Siquijor: Lazi Church and Convent

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When we were in Siquijor last August, weather was still predictable to some degree. On our second day there, things were just perfect for an inland tour. One of the our stops was the San Isidro Labrador Church and Convent in the town of Lazi.


The church and the convent date back to the late 1800's, built after Lazi was made a parish in the name of San Isidro Labrador under the auspices of the Augustinian Recollects. The whole complex had the church on one side of the street, the convent on the other.

I'll stop with the history lesson here. I won't pretend I know more than these things, nor do I have the diligence to do a little bit of research. I just knew that it was a great day to take pictures and that day, these structures were just the perfect subjects anyone could ask for.

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Siquijor: Salagdoong Beach

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While we stayed at the Coco Grove beach resort, we never actually bathed in their beach. I guess we found their pools more inviting. And it really was. We, however, were bent on finding a really good beach in the island. Thus, we asked the resort staff what Siquijor's best beach was. Their automatic response was, naturally, Coco Grove. A little more prodding and you'll get them to say Salagdoong Beach.


The day before, we asked our trike driver, the same one that took us from the port to the resort, if he could hook us up with land transport for our inland tour. So he did. We didn't use his trike, though. We boarded the back of some sort of a mini-pick-up truck. The ride in and around the island was great. We got to see the real Siquijorenses. The coastal views were amazing, too. Real amazing.


Our first destination was Salagdoong Beach. It was about a 30 to 40-minute ride from Coco Grove, which was actually on the opposite side of the island. Upon leaving the provincial highway, we got to this narrow tree-lined, zig-zagged road, leading to the beach. It was really pretty.


Upon arriving, we saw this white-sand beach with crystal-clear blue-green water. The rocks there didn't really matter, because after the rocks, you have this wide open space, shallow enough to wade through but deep enough to swim in. The best part is its fine-white sand below. It was as if the rocks were intentionally brushed to the sides to form this natural pool. It was something I have never seen before.


Salagdoong Beach has its own restaurant and, as far as I know, a hotel, too. We were here lunch time so we rented a picnic table and ordered two of their very crunchy home-made pizzas. Very home-made, I should say. But good enough. If you wanted to cook your own food, however, you could. There are these outdoor grills around for guests to use.


Salagdoong Beach is actually two beaches. One side is the rocky part (at least, when we were there). The other side is the one that looked more like a beach. The sand on this side, though, is not as fine. A lot of small rocks. But I presume it's still worth the dip.


A very huge rock boulder divides the two beaches at Salagdoong. They have built a concrete footbridge leading to the top of this rock boulder. I really should stop calling it a rock boulder, because they've turned it into a very high viewing deck. And the views there are nothing short of breathtaking. Crystalline turquoise water as far as the eye can see. Really breathtaking.




To see more Siquijor-related photos, please see:
Siquijor: Coco Grove

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Siquijor: Coco Grove

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WALK FLY PINOY:
Travel, Photography, Asia
www.walkflypinoy.com

Do not let common belief scare you. While Siquijor is surrounded by stories of mangkukulams and arbolarios, it should not stop you from exploring the island. In fact, it should encourage you to visit it. Folklore as rich and as widely believed says a lot about the place.


But we did not come to Siquijor for that. I guess we were too scared to go looking for it. Besides, we figured the little island in the southern part of the Visayan archipelago has something more to offer. And it has.

But first things first, how do you get to Siquijor? Really easy. Take a plane to nearby Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental. From there, take a tricycle to the city's port area. Fare is eight pesos a person and don't let anybody tell you otherwise. At the port, get on the next ferry to Siquijor and that's it. If the Oceanjet ferry is available, get on it. If not, the Delta liner will do.


In Siquijor, we stayed at Coco Grove resort. This I maintain, had the place been a little more manicured, I would've declared it to be the poshiest resort I had been in. Notwithstanding, I think it is the poshiest resort I've been in. It's the kind where foreigners (by that, I mean Europeans) go in search of peace in the tropics. In fact, our group (all Pinoys) felt like we were the foreigners there. They're very friendly, though. So no worries.


