Sunday, May 1, 2011

Suman, Taktak and Prayers | A Visit to Antipolo City

I felt a sudden itch at my feet this morning, and I couldn't help it. So I browsed my "BL♥PH" page and saw Lea Salonga's line, "umakyat sa Antipolo, magsayaw sa Obando..."

Hello Antipolo City
Oh yes, I've never been to Antipolo yet. A fast day tour at Antipolo City will ease my itch since it's just a few kilometers away from my beloved city of Manila.

Then I did a quick research about Antipolo City, formulated my IT in just an hour.


Getting There

From my place in Sta. Mesa, I rode LRT Line 2 from Pureza Station to Santolan (P14). You will definitely not miss the Antipolo Simbahan Jeeps in front of the Santolan LRT Station, jeepney barkers will feast on you (sisigawan ka na itutulak ka pa). The byaheng langit jeep from Santolan Station to Antipolo City was only P22.

Antipolo fast ride

Antipolo Church

The jeep dropped me several meters from the Antipolo Church. From afar I see the church's dome and hear the ongoing mass (speakers are all over the city). Suman and other types of kakanin vendors line the streets.

Antipolo Church
Antipolo Church
It was very hot noon when I reached the church, and the people who were attending the mass are of great number. Devotees from all over the country do make pilgrimage to see the statue of Nuestra Señora De La Paz Y Buen Viaje. This statue of mama Mary is the city's patron. I rarely see a church with similar structure as the Antipolo Church, it's round and it has a large dome which resembles a Muslim mosque.

statues on every corner
church full of people
the dome
the patroness of the city, Nuestra Señora De La Paz Y Buen Viaje

while I'm doing my Antipolo tour, Pope John Paul II's beatification is happening at the Vatican
When I went just outside the church, I noticed the lengthy line of people who wished to touch the statue of mama Mary.

people's pilgrimage
long line to Mama Mary

The Plaza

The city's plaza, like the Quiapo's plaza Miranda, is filled with people. This is the bilihan ng pasalubong corner of the city. There are suman, manga, and kasoy vendors, and there are plenty of them. These three products are the city's pride, hence, they have a Maytime festival, the Sumaka Festival (suman, manga, and kasoy festival).

Rizal at the center of the plaza
the plaza, filled with people and businesses
candles for sale
pasalubong market
suman
Kasoy fruit, never tasted one yet, dapat bumili ako
kasoy nuts
Hamaka Park

From the plaza, I walked my way to Hamaka Park, in front of Rizal Provincial Capitol. The park has a showcase of statues that depicts the old type of transportation that the Antipoleños use. Through the hamaka or hammock, the people of Antipolo transport goods, people, or the VIPs.

statues
the hamaka or hammock
hamaka park

Hinulugang Taktak

I then traveled by trike (P30) into this famous Hinulugang Taktak. This waterfalls, declared as national park by President Quirino, is made famous by the song, "Tayo na sa Antipolo, at doon maligo tayo, sa Hinulugang taktak." Unfortunately though, I've heard that this wonderful place had turned into a sewage system. I wanted to check it myself so I still made a visit into this place.

I paid P8 for the entrance fee. There are additional fees if you'll use their picnic shed (+ P50), umbrella shed (+ P50), picnic table (+ P15), and an additional P15 if you'll swim at their public pool.

The sound of the plunging waters is a music to my ears, but as I walk nearer i started to sense its unpleasant smell, and finally when I saw it up close... I felt nothing but pure disappointment.   

the Hinulugang Taktak, do you see that black thing on the right side? that's garbage my friends
Hinulugang Taktak, no need for higher exposure.. talagang white yung water
foaming sewage
who would want?
you can also pray if you want, beside the falls
define public pool...
I immediately left the place after I've seen the unfavorable place, I just hope DOT and DENR will do something about this.

Via Dolorosa

I rode again a trike to Via Dolorosa (P40). It's not really that far from Taktak, feeling ko tuloy overpriced yung ticycle na nasakyan ko.

The trike dropped me in front of the gate of Via Dolorosa (way of suffering). There's a sign there that prohibits the use of camera inside. It's a sacred place, only for prayers. I respected naman their religious feelings so I kept my cam muna on my pocket. The entrance is free though you are expected to drop an amount at their donation box.

the gate to Via Dolorosa
no cameras ok...
The place is serene, perfect for a prayerful activity.

Next to the rosary garden is a long shed suited for celebrating a holy mass, seats and an altar are set there.

