry and many other items of interest collected in their travels around the world.
Big bags and packages were required to be checked in at the baggage counter at the entrance and no photography is allowed. They even have a warning stating that there are CCTV cameras installed inside. This saddened me a bit but I did understand why once we get inside the museum. 

 Truly a collection indeed! We started off at the left side which housed taxidermy of different species of animals as well as different shell and insect species to name a few. If I remember it correctly, the statue at the end of the hallway is of Christ the King. At the hallway going to the right side, there were different  religious artifacts as well as vestments and an old wooden door. The right hallway boasts of different paintings as well as dioramas. On the second floor, my mom was so fascinated with Don Arsenio's love letters to Charing (Donya Rosario) since most of them were handwritten and beautifully preserved. The letters were pretty detailed and can give you a glimpse of their life back then. 

 Moving on to the right side of the upper floor, there was even an old US diving apparatus and a ship made out of cloves! Then rows and rows of pottery, ceramics and Chinaware. The left side housed silverwares, a cane used by the Hermana Mayor, different clothing from history (as well as different presidents and notable people) and even very small items like the smallest peacock figurine I've ever seen as well as miniature dining sets (I admit I've been a fan of these ever since I've received one when I was a child). And just before you head back down, there's even a collection of Jose Rizal's letters enclosed in glass.

 The staff at the baggage counter said that it would just be a 10-15 minutes tour but that was definitely an understatement for me especially since I'm a history fan. 

 BTW, you can get your pictures taken by the resort's official photographers (they're wearing Villa Escudero tshirts so you won't miss them) and have it printed for a fee of P150 each photo. It's not compulsory to buy the photos though so don't worry.

 Beside the museum is the Plantation House painted in the same shade of pink as the museum. The house is off-limits but you can have your photos taken with the statue and marker in front. 

Next is the Carabao Cart Ride. We got the pleasure of riding with Mutya, a very healthy water buffalo (unlike the malnourished ones you usually see in rice farms nowadays), and three Escudero staffs (one is the driver, one guitarist and a folk singer). 

enjoy the carabao cart ride with a serenade of folk songs
oh hey you beautiful bird
relaxin, the carabao way

 The ride ended at the entrance of the resort where you can see a playground and a covered pathway. The left leads to the restaurant, the lake, pool and villas and the right side will lead you to the waterfalls restaurant. We definitely picked the waterfalls restaurant first but forgot that it doesn't open until 11am so we decided to shoot the breeze over at the left side.





The Labasin waterfalls was very fascinating in a way that it is man-made and because Don Arsenio was the first to build the country's working hydro-electric plant. 



The food however was not that spectacular and not because they were serving Filipino food. I've had my fair share of good Filipino food from our different provinces and I guess I was just expecting them to showcase food specialties from Laguna and Quezon. Stomach was still pretty satisfied though. 

 There were two buffet stations and it's better to go to the the other one since the line is shorter even if it's a challenge for me to walk in very cold and fast running water with a plate and bowl full to the brim without spilling a drop. We had to change tables midway because of the searing heat and ended up eating in the covered area where you can still get a view of the falls and is near the hand wash sink. This is the most popular attraction and we definitely had lots of family and solo pictures here just like the other tourists.


it's been so long since I've seen a dragonfly!

 Since I don't know how to swim, I didn't dare try the pool. I wanted to try the bamboo raft but fear got the best of me as well as the long line so the little brother and I just settled for the fishing. We paid P100 for the bamboo pole rental (thought that was included in the amenities, but no) and the bait. Unfortunately, since the tilapias were too far away only the small fishes near the edges were the ones attracted by the bait. They were very small biters so we failed in catching a fish this time. Ha!



guardian of Labasin
We also tried the halo-halo at the restaurant for merienda (little brother ordered chocolate milkshake) and it was surprisingly good but had my mom finish it since I'm not really a fan of halo-halo. 


The ride back still took 3 hours due to traffic near the toll at Sto. Tomas Batangas. 

 All in all, it was an enjoyable and refreshing trip but I felt that the entrance fee would be worth it only if you get to do most of the other activities mentioned in the site. It was still worth seeing though. Impeccable service and hospitality by the staff too. :)