Sampaguita Gardens, New Washington, Aklan

When I visited the Aklan Museum, I got a brochure showing the different tourist spots in Kalibo and in the province of Aklan. One of the attractions that caught my eye was the Sampaguita Gardens in New Washington, Aklan.

Sampaguita Gardens offers a great view of the sea

After visiting the main church (Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish) in New Washington as well as Rizal’s Monument, Jaime Cardinal Sin’s monument, some old houses and the municipal hall (the market is located somewhere else), I rode a tricycle and asked to be dropped off at Sampaguita Gardens. It’s a short distance from the town proper.

True enough, the place is wonderful. It has a Mediterranean theme (and offers a great view of the sea) as well as Christmas theme. There’s an entire house that has a wide ranged of Christmas decorations. All around the place, you’ll see Christmas decors and angels. The entrance fee is affordable and almost all corners are instagrammable.

The sprawling 2.6 hectare property features 48 Guestrooms and Suites; three restaurants; Convention Facilities; Business Center; Spa and Fitness Center; 2 swimming pools; Circus Rides; a 43 Ft. Aquarium; Oriental Garden, Precious Moments Gallery; the Samuel J. Butcher Mansion with its vast antique collection and stunning pieces of bric-a-bracs and other Orientalia; Precious Moments Meditation Chapel and Jojo’s Christmas Cottage, a Victorian cottage showcasing Precious Moments collectibles and the unique JCC Museum of Christmas. Source

You may check their website here.

In Sampaguita Gardens, everyday is Christmas Day

A house straight out of a fairy tale

 

 

 

 

 

All sorts of Christmas decorations are on sale

 

 

 

Lots of rooms for visitors

Sampaguita Gardens also has a chapel

Everywhere you look, there are angels in Sampaguita Gardens, New Washington, Aklan

Cute turtles that the kids would love

Noah’s Ark for the kids

Sweetest way of saying “Thank You” to the visitors of Sampaguita Gardens, New Washington, Aklan

Flickr Tags: Sampaguita Gardens,New Washington,Aklan

My First Time in Callao Cave, Peñablanca, Cagayan

The famous Callao Cave is about 21.5 kilometers from Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. During our entire stay in Tuguegarao, our relatives drove for us so I didn’t travel by jeep like I use to be. I don’t usually go to nature parks or natural wonders because I find it… tedious sometimes due to hiking and trekking. Most natural parks are also from from the main road serviced by jeeps.

A chapel is at the heart of the 7-chamber Callao Cave in Peñablanca, Cagayan

The Callao Cave is an excemption because it’s the best-known natural tourist attraction of Cagayan Province. I later found out that it’s one of several limestone caves in the area.

The road to Callao Cave is still a dirt road on most part. When we arrived there, I’ve read that there’s a plan for the improvement of the facilities in Callao Cave area for P4.9M but there’s no start date or end date. Entrance fee is P20 for adults and the cave closes at 5:00 PM. You could also have a wedding pictorial for P500 here.

Upon entering the facility, you’ll be greeted by a map showing the Callao Eco Niche Resort Masterplan. You would also have tourist guide and they’ll orient you first about the history of the caves and of Cagayan in general.

The cave is indeed huge. It’s several feet in height. One of the chambers is open to the “roof” so sunlight comes inside the cave. This is where the chapel is located. There are pews and an alter so that a mass can be held here.

On our way back to Tuguegarao, we have to wait for several minutes because a vehicle got stuck in the mud in the road. I hope the National Government could do something about the dirt road going to this marvelous place so that more tourists will be encouraged to visit.

The road going to Callao Cave in Peñablanca, Cagayan is still a dirt road on most part. It could be very difficult to visit this place during the rainy season

Souvenir shops at the Callao Cave Natural Park

I wonder when this improvement would end since there is no end date on the notice

This reminds me of a boy scout oath during camping.

Callao Eco Niche Resort Masterplan

Our wonderful tourist guide. He’s great with photography and in explaining the history of the caves and of Cagayan in general

Welcome to Callao Cave, Peñablanca, Cagayan!

View of the nearby area from Callao Cave

 

 

I forgot how many stairs we climb to reach the Callao Cave

The chapel inside Callao Cave

This cave is huge! Look at how high the ceiling is

 

 

Sunlight entering the “roof” of one of the chambers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some souvenir shirts being sold

A vehicle in front of us got stuck in the mud. Good thing someone sent a backhoe to assist

I hope next time we visit the place, this road will be concrete.

Flickr Tags: Callao Cave,Peñablanca,Cagayan,Natural Wonder

The Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat, Cagayan

One of the most famous tourist spots in Cagayan is the Basilica of Our Lady of Piat, in Piat town, Cagayan. July 2 is the feast of Our Lady of Piat. My aunt from the US and I visited this famous image of the Virgin Mary last February 4, 2020.

The famous Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat in the town of Piat, Cagayan Province

I know little about the history of the image or why they say it’s miraculous, but based on Business Mirror:

Known as the Black Virgin Mary, the Our Lady of Piat was sculptured in Macau, then a colony of Portugal, upon the request of Dominican missionaries and was eventually brought to the Philippines in 1604 and placed in Lal-lo, Cagayan, then the Episcopal See of Nueva Segovia.

You could read the entire article here.

Additional information appeared on Ivan About Town:

The venerated image is erroneously referred to as Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary (that was the original title) when it is in fact the Nuestra Señora de Visitacion (Our Lady of the Visitation). The Church of Piat became the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat in 1997

You could read the entire article here.

Lastly, there’s an article published on the Philippine Daily Inquirer:

It has been known to happen that Our Lady of Piat has interceded for women having difficulty conceiving a baby. This happened to Ella Aglipay Delio and her sister-in-law Ginger Aglipay (wife of her brother Michael Aglipay).

After two and a half years of not getting pregnant after their wedding in 2001, Michael and Ginger made a pilgrimage to Piat, Cagayan Valley, where the Shrine of the Virgin is located. Ginger immediately conceived afterward and gave birth in 2003 to a baby boy whom they named Miguel.

Then, Ella came home with husband David Delio to make a pilgrimage to Piat. She immediately conceived and gave birth in May 2009 to a baby girl they named Naomi. David Delio, a devout Catholic who’s taking up doctorate studies in Theology, was overjoyed, to say the least. The family lives in Maryland.

You could read the entire article here.

A huge bas relief depicting the arrival of Our Lady of Piat from Nueva Segovia (an archdiocese of the Catholic Church that covers the province of Ilocos Sur. The see of the archdiocese is the city of Vigan. Wikipedia)

Entrance to the Basilica Minore de Nuestra Señora de Piat (Our Lady of Piat)

As you enter the compound, you will see this rear part of the church first

Adoration Chapel at the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat

Side elevation of the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat, Cagayan

A statue of Our Lady of Piat

Similar to churches in Pangasinan, the compound of the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat is adored with statues of saints

Interior shot of the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat, Cagayan

The main retablo or altar

Interior shot of the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat, Cagayan

Looking outside the Basilica from inside

One of the several statues you could find around the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat, Cagayan

The belltower of the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat is being repaired/restored during our visit last February 4, 2020.

Flickr Tags: Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Piat,Cagayan