Where the Heck is Marinduque?: Three Places Named Santa Cruz that I know on Planet Earth

Planning to Visit the Philippines Soon?

There are hundreds of tourists attractions in the Philippines. But as a lover of the Island of Marinduque (Home of the Morions and Heart of the Philippines), I am indeed partial to its beauty, charm and its friendly and hospitable residents. Therefore, help me achieve my dream of seeing this island becomes a world tourist destination, by telling all your friends and relatives about this site. Welcome, to you all, new readers and faithful followers of this site! The photo above is Poctoy White Beach in Torrijos, Marinduque with beautiful and majestic Mt Malindig in the background. Some of the photos and videos on this site, I do not own. However, I have no intention on infringing your copyrights.

Thursday, February 16, 2023

Three Places Named Santa Cruz that I know on Planet Earth

There are three places in Planet Earth named Santa Cruz that I know and have visited.

The places are located in Seville, Spain, California, USA and Marinduque, Philippines,

1. Santa Cruz, Seville, Spain

Santa Cruz, is the primary tourist neighborhood of Seville, Spain, and the former Jewish quarter of the medieval city. Santa Cruz is bordered by the Jardines de Murillo, the Real Alcázar, Calle Mateos Gago, and Calle Santa María La Blanca/San José. The neighbourhood is the location of many of Seville's oldest churches and is home to the Cathedral of Seville, including the converted minaret of the old Moorish mosque Giralda.

The district of Santa Cruz covers the historic and artistic quarter of Seville. Walking through its streets you can see 12th century buildings, like the Royal Citadels, and symbolic buildings, like the cathedral, the General Archive of the Indies, the Hospital of the Venerable and the City Hall.

Macrine and I drove by the area during our one week vacation in Spain in the mid 1990's.

For more details visit:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Cruz,_Seville

The Beach and Board Walk of Santa Cruz, CA

2. Santa Cruz, California, USA

Santa Cruz (Spanish for "Holy Cross") is the largest city and the county seat of Santa Cruz County, in Northern California. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 62,956. Situated on the northern edge of Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz is a popular tourist destination, owing to its beaches, surf culture, and historic landmarks.

Santa Cruz was founded by the Spanish in 1791, when Fermín de Lasuén established Mission Santa Cruz. Soon after, a settlement grew up near the mission called Branciforte, which came to be known across Alta California for its lawlessness. With the Mexican secularization of the Californian missions in 1833, the former mission was divided and granted as rancho grants. Following the American Conquest of California, Santa Cruz eventually incorporated as a city in 1866. The creation of the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk in 1907 solidified the city's status as a seaside resort community, while the establishment of the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1965 led to Santa Cruz's emergence as a college town.

We have visited Santa Cruz area several times when we were residing in Modesto, California from 1969 to 1974.

For details visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Cruz,_California

Holy Cross Roman Catholic Cathedral in Santa Cruz

3. Santa Cruz, Marinduque, Philippines

Santa Cruz, officially the Municipality of Santa Cruz (Tagalog: Bayan ng Santa Cruz), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Marinduque, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 54,692 people.

History: Republic Act No. 204, approved May 28, 1948, converted the sitios of Angas of the barrio of Tagum, Biga of the barrio of Alobo, Kamandungan of the barrio of Lusok, Kilokilo of the barrio of San Antonio, and Makulapnit of the barrio of Devilla to regular and independent barrios. In 1953, the sitio of Baguidbirin was converted into a barrio.

Geography: The municipal jurisdiction also includes the islands of Maniwaya, Mongpong, Salomague, and Santa Cruz (also known as Polo Island), as well as several minor islets.

Barangays

Maniwaya Island

Santa Cruz is politically subdivided into 55 barangays. In 1957 the sitio of Kalangkang, barrio of Kasily, was converted into a barangay.

Macrine and I have been to Santa Cruz, MRQ numerous times during our MI, Inc medical missions as well as during our yearly vacation at Chateau Du Mer during the late 1990's up to the late 2010's. Macrine has relatives native to the town and we purchased regularly seafood products from the town.

For details visit:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Cruz,_Marinduque

Meanwhile enjoy this photo from my album:

My Lighted Bubblegram Memento Photograph

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ABOUT ME

I am a retired (Chemistry Team Leader from USFDA) Filipino-American who loves writing, gardening and photography. My wife (of 58 years) and I enjoy the snowbird lifestyle between the US and the Philippines. We have a small but very private beach resort( see above video) in the beautiful island of Marinduque, Philippines. I have several blog sites(ten), a personal blog, blogs about retiring in Marinduque and our beach resort and conference center-CHATEAU DU MER. I also write for www.squidoo.com now owned by HubPages.com

Marinduque: A Photogenic Province and Tourists Destination

Marinduque is a photoblogger dream. The province is endowed with unspoiled white sand beaches, pristine blue waters, fringing reefs, virgin coral reefs, coves, limestone caves, meandering rivers, mountain peaks, cascading waterfalls and streams, fabled sulfur and hot mineral springs,old churches and of course beautiful sunsets. The Internet is filled with photographs of the scenic beauty of this island not only from the local professional photographers but also from amateur photographers all over the world. The province has more than six big islands popular to beach lovers, scuba divers and snorkeling enthusiasts. It has Mt Malindig known to mountain climbers and hikers. It has Bathala and Tarug Caves popular to spelunkers and just curious seekers. In one of the eight caves of Bathala, there is a resident python, believed to be enchanted. If he shows himself when you visit the caves, it is suppose to bring you good luck.

Sunset over Tres Reyes Islands- Photo from panoramnio.com The nearest and most accessible islands from the capital town of Boac are the Tres Reyes Islands ( Islands of the Three Kings), Gaspar, Melchor and Baltazar in the town of Gasan. The local names are Laki, Pangkog and Man-nga ( see map above). These islands are located southwest of the mainland. The other three group of islands bigger in area and more populated are Polo, Maniwaya and Mongpong Islands. These are located in the Northeast part of the mainland in the town of Santa Cruz. Maniwaya's Polo Maria White Beach is being develop as an alternative to Boracay. There is a bigger island, Salamongue Island which is not as well known to the tourists and residents.. I really do not know the reason, but I believe it is not as accessible from the mainland . Moreover, it is not as developed( no electricity or running water) compared to the other islands.

One of the most popular white beach located in the mainland in the town of Torrijos is Poctoy White Beach. It is about a 70 minutes drive from downtown Boac. Poctoy White beach with Mt, Malindig as the background is the most photogenic and the most photographed scenery in the island.

Just late last year, the former Elephant Island in Lipata, Buenavista, owned privately, was renamed Bellarocca Resort Island and Spa. It has been converted to look like Santorini Island, Greece with buildings all painted in white sticking in the cliffs. From what I heard, this resort is one of the most expensive and luxurious resort in Southeast Asia. The cheapest room charges $300 per night excluding meals and other amenities. When I was in Marinduque last year, I met a few rich and famous Filipinos( businessmen, actors and actresses, TV personalities)) from Manila as well as Korean and Japanese tourists at Masiga Airport in Gasan on their way to the resort. From the resort advertisement, I know that the most expensive accommodation is a 3-bedroom villa with its own pool and jacussi charging about $ 800 per night without meals. Dong Ho, Oggie Ramos, Ferdz Decena, Allan Barredo, Sydney Snoeck and Dennis Villegas are some of the photographers that I know who have photo blogs about Marinduque. Their pictures are beautiful, unique and mesmerizing. It is worth your time to visit their photo blogs sites. Looking at their photographs of Marinduque, its Tradition and Culture will surely make you proud of the beauty of our island paradise.