Philippine Travel Notes

We walked the few steps from Teachers Camp to this house popularly called as the White House or Haunted House or Haunted White House . Few call it Laperal House . Ah, for me it's yet another big beautiful wooden old house that's a feast for the eyes . All of us knew what it is or was. It's even mentioned in my Lonely Planet book. What I didn't know or understand was hindi pala kami papasok, magpi-picture lang sa labas ! I was first to arrive at the gate, and immediately called out saying "tao po". No reply. Most of the ladies asid "wag na, di naman tayo papasok" some even cringing hehehe! I continued calling, but still no reply. Then I saw that the gate was padlocked. Thus, I told everyone "there's probably no one inside, except for the resident ghosts" . Hiyawan! Pictorials continued - just on Leonard Wood Road, with the house as background. I tried taking pictures of it from every possible angle I could - also from t...

Let's continue the previous story . So we were in Baguio for no reason at all other than 'roam aimlessly' . Well, since we were in 3 cars (each with a toy walkie-talkie) , whoever said whatever wherever, we went there! At least that, is a semblance of order, di ba? When walking, whoever goes where, we followed. In my mind, I said "why would I not go with the flow, eh I have nothing else to do naman" . I guess we all thought the same. Aw, when others cannot, may not or do not want to follow, we set a time & place ala tour-guide style (e.g., in 5 minutes, all be at this or that) . Example? Nag-CR yung girls! We learned those little tricks from the various guided tours we've joined in the past. Me order naman actually. It's always great bumming around with 'the same feathers'! Teachers Camp Anyway, while some were still at their banyo shower CR morning rituals, we crossed to Teachers Camp for a peep (we already abandoned the idea of...

After 182 days I was back in the country's summer capital . But that trip in May was a bit more business-related, so I did not have much time to see how Baguio has been. This time, with no plans nor even thinking about it, we just took off as a convoy of 3 vehicles on a Friday, after an Eastwood nightout! Drivers ang non-drinkers - all girls! Come what may.., whatever... hahaha! Good that all 3 vehicles have maps. One car even had a "set-of-3 toy walkie-talkies"! So, we got to discuss where to stop, where to go, what to do, while already cruising! Checking all those - of course with unending alaskahan bangayan on the road - was already memorable fun! No plans, but all were ready to go. Ah, that is what happens when travelers suddenly decide to travel. Laging Handa! Birds of the same feather! It was a merry banter by over-over-roger-roger (2-way radio) among 3 cars moving at NLEX during the wee hours. Like what sorts of topics was "walkie-talkied...

O ha?! Ayan, nakasulat na sa pader! Intiendes?! At pag sinabi kahit saan that means KAHIT SAAN hehehe! So, when in Bacolod, hold your bladder. Kahit saan! Interestingly, the adjacent segments of that same wall have these... What caught our attention was thinking that it was just one continuous message on the entire length of that wall. Indi gali hehe! Oh well, the amusing random signs of our times!

So we arrived from our interesting roam of Silay. And straight to the public plaza we went. Oops, not after we had a quick snack at Coffee Station. Hmm, I can’t vividly recall how we got ourselves inside Robinson’s Mall. Probably the jeeps from Silay terminated there and we smelled some interesting wafts or saw some interesting brews. Then again, maybe I also said something about Napoleones. Whatever the reason, we were wise for having done so, because we later realized our next meal was to be way past beyond the normal time. But everything was a rush rush until we were once again at the plaza to witness what was left of the Masskara Festival’s Dance Parade – Open Category. And argh! If yesterday the plaza was jampacked, this day it was OMG superlatively more crowded. But we pressed on. And it was not that difficult. Why? Because, we observed, people would usually size you up from head to toe, and when they sense you are a visitor, they actually make way for you to get nearer - even at...

Even with last night’s crazy fun, we woke up early. Like about 10AM? That’s early, right? Hehe, well, we’re only human! We knew that the festival schedule said 1PM was the start of Masskara Dance Parade – Open Category. And that is the biggest of all parades. But our itinerary said we needed to visit Silay City in the morning. It was still morning technically, albeit late hehe. So we proceeded as planned. To appease our ‘festival mode’ mindsets, we all agreed to forego watching the very start of the parade and would catch whatever was left of it over at the plaza soon as we arrive from Silay. Just like yesterday ehehe. Okay, fine! Ah, we just took a jeep going Silay. I told the group that I’d been there once before and it was just a few kilometers away. Some 10 to 15 kms, I imagined. There were too many jeeps plying the route anyway, so everyone was jolly willing to hop on a jeep. Mind you, near as it is, Silay is not the next city north of Bacolod. There is Talisay City in between...

After the performances, we kindly declined the mayor’s dinner invitation saying we had more of Bacolod to roam. Back of my mind, I was asking “who were we anyway”? But one of our friends said “ayan, kasi naman you all look like Japanese, Chinese, Koreans” hahaha. Per our itinerary, we said we should not call it a day if we don’t get to see the “Manokan Country”. So we walked to the place for dinner. Its just nearby to the plaza and the church. I’ve been there before and I told my friends it is like no other. If you have Dampa in Paranaque and Larsian in Cebu, Bacolod has Manokan Country. Similar in purpose but just the same unique! OMG! Even I got surprised when we reached ‘Manokan Country’. First, it is now bigger and wider. It is also cleaner and more orderly. Ah, the stalls are still generally the same, but they all seemed to have gotten help from San Miguel Beer with sprucing up the place. The tables and chairs extend to way out in the middle of the road that has been closed to veh...

A few steps to the right from Chicken Deli, we encountered this building they call Negros Showroom. Nice place, and my companions went like crazy looking at, flipping, examining the various things on sale. Two of us stayed outside to smoke and primed ourselves ready to lend our hands carrying things, for we knew there was some instant shopping spree happening inside that showroom hehe! Then off to the Negros Museum we walked which was also just nearby. We loved it in there. And that should be how a museum is – open during a holiday or festival, since that is the time when visitors are available. So, you museums everywhere, learn from this! Then it was another walk to the nearby Negros Occidental Capitol. Oh my, they have such a grand capitol building. While it looks similar to most I have seen everywhere, this one looks really big and clean it almost shines in the afternoon sun. Plus, there are no wires criss-crossing your view, and there are no stains nor spots on the walls, the pilla...