I Thought "I Saw Elvis in GRACELAND!": Live the Life of "The King" in the Highlands of Tayabas, Quezon

There had been many reports of sightings of Elvis Presley from around the world and when we learned that an Elvis-inspired Graceland Estate and Country Club was built in the highlands of Tayabas, Quezon,  our curiosity turned into excitement as we packed our bags and headed south to the province of Quezon to find out whether or not "The King" is indeed alive! 

Actually the expression of seeing Elvis is merely an excuse for practically anything.  Since we're here today at Graceland, it's a good excuse to talk about The King today while spending a vacation in an Elvis-inspired dreamland.  

Staying overnight at the Graceland Estate and Country Club is a privilege accorded to members and their guests.  But they have now slowly offered it to the public probably to sustain its operations.  

During the time the resort was exclusive for members and members' guests, we were fortunate to have been invited over by the pollution control officer of the estate and coincided it with a committee meeting of our association, so it's kinda mixing business with pleasure.  Obviously the story that we are going to share with you is all pleasure and fun.

There's this timeless expression, "I thought I saw Elvis!" seems to be suggesting that The King is not dead but just hiding incognito.  Although it's a fact that Elvis is really gone, the legacy that the King of Rock n Roll still lives among us and I think this place was inspired from the legend from which the owner of this estate built Graceland.  

Since we are now finally here, we will check it out if the place really speaks for The King and experience the grandeur of graceful living in Graceland.

The drive to Tayabas from Manila during that day was a a breeze but since we started out late, we arrived in Graceland shortly before noon and proceeded to the Memphis Garden and Cafe, the resort restaurant named after the place in Memphis, Florida where the original Graceland is. It was a bright sunny day and the temperature was slowly rising.  We took the opportunity to explore the place and capture several shots while waiting for our host to arrive.  Just across the Memphis Cafe is a mini zoo with Philippine deers resting under the shade of the trees.  Such a pretty sight to behold.

Graceland Estates and Country Club is a sprawling 11-hectare development inside a 22-hectare property located along the eco-tourism district of Tayabas, Quezon. The developers claim that structures and facilities are designed and planned to complement the natural contours of the land.  In addition, in an effort to preserve the nature of the place, trails and roads are carved with no trees cut or uprooted. 

I was skeptical about the claim because apparently, they have a big artificial lake in the center of the estate making the entire place unnatural but stunningly beautiful, probably in the eyes of an urban dweller.  But to a hardcore environmentalist, the place is probably a nightmare.  

Setting aside the ecology argument, the place was primarily intended for tourists preferring the lifestyle of opulence so mush of the surroundings have been enhanced.  In fact, hardwood and fruit-bearing trees have been planted all over the land thus creating a virtual paradise.

When our beloved host arrived, we were treated with a chef-styled lunch which was named after the former president whose whose hometown where we are now was named after him making the dining experience felt with a little flair of history.

A part of this delightful cuisine is often accompanied by food for long life and in this place popular for "Pancit Habhab", the dish was prepared exquisitely to make it more modest to eat rather than gobble it up as in "hab-habin!". 

Eggplants are often the food for the common Filipino but this time sprucing it with bagoong alamang and pork chop surely will make your lunch a hearty one.

After the sumptuous meal, we strolled around to see the other places in the resort.  We reached this place where there was once a driving range along this stretch of grass field.  I am an avid golfer that would not hesitate to swing my irons in places like this, but our host-friend narrated that the million-peso net that was erected to keep the balls in had to be dismantled because the house at the end of the range was often the target of unruly golfers who would always aimed their shots at the poor innocent house.  So it's bye-bye for the driving range.

On the right side  of the previous driving range is the building where the individual rooms and suites are located.  The interior of each room is elegantly designed with its own toilet and bathroom, cable tv and refrigerator.  But for this vacation, we will be accommodated in the villa on the other side of the estate.

The estate also has a small chapel where we attended an afternoon anticipated mass together with members and families of the Villa Escudero community.

Graceland, Memphis Tennessee (photo from Graceland Museum website)

I had a slight thought of curiosity what the real Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee looks like and how it compares to Graceland here in the Philippines.  Apparently, there is not a slight hint of similarity.  But let's give credit to the owner, because he manifested his genuine fervor for the King of Rock n Roll by naming his estate after his idol.  Rock on!

