Negros Occidental is the 9th largest (out of 80) province in terms of land area and 7th (as of 2010 census) in population. The province is known as the Philippines’ Sugarbowl. The hub of the provincial government sits in the city of Bacolod with the provincial building located in the Capitol Park and Lagoon. The park is very noticeable when you pass by Lacson Street going to The Ruins in Talisay.
Aside from the capitol building, features of the park include the golden sculptures of two water-buffalos at both ends of the lagoon and Paghimud-os monument (no photo available) located at the entrance on the Lacson Street side. The water buffalo on the south side of the lagoon was being held by a woman and the other one was being pulled by a naked man.
Since Go Hotels is along Lacson Street and expecting that Calea was already open as early as 6 AM, I woke up so early on my last day in Bacolod to have a soothing coffee and pastry on the most recommended food place in the city.
Found out that the restaurant opens at 8 AM, I made my way to the Capitol Park and Lagoon for a stroll. There were a lot of Negrenses in the capitol that time: some were jogging around the lagoon while others were grooving to their aerobics dance music in front of the capitol building. It was so nice to see that the capitol ground serves as a venue for the people to exercise and be fit. Other activities of the locals in the park include dance rehearsals, arnis, martial arts and feeding tilapias in the lagoon.
