the ruins, bacolod city

i have always asked why most of the streets in my country were named after people and wanted to know who they are...

last sunday we woke up early to send off our unico hijo, scott, on his first ever on-board training. we usually wake up very late on a sunday, so after sending off our son we were left with no plans the whole morning. driving back home, we saw this sign that says THE RUINS. we just suddenly turned left and thru the sign and my oh my... how clueless have we been... for almost two years living in this city only now did we unearth this part of bacolod city's history. not to mention that we were living just closeby, a couple kilometers perhaps. we only had our cellphone cameras with us so i used my sunglasses lens for a better old school effect. have a look:

this mansion was built as an inspiration after the death of his portugese wife in the early 1900s whom the owner, the sugar baron named don mariano ledesma lacson met in macau. this residential structure is of italianate architecture and was the largest at that time. but it has met its fate during the WWII when USAFFE burned down the mansion to prevent the japanese forces from inhabiting it and probably make it as their headquarters.

these days, it has become a cafe where people could dine and relax with its breathtaking view and sprawling gardens. it also has a mini-18-whole golfcourse which the don has made at that time.

lacson street in bacolod is the most famous street cuz it is the mainstreet of the city and in october, for a week, it will transform as an al fresco cafe and the site of the mardi gras during the MASSKARA festival. so i take to it that this must be the guy, or his dad's dad perhaps that was

named after Lacson street...

and so the tale of my family's "ruins" is a different story. here is a photo of our most embarassing thermo bottle. the one that travelled with us during many summer vacations. supposed to be ruined, forgotten, and left gone. older than our big brother. embarassing cuz everytime family visitors come by, we have to use it to serve coffee. and it is just very old, faded and hideous!!!
but when my mum retired and moved in the city, shockingly, they still have that old, loyal thermos with them. over the years, when we visit them, on the first breakfast we would all chorus "until now it's still alive!?!?what the..." of course it is alive, because the newer versions of thermoses and its copycats doesn't last long. when my kiddo was still a baby, it took only less than a year that his thermos broke. but this...this old, ragged, dark gray and red thermos is still alive and willing to serve even my son's offspring...and now it still shines...the mighty old embarassing thermos was there when i visited my folks last february, dutifully serving my hot coffee with BOB'S CAFE dinner rolls...now part of my family's heirloom. and bros and sis!!!doncha even evah think of it!!! it has now become an antique in its own right. a priceless possesion of mum and dad...it will live to tell a story...and connect the past to future generations...