We were led to our accommodation which is the villa in the background.  It's a two-storey apartment row houses with living room, 2 bathrooms and three bedrooms.  

Every room is air-conditioned with cable TV.  Our group stayed there together and had a wonderful time having a brainstorming meeting and got to know each other better.

Night time fell in Graceland and the harbor lights lit up like magic that illuminated the Tayabas night sky.  The whole countryside was blanketed with serenity that is so peaceful and the silence though nothing can be heard from afar doesn't seem to be deafening because the excitement inside our hearts seem to reverberate throughout the land.

We were again treated with a delightful dinner at the Memphis Cafe and afterwards the nightlife entertainment began to cap the night and relax in unmindful of the time while we digest the evening's feast.

It was an acoustic night and the airwaves in the cafe was filled with folk songs nostalgic of my glory days when I was eternally itchy with the guitar and my voice can always be heard inside the house, in front of the sari-sari store or virtually every nook and cranny in our village.  I didn't skip the opportunity to grab the microphone and sing the night away with my favorite songs while the musician skillfully accompany me in the background.  The genre of the songs that evening made us reminiscent of the King because much of the music that the 60s and 70s generation had learned to sing had a huge influence coming from the King himself - Elvis Presley.  My wife enjoyed every minute of the evening because all the songs I sung was dedicated to her.

The next morning as a bright new day greeted us, we took a morning stroll and got a nice view of the morning sky with an aurora-effect on the sky.  On the far background is the condominium complex where more accommodations are available for the resort's guest.  It would nice to be up there because it provides a good view but we're not sure if there is an elevator there especially since we're both physically handicapped people.  We would prefer more to be land-based rather that scraping the sky.

There are many attractions around the resort and the experience was fun!  A few places even show markers related to the King himself, such as this street sign. The very place where the Hound Dog grew up.

At the center of the artificial lake of Graceland is an artificial island but whatever it is it's a great view and attraction to the resort.  

There are several cottages for picnic and a pavilion harbor where one can go on boating with family, friends and most especially your dear love.  The island can easily be reached via a connecting bridge here.  The moment was very peaceful but fun because there were no people yet early in the morning to photobomb the moment.

Several jet skis were parked along the banks of the lake and much as I would really love to try it out but unfortunately, it was too early in the morning and the staff assigned to these recreational rides have not arrived yet.  So here I am just getting the feel of its reigns and posing for a dream ride. Maybe next time, I'll jet ski in Boracay where the action is!

Strolling along the lake is already enough for us to be awed  by the beauty of the place.  It was so worth the early rise to gaze at Mt. Banahaw's shrouded peak, ever mysterious to the avid adventurer, as if warning anyone who dares climb it faces an unspeakable fate in the hands of its enchanted beings.  The majestic view of the mountain is further complemented by the still waters of the lake and that is more than enough for us to get rejuvenated in mind and spirit as we return back to our urban setting lives and continue with the daily grind but with renewed strength. If the King is alive, he would probably be sharing the same sentimental thought with us.

The resort also have facilities for team building and whenever I see one, I could not help but always try out every one of them , because there will always be a child in me up and ready to relive my days of youth when whenever this kind of moments presents itself.

For the outdoor type guys, there's a campsite where you can pitch your tent and sleep nature style but absent the rugged terrain of the actual outdoor because you will be pitching on manicured lawn complete with all the amenities of a toilet and bath with meals served al fresco or just walk to the cafe and order your favorite short order food.  What an outdoor bummer!  If you realize outdoor camping is not your type of recreation for the moment, you can merely pack up and return to the luxury of your suite.  Such is the convenience of spending your outdoor vacation in Graceland!

We spent the remaining time before breakfast taking more picture of the birds and the trees and the flowers and the lake until we were hungry  enough to break the fast and eat the firs and most important meal of the day so we proceeded back to Memphis Cafe and had breakfast there.

 From a critique's perspective of this place, Graceland here in Tayabas created an atmosphere with a scene typical of what you will see in a Texas or Tennessee ranch with the white picket fences and manicured lawns minus the horses and American cowboys so to speak.  But it still has the touch of the Philippine landscape as fields of rice still dominates some areas around the resort creating a fusion of east meets west to satisfy the eyes of visitors - local and foreign alike.

