starshadow_rivaulx (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
starshadow_rivaulx) wrote2010-04-21 09:02 am
starshadow_rivaulx) wrote2010-04-21 09:02 am
Been lazy. Late Malolos tour recap. :)
Last time I updated was the 14th - new kittens in the house, and a
stockholders meeting attended. The next day, was up bright and early
to join a tour group to Malolos, Bulacan. The group was from The
Museum Volunteers of the Philippines. It was composed in the main of
expats, and a smattering of balikbayans. The tour was in cooperation
with WOMFI, hence my presence as tour guide. My job was to make sure
we got from Santuario San Antonio to Malolos without incident, and to
provide a little patter regarding historical background and general
logistics.
It was a smooth trip. I let the group do their bonding thing and
started my spiel after the washroom break at the Shell station just
before the Tabang exit. Managed to finish up just before arriving at
Barasoain Church, after which I handed over to our Chairman Bong
Enriquez for the rest of the city tour. Since it was my first time to
visit Barasoain, and having brought my trusty Canon with me, I let out
my inner photographer to play. As a result, many are the shots to be
culled and improved upon for posting to the photo blogs.
The "five-minute walk" to the Malolos Cathedral was accomplished in
the heat of the rising sun. Yay for the liberal application of
sunscreen - the brisk breezes that had cooled down Manila the previous
day did not see fit to follow me to the provinces; however, as per
Ma's instructions, I had packed two spare t-shirts, so was eventually
able to change out before lunch at Casa Real and at the Caltex
washroom stop on the NLEX.
Then followed the walk around the Kamestizuhan district. Visited the
Bautista ancestral home, which is a marvel of well-preserved
antiquity. Makes me feel sad for the loss of my Ma's family's
ancestral home, which was held by her cousin and his family; it had to
be sold off due to adverse circumstances in the family. Visited the
Reyes family prayer room. Visited the original wall of the school the
Women of Malolos set up after Gov. Weyler gave them permission - it's
now the driveway wall of the residence of Dra. Cora Buendia-Villano.
Her father, Cesar Buendia, was the son of the Senator after whom
Buendia Avenue was originally named, before it was changed to Chino
Roces Avenue. Apparently the Buendias and Ma's Tiongson clan were
very close; Dra. Cora is in fact, named after my mother. *grin* And
the PLDT office in Malolos used to belong to Ma's godmother; I took a
look at the facade and went, "WHOA."
We were driven back (oh, blessed aircon!) in the tour minibus to Casa
Real, where we had a wonderful native lunch. Sinigang na sugpo with
proper prawns. Kalderetang baka. Inihaw na rellenong bangus.
Bibingkang calamay, and at least three different kinds of kuchinta.
Yum! There was a handcrafted pastillas wrapper demonstration by Nanay
Luz, who had earlier been photographed by Don Jaime Zobel de Ayala.
There was a puni demonstration as well - and it was gratifying to see
people buying so many things.
Then it was time to go to Meycauayan, the center of the jewelry
industry in Bulacan. We were taken to a jewelry factory run by the
Jeweler's Federation of the Philippines, and given a short talk on the
history of jewelry-making in Meycauayan, and the efforts of the
Federation in improving the state of the industry. We were taken to
the workshop and showroom - not that much on offer that appealed to
me; I think the best pieces are on display at the Federation's
showrooms in Greenhills - the aircon section that's easily seen from
the Connecticut car park entrance, that building that houses the
tiangges and the cellphone/console dealers.
I wound up getting myself two pairs of earrings for everyday bling.
One pair are dangling earrings - Russian diamond chips set in a
five-point star setting, hanging from a single Russian stud. The
other pair are studs: Russian diamond tiny brilliant-cuts set in round
florals, set in white and yellow gold. Both pairs just a little
bigger than my thumbnail, enough to sparkle but not enough to make
jaws drop (not that I could afford those prices, hoho).
