HAVE you ever heard of Viaje Del Sol? Well if you did, maybe you have joined in one of their trips or have read about it in the Internet or some newspaper articles. But for those who have not heard about it, Viaje Del Sol is a unique human interest cum cultural tour to Southern Luzon.
Organized by maverick fashion designer Patis Tesoro and artist Carlito Ortega three years ago, the tour presents the most varied selections of destinations in Laguna and neighboring locations.
The tour, mind you, is not your ordinary tour itinerary. What makes Viaje Del Sol different is that it has its own map where tour participants can chart their destinations and the time and date they intend to take their trip.
If you happen to have a chance to surf the Net, the Viaje Del Sol concept has been earning rave reviews.
Last Saturday, friends and culture lovers met in Sta. Rita town were Patis Tesoro gave the basics on how to organize the same trip for Pampanga and somehow arranged collaboration with the southern tour.
"The tour is a visit to real places. There are real people that would welcome the tour participants. The places to visit may range from historical sites, restaurants and event antique shops," Tesoro explained.
The amazing thing about the tour concept is that it does not use conventional advertisements and only derives popularity from "word of mouth advertising," she added.
Responding to Tesoro's call for a similar tourism tour were furniture magnate Myrna Bituin, who forwarded the proposition of a tour to the famous Betis Craft workplace and live demonstration of their gold-leafing technique, and Wilma Panlilio with a breakfast in bed stay at the Mahogany Farm in Sta. Rita.
Restaurants and rest houses were also presented in the possible listing of spots like the Jorolan's for Everybody's Café, Bale ng Juan in Sta. Rita and the Ostrich Farm in San Luis.
Places and establishments like the Center for Kapampangan Studies in Angeles City and La Moderna Bakery in Guagua are also being eyed for the tour.
Hopes are high that the tour for Pampanga would push through. If it does, it would surely fulfill what tourism officials in the province failed to do for longest time ever - promote the province.
The Pampanga tour is set to be headed by Myrna Bituin, with Andy Alviz as the group's focal person.
Soon we will see a unique tourism map for Pampanga which will be presented by individuals genuinely interested in the promotion of the province's cultures and other features.
The author is accepting invites, comments, suggestions, love notes, indignant rebuttals, hate-mail and what-have-you: email:ianocampoflora@yahoo.com (0927-542-5466). (IOF)
