Christ Church Cathedral (Vancouver, Canada)

Posted on 19 July, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Christ Church Cathedral

Just 650 m. from the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary is the gorgeous Christ Church Cathedral. The second cathedral church of the Anglican Diocese of New Westminster of the Anglican Church of Canada, it is a daughter church of St. James’ Anglican Church.

Check out “Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary“

High rise buildings surround the cathedral

Set among high-rise buildings, Christ Church Cathedral is the Regimental Church of the Seaforth Highlanders and is in the process of being designated Regimental Church of the BC Regiment, Duke of Connaught’s Own. It is also the church at which the British royal family worships when in Vancouver.

Grace and Kyle

The author and Jandy

Here is the historical timeline of the cathedral:

On December 23, 1888, the first service was held, without a church building, at 720 Granville Street.
On February 14, 1889, a building committee was formed to collect the necessary funds for the erection of the church to be located on land bought from the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). A key negotiator in acquiring the property is Henry John Cambie, chief engineer of CPR’s Pacific Division and people’s warden of the new church.
By October 1889, Christ Church’s basement was built
On October 6, 1889, the opening service was held for 52 parishioners.
By 1891, the CPR objected to the unfinished building that had quickly been nicknamed the root house. It was viewed an “eyesore” and the parishioners feared they would lose their location due to lack of funds to complete the building.
In 1892, the architect Robert Mackay Fripp submitted a proposal for completion of the church.
On July 28, 1894, after a financing scheme was developed by a parishioner, the cornerstone was finally laid.
On February 17, 1895, the church was dedicated.
In 1905, a balcony, covering the narthex area and containing a wood railing in a Gothic pattern, was added
By 1909, the first expansion was done.
By 1911, the first organ, which used a human blower hired at $5 per month, had already worn out and was replaced by the new Robert Hope-Jones Organ manufactured by Wurlitzer.
In 1920, electricity replaced candles for lighting.
In 1929, the Archbishop of New Westminster constituted Christ Church as the Cathedral Church of the diocese replacing Holy Trinity Cathedral located in the City of New Westminster.
In 1937, the bronze lanterns now in the church were installed at the nave.
In 1949, after many building alterations, the $30,000 Casavant Freres organ, constructed partially of recycled wood, surplus war surplus parts and remnants of the Wurlitzer, was installed. It had more than 2,700 pipes and a 600 lb. motor.
In 1971, the church membership voted to demolish the building and replace it with a hi-rise tower complex designed by Arthur Erickson. The redevelopment was opposed by the public.
In 1976, after much lobbying, the cathedral was named a Class A Heritage building in the municipality of Vancouver and the Province of British Columbia.
In 1995, an eleven-year program of restoration and renewal was begun.
During the spring and fall of 2004, the Kenneth Jones tracker organ was installed.
In 2004, the church was extensively upgraded and the original fir flooring, cedar tongue and groove ceiling and stained glass windows were restored.
In November 2016, a bell tower was inaugurated.

The Gothic Revival style, sandstone facade

The church, built in the Gothic Revival style (with Romanesque and Tudor details), has a granite and sandstone façade and is laid out in the classic Latin Cross plan.

The cathedral’s stunning interior

Its stunning interior, circumnavigated by wood wainscoting with a quatrefoil cornice, has a beautiful and spectacular hammer beam truss (in the style of English halls and churches dating back to the 1300s) ceiling made of cedar planking and ceiling beams.

The spectacular hammer beam truss and ceiling

Its 32 beautiful stained glass windows depict Christ-centered themes, famous people and World War I.

Christ the King and other scenes (Clayton and Bell, Buckinghamshire, England)

The floor was constructed out of old growth Douglas fir. Wood arches and tracery details separate the side aisles from the nave.

Tree of Life (Susan Pointe)

The modern, semi-abstract “Tree of Life,” spanning 5 stained glass windows (the tallest is 19 ft. high) at the back of the church, was created, in brown tones, by aboriginal Musqueam artist Susan Pointe, executed by Yves Trudeau (of Studio One Glass Art) and dedicated on April 5, 2009. It depicts salmon (in 4 of the panels) and waters at the base, leaves and trees in the central portion and mountain and birds above.

The Chancel Window (N.T. Lyon Co. Toronto)

Another three stained glass windows, of three disciples of Jesus Christ, were designed by the famous William Morris of England, the most celebrated champion of 19^th century “Arts and Crafts” Movement.

The Crucifixion of Our Lord (John Bell and Sons, Bristol, England)

The open glass and steel bell tower, at the northeast side of the cathedral, has a zinc roof. Its four church bells, cast in France, are rung daily at 8 AM and 6 PM and before church services.

The open glass and steel bell tower

The spire glass features a design by Canadian artist Sarah Hall. A venue for musical performances, the church’s acoustics are phenomenal and the Choral Eucharist (10:30 AM) and Georgian Chant Services (9:30 PM) are performed every Sunday.

The author

The Celtic cross, which is found on both the cathedral’s exterior and interior, represents the roots of the Anglican Communion in the British Isles. The spindle whorl and the three salmon in the style of the Coast Salish Nation, represent the First People of Canada and the original inhabitants of the west coast.

The Celtic Cross

The Greek letters Chi (X) and Rho (P), in the center, are the initials of the words Christus Rex (Christ the King). The motto “I hold before you an open door” (Revelation 3:8) is the title of the first sermon preached by Rev. H. B. Hobson, the rector, in the cathedral on December 23, 1888.

The tracker organ designed by Kenneth Jones in Ireland

The beautiful and huge tracker organ, in the south gallery of the cathedral, was built in 2003 by Kenneth Jones in Bray, Ireland, and installed, over 10 days, in April 2004. It is the first Christ Church Cathedral organ custom built to speak with optimum effect in the sanctuary. It comprises a three manual console and 2,500 pipes (1,700 salvaged from the Casavant Freres), wooden trackers and intricate parts sourced from all over Germany.

The fine, carved stone reredo, dedicated in 1923 as a World War I memorial, took almost two years to complete. Depicted in this stone screen are St. Martin of Tours, St. Lawrence and St. John the Baptist.

Christ Church Cathedral: 690 Burrard Street , Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 2L1, Canada. Tel: +1 604-682-3848. E-mail: reception@thecathedral.ca. Website: www.thecathedral.ca. Open Mondays to Fridays, 10 AM to 4 PM. Admission is free but donations are welcomed. Coordinates: 49°17′03″N 123°07′13″W.

How to Get There: the cathedral, located right across the Burrard Skytrain Station, is located on the northeast corner of West Georgia Street, directly across from the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver in Downtown Vancouver. It is also a 3-min walk from the Vancouver Art Gallery

Cathedral Square (Vancouver, Canada)

Posted on 18 July, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Facing the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, Cathedral Square is a public plaza in downtown Vancouver filled with magnolias and ginkgo trees. It was designed by Bruno Freschi and completed in 1986, just in time for the World’s Fair, as a component of a major BC Hydro underground substation on the site which supplies power to the downtown core.

Check out “Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary”

Cathedral Square

Just north of its reflecting pool and fountain are six pillars that support a canopy structure (which previously had protective glass for inclement weather protection, but it was removed due to upkeep costs) over a paved, terraced area with seating.

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary as seen from the square

In May 2021, the under-utilized plaza had a makeover that helped activate the space into a site of renewal and celebration, becoming a re-energized public space that will celebrate the visual culture of the three local nations – Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh.

