Just at the back of my grandparent’s house (maternal side) in Balilihan, Bohol is Mt. Carmel Hill. The town of Balilihan is about 22 kilometers from the capital city of Bohol, Tagbilaran.
On top of Mt. Carmel is a centuries-old Spanish belfry, a tower made from adobe and limestone. The materials used to build the tower came from Baclayon, its mother town back then. They were carried on foot in 1835-1844. This Spanish belfry in Poblacion, Balilihan was used as a watch tower during the Spanish regime. The Spaniards colonized and ruled over the Philippines for more than three centuries (1521-1898).
I loved going to Mt. Carmel even as a kid together with my siblings and cousins. One gets to enjoy both nature and history when one visits there. And may I add needed exercise as one goes up and down the hill 🙂 There are concrete steps on the hill which makes it easier for climbing.
Ah, we may have all grown up (cousins and siblings) but whenever we get to visit Balilihan, we still take time to climb Mt. Carmel and enjoy the hill of our past 🙂
Note: This post is linked with Blog Photo Challenge, Green Monday, Scenic Sunday, Our World Tuesday, Thursday Brownies
UPDATE: An Intensity 7.2 earthquake hit Bohol last October 15, 2013. My aunt based in Balilihan has told me that the centuries-old tower on Mt. Carmel has been destroyed by the quake.
Ka nice ba kau ana na place:)
Visiting from the challenge- hope you can stop by:)
http://www.cassandrasminicorner.com/2012/02/mommys-go-kart-passenger.html
wow, how nice you have a historical landmark in your place. it sure looks holds a thousand memories.
beautiful view and picture Sis 🙂 I love to explore nature 🙂 so refreshing too 🙂 Visiting from #58 of Project 366 BPC, hope that you can return the visit too.
what a great adventure!
Nice i like adventure. From photo challenge.
It looks like an interesting place to visit and is filled with rich history. How wonderful! Wala pa jud ko ka adto ug BOHOL da. I would love to explore BOHOL someday inig balik namo sa Pinas. Visiting via BPC.
Wow, at first glance I thought it’s from foreign country 🙂 The hill looks so untouched with the greens of trees around the tower. Thanks for sharing.
I almost say the place looks familiar but when you said in Bohol, that’s why it looked familiar coz I’m from Bohol. 🙂 i miss it and hope to see it someday.
Oh… I love spots like that! Not only is it good for devotions but also pleasant to a nature lover like me! 🙂
BPC hop!
Hi Te Deli, sa Balilihan diay inyo? silingan ra diay ta… naa man mi sa Antequera.. hehehe… ka-nice kay duol ra mo ana diha. sa amo pud, duol ra pud mi sa Mag-aso falls. bpc 57 visit.
My grandparents’ place is in Balilihan 🙂 We just visit there.
at first look, I didn’t think it was in the Phils 🙂 it really has the Spanish aura ^^
Sis Deli am visiting back Green Monday, hope that you can return the visit too.
so many nice places to go in Bohol. i wish i could visit bohol one day.
from BPC
http://mydailybabble.info/2012/02/favorite-snack-pj/
Been to Bohol but never really had the chance to go around. Wish I could go back there and see that nice hill in real life, hihi!
Visiting from Thursday Brownies 😉
one of my wish to go places is Bohol, sana mapadpad din ako jan sa Mt. Carmel. 🙂
here for Thursday brownies.
this was indeed a beautiful place, a haven in earth, thanks for joining and hoping to see you again next green monday.
Visiting this time from Thursday Brownies Sis, hope that you can return the visit too.
Visiting for TB- hope you can stop by:)
http://www.sweethomephilippines.com/2012/03/lacey-brown.html
Beautiful shots of the place, very scenic.
lovely place to see and looks very peaceful, thanks for sharing information about your place! love to visit bohol someday! visiting from Thursday Brownies, hope to see you around. thanks and have a great week 🙂
That looks like somewhere I’d enjoy visiting. Great sequence of shots.