Philippine Travel Notes

Their website claims it to be “The Greatest Show in the World”. This is a spectacle that formally started this year (2005) as an “Olympics” where several representatives of some countries fight it out on who has the best of the best in lighting up the sky with fireworks. How did I learn about this event? Well, it being the Christmas Season, sometime in November I was browsing various search engines (google mainly) for fireworks shows in the Philippines. I knew from experience that many a city/town/mall/etc., do have some fireworks shows during December until January. I was actually hoping to catch something of a show in the town of Bocaue in Bulacan as it is touted to be the main source of fireworks in the country. I did not find any. Instead, I came across this website that was all about the World Pyro Olympics supposedly to be staged from 26th to 30th December 2005 at the Esplanade (formerly Promenade) that is actually a very long stretch of sea-wall or breakwater made to be like a p...

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...

You of course know what Masskara is, right? It is Bacolod’s lively festival that is like no other in this country. Ah, go forth and search the web if you want to know more. But here are two things I can tell you… 1) it’s the only festival in this country where people wear smiling masks not to portray anything but just a smiling pack of lively people, and 2) it is probably the only non-religious festival in this country – at least one that does not trace its origins or reasons for celebration to a religious icon. And it is such a lively festival, you’d probably be a fool if you don’t at least smile once you see those dancers wearing their masks! Alright, my friends and I jetted into Bacolod to once and for all witness how this festival is. But let me tell you this early that not everything were Masskara related. There are just so many things to see, do and experience in Bacolod and its surroundings that we had to make some detours! We only had two nights, 1 full day and 2 half days to s...

More for the nature lover than anyone else, this group of islands is a sight to behold. More appropriately, I can say that this group of 124 islands is sure to offer you at least one sight to behold! Yes, you can easily find a group of another 124 islands (or more) anywhere on the globe, even right here in the Philippines. But the allure of the 'Hundred Islands' is like no other. For one, the islands are relatively close to each other that roaming around (and in them) is truly exhilarating. Not that the place is great like Boracay or Coron, but the beauty of these group of islands is perhaps what is not in Boracay or Palawan… “solitary confinement”! Yes, you can wallow in an island of your choice alone. Where are they? From many a website, we learned that this place is up on the north-western part of Pangasinan province. It is just a few kilometres (by boat) across from the city of Alaminos. And there are two main approaches to Alaminos – one being the usual route from Man...