I parked under one of the many trees lining the road and stepping out of the car, a cool breeze welcomed us. Coming from Manila's death-grip of pollution this was absolutely refreshing!
We weren't expecting the area to be 'touristy' but within 5 minutes of walking it became clear that the area surrounding the lake was a well-oiled recreational machine with numerous stalls of vendors selling barbeques, softdrinks, chips, drinks etc. And because it was such a lovely day, locals and 'tourists' alike were in full force, enjoying themselves on the makeshift boardwalk and park area around the lake.
The vibe was absolutely festive!
Personally, I've seen tons of amazing images of the lake and as I really wanted to give my takes a fresh perspective I tried to avoid replicating the tried and tested angles. I ended up shooting by the side where the fishermen's houses were and drew quite a bit of attention to myself. I actually ended up chatting with the local folks more than shooting. All in all, me and my buddies had a remarkable time shooting and exploring this side of Laguna.
Now, I just have to come back and do that darned sunrise shoot and my Sampaloc lake experience would be complete!