After more than 2 years of leading an almost monotonous life, my friend Chie and I planned a quick getaway at our usual spot from years back. Re-visiting Lake Pandin in San Pablo, Laguna seemed a very nice idea! The image of trees and lake got stuck in my mind the moment ny friend told me we were going on a quick day tour. It felt more like a trip to Europe.
I have actually been to Pandin Lake a number of times before. A visit here always gives me joy because of nature. A short hike from the main road was an adventure in itself. I can still remember feeling the cool air against my face. The sun’s mighty rays can not touch my skin due to the towering trees above me. I was yearning to experience that once again.
Due to the pandemic, the local government has placed some precautions for visitors i.e. certificate of visit from the baranggay and vaccinations cards. I find this a little bit of hassle for the visitors since there was no onsite issuance of passes. You still need to go to the actual baranggay office. I think for streamlining purposes, there should be already be an official near the site who issues passes. Let’s make the process easy for the visitors shall we? Don’t worry, the pass is free (thank God).
To my dismay, the looking-forward-to-a-short-hike-dream was immediately shattered as the road towards the lake has already been paved. The towering trees above me were no longer there. Sure, it made the ‘trek’ easier. But where was the natural experience of ‘hiking’? I got sad and disappointed. I know that this gave the local trike drivers a source of income but I believe that retaining the surrounding’s natural beauty is an attraction in itself. It wasn’t properly thought of. Sadly, you will no longer have that experience when visiting Pandin Lake.
It was a good thing that my friend had relatives living near the lake. We were able to enjoy an authentic camping experience with no paved roads in sight. Her cousin caught some fresh tilapia for us and prepared some buko juice too! We had packed lunch consisting of rice, red egg, tomato and mango. We stayed for several hours and we even fell asleep. It was raining a every now and then when we arrived so I did not get crystal clear shots of the lake. Nevertheless, this area of the Lake is till captivating.
We left mid-afternoon to have early dinner at nearby Liliw. We went to the other side of the lake before going back to the main road. I felt a little joy when we walked here since I saw a horse eating, children playing and an area where there’s no concrete. The view of the lake from the other side was refreshing. Well, not including the concrete mess they have created.
