Salamat Gid Bacolod

ღღČяїstinEεїз Sunday, August 27, 2017 11 Comments Edit

On one of the hottest days of April, I got the chance to finally visit the city of smiles that is Bacolod. Located in the province of Negros Occidental, Bacolod is awarded as the Top Model Philippines City by a national daily in our country. Having been in the place, I got enough reasons to validate such recognition.

Going to Bacolod via bus and ro-ro, made my trip more challenging and rewarding. The long hours of sitting in a bus seat didn't give me any sense of boredom and fatigue. Rather, it gave me a fascinating time to express my amazement towards the richness of the Visayan earth and seas.

Sugar Nostalgia
You wouldn't leave the province of Negros without noticing the vast array of sugar canes that stretches across its mountains and plains.Somehow, the proud sugar canes of Negros brought a certain sense of nostalgia for my childhood days. My father, who hailed from Negros used to grace us with fresh sugar canes as an answer to our curiosity about the place. Though the canes were too hard for our young teeth, they were sweet enough to make our young hearts brim with joy. We (my siblings and I) are now young adults except for my youngest brother who is still eight years young, and father no longer brings sugar canes home. We may have left some parts of our childhood in our leftover sugar canes, but some of those are still stuck between our heart beats.

My travel wasn't free of constraints. Time and financial resources are two major challenges that I faced during my travel. I had to leave Bacolod after three days, but I made sure that I had the best of my time during my visit. I got no grand plans on my backpack but I had a short list of places that I have to kiss during my stay. With what little that I had, I got to visit five notable places in the City of Smiles. I've listed them below along with my thoughts and I hope my humble list would be of great help once the time will come that you have to explore the city by yourself.

Highland Wonderland

With its scenic views, challenging activities, and sumptuous meals, Campuestohan Highland Resort is a must-visit place when you are in Bacolod. To say that the place of far from the downtown area would be an understatement. The fare going to the place is also far from a joke. Yet, the place is all worth the time and money. My jaw literally dropped the moment I stepped into the resort. Its Instagram-worthy spots were enough to make me go shutterbug crazy.

I haven't been to any Disneyland parks, but I bet I'd have a similar feeling with what Campuestohan induced to my senses. The resort's proud architectural wonders, similar to what's in Europe, also stands happily for all its guests. Being able to witness them with my own naked eyes felt like a dream come true for every child and adults with a child-like heart.

Campuestohan Highland Resort's Indian Village

The structure above is a restaurant that serves good food ready to be served for hungry guests.

Fun rides and activities can be enjoyed for affordable rates inside the resort. The kiddie rides won my heart. teehee

The place somehow reminds me of Disneyland. :p

Their windmill made me think of New Zealand.

Sweet Escape

Another place that I've visited in Bacolod is the popular Calea Cafe that serves a variety of cakes and pastries. With its soft blue interiors and sweet offerings, Calea is definitely a heaven for everyone who has a sweet tooth. Internet connection isn't available inside the cafe but it's a good plus as it can give you ample time to read and have real life conversation with your friends.

I finished Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea in Calea over a cup of Americano.

Grilled Allure

I'm not a big fan of grilled meat but the grilled chicken by Chicken Deli is a must-try. It's perfectly grilled chicken with their flavourful sauce will kick-in that burst of excitement in your mouth. A trip in Bacolod won't be complete without having giving Chicken Deli a try.

An Ode to the Old World

A symbol of love and persistence, that's what The Ruins is. Located in Talisay City, The Ruins is perfect for lovers of Filipino history and culture. What was once a mansion is now a backdrop of Bacolod's past.

The mansion was built in the early 1900s and is inspired by Italian architecture. Hailed as the Taj Mahal of the Philippines, the structure is an ancestral home mansion the sugar baron Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson. Don Mariano built the place in memory of his Portuguese wife Maria Braga Lacson who had died during a child birth.

The mansion, by the way, is now an empty shell. It was burnt down by the Americans during the Japanese occupation in the Philippines to hinder the Japanese military men into using it.

I've never seen a fountain as romantic as the one that stands outside the mansion.

The Ruins is a total package for every traveler. The place serves as a museum and has a souvenir shop inside. A cafe is also open near the structure.

The mansion's floor which has intricate tiles is one of the original remains of the grand mansion.

2017 has been blissful so far. I've been to countless places I've never dreamt of visiting. I haven't blogged in a while now, but the will to share what wonders I've found still burns within me. Pardon me for my long absence. Let's just say that I'm traveling somewhere. Somewhere sun-drenched, somewhere where my dreams never set. Now more than ever do I realize that I'll never be complete without exploring that place.

Bacolod didn't just show me new places. Bacolod made me see things differently. The City of Smiles left me smiling. Salamat Gid Bacolod!

love lots,

Tin