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Wabbers’ Happy Feet: Lake Pandin (San Pablo City, Laguna)

One thing Pat and I got in common is our innate love of traveling. The idea of going out of town never fails to excite us!

For my big day, we initially planned on booking a promo flight to Iloilo and visit the island of Guimaras. We had second thoughts though, considering the inconsistency of weather nowadays. Instead, we ended up contacting Mang Mandy Mariano (09175016694), our point person on Viaje del Sol’s calm lake of Pandin.

San Pablo was of course known for its seven lakes – Sampaloc, Pandin, Yambo, Palakpakin, Mojicap, Kalibato and Bunot.  Various web write-ups promote Pandin over the other six.

Since I am the one who’s most convinced regarding these various advertisements, we decided for a weekend getaway for a Lake Pandin visit and for a reunion with Ate Minnie, my dear ex-board mate.

Few days prior to our trip, I also made it a point to book a room in Starlake Resort (P1,500 overnight accommodation) a resort facing the once-untouched Mojicap Lake.

August 14. Pat and I met at around 645am. He was late. Very typical of him. *rolleyes* Our early rendezvous was none other than the humble Manong Pepe’s in Cubao. Our yummy breakfast consists of tocino, grilled egg and garlic rice. I ordered additional tuyo *yumyum* which compliments the perfectly savored house-made vinegar. Healthy us took rambotan for dessert. YEYYY! Sarap talagang kumain!

We took Lucena-routed bus (Lucena Lines) and requested for Manong Konduktor to drop us at San Pablo Medical Hospital (fare: P135.00/person). A block away from the said hospital, we negotiated with a tricycle driver to carry us to Novo Market where PUJs going to San Buenaventura are located (fareP20.00/one way trip). The jeepney ride going to Brgy. San Buenaventura where Starlake Resort is housed, was quite short for the fare we paid (P15.00/person). We were dropped at the resort’s gate and were welcomed by the family of Engr. Rusty Andres, owner of the resort.

Arriving there at past 11am, we just paid our hotel bill and left our baggage and hurried to arrive at my 12noon meet up with Aling Sion (09299789565), our contact person for our Pandin Lake tour.

The Lake Pandin Legend. Old San Pablo folks say that Pandin was the daughter given to a once- childless couple after 20 years of waiting and praying. A fairy appeared to them to tell that they will be given a child but they have to be very cautious not to let the child set foot on the earth.

Pandin grew up to be one beautiful lady. Though she has never set foot outside her home, she was discovered and adored by a young man named Yambo.

Yambo once asked Pandin out. Instilled by her parents’ advice not to set food on earth, Pandin outrightly turned down Yambo’s request. Persistent Yambo then took the ball of thread that Pandin was using and threw it outside.

Could it be Pandin’s anger that caused her to forget about her parents’ vigilance. The moment she made her first contact on the soil, the earth cracked and opened followed by seemingly abnormal earthquake and thunders. Few minutes after, Pandin and Yambo were turned into two identical lakes which are only separated by a lean piece of land.

The Lake Tour. Lake Pandin is few meters away from the road. We had to trek for roughly 15 minutes to take a glimpse of the breathtaking Pandin. The trek was rewarding though for the various floras and faunas on site. First time kong nakakita ng  puno ng lanzones! LOL.

We paid P180 (per person) for the entire tour. Per Ate Mila, the lake is 60.5 hectares and 71.5 meters deep. The lake is entirely green to the eyes since various water plants are living underneath. The water is very clear that you can vividly see that said water flora.

We paid shelled out another P180 each for then to serve us yummy lunch. Their menu for that day consists of: four individually banana leaves wrapped steamed rice, a cupful of ensaladang pako (fern), inihaw na tilapia and ginataang hipon. Two freshed buko were dished up for us as well. Very sulit for the yumminess and kabusugan.

The tour was very serene. For lunch, our raft was parked near a leafy balete tree. The shed of this tree and the warm breeze were both so comforting. Sobrang overwhelming ang pakiramdam. Parang ang sarap mag siesta after lunch.

After lunch, we trekked all the way up to see the twin lake, Yambo. Matarik yung daan at medyo madulas. Pat and I managed to be on the top still. The trek was paid off naman as we seen the turquoise-colored Yambo lake. Spectacular indeed!

We also visited the bukal. The bukal is the primary source of water of the nearby neighborhood. Ate Mila mentioned that the water was tested by UPLB and proved to be really pure and clean. True enough, when I took my drink, tasteless and cold water of spring chilled my senses. J (By the way, to make it appear more attractive, people of Pandin incorporated the bukal with a mini-grotto. This area one of the best portions where you can take your souvenir photo!  ).

Our Sunday with Starlake Resort and stretch of Mojicap Lake. After taking a plunge on a late afternoon and our quick Saturday dinner of nilagang baka (P150.00), we had our sound sleep as early as 8pm. Expectedly, we woke up at around 7am and took bangusilog and porksilog (both P75.00 each) for breakfast. After which, we made ourselves very familiar with the resort.

Starlake was open to public as early as 1995. Engr. Rusty recalled to us that during that time, their repost is certainly of the tourists’ favorites, their rooms are always occupied and that their profit is more than enough to send their kids on high-paying universities in Manila. Sadly, those were all part of the past. With all the sprouting recreations and resorts within and nearby Metro, lesser and lesser people are visiting their resort.

Evidently, some portions of the resort are no longer maintained. The two big swimming pools though are regularly sustained and necessary preservation of rooms is done, but with strict and minimum cost.

Engr. Rusty allowed us to stroll within the area and advised us to visit his ‘farm’. A wide portion of his land is consists of plantation of various fruit-bearing tree – rambotan, lanzones, buko, dalandalan, mangga, suha, etc.

Since Starlake Resort is facing Mojicap Lake, Pat and I thought of walking within the area in hope to see the shores of Mojicap. We walked the winding road for roughly an hour but never got too close of the lake. LOL. Hopeless. Galing galingan kasi kami ni Pat, kungware familiar kami talaga sa place. LOL.

The humble Sampaloc Lake, Asadong Pandesal & Ube Buko Pie. Few  minutes after 11am, we bid the Andres family goodbye. Before leaving though I made a quick prayer for Engr. Rusty to feel a little better since he was kind of sentimental and dispirited all the time we were there.

Anyway, we negotiated again with a Manong Driver to take us to Cannossa School where Ate Minnie’s neighborhood is located.

Buti pa si Ate Minnie! Pumayat! LOL. She served a really sumptuous lunch and we had a very long kwentuhan. Her husband was delighted to hear our Lake Pandin stories and suggested we should see Sampaloc Lake.

Before we left, she served asadong pandesal which is highly tasty and the never nakakasawang ube buko pie. I love this food as much as I love Ate Minnie’s kids. Both seem sweet! Weeee!

Since Pat knew that I am still high that afternoon despite of the dark clouds and cold breeze, he just nodded with my persuasion for us to see Sampaloc Lake. Parang Manila Bay lang. LOL. Iba pa din ang Pandin.

But this resto facing Sampaloc Lake caught my attention – Clyde and Josh. Uhmmm, a reason for us to revisit San Pablo City in the near (very near) future!