Posted by Liberty on Jan 25, '07 7:48 PM for everyone
Last spring, I decided it was time to bring my Caucasian husband home to my country of birth, the Philippines. He has been there once a long time ago, before he knew me.
No matter how many times an exiled daughter like me returns, every occasion fills me with so much anticipation and excitement. And to bring home a new husband intensified the whole experience to me. So I really wished to find a place to stay at where it is beautiful and at the same time relaxing. And not hot. A place that could offer a retreat from all the hustle and bustle involved in a vacations such as this
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My guardian angels must have heard my wish for they led me to to this place which I personally have not heard of prior to this trip. I did not even consult my family and friends if they have heard of Sonya's Garden, which I've accidentally discovered from reading somebody's journal online. Her experienced sounded magical and just like that, I booked our reservations online. I was confident that it was the place where we needed to be. The discovery was really serendipitous. Like a miracle meant to be.
Tucked in the rolling hills of a stunning countryside of Tagaytay, lies an almost secret oasis of peace. Sonya's Garden, a bed and breakfast place is nestled in a lush, verdant tropical setting, in the cool interior of a tiny rainforest.
Once my family and friends in Manila heard we were staying there, everybody was surprised I knew the place! That's the reason I earlier said that Sonya's Garden was an "almost secret oasis of peace". At that time, Sonya's Garden was still a whispered but much talked about name amongst Manila's inner circles. Like a favorite weekend getaway of the privileged, and they don't want just 'anybody' to know.
My mother and my immediate family live very close to the vicinity of Sonya's. They all love Tagaytay. And all my friends who knew I was coming were now more excited to come and visit me. I reserved four cottages for two weeks to accomodate family members and close friends who will be coming and staying a night or two. The grand reunion was now much anticipated.
Tagaytay, located south of Manila (capital of the Philippines), is one of the country's top summer and weekend getaway. Up country in location, the place has a cool, temperate climate year round. Low 70's during the day, it can go as low as 55-59 degrees Fahrenheit at night or very early mornings. In the Philippines whre its blazing hot for mostof the year, such cooler temperatures are a big hit to folks who want to be sheltered from the heat once in a while.
Sonya's Garden is Tagaytay's tropical nirvana. This restful retreat offers indulgences both for the body and soul. Surrounded by a lovely, sprawling English gardens, fields of ornamental and fruit-bearing trees, bordered on one side with a rainforest, and the majestic hills of Tagaytay as its backdrop, this is a kind of place where good memories are made, and worries of the day discarded.
Upon arrival, we were immediately greeted by a most wondrous sight of sunflowers in full bloom at that time of the year. Then we followed a rustic looking but enchanting wooden welcome sign to a winding pebbled path, which led us inside the estate. beautiful, exotic tropical tropicals were blooming everywhere. Their sweet fragrance filled the air.
Crunch, crunch, crunch. I loved the sound of the pebbles and loose gravels underneath our feet as we walked up. Though some birds were momentarily disturbed and some butterflies fluttered away as our feet made the crunching noises, every living thing present in that surrounding went back to their usual activities, unmindful of the human encroahment we presented to their sanctuary.
And as soon as the staff heard of our approaching, crunching footsteps, they hurried outside to welcome and accommodate us. No checking-in required. They knew we were coming and did not bother us with the usual check-in procedures! It was like coming home to a very loving family. That was a very good affirmation we made a wise choice of this place.
From a corner of a cottage nearby, a bevy of helpers came out and carried our luggage to our charming cottages, with names like Rosemary, Basil, Lavander, Marjoram and other herb names. My husband and I were lead to Dill cottage, usually reserved for honeymooners. Hmmmm....
They call them cottages but they were actually full-sized houses, some with as much as five bedrooms and two floors! The architecture employed is a combination of the charm of old Spanish homes typical in the early Philippines, with some Zen inspired elements like the Japanese sliding walls, in laid with tropical bamboo floors on some, French glass-stained or capiz shells windows, and a wonderful marriage of Western and Eastern furniture and adornments.
It is an eclectic mix of designs, but Sonya, its gracious proprietress has combined and made them all work beautifully. Below is a slide presentation of some of the things you'll experience at Sonya's. Believe me, these pictures captured only half of the magic of this place.
Dining at Sonya's is also a much welcomed gastronomic adventure. They serve organic, vegetarian dishes with ingredients grown in the gardens inside the estate. You can actually see some of their vegetables growing on the nearby grounds, while you eat in the dining areas. There is something glorious and sacred about knowing where exactly your food comes from! And the entire sumptuous, creative vegetarian meals they offer provide a healthy and a much needed opportunty for some internal cleansing I would say.
In fact, the food at Sonya's is the biggest reason why people brave the sometimes four hour drive from the traffic congested Manila just to have lunch there, and drive back after! They think it's worth it to invest most of their day to partake of this experience.
My whole family and several friends stayed there for a forthnight. Day in and day out, this place and its staff made sure each day lived up to its reputation of charm, serenity, rest, pampering, and yes, romance Lots of it.
All the charm and fun of a day at Sonya's does not end at sundown. For as soon as the mighty sun sets behind the majestic mountains, the sprawling garden estate gets illuminated by beautiful land or hanging lanterns, glowing candles and oil lamps positioned strategically all over the area, transforming it into a magical place.
The effect is both mysterious and extremely romantic. The beauty of the flickering lights at night strewn across the garden is mesmerizing, to say the least. The video below may offer you a glimpse of the feeling it evokes when you're there at sundown. Click on it and be transported to a place where love and mystery surround a moment and a place.
