LOVERBOYZ AVENUE: LAKAD PAMANA: an Ocular visit to Gapan

yesterday, was another Successful Heritage tour, its actually an Ocular visit

in preparation for a much bigger event a month after. on Sept 3, 2016

Now, during the ocular visit the organizers talked to each of the owners of

ancestral houses accompanied by our friend, Mr. Ramon Valmonte.

What makes it much exciting for me is I'll be with Donna again and had finally

convinced her to like what I love most. appreciating heritage and ancestral

houses. and I was so lucky shes with me full support in all my activities.

I know the day will be another fun filled activity day since we both love

ancestral houses and I was able to convince her to free her Sunday schedule

and come join me. hehe.

My friend Roy Vincent Santiago of Nissan Urvan Owners Club went to our place
early in the morning at 5:30am, then we proceeded to meet the others at Mcdo
Trinoma, and off to San Miguel Bulacan we go, our first stop was Arki's Tambayan.

This place is the perfect bonding place I must say, specially if you are
with someone special. your friends, your dabarkads or your significant other,
its owned by a friend Kat and Ervin Garcia, we always have bfast here
in every heritage tour around Bulacan. this place is best visited
with your friends or family. I like the Modern and simplicity of this place

Photo by Allan Pardilla Martinez

good food presentation, so the food that is serve to us is delicious highly
recommended!

In a few hours drive we were bought to Gapan, Nueva Ecija, and I know this
will be the start of another heritage tour back in time! and this time, its with
Donna!

My love for ancestral houses continued with a visit to Gapan City, for the second
time, home of probably more than 15+ well preserved ancestral houses of wealthy,
influential families and renowned local artists and intellectuals back then. if you have
a heart for history and culture, you need to brace yourself for this tour, as you walk
into the corridors and doorstep it will bring you back in time Just like the heritage
towns of Bulacan, Silay, Vigan and Taal, Gapan in Nueva Ecija boasts of a number
of well preserved ancestral houses and antique structures with remarkable architecture.
the details, are surprisingly still, well preserved and restored
Most of which dates back in the early 1920's.

Whats good in this tour is when there are good, mild mannered owners, or the
friendly approach of the caretaker, while showing us the rooms of the house,
enthusiastically explained to us everything. he even shared some stories about the house
our short visit was well worth it.

Now, that afternoon, from 1:30 until 3, we fed our eyes with beauty and antiquity.

here are some pics we took while on our journey

Cayetano de Borja Ancestral House

this is our first stop, a lovely house build in the late 1920s

image by:Ramon Valmonte

thanks to my lovely photog, I got some solo pics myself which I can share. hehe

this is still the original staircase. varnished.

their sala.

bedroom still intact

and take a look at their 3 wheeled public service utility vehicle which will bring
you to the markets for 20.00 2 persons.

we had lunch for 430.00 per person here at uhmmm....I forgot the name of restaurant
because I did not even care to remember haha! because the food is expensive!
thinking of the bright side, Oh well... I guess its ok! she loves the halo halo!

we went to a slipper factory at Barangay Mongino to see how it was made,

we bought one for only 60.00

picture by Ramon Valmonte

then we went to a sidetrip to Minalongao National park for 30 min.I have a
previous blog about this so just click HERE to view the blog.
Since its her first time, we went straight to the hanging bridge, and she was
so brave to cross it in one try.

then we proceeded to the 947 steps uphill, but realizing we are out of time
we just pose for a picture and took some shots of the area then went back.