The breaking of the dawn

Santiago, Isabela

The beauty of nature is truly amazing.... breath taking....and  beyond compare.  Got lucky to have captured this photo while waiting for the coffee being brewed by the staff of the Tabuk Multi Purpose Coop (TAMPCO) hotel at Santiago, Isabela, where we spent the night after a long trip from Aguinaldo, Ifugao on our way back to La Trinidad.  



I love the flat terrain of the City.  Maybe because I am so used of seeing mountains and hills all my life, that a new environment made me feel like wanting to live in that place for some time. Unfortunately, we can not spend more time there since our travel is not intended for that purpose but I'm crossing my fingers that one day, I will get to explore the place and enjoy it's rich culture and sceneries.  

Among the places  I am interested to see are: 

• Calvary Hills and The Chapel of Transfiguration – located at Dariuk Hills, Balintocatoc. The place offers a pilgrimage venue for the Holy Week where life-size Stations of the Cross are presented from the foot of the hill going all the way up to the top where a Chapel was so designed to face the rising sun. The Chapel of Transfiguration offers pilgrims a commanding silence befitting a place of worship and can also be utilized for masses and retreat venues.

• Balay na Santiago – this used to be the municipal hall of Carig, the old name of Santiago, located at Calao West and now serves as a multi-purpose function hall for art and music exhibitions and different occasion. The building itself is of the bahay-na-bato style popular during the Spanish colonial era.

• Santiago Concrete Water Tank (Philippines' Tallest Mural) - This concrete water tank has been a landmark in Santiago City since the early 1970s. It is almost 30 meters high, and towers over the whole city, visible from almost anywhere. It was constructed through the help of then Congressman Delfin Albano of the lone district of Isabela, and under the leadership of then Mayor Dodo Miranda. It was turned into a colorful mural and is now considered a City Heritage Treasure.

• Museo de Pattaradday – this museum at Centro East houses Santiago City’s collection of artifacts, relics, dresses and antique furniture showing the culture and traditions that are typical in this region of Northeastern Luzon.

I guess there are lot more this place could offer.  Hopefully, someone from that place will come across this blog and leave some suggestions or advice as to when would be the best time  to visit and what other places to explore aside from what was mentioned above.