Balloons lift up the spirit at the 15th Hot Air Balloon Festival

Clark, Pampanga --- I wish Subic Bay can do something almost like this. Wish!

Waking up at 3AM to travel one hour away isn't something I look forward to everyday. But the 15th Hot Air Balloon festival at Clark is worth every waking moment.

Here's a pic to prove my point.

Sunny Boy and Pong Pagong took center stage. Both raked in the ohhhs and the ahhhs from the thousands of attendees. See video at the right side of the blog ---->

How grand was the 15th hot air balloon festival? The only measure is to count the crowd. But because we got stuck in a VERY long line, let's just say there are at least 1,000 cars parked at around 6am. Our Totoya Corolla was packed with four adults and one 3 year old child. Do the math.

The crowd kept pouring in until we decided that the Sunny Boy wasn't worth the searing heat of the original one. That's around 10:15 AM.

Like I said, if only Subic Bay can do anything close to this, it would be wonderful. Here are some more pics that tell the story better than I could.

As a last note, I will be back there next year...promise. Thanks to David Bayarong of www.subictimes com for sharing the photos with the Subic Review.

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Posted in: Clark,tourism event

Subic Bay and Clark are now twins, with Metro Manila as an older sibling

AFTER almost a decade, the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEx) now links the former competitors, Subic Bay Freeport Zone and Clark Special Economic Zone.

The vision of linking Subic and Clark via an expressway came about after then Clark's Chief Executive Officer Rufo Colayco and former SBMA chair Felicito Payumo took a, well, let's call it helicopter date. Within the week, the plan was presented to former President Joseph Estrada by the Dynamic Duo, and approved. It was late 1999, some 13 months before Erap was forced out of office.

Politicians do get things done --- at least sometimes.

Here are some photos of the highway (reputedly the longest expressway in the country). I decided to keep the panoramic and more scenic photos along the SCTEx so as not to spoil the suprise, the OHHHs and the AHHHs!

Visiting Subic Bay is now a reasonable option for residents of the Metropolitan Manila.

It also makes Subic's schedule of events this summer bit more important. First, because it reduces a 2 hours and 30 minute trip by almost an hour. Second, traversing the SCTEx is like watching a National Geographic special. Just don't leave your seat for a popcorn and Coke at 80 kms per hour. Nasty!

And finally, once you enter the highway via the North Luzon Expressway, you will definetely end up in Subic, since that's the only exit you will find, Hahaha! At least for now.

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Posted in: Clark,Places,Subic Bay