Now let's see how the key players in the festival, Ordalisa (the wife of the Muslim Emperor) and Reyna Elena (of the Christians) pride on their characters.
Ordalisa sings and dances as the community brass band plays on.
An impressed visitor pins money on the robe of Reyna Elena as a sign of liking to her performance.
Ordalisa and Reyna Elena as they try to outsmart each other while their soldiers vie for the possession of the cross.
Though both female characters show exuberance in their performance, Reyna Elena turns out the most prized performer.
Must-Try
The Araquio festival is not the only must-see in Nueva Ecija, there are must-try as well. Cabanatuan City, the government seat of the province and its main commercial center, houses a variety of food bistros and stalls that would satisfy everyone's appetite. Catch the "Hilton" food stalls beside the town plaza that offers variety of mouthwatering Filipino dishes. Hilton is not of western basis whatsoever but rather is a combination of two Filipino words "hila" (means push) and "kariton" (means cart), "pushcarts" that is, and which is literally their style ---through this they can easily clear the area before dawn of the next day. At night this part of the plaza looks like a stylish al fresco restaurant, but on the next day it is the usual sidewalk.
Not much?
Some said there is not much to see in this province, which would hold true if one would compare the number of tourist destinations here with that of other larger provinces in the country. If one has plenty of time in roaming the outer edge of Nueva Ecija, a ripping travel experience awaits. The province boasts of its big Pantabangan dam, and the neighboring Minalungao National Park, few springs and cool mountain sceneries, as well as some historical sites.
Pantabangan Dam is also known as the Upper Pampanga River Project. It is a remarkable engineering feat that contains a recreation area behind the dam.
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