The reflecting pool

The square’s six massive concrete cylinder columns at the northeast corner of the intersection of Dunsmuir Street and Richards Street, just across from the cathedral, were used as a blank canvas for a First Nations-themed mural called “Blanketing the City IV,” the fourth in a series of first large-scale public art collaboration between weaving artists. Other past works were applied to the two pillars of the Granville Street Bridge, below Granville Island, and the southern facade of the former Biltmore Hotel at 395 Kingsway, now used as supportive housing.

Mural of “Blanketing the City IV”

The design of the installation, organized by the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association and the Vancouver Mural Festival, is a collaboration between Musqueam artist Debra Sparrow (involved in the revival of xʷməθkʷəy̓əm or Musqueam weaving for 25+ years), Squamish chief and accomplished weaver (co-founder of the L’hen Awtxw Weaving House) and teacher Janice George (Sḵwxwú7mesh) and the Tsleil-Waututh’s Angela George (səlilwətaɬ) who has dedicated her career to the betterment of First Nations people and communities.

Cathedral Square: 566 Richards St, Vancouver, BC V6B 1X4.

Waterfront Station (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)

Posted on 17 July, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Waterfront Station

The stunningly grand and majestic, 6-storey, 146-m. (480-ft.) long Waterfront Station (Station Code: WF), located on Burrard Inlet, is a major intermodal public transportation facility and the main transit terminus in Vancouver. It is within walking distance or the vicinity of Vancouver’s historical Gastown district, Canada Place, Vancouver Convention Centre, Harbour Centre, Sinclair Centre, the Vancouver Harbour Flight Centre float plane terminal (approximately two blocks west of Canada Place), the heliport operated by Helijet, (adjacent to the SeaBus concourse, therefore allowing passengers to connect to Waterfront Station‘s main terminal building) and the downtown campuses for Simon Fraser University and the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

The row of Ionic columns

The current Neo-Classical-style main station building, designed by Barott, Blackader and Webster (a Montreal architecture firm) and built by Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), is CPR’s third station. It replaced a smaller station, built in the 1890s and previously located at the foot of Granville, one block west, built in chateau-like “Railway Gothic” style like the CPR’s many railway hotels. Its symmetrical red-brick facade is dominated by a row of smooth, white limestone Ionic order columns which are repeated in the grand interior hall, flanking the perimeter of the space.

The Neo-Classical-style facade

The main hall features two large clocks facing each other high on the east and west walls while paintings depicting various scenic Canadian landscapes, by Adelaide Langford (wife of a CPR executive), line the walls above the columns.

One of two large clocks at the Main Hall

Rouge Kitchen & Wet Bar, on the street level, occupies the east wing. Other restaurants located within the station include A&W, Jugo Juice, La Prep, Subway, Starbucks and SKK Italy. On the upper floors, some rooms are occupied by business offices.

Rouge Kitchen & Wet Bar

Subway and Jugo Juice

The bronze statue of Angel of Victory, one of an originally identical trio (the other two angels are in Winnepeg and Montreal), at the front of the extreme east end of the building, was created by Couer de Lion MacCarthy (1881-1979) and was installed in 1921.

Angel of Victory (Couer de Lion MacCarthy)

A war memorial honoring CPR employees who were killed during World War I, it depicts an angel carrying a dead soldier to heaven. At one time, she was holding s small wreath in her raised hand but, at some point, the wreath was broken and now she holds just a few leaves in her hand. After World War II, the writing on the plaque at the base of the statue was added.

Historical Plaque

Here’s the historical timeline of the station:

On May 1912, the construction of Waterfront Station began
On August 1, 1914, right at the start of World War I, the station was opened as the Pacific terminus for the CPR’s transcontinental passenger trains to Montreal, Quebec and Toronto, Ontario. Canadian soldiers, on their way to the war, departed on this depot.
In 1916, the paintings lining the walls above the columns were completed.
On May 29, 1939, residents welcomed King George VI and Queen Elizabeth here (British Columbia’s first visit by a reigning monarch)
In 1977, Waterfront Station‘s transformation into a public intermodal transit facility began.
In 1977, SeaBus began operating out of a purpose-built floating pier that was connected to the main terminal building via an overhead walkway above the CPR tracks.
In 1978, when Via Rail took over the passenger operations of the CPR and the Canadian National Railway, it continued using both railways’ stations in Vancouver
In 1979, Via Rail ceased using this CPR station when it consolidated its Vancouver operations at Pacific Central Station, the CN station near False Creek.
On October 27, 1979, the last scheduled Via Rail passenger train to use Waterfront Station departed, with 200 passengers (plus 50 train aficionados who tagged along to Mission), for Montreal, 15 mins. late.
In the early 1980s, the CPR’s passenger platform and some of its tracks were torn up to make way for the guideway of the original SkyTrain line (Expo Line).
On December 11, 1985, the Expo Line was opened.
During Expo 86, SkyTrain operated special shuttle trains between Waterfront Station and Stadium–Chinatown Station(then named Stadium station), connecting the Canadian Pavilion at Canada Place to the main Expo site along False Creek.
In the early 1990s, Royal SeaLink Express, a private ferry company, ran passenger ferries from a new dock on the west side of the SeaBus terminal to Victoria and Nanaimo but ultimately folded.
In 1995, platforms were built adjacent to the SkyTrain station for the West Coast Express, which uses the existing CPR tracks. The platforms for the West Coast Express were built in the same location as the old CPR platforms.
In 2002, Millennium Line trains began to share tracks with the Expo Line at Waterfront Station.
In 2003, HarbourLynx began operating out of Royal Sealink’s old facility at the SeaBus terminal.
In 2006, following major engine problems with their only vessel, HarbourLynx folded as well.
In late 2016, an Expo Line branch to Production Way–University station was created in replacement of the Millennium Line service between VCC–Clark and Waterfront Station.
In 2009, the Canada Line opened
In 2018, as most Canada Line stations were built with only up escalators initially, TransLink announced that Waterfront Station‘s Canada Line platforms, as well as two other stations on the line located within Downtown Vancouver, would receive an accessibility upgrade which includes additional escalators.
In early 2019, construction began on the additional escalators
In December 2019, the installation of additional escalators was completed.
In 2020, work on replacing the escalators connecting to the Expo Line was started by TransLink.
For three weeks in June 2020, access to the Expo Line from Cordova Street was closed, forcing passengers to access the Expo Line from the Howe Street entrance. Because the construction blocked access to the elevators to the Expo Line platforms, a temporary shuttle bus service between the SeaBus terminal, the main concourse area, and Burrard Station was instated.

Ionic columns inside the main hall

Waterfront Station was one of the first stations to receive TransLink’s “T” signage (denoting a transit station). Originally installed in the downtown core of Vancouver, this signage helped visitors during the 2010 Olympics as it made transit hubs easier to identify.

Waterfront Station serves as a common terminus point for both the Expo Line (through Vancouver to Northeast/South Burnaby, New Westminster and Surrey) and the Canada Line (through Vancouver to central Richmond and Vancouver International Airport). They have separate platforms which are accessible via the main station building, but require leaving the fare paid zone when transferring between other modes.

