Virtual Visita Iglesia

One of the traditional activities of Catholics during Holy Week as they commemorate the suffering Jesus of Nazareth has experienced during the time of the Roman Empire in Jerusalem is "Visita Iglesia" or Visitation of Churches. This happens every Maundy Thursday night where devotees visit seven Churches and pray. Experienced on the eve of the commemoration of the Crucifixion on Good Friday.

However, as the Philippines' largest island, Luzon is on "Enhanced Community Quarantine", or simply put on "lockdown" to avoid transmission of CoViD-19, a global pandemic. It is probably the first time that Catholic Filipinos would not be able to perform the Visita Iglesia. Captured in 360, immerse in the Church as if you are there.

Baclayon Church - a glimpse of a rich architectural past of the Philippines

 Constructed in 1724, the Baclayon Church of Bohol stands as the oldest church in the Philippines and was built as the first parish church of Jesuit missionaries in the Philippines. The structure is not only the religious capital of Baclayon for the Catholics but as a world heritage site for Boholanos and the Filipinos. The church is listed as one by the United Nations as a cultural importance for the Philippines. We have been to this church as part of our mapping expedition in Bohol last 2010.

A Time Machine in the Philippines - Vigan's Calle Crisologo

If there is a remaining village in the large island of Luzon that takes you  more than a hundred years back in time, there would only be one and that is Calle Crisologo. This 417-meter cobblestone street at the heart of Ilocos Sur's Vigan would take you back to the past as if you just rode a time machine.

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse and the stunning West Philippine Sea

 Atop a 70-meter hill while driving along Maharlika Highway for 14 hours coming from Cavite, is a magnificent lighthouse designed by Magin Pers way back 1887. It is one of the three lighthouses in the island of Luzon which he designed to guide the seafarers way back the Spanish colonization era of the Philippines. It is a must-visit as you travel along the northernmost tourist locations of Luzon.

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar - a trip to the past

July 21-22, 2012

It was a rainy weekend as a typhoon is currently pounding northern Luzon when we had our stay at Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar. And this is at Bataan. But for architectural and historical aficionados, the stay here is worth it and a photographer's heaven as well. The whole resort is comprised of mansion replicas from the 18th century, and the theme is preserved with cobblestone roads and staff that are dressed with Filipino traditional clothing such as barong for male and baro't saya for female.