Olongapo got its name from Ulo ng Apo, a legend that symbolizes the natives' unity. It was said that this old man had an impressive leadership for his people -- the reason why they built a marker located at the welcome rotunda.
The mountain range that is surrounding the harbor provides protection for anchorage and catastrophic typhoons. And actually, it is one of the main attractions in Olongapo. I mean, why not? The mountains are so good in the eyes! Add the alluring blue waters in Subic Bay that sparkle whenever the sun reaches them! Indeed, Subic Bay is a must-go place to be. There are also family-friendly activities you can try around that everyone would totally enjoy.
There, we also saw the 96-foot SBMA flagpole. I read that the number of feet of the pole symbolizes the number of years of US military presence in the Philippines. And lastly, about 200 meters away from these modern-day landmarks, we also saw a remnant of the Spanish naval station, The Spanish Gate. Said to be the main entry and exit point of the naval port, this gate represents the former glory of the Spanish’s naval base. The only ruins left has a grand structure that displays the Kastila days aura. Because of these, it is declared by the National Commission of the Philippines as a historical landmark. This gate reminds the Filipinos to continue building a better place by protecting our land. Surrounding these historical sites, you would see some restaurants around the zone too. Dada and I really went here for Liberty Sports Bar to try their spam fries. Unluckily, it was not available. So, we had pizza instead. Since it is a bar, little to no people visit the place during the day. But I bet that it has a lot of party goers at night. What I like about Liberty Sports Bar, it made me feel like we were in the countryside of America. Plus, the music, oh em gee! And while Dada had his wish granted, I also had mine. I was craving for coffee that was why I asked him to walk to the nearby cafe, Holy Grounds. Shookt about the place, it is literally a holy ground! The menu is named after some virtues. The trinkets of the place also involve bible verses. Even the cup, aAaAhHhh, I can feel the blessed Sunday because of this. Subic Bay and its modern-day landmarks should be part of your itinerary when visiting Olongapo. The historical locations would help you contemplate about the freedom you are receiving now. Aside from a great location for your Instagram feed or new Facebook default photo, it would be nice if you can also learn more about the former glory of the country's history. What is nice about this, attractions like these do not require a fee! Enjoying and learning while on a budget? Yes please! :)
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One of the best weekends I ever had in my life just happened last Saturday! From my 11 AM to 7 PM shift, I headed home straight, even if it was a TGIF night. Not eating dinner yet, I hastily removed my daily stuff inside my Jansport bag since I need to put all of my necessities for the next two days there. And just like that… After watching a few episodes of Full Metal Alchemist, around 2:30 in the morning, my Grab slash Dada came already! Was up for 18 hours and counting, but aAaHhHhh, my happy heart was so excited that finally, after a few years of waiting, we are going to the very famous The Inflatable Island and very homey Ohana Art Cafe already! 💖 HOW TO GET THERE
THE INFLATABLE ISLAND EXPERIENCES
Orientation Area The Inflatable Island is inside a well-known private resort, Samba Bluewater. We arrived at the place 30 minutes before eight because that was our scheduled time. The management advises the visitors to come earlier to the start time for preparation and orientation. There at the Orientation Area, the guide told the guests about the rules and regulations on the premises. He talked about the safety measures. Also reminded about the dress code, height requirement, and the like. He also gave some facts and trivia about the place. More importantly, he asked the guests to sign a waiver. People who had broken bones or have sicknesses shall be advised to go to the clinic before engaging in the giant playground. Bali Lounge Since it was still early, Dada and I had the whole beachfront all by ourselves. Before heading to the main event, of course, we gotta chill (and have some photo ops) first. The highly picture-perfect lounge is located at the seaside. It features a unicorn color palette that anyone would love. The Bali Lounge has fuchsia pink umbrellas and purple bean bags that would totally ensure your comfort before or after jumping for joy on the inflatable grounds. Beach Part of all ticket passes -- whether you chose Sprinkle or 1-hour pass, Splash or 2-hour pass, Spray or half day pass, Soaked or whole day pass -- includes whole day access to the gray, fine sand beach. It is a win already, just the beach itself. Agree? Agree, of course! Floating Zoo Similar to the beach, availing any of the passes allow you to play at the Floating Zoo. This Floating Zoo they are talking about is the outside zone of the inflatable playground. There are huge floaters around like unicorns and flamingos that totally beg to be part of your feed! Floating Playground The Inflatable Island claims to be the biggest floating playground in Asia because of its 4,200 square metered area. They said that it takes the size of eight basketball courts to make these grounds. It is a dream come true for Wipeout and American Ninja Warrior fans because of the enjoyable obstacles around. It’s just that, it involves a lot of soft pastels. The Inflatable Island is an unforgettable adventure. Just playing around the Subic Bay is already a one-of-a-kind adventure, eh? What more if you play with the slides, bridges, towers, swings, trampolines, and so much more! Plus, witnessing either the sunrise or sunset? Hah, such a great deal!
