Lipa on my mind

Just a little over an hour's drive from Manila is Lipa, one of Batangas' most prominent cities. Most of us primarily know Lipa from its association with former city mayor, Vilma Santos, who is now the provincial governor. But the storied city is more than that. It has history, culture and a character all its own. In fact, they say Lipa is Vigan of the south.

When I visited Lipa a few days ago, I went to San Sebastian Cathedral. I love religious architecture and churches have always fascinated me, so I reminded myself to stop by Lipa Cathedral. Done in the Romanesque tradition, the church's was built from 1865 to 1894 and underwent massive reconstruction after World War 2. While there are older and more intricately-designed churches, what is most interesting with this one is the use of columns and arches in ascending and descending order to create a play of shadow and light.

Another interesting place worth visiting in Lipa is Casa de Segunda Katigbak. For those who aren't much into history, Segunda Katigbak is reputed to be Jose Rizal's first girlfriend, although it couldn't have been more than just a puppy love as both were only in their early teen years when they first met. The ancestral house, which is a mere three-minute walk to Lipa Cathedral, is a designated historical museum by the Department of Tourism. The museum curator and tour guide is one of the granddaughters of Segunda and she said that the house remains Lipa's last bahay-na-bato standing after the Japanese wrecked havoc during the last war. A pity really coz she also alleged that Lipa's ancestral houses rivaled that of Vigan's.

Inside the ancestral home are several old furnitures from a bygone era and photos from generations of Katigbaks. It was like being in a different time altogether and it was a good feeling. With all the media talk about global economic recession and endless wars, to imagine myself in another period was quite comforting...

And hungry! So the next thing I did is find the best lomi place. Yup, I wouldn't leave Lipa without getting myself a bowl of that hot and gooey dish of egg noodles, pork liver slices, kikiam and squidballs. My feet took me to Lomiking, an nondescript panciteria (noodle house) lost in the buzzling market area of downtown Lipa. Man, it was like they purposedly built the place to be dull to keep their greatest secret: mouth-watering lomi!

When I left Lipa, I was left wanting more but hey, I can always go back there anytime I want. Next stop would probably be Blue Roze Farm and Carmelite Church.