BenCab's Bulol

I finally had the chance to visit BenCab Museum last week, after several Baguio visits between the earlier part of this year and last year. Finally_ cos the first time I heard of it and was in Baguio City, I  wanted to visit it right away but always was with the wrong crowd. You know, not everyone is interested to spend time in an art museum. But my family is!! Especially my own girls. So with the right company, we headed thru the dizzy-ing zigzag road of Asin where the museum is nestling.




I was amazed by the sophistication of the gallery. Yet in many times, I found myself  cut into two. My attention that is! I am a self- proclaimed art enthusiast. I'm always in awe of the man-made arts.




But am also a true blooded nature lover. . and the BenCab Museum offers both at the same time! Art works inside and nature beauties abound outside!

Inside, there were so much to see. . so much to share with you. But for now let me start with the bulols, these granary gods always amazed me in a special way.




 Lots of them here. .

 I love the way bulols are being displayed here. They are walled and could be seen from floor to floor.

More of them inside the Cordillera Gallery.. .

. . along with other authentic Cordillera wood art works. .

Up-close, they are more captivating. Some are even interestingly scary looking figures.

So much more to see. . so many amazing paintings in oil, acrylic, pencil and mixed media. Sculptures which produced from  the most unexpected materials and stories of subjects in random. Too many to accommodate in a single post. They will show in random on my coming posts, promise. .




The highlight of our visit was meeting the national artist himself _ the BenCab!!! It was last minute of the day and the museum was to call it a day. We were exiting and came entering the founder of the museum _ Mr. Benedicto Cabrera. He was too kind to oblige for a photo op, even signed an autograph for my girls. Thank you so much BenCab!!

Tam-Awan Village

Everytime I'm in Baguio, I always entertain the idea of extending my visit to the rest of  Cordillera Region_ Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao, Sumaguing Cave in Sagada, mummy caves in Benguet and Mt. Province, the second highest mountain in the Phils.-Mt. Pulag, etc,etc...more natural/cultural wonders which I haven't seen up to now.

If it's only me, I could easily drag my feet to those places. In my recent visit to Baguio last weekend, I was pretty sure it was not yet the right time. I was with a portion of my clan with willing attitudes but health conditions and ages opposed. Well, better luck next time to myself!

So, I dragged them to the nearest Cordillera concept possible_ to Tam-Awan Village. Only 30 minutes drive from the hotel we were staying, Tam-Awan was approximately 20 minutes away from downtown Baguio.

Everyone was excited, including myself cos just like the rest of the group, it was also my first time here. Except for a random browsing I did shortly over the internet, I hardly knew the place. We were given each a walking tour map of the village  and only right there and then I was able to grasp some facts about the place.




Tam-Awan Village resembled a traditional Cordillera Village. It started with some knockdown huts transported from Ifugao. A typical Ifugao house is built without nails or hardware. usually made of hard wood and proven to last several generations with only minimal maintenance of periodic re-roofing.

The other Ifugao huts and Kalinga houses in the village were built on the spot by clever mortise makers, using original materials.

Those are bul-ols or rice gods which the natives believe guard their harvest. This Alang (Rice Granary-Bontoc) was built in 1950 but was only acquired in 2006.

That bamboo bridge was elevated too much higher  for my cousins' weak knees : ))))). Well, it was like just a walk in the park for me, naks*winks*. Actually, not that high but the muddy rock steps were quite slippery which made going up there a bit of a challenge.

Every corner of the village spoke of Cordillera's art and culture.








The Luccong House is where Igorot women stay overnight if they want to get pregnant. Wella. . cuzin' what were you doing there?

Bugnay Hut is for middle class family. Make sure to take off your shoes before you enter ;)

At the time of our visit it was being utilized as a gallery. There were so much interesting paintings inside.

Seemed satisfied with the few huts they saw, my clan headed down to the main gallery and the art and craft shop. Had they really had enough of the houses or just chicken hearten to see other huts which locations needed a stronger knees:))) Passing by the portrait sketching area, Older daughter made a mental note to avail of the experience for only P100, done in 15 minutes.

She did later on. here.

At the main gallery, younger daughter was quite astonished with this interactive art which I assumed was part of the remains of the recent Halloween

Well, it's art. Not everyone could grasp what the artist tried to convey. Or was it we just didn't have time to analyze it. There was a tomb marker that asked to write your name in it. Death wish?

Moving on, the ladies had a blast checking  the art works for sale in the shop. Did they purchase any? I don't think so.

The tour ended_ whereelse? But at the cafe' ofcourse! You could visit my food blog now for the beautiful Tam-Awan Village Cafe'.