I consider Naga City, the chartered city of Camarines Sur as my second home in Bicol. My husband considers Naga City as his hometown as he spent more time here than in the Rances’ ancestral home in Bagacay of the coastal town of Tinambac. Though he only stayed in Naga City during his summer vacations from studying in Manila, he learned to speak Bicol fluently. He would always taunt me of his Bicol Naga as being the true Bicol dialect.
Years ago when I was taking the PNR trains in my travels to Manila from Sorsogon and vice versa, I didn’t have any idea how Naga City looked like. I was safely cooped up in the train which I boarded in Legaspi City and so by the time it arrived in Naga City, it was already dark and I was sleeping soundly. It was in 1989 that I first set foot in Naga City as a young wife and mother. I wasn’t able to see the different places that Naga City has to offer as I was busy babysitting Marco who was barely a year old then.
Several years passed and the children are older. Going home to Bicol during Holy Weeks became regular. Our routine was to spend our first day, usually Holy Tuesday in Naga City before hieing off to Sorsogon City the following day. While in Naga City, we spend the rest of Tuesday in Hotel Mirabella along Panganiban Drive. For the succeeding trips, Hotel Mirabella was our home in Naga City.
Naga City is a small city. Getting from one place to the other is quite a problem as there are no taxicabs. Your only option is to ride the tricycle or the jeepney although this is unhealthy as you get to inhale all the fumes around. Nowadays there are vans for hire at the CBD that are comfortable and could take you anywhere to like the famed CWC or Camarines Water Sports Complex.
Naga City boasts of four churches: Naga Metropolitan Cathedral, San Francisco, Penafrancia Shrine and the Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Penafrancia. When in Naga, our family goes to Naga Metropolitan Cathedral as it is the nearest to our hotel and has ample parking space as well. The Basilica is the new home of INA or Our Lady of Penafrancia, patroness of the Bicol Region.
Naga Metropolitan Cathedral
Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Penafrancia
Naga City is Bicolandia’s center for education. Bicolanos who prefer to finish their college education in the Bicol region can go to any of these schools: Ateneo de Naga University, Sta. Isabel de Naga University, University of Nueva Caceres.
Magsaysay Avenue is home to homegrown restaurants and eateries. There are several joints that offer good food with prices of Metro Manila standard but which locals find expensive. Several years ago, we used to eat at Chili Peppers where the food offerings are varied and prices are reasonable. I don’t know the reason why it closed down when it was always full-packed during the time we were eating there. In its place the local branch of Yellow Cab now stands.
We used also to frequent the rows of peanut vendors at the center of the city. Up to know I am still puzzled why they only do business at night. Who would forget Naga Restaurant’s siopao? I came to know about this siopao from a friend who studied at Naga City. The bestselling siopao is the fried version but the steamed one tastes better. Cafe Frederico’s Pancit Canton and the bread that goes with it are a must-eat while in Naga. You can also visit their branch at SM Naga City.
Indeed Naga City has come a long way since the days I was building my insurance business in 2004. With the abundance of affordable hotels, Naga City is the perfect place to be before heading to CWC, Caramoan or Calaguas in Camarines Norte for that dream vacation.
Our Lady of Penafrancia, the Mother of Bicolandia
Note: Images were taken from Google Images.
Bicol Express 
