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The shoestring
traveler:
James Betia
His motto
“Traveling on the cheap can
be fun if you see it as a challenge.”
The challenge
Discover Bacolod in 72
hours for less than PHP3,000.
KNOWN TO MANY
as the “City of
Smiles,” Bacolod is — not surprisingly
— one place that can put a smile on
a visitor’s face. The beautiful locals,
the amazing destinations and the
mouthwatering food will make the
journey unforgettable. Who said that
Bacolod City is just about the Masskara
Festival? Come and explore Negros
Occidental with me for three days, so
I can share with you the happiness I
experienced when I visited this city.
Day 1
As soon as I arrived at the Silay-
Bacolod Airport, I rode the tricycle to
Silay City (PHP10), about 14km north
of Bacolod and 15 minutes away from
the airport. Silay City boasts a well-
preserved heritage, and the history
buff in me was happy to see all the
ancestral houses. After all, it used to
be the cultural and intellectual hub of
Negros province.
To begin my walking tour, I got
hold of a tourist map from the DOT
office in the city hall. I trekked to Rizal
St. (National Road) then turned right
towards Ledesma St., making quick
stopovers at old houses until I reached
the Cinco de Noviembre marker. It is
an old pharmacy where the Negrense
patriots secretly planned a successful
revolt against the Spanish in 1898.
I also made sure to drop by Balay
Negrense, a huge 12-bedroom
ancestral house built by Don Victor
Gaston in 1898, and the Hofilena
Ancestral House along Cinco de
Noviembre St., which carries artworks
by Juan Luna, Fernando Amorsolo
and Jose Rizal.
From top: Keen traveler James
Betia loves a bit of history;
if ancestral homes are your
thing, then don’t miss
Balay Negrense.
09LKH Smile
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