I was unable to join a tour organized months before. Eric my photography classmate invited me but my schedule did not permitted me.
June 12, 2013, the same organizers conducted the tour, led by Sir Derrick Gerardo C. Manas, dubbed as "Taal Batangas Tour - Independence Day Special".
I was with my wife Rheeza and our friend Bing and Eric (second time around). We left Manila at around 6:30 am expecting to arrive in Taal at 9am. We took SLEX and exit at Sta. Rosa to take the Tagaytay route, which we found out was the long way instead taking another route. We got lost as usual so we arrived at Taal around 9:30 am.
We met in front of the Municipal Hall began with some introduction of our selves. Sir Derrick then led us to the Casa Real and told the history of it.
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| Casa Real - Taal Municipal Hall |
Our next stop was the Marcela Agoncillo House. As we know, she was one of the makers of our flag.
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| Marcela Agoncillo House |
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| Marcela Agoncillo Shrine |
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| Details inside the Agoncillo house |
Our next stop was Villa Tortuga. Villa Tortuga is an old house where you can have your pictures taken wearing period costumes. You can also dine upstairs wearing those costumes like the Spaniards and the Illustrados used to in those old days.
For only P250.00 you can have you pictures taken wearing costumes. My tour mates grabbed the opportunity and rummaged through the pile and gamely posed. For us photo enthusiast, this is a different photo shoot. This could have been a Cosplay 19th Century edition!!
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| Feel how people dress in those days |
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| The groups take on the making of the Philippine flag. |
On a less serious note...
The big shells will lead you upstairs and see the intricate interior of the house.
We enjoyed our stay here specially the photo shoot. It is not always that you have the chance to shoot with this kind of theme. if ever I'll be fortunate to come back, I'll see to it that I will wear those costumes and give my best Jose Rizal pose.
Our next stop is the Apacible house and the Galleria Taal where the Camera Museum is housed, but let us discuss that in the next blog, The Taal, Batangas Heritage Tour Part 2!
All photos Property of Jonathan P. Hernandez. Please do not reproduce or publish without the author's permission or knowledge. Copyright 2013
