Biyaherong Beecabelle Goes to Bacolod (Day 5 of 5)

My visit to Bacolod supposedly should last for 3 days only but because I really wanted to see the Masskara Festival, I extended my stay till Sunday in time for the Masskara Festival Street Dancing event.

The Masskara Festival is a festival held in Bacolod every third weekend of October nearest October 19, which is the city's charter anniversary.

According to Wiki, the word "Masskara" means mass (a multitude of people), and the Spanish word cara (face), thus forming MassKara (a multitude of faces). The word is also a pun on maskara, Filipino for "mask" (itself from Spanish máscara), since a prominent feature of the festival are the masks worn by participants, which are always adorned with smiling faces.

I was not quite lucky to witness the street dancing as I need to fly back to Manila in the afternoon. But I was able to take a lot of pictures from the parade.

Here it goes:

Goodbye City of Smiles!

 

Biyaherong Beecabelle Goes to Bacolod (Day 4 of 5)

On my fourth day in Bacolod, I decided to visit the town of Silay which is famous for its museums and old churches.

First Stop, San Diego Pro Cathedral. The only church in Negros Occidental with a dome.

 

the dome

Next stop is the famous Balay Negrense. This is a museum in Silay City showcasing the lifestyle of a late 19th century Negrense sugar baron. It is notable for being the first museum to be established in the province of Negros Occidental.

Here are some of my shots inside the house.

 

 

That's my garden! Hehehe

Next museum is Hofilena Museum. I was not lucky to get inside this museum because it was already lunch time by the time I arrived there.

I think there is still one more house turned into museum that I visited in Silay and it is situated along the main road. But the pictures are in my other drive. :(

I left Silay before 5PM. I knew that I will experience heavy traffic going back to Bacolod as Lacson Street's being closed in preparation for the night street party and Electric Masskara.

Here's how Lacson Street look like during the Saturday event.

 

sobrang daming tao!!!

 

And here are the participants in the Electric Masskara. These kids are so talented.

 

 

 

It was really fun to watch the Bacolodnons showcase their talents! It was one hell of a night party!!!

 

Biyaherong Beecabelle Goes to Bacolod (Day 3 of 5)

On my third day in Bacolod, I visited the Mambukal Mountain Resort in the town of Murcia, Negros Occidental. It lies 1,200 feet above sea level and serves as a gateway to Mt. Kanlaon.

The resort was originally developed by a Japanese architect named Kokichi Paul Ishiwata in 1927. The resort started as a bath house and picnic garden and has provided cool haven for Negrenses and their guests.

Here are some of the things that you will see in the resort.

the map

 

fruit flying bats

 

Japanese Ofuro

 

The boating lagoon. Unfortunately, on the day I visited the resort, that weather is not so good. So boating is currently being prohibited.

 

The Ishawata Bath House

I probably would have trekked the 7 falls of Mt. Kanlaon had the weather been so good.

 

Some of the cottages that you can rent if you stay in Mambukal.

 

The entrance

I went back to Bacolod just in time for dinner. I think I ate at Lord Byron's Ribs and had pecan pie in Calea.

At 8pm, Lacson St. was already full of stalls and several stages were set in time for Electric Masskara.


Here are some of the pics from the event.

That's it for my 3rd day in Bacolod! More pics and videos in my last two days as the Negrenses celebrate the Masskara Festival! Ciao!