Before you come
Taal is a heritage town in Batangas: old stone-and-wood houses on narrow streets, about two and a half hours south of Manila. Here is how to get there, what to wear in the May heat, and where to stay.
The house
A bahay na bato on Taal’s heritage street: a ground floor of stone, an upper floor of narra and capiz. Come in through the zaguan, the big wooden doors on the street. The patio is straight ahead, the stairs to the azotea and the sala on your left.
Casa Marilag is invented for this design study; Taal is real.
From Manila, about two and a half hours by car, down SLEX and the STAR Tollway; your map will take you the rest of the way. Leave by noon: the Saturday traffic out of the city is the slow part.
The heritage street is narrow. Park in the lot behind the house (enter from the side street); a valet waits at the zaguan from three.
Late May in Batangas is the hottest part of the year, low thirties in the afternoon. The patio is in the house’s shade from half past three, there are fans and cold calamansi at the door, and the sala’s windows open to the evening breeze after sunset.
Gentlemen: a barong in piña, jusi or light cotton, untucked over dark trousers. No jacket, and nobody will expect one.
Ladies: a terno, a baro’t saya, or any dress with butterfly sleeves; a modern dress with a Filipiniana touch is just as welcome. Leave ivory to Malaya.
The house asks one thing: no stiletto heels on its old narra floors. Block heels or flats.
Taal has a few small inns in its old houses, and Lipa and Batangas City have hotels about forty minutes away. Book early: May is also the season of town fiestas.
Try the kapeng barako, the strong local coffee, and panutsa, the peanut brittle; take home a piece of Taal embroidery. The family will tell you where.
Very welcome. There is a quiet room off the sala with mats and a lola or two to watch them.