Wednesday, March 04, 2009

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...

7 comments:

falcon116 said...

LOL!

I can't believe that thing is still serving it's purpose. Embarrassing, but this is what I call 'with sentimental value'.

Yes, you can have that as your 'pamana'. You've got the old iron too, so maybe you can pass it on to the next generation. Hope Scott does not throw that away. Didn't that come with a twin? Weren't there two of them? The other one is all red? What happened to those two happy and sad wooden faces (mask)? Are they still alive?

Keshi said...

hey Shnaggy u've gotta come over to my blog and check out my LATEST friend! ur gonna LOVE her :) I was thinking of u when I wrote that post!

post: http://keshigirl.blogspot.com/2009/04/ive-been-over-rainbow.htmlKeshi.

Keshi said...

ty for comin over luv :)

I fed her some food initially but my boss asked me not to...cos we really dunno if the owner wud like that and what kinda allergies that Snuggles might hv. So i dun feed her anymore...but I feel sad when she sits around and goes back w.o. a treat! Still, she visits me. Thats how sweet she is!


Abt this post...old is gold. May not work after some time, but the sentimental value of such things r priceless! :)

My love to Kookie!


Keshi.

Nabeel said...

I love visiting ruins and mansions .. they have always been palaces, and built for comfort, kings like living, and the architecture was always focused toward art and sculpting. In my country there's a city called Mohenjodarro, a few thousand year old civilization.

Anonymous said...

i have antiques too, hmmmmnnn sa ako nalang kaha na. bweeeee...
bing

shnaggy said...

hoy ebing...hing tungha lagi ka...na mao bya jud na ila gamit til this day...antique na jud na...ako na ng kabilin ai...

musta naman ka oie. pa laaga na pud ko diha b labon pirmi ga sale and cebupac. sila yeng mu abot 2nd week dec. pwede mi mo hire nimo?jejeje...

Nabeel said...

Hmm, no new post from you, for a while now. Hope all is well :)

Eid Mubarak