Camarines Sur: Naga City

Naga is a capital of Camarines Sur, it is a big NO! Pili is a capital of Camarines Sur but Naga is a first class municipality and the center of commerce. I visited Naga in my personal tour of Camarines Sur and Camarines Norte. I went from Masbate to sorsogon then Albay and finally from Albay I took a van bound to Camarines Sur, terminal is located in Daraga, Albay, travel time is 2 hours and fare is around 100. I arrived in Naga in the morning I quickly went to SM Naga to refresh for a while.
I went to a bus terminal just near SM Naga where the souvenir shop is located, I bought some keychains as my travel ritual, a proof that I have been to that place and shirt that I was wearing for the whole trip.

400 year old church located in Nabua, Camarines Sur

Sipao center where the famous delicacy of Naga the toasted Siopao is readily available

 I even saw this shop in Makati here in Manila where I tried it. It was delicious and it only cost 9 pesos each. I love to try provincial delicacy on each province I visit, Naga is known for delicacies  like Kinunot, Kinalas, Pili Nut and Fried Siopao, after taking some shots around SM Naga I hopped in a tricycle that brought me to Naga Centro where famous statues and monuments are situated it cost me 8 pesos.


carnaval in Naga, bad thing it was still closed that time.

SM Naga

Naga Welcome sign

 Naga is a modernized city in Camarines Sur you will find many establishements like hotel, schools and hospital. Souvenir shops are located almost everywhere you can buy shirts, furniture, keychains and more. The staff on the souvenir shop gave me a tourism brochure.It will give you information about the tourist spot in Naga.

souvenir shop just near SM Naga

Naga delicacy

shirt with different design

Naga Central Bus Terminal;

 The Naga Terminal station is located just beside the SM City Naga and there are buses bound to different parts of Bicol like Daraga, Legazpi and Manila, there is also another Terminal for Van located in Waltermart just ask the tricycle driver for the location it will cost you around 50 from SM Naga there are vans bound to different places like Legazpi and Daet.

my signature pose taken by the store staff.

Robredo Coliseum

 DILG Secretary Robredo who recently passed away becasue of the plane accident in Masbate was a former mayor of Naga City I didn't have much idea until I went to Naga City, they said that Sec. Robredo was really a good mayor, if you ask me? well it shows in the city of Naga how successful Sec. Robredo as a mayor was. A coliseum was built under the name of Secretary Robredo. A good leader does not need to explain himself because you can see him on his followers and kingdom.

Naga City Technology Park

quince martires de bicol statue

the story of 15 martirs of Bicol

 Other than Pili and Bicol Express, Bicol is also origin of some of our heroes in different Era, some of those are the 15 martirs who died under spanish government in the Philippines because they accused of planning  to kill all spanish in different parts of Bicol that was never been proven to be true, a monument was erected to honor these 15 martir or quinze martires in spanish it is located in front of San francisco church a tricycle away from SM Naga.

San Francisco Church in Naga

keep Naga City Clean



I was looking for Penafrancia Church and I saw this church, I thought it was the one I was looking for, good thing I asked some bicolanos around and they told me that the penafrancias church is 15 minutes  jeepney away from San francisco Church that will cost you 8 pesos anyway I apprecate the San Francisco Church due to its magnificent outer architectural design.



Plaza Rizal

I just walked around the plaza situated in front of San francisco Church and where the 15 martirs monuments is located.

Church of the Nuestra Senora de Pena de Francia

entrance to the church

Church of Nuestra Senora de pena de francia

The feast of Our lady of Penafrancia celebrates every september in Naga City in the province of camarines Sur, Millions of devotees from Bicol, Manila and abroad visit Naga City to pay honor to the celebration of the feast of Our Lady of Penafrancia and to share drinks, food and prayer with other devotees. Bicolanos called Our Lady of Penafrancia "Ina" a tagalog word means mother. This is the 2nd most celebrated religous feast in Luzon next to Nazareno in Quiapo.
I hopped in a jeepney from Naga Centro to reach the Penafrancia Church, I thought it was closed but when I asked the people around, they guide me to the direction to enter the church. I prayed for a while and took some shot, How lucky I was able to see the "Ina" alone inside its house. Anyway, I was not able to celebrate the feast of Penafrancia because it was celebrated a week after I left the province, awesome right?

inside Penfrancia Church

another view of Nuestra Senora de Pena de Francia Church

of course! signature pose

 I bought some souvenirs around Our Lady of Penafrancia Church including scapula,prayer card and religious bracelet. before I left the miraculous place I asked the vendor to give me a shot with my signature pose, My tour in Camarines Sur in Naga City is very short but one thing is for sure i will be back here someday to celebrate to the feast of Our Lady of Penafrancia and to see the majestic Caramoan, I hopped a jeepney from the church that brought me to SM city Naga and I hopped in a tricycle that cost me 50 to bring me to the van terminal bound to Daet my next destination.

