With the coming of the month of October, one of the most awaited events in the City of Smiles that is Bacolod City is the infamous and very festive celebration of the Masskara Festival. Little did the people know that behind the smiling faces of the masks that has become the icon of Masskara Festival is a history of crisis that was turned into a challenging experience to hope for a better life for the people of Bacolod City and the Province of Negros Occidental.

The history of the Masskara Festival dates back during the 1980’s when the whole province of Negros Occidental suffered the effects the sudden slump of the price of sugar in the international market. Many Negrense were left jobless and workers in the sugarcane plantations suffered and got hungry as the whole province primarily relied on its main product of sugar. April of that same year, the inter-island ship Don Juan sank and many Negrense died and more families were left pined for the loss.

The local artist then of Bacolod City, together with the local public officials and all stakeholders came up with the holding of a festival to efface the sad and gloomy atmosphere that the city and the province was thrust into. Then came the birth of Masskara Festival that signaled the declaration of the people of Bacolod City and Negros Occidental of their willingness to rise up from the rubbles of economic downturn to survive and end up victorious.

Masskara comes from two words: “mass” which means a multitude of people and “kara” which is a Spanish word for face.

Wearing masks full of smiles and all the colors to signify the undying spirit of the people of Negros and Bacolod City, once again the celebration of the Masskara Festival this October invites all people from the whole of the Philippines and from other parts of the world to join the celebration of life and triumph.

Kari na sa Bacolod para sa Masskara!

Photo Credit:  Bacolod Masskara Festival

Craving for sinanglaw? Where else can you savor the authentic taste of this Ilocano delicacy than on the streets of Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Philippines!

Yeah! You read that right! Talk about street foods, huh?

Cooking this food takes about three to four hours, it depends on the tenderness of the innards. Ooops! I forgot to mention the main ingredients. I do hope you are the adventurous type because this includes the innards of a cow or goat sautéed in onion, ginger, garlic, with peppercorns and or camias. Of course, don’t forget the “bile” sauce! Yummy!

As the city attracts tourists, it also offers a cost effective way to enjoy the food. Plaza Burgos is teeming with the best street foods an Ilocano enjoys. From sinanglaw to fried empanada (vegetables), there are a number of clean stalls to choose from and you can count on the food being cooked fresh from the market.

For only around Php 45 to 60 (US$0.90 to 1.25) for a bowl of sinanglaw add some more for your choice of rice and a bottle of your favorite soda, you can have a taste of this authentic indulgence of dining with the locals. It is not only the tourists who eat there after all, a lot of the Ilocanos enjoy having this mouth watering “merienda.”

After a sumptuous meal at Plaza Burgos, a few minutes of walking distance away is the the historic Crisologo Street, where you can admire the Spanish-Chinese-Filipino architecture of this eight hundred year old walk way of the Ilocano ancestors. Some of the known more prominent people born in Vigan are Padre Jose Burgos, Pres. Elpidio Quirino, and Vincent Crisologo.

Being a World Heritage Site, Vigan is here to stay. So get ready with your walking shorts and take a trip to the heritage city of the north.

Museo De La Salle is a two-storey lifestyle museum in a bahay na bato design which has been dedicated to the preservation of certain aspects and material culture of the 19^th century Philippine ilustrado lifestyle.  It has been established in 1996 “to encourage its use in cross-disciplinary learning and growth in an academic environment and to provide a living space illustrating Philippine culture.”

The Museum boasts a wide array of collection of antique family heirlooms like furniture, decorative objects, fine and applied arts and 19^th-century mementos donated mostly by the scions of the Santos-Joven-Panlilio family of Bacolor Pampanga and Arnedo-Gonzales family of Apalit, Pampanga among others.

Its structure of bahay na bato is one of the most known Philippine architectural heritage left by the Spaniards and of the 19^th-century Christian Philippines that is filled with a wealth of fine furniture and objects that reflects the owner’s wealth and personal style.

