by Mira Celemin
Far out in the murky waters of the Laguna de bay, lies a small unregarded little town known as Pakil. This 'sleepy town' as it is called by city people is situated in the coordinates of 14* 22' 39 N & 121* 29' 8" E in the Sol star system of earth.
Now, I could give
you all the facts and history of this little town but that task would be
tremendous enough in this little space and far more quite appropriate for
Wikipedia, Google maps and travel bloggers. But what I have here, as you are
currently reading this, is a guide - a truly remarkable guide for those who
wants to get to know Pakil in a locals' perspective entitled The Hitchhiker's
Guide to Pakil, Laguna.
What you have to
know about this gem of a guide is that its brilliant story starts simply, it
starts with you.
THE CHURCH
If you found
yourself in Pakil, Laguna stuck for a day with enough resources to go by then I
suggest you start sight seeing. And where to start your conquest of sight
seeing? Well, the church of course!
Right in the heart
of Pakil, towering in its great magnificence stands proud the 18th century
structure built by the town folks of Pakil. St. Peter of Alcantara parish has
been destroyed and reconstructed altogether in the past years yet it still
stops people from their tracks to marvel at its beauty. Make sure to enter the
front doors of the church as it leads directly to the altar. The painting of
Jose Dans' Judicium Finale will welcome you hauntingly along the right side of
the church. Also, notice the crucified Jesus on the right of the entrance, as
it is has a mighty role in Pakil. Being the Senor during the Holy Week, its
hands could be detached and the image could be taken down from its position.
Other areas worthy
to have a look are the choir loft, church bell tower, the second floor of the
convent to which,the dresses of Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de Turumba are
displayed. And the Capilla de Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de Turumba.
Heading back to the church's grounds, the left side of the walls heading to the
altar, is a visual record of the Church of St. Peter of Alcantara, its
activities and milestones are on display for tourists and locals to see.
Outside the church
courtyard, you will see stations of the cross portrayed through almost
human-sized stone models. Then there's the newly constructed candle stand,
where people can buy candles and again, pray for their intentions. Right beside
it is the Pahalikan, where people could go up and touch and pray Our Lady of
Turumba. It is directly behind the altar
so it is just climbing a few steps so you could reach it.
But before leaving,
be sure to stop by the little shop on the way out of the convent, a little
something to remind you of Pakil would be very nice indeed. I suggest you buy a
"Damit ng Birhen" of Our Lady of Turumba, as it guarantees safety and
Oil to cure for illness.
The church is opens
daily. Peak seasons are mostly during the month of April for the 'Pistang Lupi'
or 'Biatiko' and September for the Grand Turumba Festival. Tours are mostly
serviced by Ka Efren.
THE PLAZA
Fancy taking a walk?
Right after you come out of the church, you will immediately see the plaza. It
is located right in front of the church to which the Spanish town designs were
mostly constructed. (See all adjacent town in Laguna with the same structure)
Now there isn't much to see in the plaza on a regular basis unless you want to
meet some of our local heroes' monuments like Jose Rizal and Marcelo Adonay.
But during the Months of April, May and October, the plaza is packed with
Sideras and vendors of all shapes and sizes. And during September, the town is
jam-packed with locals and devotees for Our lady of Turumba as it is the month
of the Grand Turumba Festival. The basketball-laden plaza turns to a loud and
heated dance floor due to fancy-dress wearing young Pakilenyos who celebrate
Street Dancing Competitions. The plaza is the heart of Pakil whereby social and
religious activities combine to celebrate the uniqueness and pride of
Pakilenyos. So be sure to be here during September, this is an order.
DAN DALENA'S ART
MUSEUM
If you think you
like sipping black coffee, vintage houses and going to museums, then probably
this is more of your taste. Located behind Plaza Rizal, Dan Dalena's Art Museum
is a gold mine overflowing of artistic creativity. On its walls, are the numerous
paintings by Danilo Dalena, a primed artisan in the field of painting in the
Philippines. He was famous for his Jai Alai series and had been recognized by
numerous art organizations for his bold and unique style that chronicled the
times he lived in Pakil and his early life. The museum is open for public
viewing for tourists and locals alike. Though Mr. Dan Dalena currently lives in
Manila, make sure to check his displayed caricature and cross collection. Also,
don't forget to be amazed at his vintage jukebox and old barber's chair, try a
spin. Two little notes I would like to point out, the backyard is little odd
place to have a no-where staircase and that Dan Dalena's signature in his
paintings are more of like numbers. *wink*
MT. PING-AS
For the more
adventurous taste, we got something up our sleeve, hiking~! To have your
adrenaline pumping and fats burning, a hike up to Mt. Ping-as is best for you.
Heading up the mountains isn't just a walk in the park - literally. It is also
a spiritual journey, because as you head up atop the mountains, you would pass
by stations of the cross, which are a favourite for pilgrims because they could
overcome their spiritual journey and have some sight seeing and picnics while
they are at it.
Also, when you found
yourself visiting Pakil during the last Saturday of May, don't be shocked to
learn that there aren't many people in town, because during this time, the
people of Pakil are up in Mt. Ping-as celebrating the 'Pistang Pagpanaog' or
the annual 'Ahunan sa Ping-as', whereby many activities are lined-up for the whole-day.
SWIMMING POOL
A relax and chill person, perhaps? We have
something for you! Relax and take a dip at the Turumba Swimming Pool, its cold
refreshing waters will calm your nerves and soothe your skin for a rejuvenating
feeling - that or people could jump, run or trip on you on this public pool.
This place is one of the bragging rights of Pakil for having a public pool and
because it generates a lot of income for the town due to the Our Lady of
Turumba devotees who frequent this place to attend the Turumba Festival
during April. Note: for that
rejuvenating feeling that I'm talking about? It is best to avoid the month of
April. May is usually a good time, but that's the time where the water gets
really cold. Make sure you have your medical insurance for pneumonia or
hypothermia. And no bathing at this place during Good Friday, because people
say you are gonna turn into stone. When you visit, make sure to look at the
protruding rock atop the tiled area. Okay? You'll be surprised.
WHITTLINGS
Thinking about
taking something home? Well, I bet you would love our Pakil-made unique
souvenirs. One of the pride of our little town is the 'Whittling' that we call.
It's a very special delicate wood shaving technique exclusively made here in
Pakil. Usually they are shaped in the form of a peacocks, birds, butterflies
and fans through the uses of different knives with different thickness and
young freshly cut solid branches. The prime place to get these whittlings is
from E&R Handicrafts managed by Rudel San Gasper located at the outskirts
of the town. They kept this long-standing tradition among Pakilenyos to keep it
specifically unique to our town. Demos of these intricate whittlings crafts
have been renowned worldwide and local demos are shared with tourists who wants
to know more how these master carvers
create such a unique work of art.
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