The SeaBus passenger ferry, to Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver, stops on the Vancouver side at Waterfront Station, near the Vancouver Convention Centre. Additionally, Waterfront Station provides West Coast Express commuter rail (Port Moody, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Pitt Meadows, Maple Ridge and Mission) a connection to the SeaBus passenger ferry. The station is also accessible to various local, suburban, and express bus services provided by TransLink.

Escalator to Expo Line

Expo Line

Waterfront Station: 601 West Cordova St. (between Granville and Seymour Sts.), Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 1G1, Canada. The station has also two street-level entrances – Howe Street to the west (for direct access to the Expo Line) and Granville Street to the south (for direct access to the Canada Line). Coordinates: 49°17′09″N 123°06′42″W

Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (Vancouver)

Posted on 17 July, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary

Five days after our arrival in Vancouver, Grace, Jandy, Kyle and I had our first mass at the late 19th-century, 700-pax Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary.

Grace and Kyle making their way into the cathedral

Commonly known as Holy Rosary Cathedral, serves as the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver. Located in the downtown area of the city, it is listed on the Vancouver Heritage Register and is a legally protected building.

The cathedral’s French Gothic Revival style facade

Designed by architects Thomas Ennor Julian and H.J. Williams in the classic cruciform form (with narthex, nave, transepts and an apsidal chancel), it was constructed under the charge of R. P. Forshaw and Company and the church was completed in just 491 days. At the time it was finished, the building was praised as “the finest piece of architecture west of Toronto and north of San Francisco.”

The right side of the cathedral

The left side of the cathedral

Here’s the historical timeline of the cathedral:

In June 1885, the parish was established with Father Patrick Fay, the chaplain to Canadian Pacific Railway(CPR) workers, chosen as pastor.
In 1886, construction began for a wooden church
In 1888, the wooden church was completed the following year and blessed.
In 1890, the church was enlarged and a bell tower was added.
On July 16, 1899, the cornerstone for the new church was laid by Archbishop Adélard Langevin of Saint Boniface.
In the autumn of 1900, the cathedral’s pipe organ was inaugurated.
On October 21, 1900, the church’s seven bells were blessed
On December 8, 1900, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the new Church of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary was opened and was blessed the day after by Archbishop Alexander Christie of Portland, Oregon.
In 1906, eight bells were reinstalled in the cathedral
In 1911, on Dominion Day, the church’s bells were rung, the first peal ever to be rung in Canada .
In 1916, the church was elevated to the status of a cathedral.
In February 1922, a funeral requiem mass was said at the cathedral for beloved local lifeguard and swim instructor Joe Fortes. The cathedral filled to capacity, with thousands of others braving the rain and cold weather to view the funeral procession on the streets of Vancouver.
In 1927, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI), which administered the parish since 1893, left after difficulties arose from the mortgage agreement that had helped pay for the construction of the cathedral. This was coupled with the “growing manpower shortage” caused by a declining number of members joining the order.
In late 1932, the “tin scales” that covered spire of the taller steeple were cleaned and repaired, and the cross atop of it was repainted.
In 1936, it hosted an archdiocesan-level Eucharistic Congress, the first congress ever to be celebrated in Western Canada.
In 1939, a funeral requiem mass was said at the cathedral for Pope Pius XI.
On October 7, 1952, the feast of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, a gunman entered the church and fired a round from his rifle at the altar. No one was hurt and he was arrested shortly after.
In April 1959, a minor tilt in the bell tower of the cathedral was detected probably due to the drilling and blasting of a nearby tunnel.
On October 3, 1953, the rite of consecration as a cathedral, officiated by the Archbishop of Vancouver William M. Duke, was held. The subsequent solemn pontifical Mass was celebrated by Michael Harrington, the Bishop of Kamloops. Approximately 35 bishops from across Canada and the United States attended the event, which coincided with Duke’s golden and silver jubilees of his priestly ordination and consecration as a bishop, respectively.
In 1961, a funeral requiem mass was said at the cathedral for former Vancouver police commissioner William Cameron Murphy.
In the 1960s, after the Second Vatican Council, the reordering of the sanctuary took place.
In 1967, an interfaith requiem was held at the cathedral for former Governor General of Canada Georges Vanier.
In September 1981, a funeral requiem mass was said at the cathedral for internationally-acclaimed actor Chief Dan George of the Tsleil-Waututh
On September 19, 1984, Pope John Paul II visited the church as part of his pastoral visit to Canada. Refurbishing took place prior to his visit.
From 1995 to 1997, the cathedral was completely re-roofed, with zinc being utilized on the roof to resemble slate.
In 1999, the organ was dismantled and transported to Casavant Frères in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec for a two-year restoration.
In Easter of 2000, the rehabilitated pipe organ was blessed. That same year, an organ concert series was hosted at the cathedral for the first time.
In late September 2001, the cathedral became the first place in Canada to host the relics of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux during her reliquary’s three-month-long tour of the country.
In December 2002, some of the carpeting was removed and replaced with Italian ceramic tiles.
From 2004 to 2006, the inside of the church was repainted.
On April 1, 2005, a funeral requiem mass was said at the cathedral for Pope John Paul II.
On March 23, 2008, during an Easter Sunday Mass at the cathedral, First Nations protesters disrupted the mass by demonstrating on the outside steps. They ordered the Church to “get off native land” and demanded that they disclose the burial locations of children who died in residential schools.
On February 12, 2010, the cathedral’s bells were rung during the opening of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver
On October 30, 2011, a splinter group from the Occupy Vancouver movement marched to the cathedral from the Vancouver Art Gallery, attempting to enter the cathedral and occupy it but were thwarted by Vancouver police officers and Knights of Columbus.
In the spring of 2017, the copy of the bronze sculpture Homeless Jesus by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz was installed in front of the cathedral.
In 2018, new light fixtures, pews and an upgraded sound system were added.
On March 22, 2020, as a result of the Archdiocese suspending all public masses starting from March 21 onwards, in response to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic, Sunday Mass was celebrated without a congregation for the first time in the cathedral’s history.
In June 2020, public masses at the cathedral resumed with capacity reduced to 50 people per Mass in order to adhere to the physical distancing requirements set out by the provincial health authorities.

The 49 m. (161 ft.) long, 32 m. (104 ft.) wide (across the transepts) and 19 m. (62 ft.) high (from floor to ceiling) cathedral, built in the French Gothic revival style, has been described as resembling the medieval Chartres Cathedral in France. Cruciform, in the shape of the Latin cross, it is 19 m. (62 ft.) across the nave and the aisles.

The taller bell tower

Its foundations were made of granite while its exterior walls were built from sandstone originating from Gabriola Island. The cathedral’s “most prominent visual feature” is its two asymmetric bell towers. The taller, 66 m. (217 ft.) high steeple was originally designed to have flying buttresses at the bottom.

The cathedral interior looking towards the main altar

The cathedral interior looking towards the choir loft

The nave arcades at the interior which, in turn support a Gothic tunnel vault, are supported by Norman columns made from highly polished, red Scagliola marble. Non-structural ribs decorate the vault, with simple molding accenting the intermediate ribs.

Left side aisle

Right side aisle

The cathedra, situated at the center of the sanctuary, is surrounded by a Gothic-style, oak altar-piece, with richly detailed gold foliage and angels set in relief, and two towers of reredos decked with delicately carved angels carrying torches, thuribles and sacred books.

