Chasing Sunsets and Clouds

Sipalay Part 1

In Sipalay, sunsets are an everyday must-watch.  Taking photos of different sunsets almost every day made me realize that sunsets are more striking and impressive when it’s about to rain, that sunsets look different each day and that sunsets don't make you sad (my apologies to The Little Prince).

Tagged as  “The Jewel of the Sugar Island,” Sipalay resembles the beauty of sunsets captured in the photos shown.  It’s easy to get there by public transport.  From Bacolod City (the capital city of Negros Occidental, Philippines), simply catch a bus at the Ceres South terminal.  Air conditioned buses leave everyday at 12 NN, 1 PM and 2 PM.  For regular buses and trips to and from Sipalay, contact Ceres Bus Liner on 034- 433-4993; 034-434-2386 or 034-434-2387.

It approximately takes 5 hours to get to Sipalay City from Bacolod City by Ceres bus and approximately 4 hours by private car. 

A little bit of trivia and history

      Sipalay was once a town of nearby Cauayan until the 1920’s when influential society leaders (Don  Severo Alejano,  Mariano Mueda, Sr., Maximino Salveron, Inocencio Debuyan, Sr., Amando Zaragoza, Basilo Debuyan, and Alfonso Custioso) formed a movement  that justified and successfully separated Sipalay from Cauayan.

     “Tumandoks”  -- that’s what the natives of Sipalay are called taking their roots from Malays and Borneans.  The name Sipalay means  “there is rice” from the native phrase “si paray”.  It was probably the Chinese traders (not able to pronounce the letter “r” in Paray) who helped popularize the name Sipalay because of the abundance and free trade of this crop in the area.

There’s more to these sunsets in Sipalay.  More of its charm and spell soon!