We decided to visit Taal town after our Corregidor trip. We were bitten by the history bug and wanted to visit places that have withstood the ravages of time and war. Vigan was a good choice, but we did not have that much time, so someone suggested Taal in Batangas.
So one rainy day we all hopped on a bus bound for Lemery, Batangas in order to explore Taal. When I told my companions where we were going, there was confusion over Taal in Tagaytay and our destination, Taal in Batangas.
This old church may look gray and old on the outside, but inside one can see the trome l'oiel adorning it's ceilings and walls.
What I love about this church is that the baptistry is still in use. Very few old churches like these still use them and it's nice to see this one preserved.
The antique bell, now sitting in the courtyard. I'm not sure how to get access to the bell tower, but when we were there I saw some people up there. It must give an awesome view since structurally, Philippine churches have been built on high ground where you can see the whole countryside from it's bell towers.
I wasn't able to take a picture of Escuela Pia beside the church because there was a program going on during that time. One thing I love about Taal is that there is rarely any vehicle traffic which makes it ideal for walking around the quiet town. There are a lot of heritage houses, some have been converted into museums and some into bed and breakfasts. The museums were closed since it was a Sunday, and we had no plans (or budget haha!) to stay overnight. So after a quick munch of street food from the town plaza in front of the church, we headed home.
Taal is also famous for it's balisong or hand crafted knives. They have been commissioned to make swords for some famous Hollywood films, like the Lord of the Rings. We were able to buy a few for gifts and they were quite inexpensive. For international travelers, I don't know if you can bring them out of the country though since they are considered deadly weapons.
Now how to get to Taal in Batangas. Hop on a bus going to Lemery and tell the bus conductor that you are going to Taal. The bus will drop you at a junction and from there you can ride a jeep going in Taal town proper, or you can ride a tricycle to drop you off San Martin de tours. Travel time will take around three to four hours if you are coming from Manila. We just rode from Turbina, in Calamba and it still took us two hours to get to Taal. There really isn't much traffic, it's just that the bus makes a lot of stops along the way.
For budget, if you're not staying overnight you will spend just for the transportation since there isn't any entrance fees that you need to pay. For Food, there are a lot of eating places and there is a 24hour convenience store near the basilica. A must try is the tapang Taal (cured beef) and empanadas (small pastries) filled with sweet potatoes (kamote). Also, wear comfortable shoes and clothes since the best way to explore the town is on foot.
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