"I must confess, I have an eye and a heart for floras and faunas.I am a gardener. I planted vegetables in our backyard many times in the past. Vegetables such as pechays, eggplants, and even cauliflowers, cabbages and lettuces. From time to time, I go to San Juan, La Union and plant fruit-bearing trees at my mother's ancestral lot.I guess these and the love of the outdoors prompted me to visit a Botanical Garden"
-pagnapagana
The La Union Botanical Garden and the La Union Science Centrum and Museum are just some 3 minutes walk away from each other. The only set back is that both of them are located in the mountain barangay of Cadaclan, San Fernando City, La Union.
This is very true if one does not have a private car to use in going to these places. Others may use bikes going up while consider hiring a jeep would be a little bit costly specially if there are just one, two or three of you (depends upon how you bargain with the driver). Tricycles would probably not be convenient as some portions of the road are uphill.
I have visited the Botanical Garden at three separate occasions before, and this morning i hiked to see how long it would take from downtown San Fernando to the La Union Botanical Garden.
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| The La Union Botanical Garden is open daily from 9 o'clock am to 5 o'clock pm. For more Photos CLICK HERE. |
General Admission fee : 20 pesos
Senior Citizens and Students (with ID) : 10 pesos
Children below 5 years old : free
-my pagnapagna-
I began to walk from the city plaza fronting the City Hall at 6:10 in the morning going east. Just walking along the provincial road of Rizal Avenue with few cars passing by. Passed by barangay Santiago welcome arch at 6:29 am then at the Santiago Norte Barangay Hall at 6:34 am. I saw one of my friends as he overtook, passed me by and looked back to greet me. He was on a bike and said he is going to Bacsil ridge.
The early morning sun was shining as i passed by the Camansi Barangay Hall at 6:49 am and at the San Fernando Sports Center (for Cock derbies) at 6:55 am. Just in front was a crossroad, the one at the left leads to barangay Pias while the one at the right leads to barangay Cadaclan where the Botanical Garden is located.
I walked further on the road going to the right and passed by the Cadaclan Community School at 7:06 am where i saw some 3 to 4 jeeps waiting for passengers going downtown. I continued my hike and i was at sitio Hilltop at 7:16 am and at the church of the Nazarene at 7:21 am. Walked farther more uphill at 7:28 am (on cemented road) then the road went downhill (7:45 am) passed by sitio Japan at 7:47 am. A few meters is the still closed Science Centrum and Museum Building. I finally arrived at the Botanical Garden at 7:55 am.
The employees of the park were still arriving on their motor bikes. I asked the man from behind a desk if i can go inside the park and he said yes, they let me sign on a logbook and gave me a ticket worth 20 pesos as entrance fee. The park opens at 9 am but if their are tourist/visitors they could just let them in upon their arrival as a courtesy.
I am now on my own as i went inside to explore the park (at times i talked and asked directions to the park caretakers who were busy cleaning). Walked on the main road and paved trails in-between tropical gardens. Although the sun was shining, the ground was still wet and saturated by the almost 7 days of non-stop rain which turned some of the cemented surfaces slippery due to growth of moss. I cautioned my step as not to skid down and hurt myself.
One of the park caretakers went to collect a wild edible mushroom near the base of a tree where a water stream was flowing. At these time of the year, mushrooms grows in the wild naturally.
Walking to more areas, i came upon a row of glass and steel cages. It cages some Philippine pythons all curled up in a sleeping manner and next to it were the cages of small owls and one lonely pheasant bird :-( . A bigger steel cage cages a group of Brahminey Kites and next to it were the monkeys. After taking some photographs i went down to the palm tree area and then to another aviary where some other birds are caged such as a lone Rufous Night Heron, 2 Grey Heron and a group of Philippine Serpent Eagles. Still looking around, i went to the Discovery Hall which is a small bungalow that displays some specimens of insects. Fronting the Discovery Hall is a playground equipped with seesaws (teeter-totter), monkey bars, swings and play slides. Passed by the bamboo area and back into the picnic area. Resting for a while, i bought a snack at "the Garden Shop" and ate it at the shop's second floor. Just before leaving, i visited the "Biblical Garden" then went to the main entrance of the park to get information. I asked them what is their recommendations on how one can get into the Park from downtown San Fernando using public transportation. They answered that- take a jeep bound for barangay Cadaclan. Their terminal is near the Marcos Building beside the City Hall. He added that even when there are a field-trip or excursions to the park , their bus stays at the area just before the uphill part of the road then fetched by jeeps going up to the Botanical Garden. I think that answered my query.
I left the La Union Botanical Garden at 10:12 am and headed towards the La Union Science Centrum and Museum Building (see account on my next blog) a few minutes walk away and after which i went back to downtown San Fernando City to go to Home Sweet Home.
Subject : LA UNION BOTANICAL GARDEN
Location : Barangay Cadaclan
City of San Fernando
Province of La Union
How to get there:
From Manila take a bus bound for either of these:
Laoag City, Vigan
City, Candon City, Abra or La Union.
You have to get down
at the City plaza of San Fernando, La Union.
a- At the plaza go
to the front of the Marcos Building (beside Christ the King College) and look
for the jeeps bound for barangay Cadaclan and you may arrange with the
driver.
b-At the plaza hire
a tricycle going to barangay Cadaclan and ask the driver to drop you at the nearest area to the
Botanical Garden and take a hike from there.
c-From the plaza you
may also hike all the way to the Botanical Garden for about two hours or more
depending upon your pace. (read my blog for details)
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