ILOILO in HALF A DAY

The first time I visited Iloilo was a spur of the moment thing when my husband and I decided to give the province a quick tour after the end of the convention we attended in Bacolod City. Travel time to Iloilo from Bacolod City via a fast craft is about an hour. 

Since we were pressed for time as we still have to catch the last trip back to Bacolod,  we asked the taxi driver we hired to bring us to the most famous place of the province.

Our friendly driver suggested MIAG-AO CHURCH. But before going there, we had lunch in one of the eateries near the beach.  We ordered their Chicken Inasal and Talaba (oysters). I was surprised to learn that talabas are being sold by the bucket there and are relatively cheap. (They are quite expensive in the city where I reside.) Unfortunately, I chose the mere steamed talabas hence, I was not able to enjoy them that much. I like them baked and buttered. 

CHEAP TALABAS

CHICKEN INASAL
Did not like this that much. Color's too orange for me and texture's too dry for my taste..

MIAG-AO CHURCH is a 45-minute to an hour drive from Iloilo City. Some drivers, for some unknown reasons, would say that it would take you 2 hours to reach Miag-ao from Iloilo City but it's totally untrue.

It turned out that MIAG-AO CHURCH is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the few Baroque Churches in the Philippines. The construction of the church allegedly began in 1787 and was completed in 1797.  It is a magnificent church and very well preserved considering that it was erected about 200 years ago. 

Below are some of the pictures we took:

MAGNIFICENT CHURCH

THE ALTAR

  

Thereafter, we made a quick tour of the UP Campus also located in Miag-ao. There is nothing much to do there except take our pictures alongside the famous UP Oblation statue :).

As there is not much time left, we headed back to Bacolod City via a fast craft. Though we weren't able to do much, the short visit was well worth it. 

Fastcraft schedules can be viewed on the following websites:

BACOLOD TO ILOILO via SuperCat
ILOILO to BACOLOD via SuperCat


BACOLOD TO ILOILO via Ocean Jet
ILOILO to BACOLOD via Ocean Jet


BACOLOD to ILOILO and vice versa via Weesam


Soon... a more detailed account of our recent Iloilo trip where I was able to stay there for 4 days

CAMSUR WATERSPORTS COMPLEX -Where Kids can be Kids and Adults can be Kids too!!

After our kids finished their Math Intensive Training in Naga City, we (the mothers) brought them to Camsur Watersports Complex at Pili, Camarines Sur for some serious R & R. The water park is a  40-minute ride from Naga City. 

The park was made famous by its world-class wakeboarding/kneeboarding where beginners and experts alike can join in the fun. The biggest wakeboard area is right in the middle of the park... Once you registered as a beginner, you will be given the option to kneeboard or to wakeboard.  Kneeboarding is easier since it does not require much balancing act and even first-timers may be able to finish one complete trip (which means going around in a circle while ducking some orange bouys).

You have to lean to your right/left to duck the orange bouys

Practicing on dry land.....

Beginners who want to wakeboard will be led to the "Beginner's Area" which is much smaller than their main  wakeboarding area.  Instead of going around in a circle, you only need to cross the small man-made lake from one end to the other. Looks simple and easy but is really hard thing to do judging from the fact that only few of the kids were able to completely cross it without falling or sinking. 

FAIL 1

ALMOST 

FAIL 2

Also a big hit with the kids is the Lago del Ray. Also a man-made lake with an obstacle course made of huge and colorful  inflatables. It reminds me of the tv show WIPEOUT. I'm pretty sure this was super fun for the kids - they were grinning and laughing the whole time. If you don't want to get wet,  boats and kayak are also being rented out. We tried boating and after a few minutes, regretted the decision as it was so hot. It would have been more fun if we swam with the kids instead. 

The Mandatory Jump Shot

The OBSTACLE COURSE

Some of the wood cabins being rented out in the park

ACCOMMODATIONS: There are several options. There are cottages, cabanas, huts, and container vans. We chose the container vans as each (the family type) can accommodate up to 4 pax. Inside are about 4 beds, a small kitchenette, a bathroom and a small receiving area. Too bad I failed to take pictures of our pretty trailer type home. Pictures are available though at their website: http://www.cwcwake.com/accomodations_rooms . 

FUN at the FOOT OF MT. MAYON

On our way back to Naga City from our "Butanding Encounter" in Sorsogon, we dropped by Albay's Cagsawa Ruins Park to view the Majestic Mt. Mayon and its perfect cone with the famous Cagsawa Church belfry on the foreground. Unfortunately, the weather's not good and the mountain's peak was covered with fog :( ... Nevertheless, we still had loads of fun doing some wacky poses as choreographed by our accommodating and very able tourist guide/photographer ..... 

INCREDIBLE HULK POSE

The MONSTER POSE??!

MT. MAYON (hiding) and the famous belfry

The CAGSAWA RUINS is situated in the municipality of Daraga, Albay (a few kilometers away from Legazpi City). The Cagsawa Church was built by Franciscan friars in the 1700's but was destroyed in 1814 when Mt. Mayon erupted. It was said that hundreds of those who sought refuge in the church during the eruption died.  According to our instant guide/photographer, they purposely sought refuge in the church in the belief that their faith will save them (I just don't know if this is an accurate account of what really happened then).

After the 1814 eruption, only the belfry and parts of the facade were left standing. It is believed that the facade of the structure collapsed due to subsequent earthquakes. Hence, only the belfry remains standing as of present time.  Below is a photo of the ruins after the 1814 eruption where some parts of the church's facade were still standing.

 Sources: Wikipedia

Today, the Cagsawa Ruins Park is a "must-see" place in Albay and is one of the most picturesque places in the country. Souvenir items may be bought from the several small shops found inside the park. You may also hire a tour guide to give you an informational guided tour. Some of them are quite adept in handling several kinds and brands of cameras (whether it be a point and shoot camera or a DSLR) and will teach you the "mandatory poses." :D  Service fee for the tour guide is totally dependent on the generosity of the tourist.