Ahh yes, to travel to the great outdoors even when you are busy is something worth writing about.

Last Sunday I finally went and saw La Mesa Ecopark. It was just a spur of the moment thing because heck I need a quick break from working too much. I keep on saying it like I hate my job but I don't. 😂 I just hate how I don't have enough time to idle around anymore.

So it was my first time ever to go to this Quezon City park. I didn't read too much about it before going there but I did check on how to get there. It's fairly easy considering I am already in Quezon City and apparently there are jeepneys that pass by the street going there. Before I tell you anything about it, first I'll give a short intro of the place.

What is La Mesa Ecopark?

La Mesa Ecopark is a public park surrounding La Mesa Watershed, the primary source and reservoir of drinking water of millions of people in Metro Manila, Philippines. It is actually the only remaining forest within the National Capital Region (NCR) of the Philippines!

Due to lack of funds the La Mesa Watershed was neglected for years and thus the forest was in danger of being lost to illegal loggers/settlers and others. In 1999, the ABS-CBN Foundation (with then managing director Gina Lopez) created Bantay Kalikasan (Nature Watch) and together with the Quezon City Government and Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) worked together to form the Save La Mesa Watershed Project.

In September 2004, the La Mesa Ecopark was launched after the rehabilitation and renovation of 33 hectares out of the 2,659 hectares of the watershed. All revenues of this park are used to continue the preservation and protection of the potable water source of NCR.

On March 5, 2011 the swimming pool complex was inaugurated to attract more revenue in preserving and protecting the La Mesa Watershed. It has an olympic size pool and two smaller saltwater (!!!) pools.

What Can Visitors Enjoy in La Mesa Ecopark?

Well, based on this map you have plenty of things to enjoy there! I only spent an hour inside and seeing the map afterwards made me realize I haven't even explored half of the place! 😱😂

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Apparently there are plenty of activities that can be done there. You can do the following:

• hiking
• biking
• zip lining
• rapelling
• swimming
• horseback riding
• butterfly viewing/trailing
• event hosting
• photo/video shooting
• and more!

My First Time at The La Mesa Ecopark

Well... Like I said, it was a spur of the moment thing because of working too hard. On March 3, 2019 I finally just went there and checked the place out. I read about the saltwater pool and I'm really itching to go to the beach since forever so off I went.

I rode a jeepney going to Fairview and asked the driver to drop me off at Winston St. It took more or less 30 minutes or more I think. Funny but I was the only one left on the jeep near my drop off point because perhaps most people didn't go there or the jeep I rode was not really going that way... 🤔🤔🤔 Well the driver didn't tell me he didn't drive up to there but he did tell me he will bring me there even if I was the only passenger.

He even tried to ask more money from me saying it was a special trip because I was the only one left. What the heck. I don't think he was joking so I said I can just get off and ride another jeepney if he had told me earlier. In the end he drove up to Winston St and voila, I see this welcome signage. 😊

Woohooo! I really felt like a tourist in my own city. 😂 Couldn't really take much pictures because it'd be too obvious it was my first time there. Didn't want to be victimized for looking like a tourist. Haha.

I did see the MRT extension being constructed. Man that's sure to make the MRTs full more often than it is now. Ah but that's a worry for the far future.

Anyway I rode the tricycle going to La Mesa Ecopark. Mind you, I didn't research how much it was going to cost me. I just went there with like maybe P300 or less on me. Whew.

So the jeepney ride was P22. Tricycle special trip (because I'm the only passenger) is P50. Okay, well it's now or never so just nevermind the price. 😂 It's my first time to go there anyway. At the entrance I see this. Woohooo I was finally at La Mesa Ecopark! (Entrance fee is P50 only)

I mean, I've been back here living in the city since 2002 and I've only been there a week ago! What the... 😂 Where are our traveling friends when you need them? 😂 I was either too busy studying and then working or I don't think my circle of friends know how to travel to places worth going to. 😅 Nobody ever thought of going here at all! Why oh why?!

Anyway moving on... So what did I see in there? I would have videoed the entire exploration but no. I wanted to savor the place without much interruption. Haha. Here's a short video compilation of what's inside La Mesa Ecopark.

And here's the guide post at the middle part of the park. 😁

I saw plenty of things there but not the entirety of it. Wasn't able to swim because the pool is open until 4pm only. As much as I want to put more pics and write about everything I ain't got no time. 😅 So enjoy the video folks and do let me know in the comments what you think about the place. 😊

By the way...

So upon reading my short intro of the place, I hope we Filipinos and foreign park visitors will remember it is important that when you go there DO NOT throw your garbage anywhere and STOP YOURSELF or your loved ones from destroying and hurting any plants. Clean as you go.

Promote and enjoy the place but protect and preserve it too. The money generated by the park will go directly to the funds for the preservation and protection of La Mesa Watershed, the only potable water source in Metro Manila. You can even donate and take part in the tree planting programs or reforestation initiative of Bantay Kalikasan. There are eco-tours you can also take advantage of. Check out more details in this infographic from the park's Facebook Page.

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It's really up to us to help preserve nature. Nature heals us so let us help heal the Earth too, or else. 😊

XOXO,
@artgirl

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