If there's one place or site that you shouldn't miss while you're in Bacolod City, it's "The Ruins" in Talisay City (near Bacolod). Due to time constraints we skipped the ancestral houses in Silay City and went to the Ruins to spend the last few hours we have there.
To get there from Lacson street, you have to ride a jeepney with "BATA" on the signboard. Ask the driver to drop you off at Pepsi plant (alam na nila 'yun). It's a smooth 10-minute jeepney ride (with moderate traffic). The pedicabs/trysikads use the sidewalk of the Pepsi plant for their terminal. There's a big signage there that says, "The Ruins terminal". The roundtrip fare was 100 pesos each person. The driver will wait for you outside as you explore the Mansion. If you don't like that hassle just take a cab instead.
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| rates |
We paid an entrance fee of 50 pesos, you get a discount if you're a student or a senior citizen. It was drizzling that time and I'm kinda hoping and praying for a clear sky to get a great view of the Mansion.
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| interior |
There were some visitors who were in a bunch and I followed them. I then realized that there was a tour guide/curator inside the Mansion. His stint lasted for 15 minutes with a quick tour around the Mansion. He also narrated a quick history of the Ruins.
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| picturesque |
We learned about the intimate details regarding the mansion and the family. It has been regarded as the "Taj Mahal of the Philippines" because of Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson's love for her first wife Maria Braga. During the 1900's, the sugar baron built the mansion for her even if she passed away already. The concrete structure was a mixture of cement and egg whites, the result was a smooth finish on walls and columns.
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| landscape |
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| the marker |
Why was it burned? Hmm... I guess you have to be there and be toured by the curator for you to know the real story behind it - first hand. The curator was so good with injecting humor in his spiels which made it more effective in getting the attention of the people.
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| two M's for Mariano and Maria |
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| original tiles |
The best time to go there is during sunset (between 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.) because as the sun rays hit the mansion, it turns into a golden gem. They call it the "magic hour". Too bad the sun didn't show up that day. They also offer "Dinner by the Ruins" wherein you can have your dinner at the garden with a great view of the mansion during the night.
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| the fountain and the chimney on the left side for the sugar canes |
We also saw a couple having their pre-nuptial photos taken there. Nice idea right? Too much love going on there. From the historical facts to the engagement pictorial going on, love was (and still is) the prevalent theme around the mansion.
Don't miss The Ruins if you're in Bacolod. It's nice to fall in love all over again. Drama is sometimes good.
I love this ruined mansion. I hope I can capture it by sunset. Umuulan kasi nung pumunta kami. Ang mahal ng fare, 100? mga 50 lang ata binayaran ko nun or less pa.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing...ganda naman dito:)
ReplyDelete@ marx - gulat nga ako sa pedicab kasi ang alam ko 50 rin lang ayon sa blog mo eh... hmmmm... pero ang ganda talaga ng ruins noh? kahit umuulan din nung pumunta kami, babalik ako para sa "magic hour"..:)
ReplyDelete@sunny - ganda talaga dito, lalo na pag may "special someone" ka ;p
ganda naman jan..and the way you captured each pictures are lovable! one of the of Bacolod!
ReplyDeleteone of the prides of Bacolod!
ReplyDeleteI've seen this ruined mansion in Max's blog and I can't help but admire it. Ang ganda 'no. Very romantic. I wonder if they hold events. What you think?
ReplyDeletelevel up na ang mga pictures, ganda lalo na yung sa may fountain
ReplyDelete@mitch - thanks! ganda talaga diyan...
ReplyDelete@hoobert - ang alam ko lang pre-nup and dinner dates eh... di ko alam yung iba pa, pero pwede naman siguro :)
@claire - thanks! pansin nga din ni chyng... hehehe
good that they now have guides available to share stories about it though they also have those leaflet.
ReplyDeletemy aunt's house is just a walk away.
ganda! love the shots!
ReplyDeletei surely wont miss the chance to see this upclose.
Wow! That first photo of yours is one of the most beautiful photos I've seen of The Ruins.
ReplyDelete@dong - magaling ang guide nila, funny in an educational way...
ReplyDelete@chyng - lapit na yun! woohoo
@gay - thanks! walang anggulo ang ruins, kahit saan picturesque talaga!
wow carla.. ang ganda ng kuha mo. Sana kaya kong maka side trip sa Bacolod para makita ko yan. Kamusta naman ang 3 days 2 nights na napa-reserve ko. hay! Sana pala dinagdagan ko pa. take care sa Penang trip.
ReplyDeletecarla, had i known before that you also like these places, like the ruins (never been there, actually), i could've suggested cheong fatze and penang peranakan museums in georgetown to you. were you able to go to these historic and charming places? ...if not, perhaps when you go back here on january. there's so much to explore in penang, similarly in bacolod.
ReplyDelete