“Bucket list: Bacolod”
Sun.Star Davao, Dec. 5, 2015
Authentic Ilonggo
specialties and unlimited sweets…aahhh…it has always been part of my bucket
list to set foot in the sugary soils of Bacolod to indulge in these.
This food trip dream finally came true recently when my
family and I had a few days off during the school break.
Upon landing at the New Bacolod Silay Airport, we were
met by an energetic group of MassKara dancers who warmly welcomed convention
delegates on the same flight. We were elated to take a pose with these colorful
MassKara icons even if it was past the staging of the famed festival.
Since the
airport was on the way to the heritage sites, our efficient driver, Mang Atoy,
suggested that we proceed to our first stop, Balay Negrense, in Silay City.
Silay
is the second city in the Philippines to be recognized as a “Museum City”,
after Vigan in Ilocos Sur. It has more than thirty heritage houses acknowledged
as historical landmarks.
The Balay Negrense is the first museum to be established
in the province of Negros Occidental. It was originally the ancestral house of Victor
F. Gaston, the son of a prominent French sugarcane plantation owner. Our friendly
guide toured us around the different parts of the house which showcased the
grand lifestyle of a late 19th-century elite family in Negros.
Next on our heritage tour was the Bernardino-Jalandoni
Museum or more popularly known as the “Pink House”; pink being the unconventional
color of the structure’s facade.
Here, the engaging tales of our amiable guide made the
stories of these wealthy Negrenses alive for my inquisitive kids. The kitchen
area with its prinsa de paa and prinsa de mano for pressing clothes; and ice
chest which used to contain ice imported all the way from Europe as electricity
then was wanting, captivated my daughters.
The
amusing anecdote about how one would know if he or she was a welcome guest at
the house elicited chuckles from my curious brood. The guide explained that the
answer lay in the chocolate drink being offered. If you were served “tsokolate
ah”, a watered and thin chocolate drink then you were an “unwanted” visitor for
“tsokolate eh”, a thick and rich cocoa concoction, was reserved exclusively for
special guests.
After
our back-to-back heritage house tour, we dropped by El Ideal Bakery, a Silay
institution which began in the 1920s, to have a quick snack of steaming batchoy
and puto cheese.
On
the way to Victorias Milling Company in Victorias City to see the Church of the
Angry Christ, we were amazed by the endless fields of sugarcanes. Even under
the intense heat of the sun, sacadas or sugarcane workers, continued to harvest
sugarcanes much to the delight and awe of my grade school daughter who just studied
the regions in the Visayas for her Social Studies class. Personally, I was proud to be able to show to
her a glimpse of real-life hardworking sacadas from her lesson.
Back
in Silay, we were just in time for the Manuel Hofileña Ancestral Museum to open its
doors to the public for the afternoon visitors as the master of the house, a
direct descendant of the distinguished ilustrado, Mr. Ramon Hofileña, awakened
from his siesta. The museum is the very first inhabited house in Silay to be
declared a national historical landmark.
We
learned that that Mr. Hofileña, who is in his 80s, still personally acts
as the house tour guide. However, during
our visit, Mr. Hofileña was tired from his morning activities and turned the task to
his staff who was equally fascinating narrating to us in detail the family’s
heirloom pieces and remarkable art collection while divulging some interesting
trivia on the side.
In
Talisay City, we visited The Ruins, the city’s most picturesque landmark. It
was once a majestic mansion owned by Don Mariano Lacson and built in honor of
his first wife, Maria Braga. Unfortunately, the mansion was burned during World
War 2 by guerilla fighters to prevent it from being used as a Japanese
headquarters. However, thanks to its oversized steel bars and premium concrete
material, the foundation remains standing to this day, becoming a romantic
venue for weddings and other memorable occasions.
Still
on our first day and pleasantly surprised at how much we covered by 4:30 p.m.,
we checked in at Avenue Suites along Lacson Street. After a bit of rest, we headed to 18th
St. Palapala for our sumptuous seafood dinner, followed by a sweet splurge at
Calea Pastries and Coffee, a venue which we did a double take as will be
explained.
The
following day, we headed off to Iloilo via a one-hour Supercat ferry ride where
we visited Museo Iloilo, Jaro Cathedral, Molo Cathedral, Iloilo River Esplanade,
among others. Lunch at Tatoy’s Manokan and Seafoods with its divine baked
oysters was one of our best meals during the Negros trip. Before sunset, we
went back to the ferry terminal toting De Ocampo’s barquillos and pinasugbo as
well as butterscotch bars from Biscocho Haus.
Returning
to Bacolod in time for dinner, we had a splendid meal at Bob’s, a well-loved
family resto celebrating its 50th year anniversary. My eldest
daughter and I capped the night savoring Felicia’s heavenly macarons and moist
chocolate cake.
Our
third day consisted of visits to the Negros Museum and the Negros Showroom
coupled with more eating at Aboy’s Restaurant and Chicken House as well as
pasalubong shopping for our loved ones. Highly recommended by Bacolod-based
friend Tina Lim-Flores to be brought home were mouthwatering treats such as Virgie’s
piaya and caramel and mango tarts; Quan’s napoleones; and Pendy’s half moon.
As
the day was about to end, I treated my girls to a relaxing massage at Bacolod
Spa, conveniently located at our hotel. Afterwards, my high school daughter hanged
out with her Bacolod friends at Calea. I, too, couldn’t resist but have a Calea
part deux moment with my hubby. We did not dare say goodbye to Bacolod without
another bite of their melt-in-your mouth white chocolate cheesecake with
raspberry sauce!
This
was my kind of vacation---easy-breezy and with plenty of time to spare for
eating and exploring. Oh, Bacolod, my family and I shall be back and hopefully,
it will be real soon!
City
of Smiles….check!
E-mail the author at
mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit www.momabouttowndavao.blogspot.com.
