The Penafrancia Basilica Minore

My Bicol trip this 2011 was scheduled on the last day of July to early part of August had to be cancelled cos of the two typhoons (Juaning & Kabayan) , that came consecutively. One of the most injured parts of our country was the Bicol Region where my itchy feet were supposed to land on the exact dates the typhoons were on the rage.
Today it's all sunny here in Manila, but at this age of climate change/global warming , no one can really predict an exact weather status.

My last visit to Bicol was 7 months ago. It was a high school reunion trip to CamSur. Part of the trip was a small pilgrimage to some churches in this province.The first church we visited was Immaculate Concepcion Parish, it has an awesome ceiling _a dome of Christ's 12 apostles.

I thought  I would bring you to the second church we visited, so we all can pray together for the Bicolanos who are badly affected by those typhoons, may their sufferings cut short and a steadfast recovery for everyone.

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The Penafrancia Basilica Minore in Camsur is quite modern in architecture. I gathered that the construction was finalized on 1981. Very new compared to the old/antique churches we have all over the country.

The main door was closed when we touched the ground of the massive premises of the church. We had to enter through the side door . .

. . cos there was a beautiful wedding going on inside.

the side door led to the back of the main altar. .

Beautiful stained glass windows of the church.

this part was elevated and from here we could see the rest of the church.
very modern interior with lots of colors. .








Also here at the back of the altar is a staircase going to the altar where devotees have closer encounter with the statue of the Virgin Penafrancia..

Quite popular as a miraculous patroness of the province, Virgin Penafrancia's feast day is being celebrated grandly in the month of September particularly in Naga City.

If weather permitted, I wish I could revisit to observe the Feast of Penafrancia next month.

Karnabal

Enchanted Kingdom and Star City came late in my list of local amusement parks here in my 3rd world country. I grew- up amused by annual fiesta's carnival in my rural hometown.
However rural and 7 hours far from Manila, my beloved town, nevertheless is easy to pick-up internet connection just like the rest of the world. So, I'd say_it's not so left behind.

Yet, it's on a happy note to find similar mobile amusement center still being enjoyed by the locals on our town fiesta.

I remember to have my first ferris wheel ride with mother in one of those carnivals of my primitive years.

When I caught a stop ( the ferris wheel stopped on cue when a unit had to unload/load a new set of  passengers) at the uppermost part, floating above all, I would enjoy the eye bird's view of my green town.

Weird attractions like this one also never failed to make my little girl's eyes so wide with amusement.

Nah, I didn't have this kind of balloon, I had those organic round, colored balloons.



Can you spot the little boy and girl in queue? Reminds me so much of me and my brother when we were in the same age, tagged by my mother to give us the best amusement in town.
I miss those days.

Shangrila, Boracay

I love Boracay. I would never never say no to a Bora trip. No matter how rainy and off season it is to go to a beach. If I had to fly across the eye of a storm just to get there. .why not, haha.

My perplexed husband sent me off to the airport on a rainy almost stormy morning. I assured him it was okey, otherwise the flight should have been cancelled, right?

My balikbayan friend wasn't there yet but arrived just on time before the check-in counter closed. Not so long a while, on board I already grasped a view of the island. The best thing ever, the weather had changed her mood. Definitely to a lot better beach weather.

At this point, I could no longer contained my excitement about our accommodation and have to fast forward >

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. . cos we were staying at Shangrila, Boracay. .allright, just for a single day, then the rest of our 3/d trip would be at random hotel in station 2. But just the same, (even a day tour of this establishment would excite me same way), I was so ecstatic !
I was sure I would have my time to experience this luxurious resort in time. But never before I won in the lottery or an inheritance out of nowhere fell on my lap!

Well, luckily a best friend had already made her fortune way ahead of mine ( which is still so blurry,haayz. . ) and was so generous to share some with me. luluv you girlfriend<3

Anyway, on the way here, I was asking where the hell was Shangrila in Boracay? My recent trip before this was last year and I swear I've never seen even the shadow of Shangrila in station 1,2 & 3. Unless it was newly built only the early part of this year?
Wrong. It has been there since 2009 and I had never seen a glance of it cos it is tucked away in a private island in Brgy. Yapak. Not in station 123, haha.

Time was tick-tacking and we got half of the day only to explore the resort.

My friend had asked me to purchase for her (her money ofcourse,hehe) a voucher many months ago and stole almost 40% off the published rate which normally would cost about P17k a night. and up! a whaat??? Yap, that expensive! That's for a hotel room like what we stayed in.

Ask me now how much would a villa cost - around P30k a night!!! I told you, I would never ever afford this resort in Boracay.




Apart from the luxurious facilities of an ocean view room in the hotel. .

. . the best amenity really was the v-i-e-w, simply breathtaking!!!

Like in Shangrila , Mactan (Cebu, ). it also got its private beach. Tucked and away from the crowded station 123 of Boracay white beach.




Ofcourse. I should, would and definitely had to try the water here. I would never know, when will be my next time here, if there would be a next time, haha.

Limelight on me, please!!!! haha!




Then the dusk started to show. Time's up! And I had to go off the beach of the rich and famous, haha.




Wow! The night was young and we spent the rest of it exploring the resort. Dinner was simply divine- will post later at my food blog My 3rd & 7th Sense.

What The F???

I thought the following photos are uncanny .

Let me share my candid thoughts on each.
Hey no one is stopping you to formulate your own.
Have fun!

I guess this ATM machine is especially built for NBA players. If you aren't one of those 7ft.++, make sure to bring ladder with you when you make transactions here.

How d'ya think would I get to the next floor?

The train passes by daily, every 7:30 in the morning on the dot. Just make sure you finish catching the morning sun in the terrace by 7:29. .or else you will never see the sun shines again. .ever!

I agree - a lamp/street light post is such an eyesore when it is right in front of your house/building and needed some treatment. Having said that, I never meant this way.

Garage parking in these houses? Oh easy, no challenge!

CC TV

I get it_ space is a compromise.

Thanks to my friend Joyce for emailing me these photos. I had fun.