Visiting the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery

One of the places to visit when you went to Laguna is the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery. This quiet place is located along the busy road of Nagcarlan. The cemetery is located under a church that was built in 1845. It was built and designed for burial masses by a Franciscan priest named Fr. Vicente Velloc. 

In 1978 the cemetery was declared by the National Historical Institute as a national historical landmark. Aside from being a burial site for elite Catholic families, the cemetery became a secret meeting place for the revolutionary Filipinos of the KKK during the 1896. During the World War II, the burial site also became a safe house for our soldiers. 

entrance to the church and cemetery

the Nagcarlan Curch surrounded by tombs and a lush garden

You will feel serenity as you reached the place. The architectural design of the church invites people to come and enter the place. Upon entering the church, you will be asked to sign up your name and residence in a logbook by the National Historical Institute. It is important that you write your name; this helps the National Historical Institute to track the number of tourist who came to the place. There is a feeling of coldness as you walked downstairs the cemetery. I believed that it is because of the rock walls that formed the crypt. If you looked at the encryption on the tombs you will see that the oldest date’s goes way back to 1886.   

Today, there are no regular mass held at the church. Masses are only held during the Feast of the Christ the King and Holy Week. During Lenten Season a Senakulo is being held at the place.

the altar inside the church

going down the crypt  

the tombs inside the underground crypt

The Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery is open during Tuesdays to Sundays at 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you are commuting, you can reach the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery by riding a jeep bound to Liliw. The cemetery is hard to missed because of its architecture that stands out along the Nagcarlan road.  

a closer look at the tombs

Dining in at Liliw - Arabela

 During the planning stage of our trip in Laguna, I usually encounter ARABELA during my google search. So when we went to Liliw, Laguna having lunch at Arabela is at our bucket list.

Arabela is a family restaurant owned by the Camellos located at Rizal St. in Liliw, Laguna. The family restaurant was not the first business of the Camellos. Just like the whole neighborhood in Gat Tayaw Street, they also have a shoe store. Their first menus are consisting of pasta and pastries that are intended to be sold to tourist. When the family saw that the demand for their food was increasing they then decided to open a coffee shop cum restaurant in October of 2003. Since then it started to grow more. Their menu now includes pizzas, salads and steaks.

When we went to Arabela, during our visit in Liliw it was still closed; the store opens at 11:15 a.m. Although it was still closed, we saw that there are already two groups waiting outside the store. We then go back to shopping for slippers and shoes. When we returned to Arabela at around 11:30 am, we are now at the waiting list. The staff are very accommodating that they will assist you in your needs while waiting.

We did not wait that long to be seated and while we are waiting, we already placed our order. The waiter recommended trying their pizza and steaks. We then ordered for a Quesong Puti and Supreme. I tried their penne pasta while my sister ordered for lasagna. Our two friends ordered for their steak.

Arabela staff busy preparing the meal

We also did not wait long for our orders to be served. Both of the pastas were served topped with rich béchamel sauce with toasted bread on the side. The pastas are both creamy and cheesy. The pizza is also served afterwards, though the pizza looked very simple. In a little while the steaks were served. According to my friends, the steak was very tender and juicy.

My creamy penne pasta

the simple pizza with full of flavor

the cheesy lasagna

the juicy and very tasty steak

We also ordered for a blueberry cheesecake. We like that the cheesecake were tpped graciously with blueberry and the intricately design of strawberry sauce on the sides. The crust of the cheesecake is not that sweet, it actually reminds me of the banoffee at Banapple.

the intricately designed dessert - blueberry cheesecake

Arabela may be a small restaurant at the quiet town of Liliw but it is making a huge noise because of thehomey ambiance of the place, and the good food that they served. It just proves that you don't have to dine in an extravagant restaurant to enjoy good food and relaxing ambiance.

Visiting Liliw

Liliw is a quiet and laid-back town in the province of Laguna. The town is popular because of its slippers and shoes and is tagged as the shoe capital of Laguna. Aside from the footwear, Liliw is also the home of one of the oldest Baroque churches in the country and a family-owned restaurant that is becoming a go to place in the town.

 Shoes and Slippers.

Along the streets of Gat Tayaw and Rizal are houses turned shoe factory and shoe store. Everywhere you looked, you will see different kinds of shoes at every size. Every shoe store is crowded with tourist buying for shoes.  In Liliw you will find almost every kind of shoes and slippers at a very affordable price. You can buy three slippers for only Php 100.00 Sandals and high heeled shoes can be bought at around Php 300.00 much cheaper than the one sold in Metro Manila.

