“Wow,” Willow commented.“Now I’m super interested to go!I mean, it’s the last surviving ancestral town from a volcanic eruption?Sign me up.”
“I heard about it when I was in college.A few of my friends who’ve been there said it’s comparable to Calle Crisologo of Ilocos,” Sal added.
“Well, that’s another place I want to visit,” Willow said.
Batangas was a convenient two-hour drive from where they were currently staying.When they had arrived, it was obvious this was the place they had been looking for all along.Tall Heritage Town felt like stepping into a time capsule.Genuine old heritage houses stood shoulder to shoulder with their Capiz windows and heavy arch wooden doorways, which lay open to invite visitors inside.
“Theola, you are a genius!”Sal said, embracing Theola.“It never would’ve crossed my mind to consider this place.”
The young lady beamed with pride.“That’s what I’m here for!”Theola exclaimed.
They began walking down Agoncillo Street, the long road in Taal Heritage Town that contained the ancestral houses they aimed to visit that day.Surprisingly, despite the old roots this heritage town boasted, the streets were quiet, and the town seemed empty.Sal had thought that at least a few tourists would be there, and maybe some locals, but that didn’t seem to be the case.There was a need for more tourism in this area, and they could be the ones to revive it.
Their first stop was Tampuhan Café, an ancestral house turned into a café and bed-and-breakfast.Upon first glance, the place looked like a cozy, old Filipino-Spanish home, complete with large capiz windows on the top floor and an open ground floor with two large arched doorways leading to the café.The café had mid-century furniture, probably added over the years, and it made the café rather quirky and gave it its own personality.
They took a quick tour of the house.A narrow stairway led them to acaida, a passageway that served as a hall leading to more private rooms and the terrace.They viewed the quaint bedrooms and a small, separated common area after circling the second floor.The bedrooms boasted old but ornate furnishings, from four-poster beds hung with handwoven white linen, and meticulously wooden carved stools and bed fixtures.An overused copy of the Holy Bible lay on display beside the bed.It looked haunting but beautiful, the same way old paintings with old stories possessed a certain restlessness.
“If this is one of the smaller houses, I can’t wait until we see the others,” Sal said, absorbed with her surroundings, imagining all the possibilities for the art show.
When they finished, they had their brunch at the café and then set off to tour the other ancestral houses neighboring it.
The first ancestral home on their itinerary was Galleria Taal, which housed the vintage camera collection of a Taaleño3named Manny Inumerable.Impressively, the Philippines established it as the first camera museum in the country.Sal was amazed with how well they maintained the house and with the expansive camera collection.She didn’t realize there were so many old and fascinating cameras back in the day.She remembered Willow loved photography, and when she asked her how she liked it, her friend was breathless in awe.
Sal understood.Willow was someone who practiced and loved photography and appreciated interior design.She looked like she was savoring every nook and cranny, and every piece of information.“I have goosebumps,” Willow whispered to Sal as they paced through the wooden house with delicately designed, large salas and photographs lining the halls of Filipinos who were at the pinnacle of the country’s development.
Next, they visited the Apacible Museum, the ancestral home of a pair of brothers from Taal.It sported almost the same elements they had seen in the other houses; only this one was larger and grander.The renovated home had a large sala and an even larger caida, which opened up at the tip of the grand staircase.The rooms had the same Spanish colonial feel with varnished wooden walls and large capiz windows.
When they arrived at the last house, they were sufficiently star-struck.
“Are we on the set of Bridgerton?”Willow gawked.
The last house was, in fact, a wedding gift to a beautiful Filipina back in 1871, and it was every bit the embodiment of old Filipino opulence.The name of the house was the Wedding Gift House.It stood out from its neighbor ancestral homes largely because of the cool contrast of the house’s outer walls.The owners had painted them in Tiffany blue and cream—a gift for a noble lady of an established clan.
“Let’s go in, then.”Sal grinned, equally excited.
The moment they stepped in, Sal knew this was where they would hold their art show.“It’s perfect.”Sal gasped.
The house had everything the other ancestral houses possessed, only it was teeming with more embellished refinement and design.Every room felt gilded in rich colors, shiny wood, golden accents, and magnificent Old World glamour, Filipino style.Its halls were spacious, and the rooms were just as embellished as the sala and dining room.
“This is it,” Sal marveled.“We’re doing it here.”
Now, the only thing they had to do was speak to the owner and ask if they could rent it.“Theola, do you know how we can reach the owner?”Sal asked.
“Oh.”Theola smirked and tilted her head.“I already spoke to the owner, and they’re offering us generous terms.”She winked.
Theola was a goddamn genius, and boy, did she really aim to impress.
Sal hugged her tightly.“Oh my God!I love you.”
Theola giggled.“I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner.I just didn’t want you guys to feel pressured into getting Taal Town,” she said, leading them out.“Let’s head over to their home.I’ll introduce you.”
“How did you convince them to say yes?”Willow asked, probably as impressed with Theola as Sal.
Theola shrugged.“I said it was for a good cause.And they loved the fact that it would attract more people to the town.”
Things were finally looking up.As they walked, she made a mental note to email Rafa as soon as she got hold of her laptop, and to give Theola a bonus; she may have just helped them win this competition.
1.Sibika is Philippine History subject taught back in the old curriculum when Sal was in elementary school
