TravelswithCharie

St. Isidore Labrador, Lezo Visita Iglesia (church visit) is one of the traditional Catholic Lenten rituals that is widely practiced in the Philippines. Devotees may choose to visit 7 or 14 churches on Maundy Thursday after the Mass of the Last Supper or on Good Friday . Visiting 7 churches is symbolic of the 7 Last Words of Jesus. Fourteen churches represent the Via Crucis which consists of 14 Stations tracing the journey of Jesus Christ to Calvary. While visiting these churches, devotees pray and reflect on the sacrifice of Christ. Follow this link for the  prayers recited at each station of the cross:  https://www.catholic.org/prayers/station.php Holy Child Parish Church, Makato Holy Child Parish Church, Makato Most of the altars are covered in purple cloak during Lent to express repentance and penance.  Stained glass windows like this one adorn the windows in Makato. St. Joseph the Worker, Numancia St. Joseph the Worker, Numancia St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Kalibo ...

We started our circle island tour in Sigma, Capiz where we gave school supplies (through BalayniCharie Foundation) to the children at Doña Fructuosa Elem School. Our Lady of the Snows From Sigma, it was less than an hour's drive to Dumarao where we visited the pink church of Our Lady of the Snows. Dumarao is the last town in Capiz before reaching the border between Capiz and Iloilo. Santa Barbara convent   The historical church and convent of Santa Barbara in Iloilo is worth a stop to see the beautifully preserved convent with its original wooden floor and wrap-around balcony.  St. Anne's Church Our first stop the following day was at Molo Church or St. Anne's Church which is dedicated to 16 female saints. Their statues adorn the pillars that lead up to the altar.  Miagao Church Miagao Church is one of four Baroque churches designated as UNESCO World Heritage site under the collective title "Baroque churches of the Philippines". It dates back to the 18th century a...

White Beach Two days prior to the scheduled reopening of Boracay, we had the chance to take a day trip to what was hailed as the best island in the world for 2016 by Condé Nast's Readers Choice Awards. And we found this beautiful stretch of powdery white sand with nary a sunbather. The island had been closed to tourists since April 2018 after the President of the Philippines remarked that it had become a “cesspool”. Unchecked growth and the 1.7 million visitors annually had left environmental damage to the tiny island. Nearly 6 months after the closure, Boracay was getting ready to receive visitors again. We took an electric tricycle from the jetty through dusty backroads to get to a drop off point close to White Beach. These e-trikes are a welcome addition to island transportation.         White Beach It was nice to see White Beach free of stalls and vendors. We weren't allowed to eat nor drink on the beach. So we sat under the shade of t...

Lambingan Beach Aklan has many attractions that tourists miss when they head straightaway to Boracay from the Kalibo International Airport. Lambingan Beach is just a few minutes down the road from the airport and the perfect spot to celebrate the blue hour. Or meet locals frolicking on the beach. Tinago Lake Tinago Lake in Batan is aptly named. Tinago means hidden and this lake is well hidden except to those who seek off the grid paths. We met two other visitors when we were in Tinago. It was easy to appreciate the expanse of lake and sky and harness the #bluemind in tranquil surroundings. Bayangan Village, Lezo I enjoy shopping for pottery in this village because the prices are reasonable and the stall owners are open to bargaining and will even give an extra planter or two if you purchase a lot of pottery. Bayangan means "potter's wheel" and Lezo is the pottery capital of Aklan. St. Isidore the Farmer Church St. Isidore the Farmer Church is right...

Aklan is well known as the jumping off point to the blindingly white sand beaches of Boracay. But it has another jewel worth visiting. This is the house that Sam built. Sampaguita Gardens Resort and Spa in New Washington is only a few minutes from the center of Kalibo. It is a beachside complex with a non denominational Meditation Chapel, an Asian fusion restaurant, an aquarium, a Christmas cottage, a children’s playground called Sammy’s Circus, a butterfly farm and the house of Samuel J. Butcher, the creator of Precious Moments. Precious Moments is renowned worldwide for its unique figurines and dolls. You enter Sam’s house through carved doors flanked by two enormous Chinese vases. Inside the cool interior of rich dark wood, is a collection of museum quality furniture and Oriental objets d’art. To the left of the main door, behind a glass panel is the library room with an antique Chinese bed. It has a wooden canopy with intricate carving. It would be difficult to concentrate on readi...