The third day of our Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC)/North Philippines Visitors Bureau (NPVB)-sponsored Lakbay Norte 2 media tour did not end with our tiring but rewarding Pinatubo trek and our P.D.C. Spa Town pampering as our media group was invited for dinner at Angeles City in Pampanga, a major provincial destination as almost 3 days of our 6-day tour were to be spent in this history and culture-rich province with its many Spanish and American-era architecture. It was already night time when our special Victory Liner tour bus finally made its way to bustling Angeles City, arriving at its 2-storey Museo Ning Angeles. As dinner guests of the Kuliat Foundation, we were all warmly welcomed at the entrance by Ms. Herminia Pamintuan, wife of City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan; Ms. Joy Cruz and Ms. Prisca Cantor, special projects head and treasurer, respectively, of the Greater Clark Visitors Bureau (GCVB); and museum curator Ms. Jiji Paras.
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| An array of Kapampangan dishes |
The menu was truly impressive with a choice of vegetable salad, paella, chorizo pizza (courtesy of Armando’s Pizza, the Kapampangan pizza), kare-kare, batute (stuffed frog), crabs and kakanin for dessert. We were also regaled with a cultural dance performance by a dance troupe.
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| A night of dance |
Our food caravan didn’t end here as we were still invited to late-evening cocktails sponsored by Mr. Abel Villavicencio of Flying V (a Lakbay Norte 2 tour sponsor) plus an acoustic night-out at Island Grill in Clark with Mr. Gabriel “Bing” Sangil and tourism officer Mr. Angel Maniti. Visibly tired after a full day of hiking, spa treatments and dining, we all thankfully retired to our rooms at the Clark Star Hotel looking forward to the next day. At this juncture, media colleague Gabby Malvar unceremoniously left the tour as he had to bring his ailing daughter Isabel (she had stomach problems) home to Manila for treatment. Check out my Business Mirror article “Tripping on History and Culture in Pampanga.”
Museo Ning Angeles: Old Municipio Bldg., Sto. Rosario St., Angeles City, Pampanga. Tel: (045) 887-4703. E-mail: angelesmuseo_kfi@yahoo.com. Website: www.angelesmuseum.com.
Greater Clark Visitors Bureau (GCVB): The Boardroom Business Center Bldg., 7160 Claro M. Recto Highway, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga. Tel: (045) 499-1146. E-mail: gcvb08@yahoo.com.