Dumaguete Tourism Office, City Hall etc.

I did not expect to see the tourism office in this park. So, I was pleasantly surprised to realize that a fancy little 2-level edifice with some kind of a 3rd level little attic, glass-walled on almost all sides is actually the tourism office of the city! I went over to the glass walls just to peek on what information or displays I might be able to discern. And OMG what an extra welcome surprise, it was open! On a Saturday afternoon! I almost shouted in glee! So without any second thoughts I entered and saw that there were two young ladies and a handsome gentleman in there. Hah, one of the girls promptly attended to me and answered every query that I had. The other girl would sporadically answer too, even the guy who obviously was her lover, uuuyyyy! But they were such a great help!

I could not resist so I asked “why are you open today, it’s a Saturday”? And I got the answer that I needed to hear… “sir, we noticed that there are a lot more tourists during the weekends than weekdays… so, especially now that there is a festival (Sidlakang Negros), we decided to open our offices in shifts”… my goodness I almost clapped my hands on hearing that explanation. In fact I told the girl that tourism offices and museums being closed on weekends were one of my frustrations in this country. And I heard the dude butt in with “not in Dumaguete sir, we’ll all be here to help you, our visitors”! For that, Dumaguete City, you truly deserve a drum roll and applause (clap clap clap)!

I stayed on for a while more, browsing on leaflets, brochures and other informative materials inside their office. Then I started asking for bits ‘n pieces about what to see, when to see them, hot to go there, where to eat, where to hang out, what to do and just about, what to ride, etc. And golly these three young ambassadors of the city were really quite a heap of help. And it is from them that I was able to re-confirm my already assumed frustration… that with the so many things I wanted to see, I would not have much time to spare for an enjoyable Antulang Resort and/or Apo Island visit.

The three of them helped me come to terms with my ambitious list and start crossing out some of the sights I planned to see. Sad but I had to accept it; the weekend was just not enough! Otherwise, I must omit Siquijor – which was also important to me. But we all happily agreed, I will come back another long-weekend to see all those I have to cancel during this visit.

Just outside of the Dumaguete City Tourism Office and across the street is the City Hall. But it looked to me like more prominently an elementary school than a city hall. I did see the big official seal of the city planted to a wall at one of those buildings, though I still think what I saw was an elementary school. I was probably on the wrong side of the city hall. It probably faces elsewhere than the park. Oh well.

Hey, while I busied myself ogling at the elementary school and/or the city hall, I barely noticed there was a Silliman University school bus. And this was another OMG! It’s an old old bus with the usual protruding “nose” that houses the bus engine, like the buses of the olden days, and it is still alive and kicking! The school bus was (I guessed) on a tour carrying tots and their guardians. I did not look but I thought the bus floor must have been wood. Hmm, now I remember the red JD Buses in EDSA of yesteryears!