The beach at Coco Grove is something to be desired. The strip of soft sand under the beach water is quite narrow. After that, it's rocks and coral. Good for snorkeling, yes. But for swimming, not so much. Fortunately, the resort has two great pools. One even has a poolside bar. See? It's very poshy.


But, if you do want to take a dip at the beach, I advice that you bathe early in the morning. The tide is higher, so the strip of water before the rocks and coral is wider. And hey, the water is more inviting in the morning. You'll see.


Something has to be said about the food at the resort. The place has two restaurants. We were only able to eat at one, of which I was not able to take any pictures. But hey, the other restaurant's prettier anyway. In both places, though, I have to say the food's pricy. Not ritzy or poshy pricy. But definitely not-for-budget-travelers pricy. They serve all kinds of food--from Pinoy to American to Continental. Do you get value for money, though? Well, so-so.


Since this post has turned into somewhat a resort review already, let's just go ahead with it. Customer service in the resort is exceptional. The staff members treat you like important guests. And they should, because you are. But it's something to be said anyway. They're friendly, too. They take note of your names and answer your questions with a smile. We even chatted them up about Siquijor's esoteric aspects. They told us that's it's nothing, really. Kuwento ng matatanda. Maybe that's why few Filipinos come to the island. Too bad, really. Siquijor is definitely more than that.


By late afternoon, I was definitely beat. I had been up for about 24 hours by then. (I'm a night shifter. Don't ask.) Good thing, though, the beach faces west. So we had a beautiful sunset to cap off the day.

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Cebu: Fort San Pedro

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The third destination in what turned out to be our historical tour of Cebu City is Fort San Pedro. The fort is in an area now known as Plaza Independencia, just walking distance from the Basilica de Sto. Niño and Magellan's Cross. Facing the front entrance of the basilica, walk down the street to your left. After about three blocks, you'll find the plaza and the fort's walls.


There is an entrace fee of 21 pesos. Well worth it, I think. The place is well-maintained (too maintained, if you ask me). They've developed the interiors into some sort of a park. Good thing the structures are still there. One old-looking building has been turned into a museum. Pity it was closed when we visited.


I discovered later that the fort was built by the orders of Miguel López de Legazpi himself. It's that old. The adelantado wanted a military fortification there in order to protect the then emerging Spanish settlement from raids and assaults. By the late 1800's, the historical site served as a stronghold for Filipino revolutionaries.


Again, walking into the fort, you wouldn't really see this "history." Mainly because the park/garden dominates the interiors. That isn't the case, though, when you climb up the fort's battlements. There are many staircases leading up to the walls, one even wheelchair-friendly. So do go up.


There you'll find stone walkways (again, very well-maintained), out-of-service cannons and some sort of a steel artillery storage bunker. Also, there is a concrete staircase leading to the rooftop deck of the front walls. An area higher than the battlements. From there, you'll have a view of a terracotta rooftop and, of course, the streets and buildings right outside the fort.


Before leaving, make sure you drop by the souvenir shops beside the entrance/exit gates. Aside from the keychains, necklaces and bracelets (which you can get personalized with your names, by the way), you might find there a blind man singing together with a young girl gifted with an amazing voice. They were singing some old songs. Some in Tagalog even. So listen and spare some change.

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Cebu: the Cross and the Basilica

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After visiting Bantayan Island in northern Cebu province, we made sure we also visited some of the more touristy sites of Cebu City proper. Hey, it has to be done. My goal was to find as much old Spanish Cebu as I can get. It is a very historical city this one. In fact, Cebu was for a time the capital of the Spanish colony here. Luckily, it did not disappoint.


First on our list, is, of course, Magellan's Cross. The first time I saw this landmark was in grade school, in a history textbook. So, walking into the small stone kiosk that houses it was actually the first time I was beholding it. Well, I expected something taller, but hey, it's tall enough.


