Wednesday, April 19, 2006

COMING HOME TO MEXICO, PAMPANGA





Went home to my Mother's hometown of Mexico lately. With the excellent newly-refurbished North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Pampanga is now just an hour away from Manila. I visited the balen (town center) to see how it has changed since I lived here as a kid. Some sad images of dilapidated pioneer buildings here but it doesn't seem to have changed much. The banana-cue stand is still there, the market, the slowly vanishing Klingler Park. Nevertheless, all sad events were esrased by a most wonderful summer lunch of seafood, sinigang na baboy, and fresh mangoes.

On my next visit, i'd be posting photos of beautiful Capampangan old houses.

STA MONICA PARISH AND BENEDICTINE CONVENT
Formerly St Benedict Institution; eventually closed to become a convent

All that remained of the former Augustinian-run church is this belfry
The town center at dusk; this road leads to San Fernando, Pampanga's capital

Mexico's wet market; new facade. The welcome sign is not Capampangan although if it is Tagalog, it would be ackward to translate to English, which would mean either, "You live in Mexico" or "Long Live in Mexico". Whatever.

FARMACIA OCAMPO



Farewell, Farmacia Ocampo!

LUNCH

Sinigang na Baboy (Pork in sour soup)
Inihaw na tilapia
Nilagang hipon

Fresh baby "lobsters". I don't really know what they are exactly. They look scary!

GOING BACK TO MANILA
Locals call this the "junction". 4 roads meet in this area: Forward, to Olongapo. To the left, San Fernando town center; to the right is Angeles City. Going back towards the photo is Mexico and Arayat, home to that famous mountain that rises from the heart of this great province of cooks.

Travellers always stop here for many reasons: Freshen up at Mcdonald's; wait for a bus back to Manila, or visit Pampanga's Best or Tita's for that yummy tocino and longganisa pasalubong!
Until next time, cabalen!

12 comments:

Jeruen said...

Nice pics, as always! Your pictures make my mouth water, after seeing the fresh mangoes. And yes, kahit vegetarian ako, naglaway pa rin ako sa inihaw na tilapia at hipon.

LIW

Sidney said...

I would like to see more renovations going on everywhere in the Philippines together with some urban planning. Not only beautify the "investors corridors" but the whole of the Philippines.
The sad thing, there is money but it dissapears in the wrong hands.

Anonymous said...

iba talaga pag-nakita mo ang sarili mong lugar, ganda talaga ng mga kuha. para narin akong nasa lugar natin.

Citizen of the World said...

Renato, thanks so much! I am glad the photos made you feel that way!

Bernadette, i will try my best to go to San Agustin. Tama, baka nga nakatayo pa ang area na yun. Kala ko kasi nalunod na yun sa lahar, eh. Sorry po/

SM and Rob's photos coming up soon!

Sayote said...

Hi! I was just bloghopping and I found the photos really nice. Can I link you to my site? Thanks.

Citizen of the World said...

Sayote Queen! I love that name, hehe! Salama po sa pagbisita!

Dylan

Anonymous said...

hi nice pics, been there once, nakakamiss...yong kasama ko! ay, saan na kaya sya nilagay ni lord ngayon... anyways, keep it up.visit ako ulit ha.

jn said...

nice pics1

Anonymous said...

the junction is a sweet/bitter reminder, i still love her. tnx for the excellent photos, nicely framed...kudos!!!

creole demeoux

Anonymous said...

nakakamiss yong lugar natin sa pinas masanting ya ing pamanikwa mung pics dakal a salamat.

Anonymous said...

Cabalen.. Thanks much for the wonderful pics. Viewing your blog lessen my homesickness. I really miss my hometown. CAPAMPANGAN KU PAGMARAGUL KU.
God bless!

Shai said...

Hi tnx sa pag post ng place natin ehehe.. I am really homesick esp. r foods.. Naka2inis k naman pinapaglaway mo kami sa foods.. hmmm yummy..