The Ruins: The “Taj Mahal” of Negros Occidental

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When I was younger, I often wonder how “true love” feels and what “until death do you part” exactly means. “Que sera sera.” Until I came across the story of Lord Mariano Lacson and Lady Maria Braga of Talisay City, Negros Occidental.

P-rsonal Notes

• Talisay City is just 15 minutes away from Bacolod, the capital city of Negros Occidental

•The Ruins has an entrance fee of Php100 per person and a parking fee of Php20 for light vehicles

•There is a restaurant, food booths and souvenir shop inside the premises for tourists’ convenience

On the earliest days of the 20th century, Lord Mariano Lacson, an apparent heir to one of the wealthiest hacienderos in Negros, often sees the world in all his travels. While in Hong Kong, he met the beautiful Maria Braga, a Portuguese by birth, daughter to a ship captain, and fell in love with her. Believing that Lord Mariano is his daughter’s perfect match, her father consented to their love and eventually gave her away when Lord Mariano asked for his daughter’s hand in marriage.

The couple then settled in Talisay City after the ceremony and began a family. He loved her so dearly and as fruits of their consecrated love, they were blessed with many children and a blissful married life. Soon after, she got impregnated with their 11th child. But what could have been a celebration of new life, tragedy struck when Maria met an accident on her third trimester. She slipped on the bathroom floor and bled profusely. Lord Mariano did everything in his power to save her but the accident only led to her and her unborn child’s untimely death. Doctors could not and did not reach her on time owing to their distance and the amount of time needed for travel by horse drawn carriage (3 days).

Devastated by the turn of events, Mariano, in his inconsolable grief, decided to do something in her honor. With his father-in-law’s approval, he built her an Italianate mansion, he made it so big, so grand, so beautiful, screaming for his love so unrelenting.

P-rsonal Notes

• The detail (2Ms facing each other) symbolizes the couple’s initials

20 years later, the mansion was razed by fire during the World War II. After almost a century (and surviving the war), Ruins’ skeletal frame remains proudly standing (which is nothing short of astonishing) like his undying devotion to his wife, constant, unbreakable and eternal.

The Ruins in the Philippines is not only known for its cultural significance, artistic and architectural value, it is a sole witness to Lord Mariano’s unparalleled love for his dearly departed wife and a daily reminder that there exists a love so true and so pure, something every one hopes for and prays.

It’s our 2nd time to visit Ruins and it has made us fall in love with it all over again. Aside from its beautiful facade and excellent shape, it has this mystifying beauty that draws tourists in like hearing Lord Mariano sharing stories of their past and reliving every happy memory of their shared life. It feels like the Ruins stood there over time to defy the odds and show the world, inculcate in every Negrense’s hearts and every visitor’s mind that there once existed a great matriarch who was the center of his universe.

We know love stories are not fairy tales that always end up in happy endings, but sometimes this kind of tragic love tells stories of poignant and lasting value. And even if their love was cut short in this mundane world, we know somewhere out there, Lord Mariano is reunited with her only love, her true love sharing an eternal life.

So what’s your favorite love story?

Escaping Reality at Fantasy Lodge

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Hot tubs are our thing these days. We have no specific reason for this all-of-a-sudden personal preference but we tend to always book a room with a hot tub if and when inexpensive. So when we came across Samboan’s Fantasy Lodge 2 years ago through a friend’s Facebook post showing off their indoor Jacuzzi, we knew we just needed the perfect timing.

P-rsonal Notes:

  • Fantasy Lodge is located in Samboan, south of Cebu
  • Can be reached through bus or private vehicle
  • Bus ride from the capital city may take an estimate of 5-6 hours

Fantasy Lodge offers a wide array of accommodation choices from Standard Rooms to Deluxe Bungalow, with differing rates of course. And since this is a celebration of some sorts, ahem *Anniversary*, we, without any hesitation, decided to go and have a reservation and select the best option among the list, the Deluxe Bungalow.

