An A-MAZE-ing Date in Pangasinan
A few weeks ago, my husband and I went to see a “sunflower garden maze” in Tayug, Pangasinan. The maze was part of “Annual Open Days,” an agri-tourism event held by the Allied Botanicals Corporation (ABC), which kicked off last February 17.
Coming from Rosales on a motorbike, we arrived at the site in just 30 minutes. After parking, we were directed to the ABC office to buy tickets. The entrance fee costs only Php 100 each, and you can stay inside the venue for the whole day.
Upon entering, we were greeted by a beautiful garden that featured an “overgrown” pick-up truck, different kinds of herbs, and gorgeous flowering plants in many colors. It was a spectacular sight!
One side of the garden led to the sunflower maze, where you could get lost if you’re not careful! It was my first time to enter a garden maze (which I had only seen in movies and photos), so I was like a little girl lost in a beautiful world. My husband went out and climbed up a makeshift stage to get a better shot of me in the sunflower maze.
After exiting the maze, we headed to the stalls located on one side of the field. There were several booths selling snacks, rice meals, fruits, vegetables, and agricultural products. We grabbed a quick lunch before exploring the other side of the field, which showcased row upon row of vegetable plants.
While walking around the plots, I think it’s safe to say that most of the veggies mentioned in the song “Bahay Kubo” were there! There were onions, tomatoes, string beans, lettuce, bell-pepper, and many other plants. My personal favorite was the “Shaolin Upo,” which was probably named that way because of its unusual shape.
Aside from the flower garden and vegetable field, the event also featured a Maze Contest, a “Pick and Pay” promo, and seminars on agricultural topics. We weren’t able to join a seminar, but we did buy a couple of watermelons (the yellow variety) before calling it a day.
All in all, I’d say that ABC’s event was a successful one, with more visitors are coming week after week. Personally, I think we should have more private or public gardens like this, where families can just relax and have a good time.
As for me and my husband, we really enjoyed exploring the place, seeing the flowers and vegetables, and taking lots of pictures. Indeed, it was an “A-Maze-ing Date,” and I can’t wait for our next adventure!
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