MEComposing

Last May, we made plans for a department outing in Zambales... then tragedy struck and one of our colleagues was widowed. So, we did not push through with the planned outing since it didn't seem ok to be having fun while a wife and son are grieving in our midst.

Last August, we planned an outing in Pansol... as a despedida for our retiring Division Manager. Tragedy struck again, and a colleague lost a sister. Again, plans for the outing were shelved.

Then Boss Len got accepted in ADB and since she was a favorite among us, we made plans again for another outing. Then tragedy struck again... our other Div. Mngr. lost her mother. But with her blessing, we resolved to push through with the despedida thingie since it's starting to feel like the more we don't have it, the more people are dying among our loved ones. Superstitious crap, we know. But it's one of those coincidences that don't feel good when you ponder them.

Plus, it's Len... we love her!

So I recommended Villa Valencia II, a resort (049-8343201, Lolit) I used to frequent with internet friends years ago. And by golly, the memories rendered me quiet for at least 3 hours when we got there.

The gazebo where the videoke equipment is... where we used to dance to songs like HORNY... and where I once allowed to have a girl friend put some salt on me (and the saltshaker cover came off and I was showered with iodized salt all over my belly) for tequila bodyshots... the stairs where a former admirer asked a girl friend of mine to touch his pecker so she could tell him if it was really small... the rooms where quickies hapened... and commitments to relationships transpired... the room where I got my girl friends to let me take pictures of them in their brassiers... or sans brassieres... the nook where two of my favorite boys decided to lounge watching the girls kissing each other in the pool... myself dodging someone's tongue on my shoulder... on my ear...

Sigh...

Videoke Nook


Tables and sink downstairs, plus 2 bathrooms... bedrooms upstairs


bedroom with 8 beds (you just haver to duck when you're changing because people can see you from outside)


the pool


the falls that bring fresh, hotspring water


the star... not Mariang Makiling but a Mariang someone else

And that's only for Villa Valencia II. At the other side is Villa Valencia I (049-5451763, Remy), where a drunk girl friend decided to borrow someone's shirt and shorts and dive into the pool braless... to get the attention of this guy she was dating, but who started dating someone else... and watching their tug-of-war over that guy all night... and myself forgetting my towel and having to wait in the shower till I get dry enough to change into my dry clothes... and again, that sniffing nose and stolen caresses of this guy... who could have had the diver girl (who was Donita Rose pretty) but was just really so into me... and the whole night of dodging him and his seduction...


the rectangular pool with slide


the rooms


the room and beds

Anyway, for those interested to go... Villa Valencia II is neatly tucked away from the road... it's more romantic than Valencia I (but Valencia I has a bigger garage, and 2 rooms of equal size that fits 8 beds ea) and more compact... it's not hospital (or hotel) sterile but it's clean and nice and you can barbecue there. It costs P3,500 if you rent the place from 6 PM to 6 AM the following day... or P2,500 if you rent it during the day... or P6,000 if you rent it overnight and extend to the whole day, or even only until noon the following day. Cheap huh!

Valencia II has 8 beds in one room (one of which is queen-sized) while the other room only had 3 beds. We usually give that room to the guys since they can sleep wherever naman... and since they mostly drink till the wee hours, they don't require that much space. We've used the place several times already before for overnight swimming gimiks... and none were victimized by theft that has become common in Pansol, Laguna. Maybe because at Valencia II, there's no other way of going to the rooms except through the stairs, which everyone can watch from anywhere in the place.

Rooms aren't air-conditioned and there's no ref... but you can heat food because there's a gas stove... and you can pre-order San Mig Lite or Pilsen from them in advance (P500/case for SML). And use of the videoke is already covered by the rent (so yea, truly no possible way one can really sleep!).

The general direction how to get there is... if coming from Manila, watch out for the Binalot resto on your right (this food place comes after the 2nd set of railway tracks you'd cross). Just a minute from that place you'd see a sign for Wonder Springs Resort, but you turn RIGHT on the street before Wonder Springs. At the end of that street is a barangay outpost deadend, and you turn LEFT there... and then turn RIGHT again at the first corner. Valencia II comes before Valencia I on your left. (e-mail me for the map, which would only show you the directions I gave anyway).

The cooler thing is that... there IS a 24-hour Binalot resto near it, and for a measly P50 they're willing to deliver. You can also call ahead and pre-order food if you want. 049-5453193. What to order? :)




Yes, I love that place. Hubby is taking his team there to unwind this coming weekend.

*~*

A new week starts for all of us tomorrow... and one of the coolest Moms I know i'd ever meet will no longer be a regular part of my days. Gone are the talks about anything and everything and reminiscences about anything and everything... I'm sure going to miss her. And I still wish I can at least be half the woman she is. Because she's really great... really amazing... really wonderful... really cool... really loving... really wise... really principled... really admirable.