Popping In At Dauin
My Negros Oriental Tour: Municipality of Dauin
Pronounce that as “duh-win” or actually the name Darwin without the “r”! Okay, we’re out of Apo Island but still in the town of Dauin. Apo is a barangay of this town, remember? It gets sometimes confusing since you cross to it from Malatapay which is part of Zamboanguita. Anyway, next destination… Dauin town center. Yep, just the town center. This is another place where I didn’t see anything on the web that is worth visiting at town center other than those that I usually go to – the municipal hall, the church, at times the public market and/or the wharf. Ah, there is what they call the Masaplod Marine Sanctuary but I have seen so many places named ‘marine sanctuary’. In fact I just came from one – and that’s Apo Island itself, right?!
Church.
“That way, sir” was what a kid told me pointing to an eastward direction when I asked where the church was. Both church and municipal hall are out of the provincial highway but an easy walk. First that you would see on that walk is the church to your right and wow! It has its back on you as you walk towards it but you would already notice Its big and old. And whoa, we talked pebbles and bricks over at the Zamboanguita church, remember? Well, here we go again, this church also sports the same materials. These little stones are however used on the side and back walls of the church. There are red bricks like that of Zamboanguita’s church, though those too are probably new additions to repair/improve the church.
The church façade is different. It is made of natural colored bricks that look old though their sizes seem to tell me those are fairly new – meaning a refurbishment. But if those are original limestone bricks, then double wow. It must have been more painstaking to put them one at a time as they are smaller. However, there is something in the form and design of this church’s frontage that I cant’ explain but it oh so attracts me! Maybe the ‘romanistic’ style with pillars and scroll-like adornments; maybe those small stones that pipe the outline of the structure; maybe too those aerial plants growing naturally on the walls; maybe the gigantic bell tower that seems to overshadow the church; or maybe all of them.
This is another “solid” church with thick walls and windows that are perched high up more than a normal person can even reach. Well, this church is long and big. As you would see in the pictures, they have not even been able to fill it with pews down front hehe. The wide altar is not cluttered with many things ornate or many levels of shelves with statues. Its simple and cool to the eye. And yes, this altar is also flanked by two round (and bigger) clocks at both sides. Hah, not only the clocks are big, but they even have dates!
Ah please bear with me on this clock and calendar things at church altars. I just was not raised by my lola associating prayers with time and/or dates. Thus, they seem very irrelevant fixtures on a church for me! Maybe, science has caught up with religion such that you are supposed to ensure that reciting the 5 sorrowful mysteries must be within a measure of time, like an hour or half? So that if the minutes are already up you make your prayers fast and mumble the “glory be” or the “hail holy queen”? Is that it? I just don’t see the use of clocks in a church altar. For me it tends to diminish the solemnity of your prayers. Why go to a church when you are pressed for time anyway. I go in and pray at will and in my time with the Lord – not watching my watch or any clock. Galit ba hehe! Alright, let’s go to the munisipyo!
Town Hall
Diagonally across a street intersection and a bit further down from the church is Dauin’s town hall. It looks simple but dainty in its very light yellow color. Like all others, there is a wide concrete pavement in front of the building that surely serves as parking area, sportsfest area and “bayang magiliw” area hehe. Looking at the building though, I could make out that it had been a nice wooden Spanish/American big house in the past and was just spruced up (therefore concreted) as the years went by with a conscious effort to retain the original look. Its an era (epic?) house/building with the ‘balconaje’ still there now serving as base of the flagpole. If I am mistaken, then he who ever designed this building must have had the nostalgic yesteryears in mind.
Alright, across the town hall is another concrete field that is probably their “public affairs” area. There is a stage and the whole area is concreted. I can imagine this place is where they hold various town activities, programs, concerts and the likes. This plaza’s side is across the side of the church. And behind the stage is an elementary school. Really the heart of Dauin, Negros Oriental. Hmm, I think I like this place. It is not so bustling a town yet just a few clicks from the metropolis that is Dumaguete.
