Trip to Bacolod 2007

I’ve been wanting to write about my trip to Bacolod last November 22-26 but I haven’t had the time to do it for the past days. I really had a wonderful time at the City of Smiles. I was able to get a two-day leave weeks ago plus my two days off. All in all, four days of freedom from work. It was blissful!

On the morning of November 22, after my shift, Pangga came by at the office to fetch me. We grab our coffee from Starbucks then went home to pack our bags. Then we left for the airport, it was good cause were a few minutes early so there was no hassle. We saw Alvin Patrimonio who was also having the same plane as ours. Pangga even had a picture taken with him. We left Manila at around 8:30 in the morning. It wasn’t raining when we left despite the news of a super typhoon. Within the 45-minute travel, I was again amazed how great God is. To be up there, ah!, I could only sigh and thank Him for everything that I am seeing.

We arrived in Bacolod at around 9:20am. It was a good flight and with minimal turbulence. Tita Clarita and Katkat came to get us from the airport. I was able to meet Pangga’s family. They were very warm and friendly and I liked them instantly (hmm, parang noodles… warm and instant… hehe). After playing a bit with Pangga’s nephew Yan-yan (miss na kita sobra!) and looking (and occasionally making fun) at some old pictures of Pangga and Katkat, we (Pangga and I) had to rest a bit since we hadn’t had any wink the whole night. After our rest, we got ready for our dinner at Tita Mary’s house.

Tita Mary prepared a sumptuous feast of seafoods. There was pasayan, crabs, steamed and grilled fish, sinigang and lechon. Ay, kanamit guid! Jin-jin and Ian (two of Tita Mary’s children) came in a little later to join us. With a very delicious dinner who wouldn’t get full after? But as they say, there’s always room for dessert. So Tita Mary, Ian, Jin-jin, Pangga amd I went to a very cozy patisserie called Calea. The cakes we were able to sample were really –uhh, heaven! We drove around the city after and then they brought us home (Thanks again Tita Mary, Jin and Ian for your generosity and showing us your beautiful home).

The next day, we went to visit Pangga’s dear friend Kuya Toto and his family at Talisay. We had a wonderful lunch with them. Kuya Toto’s kids were really cute and malambing. We also went to visit the grave of Pangga’s father afterwards. We went to meet Pangga’s brother, Kuya Jojo. And it was very nice to see Ate Lira’s parents, Ate Zyra and her kids there also.

At dinner the same day, we went to Manokan country. Manokan country is famous for their inasal(grilled chicken). I had very hearty meal and I ate without any utensils. It’s best to eat inasal anyway with just bare clean hands. Before going home we walked by the plaza and checked out a night market. We bought some things there and then went home.

On our third day at Bacolod, we went to VMC, Victorias. I really wanted to see the church which is famous for it’s painting of the Christ. I saw a picture of it a long time ago (I can’t seem to recall whose picture it was) but after I saw it I told myself that I’m going to see it one day. And I’m glad I was able to. You see, from all the churches I’ve seen, mostly were Christ on the cross or Christ risen or during His transfiguration. But the church in VMC, Victorias was different. Christ face looked angry to me. Of all the churches I’ve seen, the one in VMC was by far the most interesting I’ve ever seen.

We went to see Pangga’s alma mater in highschool, Don Bosco. I was able to meet a talking bird whose name is Billy boy. He asks “How are you?” in a very sweet way. And also “Sinong ngalan mo?” like a bonafide Ilonggo. We didn’t say goodbye to him but upon seeing that we’re leaving he said goodbye to us. The school was nice, I’ve seen the desks with movable tables aka “shields” that Pangga told me about. Why shields, you might ask. Allow me to explain, the desk (I believe you’ve seen their kind) have hollow compartment where books and other things can be stored inside. It also has a movable table that you can bring up. The table can be used as a shield from whizzing chalks or flying erasers (hehehe). We also went to see Kuya Lamech who is now the CAT CORP commandant of the school.

Before going back to the city we bought VMC products my mom asked as pasalubong. Since I like their sardines, we also bought some for our own consumption. I had a very nice time with Pangga the whole afternoon. When we were back in the city, we attended the 60th birthday of Tito Daniel, Pangga’s uncle from his father’s side. It was held at Apollo’s restaurant. I was able to meet his dear cousins, aunts and uncles.It was a small reunion and I was happy to be there and to have met them all.

On Sunday, the fourth day, we went to church and brought Yan-yan with us. I wasn’t able to understand much since they are using the vernacular. I was hoping that they could at least sing Tagalog songs. But it was all in Ilonggo. I felt a little out of place. I guess that’s how it feels when people who couldn’t understand Ilocano goes to mass at 6:30am back home in Zambales.

After the mass, we got ready to go to Mambukal Resort. It was 45 minutes away from Bacolod going to the resort. Mambukal is at the foot of the Kanlaon mountain. We arrived there an hour before lunch. There’s a river there in which the water was cold like water from the fridge. It was very refreshing. While Tita Amay and Nanay were busy grilling. We went picture taking by the river. After getting the pictures we wanted, Steph, Kat and I went to the pool. Pangga and Butch joined as after. The pool was a little less colder than the water from the river. Mambukal had also a great many fruit bats like in SBMA. After wading in the water, we had a very good lunch of grilled pork, fish, squid and seashells.

After lunch, Steph, Butch, Katkat, Pangga and I went hiking. We also went boat riding for a bit at the lagoon. I was able to see a sign which says Caution: Boiling Mud Area. And no doubt about it, there are wisps of smoke coming out of it. When the 30-minute boat ride was over we went hiking. We were able to check a pool where an egg could be cooked just by dropping it there. It was a pool of hot sulfur water. They say the color of the water changes sometimes. Then we checked out the slide for life and the wall for wall climbing. Then we went back and gone to the pool again before it was time to go home. We only got to see the hot spring pool when were on our way to the gate of the resort. But it was okay, I had a great time anyway.

Since we were going home the next day, we grabbed the little time left to buy pasalubong. It won’t be a complete vacation without buying a shirt where a mask was printed on it. So I bought myself one. I was hoping I could buy it from Islands Souvenirs but the store is no longer available at Robinson’s.

In the morning of the fifth day, it was time to go back to Manila. I was very sad to go because I enjoyed so much of my vacation. But we had to, since we have work the same day. When we got back here, it was sun-shiny. I may have left Bacolod but the memory of my four-day vacation will always stay with me.

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