Our trip to Agbanawag, Nueva Ecija

Things to do During Vacations

When you make a trip to the countryside at the spur of the moment, chances are you'd end up with not knowing what things to do during vacations like that. Earlier this month we went to Calamba, Laguna for a swim. This week we were in Agbanawag, Nueva Ecija for 4 days to supervise rice harvest at the property of my wife's family. It was an almost sudden trip. And you know what we did?

Well, in a way, it was a planned trip. So my sis in-law brought along an inflatable swimming pool and I brought some reading stuffs, being a bibliophile, plus my arnis sticks and small sword for some early morning workouts. My wife brought some nursing literature to study. My eldest son brought his appetite. To him, the best things to do during vacations is eat all you can.

We traveled some 3 to 4 hours, leaving QC at about 7am. We were 7 in all--two families--with heavy luggage filling up the back seats of the van. We were ready to stay there 4 days--a first in our history there --since we always visited there just a day or two. We would be staying in my dad in-law's kalapaw, an Ilocano term for a hut. But it was not exactly a hut--more of a mini-castle in the midst of hut houses. 

We stopped over one of those posh gas-and-fastfood stations along the NLEX (SLEX also has them) and had some quick bites and planned strategies--thinking up what things to do during vacations in a place where there's nothing but rice fields and the hot sun to darken your skin.

When we got to the kalapaw, we cooked some lunch and got some harvest intros from the farmer-caretaker. The inflatable pool was set up and soon my kids and nephew and the caretaker's son was in it, fighting off summer Agbanawag-Nueva-Ecija heat. I looked around and took pictures while the rest argued about various topics, like things to do during vacations and the rice harvest. 

So for 4 days it was inflated pool frolicking, talking, cooking, eating, and visiting the rice fields under the blazing heat. Later, they saw the huge waterway running along the length and width of the fields and decided to have some dives and soaking. The water came from the Pantabangan Dam and underwater cold springs of Agbanawag, Nueva Ecija. We had some picnics at the rice fields and some long walks late in the afternoons when the sun's heat was dying and the air was fresh and cool and the whole atmosphere was very relaxing. 

Wife and I also enjoyed sleuthing for mysteries around the neighborhood, peeping in abandoned huts and old houses and old buildings. Finally we saw a mystery in Agbanawag, Nueva Ecija worth looking into--an old abandoned hospital. Our farmer-caretaker told us it's haunted. You know what the kids did?

One night they all (all 7 of them, including their cousins who had been vacationing there) went out for a walk along 3 kilometers of the dark highway (absolutely no street lights whatsoever)--it was about 9 or 10 pm--and finally, as they walked home, passed by the abandoned hospital. Well, nothing happened, but the adventure made them all sweat in fear. 

We were supposed to sleep one more night in the kalapaw, but the tales on spooks and white ladies (and especially the ghost that haunts the kalapaw) one night after supper prodded my sis in-law to beg us to go home that very hour. So, after laughter and mocking, we packed our things and left at 10 pm. So, looking for things to do during vacations while in your hometown? Try talking about anything after supper--when it's dark outside--and bats freely glide in and out your dining area, you're bound to end up talking of mysteries and frightening tales about town, especially if you have a caretaker who's too willing to entertain guests. And most especially when there's an old abandoned hospital just 3 to 4 lots away from your place. I don't believe these farmers--they just go to the rice fields alone anytime of the night, even at 11 pm, without any light!

Actually, there are lots more other things you can do in Agbanawag, Nueva Ecija. You just have to imagine what else those wonderful nature scenes have to offer at the rice fields and waterways and then have the temerity to just do what comes to mind--like go jump in the waterway, visit the rice fields at midnight, trek through the highway late at night, or peek into old abandoned hospitals to see what's going in there after a late supper. Or else, you can opt to take the usual traditional things to do during vacations in your hometown--like what we also did in Agbanawag, Nueva Ecija--climbing trees, eating fruits, cooking native dishes fishing and grilling, hiking, sightseeing, and eating ice cream to cool off from the day's excruciating heat. Want more pictures of our trip to Agbanawag, Nueva Ecija? Simply check this out: Pala-Isip.