Famous Shoe stores are Badong Footwear and Entrada. But since the whole street of Gat Tayaw is full of houses made to shoe store, it is better to check all of them as you might see other bargain finds. Aside from the shoes and slippers, you can also buy leather wallets, bags and belts at the different stores. 

St. John the Baptist Parish Church

St. John the Baptist Parish Church is another tourist destination in Liliw. The church is known for its Baroque architectural design and beautiful façade. The church prominent red bricks and stained glasses is a main attraction of the church. When you entered the church, you will be further amazed by the altar design, the huge crucifix hanging at the wall and how the light from the stained glasses gave the inside of the church a solemn feeling. Aside from the architectural design, the church is also proud to have the vestments of St. John Paul II when he visited the Philippines.

The other thing that amazes me during our visit at the church is how the people of Liliw loved and kept the church. When we visited the place the whole town of Liliw is having a general cleaning of the church. And even when they are busy with their duty, they are still hospitable to the tourist. They would be glad to take a photo of you with your friends and talk to you about the rich history of their church. 

Arabella

Arabella is a family owned restaurant that serves pastas, pizzas, steaks, pastries, coffees and blended drinks. Owned by the Camello family, Arabella is the most popular dining area at Liliw. The store opens at 11:15 am and even before the restaurants opens, there are already customers waiting outside the restaurants. The place is small and can only accommodate up to 40 persons. The place is usually jam-packed so it is advisable to come even before the store opens.

Even if the place is jam-packed with customers, Arabela has a nice service. We did not have to wait long for our food to be served and they will surely entertain you while waiting to be seated and served. We also found the food very affordable even for their Italian pastas and steaks.

Arabella is located at 503 Rizal St. and just walking distance from St. John Baptist Parish Church and Badongs.  

Getting at Liliw:

From Alabang, we rode a bus bound for San Pablo. Drop-off point is San Pablo town proper. By there we rode a tricycle going past to the jeepney terminal bound for Liliw and Nagcarlan. Travel time from Alabang to San Pablo is around 1 hour and 30 minutes. From San Pablo to Liliw via the Nagcarlan Road is 30 minutes.

Transportation Cost:

Bus from Alabang to San Pablo – Php 97.50

Tricycle at San Pablo – Php 50.00 for 4 persons

Jeepney San Pablo to Liliw – Php 36.00

If you are not familiar with the town of Liliw, there is tourist assistance post near the municipal hall along Gat Tayaw Street which helps tourists.

Good Food at Black Canyon Coffee

I always passed by at Black Canyon Coffee on my way to work and I am always intrigue by their menu especially on the coffee since I a coffee addict. One Friday night, all my curiosity was answered when me and my friends decided to have dinner at the place.

Just a walking distance from our workplace, Black Canyon Coffee was not yet crowded when we arrived before seven in the evening. From outside the restaurant you will imagine it as typical restaurant, but once we entered the store whole ambiance changed. Instead of the usual chairs, we are welcomed by comfy couches and sala sets that gave a homey vibe of the place.

Black Canyon Coffee offers a wide range of food from pasta to steaks, salads and sandwiches, curries and soups, noodles and rice dishes. They also have cakes and desserts to complete their menu. Upon checking the beverage menu you will also be amazed on the wide selection of hot and cold coffee, tea, frappes, smoothie and juices.

For our dinner we ordered pad thai, a spicy stir fried pasta with crispy bacon and cocktail sausages. Their pad thai was abundant with ingredients of shrimp and tofu. It has a nutty taste with a kick of spicyness that would tickle your taste buds. The spicy stir fried pasta with crispy bacon is oil based pasta where spicy and the taste of basil is in fusion. The cocktail sausages complement our dinner with its simple taste. We also like how they cut the sausages and neatly piled up into a plate.

Of course dinner in a coffee shop would not be complete if I did not order a coffee. I just order their Black Canyon hot coffee, while one of my friends ordered for a Cranberry Coffee Frappe. We partnered our drinks with a slice of red velvet cake and Ferrero Cake – their bestseller. Upon ordering my coffee, the staff advised me that their coffee is very strong that I may not get a sleep tonight. I said that it was okay since I am really a coffee addict and I really wanted to taste their coffee. My coffee was served together with a small glass of tea and small biscuits. The tea is to calm my nerves after drinking their coffee. Their coffee was really strong as after already putting sugar and cream it still has a bitter taste. I liked their red velvet, especially the bread since it was moist and the white chocolate in the cake is not very sweet. Their Ferrero cake is a layer of chocolate and sansrival that gave it a crunchy texture.

