Ela Manila goes to the heartland of Tagalog origins... Taal! Taal was the then capital of Batangas province. It used to be in the exact position of the present-day San Nicolas. However, the Taal town was advised to relocate into a safer, elevated site after the greatest eruption of the smallest volcano in the world during 1754. Despite all the events that happened in Taal, the land continued to prosper and cultivate a good life. If you thought Intramuros and Vigan have all the heritage structures and ancestral houses in the Philippines, nah, you are wrong with that. This underrated town was able to preserve the Filipino culture during the Spanish era, too. At the same time, the ancient houses of our predecessors! There are still a few ancestral houses in Taal that remained to stand up strong up to this date. These well-taken cared homes allow the guests to take a glimpse of the lifestyle during the 1800s. These used to be the houses of the rich and famous that time, so it feels like an honor to visit one. You may want to visit Goco Ancestral House and the stand-out blue and yellow Villavicencio-Marella House. Taal’s Poblacion or central business district is designated as a National Historical Landmark. Some scholars are also pushing for its inclusion in United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO’s World Heritage list due to its remarkable and well-preserved archives. Since it is the Balisong Capital of the country, there are a lot of fan knife shops along the highway. It is also the Barong Tagalog Capital, so you can expect that the embroidered fabrics from here, especially the made in piña ones are definitely masters of the art. The Taal Park consists of Taal Market, Basilica de San Martin de Tours, and Escuela Pia Cultural Center. Located at the center of the park, stands the 291 feet by 157 feet, the largest Catholic church in Asia: Basilica de San Martin de Tours, also known as Taal Basilica. Sitting on the top hill of the heritage town, it is visible in almost all parts of the town proper. Aside from its elegant facade, old belfry, and Neo-Classical architectural style, the church is declared as a Minor Basilica, that makes this sacred place a really must-go pilgrim site.
And if you can not get enough, you can book a vintage but air-conditioned room at Tampuhan. Plus, it is inclusive of breakfast already. What a treat, huh? Heading ahead from Tampuhan Cafe, you would see the Apacible Museum then. You shall be welcomed by the staff by showing an overview of who the Apacible’s are and what happened in the Batangas revolution during the Spanish era. The brothers Leon and Galicano Apacible aspired to free the country from colonial oppression. They are considered heroes for the greatness and bravery they offered for the bayan. So inside the museum, you would see five galleries. It includes a tour inside their home, too. There is no entrance fee for this exhibit, but donations are certainly welcome. Marcela and Felipe Agoncillo Museum is a museum that you should never forget to visit in Taal! Marcela Agoncillo sewed our Philippine flag, together with Lorenza Agoncillo, and Delfina Herbosa de Natividad. Her husband, Felipe, on the other hand, was the country’s first diplomat. Their family fought for peace until their last breath. And with that, salute! Like in Apacible Museum, a staff played an overview of the Agoncillo family and shared some things about what the exhibit is all about. They also gave facts and trivia that our history teachers missed telling us. But if you would ask me, aside from learning new things, my favorite part of the tour was when we were allowed to play the old piano. Imagine, these heroes might have touched those keys before, and I did, too! It was so good in the heart to witness a historical memory like this. And, the last stop/s for our walking day trip to Taal… *drum rolls* The Shrine of Our Lady of Caysasay and Sta. Lucia Well! The legend says that the Virgin Mary’s image was caught in the fishnet by a religious man in 1603 at the Pansipit River. Then, that image was donated to the church. The mysterious image had some disappearing and reappearing acts until one day, it was totally gone. Days later, two women stopped to drink water from a well where they were surprised to see the image’s reflection on the clear water. When they looked up, they met the image on the trees with lighted candles, while being guarded by Casaycasay or Kingfisher birds. After the miracles that happened, this coral-hewn chapel was established. The shrine is not that big. However, you can feel the holiness inside. Pilgrims usually arrive every Saturday, the day that is set for the devotion of Our Lady. We touched her veil and prayed. Many said that the spring water in Sta. Lucia’s Well has healing and therapeutic powers since it is the spot where Our Lady was seen. According to our tour guide, the water in Sta. Lucia's well never outworn despite the El Niño phenomenon. This is why, they also call this a sacred site, too. The well is accessed from San Lorenzo Luis Steps, too. However, since we have senior citizens with us, our guide took us to the shortcut. Aside from all these mentioned tourist attractions, you can also visit Galleria de Taal, a camera house museum that shows vintage cameras and photos. Also their so-called White House. Even the pink houses. And of course, the Hall of the Municipal Government of Taal and other ancestral houses. The Taal Heritage Town is a small municipality. Therefore, a day or two would be enough. If you do not like to have a walking tour like ours, there are tricycles around that can take you around the places. It is their primary means of transportation, though there are jeepneys that go around as well. Indeed, it was such a fun day! Such a wonderful family weekend! Since I wanted to preserve the things that happened, here, I decided to write the blog -- hoping to immortalize the feelings I have had inside. Awwwww, so excited for the next adventure with the complete fam squad! 💖
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THE BLOG-GIRLE L A M A N I L A Ela Mones, a Filipina girl,
is a passionate lifestyle blogger who loves to express her unforgettable life experiences and best moments through words, photos, and videos 💖
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