Exploring Philippines 16 - Taal, Batangas (Post 1 - Taal Town)

It was May 2009 when I first set foot in Taal, Batangas. My student, Randy de Roxas, lives here and after our summer class he volunteered to be our guide and offered us a place to stay. We left Manila late in the afternoon and the ride to Lemery took us three hours. Lemery is a busy town and it is no surprise because restaurants and fast food chains are open 24/7. We had our dinner at a fast food  chain and we went directly to Randy's place for our night's rest.

We woke up at around five the following morning and we were quite excited because we had so many planned activities that day. It would be a busy day for all of us because we only had this day to explore the places here in Taal and Tagaytay.

The first order of the day would be to visit the Basilica of Taal. The term basilica can indicate either the architectural style of the church or its canonical status (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02325a.htm). And according to records, the Basilica of Taal is the largest in Asia.

The town of Taal is not the original host of this basilica. It was first erected in the town of San Nicolas in 1575 but was transferred to the town of Taal after the eruption of Taal volcano in 1754.

This grand architecture is really a great historical landmark. I say this not because I am a Catholic but as a Filipino who had been given an opportunity to see and feel its grandeur. Though it suffered several natural calamities, it is still standing up to this time. Truly, it is one remarkable landmark that every Filipino and Catholic should be proud of.

After our short but memorable visit of the basilica, we went directly to the Taal public market for our breakfast. The public market is just a stone's throw away from the basilica and the moment daybreak is felt, this part of town is already alive and busy.

Nothing beats the all-time favorite "silog" meal. Actually, all of us ordered the same breakfast meal - the hotsilog. Hotdog, sinangag (fried rice), and itlog (fried egg) locally known as hotsilog is best enjoyed when serve hot. 

more pics of Basilica ng Taal