Left transept

Right transept

The cathedral originally had seven bells (representing the sacraments) cast at the Fonderie Paccard in Annecy-le-Vieux, Savoy, France. However, when they were found to be out of tune, they were sent to a foundry near Bristol where eight bells were made to complete an entire octave when rung.

Baptismal Font

Two of the14 Stations of the Cross

Statue of the Pieta

Operating on change ringing, they are one of the few peal of bells hung in the English style found in North America, and one of three in British Columbia (the others are located at Westminster Abbey in Mission and Victoria‘s Christ Church Cathedral).

Grace and Kyle

The cathedral’s pipe organ, manufactured by the Karn–Warren Organ Company in Woodstock, Ontario, is the “oldest romantic-style organ” in the province “remaining in its original location.” An organ concert is held at the cathedral annually since 2000. One of the most beautiful organs in the West Coast, it has three manuals, 4 divisions, 42 stops, 51 ranks and 2,899 pipes.

The cathedral’s pipe organ

Of the current 21 stained glass windows (documented by the Institute for Stained Glass in Canada) at the cathedral, the oldest is The Church Triumphant with the Risen Christ among Saints and Martyrs, on the east wall of the sanctuary, next to the shrine of the Blessed Virgin.

Stained glass depicting The Church Triumphant with the Risen Christ among Saints and Martyrs

The most renowned ones are the five windows made by Canadian artist Guido Nincheri whose work can be found in over 60 churches in North America.

Stained glass depicting Jesus with the Children (Guido Nincheri)

They depict Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, on the north side of the west transept; the Baptism of Our Lord (completed in January 1954), Jesus Healing the Sick, Jesus with the Children and the Assumption (completed and shipped out of the Nincheri studios in November 1953 and installed later that year). Started in 1941, it would take 13 years for the work on the stained glass to be completed.

Stained glass depicting The Assumption (Guido Nincheri)

The stained glass depicting Our Lady of the Holy Rosary was featured on Canada Post‘s annual Christmas stamp in 1997.

Stained glass depicting Our Lady of the Holy Rosary (Guido Nincheri)

In front of the cathedral is a copy of the bronze sculpture Homeless Jesus by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz. Showing a life-size statue of a man with a long overcoat lying on a park bench, his face is hidden underneath a hood and his bare feet with stigmata.

The author beside the copy of the bronze sculpture of the Homeless Jesus by Candian artist Timothy Schmalz

According to Stanley Galvon (the rector at the time), the statue is intended to be “a catalyst to make people think about” the city’s homelessness crisis.

Jandy

Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary: 646 Richards cor. Dunsmuir St., Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 3A3. Tel: (604) 682-6774. Fax: (604) 331-8406. E-mail: office@vancouvercathedral.org. Website: www.holyrosarycathedral.org. Sunday mass schedule: 8 AM, 9:30 AM, 11 AM, 12:30 PM, 5 PM.

How to Get There: by Metro, take the Expo Line to Granville Station or the Canada Line to Waterfront Station. Both are a 5 minute walk away.

Julio’s Bed and Breakfast (Loay, Bohol)

Posted on 2 July, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Julio’s Bed and Breakfast

Our final stop in our Bohol culinary tour was at Julio’s Bed and Breakfast, a stone’s throw away from an exquisite shoreline, pristine waters and calming sunset view of Loay Bay.

Loay Bay

Upon arrival, we were welcomed by its eponymous proprietor, Mr. Pio Araneta and his wife Dra. Grace. The restaurant here is the highlight of our visit.

Mr. Pio Araneta explaining how a pasgong (traditional bamboo trap) works

At the restaurant’s kitchen, we first experienced how the popular siakoy (also spelled as syakoy, siyakoy and shakoy) snack, also known as lubid-lubid (“little rope”), was made.

Siakoy making demonstration

This long, braided, soft, puffy and airy pastry, with a similar taste to the sugary doughnuts sold on streetside bakeries, is traditionally made with flour, sugar, salt, and yeast and deep-fried and then sprinkled with white sugar.

Ready-to-eat, deep-fried siakoy

It was best paired with tableya sikwate, native hot chocolate made using the traditional batirol (wooden whisk), and latik (coconut caramel).

Siakoy is best paired with sikwate (hot native chocolate drink)

Pio then demonstrated how generations of locals in the area prepared nilubihang or ginataang kagang (land crab with niyog), an heirloom recipe which incorporated the fat of native land crabs (kagang) with fresh coconut meat and water plus herbs, vegetables and spices.

Nilubihang kagang ingredients

Pio cooking nilubihang kagang

While waiting for the kagang to cook, Ms. Lily Busano (president of the Albur Calamay Makers Association) showed us how kalamay, Bohol’s most popular pasalubong, was prepared and cooked.

Ms. Lily Busano (president of the Albur Calamay Makers Association) with finishe kalamay products

This sticky, sweet delicacy is made with grated coconut, coconut milk, brown sugar, muscovado sugar, peanuts and pilit (ground glutinous rice).

The thick sugary mix being stirred continuously in a giant wok

To create the smooth, sticky consistency, the thick sugary mix was stirred continuously in a giant wok for up to 8 hours. Upon cooling, the kalamay is then transferred, preserved and sold in a type of packaging is known as kalamay-hati, inside signature halved smooth mesocarp of coconuts, locally known as bagul or paya which are then sealed shut with a characteristic red papel de japon (crepe paper).

It can be eaten on its own or turned into a spread for bread or siakoy. The sikwate, siakoy and kalamay are perfect for breakfast, merienda and dessert.

Kagang (Land Crab)

Before we ate the nilubihang kagang, Pio checked out the pasgong, traditional handmade bamboo traps used for catching kagang. The mouths of the traps were previously poised outside the crab holes and left overnight.

Pasgong, a traditional bamboo trap used to trap kagang

Sure enough, two of the traps we observed had crabs caught inside them. There’s no need for bait for this quick and efficient process but each trap could fit only one crab.

Media colleagues try their hand at weaving pouches for puso (hanging rice)

Nilubihang Kagang

While waiting, cocktails were also served. Others also tried their hand in weaving a pouch of palm leaves for puso or tamu (hanging rice). Soon, the nilubihang kagang was done and this was eaten with puso and pork barbecue. Dessert consisted of turon (banana spring rolls).

Media group (L-R): the author, Mr. John Paul Dacuycuy, Mr. Nickie Wang (Entertainment and Lifestyle Editor, Manila Standard), Mr. Anton Delos Reyes (Writer, Malaya Business Insight). Ms. Raye Sanchez (Lifestyle and Entertainment Writer, Daily Tribune), Ms. Christine Alpad (Senior Reporter, Manila Times Lifestyle and Entertainment Desk), Mr. Alvin Alcantara (www.thediarist.ph), Ms. Lourdes Sultan (Travel Village Tours and Travel), Mr. Mario Alvaro Limos (Features Editor, Esquire Philippines), Ms. Roxanne M. Gochuico (Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Cebu Pacific), Mr. Pete Dacuycuy (Publicist) and Mr. Pio Araneta

Julio’s Bead and Breakfast: Del Carmen St., Villalimpia 303, Loay. Mobile number: (0922) 515-7594.

Bohol Provincial Tourism Office: G/F, New Provincial Capitol Bldg., C. Marapao St, Tagbilaran City, 6300. Tel: (038) 411 3666. Email: inquire@boholtourismph.com. Website: www.bohol.ph.

