|
By Paul John Caña
I will admit an ignorance: apart from hearing about it in casual
conversations with friends and acquaintances, I never knew much
about Caliraya; neither the lake nor the resort and recreation
center that bears its name.
In fact, the only image I have of the place is
the one flashed as background during the songs in a brand of Magic
Sing, that ubiquitous staple of many a drinking spree. So when an
invitation came along to check the place out—with a bevy of
beautiful ladies making it their playground for the day—it
wasn’t too hard to say yes.
I was asleep for most of the trip to Lumban,
Laguna where the resort is located (the 6 a.m. call time was too
much for a night owl like me). I was roused into consciousness by a
companion when we arrived, and when I opened my eyes, I was greeted
by a world of green hills and a serene lake, with a red and white
castle-like edifice in the distance. We alighted from the van,
walked a few feet to the dock and stepped onto a waiting motorized
banca. We barely warmed our seat when it was time to get off—the
trip across the lake took less than five minutes.
Opened in 1995, The Caliraya Recreation Center
and Resort is located on a gently sloping hill on the banks of the
manmade lake owned by the National Power Corp. (I found out later
the lake was being used as a hydroelectric power generator). At the
observation deck at the top of the resort building itself, one can
have a fantastic view of the entire 7.6-hectare property, as well as
the surrounding mountains of Banahaw, Cristobal and Makiling.
Immediately noticeable is the blue of the swimming pool, the maroon
of the tennis and basketball courts and the resort’s newest
offering, a towering structure used for wall climbing. Everywhere
else, it was green.
It was at the wall-climb where we first meet the
winners of the recent Miss Earth beauty pageant: Miss Earth-Fire
Tatiane Alves of Brazil, Miss Earth-Water Abigail Elizalde of
Mexico, Miss Earth-Air Miriam Odemba of Tanzania and this year’s
Miss Earth titleholder, Karla Henry of the Philippines.
We followed the girls around as they tried out
some of the resort’s recreational facilities. We applauded as we
watched them attempt to reach the top of the wall-climb in their
harnesses; we gawked as they rode around a flat concrete surface in
bicycles, and we sighed as they goofed around with a gigantic soccer
ball, all the while posing for pictures for a team of photographers
documenting their every move. They also tried the resort’s latest
adventure facility, a zipline that stretched from the top of the
wall-climb to another platform built near the lake. By their squeals
of delight, we guessed all the girls enjoyed the zipline ride. Later
on the girls donned their swimsuits and went down to the lake for
some of the water sports offerings of the resort, including a jetski
ride and kayaking.
During a short chat with the beauty queens, all
four expressed their appreciation and awe at being brought to
Caliraya. “The best thing about this resort is that it combines
nature and fun,” Miss Philippines said. “You can be outdoors and
enjoy all the amenities.”
“Yes, I love it here,” Miss Tanzania agreed.
“In the future when I have kids, I wouldn’t mind coming back
here and showing all of this to them.”
As a resort that offers unique, fun and purely
wholesome recreational facility options for everyone from family
get-togethers and barkada outings to retreats and corporate team
buildings, Caliraya is in a class of its own. You might not be as
fortunate to have Earth’s loveliest women gallivanting around and
intensifying the beauty of the place, but you can be sure to enjoy
the natural splendor and magnificence of Mother Nature wherever you
turn your head in the resort.
Caliraya Re-creation Center and Resort is
located in Lumban Laguna. For details, call 632-1010 local 421 to
427or e-mail reservations.crc@asbgroup.com.ph
|
