After getting inspiration from the 1000 PHP Bataan trip
blog, the stokedtraveler takes off to the nearby province of Bataan.
Bataan is just about 2.5 hours drive from Metro Manila. It
is most popular for the infamous Death March during World War II where allied forces
were made to march all the way from Bataan to Tarlac - some 128 kms. The
stretch of the march was characterized by the most gruesome abuses the Japanese
army could inflict resulting to deaths of thousands of Filipino and American
soldiers.
It was on a Good Friday and the stokedtraveler had the
curious desire to visit the largest cross that could be found in the
Philippines. True enough, the Mt. Samat Shrine of Valor in Brgy. Diwa, Pilar,
Bataan would be the best candidate.
The plan was to drive from Pampanga to Mt. Samat. This would
let him stop by other nearby attractions and historic markers along the way
minus the hassle of the commute. Luckily, he googled up the drive and found out
that the path leading to the top of Mt. Samat was nothing short of winding and
sharp turns. His driving skills were not up to the challenge yet so he decided
to take the bus and commute.
The stokedtraveler boarded the Balanga bus (Bataan Transit) in SM Pampanga. An hour and a half later, the bus arrives at an almost empty Balanga terminal. He followed another blogger’s directions and started asking for jeep going to Brgy. Diwa. There were very few people on the terminal and only a few jeepneys and tricycles.