Through our favourite travel partner, Agoda, we booked a room for two for an overnight stay. With this reservation, we were charged with the total amount of Php5,496.49 inclusive of 12% tax and 10% service charge. While, it may sound so ridiculous to spend a fortune for an overnight stay in a place we are both residents of, we, however, subscribe to the idea that Anniversaries are worth spending and are perfect excuse for unusual squandering. Why not when it only comes once a year.

And YES, the place did not disappoint. Our room has extra features one could not find at other hotel/resort room of the same value. Although we are aware of the Jacuzzi installed in the Bungalow as shown in the pictures posted in Agoda, we were not expecting a Sauna, a private sauna for that matter, inside our very room. Comfort room is spacious and perfectly partitioned by a glass divider into two (2) parts: the shower area and the *mind your business* area. There is a veranda that we did not fully enjoy owing to our limited time in the resort.

But what truly captivated our hearts was the exclusivity of the place like owning the entire premises all to ourselves. Each room were strategically located away from each other that one cannot be bothered by his next door neighbour, as if we couldn’t care less. Glass windows (with curtains) were installed directly facing the bed giving you the best view of the house. Sunrise or sunsets plus the panoramic view of the sea, the entire place seemed reserved exclusively to ourselves is like magic, like fantasy, like we have escaped from reality.

The downside, however, is that the room is not equipped with cable tv and telephone and the resort has no generator in cases of black outs and brown outs. So you could imagine that by mere raising of a concern to the staff or having meals at their restaurant or a leisurely walk by the sea shore can consume half of your body’s energy in going up and down that steep slope. It was literally one hell of a climb. But we would still recommend the resort despite what is lacking. It can offer you the purest, one-of-a-kind relaxation away from the prying eyes of the stranger and the temptations of technology.

Plus food is great with generous servings.

Perhaps the only regret we had during this trip was our failure to try their Kawa Bath which we failed to reserve a day earlier. Samboan had a rotational brown out the day after we checked in which affected their water supply the entire day. Had we informed the staff of our intention to try their Kawa Bath, they could have prepared the supplies needed before electricity was cut off at 8 in the morning. No water supply = No Kawa Bath. But all is well.

It was a dreamy celebration we didn’t think is possible at our very own hometown. If given another chance, we will be back in a heartbeat.

Movie dates, intimate romantic dinners, or simply spending the day together, what are your anniversary ideas? Do share.

Chillin’ and Food Trippin’ in Baguio City

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Blessed to have been to Baguio City, several times. As frequents thereof, it is now our normal routine to wait for the other shoe to drop then we are off to Baguio once again. Hashtag official business transaction a.k.a. working vacation 😉

But unlike the many trips we had in the past, in this instance we were impelled to spend the entire weekend seeing the city in a whole different perspective (which for us was a good thing, of course). Sauntering around the city not just once, or twice, or thrice, we know that we are past beyond the limits of being just mere tourists in a foreign land, we have already acquired some sense of familiarity with its terrain and gained insights of the people’s culture. So if there is another side of this lovable city that we are not really acquainted with, it is the life away from the hustle and bustle of the centre, the laid-back life of the countryside.

17 degrees. No sweat.

There are so many access roads that led straight to the Cordillera Region but the more convenient, practical and less expensive route for us Cebuanos is via Pampanga, cheaper fare, less passengers, win-win.

Armed with a sketchy plan and directive from the “boss”, we booked two airline tickets and flew to Clark, rode an Airport shuttle going to Dau Bus Terminal in Mabalacat, Pampanga then embarked into a 5-6 hours bus trip from Dau to Baguio City.

P-rsonal Notes

  • AirAsia provides cheaper fare most of the time
  • There is an 11 o’clock Genesis Bus that traverse Baguio City directly from Clark International Airport but if you are conscious of your time and absolutely dread waiting, better proceed to Dau Bus Terminal where buses plying the same route leave every hour
  • Airport shuttle costs Php100 per person
  • There are only two (2) bus stops during the entire trip and there are no portable toilets inside the Bus unlike the other Buses going to Laoag and Tuguegarao

If there is one thing I both love and hate in Baguio City is its cold weather. If the bus’ temperature from the inside suddenly drops without maxing out the overhead aircon’s capacity, then welcome to Baguio CIty. Unfortunately this time it was intensified by a low pressure area and an impending typhoon ravishing the country with heavy rains and a bit of thunderstorm.

