A seating Santa is just one of several sculptures that abound in the town plaza of Mulanay, QuezonTwo Santas in one section of the parkAt the town plaza that is!
We were ready to go in search of old houses after photographing various parts of the church of Mulanay, in Quezon’s Bondoc Peninsula when me and Jan got distracted with the red beings at the town plaza.
Another Santa sculpture They were standing, seating, or suspended in the air, in various poses and sizes. These Santa Claus figures were placed in different parts of the town plaza just infront of the church with the belen, the nativity scene, built at the stage. It was rather surreal but provided comic relief to a rather hot and humid noon!
Each corner had a standing Santa. Some were suspended, like riding his sleigh and the other on a rope as if coming down. There was a pair of two Santas lazily lounging atop the makeshift structure built at the side. At the center, was the life sized Santa seated (topmost image).
The old church of Mulanay, built in starting 1861.One of the few old houses in the town Mulanay, by the way, is one of the oldest town in the province of Quezon and was evangelized by the Franciscans as early as 1600. From her fold, other towns grew and separated to become new municipalities over the decades.
Elsewhere, the five level old church is one of only four Spanish colonial era churches in the Bondoc Peninsula. It has a simple facade with few embellishments. Made from coral stones, this structure was built by the Seculars starting in 1861.
Curiosly, there were quite a few old houses in the town. Most that I’ve seen are 70’s to the present with quite a few in the 50s and 60s, unlike in Unisan which has turn of the century structures.
Travel to the Bondoc Peninsula is conveniently done by bus trip from Manila to Lucena’s Grand Terminal where several minibuses and passenger vans service the different municipalities.
It's December and it's not just the cold temperature and shorter days, but almost everywhere in the Philippines, you will almost, always stumble upon something that will remind you of the festive season: Christmas carols on radio, decors in many buildings, malls and houses, vendors selling lanterns and Christmas stuff…
The heightened religious fervor, the devotion and the age old practices just come together and intertwine to produce one of the spectacular Semana Santa (Holy Week) observance that I have seen. Lucban in Quezon is one of the must go to places to witness such events. The hazy yellow green…
Unisan in Quezon's Bondoc Peninsula might not have the elegant old church in its midst but the beautiful heritage houses in its main town give it color, history and identity. These are just some of the structures that make this municipality interesting.
Too bad. I see that much too often while traveling through Asia. Here in Taiwan, there are magnificent traditional courtyard houses in disrepair, and most families will just bulldoze them and build a 5 story apartment complex in it’s place.
estancabigas
much more here where heritage issues are in the background. the philippines have had great architectural heritage. what was left in the aftermath of WWII were demolished or renovated to a way that lost its identity. What is present now are just a few. Its really a sorry state. And I guess, its also the same in other countries unless the government has the will or people are heritage aware.
Francis Morales
Good day Mr Estan,
Thank you by the way in featuring my hometown. I am from Morales/Atevalo family (one of the remaining family who who helped in establishing Mulanay) and also who owns the old house you’re refering too in your photo. We are on the process of deliberating in restoring that ancestral house of ours. It has been there for quite sometime and we hope that it will still be there for the next generations to come. You are welcome to revisit the place again.
Wow the old houses are fascinating! Is there much interest in restoring and preserving them? Great post, thanks for the info!
JR,
I’m not really sure if there’s interest but I do hope there is. Thanx for visiting
Estan
Too bad. I see that much too often while traveling through Asia. Here in Taiwan, there are magnificent traditional courtyard houses in disrepair, and most families will just bulldoze them and build a 5 story apartment complex in it’s place.
much more here where heritage issues are in the background. the philippines have had great architectural heritage. what was left in the aftermath of WWII were demolished or renovated to a way that lost its identity. What is present now are just a few. Its really a sorry state. And I guess, its also the same in other countries unless the government has the will or people are heritage aware.
Good day Mr Estan,
Thank you by the way in featuring my hometown. I am from Morales/Atevalo family (one of the remaining family who who helped in establishing Mulanay) and also who owns the old house you’re refering too in your photo. We are on the process of deliberating in restoring that ancestral house of ours. It has been there for quite sometime and we hope that it will still be there for the next generations to come. You are welcome to revisit the place again.
*Morales/Arevalo
Thanx Francis! That would be wonderful!