Bacolod City Tour and Silay City

During my Bacolod stay, I always made sure that I attend the morning mass or just visit the Carmelites monastery. It is my way of being grateful for each day that passed and a new bright morning to attend to. It always works to be grateful always..why would not I? A granted prayer request just happened that very early morning! Thank God!

The Garden of the Carmelites monastery - Bacolod City

I was left alone on the fourth and last day. Arnie decided to just change her flight to early in the AM to catch up with her birthday celebration with her family. I decided to just continue on the journey as the original flight back to Manila is still 7pm. It is just making the most of what you already have! 

After the mass at Carmelites, I immediately proceeded to the remaining itineraries...small walk to the park and municipal hall. 

The Capitol Lagoon Park is located at the very heart of the central business district of Bacolod City. The Lagoon is a quick sanctuary to breathe fresh air. They say that the Lagoon is simply at its best in the morning.

That same morning, people of different ages have their physical activities like tai chi and jogging. I also have some small chat with the gardener in charge who happens to once lived in manila. 

After breakfast near the park, I went back to the hotel to check out at exactly 10am. It doesn't end there as I still have  one courageous act to do...for the first time...going to place I have never been alone...in a city I rarely know. What makes me continue to do so? A big smile and a confident answer from a hotel receptionist made me decide to proceed with joy and peace in my heart...to Silay City!

Thanks to blogs and google map that made it easy for me to travel to Silay City alone without the hassle. Even if I do not understand the Bacolod dialect,, there is just one thing that is common that makes you feel at ease around each other...the Smile! 

I arrived in Silay City at 11AM after a 30 minute bus ride from Bacolod city bus terminal. My purpose is to visit the ancestral houses in Silay City and eat a special dessert in the famous El Ideal Bakery. 

My first stop is the church of Silay City as I am still thinking where to go first. I have no ancestral houses map and according to the blog I need to go to the tourism office to get the map. There is no signage of the tourism office but I immediately saw the Silay City Hall. I went inside the City Hall to ask for a map of the ancestral houses that I can visit. The City hall personnel was so generous and welcoming enough to accompany me to the tourism office at the other side of the road. The welcome was so warm with their big smiles that radiates thru the heart. I can really feel that I am indeed a special tourist deserving to have a special attention! Thank you Genevieve! It was indeed  a pleasure to have met you.

After my Silay City tourism office historical tour, I then proceeded to the only open ancestral house for inside tour...the Balay Negrense. Balay Negrense is the 1897 ancestral house of the Gaston family, one of Negros' pioneering sugar plantation owners. There is a entrance fee for the inside house tour but it is just a minimal fee considering that there is a tour guide that shares a story behind each room and corner of the house.

                                                                  The Balay Negrense

The Balay Negrense

Silay City - Ancestral Houses, the Church, and El Ideal

After the Balay Negrense ancestral house tour, I took my lunch for another Inasal meal. Then to El ideal for the Guable pie and pasalubong. I still manage to have a picture of the facade of a few more Silay City ancestral houses. I then proceeded to the airport at 3pm to catch my 7pm flight back to Manila. I still feel ill at ease riding a plane in solo but not that night as God gave me an angel who sat beside me, a mother and a baby.

What a wonderful and meaningful trip! Thank you Lord for an enjoyable and safe trip during our Bacolod stay! 

;Des

Bacolod Trip - October 2016 Part 1 The Ruins

I have already set my mind that I will be open to the messages that will come my way during my trip to Bacolod. Four days and nights are not that easy knowing that your main purpose of going to Bacolod will not materialize...that is to witness the highlights of the Masskara Festival.

Many times before the scheduled trip, plans and wishes of cancellation came by…Bomb threats in Bacolod during the festival due to the recent event in the Davao Public Market.; Eugene cancelled because of his work trip to Adelaide; our expected date of the event highlights of the Masskara festival were moved which is only after our scheduled Bacolod trip, and Arnie almost change her mind since she must travel to Adelaide the following day after we arrived Manila. Wheeh!

However, I still considered it as a blessing in disguise since there will be no more big crowds on our scheduled trip but only last until Sarah told me about her dream. I got scared and almost feel weak but I wrote the message and reflect on it in a positive way. Then, it seems that it was the beginning of me being open to all the messages, spoken or circumstances, and able to listen and reflect during our Bacolod stay.

So much for the initial emotional reflections…now, it’s time to travel and witness the beauty of Bacolod as it reflects its rich heritage, history, and its nature’s best!

First day - We started the day by a visit to the Carmelites monastery which is just a walking distance from the hotel. We arrived there during the English mass homily. It was a beautiful mass homily reflecting on and knowing that God alone Suffices. After the mass, I met Jun, Arnie’s kababata. June is a professional photographer and works in a call center. Several of his rest hours were allotted just to accompany us during our Bacolod trip.

First stop…The Ruins. A less than 10min drive from Robinson,

The Ruins is owned by the Lacson family. If you just simply look at it, it was really am abandoned building. If not for the restoration and the beautiful garden around it, I wouldn’t consider it an A. Then why is it a landmark of Bacolod? Because of its history, a story that stands the test of time. A story of the family, the wife that is the love of his life and inspiration, of the materials used in building it, and the story of letting it go by sacrificing the house to burn so it will not be used by the Japanese as its headquarter. What is entertaining here is how these were told by PBB Roger. You will remember its story because of him on how he retold the stories. Guess what? Most of the people rented the place for wedding prenuptial photos.😊

Next...Part2 Mambukal Adventure

;Des