When In Manila, have you seen some lights dancing? Of course, you don’t. Maybe! You need to visit an unknown town somewhere in the central of the Negros Island. When you do you’ll experience some more lights dancing, like no other way and gorgeous. Right it is! So try, you must. Come visit La Castellana, Negros Occidental.
To cap off the year and gearing up for the new one, this unique town celebrates as a community. Let’s say it’s a festival. Festival of lights or “Bailes de Luces”, that is. It’s all fun when all 13 ‘barangays’, schools and the whole community get to be together as one. So yeah, events line up annually, specifically a street-dancing (on Dec 30) and a dance show (on January 5). But hey, it’s not just your ordinary dancing; it’s all done in the dark with only the lights on, glowing. So how was that? Cool, right? Just see some photos, in case you don’t know what am saying…
The Town
La Castellana (LC) can be located at the foot of Mt Canla-on, an hour or so ride from Bacolod City. That volcano is a natural landmark between the Negros Occidental and Oriental. The town is mostly agricultural in lifestyle and landscape. But I do believe, the greatest thing it ever had is human capital. Some brilliant guys and gals do live here, lots of potentials that is really. Some of them already left going abroad for lack of economic opportunities, hey you guys come back then and give back! Given proper political leadership and economic boost, this unknown town can rise at its best. Can’t wait to see it happen, this people are too gorgeous to be left behind! What do you think…
Crowds line up at the streets to see their favorite groups, okay I mean people they really know as neighbors or friends. It’s like a town hall gathering, people know every-body or they know you by face or what! Since La Castellana is just a small town in terms of population and size, so yes it’s hard to get away from the crowd. News travels fast, everybody knew almost each other. Oh well, when you’re just visiting or say a tourist, surely you’ll be noticed! Balik-bayan (tourist) is almost revered like a big-shot (not me, included). That’s a colonial mentality. Hey, it’s not that true :)) People coming and going to this town coz of beautiful people. Believe it or not :))