Graceland indeed designed the entire resort for the convenience of its guests and make them feel like you're still in the safety of your suburban dwellings yet so far from the city but still enjoy the perks of country life.  This is the scene behind our villa where each room has a balcony with a view of the ricefields.  Such is the life of the King!

For every place we've visited, it is customary for me to express my thumb of approval with a jump of joy so I executed my traditional jump shot with Malen as my trusted and reliable shooter who knows the perfect time to snap the shot despite my size and weight.  What can you say? Perfect huh?

After an  exhaustive tour of the entire estate and a hearty breakfast, we really built up a sweat that it was time to hit the swimming pool.  We rested a bit and took pictures around the pool and I'm sure that the better model for a swimming pool photoshoot is no other than my beautiful wife over here.  I'll be joining her in the water later. Ha ha ha!

So here we are, enjoying the minipool overlooking the big pool and the coolest thing is that we had the pool for ourselved since it's early in the morning and probably the other guests are just arising from their beds, eating breakfast and just whiling the time away.  But for us who don't have the luxury of time or else waste the chance to capture every moment in digital data of these wonderful place, every minute and every second count or else we'll wind up taking pictures with all the photobombers around eager to be part of our memorable moments.

Moments in the jacuzzi together with my loving wife in blissful peace and privacy is what I meant when rising up early to avoid the crowd.  The early birds do catch the worm but in this case it's the lovebirds that catch the first swim, while the water is still fresh and clean and the ambiance is just simply perfect.

Graceland has indeed lived up to its name as the sanctuary of our beloved King of Rock an Roll.  He may not be with us to enjoy the beauty of this place, but the memory of his grandeur and royalty still lives on and Malen gives her thumbs up for this place for giving us an awesome vacation in this awesome estate.

The King may be dead but when you visit Graceland, and no one will surely see him here but having stayed and experience the royal life here definitely shows that the King lives in every one of us during our stay in Graceland.  Of course, for my wife on the other hand she can well be Priscilla Presley, the Queen of Graceland. Ha ha ha!

Wow! so much had happened here despite the short vacation but every moment was truly worthwhile.  Well, some good things never last but at least we captured every good thing on camera and is now part of our indelible memories to cherish for the rest of our lives.  As we packed our bags and get ready to go, I got one last shot of the room overlooking the grassy prairie and beyond that is the swimming pool where my queen and had a great time together!

We are highly grateful to my colleague in the pollution control profession Engr. Bernadette for the wonderful time and opportunity to stay in this beautiful resort.  It might be sometime before we visit this place again and though we never saw Elvis here, our pollution control friend here made us feel like King and Queens in Graceland, Tayabas, Quezon!

This is probably one of the stories where I had so much to say about the beauty of  Graceland. Much as we hate happy endings because we prefer to be happy without ending and though the King is dead and we never saw Elvis at all but having stayed in the royal estate of Graceland made us the "King and Queen of Hearts!" 

Hacienda-Style Living at VILLA ESCUDERO: A Fairy Tale Beyond the Daytour. .

Villa Escudero is undoubtedly the one tourist destination where visitors leave with a smile after a day's tour of their beautiful resort. It is the only theme park in the country that showcases Filipino culture and provincial lifestyle at its best. And after having spent a romantic overnight stay and experiencing an authentic hacienda-style living in the Quezon countryside, no one can express the best stamp of approval better than the priceless smile from my lovely wife here as we bid farewell to the carabaos, coconut trees, captivating river and waterfalls, awesome food, clean air and hospitable staff.

I have visited Villa Escudero several times with different groups since the first time it opened to the public in 1981 where there is still poolside bar but all these were availed thru the Daytour package which gives you your money's worth enough to have fun for an entire day.  

This time together with my wife, we decided to spend an overnight stay in this plush plantation resort in the gateway of Quezon bordering the boundary towns of San Pablo, Laguna and Tiaong, Quezon.  What we experienced was an adventure beyond our expectation.

Going to Villa Escudero is very easy because like I said, it is considered as the gateway to Quezon province because it is literally located in the provincial boundary and once you cross into Quezon, the first site you will find on the left will be Villa Escudero. 

