Exploring the Philippines' City of Love

Other than it is the heart of the Philippines, one of the reasons why Iloilo City is considered the CITY OF LOVE are the Ilonggos themselves.  They make you fall in love with their city especially on how they speak.  You may not learn the dialect directly, but the tone or the accent is fastly adaptable.  You will sound very calm and kind there.  Tunay! (I guess, If I'd bring my lola there, her everyday loud sermon will be gone *oops, I raise my white flag for that joke*)

Moving forward, I'd like to quote this - "Traveling leaves you speechless, but it makes you a storyteller." I could not agree more.  This blog is all about my 2017 birthday trip with my college buddy, Reyna, in ILOILO CITY.

11 PLACES WE WENT TO:

Historical Places, first.

1. JARO CATHEDRAL

Since we were staying in Jaro, we had our first stop in Jaro Cathedral.  As I have searched for places to go in Iloilo, the said church has always been on the list.  Later did I know that it is a historical landmark in the Philippines.

The stairs on the front facade of the church lead to the 400-year-old miraculous shrine of Our Lady of the Candles. Make sure not to miss going upstairs and say your prayer to Our Lady of the Candles.

Also, the Jaro Cathedral is approved as the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Candles and the second national shrine of Visayas (next to Basilica de Sto. Nino).

Did you know? The original church was destroyed by an earthquake in 1948 wherein only the BELFRY survived, that's why; the church's belfry is across from it.  I am glad that they never demolished or moved the belfry next to the church, for that's where the belfry should be.  Indeed, the belfry is a reminder that in life, troubles may come, but fight to stand still and beautifully.

reference: click here

2. CASA REAL DE ILOILO

White and black - this place is not just about being aesthetic, it also holds a part of history of Iloilo.  It is the province's old capitol building.

It was made of wood and stone back in the Spanish era.  It was also used by the Japanese forces during the second world war.  The building was burned in 1998 and was revived to its new appearance as what you see above.  Plus, it is also a national historical site and it is located at the city's center exactly.

As what I've known, Casa Real also serves as a venue for special events and for a pre-nuptial shoot.

reference: iloilo.gov.ph

Note: The Iloilo Museum is just 70 meters away from Casa Real, which is the next number below.

3. MUSEO ILOILO

If you want to know more about Iloilo, then you should pay a visit at the Museo Iloilo.  We paid 10 php each for the entrance fee.

Apart from history, the museum also showcased the paintings done by the kids who joined the Summer Art Workshop.

It's a nice commendable place, especially if you have the desire of knowing the roots of the province.  It would be a missed opportunity if you skip the museum for it is only a walking distance from an another attraction, the Casa Real de Iloilo. Let's say, it's like a buy one take one situation, aye?

4. MOLO CHURCH 

Another church that is also a national landmark is the Molo Church AKA St. Anne Parish Church and the Feminist Church.  As we went inside the church, we saw the image of the patron saint, St. Anne, and along both sides are statues of other female patron saints.  Thus, it adheres to the title given "The Feminist Church".  

As you can see, the church is under some repair.  Nevertheless, its beauty is still mesmerizing.  Other than its gothic design, the church appears to be more artistic because of the Molo Plaza outside it.  In the plaza stands a gazebo with 6 Greek Goddesses.  

Did you know?  Molo Church is the second most popular and artistic church in Iloilo, next to Miag-ao Church.  It is also one of the UNESCO's World Heritage Sites (iloilo.net.ph)

Ps This may sound extra but I feel like I'm somewhere in Europe in the picture.

5. MOLO MANSION

The Molo Mansion is a short walking distance from the Molo Church.  This mansion is one of the finest mansions of Iloilo. Yup! Iloilo has a lot of preserved mansions, mostly influenced by the old Architecture.  You might think that the mansion you can see at the corner of the street is a heritage site, but take note, some mansions are still residences.  However, Molo Mansion was restored to become a heritage museum. Also, a souvenir shop is inside.  As far as I can remember, the mansion is open to all.

Did you know?  The house was built in the 1920s and was owned first by the family of Yusay, a court judge in Manila, who is believed to have great power over Molo.  It was then passed to a Governor of Iloilo: Timote Consing, Jr. The house also accommodated two Presidents, Quezon and Osmena, during their visit in Iloilo. (choosephilippines.com)

Don't miss to the Artisonal Ice Cream and the Pancit Molo.  Both are sold at the side of the Molo Mansion.  We bought the Blue Ternate Flower Ice Cream which is said to be full of anti-oxidants, anti-stress, memory enhancer, analgesic and good for sleep.  Ahuh! Sa mga stressed and limtanon, sama nako, kaon jud ani. The flower is edible, too.

Second, the famous pancit molo.  We tried it at the mansion's Cafe Panay. It was our first time to taste pancit molo, and I give it a two thumbs up. A MUST!

6. MAKING OUR WAY DOWNTOWN IN CALLE REAL

We had a stroll along the Calle Real. While walking, we encountered a lot of people. It is one of the busy streets in the city.  What makes it different is that it made us feel like we were transported back in time.  We were surrounded by different buildings with the old architecture.  There are many local stores here, more likely, businesses ran by the Ilonggos. It's like our Divisoria in Cagayan de Oro.  I had only one picture left in this place.  Thanks IG for saving me.  I hope to share more photos of the buildings, but my hard drive got broken.  

We continued walking until we reached the Plaza Libertad - the location where the Spaniards raised their white flag  The end of the Spanish Colonization happened here and I'm proud to have set foot on it.

Now, the city life in Iloilo.

