The Backpack Adventures

Located at Elias Angeles Street, Naga City in the province of Camarines Sur, Naga Metropolitan Cathedral is one of the historical Catholic churches found in what is dubbed as the Pilgrimage City of Naga.  Naga Metropolitan Cathedral Naga Metropolitan Cathedral History Constructed in 1575 and finished four years later, Naga Metropolitan Cathedral , also called the  Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John served as a sanctuary and pilgrimage destination for generations of pilgrims.  Porta Mariae Naga Metropolitan Cathedral as seen from Porta Mariae Naga Metropolitan Cathedral facade Still looks Holy despite being black Naga Metropolitan Cathedral sustained heavy damage in 1856 due to a strong typhoon and also from the earthquake of 1887. It was quickly repaired by the locals. Despite this time and Mother Nature still took its toll on the church particularly its facade. Finally, in 1987, the cathedral underwent restoration works meant to bring back its g...

Day 2: May 22, 2019 Naga City to Camalig 2019 Bicol Road Trip: Day 2 I woke up to a very fine morning here in Naga City. Well, apparently they're all busy at the moment... The plan was to wake up early to take a stroll around the hotel and visit the nearby churches and plazas. However, everyone seems to have enjoyed the comfy bed, so in the end, I was the only one who went through with the plan.  Long-time no see Jorge! I did a quick visit to the nearby Barlin Plaza to give respect to the country's first Catholic bishop. The plaza is very small and one won't be able to do much except read the historical marker placed there.  The Porta Mariae The Naga Metropolitan Cathedral as seen from the Porta Mariae Black is the new color for the Naga Metropolitan Cathedral Breakfast at White Bean Cafe I then doubled back and headed to Naga Metropolitan Cathedral to revisit the church and the Porta Mariae (arch) and also attend the morning mass. Aft...

INTRO May has always been my family's travel month. Last year , we've spent half the month exploring the Kansai Region of Japan . For this year, we decided to do a five-day road trip to the Bicol Region here in the Philippines.  2019 Bicol Road Trip: Day 1 The original plan was to explore the different destinations in the province of Albay, particularly those in the hometown of dad in Camalig. Aside from that, we'd also visit select places in the province of Camarines Sur and Sorsogon. We'll also use this opportunity to visit my 90+-year-old grandmother and my father's siblings who are living in Bantunan, Camalig. In the next few weeks, I will be posting articles about each day of our family adventure and also individual articles about the different places that we have visited during that time so tag along as we spend five days exploring the Bicol Region. Day 1: May 21, 2019 Off to Naga City Are you game for a long drive? Passing through the Que...