Inside the Museo De La Salle, visitors will have a glimpse of rich and flamboyant lifestyle of the ilustrados with the display of intricate architectural designs of the arched Puerto mayor or main door, which is opened only for the exit and entrance of carriages and carrozas; a postigo or door for pedestrians is cut in the Puerto mayor; the caida; sala mayor, despacho, cuartos, oratorio, comedor and cocina.  Woodworks and handpaintings on ceilings will certainly amaze each and every visitor.

When you visit the Province of Cavite, don’t forget to tour yourself at the Museo De La Salle, a lifestyle museum at the heart of Cavite. And maybe then you will have the feel of living during the Spanish era.

Image by Museo De La Salle

One of the top tourist destinations in the Philippines is Bohol. The island is a traveler’s paradise. Alona Beach has a number of different resorts and hotels to choose from.

“Considering I’m a little bit choosy, I thought the place was kind of cozy. Though I would not compare it to the expensive hotels around the area, It was a delightful experience that for a fair, economical price, Isis (Bungalows) was not a disappointment,” says Alvin Mercado, a physician whose practice is in San Pablo, Laguna.

With the land tour covering the historical “Blood Compact Monument,” Baclayon Church, Loboc River, Man-made forest, and the Chocolate Hills. You just can’t stop yourself from taking pictures!

When asked how the tour was, Dr. Mercado said, “The tour was well-thought. It showed the best of Bohol.” He further added that “It’s important to note though that the tours only become economical if you went with several friends. You could hire a van that would bring you to the different in-land sites and a boat for the off-shore tour.”

The island hopping trip is definitely a must see. It stats early to watch the dolphins and whales play at the sides of the boat. This would continue to a trip to Pamilacan and Balicasag islands for snorkeling and a short visit to the locals.

When asked about the island hopping trip, this was what Dr. Mercado had to say, “Of the different places we went to, the sand bar was by far the best. It was scenic in character! Very memorable in the breathtaking beauty of the place.”

Of course, we have to mention the teeming restaurants and clubs. Not only do they boast of their international menus, but the food is great!

“The knock on the whole vacation was the food. For me, the restaurants on Alona beach had outrageous prices,” says Dr. Mercado who simply had a great time dining out.

There is no doubt that Dr. Alvin Mercado had a great time with his stay at Bohol. This is a traveling doctor who would definitely come back.

Have you ever been to the queen city of the south as it has been known for years and years now? Well, you must see what Cebu currently offers its locals and tourists alike, from beaches to fine food, to mountain trekking to island-hopping, it’s just a wonderful place to be!

Come home to the city lights of Cebu City and enjoy the scenery at the Tops, it’s our very own version of Tagaytay. And when you descend, there you could see the flower beds of Busay that sprawl over gardens on mountainous plots. At night, you could go bar-hopping at the city’s premier night spots like The Loft, Formo, Sideline and many, many others. If you want to have a taste of superb fine-dining cuisines, Cebu has a wide array of choices to choose from, ranging from pure Filipino dishes to Mexican, to Spanish, to Oriental, to a sweet blend of Asian cooking so delicately prepared to your liking.

What’s more? Oh, the long stretch of white sand beaches in Mactan, Moalboal and Sogod, Cebu. One would never get bored while staying in the world-renowned queen city of the south, our very own CEBU!

(Image from www.shangri-la.com)

The Boracay Regency Beach Resort is located in Boracay making it one of the best hotels to stay at while in town. The hotel has 195 rooms which are all nicely decorated to provide a memorable stay.

These top-class facilities are complemented to excellent services to meet the needs of visitors to Boracay.

Online Booking:

To find the best deals and Book Online, go to Boracay Regency Beach Resort.

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The Traveler’s Joints is a travel resource blog aimed to providing travellers and tourists a guide to various wonderful places to go. Features best tourist destinations in the Philippines and nearby countries in Asia and the Pacific.

It is also a personal blog about an “accidental traveler’s” visits to various places in the Philippines and the rest of the world.

It also invites readers to contribute their travel stories – pleasant or not, and share to others their experiences, what’s hot and what’s not.

Hope you enjoy your stay and feel free to leave your comments.