The cross can be found in the heart of downtown Cebu City, along Magallanes Street, right in front of the city hall. As I discovered, though, no one will actually ever lay eyes on the original Magellan's cross. The original one has been encased inside this hollow wooden cross, reportedly done to prevent devotees from chipping off its wood, believing it to have healing powers.


Right beside the cross is the back entrance of one very big Catholic church. The Basilica Minore de Sto. Niño is said to be standing on the spot where a sculpture of a black Holy Child was found. Spaniards stumbled upon this Sto. Niño preserved in a burned wooden box left behind by Magellan's 1521 expedition.


Today, the black Sto. Niño is still there. We saw it inside the church, in a special room beside the altar, along with other things inside the basilica. Again, I could not shoot inside the church out of respect to the many devotees praying there. So, I contented myself on other interesting things I found. Trust me. There are many.


We found a well-maintained patio inside, which had this beautifully crafted wishing fountain. Walking inside the church again, I found this staircase whose intricate design amazed me. The balusters and the steps themselves were all beautifully sculpted from wood. I guess this is why I never actually fully resented religion. If it could inspire beautiful works of art like this one, why should I?

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Bantayan: The Spanish-Era Town Plaza

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After visiting Kota Park, in Bantayan Island, Cebu, we headed straight to the heartland of this small little island: the town plaza. This town plaza is very much what you'd expect of a Spanish-era town plaza. Around it, you'll find big colonial houses, the market and, of course, the iglesia.


The iglesia, now called the St. Paul and Peter Parish, was founded by Augustinian priests in 1580. Construction of the actual structure, however, started more than two centuries later in 1839, finished in 1863. It is said to be one of the oldest churches in the country. A magazine show even claimed it to be the oldest in the Visayas.


The design and details of this church was to me quite breathtaking. The façade is made of corral stones and decorated by intricate sculptures and reliefs. Beside it is the campanilla, the belfry, which, people claim, houses resounding bells that can be heard for miles.


I explored the church a little more and stopped myself from taking photos inside, as a mass was currently being held. I walked to the side doors and found myself on a tree-lined area, where, I suppose, Sunday-mass vendors would set-up and sell candles and other religious paraphernalia.


As I explored the town plaza a little more, I stumbled upon Bantayan's old Spanish-style colonial houses, typical of Spanish-era town plazas. We reckoned one decrepit about-to-become-in-ruins old structure was the former government building. Its walls looked very brittle and it already had holes on its roof. The sidewalk on which it stands, in fact, has been fenced off from pedestrians.


Fortunately, there are some of these old houses that have gone through restoration. We found one whose first floor was converted into commercial spaces. There was a salon, a jewelry store, an electronics store (which we didn't think existed in the island) and various other dry goods.




For other Bantayan-island entries, please see:
Bantayan: Blooms in May
Bantayan: The Historical Kota Park
Bantayan: Brilliant Blue Beach
Cebu: From the City to the Island

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Bantayan: The Historical Kota Park

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WALK FLY PINOY:
Travel, Photography, Asia
www.walkflypinoy.com

On our second day in Bantayan Island, Cebu, we arranged for an inland trip. We hired a motorcycle taxi (like a Thai tuk-tuk) for the whole afternoon. There were four of us and we paid 200 pesos each. The taxi picked us up after lunch at a restaurant close to the resort and then, we were off.


Our first destination was Kota Park, located north of the island in the town of Madridejos, a small fishing village there. Our resort was located south of the island, so it was quite a drive to get there. It was pleasant, though. You will pass by Bantayan Island's rural landscapes, tree-lined roads and the island's commercial center.


As I found out later on through Cebu's official website, Kota Park, when it was built in the 1790's, served as a Spanish fort (kota, kuta = fort). It was used by the locals, to protect themselves from pirates, and by Spanish militiamen as a camp and a watchtower, given its strategic location at the northernmost tip of the island.


