Fresh from the cold waters of Taytay Falls in Majayjay, Laguna, I dragged Chie to the nearby town of Lukban, Quezon. From Majayjay terminal, we took the jeep with the signage Lukban, fare is at P 21. The ride was about 15-20 minutes with nothing much to see but farms from all sides and the occasional farmer tugging on his tired-looking Carabao.
 |
The moment I saw this van/jeep several years back on a road trip in Pagsanjan, Laguna, I promised myself I will be able to ride in it someday! Wala lang, cute niya for me. 🙂 |
It is a refreshing sight from the skyscrapers and noisy vehicles I travel with to and from work everyday. At one point when the road was on an upward route, my eyes could see vast plantations of coconuts. I wondered then if there were wanderers who wandered that way and got lost. I sincerely hope there were none!Our first stop was at the Lukban Church. This massive edifice was built in the 1700s. Like many old Philippine churches, this one is just so old that vegetation starting sprouting from practically all over it.
Like most old towns in our country, the church is the center of everything. Not far from the church, we walked straight ahead and located Buddy’s, one of the most popular restaurants in Lukban. It is the home of the famous Pancit Lukban or also known as Pansit Habhab. For P 125, a serving is already good for 2-3 persons. The restaurant also serves different hearty silog meals.
 |
| The very colorful interior of Buddy’s. If offers a nice view of the Patio Rizal. |
Right across Buddy’s you will find Patio Rizal. Patio Rizal is surrounded by old houses. Though in comparison to other towns, I think some of them have been neglected. I was seeing the potential of another heritage sight, more like a mini-version of Taal, Batanggas, if not for the growing business establishments being put up on the lower levels of these magnificent houses.
 |
| Lukban Muncipal Hall |
| Patio Rizal, a place to meet in Lukban |
| Or course, a visit here will not be complete without looking for an old house |
Adjacent to Patio Rizal you can find the town’s municipal hall. It is rather a bleak-looking building compared to other town halls I have visited. However, I still found it charming in a little-town sort of way.It was a little past noon when we were discussing of heading home. But a sudden thought came up in my mind and I just remembered I also need to drop by at Via Dolorosa. Not quite familiar with the place, we hired a trike at P 30.00 per way (back and forth to the town proper) and asked to be brought to Kamay ni Hesus for a short visit.
At last I have seen this famous religious spot. Oftentimes I would hear this being featured on the news especially during Holy Week. Well, I do not want to wait for that time since I am sure we can not have a decent picture taken if there are so many devotees and tourists milling around.
 |
| At Kamay Ni Hesus |
The place is serene and peaceful. We did not stay long since we definitely would not want to appear just cam-whoring in the area. We lingered awhile and gave a small amount of donation. This trip to Lukban is rather short but a little varied on one aspect. I like Lukban now but I am sure on my next visit I will discover more of its hidden treasures.
