Roxas City Transit

“You what”? That’s what a dear friend exclaimed when I told her I was on the way to Roxas to watch Dinagyang hehe! She was going to Iloilo, I was going to Roxas, and our flights were leaving just within minutes of each other when we accidentally met at the airport’s departure lounge. I said yes I’m going Dinagyang but via Roxas City! She knows me better than that though… a few more questions and she learned that I only decided 3 days ago, with all Iloilo flights already full. I did not tell her anymore this was the 2nd time I was going via Roxas for the 7th time that I was going to watch the Dinagyang! ON this occasion however, I was determined to see more of Roxas City! So, off I went!

I’ve been to this city several times before, even stayed here for a week. But I was on a business trip and have never really gotten to see even the city center for real. I just know where is what, but more of I have just taken glances of this and that. This time, I was determined to see more and pay attention more than before – even if I was just in transit going to Iloilo City for the Dinagyang hehe! Hey c’mon, I have got to know more of the place where I first saw and tasted the “tahong barbecue” being sold on the streets – even if that was many years ago! I knew this city is a seafood capital (or part of a seafood corridor that is Panay), but I did not even realize it looks like a city that rose from the marshes! Just look at that picture as we approached the runway!

Oh, the airport is nothing different from the other old-style airports of this country such as the old Manila Domestic Airport, Tacloban, San Jose Mindoro, old Iloilo and old Bacolod, Puerto Princesa, Dipolog, CDO etc, etc., But I like the road that connects the Roxas City Airport to the main highway. It is lined with trees of similar height, and when I passed, there were no leaves! They just looked like they were not real, but they were/are. And hey, I passed this road twice everyday for 5 days straight sometime ago, and I did not even notice them trees are like so! Ah, maybe it was not a January. Further away, many more trees had that similar “look” – leafless. Even one that for sure will soon be uprooted to give way to a future Central Bank branch. Interesting!