Sunday, August 31, 2008

Splendor In Isabela Churches – PART 2 : St. Paul's Church







ATMOSPHERE AND A DELICIOUS ROUND OF PANSIT CABAGAN

Our second stop during our visit in Isabela was another rustic church in the town of San Pablo, just a few minute’s drive from Tumauini, and was named St. Paul’s Church. This was a much more atmospheric church, with another spectacular bell tower reminiscent of several churches in Ilocos. After St. Paul’s, we proceeded to the town of Cabagan, famous for their noodle specialty called Pansit Cabagan! Just check out the photo! Delicious! The pansit itself is home-made, as we were ushered into a bodega where the “processing” took place. Makes me wonder if there’s such a place within Metro Manila that offers Pansit Cabagan! As for the pleasant surprise of discovering jewels from the churches of Isabela, I was pretty smug. Even my friend didn’t realize they had gems within their midst. You can just imagine the vast number of undiscovered, albeit spectacular churches in that area!


This is the Eye in the Sky!





St. Paul's Church, town of San Pablo, Isabela, Philippines

















Pancit Cabagan


N.B. Please refer to last post for the fast facts, a little history, direction, transportation and bus schedules.




10 comments:

  1. That is so beautiful! I think you are so brave and lucky to be able to see so many places.

    it's true, sometimes we never go to the amazing places when we live there. I guess we all think, well, we have forever to find it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. i LOVE pancit...that looks so delicious. my fave photo is the b&w...it looks so rustic. you can tell that it's been there awhile. i love the art & history of places. thx for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. your photos in this entry are much more commendable than watching that santorini-based two-hour film. the material was weak in the first place. why would a girl proposed her undying love in front of her/his family when no. 1, the guy didnt show up on their "date" (the meeting would signify the guy's intention to officially court her---he was the one who suggested it) and no. 2, the guy "broke up" with her while she was vulnerable, even left her alone in the car! if he was gentleman enough, he would have brought her first at home knowing she was so devastated! if all guys were just like him, i guess i will follow a friend's suggestion to just enter the convent hehe. the film just reinforces my observation that the director is more comfy making light/feel good films that has little substance. it would have been her chance to show her serious side as a director---that she can also handle drama but she blew it. box office are more important to them so why bother making this comment in the first place, hehe. just enjoy looking at these pics, that's my suggestion...forget about going for the first time :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. @ nana: thanks, nana. this particular leg of travel was out of "duty" for a friend. i think there's always an element of paranoia involved any traveling.it keeps me on my toes, and keeps me safe. although isabela isn't like any of the other places ive visited in Asia. its a very safe place.

    ReplyDelete
  5. @ ciara. nice profile pic, ciara. i loved their pansit. yes, sometimes you have to take away all the colors and cut it down to its rawest to appreciate it. there wasn't really much of history to be learned from that trip, except the ones that are available from the church's "engraved stones". there was hardly any soul there when i visited.

    ReplyDelete
  6. @ rica: i don't necessarily agree with the "light films with little substance" there. joyce bernal has always made good rom-com films although she's had several debacles of late. that has always been her genre and i can shamelessly say that i LOVE most of her ROM-COMS except "for the first time" and "paano kita iibigin".

    box office IS important. otherwise, how would people earn a living if the movies don't make money. not making money means lesser movies being made, less jobs, less chances to go malling to watch movies. i LOVE watching movies on the big screen. i watch them there even when i have the dvds of movies being shown.

    i still would recommend that pinoys go watch "for the first time" because it isn't as bad as a LOT of indies that i actually pay regularly to watch, plus this is KC's first movie - and she IS showbiz royalty. that is a blaring fact. i dont wanna look back someday and always wonder how the movie was like if i just took other people's word for it.

    on hindsight, the movie is flawed at best, with so many loopholes and narrative conundrums to qualify for a honeycomb compartment. you have pointed out the mindbenders. i can add ten more to that. this movie is hastily done. but it doesn't negate the fact that this is history in the making - and i'd rather be able to watch it myself, than just rely on hearsay and other people's pans. ;->

    p.s. i find no shame in being mainstream or running after what pleases a crowd. it doesn't make film appreciation anything trivial or banal. just a thought.

    ReplyDelete
  7. never heard of this place. i only know san pablo in laguna.

    i like this church. very beautiful for such a classic look.

    i really want to see this church myself. thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. hi dong, i didn't know there was another san pablo until i was there too. but i think many of our barrios and towns have hidden wonders. :->

    ReplyDelete
  9. ganda pards..pauwi naman ng pansit cabagan.:)

    ReplyDelete
  10. ever! sige padala ko sa kuwait pag napadaan uli ako sa cabagan. hehe

    ReplyDelete