While on my way home from a Tagaytay wedding, Waze directed me to a different route rather than the usual Sta. Rosa exit (which is usually traffic). It lead me to take Aguinaldo Highway instead. When I saw the sign on my right of Ilog Maria, I wondered if it was open on a Sunday. Turns out it was and so we took a detour to Ilog Maria to check it out.
I always thought it would be a sanctuary with a river with a miraculous grotto and all from the name, and there would be nuns singing as they would be by the river or harvesting honey. The road from Aguinaldo Highway leading to the place is a super narrow one-way rough road that you'd actually thought you'd be lost in. Trusting Waze, it led us to a gate with the sign telling me that "Okay, you're not lost"
There's a small Italian restaurant on your right and there's another super narrow passageway and you'll be welcomed to a parking lot and a farm.
Yes, this place actually existed.
The cats were just super cute and adorable. I even gave them some food. Once in a while, we would see a kitten chase a few chickens.
There are soaps in various flavors. The spearmint and oatmeal is my absolute favorite, especially since it's super duper hot. I really love minty soaps. I want to try the Coffee soap in the morning to perk me up.
The shampoo has a cooling effect on the scalp and leaves the scalp smelling fresh all day. The effect though depends on the person. On me, I use this if I'm going to get my hair styled since it gives my hair the right texture and natural hold it needs. On some people, the shampoo leaves hair super soft.
The feminine wash is a favorite of a lot of people based abroad. This leaves a cool and fresh feeling after and it's gentle enough for this delicate area. If you find conventional feminine washes harsh, consider switching to this. It also is super affordable at Php 45.00. The ladies in the store even told me balikbayans would buy boxes of these.
I'm sensitive to conventional multivitamins and take bee pollen instead. I take a spoonful of bee pollen (the spoon is included with every purchase) on an empty stomach in the morning followed with a glass of water. The taste is a bit sweet and woodsy. I wasn't able to buy but I also like the Bee Propolis, which I take to boost immunity.
Stuff for home is also available here, such as wood polish, which takes away the use of chemical wood polish and leather conditioner. The leather conditioner smells really good (I don't like the smell of conventional shoe polish) and this is available for any color of leather product, If you're a candle fan, they have dripless candles as well.
The products I bought in the trip were quite a lot and I was surprised I spent almost half than what I would spend had I bought the products in Manila. They make excellent Christmas giveaways. You can pick a selection and then choose your own combination when giving gifts. You can even compose a set to give as a gift to a bridal shower, say a couple of candles, a bar of feminine wash, and a bottle of lavander liquid soap. Or you can buy an oil burner, essential oil and probably a candle if your friend is into aromatherapy. If you're a bride, you can assemble a cute and affordable gift pack for your entourage, say choosing two soaps she may like, or something.
Ilog Maria Honeybee Farm is open from Tuesdays to Sundays (they are closed Mondays and Holidays) from 8:30 am to 5:30 p.m. If you're there on a Wednesday or a weekend, be sure to have lunch at the Italian restaurant nearby. They serve super awesome Italian food.
Looks like I would have a stopover if I have another gig in the Silang or Tagaytay area. :)
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