The Miami Heat Coach and I

Erik Spoelstra, the Miami Heat coach who led his team to win the NBA Championships this year, and I have something in common. We both have mothers who hail from San Pablo City, Laguna — a town that’s about two hours from Manila. I wanted to show my girls where their maternal ancestral roots are so we planned a day trip to see the town as well as Villa Escudero, a coconut plantation and resort combined in the town.  The lunch area was especially fun as you get to eat by a man-made waterfall with your feet soaked in the water, providing relief from the hot weather.

A carabao drive to and from the main resort area

Villa Escudero’s private river where you can go fishing and rafting

Villa Escudero’s old chapel, now a museum, houses the Escudero Family’s extensive collection of various subjects and themes that pertain to Philippine history