The Forest Lodge at Camp John Hay

With all the non-stop downpour that rendered most roads invisible, we came to a realization that we are indeed bound to spend all the nights of this trip in the Summer Capital of the Philippines. After hours of discussions and weighing the pros and cons of our options, we decided to book a room in one of the best looking hotels there is in the area, the Forest Lodge.

Though The Forest Lodge at Camp John Hay is more or less 6km. away from the centre (checked google and it’s 5.8km from Baguio City Hall), we convinced ourselves that we had to make the most out of our time and lavish ourselves with luxury. Take note: “affordable luxury”.

What I love about the Forest Lodge is that it looks expensive, appears expensive, and caters to expensive palates but their superb service and splendid rooms are offered at a very reasonable price.

One room is complete with basic amenities including cable tv, telephone, toiletries, linens, bidet, YES BIDET and it has the best bar in the area I must say and dressing room. But what truly made our stay more enjoyable are the lovely staff who we commend their friendly attitude and excellent service, especially our room boy Mark.

To boot, the kind of peace and comfort the hotel provides is like no other. It provides solace from a fast paced life and a much needed escape from reality. This whole experience for us is undeniably our unexpected holiday while on duty.

Lobby

P-rsonal Notes:

  • Agoda provides cheaper rates all the time
  • The Forest Lodge rooms have bigger floor area than most of Baguio’s hotels, pension houses and transient homes
  • The Forest Lodge is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (P-Approved!)

Le Chef by Chef Billy King

We had to not miss the opportunity to try Chef Billy King’s creations in Le Chef located just inside the Forest Lodge. I’ve heard the name of Chef Billy King for so many times through our local tv channels and to be his customer, food critique and taste his food up close and personal is truly an honour. We tried his twist on the Filipino Pancit Canton and Chicken Yakitori. For dessert, we had Strawberry Flambé a La Mode and Belgian Chocolate Gateau. Taste, presentation, and service are absolutely amazing.

P-rsonal Notes

  • Le Chef is a fine dining restaurant
  • Slippers, shorts and other informal clothing are highly discouraged

Coffee Stains

Neatly tucked just beside the entrance of the hotel, there is a coffee shop that serves all its patrons Columbian Coffee 24/7. While they boast of the fact that their Columbian coffee beans were shipped all the way from Puerto Rico they likewise promote locally produced coffee beans which they heavily display on their countertops.

Though I honestly am not a fan of Columbian coffee’s overly bitter taste (based on my personal preference), but what I love most about this café is their cheesecake. They have the best tasting cheesecake we have ever tasted. Smooth, creamy, delighting, no-bake, perhaps, but only them knows.

Vizco’s

P-rsonal Note

• One should not leave Baguio without trying its famous Strawberry Shortcake.

And even if most of our time were spent inside the hotel, we knew all along that we could never miss a single opportunity to taste one of Baguio’s most favorite product once again.

There is a quaint little pastry shop in Session Road that offers this one-of-a-kind shortcake. Though this tasty treat became more appetizing because of that hunk of a man named Tony Labrusca and his beautiful on-screen ladylove Angel Aquino in the film “Glorious” (yup, Vizco’s Strawberry Shortcake already hit the big screen) but setting aside our prejudice courtesy of that manly physique of the lead actor, we must and we have to say that Vizco’s Strawberry Shortcake is the best strawberry shortcake in the history of Philippine Strawberry Shortcakes.

It has the right balance of everything, sweetness, acidity, creaminess and the right flavour from the fresh strawberries. It’s our nth time to devour an entire slice and our preference over that Strawberry Shortcake has not yet diminished. We 100% percent approve of it and we definitely agree that it suits any picky eaters and choosy tastebuds. In fact, a visit to Baguio is not complete without a bite of it. (Better taste Vizco’s to understand the whole point. Lol! 😅)

It was a rainy and foggy day everywhere in Baguio City during this visit. But working + (all expense paid) vacation and looots of delicious foods, we are in no position to complain. So what’s your working vacation story?