Bacolod: A Balaring afternoon
Balaring Twilight Bamboo Ties
Second day mid-morning found us in transit from Bacolod City proper to Silay City which is about 45minutes to an hour away from each other. After a hearty breakfast at Bacolod Pensione Plaza, we checked out not before asking for directions on where to find a ride. Though there were couple of directions given, they all end up on the main Lacson St highway. There were many jeeps plying the route costing us only 15 Pesos for the ride to Silay Town Proper.
Balaring Higad Baybay Restaurant
It’s hard not to miss Baldevia Pensione House since it’s at the corner of the main road of San Sebastian and Rizal St in Silay. It’s one of those old Ancestral Houses in Silay turned lodging. Once we got comfortable with our 3-bed room, we left our things and got ready for lunch. We asked the ever reliable and friendly receptionist of Baldevia, Evelyn, on what we can do here in Silay. We didn’t really have a planned IT during this trip and was just playing our destination by ear.
Higad Baybay Oysters
One thing we were looking forward to see was the sugar plantations and the trains. But it was sad to learn that sugar farming is already a dying industry. Much of the lands has been developed and locals are looking into alternative means of livelihood than farming. Which begs the question of our dying place traditions taking place around the country. Modern people, much like in the highlands and laying their farm tools down and are looking for opportunities in the modern workforce.
Higad Baybay Mixed Seafood
Another interesting destination we were told was the eco-toourism wonders of Patag about 4 hours away from Silay in which Evelyn has gone to. It has waterfalls, nature treks and what I’ve heard before the Tinagong Dagat. It would be interesting to go there perhaps as a future prospect for exploration. Just nearby are also the Ruins in Talisay. We also asked where to get the best lunch here and she recommended three places: Higad Baybay, Kalubihan and Food Park.
Adik, the Balaring friendly dog
We chose to have lunch at Higad Baybay since we learned it’s a floating restaurant by the sea. We took a tricyle for 100 Php for one way trip there. It was a long 15minutes ride passing by on what remains to be what’s left of the sugar plantations. Though it’s has abundant growth, the area is no longer as big since residential development is creeping in to those lands. We passed by several eateries and resorts along the way and finally came to a stop on a marker sign of “floating Restaurant” with the dominating view of the sea just in front of us.
High noon under the beam of the sun, we only walked a short distance from the marker on a restaurant which looks more of a bamboo stilt construction above the sea than a floating restaurant as it has been known. Higad Baybay has few platform huts though that were originally floating by the sea but they have to remove them since they are occasionally damaged when there are strong storms passing by.
Balaring Bamboo Rocks and Sea
For lunch we tried their oysters, callamares and mixed seafood. The Seafood were great and the oysters as well. The callamares has too much breading. It was a long lunch and we didn’t realize the passing of time. The call of the hammock was also so strong since the place was so conducive to just lazing the afternoon off. The cool wind, warm afternoon sun and unobstructed view of the sea was just perfect.
Balaring Bamboo Blue
We managed to have a small talk with the owner of the establishment, Leny Javellana. She’s very accommodating and was enthusiastic to share what she knows about Silay and Bacolod. She said that Higad Baybay is the first restaurant in the area. Locals saw that it attracted a bit of crowd so other restaurants popped up in the area . Since it was already mid afternoon, we just stayed there in Balaring. Leny offered to put up two more hammocks for the three of us so we could rest for the afternoon while we wait for the afternoon sun to lower down so we could start shooting in the area.
Balaring Twilight Blue Rocks to nowhere
The afternoon didn’t promised a spectacular display of light from the setting sun but the weather turned more into a squall as the night descends. Still we had a fun relaxing afternoon there at Balaring.
Essentials: Higad Baybay Floating Restaurant, Balaring - (034) 4968466 or 0909-6772784
Tags: Bacolod, Eats, Food, Negros Occidental, Silay
Posted on
Friday, September 19th, 2008 at 1:00 pm 
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September 19th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
wulfriend, spectacular shots as usual
at na-extra pa kami ni erick. funny because this was the day before the ogbear fell to a bout of food poisoning. anyway, i particularly liked your shot of adik. i was trying to shoot him after you did and he won’t stay put na 
September 19th, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Images are calming.
September 19th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
beautiful photos ferdz! a break from the usual panaderia, houses and church featured in silay that can be found in other blogs. sorry, can’t help it but notice the talaba. its so erotic
September 19th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
I love the first and last pics. Really nice! Can I please grab those for use as a desktop wallpaper?