After the Spanish occupation, the fort became a public cemetery, making it the burial ground for many of the locals' departed beloved. It remained a public cemetery until the 1950's. Obviously now, the fort has been rehabilitated into a park. Still, inside the structure, we found relics and artifacts displayed in each of the four corners, including a tall wooden cross marking this fort's historical value to the island.


Past the fort, but still part of the park, is a small narrow beach. We were told by our tour organizer/guide that this is the place where the sun sets on Bantayan Island. We came here just right after lunch and there was still a lot of places to get to. So, obviously, we were not able to stay.


There is concrete footbridge connecting the shore to what seemed to be a "watch-balcony." Standing on this bridge, you will see from afar a cliff face marked with the name Madridejos. If you look below, you will see in the waters different types of jellyfish swimming around. There were black ones, lots of them, and blue ones. They looked bizarre and scary, but definitely a sight to behold.



For other Bantayan-island entries, please see:
Bantayan: The Spanish-Era Town Plaza
Bantayan: Blooms in May
Bantayan: Brilliant Blue Beach
Cebu: From the City to the Island

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Cebu: From the City to the Island

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WALK FLY PINOY:
Travel, Photography, Asia
www.walkflypinoy.com

Before the summer ended (well, it technically already ended), I knew I had one more trip to do. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I did not know much about our destination--Bantayan Island in Cebu province. I was not the organizer, too. So me getting there would not be possible without my travel companions.


We woke up early that Saturday in Cebu City and took a taxi to the North Terminal where we would ride the bus that would take us to Hagnaya Port. Even at 5 in the morning, expect the bus terminal to be bustling with barkers. They will badger you, ask you about your destination, point you--even push you--to their buses. It was wise that we already knew to get on the Ceres bus to get to the port.


The bus ride was grueling. Ceres buses were ordinary city buses. No airconditioning. But that's worth it, I think. The bus ride was scenic enough. From Cebu City, we drove along the coast, climbed up some mountainous areas, got on provincial backroads, and saw rural Cebu. After about three hours, we finally arrived at Hagnaya Port in Northern Cebu.


The port easily fills up with people so better buy a ticket and grab a bench for yourself and/or for your bags. We took the Island Express and bought "first-class" tickets. First-class for Island Express means staying at the air-conditioned passenger space with an in-"ship" movie. The best part about it is that only a few get first-class tickets. So there'll be a lot of empty seats. I comfortably slept in one for the better part of the ship ride.


We arrived at Bantayan Island after about one hour and a half. The turquoise waters greeted us as we got off the ship. It was unbelievable how brilliant the color of the water was. And we were at the island's port area! I guess the port was in Santa Fe town, the town where we will be staying in while in the island.


Be prepared to be "harrassed" by local padyak and motorcycle taxi drivers. They will get on your face, block your way and basically push you towards their rides. We settled on a motorcycle taxi (more like a Thai tuk-tuk) to take us to our home for that weekend--Kota Beach.


We checked in, dropped our bags and immediately went out to have lunch. We went to a place recommended by a co-worker of one of my travel companions. The place is called Balikbayan Restaurant, located along Balikbayan Street, the same street where the two chuches in that commercial area in Santa Fe can be found. Food is good enough, especially if you consider their relatively high prices. Make sure to try their fresh-fruits halo-halo, one of the best things to have on the island.


It was quite a walk from Kota Beach to Balikbayan and back. The sun was scorching and I did not like walking. I changed my mind when I saw some of the houses in that area. Having been born and raised in some of the more residential parts of Manila, I do not get to see these kinds of houses. I know that they once existed in Manila, but sadly only a few are left. They're mostly found in downtown old Manila, too.


I found some beautifully preserved old wooden houses and one derelict broken-down house with an empty children's playground outside. They were quite beautiful and eerie at the same time. I liked them a lot.



For other Bantayan-island entries, please see:
Bantayan: The Spanish-Era Town Plaza
Bantayan: Blooms in May
Bantayan: The Historical Kota Park
Bantayan: Brilliant Blue Beach

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