Aside from the good food, the staffs are also very accommodating and friendly that they are very obliged in meeting our requests. You can even joke around the staff as they get your order and serve your food. Though you might find the interior and exterior of the place sophisticated added with good food their prices are very affordable compared to others.

The Takbo.Ph Runfest

I have been planning to run for the Takbo.ph Runfest since last year, but my run mates decided to run for another fun run so I was not able to join. But this year, I told myself that I will definitely join the Takbo.ph runfest. As early as April, when I heard that registration for the run is open, I headed to a registration site and registered. 

June 13, 2014, Sunday, as early as four in the morning the streets of BGC become a sea of blue with the runners who have joined the Takbo.ph Runfest. There are three event distances – the 5 km, 10 km and 21 km. Again for the nth time I am running for the 10km distance. Gun start for the 21k is at 4:00 A.M., for the 10km it was 5:30 A.M. and for the 5km it was 5:40 A.M.

 The sun was already up at five in the morning that you will already feel its scorching heat. But nevertheless, it didn’t stop the runners. At the 2km mark, I was already thirsty but there was still no water station to drink. I think the water station was at the 2.5km mark. It was refreshing to drink the water specially when the weather was so hot and you can feel that you are drenched with your sweat. At the 7^th km and 8^th km, instead of water, energy drinks were the ones given. It was just the right timing to regain your strength to finish the last 3 kilometers of the race.

Because the race was held at BGC, the traffic in the area was severely affected. There are lots of intersections to cross from and you can hear the honking of the impatient drivers. There are times that you will be running with speeding trucks and buses at the area. Good thing is that there are lots of marshals in the area to provide enough security and safety for the runners. The marshals are also very lively and cheery, especially the girls, who will encourage you to continue running. There are also enough markers in the area, showing where to make a turn and indicating the distances.

After 1 hour and 24 minutes of running, I reached the finish line where, marshals are waiting to tag you with the time and to give you a medal.

Taking a Bite at Slice

Slice is introduced to me by a friend while we are at Serendra, hungry and looking for some place to eat. Slice is located at the 7^th Ave., corner 29^th St. West Superblock at the Ground Floor of Bonifacio High Street, besides Jamba Juice and Cotton On.

Slice is a small store that has a homey feeling. But this small store will surprise you with the variety and arrays of cakes, cupcakes, cookies and beverages.

Aside from the display of cakes, you will also be awed by the posters and pictures displayed at Slice. You will see pictures of Sen. Pia Cayetano, who owns the place, and her different adventures. One that caught my attention is that they are because there is no wi-fi so they encourage you to talk with each other instead. They also have magazine that you can read while enjoying a sip of their drinks.

what cake should I choose?

For our dinner we ordered, a slice chips that is composed of thinly sliced banana and potato chips together with an aioli dip. The chips although thinly sliced is tasty and soft that is not hard to bite. Although the potato chips are covered with cheese powder, it will not stick into your hand.

a bowl of chips

We also ordered for a Seafood Puttanesca, which according to the waiter is one of their bestseller. And she is not lying with it as being one of the bestseller. The pasta is covered with squid ink and has shrimps and salmon. There is no “umay” as we shared a huge plate of the pasta. We are three in the group and one serving of the pasta is enough to satisfy our hunger.

the Seafood Puttanesca

Of course our meal will not be complete if we won’t order some cakes. For the cakes we ordered a slice of the Tres Leches and Double Choco Yema. Tres Leches has a ultra-moist bread that will melt in your mouth. It is creamy like a leche flan and has a sweet taste. The Double Choco Yema on the other hand is a chocolate cake with yema between the two layers of bread. The yema is nicely complemented by the chocolate ganache covering the cake. The slices of the two cakes are also big that we don’t mind sharing it.

the creamy Tres Leches

the sinfully Double Choco Yema

Aside from pasta and cakes, Slice offers breakfast meals that are served all day. They also have salads, burgers and sandwiches and rice meals. 

jars of cookies and cupcakes