Old Church and Tsinelas Shops of Liliw

After our enjoyable lunch at Chef Mau restaurant, we went back to the town proper of Liliw, to see its church and the famous tsinelas (slipper) shops. After dropping the ladies at the slipper shops along Gat Tayaw St., the kids and I proceeded to the uphill church of the town.

Named as St. John the Baptist Church, the original church and adjoining convent was built in 1605, but was seriously damaged by the earthquakes in 1880. It was reconstructed thereafter, and was partly burned in April 1898. When the Americans came, they renamed the town into Lilio, but the residents renamed it back to Liliw in 1965.

This old church built with adobe stones and the facade covered with red bricks is a real beauty. Like with many old churches built during the Spanish era, it displays the Baroque style and painstakingly-done mouldings.

The weather plays an important role in giving the external walls its old-age look. Yet it also causes some bricks to peel off.

Its lone belfry adds character to the church, with moss and shrubs covering the red bricks.

On its arch windows, stained glasses adds colors to its red brick theme.

Where the sun's rays cast a rainbow of colors inside the church.

It was a Sunday, so it was just fitting to do a mini-Visita Iglesia. The pews are full of church goers that day.

The local people are lucky to also have a nice and grand wooden retablo (altar) whenever they hear mass.

On the left side of the church is their museum, but it was closed that time. There is a small chapel (perhaps for baptismals), with thick-walled passage. It seems that the church also doubled as a fort a century ago, to protect the town people against bandits.

A staircase beside the museum door, which is prohibited to the public.

Outside the church are some scuptures, showing the town's industries.

Mount Cristobal can be seen from the right side of the church, past the belfry.

This arch entrance of the church compound leads to Gat Tayaw St., where we met our companions.

Most of the tsinelas shops have large slipper decors to attract customers.

A weathered and big slipper replica on display at the top end of the street.

A giant sandal on display just outside the doorstep of the municipal hall.

The ladies enjoyed their shoe/slipper shopping, which are at least half of the prices in Manila.