Before we went to Balayan, Batangas for an overnight stay with friends, my knowledge of the place was limited to its popular fish paste bagoong Balayan and the Parada ng Lechon festival. After a visit to its poblacion, we discovered something old and something new about the place.
As we passed by several streets, we saw old houses that still stand, a reminder of the long history of this municipality which, I learned later on, is one of the oldest towns of the province of Batangas. There was even a time when the entire province of Batangas was known as Balayan. As our van was passing by, I noticed a huge old house with windows made of capiz and with a historical marker near the door. Our local host said that it's the house of Don Sixto Lopez, a friend and supporter of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal. I wanted to take a look at the centuries-old house, but unfortunately, it is only open on Fridays. There is another two-storey house near the Lopez house, with huge capiz windows and red wooden gate. After checking out other blogs about Balayan, I learned that it is the ancestral house of actor Leo Martinez.
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| The old house of Don Sixto Lopez |
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| The ancestral house of Leo Martinez |
Another pleasant place we discovered is this new Italian restaurant in the heart of the town along Fe Street. The place is called Chez Deo Ristorante Italiano @ Gliceria. The restaurant has a small up-and-down building (its design inspired by the town's old houses) and a spacious ground for dining. The prices are reasonable and the taste is truly satisfying.
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| Pane rustico and insalata |
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| Polpete |
Other than visiting old houses and the Italian restaurant in Balayan, you can also enjoy swimming at the resorts along Balayan Bay, buy fresh seafood at the local market, and watch the sunset at the Balayan Baywalk.
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