Unexpected Beauty : Talavera

(This is part of my Nueva Ecija townhopping last June 12, 2013)

Talavera is a Nueva Ecija town found at the center of the province. It was formerly part of Cabanatuan during the Spanish period but separated and became a new town in 1852 (talavera.gov.ph). It was then known as Barrio Katugian (place where many "tugue" or mung beans sprouts) but where joined by barrio La Torre, Pulong Buli, Conception and Valle when it separated from Cabanatuan to form the new town.

Talavera Town Church. Nueva Ecija.

My last destination for my one day Nueva Ecija tour is the town of Talavera. I have never been to Talavera before and I just heard the town through some of my friends but there’s not a mention of anything special about the town. One of my friends, Ma’am Lynniel Carbonel lives in Talavera but she hasn’t told me anything interesting about it because maybe we were preoccupied with some other things related to our jobs because we are both in the academe. So I wasn’t really expecting something while I am on my way to Talavera from Muñoz.

It was a great surprise for me when I got to see how beautiful the town proper of Talavera is! It was a beautifully planned town proper obviously designed to attract tourist like me to keep coming back and marvel at its beauty.

Talavera Town Church. Nueva Ecija.

The very first thing I saw was the newly renovated town church. It was made to look like it was built with bricks even if it is not. Actualy, the church looked like a little castle or a fortress. Statues of different catholic saints can be found in every post of the fence, including the two Filipino saints, San Lorenzo Ruiz and San Pedro Calungsod.

San Lorenzo Ruiz                                        San Pedro Calungsod

Beside the church is the spacious town gym which has a small aviary, containing colorful birds, at the front. Across the road, in front of the church, is the beautifully designed town hall with a well-landscaped park. Though somewhat small, the park has benches where the park goers can sit while looking at the beautiful ornamental and flowering plants surrounding it.

Talavera Municipal Hall and Town Park

Talavera Municipal Hall

At the center of the park is a statue of the national hero, Jose Rizal, full with wreaths that day as a commemoration of the 115th Philippine Independence Day.

Jose Rizal Monument. Talavera, Nueva Ecija.

At the left side of the municipal hall is a mini-aviary and zoo. Different species of colorful birds can be found inside the aviary, as well as iguanas and a pair of cute breed of chicken.

Talavera Mini-zoo and Aviary. Nueva Ecija.

The town proper was perfectly designed for people to while away their boredom. It has complete amenities such as the gym where you can play basketball and volleyball and other sports. Clean comfort rooms are available, situated at the right side of the municipal hall. Food stalls can be found just beside the church, the gym and the municipal hall, selling assortment of snack for everyone to enjoy.

Left side of the Talavera Church

Water Fountain at Talavera Church yard

All in all, I was really not expecting the beauty and the satisfaction that Talavera has given me. I can really said that Talavera is indeed an unexpected beauty, at least for me. I just hope that the local government will be able to maintain the beauty of the town proper as well as the facilities and amenities that they offer to their people and tourists alike. Talavera must continue showcasing its beauty coupled with the best part: for the people to be able to enjoy the beauty of the town for free!

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To know more about my Nueva Ecija Tour, you may visit the following (some to be posted later):

My one day affair with Nueva Ecija
A walking tour on Historic Cabanatuan

A short visit to Palayan City

Exploring three Eastern Nueva Ecija Towns : Bongabon, Rizal, Pantabangan

San Jose and Munoz : Visiting Nueva Ecija's Northern Cities