An afternoon in Angono

I went to Angono one afternoon to explore. I feel comfortable in this town because I grew-up in Binangonan, kadikit lang ng Angono.

A block away from Blanco Family Museum stands this Higante.

There are many food stalls along the main road. I stopped and bought puto-bumbong for my son and ginataan for all of us.

Ginataang Bilo-bilo

Suman with Chocolate (dapat Suman at Tsokolate)

Banana Q, Turon, at Okoy

Instead of going through the town proper straight to Taytay, we took the highway.

Me—— “Deo, ikanan mo dyan. Akyat tayo”.

Edmund plays golf in Eastridge that’s why Deo knows where it is.

I haven’t been to this place for a long time. The last time was on our wedding anniversary, December 18. That morning, we just decided to contact my family and Edmund’s family for lunch in Eastridge. There’s a restaurant inside the casino which got surprised kasi ang dami namin. They were not prepared kaya the orders took forever to arrive.
Kuya Ben was with us then. That was the last family gathering he attended. He died 2 months later.

Eastridge entrance

Eastridge Golf & Country Club
This was where I hosted a lunch or dinner (I can’t remember) many years ago for about 70++ friends from Binangonan. Tila 37th or 38th birthday ko, panahon pa ni kopong-kopong.

View of Laguna Lake

view from the winding road going uphill to Eastridge Golf

Thunderbird Casino inside Eastridge

Coming down from the hills of Eastridge, we turned right on the highway and turned right again at the first corner where
Balaw-balaw Restaurant was.

Balaw-balaw sells mini Higante made of papier mache. Weird no? maliit na higante.

I think the small one sells for P250.  This is a nice souvenir from Angono’s famous Higante Festival.

I ordered food to take home. While waiting for my order, I explored the restaurant’s second floor where they used to display paintings for sale. I only saw a few old paintings. Then I noticed that there’s a spiral staircase leading to somewhere. A bit afraid to fall-down, I slowly climbed the wooden stairs, but afraid where the stairs would lead me.
Para kasing creepy.

I would have never thought that there’s a treasure of antiques, paintings, wood carvings, and sculptures on the second floor. These items are not for sale; they belong to the private collection of Balaw-balaw owner, artist Perdigon Vocalan

The place contains  treasures that depicts Angono, Rizal’s  heritage, cultures and traditions.

Wood carvings of Angono Higantes

Mga lumang tapayan,  dati ganyan ang lagayan ng inumin namin.

Kung matatakutin ka hindi ka pwede dito.

I forgot na how much they paid me to pose for the artist. Teka, parang lumiit yata ang aking hinaharap. Mukhang binawasan at hindi daw kaya ng punong kahoy.

Hindi ko gaanong gets ito. Did he stab himself?

Ecce Homo, fresco of Jesus Christ

The gallery has lots of religious objects and statues.
Eto yung isinasama sa prusisyon pag Byernes Santo.

Life sized statues depicting the Last Supper

Nung maliit ako sobra akong takot na takot sa mga ganito, nangingnig ako sa takot. Actually nagulat pa rin ako when I saw these heads. Medyo natakot pa rin ako pero hindi na bagay sa matanda ang nanginginig.  Ganito lang yung mga life-sized santo na nakikita natin,  nilalagyan lang nila ng damit at kamay.

The artist, Perdigon Vocalan, who died in 2001

I climbed all the way to the roof top where they make Higantes made of papier mache. I no longer went past the top of the stairs kasi I heard a dog barking.

Dito ako nanginig sa takot, kung paano ako bababa. Madulas pa mandin yung kahoy.
Hawak Annie hawak. At baka bumulusok ka paibaba, maging pang-museum ang beauty mo.

Masyado akong nalibang katitingin dun sa gallery, dumidilim na, mamamalengke pa ako sa Taytay.

Matamis talaga ang native mangoes kaysa sa mga kinalburo.

Giant fresh water shrimps, masarap ito isigang

Today was a good day.

I enjoyed looking at the paintings at the Blanco Family Museum. I was able to inhale some fresh air at the top of the hills in Eastridge. I got to explore the eccentric gallery in Balaw-balaw. I was able to go to the palengke. I bought food for my family.
Time to go home, kailangan umabot sa hapunan itong mga pasalubong ko.

Ginataang Hipon from Balaw-balaw

Nagkamali ng order, naging Pesang Dalag, dapat Pinangat na Dalag.

Pansit Bihon from Balaw-balaw. Ang hilig kong magtake-home ng pansit, eh ako lang naman ang kumakain. Hindi sila mahilig dito.

Manggang hilaw at alamang

Busog-na busog kami lahat. Meron pa kaming Puto-bumbong.

At eto ang finale- Ginataang Bilo-bilo from Angono, the best.