Upon arriving in Villa Escudero, the overnight package still consists of the day tour amenities but beyond the daytour there will be additional dinner and breakfast and unrestricted use of other facilities in the resort.  So we started off with the museum tour.  

The museum seems to be an old church converted into a museum for displaying antique artifacts, religious items, statues, carriages and family heirlooms and novelty items that members of the Escudero family had collected through the years.  It feels kinda eerie while inside the museum because having knowledge of some items with a bizarre or mysterious history  makes you feel the presence of souls that are involved in the history of these antiquated relics.  

Another spooky thing that occurred while inside the museum is that management prohibits the taking of pictures but despite the prohibition we still took pictures secretly.  To our surprise and amazement, all the pictures taken inside the museum were all blurred like these.  Spooky indeed!

After touring the museum, we went out to the plaza rotunda to pose beside numerous war relics such as vintage fighter airplanes, tank, several artillery pieces and sea mines.

It's fun posing beside this war plane because you can create the illusion of carrying it effortlessly like a superhero.

Tanks have the notorious reputation of being the mean machine on the battle field.  So if you're asking for superior firepower and brute strength, bring a tank and tell the competition, "Come to Papa!"

Howitzers are artillery cannons that can fire medium range projectiles against strategic positions of the enemy for offensive or defensive purposes.  Unlike the tank which can be very mobile and can be deployed fast, these cannons should be horse or vehicle-pulled to any place and terrain but their projectiles can travel farther and pack a more powerful blast on its target.

Facing the roundabout is the manor of the estate with its long driveaway and a centerpiece garden, one cn just see how quaint the house is and that the Escudero family are not the mansion-size type of people of the Principalia class during the Spanish -colonial era.  

Nevertheless, they have huge tracts of lands for sugar plantations employing lots of peasants under their administration. But let's not dwell into the family history  too much since the manor is not open to the public.

The statue in front of the manor is that of Don Plácido Escudero and his wife Doña Claudia Marasigan who in 1872 founded the plantation. It was originally a sugar cane plantation but was converted to coconut by their son, Don Arsenio Escudero in the early 1900s. 

During the era of the Industrial Revolution, Don Arsenio built the country’s first working hydroelectric plant - Labasin Dam - to supply electricity to his desiccated coconut factory and the Escudero Plantation house.

The plantation became a tourist attraction when it was finally  opened to the public in 1981.  In the beginning, only glimpses of plantation life and the family's eclectic private collection was presented as a Museum tour. 

Visitors are treated with a carabao cart ride  that takes visitors to the resort area, surrounded by park-like setting while being serenaded by locals. Sometimes a trambia-style bus if its working, and an electric shuttle is used to ferry guests.  Lunch is served al fresco at the base of the spillway where diners enjoy their lunch dipped in the flowing calf-deep water. As the resort grew, new attractions include an authentic live cultural dance show choreographed by National Artist Ramon Obusan, performed with live music. The resort has since expanded offering accommodations, more restaurants, sports facilities, and a conference center.

In 2008, 415 hectares (1,030 acres), more than half of the estate, was converted into an exclusive residential development called Hacienda Escudero. If only I had the financial capacity to buy a residence here, I will not hesistate to establish this place as my retirement home.

We finally arrived at the hotel, a place where the daytour guests rarely wander.  This is a privilege enjoyed only by overnight guests where dinner and breakfast are served in a separate pavilion and you have the luxury or resting and lying on a very comfortable bed in the privacy of your room without thinking of the time as the day gets nearer to its end in the afternoon.  The swimming pool can be very crowded with daytour guests during the day that we didn't think of having a dip with the crowd.  

The hotel is a quaint-single storey building made up of predominantly indigenous material which highlights the rural-style architecture to give its guest that provincial atmosphere and briefly dispel the urban character of visitors coming from the city or another country. 

The reception area is erected with huge wooden posts and the living room furnished with hard wood muebles and an atrium adorned with a variety of lively green plants.  The cobbled floor completes the entire picture of my wife enjoying her vacation in a hacienda. 

We were led to our room where it is situated  several meters from the river but provides us with a picturesque view of the river with the riverside cafe on the foreground.

The rooms are lined in a row fronting the river each with a small veranda in front.  The walls are lined with woven sawali and the doors and windows are made of bamboo.  The ceiling is insulated with bamboo although the roof is already retrofitted with moulded GI sheets needed to be strong enough against the wind and rains as well as discourage the destructive scavenging of birds when they scrounge for nesting materials.

