Houses are like people - some you like and some you don't like - and once in a while there is one you love.
L.M. Montgomery, Emily Climbs
There surely is one house that may be in the favor of one, but as you get to walk through downtown Taal, you will definitely have more than one favorite, especially when old houses are as preserved as these house that date as far as the mid-1800s. Despite their ages, these houses still stand proud and tall as any Filipino who feels the pride in being witness to more than a hundred-year-old heritage.
The streets of Taal are lined with 18th-century old houses. During the last week of April, the town folks prepare and don the streets with banderitas (i.e., small flags) to celebrate the El Pasubat Festival. From April 26 to 30, Taal has a festival known as El Pasubat, and one of the highlights of that festival is the Visita de las Casas, where one gets to visit each of the 12 historical casas of Taal.
The 7-Eleven store has a vintage look that adds flair to this town.
Formerly known as Casa Real (Tribunal and Casa Consistorial) and built in 1845, this old Spanish municipal building is now known as Taal's Municipal Hall. It is situated in front of the town plaza and is just opposite of St. Martin de Tours church, better known as the Taal Basilica.
And of course, one's visit to Taal won't be complete if you don't go to Asia's largest Catholic church, the Taal Basilica, the Minor Basilica de San Martin de Tours. One can climb the church's bell tower for a small fee.
Through the blazing heat of the sun, I walked around the town of Taal. But no amount of perspiration and countless forehead wipes could stop this blogger from being fascinated with this rediscovery of our heritage as reflected by these houses.
These are all pictures taken in 2014, long before the pandemic hit us and made us miss all the colorful festivals of our country. However, despite the pandemic, we can still feel the lasting remnants of our heritage and what they contribute to our present.
Stay tune for more travel diaries here in my blog because life knows no boundaries!
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