The saliva flow had stopped by the time we had left Quezon City and were on the highway heading North. After about two hours of driving we left the highway in San Fernando and were heading for the town of Bacolor, to see San Guillermo Parish Church.

This church had originally been constructed by Augustinians all the way back in 1576. It however got destroyed by an earthquake and then rebuilt in 1886.

Nature hit the region again in 1991 during the big eruption of Mt.Pinatubo. As a consequence of the eruption rivers around the volcano were clogged with sediments and the region was seeing regular mud slides and flows (aka lahars)- one of which hit the church and vicinity in early September 1995. The church was buried to half its height in mud that day.

There was no way, to recover from the situation, so – while for instance the altar had been excavated from the mud – the church itself was reestablished at the new level – so everything is just six meters higher than before.

We spent some time, to visit the church and see for ourselves (and again – when you see the photos below – always consider, there is another half church below).

After church we had a quick check on the local vendors around the church – and got to try some local sweets – and nearly bought a new broom.

It was now back to the van and back to the highway. We ended up having a late lunch  in a canteen-style restaurant in San Jose, before continuing to Banaue – where we arrived in the evening and in time for dinner and an introduction to our guides for the trek coming up for the next few days.