June 26, 2009 - Bacolod City
During one of our trips to Bacolod City, where my wife is from, we decided to visit one of the infamous places in Negros Occidental. The remains of a beautifully built mansion owned by the wealthy Lacson Family in Negros, "The Ruins" as the locals call it, has been a favorite destination in Talisay City, a few kilometers north of the "City of Smiles".
We left Bacolod City at about 4:20 in the afternoon, right after my wife and I went out of the Grand Regal Hotel where we attended a food convention earlier in the day. As a photography enthusiast, I can't help but notice the abundance of beautiful scenery the place has to offer. The city itself is full of great subjects for photo journalism, and as one moves to the country side, the city scape would gradually shift into a treasury of beautiful landscape. Trees, old houses, and wide expanse of sugar cane farms would soon replace the common city sight of commercial establishments and jeepneys. A couple of kilometers away from The Ruins, you may already be able to see the tree sitting on the top of the obelisk-looking tower marking the spot where the villa's entrance is.
We arrived at the spot at about 4:40 PM, which I thought is just the perfect time for taking pictures of the beautiful ruins of a once grandiose building standing amidst sugar cane farms. The sky is an awesome mix of blue and feathery white casting just the perfect amount of light for such a beautiful photography subject. A bit of orange and yellow hues were already showing up, which I thought added a more dramatic feeling to the scenery. We all found ourselves amazed at the beauty of the place. The beautifully manicured lawn, the perfectly landscaped garden, the elegant fountain, even the mini-golf course all added to the wonders of the once desolate building after the guerrillas burned it during the second world war, in their attempt to prevent the Japanese from making the mansion their garrison.
When we arrived, we found out that a small group of tourists were already in the area. My wife, my son, and my in-laws ran toward the building as soon as they got out of the car, in great excitement. The guard who greeted us at the gate also told us Albert Martinez, who plays the character of Mayor Enrique in the television series May Bukas Pa (Santino), is also inside The Ruins, which increased the excitement level of my wife and her mom a hundred times, which is way more than the zoom capability of my camera's kit lens.
Celebrities, politicians and wealthy and famous business people are a common sight at The Ruins. My father-in-law, who works for one of the great grandsons of Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson, the sugar cane baron who owned the famous edifice, even mentioned of a luxurious lunch hosted by Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her friends at the garden of the mansion's remains.
After taking pictures of the place and of my family (and a couple of shots of my wife and her mom with Albert Martinez), we headed back to Bacolod City. It was about 6:00 in the afternoon, the sun is just setting down the west, and we decided to drop by the pier to photograph the sunset. When we arrived in the area, a number of photographers are already there. I took a few shots, then we drove to the new capitol building site, where we had our dinner at one of the small restaurants there.
Planning to visit Bacolod City? I suggest you put The Ruins on your places-to-visit list. It is one of the best places I've visited in Negros Occidental.
Here’s a quick trip. From Bacolod City, just ride a jeepney going to Bata, fare is only Php8.00. Just tell the driver to drop you off at Rose Lawns (cemetery). From there just ride a tricycle, fare is only Php10.00. If you are in groups and don’t want to spend more, try walking the 2.4-kilometer distance. You’ll walk through a subdivision and at the end of it is a sugar cane farm. If you see an old tower with a tree on top of it, it means you’re already very close to The Ruins.
As you enter the place, you will be welcomed by one of the receptionists. You will have to pay an entrance fee of Php35.00/head. These guys are cool; they know how to take your pictures. They are friendly as well.
