An Easter in Antipolo

Easter Sunday. It was a rain-less and sunny Sunday, a perfect day to visit my sister in Antipolo, Rizal.

My sister who is two years younger than I am, recently moved together with her family from Cainta to Bankers Village in Antipolo. Her place is located along Sumulong Hi-Way, a couple of meters away from her workplace in Assumption. So it's very ideal and more practical for her to really get that house however far the location is from Metro Manila.

My daughter Sky is the one who was literally begging us to visit Antipolo so that she could have a whole-day playtime session with her two cousins - Maya and Pia (My sister's two daughters) and Seth (her new baby boy).

However, since after we've sold our van last year, it now became so very hard (and very expensive) for us to visit them specially after they've move to a farther location. We couldn't visit them as much as we want to and they couldn't go to our place either. We had to creatively schedule and time our visits correctly so that we could get to Antipolo the fastest time possible and with less traffic than usual. Heavy traffic would mean more time on the road, less playtime for Sky and her cousins and more transportation expenses.

Our itinerary last Sunday was to go straight to Antipolo Church (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage), then buy some 'pasalubongs' before going to my sister's house.

How much did we spend for transportation to and from Antipolo?

From Paco to Antipolo Simbahan (Taxi) - 440.00 (includes a 120 pesos tip)
From Antipolo to Bankers (Tricycle) - 50.00
From Bankers to Ynares (Tricycle) - 40.00
From Ynares to Paco (Taxi) - 340.00 (includes a 40 pesos tip)

Total Transportation Expense: 870 pesos

If that was an ordinary day, that would be more costly. But lesser if you go there alone and use all modes of tranportation. From Paco, I would ride a Jeepney (8 pesos) going to Nagtahan and then another Jeepney (8 pesos) to LRT Pureza. Ride the LRT all the way to Santolan (14 pesos) and then ride another Jeepney going to Antipolo (20 pesos). So all in all, the whole trip would only cost me a little over 100 pesos plus a bit of time lost due to heavy traffic.

ANTIPOLO CHURCH

Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage

Our first stop was Antipolo Church. I can only imagine how busy the Parish of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage was last Maundy Thursday and Good Friday since this was the final stop for hundreds people who participates in the annual lenten 'Alay Lakad' that starts at EDSA, Ortigas. Way of the Cross markers were installed more than a decade ago along the stretch of Ortigas up to Tikling and all the way to Antipolo Church to guide pilgrims or trekkers on their spiritual journey.

Antipolo Marker

Just like all the other major Catholic Churches in the Philippines the parish is surrounded by a busy market place that sells local Antipolo delicacies like Suman, Casoy, and just about anything that you need.

The area is also now booming with mall-like structures, food restaurants and other boutiques.

Antipolo

I was trying to look for that store that sells those local donuts (the one rolled in sugar) but I couldn't find it anymore. I hope they didn't go out of business.

After Antipolo Church we then went to Bankers Village for lunch, meryenda and dinner. Sky got her wish and Neo got to play with Ora, the family dog who is so friendly and playful beyond compare that she wouldn't pass for a guard dog.