Juan Luna Shrine- Badoc, Ilocos Norte

         I'm not a painter and even drawing is my greatest dilemma when I was in Elementary and High School. I remembered, I usually ask my cousins to draw things for me when I have assignments that would require ARTS and if they won't Ill bribe them with food. (sama ko haha). I dunno, I am not blessed on drawing skills. I love drawing but it does hate me a lot, BIG TIME! Anyways I will be featuring here on my post one of my favorite painter, THE one who painted SPOLLARIUM, YES! Juan Luna :D

           I did mentioned from my previous post that my MOM is from ILOCOS Region right? And that makes me ILOKANO yey! :D Well, Ill take you where my Mom grew UP. If from my previous entry, I discussed how I ENJOYED VIGAN, Ilocos Sur, now Let us take a look and see how I LOVE Ilocos Norte.

          My mom is from Badoc Ilocos Norte, the first town you can pass once you are within the boundaries separating it from Ilocos Sur. I have been here a lot of times already since I was a kid. I dunno, I just love this place, the people, the food, beaches and of course the Historical Places ( I already explained why I love historical places from my previous post) that you can see here.  If I would discuss all of  the places here, 1 month is not enough for me to finish this! So, I will be discussing my all time favorite destination here in my Mothers birthplace. 

         Its been 2 or 3 years since the last time I visited my relatives here in Ilocos Norte. Apparently it is my cousins wedding that drove me again to visit this place. Ok, to cut the story short I'll be discussing JUAN LUNA SHRINE, the house of my all time favorite Filipino painter.

Juan Luna Statue right besides his house.

Brief Description of who Juan Luna is: 

Juan Luna y Novicio (October 23, 1857 – December 7, 1899) was a Filipino painter, sculptor and a political activist of the Philippine Revolution during the late 19th century. He became one of the first recognized Philippine artists.

His winning the gold medal in the 1884 Madrid Exposition of Fine Arts, along with the silver win of fellow Filipino painter Felix Ressurection Hidalgo, prompted a celebration which was a major highlight in the memoirs of members of the Propaganda Movement, with the fellow Illustrados toasting to the two painters' good health and to the brotherhood between Spain and the Philippines.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Luna

A description of who Juan Luna is can be seen outside...

           If your not from the place, the tendency is that you might get lost since there are a lot of streets that you need to pass. Ok, delete what I just said because even if my mom grew up from the place we even got lost! lol. The house was preserved since it is the only house around that is actually old. There are some renovations made but the original materials and furniture are still on the shrine.

Outside view of Juan Luna's House, NEAT huh? :D

         The first time i went here, I think I was 10? Not sure but I perfectly remember that I loved the house.Literally love at first sight. lols. I like old houses by the way, If I am to choose to buy my own house in the future I would like it to be old. I don't know but I really love ancestral houses! I would prefer to get houses like this rather than building a new one with modern exteriors. 

Lets go inside shall we? :D  

My parents with some of there friends enjoying the house.

F.Y.I: The pictures on this post is from my mom. I am the one taking the pictures and they are the tourist! (Lol. paparazzi lang ang peg? :D)

Entance of Juan Luna Shrine...

 

Receiving area. I really like the furnitures, dont you agree? Very old :D

One of the rooms of Juan Luna. Unfortunately, tourist are not allowed inside :(

What I like about the house is that they have a mini chapel on the second floor.

Veranda, 2nd floor ...

Stairs that leads to the back yard where he's paintings are enlarged and displayed.

One of the guest rooms in the house.

When I was a Kind, I thought it was a wishing well, I did dropped a coin when no one was looking and made a wish. On my dismay it is not a wishing well!

Kalesa that was being used by Juan Luna when he was still alive...

Some of Juan Luna's creative works...

My Mom and her friends having a final pose on one of Juan Luna's Famous Painting.

          There you have it, the house of Juan Luna guys. I hope you enjoyed reading this! On my next post I will be featuring Malacanang of the North, A replica of Malacang Palace built during the Marcos Regime. If you love Juan Luna's house I bet you will love the Malacanang of the North as well :D Until the next house invasion :)