Daily Archives: 3 April, 1999

Rodriguez/Gala Residence (Sariaya, Quezon)

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Saturday was a rest day, so we decided to go swimming at the  private swimming pool of the Rodriguez/Gala Residence.  Designed by Arch. Juan Nakpil, this American-era residence was built in the 1930s by Dr. Isidro Rodriguez (a relative of Jun) and Dona Gregoria Gala and its furniture was designed by Gonzalo Puyat.

Rodriguez/Gala Residence

In the 1940s, during the war, its second floor was occupied by Japanese Army officers (the family stayed at the ground floor) and was bombed during the liberation.  The first bomb exploded in the front gate, the second blasted a huge, 20-ft. deep hole (from where the big swimming pool was built) and the third, a dud, went through the roof and got stuck in the stair banisters.

Swimming at the Rodriguez/Gala Residence

Before leaving Sariaya, we decided to take home some of the  towns famous mazapan sweets for pasalubong. Sariaya’s other pasalubong options include pinagong apas (turtle-shaped bread), espasol, broas, ube halaya and agit-it and woven buntal and buri products.  We also visited the Sina-Una Arts and Antique Shop along the national highway (in front of the public market).  Antiques sold here include wood carvings, period furniture, cherubs, aparadors, ceramics, angelitos and santos.  

Rodriguez/Gala Residence: 44 Rizal St., Sariaya, Quezon

Good Friday Parade of Carrozas (Sariaya, Quezon)

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The Sto. Entierro
After our visita iglesia in Tayabas and Lucban, we drove back to Sariaya, in time for the traditional Good Friday parade of carrozas (carriage) at 5 P.M..  This parade, a tableaux from the ministry, passion and death of Christ, was accompanied by a huge crowd of devotees.
 
 
At the parade were about 15 tastefully-designed, silver-plated and antique carrozas (or andas) of different sizes, some grand and ostentatious beyond comprehension, and festooned with floral arrangements.  All are pulled by devotees as they navigated the streets of Sariaya in a long and winding procession after attending the late afternoon holy mass.  
 
 
Each carroza carried different images including colorfully decorated statues of heirloom santos (saints), the town’s patron saint Francis of Assisi among them, all resplendently attired with expensive finery, and the Sto. Entierro (meaning “holy burial”), glass case of the dead Jesus Christ in state.  According to Jun, one of the carrozaswas donated by his family.  The parade ended at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi.  After the procession, eager Sariayahins try their best to get the decorations and flowers (which they place in the altars of their homes) from the carrozas, especially those from the Sto. Entierro.