A stone's throw away from the plaza of Villa-Arevalo is the Avanceña ancestral house known today as the Camiña Balay nga Bato. Characterized by the yellowish hue of its exteriors, it may look like any two storey-old house from the outside but inside, it's a rich depository of Iloilo's colonial heritage as this was built in 1865.
Renovated a few years back, it is now (sort of) a museum and a gift shop as the ground floor houses an antique shop of which some are Luth and Gerard's Camiña's personal collections. Weavers demonstrate their craft as they make some designs for hablon, patadyong and more. Antique plates adorn the walls and fill in the cabinets plus numerous paintings and other antiques are one display for the buyers.
But among the more interesting items found in the shop are those related in making a sumptious cup of tsokolate. From the tablea to the metal pitchers and the wooden batidor/batirol, each is as interesting as the other items yet stands out because of the gastronomic factor. The batirol as Ms Luth informed, is made from the guava tree as it is a sturdy wood plus it has this certain enzymes? that when mixed with the tsokolate creates a much better tasting tsokolate "brew".
Which brings us to the second floor of the Camiña Bahay na Bato through a flight of stairs, so steep that you'll really have to bend your back. Known as the Escalera, it makes every visitor pay due respect to the owner of the house upon meeting in the second floor back in those days. Guarded by humongous doors that dates back decades ago, it one piece of architecture in the house that the owners are proud of.
The first room to be seen is the Oratoryo (prayer room) with lots of antique saints and orginal prayer books dating more than 50 years old. It gives an ambiance of holiness with all these artifacts on display in the room and at times being also used.
To the left is the living room to which it is still being used as one today. So don't be surprised to see a flatscreen tv or electric fans since it is a "working" living room with the "remnants" of the past existing with the modern amenities.
But the most striking of all, at least for me, is the dining area which was set for an afternoon snack. With big windows letting the fresh air in, it was a perfect setting for a lazy afternoon drinking hot tsokolate and munching piaya.
With thin and crisp piaya and tsokolate made from homegrown (from their farm in some towns of Iloilo) cocoa beans - ground and mixed with milk, slow-boiled in a cast-iron tsokolatera, stirred with a guava batidor; it was one slow moving afternoon, with every second of it felt in the ambiance of the place and the food and drinks being taken in with leisure.
It was a respite from the hustle and bustle our group had, starting with a tour (aboard the E-jeepney) around Downtown Iloilo City, to La Paz (inside the market) and to Jaro The group includes esteemed food writers Mickey Fenix (Phil. Daily Inquirer), Claude Tayag (The Philippine Star), Dolly and Rafael Zulueta (Flavors Magazine) and local gourmand Ma. Luisa Segovia. The visit was organized by the foremost Iloilo heritage persona, Mr. Eugene Jamerlan.
Looking back that fine Sunday afternoon, even in pictures, makes me yearn to visit the place again, to experience and feel what it has to offer for I know there were things I may have overlooked that time being just overwhelmed (more like speechless really) of the visit. And buy something or two - some tablea maybe.
The Camiña Bahay na Bato in Villa is open to the public from Mondays up to Saturday mornings. The shop is open to everyone for free but a guided tour of the second floor with "The Tsokolate Experience" costs PhP150 (each for a minimum of 5 persons). For details and reservation, please contact them at telephone numbers (033) 336-3858 and 336-5075.