September 19th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Oggie, hehe syempre kayo kasama ko nun eh. para me taong subject naman
Cute talaga yung aso na yun especially with that lighting.
Thanks Traveler on Foot!
Thanks Estan! Hehehe looks familiar ba
Go ahead Rico, you can grab those images for personal use. Thanks for the visit.
September 20th, 2008 at 12:12 am
Your photography is getting even better. Not that it’s not so good previously but it is just that I noticed a consolidation of technique and intuition here.
September 20th, 2008 at 2:10 am
wow! great images as usual. hindi ko ito nakita dun sa image viewer ni oggie ha. sayang walang magandang sunset tapos umulan pa pero ganda ng place lalo na dun sa dulo dapat pala naglakad lakad pa ko. ganda ng extra shot sa amin ni oggie.
September 20th, 2008 at 11:02 am
nagutom ako bigla. hehehe ;p
September 20th, 2008 at 11:28 pm
galing nong shot n kasama mga buddies mo… naalala ko ung advertisement na “sino ang best friend mo doon?”
September 20th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Many thanks Major Tom, it’s a continuing learning process. I guess rubbing shoulders with other good photographers makes me pick up some skills as well.
Hehehe. Salamat Erick, wasn’t able to download the images on the epson viewer at that time kasi. Onga we should have explored more pero umulan
Haha. Ikain na yan Tin-tin. Bawal ang gutom.
Thanks Mimi! Onga no. Magagaling kasi na mga photogs yan kaya kelangan maganda shot.
September 21st, 2008 at 12:07 am
woooooow ganda ng bacolod, it’s nice back to philippines ang mga pics
September 21st, 2008 at 11:02 am
the first and second to the last pic are “same, same but different” while the rest are just fantastic. well, what can you expect, if it is shot by ferdz, it must be great.
September 22nd, 2008 at 12:07 am
congrats! Best Travel Blog!
September 22nd, 2008 at 5:43 am
Hi Ferdz! Congratulations for winning in the Philippine Blog Awards!
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:16 am
Ferdz, COngrats! Best Travel Blog sa Phil Blog Awards =)
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:21 am
Ferdz, congratulations ulit and indeed i was so proud when i was at esplanade last night! because you won the Best Travel Blog category. No doubt it was yours. Including Oggie and Estan who are also nominated in that category.
Tamang tama din ang pagpost mo nito kasi papunta na ako ng bacolod bukas. hahanapin ko tong mga napuntahan mo. pero wala sa itinerary ko ang mambukal.
ayos si oggie at erick. model na rin sa mga kuha mo. hehehe…
Congratulations Ferdz!!!
this is the Best Travel Blog 2008!
September 22nd, 2008 at 9:22 am
congrats! BEST TRAVEL BLOG. galing talaga.
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:36 am
I love all the photos. They bring a sense of peace to my mind. I am sure the place is really tranquil w/the sea and the beautiful skies.
September 22nd, 2008 at 11:28 am
Hi Alex Thanks! Bacolod do have nice places to offer. I try to mix in destinations as well so ot to get monotonous lang.
Hahaha! Parang slogan sa isan movie outfit yun Lawstude. Maraming salamat
Estan, Janette, Dhonjason, hi-bert. Maraming maraming salamat! Thank you to the PBA organizers and event judges for this honor. Thank you all for the support and this blessing.
Dom, natuloy ka pala kagabi! Apologies I wasn’t able to go there. It’s a real honor to be nominated with Oggie and Estan who are winners of their own right, awards or not. Maraming salamat!
Thank you Kyels, the place may not yield the best beach but sunset here is as tranquil still.
September 22nd, 2008 at 2:16 pm
hey ferdz congrats sa phil blog award mo
September 22nd, 2008 at 2:58 pm
hi ferdz! congratz sa pagkapanalo ng blog mo! best travel blog talaga!
wohoooo! cheers! 
September 22nd, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Beautiful pictures! I used to live in Bacolod and haven’t been back for more than 4 years now. This makes me miss Bacolod more.
Btw, congratulations on winning the Best Travel Blog in the 2008 Philippine Blog Awards.
September 23rd, 2008 at 8:59 am
Congrats!
I didnt know nominado rin pala to gaya ng lagalog.
Di rin ako nagbrowse sa list of nominees.
Silent but deadly lang pala to. hehe.
But its not surprising. Layout pa lang, palaban na.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:35 am
beautiful! you know how photos could (almost) capture everything, the moment and the feeling? you got them here, Ferdz. very nice.