A Road Trip: From Iloilo...To Antique...To Aklan

I have always loved the countryside. During all these years of travelling, especially around the Philippines, the best part for me, is not just arriving at my destination, but enjoying the sceneries while getting there.  Looking out of the window of the car or a bus, and in case of travelling around Korea or Europe, looking out from a window of a train, the farm lands, plantations, villages, rivers and mountains I see along the way are as interesting as the tourist attractions in the city.

                 (Boarding our ferry boat from Bacolod City)

So, as my mom, my sister and I travelled through the western part of the Panay Island en route to Boracay Island, the view of the countryside I saw along the way could be described as the unspoiled Philippines.

(Arriving at the Iloilo Domestic Port)

                                   (Fellow travellers)

(The statue of Nicolas Loney greets everyone at Muelle Loney or Loney Waterfront)

First, we crossed the Iloilo Strait from Bacolod City on an hour’s ride on a ferry boat, then travelled through Iloilo City after stopping for breakfast and visiting our cousins in the Jaro District, wherein, by the way, I found the best bibingka in the Philippines, being baked in front of the historic Jaro Cathedral. That Balasan bingka is a must-taste for everyone visiting Jaro.

                   (I have never been inside Museo Iloilo)

    (St. Clement's Church in Jaro. I used to hear Mass here.)

                 (Ceres Liner buses with trips to Caticlan as well!)

                              (Galletas and biscocho)

Then I was on to my first multi-provincial road trip across the Iloilo, Antique and Aklan Provinces!

We were driving through the western side of the Panay Island and our long journey included stops to visit the Miag-ao Church, a lunch break (our rented van driver must rest, too) and to buy some goodies being sold along the road.  

                                        (Our lunch)

                 (There were some unique birds at our lunch stop)

                                                      (A green parrot)

      (That must be Mount Madja-as covered by white clouds. 
                 It is the highest mountain in Panay Island.)

                       (If it's all sugar cane in Negros Island, 
                           it's rice all over in Panay Island)

                   (Rice seeds being dried along the road)

                    (A man and his carabao preparing a paddy.)

                         (School children along the road)

        (I found the best bandi - peanut brittle - along the road. 
                        They use Grade A peanuts!)

A ferry ride from the Bacolod City pier to the Iloilo Domestic Port, then a land trip to the Caticlan Tabon Boat Terminal took almost ten hours. 

I don't know when my next visit to Boracay Island going to be. But passing this way again, through the sceneries of unspoiled Philippines, will always be a memorable experience I want to relive.