cavinti is in laguna, and no, it's not cavite...

Farmers carrying their tools mingle with old ladies
in traditional bandannas to hear mass

facade of  the Transfiguration of our Lord Parish 

Stations of the Cross in the Church Courtyard below.

A tribute to World War II veterans

Nope, my parents weren't World War II veterans
but they had a nice time posing anyway.
My dad remembers how my lola would give him "sarsapilla" while they were hiding from the Japanese. It was actually  a combination of tutong (burnt rice) and water. My mom, on the other hand, saw her grandparents being dragged off by the Japanese for helping his fellow Filipinos.

At namalengke pa 

No wonder this lady's pwesto is a best-seller, she has a marvellous nice smile to go with her bananacue and adobong mane.

There's almost always a Rizal St. in a town somewhere

and of course, our National Hero in his winter coat
 (sabagay medyo malamig dito sa Cavinti)

lovely doorway, just a few steps away from the narrow road

funeral procession leaving the church via Rizal St.

On a road trip through Rizal and Laguna, we spent the night in Majayjay and were making our way down to Pagsanjan via Luisiana when we saw a sign leading upward to another destination. 

Driving without a map, guide book or anything else, we turned around to go up instead of down and discovered a treasure in  Cavinti.

While Cavinti may not be as "matunog" in our consicousness compared to it's sister Laguna towns, it is home to the man-made lakes of Caliraya and the real site of  Pagsanjan falls. The billboards along the road also proclaim it as the "eco-destination"  as there are   water-falls, forests, hiking trails and flowing rivers to discover.  The weather is cool, the wind is refreshingly sweet, the roads are wide and smooth (aside from the occasional dogs that consider the roads their bedroom, that is).

But what keeps us going back to Cavinti is the little community that houses the Cavinti Church (Transfiguration of our Lord Parish) and the Stations of the Cross outside it.

 It's an adventure itself to navigate through the small, winding roads to find the church,  a monument to commemorate the veterans of World War II, a small palengke a few steps below and warm, friendly people ready to greet you with their smiles.

So far, we've been back three times to witness  people trooping for the Visita Iglesias, a wedding, a funeral and an ongoing market day.

 So glad we turned back and discovered Cavinti  that fateful day. Maybe you should, too?