7. MEGAWORLD

If Taguig has BGC, then Iloilo has Megaworld.  It is a business park in the city expected to be "biggest and most exciting venture in Western Visayas."  In this area will rise condominiums, offices, hotels, commercial buildings, the Iloilo convention center and so much more.  (megaworldcorp.com) It's like a city within a city! This place is really a must-go-to! 

We ate dinner at Jip Bab.  It is a Korean Restaurant.  

We ordered samgyupsal and tteokboki. #Yummers Their food is 4/5. The place is 5/5. The staff is very accommodating.

8. PLAZUELA DE ILOILO

Plazuela de Iloilo is a place for dining and recreation.  We went to this place twice, during night time and day time. The ambiance during night time is super commendable, especially if you just want to chill and eat.   Then, we came back here the next day to take pictures #forthegram and the place's Spanish-Italian design was much appreciated.  

Since it was summer, the bougainvilleas were blooming and it added an artistic feature to it.  

We took our lunch here at Ponsyon. Guess what? We tried the famous talaba of Iloilo, but we weren't brave enough though.  We just went for the baked talaba with cheese and garlic.  We are not so fond of it, but we made sure not to miss it. I don't know if you agree with me, but if I travel, I always feel like I shouldn't leave the place without trying what's original in it.

After that, we had our dessert at the Original Biscocho Haus, still in Plazuela.  We bought the Piaya Ice Cream Sandwich. Yum!

Since it has a variety of restaurants, it is one of the places to go to for a food trip. Aside from that, it has other shops like bazaar and service centers.

reference: iloilo.net.ph

9. LA PAZ PUBLIC MARKET

Before ramen came into my life, there was this La Paz Batchoy Cup noodles I use to eat way back.  It's funny how I thought that La Paz Batchoy is just somehow a made-out name.  As I was searching for this trip, it was only then that I discovered that Batchoy orginated from La Paz, Iloilo. I was already 17 then, so I call myself so dumb for that, haha! Anyhow, I am so happy to have eaten an authentic La Paz Batchoy! It was full of stuff compared to the cup noodles, lol.  To have more batchoy feels, we chose to eat at Deco's Original La Paz Batchoy in La Paz Public Market.

Then, after that, we headed to the Madge Cafe to have some caffeine fix.  A cafe inside a market! Cool, eh?  It is a well-known cafe for its native coffee.  A lot of well-known people like government officials and celebrities went here too.  We bought an Iced Coffee for 45 php only.

10.  ATRIA PARK DISTRICT

Atria Park District is owned and developed by the AyalaLand company.  Just like the Megaworld, it is also a business center.  We had a walk around the place to take some pictures at some great artworks.

The night before that, we had our Dinner at the Stuckers Resto.  The place's ambiance is really uplifting for it is surrounded by pastel colors and their food is so good, too.

Then, dessert fix at Sweet Cravings. Atria offers lot of food choices and there's a grocery store there. It's an another city within the city.

They said "the hands only", I took everything though! Hahaha

11. ILOILO RIVER ESPLANADE

Lastly, the river esplanade along Iloilo River. It took us like 30 minutes to reach the end.  A total of 1 hour walking because we went back and forth.  

At the endpoint, there is a letter standee that says "I am Iloilo" where we had to do the tourist pose.

The best time to have a stroll here is during sunset (or sunrise).  You get to witness the sky get pink and inhale some fresh air.  Nothing is better than that, don't you agree?  Along the walk, there are also cafes and restaurants.  

Then, we had a bonus photo with the orange-ish flower tree (dap-dap or caballero tree?) This tree blooms in May! It is really good that Iloilo has the esplanade.  It's a place to take a break from the hustle in the city

THAT'S A WRAP!

That ends our 3-day exploration in Iloilo City.  What I've learned is that Iloilo is really rich in historical sites knowing that it is the last place inhabited by the Spaniards and it's good that they chose to preserve those despite the blooming of the city.  Iloilo City is a great mix of the past and the future. 

SPECIAL THANKS to Reyna for being my travel buddy during this trip and to our dearest friend, Ainna and her mom, Auntie Donna for touring us around and for letting us stay in their place.  It was a very fulfilling trip because it was also a product of thorough research and watching some vlogs.  Special mention: Kyle Jennerman's vlog about Iloilo.

Thank you to my parents who financed us for this trip.  Thank you Waze for showing us the way when Ainna was not around to tour us because she's in her school.  

  

Other places we went to:

n Smallville Complex - I didn't have much pictures there though because we were really tired from Bacolod.  We just ate there and went home.   Smallville is the place to be if you want to morning the night.

We also visited University of San Agustin.  That's where Ainna is taking up college.

Then, we went to Bacolod,

to Guimaras 

 and to heaven, I mean at Garin Farm, San Joaquin, which are my next blogs.

I hope you liked this blog. I'd be happy to know your thoughts.  Feel free to leave some comments. Don't forget to read my next 2 blogs!

radiating sunshine, Hannah Borja

The story behind the trip: It's up to you to continue reading.

Life amazes me in a way that we do not notice reaching the moment which we just imagined ourselves to be in someday.  

The 6-year-old me loved to be at the debut parties of my older cousins and friends.  That younger me told herself "Someday, I will be a debutant." I guess, it’s every little girl’s dream!  To wear a gown, to be danced by 18 men, to receive heart-warming messages…I mean, it’s a magical night when you get to be like a princess.  So, who wouldn’t want that, right?

Years passed, I finally turned 18! BUT I DID NOT pursue the dream of being a princess. We just ate dinner and laughed a lot with my family and closest friends.  Now, why? I realized that, to have debut party was never totally my dream.  I said to my parents, they rather invest money in a 4-day trip than a one-night party; for if we invest in traveling, we carry with ourselves a baggage of different stories for the rest of our lives.