Department of Tourism Regional Office VII: G/F, L.D.M Building, Legaspi St, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu. Tel: (032) 254 6650 and(032) 254 2811. E-mail: dotregion7@gmail.com. Website: dot7@tourism.gov.ph.

Bluewater Panglao Resort: Bluewater Rd, Sitio Daurong, Brgy. Danao, Panglao, 6340 Bohol. Tel: (038) 416-0702 and (038) 416-0695 to 96. Fax: (038) 416-0697. Mobile numbers: (0998) 843-0262, (0998) 964-1868 (Ms. Margie Munsayac – VP-Sales and Marketing), (0998) 962-8277 (Ms. Louee Garcia), (0919) 912-9663 (Mr. Manuel Sandagaon) and (0908) 890-9013 (Ms. Kate Biol). Email: panglao@bluewater.com.ph, resrvations.panglao@bluwater.com.ph, margie.munsayac@bluewater.com.ph, louee.garcia@bluewater.com.ph, manuel.sandagon@bluewater.com.ph and kate.biol@bluwater.com.ph. Website: www.bluewaterpanglao.com.ph. Manila sales office: Rm. 704, Cityland Herrera Tower, Rufino cor. Valera Sts., Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 817-5751 and (632) 887-1348. Fax: (632) 893-5391.

Cebu Pacific Air currently flies seven times daily from Manila and thrice weekly from Davao City (every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) to Bohol’s Panglao International Airport. Visist www.cebupacificair.com to learn about their latest offerings, safety protocols and travel reminders.

Asinan ni Tan Inong (Alburquerue, Bohol)

Posted on 2 July, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Asinan ni Tan Inong

From Loboc, we proceeded to Alburquerque (Albur for short) where we visited a remote village to see how the legendary asín tibuok (literally meaning “unbroken salt” or “whole salt” in the Cebuano language of the Boholano people), a rare Filipino artisanal sea salt from Bohol, is made at the Asinan ni Tan Inong.

Made by filtering seawater through ashes, it is usually consumed by being traditionally dusted lightly over plain hot rice, with a few drops of oil, and eaten as is, it is also used to season sinangag (traditional fried rice). Asín tibuok could be grounded and used like regular table salt or chunks can also be broken off and dipped into stews and dishes. A variant of the salt, also known as túltul (meaning “lump”) in Guimaras or dúkdok (meaning “pounded” or “pulverized”) in Capiz, is made similarly to asín tibuok but is boiled with gatâ (coconut milk).

Coconut husks in special pits filled with sea water during the tides

Due to the time-consuming traditional methods of producing salt and the hard work that go with its manufacture, the passing of the salt iodization (ASIN) law (Republic Act No. 8172) in 1995, as well as competition with modern and cheap imported salts prevalent today in the Philippines, the tradition of making asín tibuok and túltul is nearly extinct as it placed further stress on local artisanal salt-makers, forcing many to give up the industry altogether. Today, only a few families make asín tibuok and túltul and, due to their rarity, are considerably more expensive than regular salt.

Coconut husks slowly being burned in a pile

Commonly sold for the tourist trade (for their novelty) as well as to gourmet restaurants that feature Filipino cuisine, the demand for asín tibuok and túltul is usually high but the supply simply cannot keep up. Offering an equally special flavor that undoubtedly makes it one of the rarest kinds of salt in the world, asín tibuok is now listed in the Ark of Taste international catalogue of endangered heritage foods by the Slow Food movement.

The funnel-shaped bamboo filtering device

At the Asinan ni Tan Inong, the 72 year old Nestor Manongas explained the unique and meticulous process in the manufacture of asin tibuok. The Manongas family is the only one family still upholding this tradition in Poblacion, preserving a part of their history that makes use of nature’s best without harming it.

Sea water storage tanks. Sea water is poured into the gasang to leach out the salt from the ashes

Firstly, for several months, coconut husks are left to soak in special pits continually filled with seawater during the tides so that they can absorb the natural sea minerals along the coastline, giving us an idea of how long it takes just to acquire the natural minerals required for asin tibuok’s unique taste which gives off a unique smoky and salty flavor which is tastier and sharper than the kinds of salt you would find in grocery.

The non-iodized salt ready to be packed

Next, the coconut husks are then chopped into small pieces and sun-dried for at least 2 to 3 days. After that, for about a week, these husks are slowly burned in a pile, strictly using native hardwoods such as ipil-ipil, mahogany and duhat, until reduced completely to an activated charcoal (called gasang) which are gathered into a funnel-shaped bamboo filtering device. Seawater is poured into the gasang, allowing the water to leach out the salt from the ashes. The brine or filtered seawater (known as tasik) is then collected into a hollowed out coconut trunk beneath the funnels. This coconut charcoal combination provides the unique aroma of asin tibuok.

Dinosaur-shaped clay pots

The tasik is poured into special dinosaur egg-shaped clay pots and hung in walls in a special furnace where it is boiled for a few hours. Once some evaporate, the pots are continually replenished with more tasik. As both the heat and salt must not be left alone, this final process requires focus and dedication. As more water evaporates, the sea salt gets harder and the process continues until the clay pot gets filled with hard rock salt.

Mr. Nestor Manongas with the finished product

Eventually, the pots will crack, revealing the solidified pinkish mass of salt which is initially very hot. After following this heating process all day, it then requires a whole evening before it will be cool enough to be handled. The finished product is a salt orb in various shades of white, grey and brown and weighing roughly a kilo. As they are sold along with the broken domed pots, they are given them the nickname, in international markets, “the dinosaur egg” due to their appearance. Only 120 pieces of asin tibuok’ are made per batch and these are usually sold out for weeks.

The packaged product

Asinan ni Tan Inong: Brgy. Eastern Poblacion, Alburquerque 6301, Bohol. Mobile number: (0907) 168-0961. Open Mondays-Saturdays, 8 AM to 5 PM.

Fox & Firefly Cottages (Loboc, Bohol)

Posted on 2 July, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Fox and Firefly Cottages

Lunch during our Bohol Food Trip was to be at Fox & Firefly Cottages, a bed and breakfast place located in the forest areas of Loboc. Upon arrival, we were welcomed with organic, homemade kombucha, an effervescent, sweetened black or green tea commonly consumed for its purported health benefits.

Also on hand to welcome us was owner Ms. Joan Christine Soupart, one-half of the husband-and-wife team (the other is avid Belgian paddle boarder Frederic “Fred” Soupart) behind this quaint inn and its SUP Tours Philippines Sports Center. Joan is a registered Sivananda yoga teacher and ASI SUP yoga flow (Vinyasa) instructor.

Fred and Joan fell in love with the riverside town of Loboc, seeing it as an ideal place to exercise their passion for sports and adventure as well as to live with nature. They built a three-bungalow inn (initially called Paddle’s Up Guesthouse) beside the ever flowing Loboc River in 2013.

Front Desk

Here, they could operate stand-up paddling (SUP) tours. Now it is a favorite destination for adventure seekers, backpackers and nature lovers. According to Joan, the place was renamed (in 2014) after their beloved Pomeranian-Japanese Spitz dog Fox as well as the occasional firefly that flutter around amid the trees along the Loboc River at night.

Fox and Fable Restaurant (second floor)

Lunch was served at their in-house Fox and Fables (also named after their dog Fables) Restaurant along the banks of the Loboc River.