From Meycauayuan, a straight run home, to discover that the Avanza
battery was on its last legs, as per Dad's information. In hindsight,
I should have ordered a battery from Motolite that very moment, but it
had been a very long day, so postponed - and set myself up for a
mildly exciting Friday. But that's a story for another post.
stockholders meeting attended. The next day, was up bright and early
to join a tour group to Malolos, Bulacan. The group was from The
Museum Volunteers of the Philippines. It was composed in the main of
expats, and a smattering of balikbayans. The tour was in cooperation
with WOMFI, hence my presence as tour guide. My job was to make sure
we got from Santuario San Antonio to Malolos without incident, and to
provide a little patter regarding historical background and general
logistics.
It was a smooth trip. I let the group do their bonding thing and
started my spiel after the washroom break at the Shell station just
before the Tabang exit. Managed to finish up just before arriving at
Barasoain Church, after which I handed over to our Chairman Bong
Enriquez for the rest of the city tour. Since it was my first time to
visit Barasoain, and having brought my trusty Canon with me, I let out
my inner photographer to play. As a result, many are the shots to be
culled and improved upon for posting to the photo blogs.
The "five-minute walk" to the Malolos Cathedral was accomplished in
the heat of the rising sun. Yay for the liberal application of
sunscreen - the brisk breezes that had cooled down Manila the previous
day did not see fit to follow me to the provinces; however, as per
Ma's instructions, I had packed two spare t-shirts, so was eventually
able to change out before lunch at Casa Real and at the Caltex
washroom stop on the NLEX.
Then followed the walk around the Kamestizuhan district. Visited the
Bautista ancestral home, which is a marvel of well-preserved
antiquity. Makes me feel sad for the loss of my Ma's family's
ancestral home, which was held by her cousin and his family; it had to
be sold off due to adverse circumstances in the family. Visited the
Reyes family prayer room. Visited the original wall of the school the
Women of Malolos set up after Gov. Weyler gave them permission - it's
now the driveway wall of the residence of Dra. Cora Buendia-Villano.
Her father, Cesar Buendia, was the son of the Senator after whom
Buendia Avenue was originally named, before it was changed to Chino
Roces Avenue. Apparently the Buendias and Ma's Tiongson clan were
very close; Dra. Cora is in fact, named after my mother. *grin* And
the PLDT office in Malolos used to belong to Ma's godmother; I took a
look at the facade and went, "WHOA."
We were driven back (oh, blessed aircon!) in the tour minibus to Casa
Real, where we had a wonderful native lunch. Sinigang na sugpo with
proper prawns. Kalderetang baka. Inihaw na rellenong bangus.
Bibingkang calamay, and at least three different kinds of kuchinta.
Yum! There was a handcrafted pastillas wrapper demonstration by Nanay
Luz, who had earlier been photographed by Don Jaime Zobel de Ayala.
There was a puni demonstration as well - and it was gratifying to see
people buying so many things.
Then it was time to go to Meycauayan, the center of the jewelry
industry in Bulacan. We were taken to a jewelry factory run by the
Jeweler's Federation of the Philippines, and given a short talk on the
history of jewelry-making in Meycauayan, and the efforts of the
Federation in improving the state of the industry. We were taken to
the workshop and showroom - not that much on offer that appealed to
me; I think the best pieces are on display at the Federation's
showrooms in Greenhills - the aircon section that's easily seen from
the Connecticut car park entrance, that building that houses the
tiangges and the cellphone/console dealers.
I wound up getting myself two pairs of earrings for everyday bling.
One pair are dangling earrings - Russian diamond chips set in a
five-point star setting, hanging from a single Russian stud. The
other pair are studs: Russian diamond tiny brilliant-cuts set in round
florals, set in white and yellow gold. Both pairs just a little
bigger than my thumbnail, enough to sparkle but not enough to make
jaws drop (not that I could afford those prices, hoho).
From Meycauayuan, a straight run home, to discover that the Avanza
battery was on its last legs, as per Dad's information. In hindsight,
I should have ordered a battery from Motolite that very moment, but it
had been a very long day, so postponed - and set myself up for a
mildly exciting Friday. But that's a story for another post.