As I miss the Philippines, the weather, the ambiance, the nature, the waters, and most of all, the people — family, friends, random strangers on the streets, I’m sharing this entry today about a family trip in the summer of 2012.

It is one of the most visited spots found in Cavite, the Historical Capital of the Philippines. Cavite is where Emilio Aguinaldo, the first President of the country, declared Philippine independence from Spain on June 12, 1898.  It also the smallest province in the region, covering 1, 427.06 square kilometers of land.

It is believed that Cavite’s name came from the word “kawit”, meaning “hook”. Others propose it came from “kabit”, meaning “joined/connected” as evidenced by its topography.

Overlooking the Taal Lake in the province of Batangas is a component city of Cavite–Tagaytay. Tagaytay is a favorite tourist destination because of its beautiful scenery and cool climate. Another reason why it is a well-loved escape is its close proximity to the city of Manila. There are several spots you can visit in Tagaytay, like: one of the biggest schools of theology in the country, the Divine Word Seminary; the Japanese Friendship Garden; a strip of fancy restaurants and bars called One Destination; People’s Park in the Sky; the Pink Sister’s Convent; Tagaytay Highlands, and of course, the Picnic Grove.

We visited the Grove for some picnic, boardwalking, and just lazing around. It had free entrance at that time, so all we had to worry about is renting a hut/cottage and availing of fun activities like horseback-riding, ziplining, and going down the slope, boating and seeing the mouth of Taal Volcano up-close.

Horses for rent have beautiful names, like George, Peter, Richard and Luisa. Visitors pay an hourly rate for horseback-riding. Going for a walk is also fun. The place is surrounded by greenery and you might be surprised to see some exotic plants and insects.

There’s an eco trail that leads to beaitiful views of the lake and the volcano.

For brave souls out there:

Presenting: One of the smallest volcanoes in the world! An island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island in the Pacific Ocean! The Taal Volcano is a complex volcano, and is the 2nd most active one in PH with 38 recorded eruptions (as of 2024; source: wikipedia). It has been very active in the past couple of years, and it has been a bit worrisome because of the residential areas located near it.

For additional information about Taal Volcano: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taal_Volcano. And oh, if ever you will visit Tagaytay, don’t forget to try all the delicious pastries, pies, cakes, and delicacies they offer!

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