The interior is superbly native in design with its bamboo walls and sawali ceiling.  It really gave an authentic feeling of living in the rural area with a little bit of style.  The mezzanine provides additional space making the entire room spacious enough for more than 4 people.

As you enter the room, the sight of the bed will greet you like it's already inviting you to lie down and feel the softness of its mattress and pillows.  Actually, when we felt how soft the pillow was, Malen complimented to the staff  how soft the pillow was and they resplied by telling that's the same compliment they received from most of the guests and that if we want the pillow we can buy it because they are actually for sale to interested guests.

There are actually more than one bed in the room but since we are the only occupants, the room was really quite big for the two of us.

 The bathroom is not the typical rural bathroom with bamboo floors and walls and claypots to store water but an elegant, tiled walls and floors that will give you more than enough pleasure of using the toilet and taking a hot or cold shower after touring the entire resort and enjoying all of its amenities.

After settling down our luggage and resting for a while in our room, it was already high noon so we went out towards the waterfalls to dine al fresco in the spillways below.  Villa Escudero has since made many improvements to their facilities such as this artificial waterfalls where it wasn't there before the first time we visited this place.

Another addition is this boardwalk that connects the cottages on one end of the river to the dam where guests can enjoy the scenery of the river while walking along the boardwalk.  It's like strolling your heart out! Ha ha ha ha!

When we reached the waterfalls, I was a little bit disappointed because the waterfalls I once saw has an unimpeded view from above.  There is already a structure built along the cliffs that obstructed the view from above and you need to go downstairs before you actually see the entire falls.  

That's probably the price for development to provide more convenience to tourists especially to persons with disabilities who also want to enjoy the experience of dining in the river.  We just have to accept the changes for the benefit of everybody, whether handicapped or not.

We cued in line for our turn to be served food.  Food is served on a buffet table and there are servers to distribute the food.  The food is traditionally Filipino served native-style on "bilao" or native plates and it's practically an eat-all-you can feast.  We only got what we can finish and I think this is enough to last us for the entire afternoon until dinner time.

After lunch we proceeded to the waterfalls to frolic in the the cascading water sliding down the spillway.

The water is so cool and enticing that it brings back childhood cravings to play your heart out without inhibition.  

At this moment the world is oblivious to us as time stood still while enjoying this joyous time together in blissful harmony.

After enjoying ourselves in the waterfalls and drying up, we went topside and strolled on to Cafe Indigo, the newest riverside mini-restaurant in Villa Escudero.  I do not know when this place was put up but I remembered that this was not here the last time we visited this place so it was time to check this place out.

When we entered the cafe we were speechless on the view it gave us of the river.  On the right side it gave a view of the harbor where bamboo rafts are launched and the dam's edge where the water falls off the spillway.

On the left side is a magnificent view of the river with the foliage of majestic green trees on the background.  Time stood still while we gaze in awe and felt like we are in paradise at this very moment.

Since we're still full from the hearty lunch at the waterfalls, we just ordered the favorite drink my wife always crave for - a Villa Escudero Frappuccinno that would surely quench your thirst especially on a hot sunny day in this summer hideaway in Quezon.

We just let time pass by lounging in the veranda of the cafe until it was time for the daytour guests to leave.  The river was now empty with photobomber tourists so we have the river all to ourselves now and it's time to grab the oars and hit the water.  This is probably one of the most romantic moments with my wife as we silently but cheerfully paddle along the river, the beautiful Labasin river that will be part of our fond memories for the rest of our lives.

Floating down the river  and just letting the current carry you down is one of the most peaceful moments that one can experience.  These are moments where we get to meditate or contemplate on the future and how to enjoy the remaining time of our lives together despite the problems and challenges that came our way.  

I always tell Malen that working too hard and not having to release the tension is not a good way to heal oneself.  So every once in a while we should travel and this is one good therapy for the mind and soul and so here we are on one adventure to another.

What really drives me to keep going is the love and inspiration that this incredible woman shared with me through the ups and downs in my life and I owe it to her to continue fighting my owns challenges so that we can grow old in love together.  It is this very moment where I conceived the idea of writing our adventures together in my latest blog where Malen is already my partner in the many stories of our travel.

