Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

One day, you'll find a way to look back in the past. You'll crave for the old traits of  the filipinos. You will, out-of-nowhere, enchanted to be in a place where you feel memories of the events though you haven't even attended yet but you know you're familiar with. Reading books, listening to the stories of your grandparents and watching television. Those fed us about the moments that can only be found, in the past. 

Us, the modern generation, are very lucky to have a chance to experience the old filipino tradition in one very amazing place somewhere in Bataan. So to make the story short, here's how journeying Rochel conquered living in the past. 

TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE

Last March, 12th day, I was invited in an event which was held in Bagac Bataan and I was also informed that this place is some kind of a retro/vintage which is three times the beauty of Vigan in Ilocos. Well, knowing Vigan is a place of old houses since I've been also there before, I challenged this man if that's true because I'm good when it comes to comparing things especially places and he just said "Ma'am Rochel, to see is too believe". 

I was picked up in Santa Maria Bulacan by a silver Starex at Eight o'clock in the morning, the smoothness of our travel attracted my eyes to slowly rest and have a good nap. And when I woke up, at Eleven, we're about to enter a huge detailed bronze-ish gate of a place called "Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar". I am not that amused until I saw the guards who is wearing the old suits of the filipinos in different styles. Upon entering the gate, the very-retro guard stopped us and told us that we better drop off and wait for jeepney-style-tram, the only vehicle allowed inside to serve as shuttle, to pick up us. The tram dropped us off in the main Building for registration, issuance of room keys, checking of bags etc. And with ecstasy, we quickly headed in our room. 

Time machine was quite fast, huh?! 

The tram

Wish I could live in this kind of village

Heneral Luna, is that you!?

For life is about seeing new places and meeting new faces

From there I met, Cyndell, my room mate, a Kabaro,of course!  It's a nice but very confusing old room where we checked in. Confused on how many percent of the room is concrete and how many percent is not? But to maintain its retro style concept, it deserves a big hand, indeed. In every corner of the room there is an old stuffs, from the bed sheet style, the lights and even the bathrooms. This is a place made by an intelligent man with creative mind, Architect Acuzar. 😊

Pretty Cyndell! 

LCFDA's bridge. 

Ancestral Houses

Had a quick shower in the creepy woody bathroom for our afternoon event. After the event, we were called by one of those illustradas in the place, who looks like Maine Mendoza, to guide our tour. She speaks in purely deep Tagalog and also wearing a filipiñana that made us feel we're really in the past. 

 Illustrada, yaya dub look alike. 

She show us first the place where the scene "Spolarium" of the movie "Heneral Lunal" were taken. And the rest of the houses are the houses of Philippine national heroes. 

"Spolarium" scene venue. I could still remember how much tear I'd cried because of the very heart breaking scene. 

Most of the houses are 10% only of the original ancestral house which means only the doors, ceiling, parts of the wall are actually taken from the real house its representing. The lights of every house are a chandelier of candles, doors are quite huge, she also explains that there is a certain part of every house were intentionally made open for the sunlight. The whole houses are very rich in detailed designs and patterns which is quite rare in our generation. From the ceilings to the walls and bed rails, table, chairs, windows. Guess filipinos are more artistic and creative before than today. 

Look how living room can be this simple back then. 

Lovely ceiling. 

Imagine how happy a filipino family eating together in this kind of dining room. 

In love with huge curtains.

Must still remember the Old Rule 

Before you enter a house, you have to remove your footwear in front of the house to show respect to the owner of the house, one of the old filipino traits that is forgotten nowadays. You can see how clean every houses are. The wood floors are shiny as if they put wax on it but the tour guide clarified that they don't have to because that's one of the purpose of stepping barefooted inside. Since there's only one vehicle allowed inside which seems organic as well, and there's a lots of trees in every corner; you expect a dustless rooms inside.

from the other side

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The time traveler with a bottle of mineral

Hey there, illustrados! 

Don't mind the fats, i mean the fast. 

On the outside, it's very peaceful and tranquil.  It's not just a space but a village of old spaces. Full of flowers and trees. There's a man-made river in the middle of the village were you can ride a boat to explore the whole place. A church at the end of it. A spring type pool in river front. There is also a side of village where I feel like I'm in the other side of earth, like Europe, because of the foreign structures of the buildings.

Gazebo and two illustrados chillin' at the balcony

Oh, there's a spring! 

Uncrowded hallway is what I've always wanted

Venice-ish part of Village

Another bridge and a touristy traveler over there! Er! Er!

Shadowing. 

Friendly neighborhood 

Never ending exploring. 

Village has lots of bridges, huh!

Church soon to open

Where am I!?

Different side in Panorama views.

The useless train. 

Love this one. 

Vintage style night life

Staying overnight in Las Casas is one of the best idea...ever! This place is more romantic at night. With its yellow lights all over the street, cold breeze, stars and of course, dinner. All I thought houses would be kinda creepy when it's dark, but no, it's still the same and more beautiful with its lights. 

Very polite illustrado and illustrado 

Look at the reflections! 

After a whole tiring day of touring and attending an event. Night is a perfect time to have a quick refreshing swim in the spring type pool and another walking-around-the-village. It's not just a place for daytour, it's an alive vintage night life which I enjoyed the most. 

Relaxing hot water dip and a lovey view. 

Back in the room. Took a quick shower again. Had a comfortable bed rest. Woke up the next day for a rush breakfast and left the village at eight. 

Asked their name, it's both "Maria" Whoah! 

Silent night. 

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, a very special place, no it's not a place, it's a sanctuary of past. A place of the old generation for the future generation. Not just an experience but an actual living in the past. . Calm, sincere, genuine love for the past. 

Staying here a very great opportunity, no, it's a pleasure rather. I was amazed, in loved and above all, learned. 

It is true we really don"t know everything about one thing. We are either rich with knowledge and trivia about it based on what we heard and what was told us. Because the feeling of being on it, it's one of those "something" that you wouldn't know until you experienced it. Staying in Las Casas is not just an ordinary lakbay-aral  that I was thinking. It's an illusion of a life from the past that came back. Because of what Mr. Acuzar manifested, from the beautiful houses, to old filipino traits and attitudes, ambiance, dialects and spirit of past life. There's no such thing as "Past in Past" because there is a "Past in the Present"...like this place.