Vegan fare at Fox and Fables Restaurant

Here, they serve traditional, Western, vegetarian and vegan meals anytime of the day. We feasted on healthy meals and vegan dishes such as monggo soup, avocado salad, somtom (Thai papaya salad), talong salad, G-chili shrimps, maranding manok (dry coconut chicken curry), chicken halang-halang soup (a Visayan version of tinola with coconut leaves and moringa leaves) and their vegan kare-kare which was paired with a bagoong alternative made from locally sourced mushrooms.

Author (foreground) at Fox and Fables Restaurant

They also offer specialty beverages such as organic drinks and shakes, cocktails, wines and authentic Belgian beer.

The place also suffered during the onslaught of Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) and, after repairs and renovation, reopened again on May 1, 2022.

We checked out one of the simply furnished, clean and comfortable cottages, one of 11, of this riverside accommodation facing a rice field.

Suite

Designed in the Filipino traditional architecture, with a modern but cozy feel, it featured a queen-size bed, a spacious patio with hammock, bamboo furnishings, fan (the cool, riverside breeze passes through naturally), mosquito nets and a private, nature-inspired outdoor bathroom.

Outdoor bathroom

Other facilities include a common lounge. They offer mountain biking tours and stand-up paddleboard activities. You may also practice yoga, join a class or meditate at their Santosha Yoga Shala.

Paddle boards for rent

Mountain bikes for rent

The inn also exhibit and sell artworks, inspired by nature and Boholano surroundings, by young Boholano artists. Proceeds from the sale go to a village livelihood program called “Build a Boat, Build a Barangay.”

Artwork of Boholano artists for sale along the hallway

Fox and Firefly Cottages: Barangay Rd., Brgy. Valladolid, Loboc 6316. Tel: (038) 537-9011. Mobile number: (0917) 713-7577, (0947) 893-3022 and (0917) 703-9979. E-mail: info@suptoursphilippines.com. Website: www.foxandthefireflycottages.com and www.suptoursphilippines.com.

Bohol Provincial Tourism Office: G/F, New Provincial Capitol Bldg., C. Marapao St, Tagbilaran City, 6300. Tel: (038) 411 3666. Email: inquire@boholtourismph.com. Website: www.bohol.ph.

Green Thumb Farm (Corella, Bohol)

Posted on 2 July, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Green Thumb Alfresco Resto (Ganoderma Hall)

Our Bohol Food trip began by taking a 30-minute drive towards Barangay Sambog of Corella, Bohol for the first stop of the day, the lovely, 2.5-hectare, Filipino-owned Green Thumb Farm, arriving there by 10 AM.

Accompanying us during our tour was Ms. Lourdes Sultan of Travel Village Tours and Travel. Upon arrival, we were welcomed by farm owners Jares Denque and Rona Menchavez Denque (originally a native of Maco, Davao del Oro) with their daughter Sophia.

Ms. Rona Denque (standing) meeting with media guests

The first of its kind in Bohol, Green Thumb Farm was set up in 2017. It is passionate about delivering healthy foods, supplying organically grown fresh, gray, yellow, black and pink oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) and milky white mushrooms (Calocybe indica) which undergo a precise and detailed process, and fresh and unique, high quality processed mushroom products for the chefs of top hotels, resorts and restaurants in Bohol and Cebu as well as, in volume, to Landers Superstore and Rustan’s in Cebu.

Al fresco picnic area

Mushrooms have nutritional benefits, being a rich, low calorie source of fiber, protein and antioxidants. Pink oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus djamor), with its meaty texture, is a good source of protein, fiber, potassium, vitamin B and folate. It also has ergothioneine, known to reduce instances of cardiovascular disease.

Mushroom-based products such Milk Chocolate with Mushroom Bits (top shelf), Mushroom Chicharon (middle shelf) and Dried Ganoderma Mushrooms (lower shelf)

Growing and producing different types of mushrooms, however, is a tedious process. Every day, the farm harvests 8-15 kgs. of mushrooms and, once, they harvested up to 100 kgs. a day or over 20, 000 fruiting baskets, proving its potential for massive harvest.

At the farm, not a single mushroom is put to waste. Spores that have already reached the end of their fruiting process are converted into fertilizers. Aside from white oyster mushrooms, Green Thumb Farm also cultures reishi mushrooms (Ganoderma lucidum) which is known to have healing properties, especially for cancer patients. It also has anti-aging effects and increases memory, helps immune and cardiac function and relieves chronic fatigue.

Mushroom greenhouse

The farm is a favorite stop-over for bikers traversing the inner roads towards Loboc as they also serve healthy organic meals sourced from their own produce. Depending on the availability of crops produced, they can also pick-and-pay organically grown vegetables. A member of the Association of Organic Farmers in Bohol, Green Thumb Farm partners with other farms with the aim of building a network of organic product exchange and strengthen their community of organic growers.

Milky White Mushrooms (Calocybe indica)

Rona, an Accounting graduate who has a natural flair for growing plants, is known as the “Mushroom Queen” of Bohol. Her venture into mushroom production was actually a suggestion from a friend and co-zumba attendee. With assistance from the Department of Agriculture Region VII’s Agricultural Promotion Center, she gained more knowledge.

Pink Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus djamor)

A regional trainer and lecturer on mushrooms, she gave us a short tour of the greenhouses of the farm where they grow their mushrooms in fruiting bags on “vertical gardens” within tiny but compact “mushroom huts.”

The farm pasteurizer (mechanical chopper and a boiler with a pasteurizing chamber)

We also saw the pasteurizer (mechanical chopper and a boiler with a pasteurizing chamber) that reduces the amounts of microscopic competitors in a substrate.

Check out “Restaurant Review: Green Thumb Alfresco Resto”

Merienda fare: Mushroom Siomai, Mushroom pizzas (Greek, tocino and bacon) and Mushroom Burgers

She also gave us a short lecture on growing mushrooms and the many benefits of eating them. At the Green Thumb Alfresco Resto, we watched a cooking demonstration of mushroom sisig, one of Green Thumb’s most popular dishes, seasoned with calamansi, onions and pepper. What followed next was a merienda of mushroom-based dishes.

Ms. Rona M. Denque (left) leading the mushroom sisig cooking demonstration

Now a top tourist destination in the province, this new farming destination is accredited by the Department of Tourism, and the Agricultural Training Institute has also certified this integrated, diversified farm as a learning site.

Back row (L-R): Mr. John Paul Dacuycuy, Ms. Christine Alpad (Senior Reporter, Manila Times Lifestyle and Entertainment Desk), Mr. Anton Delos Reyes (Writer, Malaya Business Insight), the author, Mr. Jares Denque.
Front row (L-R): Mr. Alvin Alcantara (www.thediarist.ph), Ms. Raye Sanchez (Lifestyle and Entertainment Writer, Daily Tribune), Mr. Mario Alvaro Limos (Features Editor, Esquire Philippines), Mr. Pete Dacuycuy (Publicist), Ms. Rona M. Denque (with daughter Sophia), Ms. Roxanne M. Gochuico (Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Cebu Pacific) and Mr. Nickie Wang (Entertainment and Lifestyle Editor, Manila Standard).

Green Thumb Farm: Purok 4, Brgy. Sambog, Corella 6300, Bohol. Mobile number: (0917) 543-9700. E-mail: gthumbfarm@gmail.com. Website: www.greenthumbfarmbohol.com. Open daily, 11 AM to 9 PM. Admission: Php50/pax (free for diners).

