The Winning Green Team in Graceland

Graceland Estates and Country Club, Tayabas, Quezon

 

A little bit history of the place:

Graceland is a sprawling leisure estate nestled in the embrace of Quezon province’s eco-cultural tourism hub. An ambitious brainchild of a group of Filipinos sharing a grand vision, Graceland broke ground in 1996. A year later the great Asian financial crisis struck which threatened the fledgling development. Instead of giving up on the dream, the Graceland pioneers persevered and stayed on course with the vision.

source: http://graceland-tayabas.com/about-graceland

Yes, you read it right! There's a Country Club in the province of Tayabas, Quezon and it's more or less 23 hectares. So, feeling haciendera / haciendero ka talaga pag nakarating ka dun. Napaka refreshing ng lugar kahit mga modern yung structures nya na preserved pa din nila yung natural beauty of nature. You can still see GREENS everywhere, madami puno ng Lychees. Meron din daw mga deers na pagala gala lang dun, but we are not that fortunate to see it, baka natakot nung makitang madami tao naghahanap sa kanya. :)

Then yung pinaka center nung place yung 3 hectares man-made lagoon na pwede ka mag boat ride, jet ski drive, mag fishing fishing or mag muni-muni lang sa paligid ligid. Meron s'ya parang Pavilion or function hall sa gitna kung saan pwede ganapin ang kahit anong event.

Every Corner of The Lagoon

More of The Lagoon

They also have camping site, golf course, children's playground, meditation garden, biking and jogging trails, adventure camp, Memphis Garden (ito yung parang food court nila, resto and bar are located here), mga social halls, Condominiums at madaming Swimming Pools.

Residences

Meditation Garden, Collections of Classic Military Jeep, Fountain, Other part of Meditation Garden

Some of the numerous pools in the area

 Lucky Me! (not the noodles...hehe)

Last summer 2009 I had the chance to experience and explore Graceland for FREE. Yes, super free kasi dun ginanap yung Team Building namin. My first ever team building as an employee, so another first in my life again. :)

Sa Team Building naman tayo ngayon. On the first day may orientation / seminar about  wellness and the goodness of being physically fit to work almost half day yun. Madami naman kami natutunan dun sa speaker yun nga lang di ata namin magawang isabuhay. hehehe...After the seminar time for stretching na, nabanat ang mga natutulog na buto at kalamnan sa araw-araw na pag-upo sa opisina. But we had fun doing the exercises, puro kalokohan eh. :)

DOST in Action - Stretching time

After the stretching na warm-up lang daw yun start na ng game. Lets the battle begin! So, pasikatan na ang Green (the winning team at syempre dun ako kasali), Blue, and Yellow team. First game hanapan ng flag, gulat naman kami lawak kaya ng Graceland baka after 48 years pa namin mahanap yung flag na yun, then yun buti lang isang area lang naman pala ang paghahanapan so go na! Takbuhan na, kanya kanyang hanapan na, then nung makita na yung flag tag the other member of the team na nasa boat, unahan naman sila sa pagsagwan para maikot ang buong lagoon. Sobrang saya yun, muntik na kasi tumaob yung bangka buti na lang hindi ako dun. Then after the boat, biking naman. Buti na lang may bikers kami kaya lamang na ulit kami. After ng amazing race kuno, mga ball game na. Then after manalo ng Green team time to relax na and free time to explore the place at pwede na daw mag swimming. After diner socialization time na, inuman ng mahiwang Bignay wine, videoke, kwentuhan, at kanya kanyang puslit para makatulog.Then kinabukasan after breakfast gora na kami sa next destination. Punta kami sa town proper of Lucban, nag-lunch in Dealo Koffee Klatch, visited the old churche and pasalubong hunting. Di pa dun natapos field trip ang kinalabasan, dumaan pa kami sa Kamay ni Hesus then Liliw naman para sa tsinelas. 

Time for photo ops. :)

in wacky pose

The Winning Team :)

Inside our room

Obviously I'm the Photographer here

From Graceland segway kami sa Kamay ni Hesus sa Lucban

 Staying in Graceland was great and the team building activities was fun fun fun! It was another great experience. A great way to relax and put aside office works even just for a short time.

-----   Au revoir.   :)  MJ