Lingayen: Splendid and Romantic

10 Day 10K Challenge: Lingayen, PANGASINAN

Date: MAY 20, 2014

Pangasinan’s provincial capital is also known as the Most Romantic Place in the Philippines – yes, you heard it right! In addition to that, did you know that one of the most beautiful provincial capitol buildings in the Philippines can be found in this humble coastal town? And that is my mission for today - to visit this splendid piece of architecture!

The most beautiful Provincial Capitol Building in my opinion

DAY 4

Fish pen abound in this part of the highway

While inside the jeepney, I peeked out the window and checked out the scenery. The streets of Dagupan City is dotted with different structures and commercial establishments. There were universities, large shopping malls and businesses everywhere I looked. Moments later, we reached the city boundary, and I noticed their welcome arch adorned with bangus sculptures and statues. As soon as we entered the town of Binmaley, the vibrant city vibe that Dagupan has transformed into pure serenity – with the city’s commercial centers being replaced by vast farmlands.

An infinite number of fish pens can also be found outside Dagupan’s territory, with a considerable percentage of it located beside the highway - growing all sorts of seafood, especially bangus. I also noticed a huge number of dampa restaurants situated near these artificial ponds, serving seafood to customers and travelers alike.

The church of Binmaley, Pangasinan

When I reached the town center of Binmaley, what I saw were the town’s old church, its municipal hall and the town plaza adjacent to it. The church’s belfry might be old, but still, it looked charming.

Statue of Governor Agbayani inside the park

Almost an hour later, we managed to get inside Lingayen’s territory, and the jeepney driver dropped me off at Governor Aguedo F. Agbayani Park. The park, situated in front of the provincial capitol building, has a pathway that was lined up with old, gigantic trees – making the area cool and breezy. At the center of the park stood a monument built for Governor Agbayani, who was an ex-governor of Pangasinan.

The provincial capitol building of Pangasinan can be found at the end of the park. I was mesmerized the first time I saw it. This was the most beautiful government building I’ve seen in my entire life, and in my opinion, this might be the most beautiful provincial capitol building in the Philippines. The lavish structure was painted orange the time I visited, and its neoclassical architectural style strongly reflects the influence of Colonial America.

In front of this wonderful piece of architecture

Sculptures and statues adorned the building’s facade, and engraved on its pediment were two eagles - perched on each side - with the sign “PANGASINAN CAPITOL” placed in the middle. Gigantic columns supported the upper portion of the structure, and a giant provincial seal was placed on the ground. Some students went there for a field trip that time, making the building a little crowded. As a result, I didn’t manage to examine the building’s interior. I never had the chance to check out the rear side of the provincial capitol as well because of time pressure. Nevertheless, I enjoyed what my eyes have seen.

Walking around the capitol complex made me hungry, so I looked for a place to eat outside. Many eateries lined up the boulevard near the capitol because of the proximity of schools in the area. But of all the eateries I’ve seen, I chose to eat at this makeshift eatery located on the sidewalk. I was intrigued by the huge number of customers lining up to buy their food.

I ordered a cup of rice, ginisang munggo and a piece of fried galunggong, and right after finishing my breakfast, an ordinary bus bound for Dagupan came. I rode the bus and returned to the city. I got off at the Victory Liner bus terminal and rode an air-conditioned bus that would take me to my next destination - the Summer Capital of the Philippines: Baguio City.

Wide grassy area inside the Agbayani Park

This post is part of my 10 Day 10K Challenge that took place between May 17-26, 2014. Read the first entry here. Read the post about the previous destination here. Proceed to the next destination here.