our lady of peace and good voyage

up in the mountain city of antipolo in the provice of rizal, philippines, miss iggy went on a pilgrimage last november 2008 to visit the shrine of "nuestra señora dela paz y buen viaje," (our lady of peace and good voyage) or as the locals call her, "the virgin of antipolo."

(miss iggy thanks princess ody for introducing her to poladroid, a free software that turns her photos into polaroid-like images! viva la vintage!)

the miraculous statue of the virgin mary was brought to manila from mexico in 1626 by governor juan niño de tavera. when he died in 1632, the statue was turned over to the jesuits in the church of antipolo. this lady was declared "patroness of the galleons" (at a time when manila actively participated in the "galleon trades") because of the safe passage of the galleons of acapulco to the philippines, and even surviving an oceanic tempest. she was on board and crossed the pacific 8 times in 1641, 1643, 1645-46 on the "san luis"; 1648-1649 on the "encarnacion"; 1650 on the "san diego," 1651-1653 on the "san javier," 1659-1662 on the "san jose" and in 1746-1748 on the "nuestra señora del pilar." that's a lot of spanish galleon cruises!

it is for this reason that the antipolo church is a favorite prayer place for people seeking to travel and/or work abroad (which a lot of filipinos do), and for having their newly-purchased vehicles blessed. miss iggy instantly felt an affinity for the virgin of antipolo...she wants to be blessed for her future travels and adventures in the road of life!

for more information about visiting the shrine of our lady of peace and good voyage in antipolo city, click here.

easy as "buko" pie!

miss iggy was craving coconuts, so she bought "buko" (coconut) pie at a roadside shop in antipolo city, rizal called "colette's".

"buko" pie is the signature dessert to take back home when you visit the province of laguna. "colette's" is one of the famous shops selling said pie which is based in san pablo city ("the city of seven lakes"), laguna.

here's manong preparing our pie purchases to go. his buko pie shop is a franchise of the popular pie brand from san pablo city.

you have to try their buko pie supreme!

miss iggy is reminded of the song by the erstwhile teenybopper filipino group "smokey mountain" about the coconut called "da coconut nut"...

"Now, the coconut nut is a big, big nut
But its delicious nut is not a nut!

It's the coco fruit (it's the coco fruit)
Of the coco tree (of the coco tree)
From the coco palm family"

an infectious song and at the same time, a lesson in botany! haha.