Miss Iggy goes camping and befriends a rooster

Schoolgirl Iggy got busy during the summer break!  She and her friends made the most of the sunny weather to go camping at a farm.  She loves the outdoors and camping was a good opportunity to practice her survival skills.

Time to get up Miss Iggy! Make sure your tent's all zipped up when you leave--you wouldn't want any frogs climbing in while you're gone!

Good morning camp!  She sees her fellow campers getting ready for the new day.

Hohoho, look at that big guy!  The rooster woke up Miss Iggy with a big "Tik-ti-la-ok!"

'This is what we're having for breakfast, Miss Iggy," said her friend.

Fried tuyo (dried fish) smells so good!

Hmm, it's such a beautiful morning, I'll go see what the other campers are doing, thought Miss Iggy.

Not surprisingly, she saw them cooking their breakfast.  The campers were divided into groups, and they help each other out in the cooking, washing up, and keeping the campsite tidy.  City kids learned to cook using firewood.

Time to eat!  "Come have breakfast with us, Miss Iggy!" 

After breakfast Miss Iggy set out to look for her friend the big rooster.  The farm had a mini-zoo of wild animals, and she decided to ask around.

"Did you see my friend the rooster, Mr. Hornbill?" asked Miss Iggy.

"Sorry, child," he said, "he has not visited me yet this morn! When you find him can you tell him to drop by later?"  

"Sure! Thank you anyway!" said Miss Iggy, waving goodbye.  She turned around and immediately saw the...

Miss Iggy gulped.  "M-Miss Phyton, I w-was wondering i-if you've seen the b-big brown r-rooster..." she began.

"Have I sss-seen the big, fat, yummy-looking roossster, little one?  Why, yesss, I sss-saw him running along the other sss-side of the garden.  Go and find him and tell him to visssit me, I quite like looking at hisss plump--"

"Thank you, Miss Phyton!  I'll tell him!" shouted Miss Iggy as she quickly ran off.

Miss Iggy searched around the farm.  Suddenly she was startled by a whirl of feathers from above!

The pigeons came to rest in this pagoda-like birdhouse.

What a lovely house, she thought.  Near the lovely birdhouse was a lovely well.  She walked over to the well to take a closer look.

Coins!  That's a lot of wishes down there.  Miss Iggy flipped a coin, closed her eyes, and wished she could find her rooster friend soon.

When Miss Iggy opened her eyes, she saw:

Many, many roosters!  But her friend was not among them!

"Croo, croo," the pigeons up on the tree said, "our birds' eye-view saw your friend the big brown rooster roosting by the rabbits!"

'Thank you!" said Miss Iggy, "May your feathers never fall!" 

"Mr. Rooster! I've found you at last!"

"Oh, hello Miss Iggy, I was just saying hello to the bunnies. Will you walk with me back to camp?"

And so they did, and they enjoyed every step.  Miss Iggy was careful not to pass by the python corner, though.

Miss Iggy at Ambon-Ambon Falls

Still on vacation, Schoolgirl Iggy went on a hike to Ambon-Ambon (in English, "Drizzle-Drizzle") Falls in the town of Talisay in Batangas.  To go there she had to hike down a hill...

...and go around some trees with interesting roots!

Every step was worth it, especially if this is your view.  Ahhh, to be away from the crowded, cemented city and be enfolded in the green canopy of the forest!  Miss Iggy felt like a fairy!

Oh look! There's a tiny water shower already, the falls must be near!

She asked a friend to help her look a bit closer.  The water was refreshingly cool.

Oh, is that it?  "Not yet, Miss Iggy," said her companions.  They continued to trek along the rocks some more...

Surely that must be it!

It's part of it. You're seeing the foot of the falls, Miss Iggy.  We'll stay here for a moment and have a little rest.  Did you pack any food?

Miss Iggy sure did, and made sure not to litter.  There was a garbage bag nearby.  She was glad that those coming here were so disciplined, making the water and the surrounding area clean.

After snacks she was ready to explore a bit more...

...and was soon able to see the top of the Ambon-Ambon Falls!  It was breathtaking.

According to locals, it was called the Ambon-Ambon Falls because if you got up there, you could feel the drizzling even if you're not standing under the waterfall.

It was fun taking a dip at the falls.  Miss Iggy hopes the beauty of the place would be preserved for the generations to come!

School's Out! The Beach Is In!

The Philippines' hottest summer months are March to May, and the season coincides with schools' summer breaks.  Schoolgirl Iggy was excited to make the most out of her summer vacation and gladly went to one of the famous beaches in Calatagan, Batangas at the southern tip of Luzon.

Swimming made Miss Iggy hungry and she was glad for the grilled pork and chicken!

Lauren's tie-dyed summer dress had a pouch especially for Miss Iggy.  They had lots of fun walking along the beach looking for cute boys shells, because isn't that what beachcombing is for?.

   

 

Miss Iggy waited for the resort staff to come and help her push her kayak to the sea (and maybe even help her paddle off), but he was busy tending to the banana boat.  Oh well, maybe next time, thought Miss Iggy. 

    

All the activity at the beach under the hot sun made them tired and drowsy, so they went to take a nap.  Ah, this is the life!  Until the next summer getaway!  

weekend by the pool

The rainy season didn't stop Schoolgirl Iggy from going for a swim at Canyon Cove Beach Club in Nasugbu, Batangas.

the sky was a bit overcast, so miss schoolgirl iggy wasn't too worried about getting a bad tan.

swim trips are never complete without an underwater camera! seen here is a snap sights reusable film camera that can go to a depth of 25 feet.

canyon cove's playground looks very inviting too!  

they made sure to put on sunblock before lounging on the deck chairs.

after lunch, iggy went up to her room for some siesta. this is the view from her balcony!

this is the life!

Star Governor

"Star For All Seasons" Vilma Santos-Recto is also the Star Governor of the province of Batangas. Her first passion is superstardom and her name has graced many award-winning roles in the history of Philippine cinema. Her current passion is politics as a public servant in the land of Barako Coffee and Balisong fan-knives.

summer sun in san juan

mr. iggy recently spent a fun weekend with friends in laiya, san juan, batangas. considered a favorite destination of local and foreign diving enthusiasts, the province of batangas is just about 2-3 hour drive from manila. it can be reached via south luzon expressway (slex) and star toll expressway (star).

san juan, batangas is known for its white sand beaches and crystal blue waters. it's a perfect place for swimming, snorkling, diving, and other forms of water sports. the above photo shows a set of small boats being used for island-hopping - another favorite activity of the guests of local resorts. it is said that san juan nepomuceno is the patron saint of the place. he died a martyr in a bridge in prague and is known as the patron of waters.