My hubby and I enjoyed so much in our one-day Guimaras tour, with Flor, Vic, and Mat-mat. The minute the boat moved swiftly away from the island, I can’t help to look back and be thankful that we explored another beautiful place.
I can’t wait to explore more of Iloilo. My excitement on my second day in the city was still soaring high. While walking away from the wharf along Ortiz Street, Flor halted her steps when we were in front of a well-preserved and beautiful mansion. She told us it was owned by the Ledesma’s. The structure’s design and color were compelling. The white eagles on every post looked like guards protecting the entire house. There were other mansions in the province owned by the Lopezes, Jalandonis, Coseteng, and Montinolas. It’s good that we unexpectedly saw one.
the Ledesma Mansion – one of the popular mansions in Iloilo
At night, we explored Valeria, Delgado, and Solis streets in search of a restaurant or bar to eat. Suddenly I craved for Iloilo’s famous Batchoy so my hubby brought me to Ted’s Oldtimer Lapaz Batchoy near SM Delgado. Special Batchoy costs P75 to which I combined two big pandesal (P8/piece). The bowl was full of tasty soup and yummy noodles. At last, I’ve tasted the original Batchoy which I vowed to eat when I visit Iloilo. And my craving was now satisfied. Namit gid!
a yummy bowl of batchoy
Other restos near SM Delgado are Shakey’s, Sbarro, and Deco’s (to which Batchoy was so delicious too according to my hubby). Buto’t Balat Native Dishes & Seafood, Griller’s Oyster House are found on Solis Street.
one of the popular restaurants along Solis Street
My hubby was so lucky that he tasted all Iloilo’s delicacies in twelve days. He promised to cook binakol (version of chicken tinola) if he goes back home. Binakol is a chicken dish to which its soup is based on sweet water of coconut. Sorry for me that I miss the opportunity to eat it all for I only have three days in the city. I need to go back to taste it all. Haha!
There are three SM malls all over Iloilo. I chanced to visit SM Delgado and SM City Iloilo. There were other malls in the city like Gaisano Mall, Robinsons Place, Amigo Mall (in Amigo Hotel), and Atrium Mall.
SM City Delgado – a view from our glass door
After a heavy breakfast the following morning, we headed to Bischoho Haus in Solis Street to buy pasalubong. It has a large variety of Ilonggo sweets to which Biscocho, a yummy toasted bread with milk and sugar is their specialty. Other delicacies are piaya (mango or ube flavor), butterscotch, galletas, polvoron, otap, barquillos, macaroons, putomanapia, calamares and more. They have boxes of different sizes to store assorted items which can be hand-carried on the plane. Prices depend on their size. It opens at 8:00 am and closes at 6:00 pm.
Biscocho Haus along Solis Street
After buying the foodstuff, we boarded a jeepney (P7 fare) going to Central Market to buy souvenir items which are at a cheaper price compared to the mall. We explored the market with various selections of dried and wet goods like fish, fruits, vegetables, and meat. There were several stores selling souvenir items and handicraft products. We bought a keychain (P35), t-shirts (P200 to P300), magnetic fish (P50), and cellphone accessories (P10). We didn’t find a bag with an Iloilo tag so we headed to Gaisano Mall. But unfortunately, there was no such bag in that store too. In getting back to Amigo Hotel we rode a jeepney (P7) again with signboard Obrero.
our souvenir of Iloilo
One thing I love here in Iloilo was the accessibility of transportation. Indeed the city could easily be navigated on foot. And there’s nothing to worry about asking locals for directions for they were so kind to say the right way. But I was warned to be extra careful if we are in the main city for there were incidents of “snatching” of cellphones.
the popular streets in Iloilo
I was wrong when I said that there’s nothing much to enjoy in Iloilo for there was no known white beach to swim in. But I found out, three days are not enough to explore this city.
Thank you so much Flor for changing my idea about Iloilo. I had a wonderful experience and I am willing to go back for another adventure. I want to eat the yummy native chicken at Tatoy’s restaurant again. I want to experience the gimmick flick in Smallville. I want to taste all Iloilo’s famous foods.
But for now let me end my story by saying these words again, ”Namit Gid!”