Bohol Provincial Tourism Office: G/F, New Provincial Capitol Bldg., C. Marapao St, Tagbilaran City, 6300. Tel: (038) 411 3666. Email: inquire@boholtourismph.com. Website: www.bohol.ph.

Amarela Museum (Amarela Resort, Panglao, Bohol)

Posted on 1 July, 2022 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Amarela Museum

Our first stop was Amarela Resort (officially opened in May 2006), an advocate for local art and culture since its inception as a venue where Boholano heritage, art and culture could be preserved and showcased. Amarela (from the Spanish word for “yellow”). Perched on a cliff , this beautiful boutique hotel, with commanding views of the azure sea and the longest white sand beach in Panglao, is a two-time ASEAN Green Hotel Award recipient in Bohol.

Museum entrance

Upon arrival, we were welcomed by 73 year old resort owner Atty. Lucas “Doy” M. Nunag, former chairman of the Bohol Tourism Council. Since he was a practicing lawyer, the affable Doy has been collecting art pieces and antique décor (old wood accents such as latticework, balusters, windows and doors), old implements and furniture from Bohol. Boholano historian Marianito Luspo accompanied us.

A pair of Baroque-style urnas (wooden shrines)

Started as a vacation house, Amarela Resort was the first resort project of Rosario “Chichi” Vasquez-Victorino (a former colleague of mine at Manosa-Zialcita Architects) who also designed two houses of Doy in Manila. In its conceptualization, design and operation, the resort incorporated Bohol’s rich heritage and culture, making it a venue where people can truly experience local flavor through artistry and craftsmanship.

Farming and fishing implements and kitchen utensils

The main house, where we were first entertained, used repurposed and reclaimed old, beautiful and incredibly durable hardwood (the imposing, turn-of-the-century, solid wooden doors; handcrafted lattices; wooden shutters, balusters and flooring), taken from a house of a famed sculptor along the way to Antequera (Doy’s birthplace), using it as decorative elements and giving it the Boholano spirit.

Bohol historian Marianito Luspos

Doy also found old furniture, some of it needing repair. A talented carpenter (who also doubled as a habal-habal driver during the day) from Antequera (a town known for its craftsmanship in woodworking and weaving) to refurbished these as well as craft new furniture using traditional designs.

A display of wooden latticework and sungka (Philippine mancala) game boards

Its museum, a strong commitment to the promotion and appreciation of local art as well as the preservation of Boholano culture and heritage, houses the majority of the local art and antique collection of Doy, allowing guests to appreciate Filipino and Boholano art and craftsmanship. Most of the paintings and sculptures were created by Boholanos.

The lovely works of the late Hermogena “Nene” Borja-Lungay, who studied under Fernando Amorsolo and a a classmate of the late National Artists Napoleon Abueva and Jose T. Joya, showcase old Boholano traditions as well as renderings of local fruits and flowers.

Paintings of the Stations of the Cross

Works of prominent Bohol-based Guy Custodio, who usually paints religious themes on old recycled molave hardwood, has revived the traditional “Bohol School” painting style. On the other hand, the subjects of Sherwin Tutor are historical events done in a highly detailed figurative style. They include a painting of the two kings of the fallen Dapitan Kingdom located at Tagbilaran Strait. Tere’s also a portrait of a mother and child.

Sketches of Bohol churches

Displayed all over the resort, as well as in the museum, are Baroque-style urnas, some done in triptych (three-panelled paintings hinged together so that they could be closed). These carved wooden shrines for religious icons, of varying sizes and styles, are evidence of the rich spiritual beliefs of Boholanos. Also on display are home tools and antique kitchen utensils and equipment such as a duwang (wooden basin), palo-palo (laundry paddle), lusong (mortar), ganta (measuring implement for grain, sugar and salt), all made from molave wood.

A lantaka (native cannon)

Amarela Museum: Amarela Resort, Lourdes-Libaong Brgy. Rd., Panglao, 6340. Tel: (038) 502-9497 to 99. Mobile numbers: (0917) 819-1007 (Atty. Lucas “Doy” M. Nunag), (0917) 623-0557 (Reservations) and (0917) 774-7200 (Front Office). E-mail: reservation@amarelaresort.com and Imnunag@amarelaresort.com. Website: www.amarelaresort.com. Facebook: www.facebook.com/Amarela. Instagram: www.instagram.com/amarela. Admission: A consumable entrance fee is charged.

Bohol Provincial Tourism Office: G/F, New Provincial Capitol Bldg., C. Marapao St, Tagbilaran City, 6300. Tel: (038) 411 3666. Email: inquire@boholtourismph.com. Website: www.bohol.ph.

Department of Tourism Regional Office VII: G/F, L.D.M Building, Legaspi St, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu. Tel: (032) 254 6650 and (032) 254 2811. E-mail: dotregion7@gmail.com. Website: dot7@tourism.gov.ph.

Cebu Pacific Air currently flies seven times daily from Manila and thrice weekly from Davao City (every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) to Bohol’s Panglao International Airport. Visit www.cebupacificair.com to learn about their latest offerings, safety protocols and travel reminders.

Cornerstone Pottery Farm (Silang, Cavite)

Posted on 28 May, 2022 by Benjie Layug — 1 Comment ↓

Cornerstone Pottery Farm

Part Five of “Drive, Dine and Discover” Cavite Caravan

From Likhang Maragondon, we made the long 36.2-km. (one-hour) drive to Silang’s charming Cornerstone Pottery Farm, a producer of world-class handmade stoneware using locally and internationally sourced clay. It was raining heavily when we arrived. Owner Mr. EJ Espiritu was on hand to welcome us. Their beautiful and unique wares can be found in your favorite neighborhood coffee shops, monthly bazaars, and yearly art fairs in the metro. Through the years, Cornerstone Pottery Farm has undoubtedly carved a name for itself in the local pottery business.

Check out “Likhang Maragondon Native Products & Pasalubong Center”

EJ Espiritu

It started from humble beginnings. EJ and his wife Eva, the brilliant minds behind Cornerstone, have created this whimsical space for creators and purveyors alike.

Workshop

EJ, who finished ceramic engineering at the Adamson University, worked with several ceramic companies for 10 years before going to the US, working as a rank and file employee – laboratory technician, section head, sales engineer for a ceramic materials company, then a plant manager for an export firm.

In 1996, as soon as EJ and Eva arrived from the US, where they tied the knot (they had a civil wedding in October 1994 in Wisconsin and a church wedding in June 1995), the first business that they ventured into was ceramics in the garage of the house that they rented at St. Joseph Subdivision in Bacoor, Cavite. After two to three months, as Cornerstone Ceramic Manufacturing, they were offered to be a subcontractor for an export company making ceramic items.

After four years of being a subcontractor in Cavite, they started making functional items and joined trade fairs. That really helped propel the business into the right direction. By year 2000, they started developing the stoneware product line.

An array of mugs of different sizes, colors and shapes

They were challenged to constantly develop new concepts and product lines, deal with clients and innovate. With the new lines they had, they were overwhelmed by the response of the market and they were able to meet some institutional buyers like Regalong Pambahay, Rust, Kultura and other stores and shops. In 2005, they opened their doors as Cornerstone Pottery Farm in Silang.

