On Sunday, we went around Iloilo by renting the taxi that we rode when we arrived the day before at the airport. He picked us up at the hotel when we were checking out. We just left our things with the concierge so that we didn't have to carry them while touring.
Apparently, there are SO MANY beautiful churches in Iloilo. So many that it looked like we were doing a Bisita Iglesia. I like it though because I like entering churches especially the old ones. It's like I can feel everything that has happend there all these years!
Our first stop was Miagao Church. This stunning church is included in UNESCO’s list of heritages sites under “Baroque Churches of the Philippines.”
The altar is a lot like that of San Agustin Church's, isn't it?
Photo taken by Alvin. He's getting better na in photography no? =)
This is the Guimbal Church. It's 400 years old already! Super duper old to the max!! It is also said that it has one of the tallest belfries in Iloilo.
We got hungry na so we ate at Allan's Original Talabahan. This restaurant was highly recommended by the locals so we just had to try it.
Inside was laid back. They have unmatched tables and chairs, gravel as flooring and planggana for the oysters.
The oysters were so fresh!! Do you know how much this planggana of oysters cost? Only 30 pesos!!!!
Six pieces of baked oysters costs 60 pesos!! Super mura diba?! Ang mahal kaya ng oysters sa Via Mare!! I ate and ate a lot of oysters!! I texted my dad to rave about how fresh and cheap the oysters were in Iloilo. He texted back saying to take care in eating oysters because my stomach might not take it that well. And then I felt a rumbling sound. Uh-oh! Too late papa!!! =D
After eating, with a 400 peso bill (imagine how much oysters I ate!!), we started going around Iloilo again. This chuch is the Molo Church. It is also called a "feminine" church because of the female saints along its main aisle.
Like the other churches, it was just as majestic.
Manong, our driver, had to make an "emergency" break (if you know what i mean). He ate too much oysters too! So he dropped us at this nice quaint massage place called Nuat Thai. As usual, super cheap lang. Php 350 for a one hour massage plus a 30 minute foot massage. The foot massage was heavenly. I could hear alvin snoring on the lazy boy beside me. The massage was a different story. Maselan kasi ako sa masahe eh. In fairness, I'm hard to please when it comes to massages. For me, wala pa rin tatalo sa mga bulag sa New Vision in Vito Cruz Manila.
After two hours, manong picked us up at Nuat Thai and took us to Jaro Cathedral. This was were Garciano Lopez Jaena got baptized.
ME: Babe this is so cool! Alam mo ba dito bininyagan si Garciano Lopez Jaena?!
ALVIN: Talaga? Sino yun.
ME: Di ko alam, pero for sure sikat siya.
ALVIN rolled his eyes.
ME: Oo na! Wala nang tatalo sa sea snake information mo! Che!
The inside Jaro Cathedral was so grand! It's nice because the people of Iloilo really maintains their churches.
This is the bell tower located in front of the Jaro Cathedral. Manong the driver said that his lola said that there's a tunnel under this tower that leads to Jaro Cathedral. Dun daw nagtatago ang mga people from the Spaniards. Coolness!
This is the facade of the Jaro Cathedral.
After going around, we went to The Biscocho house to buy pasalubongs. I bought piyaya, biscocho, butterscotch, polvoron and those tiny broas like things with polvoron inside. They're my favorite, i just fogot the name.
We tried to taste the Cagayan lanzones. Okay lang. Di naman masyado fantastic. It tastes the same.
After buying lanzones, we went to the airport already. We were so early! Wala na kasi ibang mapuntahan eh. I was running out what to wish for already because they said that if you go inside a church that you've never been to, you can have three wishes. Ang dami dami na eh! haha! And besides, I was missing Anika na already so much! It was our first out of town trip since she was born eh. Super nakakamiss talaga!
Here's Alvin carrying our checked in pasalubong box at the new airport in Manila.
To summarize, we really had so much fun. Adventure talaga the trip. And ofcourse, it was the first time again to have Alvin all to myself! Hihihihi!
Graciano Lopez Jaena was a Filipino leader of the Revolution. Along with some expats Filipinos and Rizal, they put up the La Solaridad, pushing for the reform of Spanish soveriegnity in the Philippines.
ReplyDeleteAn additional fact about iloilo is that it was the last capital of the Spanish Empire in the Asia Pacific region. After the Naval defeat of Admiral Montojo to Commodore Dewey in the battle of Manila Bay. Spanish Authorities fled to iloilo, designated the city as the capital until the signing of the Treaty of Paris between the US and Spain. Because of this fact, Iloilo was decreed as 'La Muy Leal Y Noble de Cuidad de Iloilo' (The Most Loyal and Noble City of Iloilo) by the Spanish Crown. The Queen Regent of Spain also promulgrated the decree proclaiming Iloilo as the 'Queen's City of the South'.
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November 25, 2010 11:55 AM
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Graciano Lopez Jaena was a Filipino leader of the Revolution. Along with some expats Filipinos and Rizal, they put up the La Solaridad, pushing for the reform of Spanish soveriegnity in the Philippines.
An additional fact about iloilo is that it was the last capital of the Spanish Empire in the Asia Pacific region. After the Naval defeat of Admiral Montojo to Commodore Dewey in the battle of Manila Bay. Spanish Authorities fled to iloilo, designated the city as the capital until the signing of the Treaty of Paris between the US and Spain. Because of this fact, Iloilo was decreed as 'La Muy Leal Y Noble de Cuidad de Iloilo' (The Most Loyal and Noble City of Iloilo) by the Spanish Crown. The Queen Regent of Spain also promulgrated the decree proclaiming Iloilo as the 'Queen's City of the South'.
-Anzuhalten
I think you have an adorable way of writing, so unpretentious, i love it :) wiling-wili ako sa pagbabasa ng blog mo :) and its also informative. I am planning kasi to visit iloilo so i chanced upon ur blog. Keep writing :)
ReplyDeletethanks a lot for sharing your experiences in Iloilo. I'll be going there this November and maybe like you I want to travel practically - scouting the area and the drivers first before making a deal. it helps a lot that you include the prices of every transpo and food. keep it up! :)
ReplyDeleteNice! So informative. Now I know what to do with my 1 freeday in iloilo. Many thanks! Keep on blogging! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you!!!
ReplyDeleteMay we know how much "Manong" charged you for the church visits? I plan on going there next month. Thanks again!!!