TRAVEL: The Ruins at Talisay City, Negros Occidental

The Ruins at Talisay City, Bacolod

The moment I saw images of The Ruins on photos and social networks, I vowed to myself that I will visit this magnificent place before I die. Lo and behold, I was very fortunate enough to fit a side trip to Bacolod in our eventful Cebu escapade. 

My experience was rather embarrassing. Really. I was literally screaming my lungs out at the sight of The Ruin's chimney. Apparently, I was also shouting out phrases that I didn't know were inside my freaking mind! A sample phrase would be "Gusto ko na magpakasal! Now na!" ("I want to get married right at this very moment!") and other embarrassing statements that I choose not to disclose in this blog. HAHAHA! I was thankful that none of my friends (and also the parents of our host whom I just met a few hours before I started acting all possessed) who were with me inside the car didn't disown me or condemned me to death. 

Anyhoo, before I go berserk with excitement again let me tell you the top 10 interesting facts that I learned about The Ruins:

1. The beautiful mansion was owned by Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson and his first wife, Maria Braga Lacson. It was the biggest structure in Talisay City at that time and it housed furniture and home items from different parts of Europe and Asia. 

2. The owners originally had an azucarera (sugar plantation) within their lot hence the sight of the tall and beautiful brick chimney in front of the mansion. 

Superb building and construction skills, people! Two thumbs up! 

3. The mixture of cement used to build the the mansion had eggshells on them. That's probably why its walls will still feel very smooth when you touch them.

4. During World War II, the locals together with the Americans burnt the mansion down so as to prevent the Japanese from converting it to their very own headquarters and fortress. The other house that the owners evacuated to was also taken down together with the nice furniture and most of its photos, hence you will never find a photo of the mansion in its full form. 

These steps used to have thick planks of wood. It was mentioned that even the bolts and screws used here are made out of wood. 

Would you believe that the embellishments of the structure was able to survive 3 days of burning?

5. It took approximately 3 long days to burn the structure down primarily because of the wood used in building the mansion. Despite the long hours of burning the mansion down, its main frame and some of the intricate details are still present. Just imagine how sturdy are the materials used in building this house!

Love that would last for eternity! It's written all over The Ruins!

6. Cheesy fact: If you look closely at the mansion's pillars, you will see patterns that would resemble a letter "E" and a number "3". These are actually two letter Ms facing each other which stands for the first letter of the first names of the owners, Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson and Maria Braga. It was believed to symbolize their eternal love and adoration for each other. And as cheesy as it sounds, the pillars and its markings are still here and will forever stand the test of time. Aaaawww... 

7. It was also mentioned during the tour that the children of the mansion owners had to move out right away if they choose to marry. Marrying also voids the children's shares and ownership of the mansion and other land properties. 

The facade of the mansion naturally emits romance and passion. 

8. You can actually rent out the place for pre-nups, weddings, events and concerts. Woot! Woot! And yes, when we were there I mentioned (like a hundred times) that I want to have ONE OF MY pre-nup photo shoots at that place. HAHAHA! 

9. Mr. Ramon Hofileña, by far the best tourist guide I've ever met, helped discover and revive this landmark a few years back. He said that he found this spot all cluttered with a few informal settlers within its premises. He insisted to do a clean up and actually turn it into a tourist spot. Good job! 

10. At present, The Ruins is considered the "Taj Majal" of Bacolod and is recognized as one of the best ruins both locally and worldwide.

In any angle, The Ruins just seems very perfect to me. I love it! 

For me, this landmark is beyond the elegant structure, greenery and ambiance. Its all about the energy that you get from the stories of glory, downfall and redemption wrapped around its premises. Its walls just seems to house so much emotion and culture that naturally inspires me to fall in love with life altogether. :)

Blogoblab Tip: If you're planning to go and visit The Ruins, it's best if you rent out your personal vehicle and driver since its situated inside a village. Make sure you also check the schedule of the tour first so that you won't miss out on the explanations and stories about the landmark. For more information, you can visit their website here.

TRAVEL: So... You want to revisit Cebu! (Part 2)

Now, let's keep the ball rolling! Here are the next few tourist spots that we were able to explore during our stay in Cebu City! 

8. Fort San Pedro 

Entrance Fee: P30 per person 

This tourist spot is like a mini version of Metro Manila's Intramuros. Not being bias or anything, but I like Intramuros and Fort Santiago better probably because there's so much more to explore in these places compared to the one in Cebu. Though I was really able to appreciate the artworks inside the fortress and as well as the old photographs of Cebu City. I was also surprised to see a torn down Spanish flag which was said to have been taken from the Spaniards during the WW2. There was also a wishing well inside the place which was said to be miraculous. 

9. Cebu Provincial Capitol 

Even if we were only able to drive by this magnificent structure, I can say that this can top almost all the government buildings that I've seen here in Manila. Our driver said that there's not much going on here, just local judiciary trials and such. 

10. Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod 

This is a new tourist spot in Talisay that anyone who sets foot in Cebu should definitely visit. This modern and state of the art establishment was just recently built in the new reclaimed area just a few minutes from the heart of Cebu City. From afar, big slabs of cement and tall pillars are already visible. Anyone would actually mistake this for a museum or a modern art gallery instead of a chapel not until they've approached the facade where a big cross is seen. My friends and I are very fortunate to be friends with one of the engineers of that structure. He said that the chapel was designed to look very "closed" if you're facing the front but very open when seen on its sides. 