Canteen, Lockers, Restroom Aside from these main attractions, you know the other things that I liked? The canteen, comfort room, and lockers! To fill your tummies after a happy-yet-tiring feeling, you can order some favorable meals at the food hub. It is not that pricey, so do not worry about being broke! On the other note, the comfort room is so clean! People are even asked to wash their feet first before entering the restroom. And the lockers... They are the most helpful thing! Especially for people who do not have someone to guard their stuff like us. Lockers are provided to ensure your things would be in a safe place. There are two types of lockers you can choose from, the small or the big ones. We chose the big lockers because you know, my bag is big and uhm, yes, okay, I have a lot of stuff. Heeheehee. Additional Comments... The Inflatable Island sells at-the-moment kind of photos. Kaya pala pinicturan kami, akala ko pa naman ipopost sa social media. Yun pala, ipiprint nila at pagkakakitaan! Haha half jk. The hard copies are usually posted near the canteen and Bali Lounge. If you want a soft copy of their shot, you can have it, too. But of course, you gotta buy it. Business, baby! Of course. There are also local vendors who are roaming around. They sell these unique and cute souvenirs like magnets, keychains, and the like. I usually do not usually buy such, but their designs are one-of-a-kind. Super love what I got: starfish and squid with Subic Bay print onto it. To tell you honestly, I even wanted to buy the crabs. Tell me, how can I resist these cuties? I have no regrets! To Be Honest... I was disappointed because half of the Bali Lounge was under renovation. Even the Floating Zoo was displeasing because there were only five floaters around. The restaurants with unicorn pizza and frappes were also closed. And, the whole grounds were not open. The management said that they are setting up the "Unicorn-Zilla." Probably, this is for the next attraction. I understand that they are fixing the whole island since it is going to be summer. Duh, their peak days! But hey, did we not pay the right price to be served this way? Think about that. Hmm~ I know that they would change their theme soon. I messaged them on Facebook before booking the tix and yep, that is the inside scoop. I realized that they change their themes every summer, so I asked -- being the highly inquisitive that I always am. I did not want to miss this unicorn island, so we went here until it is still not changed. No ragrets! Grateful that I was able to visit this unicorn land! The Inflatable Island is a utopia, a paradise -- no doubt. Had a wonderful time being an awkward unicorn for half a day! I just wish the team treats every guest with fair manners. Since it was not peak days, you would lessen the Bali Lounge, you would not open the whole playground? I hope this reaches them. People go here in this amazing location, not only because they want to post something nice on their social media accounts. It is still the memorable experience we want to remember -- the way we felt, the things that happened. Dada and I could stay until the end of the day at The Inflatable Island. However, we have another place to go to. Where? Back in Pundaquit! Yes, yes, yes! Not that we repeated the island hopping like last year. But instead, to have our merienda at Ohana Art Cafe! Read the post here 💖 The Inflatable Island Subic Bay Waters, National Highway, Lower Kalaklan, Olongapo City, Zambales https://www.theinflatableisland.com/ https://www.facebook.com/InflatableIslandPh |
THE BLOG-GIRLE L A M A N I L A Ela Mones, a Filipina girl,
is a passionate lifestyle blogger who loves to express her unforgettable life experiences and best moments through words, photos, and videos 💖
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