Making Each Day Count

D and I recently drove to Silang, Cavite, for a day tour of Shambala Silang. We had two things in mind: check out their gardens and gallery. The place immediately captured my interest, after seeing an Instagram post from a friend and reading more about them through their Facebook page.

Luckily we were one of the first few visitors to have arrived. To get to the reception, we walked under a canopy of trees. We were met by our guide, and were provided welcome drinks.

First stop was the Tawid Gallery. I liked the concept of the gallery, which portrayed the poem of its owner. It housed beautiful works of art from Filipino artists. Among my favorites were the paintings of Kublai Millan; the Ostrich Egg sculptures by Danny Rayos Del Sol; woodworks by Agi Pagkatipunan; and brass sculptures by Richard Buxani. I was also amazed by an art piece called “Ilaw ng Kalikasan” by Wilhelmina Garcia and Del Jardiniano which was made of plastic wrappers and terracotta. During our visit to the Tawid Gallery, we met the owners of the Shambala Silang. They were a lovely, warm couple who provided us a lot of insights about the art pieces.

Next stop was a walk through the Cordillera garden. There we saw Ifugao huts that guests can book for overnight stays. The huts are not airconditioned, as the climate in Silang is cool. At the bottom of the garden was a place for a bonfire. I made a mental note to book a hut here soon. I imagine waking up and looking out the window to see the Cordillera-inspired landscape.

Shambala Silang is a little less than two hours’ drive from Metro Manila. It is truly an art and nature-overload gem quietly tucked in Cavite. Our visit here was such a breath of fresh air and I look forward to going back.