11. Mactan Shrine 

I was all giddy and geeky inside when we arrived at Mactan Shrine -- the spot believed to be the location where Lapu-Lapu's tribe fought and defeated the Spaniards. I was remembering all these old stories about Pigafetta's journal where he described the first Filipinos he saw -- small, plump, brown men who seemed to be dancing with sticks (which is now popularly known as the Art of Arnis). It was also taken to account that the ships of Magellan were trying to bombard Mactan Island with their "modern" armory, but then the trajectory of their canons run short mainly because of the low tide. I was actually imagining all these things happening when we were there (hence, the more I got giddy and geeky inside haha!) 

12. Tops City View 

Entrance Fee: P50.00 per person 

The last spot that we visited was Cebu Tops View. This spot is literally on top of the mountains and literally has the best view of Cebu City and its neighboring regions. The weather was rather cold when we got there hence the obligatory round of ice cold bottles of beer for everyone! 

So those were the tourists spots that I think are essential in anyone's vacation trip in Cebu City. To guide you more thoroughly, here's my two cents worth of traveling tips: 

1. Do your research. It's really better to travel prepared. Before getting to Cebu City, I actually searched all the landmarks that we visited and clustered them by area. In this part of your journey, Google Maps is your best friend!  

2. Rent a vehicle. I suggest that you rent a car or a van when traveling to these tourist spots (most especially if you're in a big group). It would cost less and would actually save up on time. 

3. Get a good driver. A really good one for that matter! Cebu City traffic is kind of similar to what we're experiencing here in Manila. So make sure that you get a good driver that could weave you through the side streets of Cebu to save up on time in traveling. 

As one of my good friends said "That's it, Danggit!". HAHAHA! If you're planning to go on a Cebu trip soon, I hope that you and your travel companions will be able to experience these amazing tourist spots and actually get a deeper appreciation of the city's rich history and culture.  

TRAVEL: So... You want to revisit Cebu! (Part 1)

The last time I actually went to Cebu for a vacation was when I was 5 years old. Back then, I only had vague mental pictures of what I saw and what I experienced in that big city in Visayas! 

So allow to me give you a rundown of the the landmarks and historical places that I was able to revisit in Cebu now that I could actually "remember" things (and actually write and document all about my experiences). I recommend these spots to those who are planning to visit Cebu and have a better and deeper appreciation of the city. After visiting these spots, you can actually say to yourself "Yes, I definitely deserve a customized I Heart Cebu shirt!"

1. Fuente Osmena Circle 

One of our friends in Cebu actually said that this area of Cebu City is jam packed with people during the Sinulog Festival. But during our visit, the area was very serene and has a nice view of the Crown Regency Twin Towers. This area is ideal to visit if you want to try out the night life in Cebu because its surrounding establishments is a mixture of gimmick places, local food destinations and hotels! 

2. Taoist Temple 

Entrance Fee: P10.00 per car 

A small yet grand palace with a magnificent view of Cebu City! Over the years, the Taoist Temple at Beverly Hills Subdivision in Lahug, Cebu City has been an attraction for many tourists. It really says a lot about the chinese settlers in Cebu and how they were able to influence the community. It's relatively small compared to the temples I've seen in other countries but it also possess intricate details which I totally love and adore. 

3. Cebu Heritage Monument 

This heritage monument was such a surprise for me because it was located amidst a residence area. Personally, I would expect big structures like this positioned in a national park or a really high-traffic tourist spot. This monument tells so much about the rich history and culture of the Cebuanos which I truly like and appreciate! 

4. Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House 

Entrance Fee: P50.00 per person 

At first, I was actually creeped out by the looks of it (because yes, I'm afraid of mumus/ghosts haha) but then, when we entered the place, the very remarkable antique furniture and household items distracted from all the eeriness . Some items were from the early 1900s but are still surprisingly very functional. It's still very functional that the present generation home owners still sleep in this house every weekend. I was also impressed by how much the care takers / tour guides know about the ancestral house and how they multi-task both entertaining their guests and taking photos all at the same time. 

5. Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral 

The Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral is one of the most serene and grand cathedrals I've seen in Cebu. When you get inside, you can still feel the "antiquity" of the interiors which is mostly made up of wood and big rocks. If you want to meditate and pray, I suggest you do it here instead of Basilica del Sto. Nino. 

6. Magellan's Cross 

No one can say someone visited Cebu if he or she hasn't visited Magellan's Cross! As far as I know, the big cross was planted by the people of Magellan on the day they arrived on the island. What I love about the shrine were the paintings on the ceiling showing the story of how the spaniards landed in the Philippines. You can also soak up so much culture in this small place because of the women around who are selling candles and literally dance their prayers to the cross. 

7.  Basilica del Sto. Nino 

Just a few meters away from Magellan's Cross is the Basilica del Sto. Nino. This basilica houses the "Santo Nino de Cebu" which most Catholic Cebuanos deemed miraculous. I wasn't able to go and see the actual statue since there was a very long queue to it. The main chapel was very grand, though its a bit noisy since the basilica is located amidst the busy streets of Cebu City. Nevertheless, I literally got goosebumps when I approached some of its interiors, most especially the big picture frame with relics of saints located at the side of the church. 

I still have six more amazing places in Cebu to tell about, but this will be good for now!