Bacolod: the City of Smiles. One need not go far and wide to validate this claim, and there’s more to Negros Occidental’s capital than the Masskara Festival.
Being in a Masskara Festival season it’s expected that hotel rates are at their peak, but accommodations in Bacolod are still very reasonable and chances are there’s one for every budget. As tourists looking for the most accessible and comfortable stay with reasonable rates, we opted for MO2 Westown Hotel along Luzuriaga St. near SM City Bacolod, just a few meters away from Araneta Ave. where the Masskara Festival parade passes. At ₱2,800 per night with complimentary breakfast and Wi-Fi access, I can’t complain:
Our beds
With a nice LCD TV
Complimentary breakfast: small servings which in our case is better because we can try out more varieties of food!
The interesting elevator panel of our hotel
The lobby
Bacolod Cathedral
Like any other old city in the Philippines, Bacolod does have a church in its center. Bacolod Cathedral is relatively young compared to other Cathedrals in other capital cities but it is just as impressive. One of the unique features of this Cathedral is its preference with gold.
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Cathedral of Bacolod, also known as San Sebastian Cathedral
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Historical marker
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Look at the columns’ “golden touch”
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The Altar
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View from the Altar
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The Centennial Belfry outside the Cathedral: the large bell weighs 1,543.5 kgs circa 1866, while the small one weighs 761 kgs circa 1890
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Another view of the Cathedral
Provincial Capitol of Negros Occidental
The Provincial Capitol of Negros Occidental is one of the best looking government buildings I’ve seen in the Philippines. The level of details is just impeccable. In front of it is a park which for me is reminiscent of Manila’s Rizal Park. Like Manila’s, the park is also where the Kilometer Zero of the province is located.
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The Provincial Capitol of Negros Occidental, designed by architect Juan Arellano in 1927 and completed in 1933
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One of the sculptures surrounding the provincial capitol lagoon
War memorial at the plaza
Paghimud-os by the artist Eduardo S. Castrillo, across the Capitol. Behind it is...
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…the kilometer zero marker (which apparently not many locals knew of its location)
The Capitol at night
Night shot of the lagoon where tilapias abound
More
There are many more interesting places around the city but I can only present in photos these two: SM City Bacolod which you can’t miss when you’re downtown, and the traditional-looking Negros Occidental Museum near the Capitol (which is closed every Monday so we weren’t able to enter).
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Negros Occidental Museum near the Capitol
The bridgeway of SM City Bacolod: reminiscent of the old “Megastrip” of SM Megamall
- The Ancestral Houses of Silay City
- The Marvelous Masks of the Masskara Festival
- Touring the City of Smiles, Bacolod City
- Bacolod City Food Trip!
- Victorias’ Secret and the Ruins of Talisay
- The Unexpected Extension
- Bago City and the Flight Back Home
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