DAY 9: Tagaytay!

It's our day off and we are headed out of the city to Tagaytay!  I really wanted to see Taal Volcano and ride horses (since nobody will ride the toy animals in the mall with me) so we set out to explore.  First stop in Tagaytay was Picnic Park (People's Park? Picnic Park? Something Park) where we found horsey tours.  Some very nice (very young) boys took us on anorexic horses to check out the local pineapple plantations.  Of course we had to get cowboy hats.

Josh:  Ate put your cowboy hat on for the picture
Ate: But I look stupid
Jason: Of course you look stupid! We all look stupid! Thats the point of the hat.

Josh's horse was the biggest, Jason's was the fastest, and mine was "berry shy."  It's amazing how difficult it is to balance on a horse with a saddle made of cloth, one wooden stick, and a dream.  After trying to convince my guide that I was definitely going to fall off, and him trying to convince me that I was just being a sissy (and nobody likes a sissy) he won and I got into a groove.  Not as great a groove as the boys though as I watched them gallop off with faces of mixed emotions.

After half an hour of dodging tricycles and trying not to pee in my pants, we arrived at the pineapple plantation.  The weather could not have been more perfect with the sun shining and a cool breeze blowing off our stupid hats.

The most exciting part of the ride, however, was on the way back where the guides, suddenly and without warning jump on the back of your horse and proceed to gallop (at a mad pace) back towards the start.  My guide was a bit more polite about this as I was the only lady (kinda) but it was quite amusing to watch Jason's guide enthusiastically swing up unto his horse and ride off into the sunset with Jason screaming "THIS IS HAPPENING! THIS IS HAPPENING!"

We topped off such an exciting day with an even more amazing lunch at Leslies, Tagaytay.  The restaurant had seemingly safe cottages overlooking the water and Taal Volcano.  The view was by far the best lunch view I've ever had.

An acoustic band came by halfway through lunch to provide us with a Rihanna cover (which was surprisingly enjoyable considering the awkward context).

Shine bright like a diamond

Great views and great company.  Favorite day yet!