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BACOLOD CITY "The City of Smiles"
Guest Traveler: Yanz Escano
"Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental, and the biggest city in the Western Visayas region, is the gateway to the Philippines' sugar lands. Also known as the City of Smiles, it is a city that offers a rich and exotic blend of tastes, culture, and tradition. It is especially known for its great local cuisine and delicacies. This sprawling city, with its numerous estate mansions and monuments (which were once built from sugar wealth) has a relaxed suburban charm about it." --- Lakbay
DAY 1, Friday
Friday, 5:10 in the morning, the Woodrose Soccer Varsity Teams (Junior and Senior Varsity) flew all the way to Bacolod City. We were accompanied by Mrs. Malen Baron, Mrs. Navarro, Coach Fernandez, our team manager Mrs. Fernandez, and several other Woodrose parents.
Late afternoon that very same day, the two Woodrose teams were set for a game against La Salle Bacolod---college and highschool-- in Panaad.
The girls fought hard, despite the ailing soccer field. The gruesome game of the first team tied to a flat 0-0 (Phew!). And while the junior team scored in the first half of the game, they unfortunately still lost to a 1-2 match, with two of the goals scored by the latter during the second half.
After an afternoon of a little sightseeing and some side shopping, dinner awaited at the celebrated Bacolod Chicken House.
The authentic Bacolod Chicken is truly distinct from the "Bacolod Chicken" served here in Manila. Here, they have an eccentric way of cooking chicken, the "ina-sal chicken barbeque." It is guaranteed to be mouth-watering, luscious, and scrumptious, while sold at a
very fair price! You would be compelled to order up to 3 servings!
DAY 2, Saturday
About 9:30 in the morning, everyone was set for shopping! The Bacolod Showroom was the first for the day's itinerary. The Showroom showcased a wide variety of export quality furniture, antiques, handicrafts, baskets, and memorabilia pins, shirts, caps, bags, and much, much more.
Our tour around the city (via 3 jam-packed L300 vans courtesy of Business Inn Hotel accomodations), took us to Bacolod's antique houses and old churches that date back even up to the Spanish times. We also got to see the old San Sebastian Church, Bacolod Plaza, the Provincial Capitol Building, Rizal Elementary School, the first school established by the
Americans in 1901, and of course, the Bacolod Central Market, which is a "haven of tiangges and mini kiosks"-- truly a shopper's delight!
We also had the opportunity to watch an international game, China vs. Hong Kong. It was part of the Asian Women's Soccer Football Cup. And mind you, the Philippines is also taking part in this event. But unfortunately, we didn't get to watch them live because their game was in
Iloilo. (Goodluck to Marielle Benitez, a former Woodrose student who made it big in the RP Football Team.)
We attended an anticipated mass at the Sta. Clara Chapel, which is also a must-see in Bacolod. The church was simple yet elegant, bright and spacious, windy and cool--the perfect place for meditation and prayer. It is a wood-capiz shell chapel made from intricate mosaics and decorated with saints.
For this night, we had a surprise cordial dinner at one of our prominent contacts' place. A fancy candlelit garden dinner setting was arranged by the wonderful parents who came with us. Also, the boys from Westbridge (our brother school under PAREF) came all the way from Iloilo to meet
and chat with us.
We also got to check out the club scene in Bacolod. It was not as wild as the clubs in Manila , but the people here sure did know how to party-- from dusk till dawn.
DAY 3, Sunday
Aww. Our last hours in Bacolod were "unnoticeably" fleeting.
We went up the mountain to trek and search for a waterfall. During our drive, we came across some aborigines. They were very warm and friendly. And would you believe that they traveled in jam-packed jeepneys and tricycles,bringing almost their whole balangay! (BALANGAY is a term used to refer to a house or a small community, barangay).
I specifically marveled at the 13-16 people clinging to those Vehicles. "Boy, did these people know their physics quite intuitively!"
After an hour and a half-drive full of vast, picturesque mountain ranges, we finally reached a rest house that was really close to a waterfall. One must climb about 250-300 steps (staircase-style). But the arduous Journey was worth it! It was like a mini- Pagsanjan Falls right there! "Amazing!"
After our lunch, very late in the afternoon, we then proceeded to the airport, waited for about an hour more and finally, flew back to Manila.
Bacolod was a truly memorable trip for me. At 16, I have traveled to the US and some parts of Europe, but not as not as much here in the Philippines. Having read about beautiful places in Lakbay.Net has surely made me want to explore more of what the Philippines has to offer. (Vigan, Palawan, Turtle Islands, the Banaue Rice Terraces, and lots more!)
Sixteen-year old Yanz is currently a member of the Woodrose Soccer Varsity Team.
Her weakness for travel is evident in her tireless quest for adventure and challenge. Atlhough she has traveled to Europe (alone at that!) and to some parts of the United States, she says there are still a lot of places--especially around the Philippines--that she plans to visit. There's the Banaue Rice Terraces, Hundred Islands, Davao, Palawan, and the Turtle Islands in Vigan.
She hopes that through Lakbay.Net, she could finally fulfill her dreams of exploring the most enchanting places in the Philippines.
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