Kamay ni Hesus

Kamay ni Hesus | Aug. 4-5, 2012

Even if the weather is not good we decided to proceed to our long planned trip to Kamay ni Hesus (or Grotto as other calls it) in Lucban Quezon.

This is our first trip with only three of us (me, my hubby and our daughter). We leave our home 4:30AM (not as we planned 4:00AM departure time) and we reached Alabang, Muntinlupa at 5:30AM. 1 hour travel time seems long because we cannot find tricycle to take us from our house to Terminal (where we will ride a jeep to Alabang) because it’s very early, so we take a 15mins walk to reach the Terminal and 45mins ride to Alabang.

When we were on Alabang we thought to have breakfast in Jollibee but because were already 30mins behind our schedule we just bought Ensaymada on Bakery besides the Bus Stop. We ride the first bus with Sta. Cruz sign that were about to leave, to be sure that we’ll reach the Healing Mass in Kamay ni Hesus that starts at 9:30AM (Healing Mass is only scheduled every Wednesday and Saturday).

The Bus leave Alabang at 5:45AM and we reach Sta.Cruz at 7:15AM. Our fare for Ordinary Bus is 88.00(each) only. We didn’t have a problem finding the Terminal that goes to Lucban because it’s already half meter away where we step down from the Bus. I was wondering if we need to look for other Jeep that dispatch right away to Lucban because the Jeep that we’re exactly sitting only have 4 passengers + 3 of us and it might need to fill the jeep with passengers before it left the Terminal. But fortunately the jeep driver starts the engine and leave the Terminal after 10mins and even it’s only half full (my hubby bought siomai on the Terminal-20.00 for 4pcs- while the jeep pick-up passengers, Ensaymada really isn’t enought for him!).

It’s 7:30AM when we leave Sta. Cruz and we paid 45.00/ea on the barker. While we were heading Lucban on it’s Zigzag road heavy rains pour out and we were really hoping that good weather awaits on us in Kamay ni Hesus(rainshower atleast?). After an hour that we left the Terminal we reach Lucban Public Market around 8:30AM, this is where we rode another jeep enable to reach Kamay ni Hesus (I read on other Blogs that you can ride a Tricycle to reach Kamay ni Hesus that will cost you 15.00/per head or 30.00/special when you stop at Buddy’s Restaurant). We were guided by other passenger to ride on the jeep(don’t worry you’ll see this jeep just after you step down from the first jeep) that bounds to Lucena inorder to reach Kamay ni Hesus and so we do (because we didn’t exactly stop on Buddy’s Resto as I have read to other blogs and even if I was doubting again if we can reach the 9:30 Mass if we took the jeep instead of tricycle. I’ll have my faith on towns folk ^_^).

We waited for other passengers to atleast fill the Jeep and my husband took the opportunity to have his Pee break, at exactly 9:00AM we left the Terminal. Sure enough we reach Kamay ni Hesus with only 15mins ride from Public Market and paid only 8.00/each. At 9:15AM we were at Kamay ni Hesus and rainshower didn’t lessen our excitement for that Trip. We headed for the Church and find our seat (we were ushered to seat on the left side because we accompany a kid. I think to maintain the serenity of the Mass and little children tends to have a small commotion afterall so all groups that have a kid seated at the left side). The mass started late, around 9:50AM and ends 11:30AM I think.

We didn’t finish exactly the whole healing mass because my daughter is already crying and begging me to have our meal (we left when the Priest request to wave our handkerchief to have a blessing). It’s our bad really to left the mass but I cannot ignored my crying daughter to have our meal (even if she already eaten our packed snacks, it’s not enough for her). So take note! Ensure to have a proper breakfast before you enter the church. You can find many carinderia in front of Kamay ni Hesus main entrance or inside Kamay ni Hesus Area, just ahead the Church on its right side along Pasalubong shops and Parking Area.

We have our meal on Carinderia along the hi-way at the front of main entrance because we didn’t know that there’s an Eatery inside, the rain is pouring heavily when we leave the Church and we didn’t bother to ask other people inside because we already seen the Carinderia/Food Stall on hi-way when we step down on our jeep ride earlier. We have our Brunch (Breakfast+Lunch) for only 115.00 that consist of 3 plain rice, 1 Giniling Viand, 1 Tortang Talong Viand, 1 Pansit Lucban, and 2 8oz softdrinks.

After we ate (around 12:00nn)I called Batis Aramin staff if we can check-in earlier (Batis Aramin is just on the front of Kamay ni Hesus). I was advised by their staff that we can check-in by 1pm instead of 2pm scheduled check-in so we proceed to Kamay ni Hesus with our belongings.