SONYA’S GARDEN … A GARDEN'S SECRET REVEALED

Written:May 2006

Located in Alfonso, Cavite is a haven for ultimate relaxation and blissful tranquility called “Sonya’s Bed and Breakfast”. It is an hour away from Makati. Just take Sta. Rosa or Carmona Exit, from Tagaytay to Batangas, turn right at Buck Estates; it is the street after Royal Tagaytay Estates. The place is known for its deliciously concocted organic meals but they have ventured to bed and breakfast to give in to client’s clamor to stay in this cool fresh place.



Stay-in guests will be housed in their “shabby chic” type houses. A wood and capiz type of door with a crystal door handle is your first good impression of beautiful things to come. The whole foyer is screened for protection from various insects that roam the “forest – like” ambiance. The floors are made of cement and planks of wooden railroad tracks. A weather-beaten bench with carvings and designs will greet the new comer. A simple table with white embroidered cotton table cloth is located in the other side of the foyer. White orchid in a terra cotta pot ties up the whole foyer. The freshly squeezed dalandan juice with mint leaves cannot be missed.




Another wood and capiz door will lead you to the main bedroom. Here you will find two big beds made of wood and wrought iron with crisp white cotton bed sheets and pillow cases. Splashes of pink floral designed pillow cloths can be found to break the all white monotony. Large windows lined with screen with white valences and curtains are found around the bedroom. There are wood and capiz windows to give more privacy to the guests. As you peek through the windows green plants and colorful flowers bask in the warmth of the sun.





There is an antique wooden dresser at the foot of one bed. It is made of dark wood with elaborate designs. It is obviously well-maintained because of its glossy texture. It is the kind of dresser that our grandmothers use. A cabinet for clothes made of medium colored wood can be found on the other side of the room. Various ceramic tiles lined the cabinet with colored deep blue and emerald green glass.



A night stand with a vase containing a freshly picked white and pink colored roses, an old lamp with an ornate pattern and a book can be found in one side of the bed. Despite its lack of air conditioning unit, the place is very cool. But for those needing an electric fan, there is one housed in wooden grills to match the furnishings in the house.





A very well thought of part of the room is the bathroom. Again it is lined with screen and capiz windows. An option of seeing the “world outside” while taking a bath with pebbles tickling your naked feet can be done. The fact that nobody can see you is an assurance because outside the bathroom is a thick foliage. A curtain of white seashells covers the bath. All toiletries are made from herbs and flowers. Baskets of woven abaca contained white fluffy towels. A terra cotta jar (tapayan) can be found in one side that serves as a water container. While sitting in the toilet bowl, one can see the trees outside swaying with the wind.





Outside the bedrooms are numerous plants and flowers which is a feast to the eyes and nose. There are vines that crawl all over the place to serve as shaded areas in the garden. Numerous benches and sitting areas can be found all over the vast place. There are daybeds with soft white cloths over it found in nooks lined with creeping plants. Perfect for an afternoon nap. Soft music can be heard and together with the wood and metal chimes. A natural symphony.



There are cement bowls filled with water and flowers everywhere. There are birds and butterflies flying everywhere in this Garden of Eden.



Colored wine bottles adorn the fences and trees giving assorted hues each time the sun’s rays kissed the glass.



Meals are equally pleasing and well prepared. The hearty breakfast consists of fried rice with vegetables, egg omelet, crispy fried fish marinated in vinegar and garlic and chicken pork adobo with fruits as desserts and fresh dalandan juice.



The jewel colored glass container of chili is such a nice touch on the table.



The dinner is romantic and enchanting. Tables are set with votives inside a brown bag and fresh flowers. A kundiman quartet plays in the background. The dinner starts with freshly baked bread with an assortment of dips and creams. Followed with a salad of freshly harvested vegetables and fruits. Al dente pasta with choices of ingredients and sauces followed the salad. Fresh fruits for desserts and fresh juice heralded the appetizing conclusion.



You can avail of massage and foot spa for a reasonable price. Free scheduled demonstrations of yoga, craft making, flower arrangement and cooking can be availed. Plants and various herbal toiletries are for sale.



I never had a chance to meet the owner, she was in one of her various trips abroad where she gets some of her exquisite things but I wrote her a thank you letter in the guest book … for letting us in her world.

This experience is one very special treat of a lifetime. It is a walk back in time. It is an art appreciation. It is a personal journey of love and devotion. It is a living testimony that the past can be preserved and shared with people. It is a pleasurable awakening of our senses. It is pure, simple and rustic yet truly enriching. This is one place I highly recommend … a profound journey of past for you to fully appreciate the present.