Benoni To Balingoan

This was planned, at least as of yesterday! I had to take a RORO ride from Benoni port to the port of Balingoan, which takes about an hour. From there, a bus ride to CDO, then cab to the airport would have made me catch with ease my early evening flight.

So, since it was obvious I was in danger of being left behind by the RORO, I agreed with my habal-habal driver that he be the one to rush me to Benoni instead of taking yet more time looking for one or waiting it out with the trikes or jeeps at the market. Take this: I checked out of Rooftop Hotel at 1220H, I was already sitting on the RORO as 12:55NN! Not to mention that at 1226H, I was still at the PNB ATM in Mambajao!







How was the ride? Also wonderful. It was not even a RORO but a smaller boat. All-steel body (at least) and not a wooden boat. Hello Noah, am not keen riding your kind of boat hehe! Mind you, this boat that I took to Balingoan may have been the very same (or the same kind) as that boat we took on our tour of decades ago.

I mean this one is too old it shows everywhere haha!
So, don't touch anything! You could get tetanus or other yucky things!

You really wanna see more? So here are more hehehe
That was my ticket yes, but I swear, this was not M/V Yuhum! Royal Princess nga eh!

This is the lower deck of the boat...
And yes, those are the only 2 people who opted to stay there!

That in there... going down below, is the engine area...
Noisy of course... and smells like... well, engine!

Nice reminder to tourists... but the wall...
old and rusty, just covered with layers and layers of paint!

Pasintabi po sa mga kumakain hehehe...
Yeah, just like the public toilets of our 2 neighboring countries!

Safety, security and other reminders are all over the place though...
And at least the thing still floats, and it got me across to Balingoan!

Let's talk happier things, shall we?!

Oh, just to refresh my memory and to titillate you my readers, it was in these waters that I first saw a real live non-captive Dolphin in this country? Yeah, on that tour of decades ago. I remember me and the friends thought those we saw were shorter and browner than most we see on TV or the movies. But definitely Dolphins just the same. Memories!

I think this boat just followed a straight line from port to port. Simple hour-long ride!

You see that manang?
She’s selling biscuits, crackers, chichirya, candies, yosi, etc., as is common everywhere. But I was surprised she did not get off the boat when we departed. Yeah, she went on this ride too. And OMG what a merry surprise, I did not see just one vendor, not even two but three of them! Another manang was selling lanzones (the pride of Camiguin) and guavas, while a manong was selling fried peanuts and juice drinks! I wonder if I could also do this on the QM2 or the 'real' Royal Princess! I’d be glad to hahaha!

There is Mantigue island again...
Hmm, inviting! Okay, listed on my “to see” list!


How about the views? Well, lovely, really...

















And...

As elsewhere, after getting off our boat, everyone scampered out to the highway.
I know, I know… I already knew… they wanted to grab their choice seats on the bus or jeep! But I did not mind. All that my brain had was 5J210 ETD 1930H. Kayang-kaya!

Well okay, let's talk about my bus ride from Balingoan to CDO next!


To read the chronology of stories on this trip, click the following article numbers:
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
Previous
Next

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Trapped In Oras, Eastern Samar

Image
Oras is a pacific-facing town up the northern portion of Eastern Samar. This town's name is not pronounced like the Tagalog word for time. No, not like that! It is [o'ras] where the stress is in the second syllable. The speed and tone is like how you say the English words "alight", "chorale", "amass" or "awash". Okay, that's good enough, I know you got it! Uu da, oke na da it! Asya it! Yesterday, I was in the area checking on some work-related matters. Stayed overnight in this town as I haven't yet heard if accommodation facilities are available in San Policarpo or Arteche (these are the 3 northern-most towns of Eastern Samar). This morning, I was on my way to other nearby places, but.. I got trapped (happily) by a parade! That long white bridge behind them is the only way out south... A youngish set of town officials, I must say. Oh, the girl in the middle is not a muse. She is THE Mayor! But by the looks of it, she migh...
Read more

Hinatuan, A Quick Visit

Image
Happy (and thankful) to have seen the center of this town, even if I did not at all dream of being in the place yet! I only wanted to see Tinuy-an Falls and Enchanted River which I thought were both in Bislig ! Only to find out that Enchanted River is even farther away than Hinatuan, from Bislig or Tinuy-an Falls! This place is out of the way if you come from anywhere in Bislig to the Enchanted River or vice-versa! So, how did I find myself here? Nag-detour? Well, I would like to think of this as some kind of a gift! An addition to my itinerary (at no extra cost), for lack of anything else to do and/or any place else to see! Why? Because we were moving too fast from place to place, because: I did not stay long at Tinuy-an Falls or Enchanted River.., because: there were just too many visitors that I did not enjoy it any longer! Whose fault? Mine! Lesson learned: DO NOT VISIT SURIGAO DEL SUR ON A HOLY WEEK! So.., because we were already done with Tinuy-an Falls and Enchanted Ri...
Read more

THE BOULEVARD, Surigao City

Image
Virtually everyone in Surigao City is related to this boulevard directly or indirectly! It's such a big thing , they even have a Surigao City Boulevard Development Program and a Surigao City Development Authority . I'm not joking. Those are for real. As in! Involved in it are not only their local politicians but also the chambers of commerce. What is it anyway? Foremost it's a 1.8 kilometer stretch of a highway along the seafront. The concrete pavement tells me it is still new. That is it! Walang basagan ng trip! It is an emulation (kumbaga sa Tagalog pa: gaya-gaya ) of Roxas Boulevard in Manila, or pwede rin Dumaguete’s Rizal Boulevard - and many other seafront boulevards. Aside from being a “park” for the residents, it is supposed to be an attraction in the city, showcasing whatever bla-blah-blah to attract tourists from everywhere on earth. While I was inclined to raise my eyebrows, it did attract me. I was a tourist, right?! So okay, without a speck of d...
Read more