How to get there:
There are buses bound to Naga in Manila terminals located in Cubao and Buendia fare around 1000 buses includes superlines,dltb, raymond and Isarog.
getting around Naga is very easy tricycle is always available that will cost you 8 pesos minimum fare
from Legazpi ride a tricycle or jeep going to Daraga and from Daraga there is van terminal there going to Naga fare is around 100, there are also different route in Daraga going to Sorsogon and other parts of Albay.

thank you for reading :)


Batangas: Lipa

I went to Batangas directly after our tour in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro. I was with my friends who did not have any idea about the place to visit in Batangas. We pushed it forward blindly just for the sake to visit the province of Batangas. We tried to search for the possible places to visit in Lipa but my friend for some reason could not connect to the wifi inside the Bus, as far as I remember that time, Lipa is famous for its Casa Segunda an ancestral house, Lipa Museum and Lipa Cathedral those were the places that we visited in Lipa, Batangas.

Batangas is not only famous for its own brewed of coffe or historical landmarks but it is also famous for its own Lechon in Balayan and beaches in different parts of Batangas. Because of the limited time that we had, we were not able to visit those places.

looks like a typical city in Manila

Upon arriving in SM lipa, we went to a foodstop just beside of Lipa Bus Terminal where we had our lunch. We ordered usual Filipino food Bopis and Nilagang Baka, I was actually not satisfied on the food that we ate evenI was smiling in the picture

After we recharged and gained energy we hopped in a tricycle that brought us to San Sebastian Cathedral the famous church in Lipa it cost us 50 pesos. I was not able to take a good shot of the church since I only had Prime Lens, a lens that is good for a tight shot.

We only enjoyed the view outside the church, We took some pictures and we prayed outside since the church was closed that time. We thanked God for bringing us there safe and sound.

the power of prime lens



the widest shot of the Cathedral that I took.

Lipa Cathedral

Signature pose with huge door behind me.

 The next stop that we visited was the Museo in Lipa it can be reached by few walks from the church. entrance fee is 10 pesos they also sell souvenir items like shirt and keychain. The museum has 2 floors and it showcase different items and memorabilias from different historical generation in Lipa starting from the Spanish Era and its achievement on its own province.

Museo de Lipa

Our next stop is the ancestral house of Jose Rizal's first love Casa Segunda, from the moment we entered this beautiful old spanish house, we felt the sense of being in a Spanish Era, I could even hear the sound of Calesa outside and the residents who speak spanish, I can smell the fresh air coming from the trees inside this magnificent mansion. Anyway before I get to sleep dreaming of the old Spanish times, lets go back to our lesson. Casa Segunda is the residence of Jose Rizal's first love, Segunda Solis Katigbak, again, I am not here to teach you a history class about Rizal's love story to summarize Rizal and Segunda did not work out because Segunda married Manuel Metra Luz who came from one of the most prominent family in Lipa that includes (Katigbak, Luz, Roxas, Altamirano,Calao and Quezada) odd one out,
The architecture of this old house will bring you to  once rich aristocracy of Lipa,it was partly damaged in World War and completely restored in 1996. wooooh!! thats enought for completely google research.



 

looks like I know how to play piano :)

very classic picture and design

Biblioteca hmmm sounds too old

My friends who accompanied me with my Timetravel tour

beautiful, isn't it?

come on guys! this is not a plcce for your selfie selfie addicton

 

reading old Spanish manuscripts and Documents

I always enjoy my travel if it includes a glimpse of the past of a certain place because, it gives me an idea about the history of that place and how it was look like that is why I really enjoyed walking around Museums and Heritage place. Batangas is one of the most notable when comes to historical events and landmarks. I consider this short trip as one of the best trip I ever have. I did not have any idea of that place but I enjoyed my tour except on my friends who always do a selfie every minute.
Lipa City is worth visiting, We were not able to find Bulalo, one of the proud delicacy of Batangas but just like what I always say, It is because to give me a reason to go back.

How to get there:
From Cubao Station ride a bus bound to Lipa,the capital City of Batangas. you may take Alps Bus, Jam Liner and other buses  fare around 100, travel time around 2 hours maximum
from Batangas Port there are buses stationed just near the port fare around 50 travel time around 1 hour.

Thank you for reading :)