One of the shop’s three kilns

Before the pandemic happened, sales were very encouraging, with a lot of restaurants in Manila, BGC (Bonifacio Global City), Makati and Alabang actually getting from them like Rambla, Las Flores, Tomatito, James and Daughters, and Black Pig, to name a few. For nearly two decades now, they have also been making mugs for Bag of Beans in Tagaytay.

Showroom

Cornerstone Pottery Farm also had projects with The Fore of Kim Jones, and Tropa Lifestyle Store of Borgy Manotoc and girlfriend Carla Sison. Moreover, the pottery farm regularly joins Art in the Park, Artefino, the Gallery 9 exhibit and American Women’s Bazaar.

Celebrities, who got wind of their unique creations, have trooped all the way to Silang, Cavite to visit their factory and showroom where their handmade ceramic products, earthenware jars and stoneware can be seen.

An array of deformed pottery in the foreground

Normally, they post schedules of workshops that EJ occasionally conducts and people register online. Participants were people from the city who want to try their hands on pottery, learn new skills or make something with their hands (expats, a group of friends, office mates, etc.) or even like a team building exercise or amazing race type of exercise. Some, like Jericho Rosales and his wife Kim Jones, Melai Cantiveros, Drew Arellano and Andi Manzano, have even participated in the pottery workshop.

The production area is where they do the quite labor-intensive process by hand, starting from pouring the clay into the molds, down to assembling, drying, firing, and glazing the items.

Because of the lack of local suppliers of processed clay, they use only 10 to 20% of local materials, with the rest imported clay from a few of companies that import the materials and distribute locally as it is very hard to import materials on their own. Apart from the production area, you can also find the workshop area where EJ usually creates premium items and conducts pottery workshops.

For EJ, pottery, an intricate form of art and it takes a lot of effort to produce both a functional and aesthetic stoneware, let alone find authentic and handmade ones, is his profession, his means of income and his passion.

He takes charge of the technical and production areas in the factory and is also visible in manning the booths, every time they join exhibits and national trade fairs organized by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions and other exhibitions. Eva and Angelo, his son, also helps him. During exhibits, Angelo is also very good in talking with clients.

EJ kneading clay

EJ also does purchasing, delivery sometimes and meeting clients while Eva, a natural born artist, designer and IT expert, does the marketing, maintaining the social media presence, developing concepts and themes for upcoming shows or exhibit and designing the booths.

Shaping the kneaded clay using a potter’s wheel

At the shop, Mr. EJ Espiritu demonstrated, using his hands and an electrically driven potter’s wheel, the first two steps in pottery making. To prepare the clay for pottery, EJ kneaded (or wedged) it by hand to push the “air bubbles” out and make it pliable and clean, with an even consistency and right water content.

EJ explaining the pottery making process to Cavite Caravan participants

Next was the actual shaping (or “pinching”), with EJ inserting the thumb of his hand into the clay and lightly pinching with the thumb and fingers while it is rotating. Soon, a bowl came into shape. This was as far as he went. The succeeding steps involved a long drying process until the pottery is bone dry (to prevent cracking and breaking) before firing in the kilns (the shop has three) and glazing. The entire process takes about three weeks to a month.

After the demonstration, EJ ushered us to the showroom where all items on display are for sale. Here, you can purchase pots, hand rolled dinnerware, mugs (ranging from Php 350 to Php 750), tea sets, chimes, vases, sculptural pieces, centerpieces, table top fountains, incense chambers, oil burners and various other ceramic wares. All their glazes are food safe and lead free.

L-R: Arabelle Jimenez, Bernard Supetran, the author, Pam Lee and EJ Espiritu

Cornerstone Pottery Farm: Balubad 1 Cornerstone, B1084 Balubad 1st Road, Service Road, Silang, 4118 Cavite. Mobile numbers: (0919) 995-2022 and (0932) 851-6444. Open Mondays to Saturdays, 8:30 AM to 5 PM. Website: www.cornerstonepotteryfarm.com. E-mail: eve@cornerstonepotteryfarm.com. Facebook: facebook.com/cornerstonepotteryfarm. Coordinates: 14.1948235714, 120.950244642.

How To Get There:

By car: From Makati take the SLEX and turn right to Carmona Exit. From Carmona Exit, continue on Governor’s Dr. to Emilio Aguinaldo Hwy. Turn right at Balubad 1st Rd. There is a signage going to Cornerstone on the right side. Turn right and you’ll find Cornerstone Pottery Farm.
By public transport: From the Ayala triangle, take the Erjohn and Almark bus bound to Tagaytay and then get off at Balubad 1st Rd., then ride a tricycle going to Cornerstone Pottery Farm. Tricycle fare is Php 15 one way.

Automobile Association of the Philippines (AAP): AAP Tower, 683 Aurora Blvd., Quezon City 1112. Tel: (632) 8723-0808 and (632) 8705-3333. Website: www.aap.org.ph. E-mail: info@aap.org.ph.

AAP Lakbay, Inc.: G/F, Sea Tower Bldg., 332 Roxas Blvd. cor. Arnaiz St., Pasay City. Tel: (32) 8551-0025 and (632) 8403-543. E-mail: aaplakbay.caravan@gmail.com. Coordinates:
14.5456531, 120.9914728.

This travel blog, a diary of the author’s local and international travels, aims to provide the reader with news and information on people, places and events that would interest the avid traveler and tourist. But, it also aims to be much more, providing insights on the wonders of this beautiful country, as well as the world, beyond the strict confines of the city. Have a BLAST seeing old churches, exotic temples, educational museums as well as palm-fringed islands; white sand beaches; thundering waterfalls; placid lakes; fiery sunsets; turquoise seas; cathedral-like caves; swirling rivers; majestic mountains; stupendous, amphitheater-like rice terraces; awesome volcanoes and the like. Get to know the movers and shakers in the tourism industry; find out where to titillate the palate; rejuvenate your body; feed your adrenalin, unwind and relax; satisfy your craving for history and culture; and find out what's being celebrated and where.

BENJAMIN “BENJIE” LAYUG, an architect by profession (he finished his B. S. Architecture degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1982), is also a copy editor for two publishing houses; travel writer; blogger; architectural historian; author; concert. movie and musical reviewer (for www.pep.ph); and a motivational speaker.

As a free-lance travel writer, he has, in the past, contributed articles to Travel Update, Philippine Daily Inquirer, COLORS, TODAY, 7107 Islands Magazine, Business Day and Bluprint. He currently writes for Artplus Magazine and the Business Mirror.

He is also the author of the following travel books:

A Philippine Odyssey (New Day Publishers, 2005)
Pathfinder’s Travel Guide: Boracay (Great Books Trading, 2006)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Churches (New Day Publishers, 2007)
A Tourist to Notable Philippine Historical Landmarks, Monuments and Shrines (New Day Publishers, 2010)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Museums (New Day Publishers, 2012)

Some of his books now appear in the local library shelves of the National Library of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, University of Sto. Tomas, U.P. Diliman, Centro Escolar University, San Sebastian College, Miriam College, Silliman University, to name a few, as well as internationally at the National Library of Australia and the University of California Berkeley Library.

Now a senior citizen, he is probably one of the oldest, if not the oldest, active travel blogger in the country today. He also has a lifestyle blog called F.Y.I.:Firing Your Imagination (www.firingyourimagination.blogspot.com). Benjie has traveled to two-thirds (53) of the country’s 81 provinces and over 20 countries in 4 continents.