Oist hey! Walking my way back to main road (highway), I passed by a house selling mangoes that came from those trees surrounding it. Wow lah! Ah I did not buy, but it only goes to show that folks even at center of town are still on to what mother nature bears for all of us. Meaning they still plant or maintain fruit-bearing trees and vegetables! Aw, then at the side of the highway where there are stalls (and it probably is their market), I had fun watching and trying to shoot little damn pests (bees?) that kept hovering on sacks of rice on display for sale. No those were not flies. I think they’re some species of little bees! And they have their favorite rice brand hehe. Amusing!
If you want to read the chronology of all stories on this tour, click the following:
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 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65
Church.
“That way, sir” was what a kid told me pointing to an eastward direction when I asked where the church was. Both church and municipal hall are out of the provincial highway but an easy walk. First that you would see on that walk is the church to your right and wow! It has its back on you as you walk towards it but you would already notice Its big and old. And whoa, we talked pebbles and bricks over at the Zamboanguita church, remember? Well, here we go again, this church also sports the same materials. These little stones are however used on the side and back walls of the church. There are red bricks like that of Zamboanguita’s church, though those too are probably new additions to repair/improve the church.
The church façade is different. It is made of natural colored bricks that look old though their sizes seem to tell me those are fairly new – meaning a refurbishment. But if those are original limestone bricks, then double wow. It must have been more painstaking to put them one at a time as they are smaller. However, there is something in the form and design of this church’s frontage that I cant’ explain but it oh so attracts me! Maybe the ‘romanistic’ style with pillars and scroll-like adornments; maybe those small stones that pipe the outline of the structure; maybe too those aerial plants growing naturally on the walls; maybe the gigantic bell tower that seems to overshadow the church; or maybe all of them.
This is another “solid” church with thick walls and windows that are perched high up more than a normal person can even reach. Well, this church is long and big. As you would see in the pictures, they have not even been able to fill it with pews down front hehe. The wide altar is not cluttered with many things ornate or many levels of shelves with statues. Its simple and cool to the eye. And yes, this altar is also flanked by two round (and bigger) clocks at both sides. Hah, not only the clocks are big, but they even have dates!
Ah please bear with me on this clock and calendar things at church altars. I just was not raised by my lola associating prayers with time and/or dates. Thus, they seem very irrelevant fixtures on a church for me! Maybe, science has caught up with religion such that you are supposed to ensure that reciting the 5 sorrowful mysteries must be within a measure of time, like an hour or half? So that if the minutes are already up you make your prayers fast and mumble the “glory be” or the “hail holy queen”? Is that it? I just don’t see the use of clocks in a church altar. For me it tends to diminish the solemnity of your prayers. Why go to a church when you are pressed for time anyway. I go in and pray at will and in my time with the Lord – not watching my watch or any clock. Galit ba hehe! Alright, let’s go to the munisipyo!Town Hall
Diagonally across a street intersection and a bit further down from the church is Dauin’s town hall. It looks simple but dainty in its very light yellow color. Like all others, there is a wide concrete pavement in front of the building that surely serves as parking area, sportsfest area and “bayang magiliw” area hehe. Looking at the building though, I could make out that it had been a nice wooden Spanish/American big house in the past and was just spruced up (therefore concreted) as the years went by with a conscious effort to retain the original look. Its an era (epic?) house/building with the ‘balconaje’ still there now serving as base of the flagpole. If I am mistaken, then he who ever designed this building must have had the nostalgic yesteryears in mind.
Alright, across the town hall is another concrete field that is probably their “public affairs” area. There is a stage and the whole area is concreted. I can imagine this place is where they hold various town activities, programs, concerts and the likes. This plaza’s side is across the side of the church. And behind the stage is an elementary school. Really the heart of Dauin, Negros Oriental. Hmm, I think I like this place. It is not so bustling a town yet just a few clicks from the metropolis that is Dumaguete.
Oist hey! Walking my way back to main road (highway), I passed by a house selling mangoes that came from those trees surrounding it. Wow lah! Ah I did not buy, but it only goes to show that folks even at center of town are still on to what mother nature bears for all of us. Meaning they still plant or maintain fruit-bearing trees and vegetables! Aw, then at the side of the highway where there are stalls (and it probably is their market), I had fun watching and trying to shoot little damn pests (bees?) that kept hovering on sacks of rice on display for sale. No those were not flies. I think they’re some species of little bees! And they have their favorite rice brand hehe. Amusing!If you want to read the chronology of all stories on this tour, click the following:
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 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65
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