I then reached the Via Crucis (way of the cross). You'll meet there the life size statues of the stations of the cross. It was a long and tiring walk, I wanted to do sana a sneak snapshot of the place but everyone I met was seriously praying (nahiya naman ako). At the very end is a white cross where you can overlook Metro Manila.

Manila seen from Antipolo, hindi ako makatiis.. isang picture lang
I haven't taken my lunch yet so I rode again a trike back to Antipolo Church (P40) as soon as I left Via Dolorosa.

Yummy Tapsi

I ate at a tapsilogan in front of the plaza. One of the best tapsilog I ever tasted. I forgot tapsilogan's name but it's something like "Mommy's Tapsilogan". I really am not sure.
my lunch tapsilog in front of the plaza
 
Before I went back home, I bought first some suman (3 bundles for P50)


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17 comments:

  1. ay nagdrop by ka naman pala sa cross. :) yep, naoverprice ka ng mga tric drivers. unfortunately, yan ang pinakamalaking problema sa antipolo in my opinion. :( sayang talaga taktak. wala na kasi talaga nagaalaga jan. dami na nakatira na squatter sa mga gilid gilid before the falls dami na daan daan dun and ung rubbish hindi na talaga nila tinatapon sa tamang lugar. hehe. at least naenjoy mo sana suman nila. :)

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  2. natawa ako sa "define Public pool" :)

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  3. I fondly remember Antipolo Church and going here at the crack of dawn post drinking session and my companion's love for cashew nuts :)

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  4. hay.... pangarap ko din makapaglibot jan one of these days..... ive often antipolo before but that was for the resorts never had the chance to go around... well hopefully maputad cia... nice post.... salamat!

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  5. @ms. brenna, nakakalungkot nmn.. grr..
    @ms. tina, ako din natawa at sobrang nagulat doon.
    @pandelicious, woohoo.. salamat sa pag drop by..
    @sir ian, go na grab the opportunity.. ilang tambling lang ang layo ng antipolo o.

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  6. aus tol sa mga trip mo ah.hehe..soloflight ka ba dian?..joinforce tau minsan sa gala trip..hehhe..gusto ko ung tipong tipid mode ang mga gala hehe..

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  7. I miss antipolo when we do pilgrimage here during the holy week last time. :-). They must do some actions to eradicate the garbage.:-)

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  8. Wow, buti ka pa napasok mo na yung cathedral. Akong taga-Marikina lang hindi pa hanggang ngayon. Hehe. Very nice photos. :) And yeah, depressing talaga yung Hinulugang Taktak. Kahit sa labas pa lang, di na inviting yung itsura.

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  9. @sir marco, hihi.. solo traveling is fun.. sige lang po minsan tag tayo.
    @sir bon, hindi ko pa na try ang holy week in antipolo
    @sir Cedric, kaya nga.. sana tlga may gawin ang DOT, DENR, Rizal Provincial Gov't

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  10. I've been to Rizal nung my invite sa Thunderbird pero d kame nakapunta sa church. Gusto ko sana daanan yan. Nice nung kasoy! and yeah, yung hinulugang taktak matagal ko na nabasa na napabayaan nga xa. sad.

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  11. Worth it pa ba na pumunta ngayon sa Hinulugang Taktak?

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  12. @ms Claire, uhmmm... kung ako ang tatanungin, masaya ako dahil nakita ko na yung waterfalls na sikat sa "sibika at kultura".. pero super disappointment po yung kalagayan nya ngayon e.. you may want to check sir leo's post regarding that: http://romanleoreyman.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/reclaim-the-grandeur-of-hinulugang-taktak/

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  13. Matagal ko na gusto pumunta dito sa simbahan ng Antipolo, maganda pala ang interiors nya :)

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  14. @ms gael, yeah.. the sad truth.
    @ms claire, kaya nga e.. nagulat ako na may malaki pala syang dome.

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  15. mahal talaga tricycle sa Antipolo, hehe sana nakadaan ka rin ng Pinto Art Museum

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  16. Men taga Ant¡po|o po ako & ¡sh¡ share ko |ang po
    " Taps¡ n¡ Momsy " po ang name ng p¡nakamasarap na taps¡han near the p|aza of Ant¡po|o Cathedra| ;-) <3

    Anyway thanks s¡r ¡Van for your educat¡ona| & very ¡nformat¡ve post ;-)

    Keep ¡t up men !!!! <3

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