And amidst the warmth and beauty of all the glowing candles in that beautiful, open air dining hall, the sweet Mang Pronyo, the in-house balladeer serenades you with romantic, classic Filipino kundiman of yesteryears. Mang Pronyo, though elderly, is filled with a youthful, romantic effervescence. Sitting on a cozy lounge chair, stringing his guitar to accompany those soulful, melodic love songs, he seemed like an obra maestro, a subject of a painting masterpiece. This picture below is a bit dark, but that's him serenading us one evening. And maybe next time you will hear a sample of his sweet serenade.
But before I could say, "I feel too in love now to be enticed by the food for mere mortals", the staff brought the dinner in and we were seduced in another way. A luscious salad of freshly harvested greens, topped with Sonya's secret dressing, bread and pates, tomato and cream-based pasta, some sweet potatoes maybe, and always, their special marjoram tea, start your evening meal. Everything they serve is from their farms and home cooked in the back kitchen.
And for someone like me who miss a lot of favorite Filipino foods, they serve a heaven of all this. All time favorites like pusit simmered in olive oil and tomatoes, talbos ng kamote (young, green leafy tops of sweet potato) in coconut cream, lumpiang ubod (edible part of a coconut tree trunk) with tangy vinegar dip, and many more divine, vegetarian concoctions.
Sonya, a world class hostess, was sensitive and attentive to some unique needs of some long-staying guests like me and my family. She guesed right that while we thoroughly enjoyed and were completely content with the vegetarian feasts she served, we were not full, vegetarian eaters. So at other meals, she also served her special herb chicken, salmon with capers, some delicately sauteed shrimps, mixed with vegetable tempura and some other delights like japanese miso soup, her famous lobster bisque, California rolls with the sweetest mangoes and this delicious gorgonzola pasta from the continental menu.
After dinner, our indulgence continued as we sipped warm, organic tea or coffee made from gourmet, world famous arabica variety beans from Batangas. Endless talk story sessions ensued for us night after night. Living far from each other, our family needs a lot of catching up in gossips and necessary discussions. I will spare you from all that.
When at last we could call it a night, we would retire to our dreamy bedrooms, furnished with four posted beds, and lavander-scented, laced French linens, crocheted bedcovers and pillow covers from Vietnam, all hand-embroidered and sstarched! We were then transported into heavens as soft, gentle wind chimes tinkled with the moving night breeze, and the cicadas joined the nocturnal symphony of sounds caused by the nearby trees and other harmless inhabitants of an adjacent forest. The romance and serenity of it all was almost surreal.
Finally sweet dawn breaks, roosters from distant farms announce the beginning of a new day, you look forward to another day of relaxation, fun and pampering. For in there, lies a perfect setting for the art of doing nothing.
Around 7am, a staff gently knocks at your door and announces that breakfast is ready. A little early for some, but because by now you know this sanctuary offers so much delights to the senses, i observed that most guests welcome an early start of another beautiful day. After all, another feast beckons.
Ahhhh..breakfast at Sonya's is another divine experience. It starts with their own homemade hot , thick tsokolate (chocolate drink), or the marjoram tea if you prefer, served in delicate and characteristic European china; warm, sweet, heavenly bread rolls from their own panaderia (bakery), the aroma of which would surely wake up all your senses.
In addition to the organic fruit and freshly sueezed juice, and cottage cheese we call kesong puti, it is a full spread of many favorite Filipino breakfast items. Fresh egg omelettes, tasty adobo, fried milkfish, tocino, longganisa, served with garlic fried rice. All served in a most relaxed indulgent fashion.
Staffs are very attentive, friendly, and very gentle in administering their duties, ever considerate of the early morning disposition of their guests. You may choose to eat in the patio (terrace) of your cottage, outside under the canopy of bamboo leaves, or in the main, open air whimsical dining area. We ate in all diferent settings and each on was quite delightful. The food always delicious, beautifully served, and service consistently prompt and friendly.
Then your day of mastering the art of doing nothing starts again. You can either stroll or read a book in many, secluded areas in the gardens, attend a flower arrangement class, request for some cooking lessons using organic ingredients, take some yoga classes, eat some more, or be pampered at their very nurturing and healing spa havens.
Your daily stay at Sonya's comes with a complimentary 15 minutes head, hands or feet massage. They'll give it to you anytime you request for it. isn't that fabulous? For the likes of me who enjoy, long soothing pampering, I got an almost daily treatment of full bodymasages, facials and luxurious baths. The use of sweet smelling, natural, organic products in their spa made the whole experience divine!
And where is my darling husband in all these? Enjoying everything to the max!
Being in a relaxing setting like this, helped him managed well the barrage of visitors and guests dropping by almost daily, some of them staying for a few days. All competing for some time with us. Everybody was fully checking him out too. You know what happens when you bring in a new member to a family. It can be both a comedy and tragedy. Fortunately, at this visit, there was hardly any drama involved.
Everybody seemed caught up and enchanted by the spell of Sonya's Garden. From the lush garden ensemble surrounding this estate, to the charming country cottages filled with whimsy and fantasy, to the nurturing gifts of the spa experiences, adn the delectable gourmet and healthy feast served, and a most warm and personalized service of its staff and gracious proprietress Sonya, this haven of a place offers a bounty of gifts to its visitors.
A gathering place for friends and family, a romantic getaway for couples, a secluded hiatus for an artist, an idyllic retreat for tired and busy city dwellers, and for my husband a good peek into the culture of where his bride originally came from, and for an expatriate like me looking for a familiar landscape of a memory of home, a sense of belonging.
On our last day there, no one wanted to leave. But promises were made to gather there again sometime in the future. We consoled ourselves with the knowing that the good memories this place helped us create will always remain in our heart. Smiles returned to our faces, kisses exchanged, and goodbyes were said. Farewell, Sonya's Garden, one day we will embrace again. It's our date with the angels...
Click below for a sweet goodbye and a serenade...
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