With the unbridled congestion of the metro and the widespread contamination of our surroundings these days, i would sometimes pray for the abundance of old-fashioned things like fresh air, sunshine and farm lots. Why not? Perhaps, its the most luxurious boon that i can give to myself so i could breath obliviously. Well, talking about fresh air, on one of my occasional explorations, I've discovered a ranch house turned cafe somewhere in the sleepy town of Taal, Batangas where lush greenery and a breath of fresh air was very ordinary. 

A tour in Taal will never be complete without a visit to the local market. I've been coming back to this place once in a while to visit a close friend whose business was to make "panutsa" or "sweet peanuts", another native delicacy of the province, which is distributed in the local market and other neighborhood towns. 

After visiting a number of ancestral homes in Taal, our friend Sir Rogie introduced us to Taal Market and told us about a local store which was famous for having the best Empanada in town. I bought ten pieces of each kind just to try it. They have choices of vegetables and meat empanada.

Welcome to Casa Villavicencio! The last house that we visited during our walking tour in the historical town of Taal. The house of Don Eulalio Villavicencio, a ship captain, and wife Doña Gliceria Marella de Villavicencio. Casa Villavicencio was named the "wedding house" as it was Don Eulalio's wedding gift to his wife Gliceria. The house has been featured in books, national tourism promotions, publications, and as movie / advertising sets.

My favorite among the ancestral homes that we visited during our Taal Heritage Tour is the Galleria Taal. A camera museum with is the first and only in the country. It is located along the main street of Taal, just a tumbling away from the Leon Apacible Museum and the Agoncillo Shrine. It is an ancestral house and a camera treasure trove wrapped into one.

The ancestral home of the Ilagan-Barrion family houses an impressive and vast collection of vintage cameras owned by Mr. Manny Inumerable himself. Apart from the cameras, it also showcase an exhibit of photos by John Silva, John Tewell, George Bonasay and Sonny Camarillo. The exhibit also includes the only known existing photograph of Jose Rizal's execution.

After a sumptuous colonial lunch prepared at Villa Tortuga we proceed to the continuation of our walking tour. This time we set foot on one of the oldest ancestral house in Taal, the Leon Apacible Museum.

According to history, Leon Apacible is a lawyer and a judge of the Court of First Instance of Batangas City. With the proclamation of the Revolutionary Government, Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo appointed him as finance officer of Batangas.

If you have a penchant for history and wish to travel back to the Spanish Era, a tour inside Villa Tortuga is perfect for you. Not only will you experience the feeling of being transported back to another time but you'll enjoy a taste of spanish recipes. I chanced upon this deal online and invited my husband who's a history buff to join the trip.

Doña Marcela Marino Agoncillo is the distinguished Taaleña matron who sew the first Philippine flag, which was waved during the Independence of 1898. The house where she grew up was built by her grandfather, Andres Marino in 1700s. Now the ancestral home was turned into a museum for historical and heritage tours. I've visited the place once during my highschool as part of our educational fieldtrip. 

In its garden stands the bronze statue of Marcela Agoncillo, cradling in her arms her legacy to the nation.

Basilica de San Martin de Tours or Taal Basilica as some would prefer to call it is one of the oldest church in Philippine History. It is also considered as the largest church in Asia, situated in the heart of Taal, Batangas. I always admire the glamour of its facade every time I pass by going to other towns close to it. I've attended several weddings and baptismal in this church but haven't gone further its premises apart from the altar. 

I had the opportunity to join an exclusive tour to this historical town when I saw this deal on a buying site few weeks ago. I was getting addicted to groupons, acquiring trips and gift certificates at discounted prices through vouchers sold online. Actually, I was just expecting a plain tour inside Taal Church itself, but then I was startled when our tour guide started acquainting us to the different areas of the church which is beyond my expectation. 

Basilica de San Martin de Tours 

The sleepy town of Taal is one of the most visited places here in Batangas with it's famous ancestral houses and the magnificent Basilica de San Martin de Tours (Taal Church). The town's rich cultural heritage has been preserved despite the pressures of modernization and it has always been close to my heart.