As night time fell in the villa and all the daytour guests had all gone. The place lighted up to reveal the nightlife like a peaceful provincial town  yet so ambivalently safe to wander.  The river is already dark and only the swimming pool remains open.  It was time for dinner so we proceeded to the Pavilion for another feast but this time on dry land.

When we arrived at the Pavilion we have no idea of what was in store for us but we were expecting a buffet table similar to what we had during lunch at the waterfalls.  So to our delight, the buffet was completely different!  

The food looks more delicious and there are many more choices of food to choose from ranging from Filipino to Chinese to Western, unlike in the waterfalls where the food in completely Filipino dishes.  There is also a variety of drinks to choose from.  You get to eat in style and best of all you eat your dinner while watching and listening to live acoustic entertainment by musicians in traditional provincial attire and yet were singing contemporary music. What a treat!

Villa Escudero really know how to paint a smile on our faces especially after that feast they prepared for the night time guests.  We were now anticipating the surprise that tomorrow morning's breakfast had in store for us.  After dinner, we did a little strolling around the hotel grounds to digest our dinner and after resting, we decided to go night swimming.  The management cleaned up the water first after the daytour for the benefit of the overnight guests.

The pool was empty so we have the freedom to play like children to our heart's delight.  There was not much light around the pool area so we just jump in and tried my waterproof camera for capture many funny moments unerwater.  

It really makes my heart fond seeing Malen very happy because many times it very hard to make her completely relaxed and excited especially when traveling to new places because there are sometimes difficulties we encounter along the way and these are moments that she sometimes frowns.  But tonight, I am in the company of the happiest woman in the world!

It was close to midnight when we left the pool and returned to our room to wash up and sleep for the night. After taking a bath, I took some moments to write some of the day's experiences in my laptop so that when the time comes to write this blog, much of what had happened today are accurately accounted for.

As we were settling in for the night, we were rattled by strange noises in front of the house until I realize that it was the sound of a guitar playing with voices singing in the background.  As I opened the door to investigate, what greeted us was a group of the villa's staff serenading us with romantic folk music as their voices liven up the peaceful night and elevated the atmosphere to a more pleasant atmosphere.  There were even moments that I sang together with the guys when songs familiar to me are being played.  When they finally bid goodbye, I graciously gave them a tip for making the night romantic and memorable for us.  We settled in for the night feeling truly blessed and enormously happy for the unforgettable experiences of the day.

When daybreak came, I rose up early which is something I always do on trips because this is the perfect time to take pictures when sunlight is still mild and there are no photobomber tourists always trying to vye for the better angle and palaces to take pictures as well.  This is one my favorite photographs of Villa Escudero as it features Cafe Indigo in the morning sunlight amidst the backdrop od manicured lawn, leaves-strewn trees and a little glimpse of the river from the side.

  
This area of the villa is where the riverside cottages are lined alng the river banks and guests here enjoy the luxury of relaxing on the balcony overlooking the river.  Unfortunately, these cottages are too costly for us to avail so we just settled for the present accommodation we have.  Anyway it doesn't matter what room you have but the company you are with whenever you are in a awesome place like Villa Escudero.

We proceeded to the Pavilion again for breakfast and to our delight a vast array of Filipino and Continental-style breakfast food was laid for the taking. 

Even the morning hot drinks of coffee, chocolate, cereals, fruit juices were all there on the table and "kakanin' food of all variety really made our mouths water off the sides.  Expectedly, we ate heartily again with all the guilt of gluttony set aside during that morning.  That was probably the best breakfast of our lives. 

After breakfast, we had the time to stroll around the poolside to take pictures while the day tourists has not arrived yet.  This is the perks of being overnight guests because you can practically pose anywhere you want without any photobombers ruining your shot.

Much as we would like to stay longer in this beautiful mini town of Villa Escudero and have a happy ending, it would be better if we will always be happy without an ending.  Because everytime we would encounter anyone who had visited this enchanted paradise, they would still visit it again in the future and enjoy its wondrous splendor. 

Many of us do share the same feelings towards this place and its not surprising that the owners have kept this place in order to keep visitors satisfied to the highest level.  And sure enough, they keep on coming old and new visitors alike!