Roaming Elsewhere Naval, Biliran
Done with the church, municipal building, capitol and “provincial park”, I went for their public market. But even the way there on a tricycle was good enough a view to me, the visitor. I saw the imposing gate of NSU (Naval State University), the church again, and many old houses reminiscent of how this country was in the olden days! 
What was I to do at the public market? Nothing really. Just to see how things are, since you would not expect a tourist (that’s me!) to buy anything fish or meat or vegetable from there, right? And I know too that most markets are busier during mornings. So on this Saturday afternoon – almost sunset – I was already happy to see a few vendors still there. And first time for me to see (and poke at) that kind of red fish. Those are not cooked yet but, the vendors told me this is their natural color – orangy, pinkish, reddish! Am not even sure if their outer “skin” are also called scales since they’re real hard shells comparable to that of the janitor fish along the Marikina River!
Hey I liked walking around this big vacant space by the water’s edge. It is their transport terminal (I think) but am not even sure if I arrived at this place earlier in the day since there just seemed to be no (more) activity whatsoever. Nice view of the sea. Plus there were a few small boats about to depart for island destinations. Aha! That must be the way to Calubian or Higatangan Island. Hmm, I just told myself “soon baby soon”!
I aimlessly walked the streets wherever my feet and my lowly brain would take me! And I marveled at how skillful those bus and truck drivers must be when they negotiate the streets of Naval – these avenues are still so narrow like how streets were in the past, but good that I saw there are already one-way streets! Trucks hauling brand new motorcycles by the dozens and buses from as far as Manila, those are signs that this little town is slowly progressing forward.
Am not sure why I oscillated towards this part of town, but I did see the Biliran Provincial Hospital – the facade at least. And I wondered why their “emergency bay” sits right beside the “outpatient services” using a single narrow entrance with an archway! Then again, this is a small town and small province. There are probably not so many people at hospitals in danger of being run over by the ambulance, right? Mind you, the ambulance is even parked right in front of the very “outpatient service” area! Hmm, I still have to shed more of my process reviewer mentality to appreciate the rural areas of this country – I think!
An empty wharf?! Did I come looking for this? Am not sure anymore. But having been to this little wharf afforded more unobstructed view of the sea fronting this town. Such a good afternoon view! This probably is not very much in use (if at all) since I even had to wade through some make-shift woodworks shop, some vehicle repair whatever and other residential things that indicate the way to this wharf is not really that frequently used by both human feet and vehicles. Dog feet, probably since I saw there were a lot romping around but only one dared bark at me. How dare him hehe!Cherry Blossoms? Nah, this is a hot humid place. But yes, those trees and their flowers made me remember ‘sakura’ back in 最愛の日本!
This thing made me smile. I made a second look and even took this pic since I did remember that “Brigida Tourist
Inn” was one of those I encountered on the web while searching for accommodations. As I stood beneath that signage, I actually wanted to check where I was in Naval so I read more of it. The thing I read (on that blue lower panel) made me smile almost bursting into a laugh. Is that their address? I wonder! A Tourist Inn inside a warehouse?! Gosh hehe! I entered to check and ask anyway. Ah eh, okay its an Inn enough. Just a bit too dark for me! More of like a student dorm or boarding house than a tourist inn. But clean!
Enough of the smiles. This other sighting made me even grin! The signage really made my day! I was grinning that other passersby even looked at me more intently why I was so happy in front of a funeral home! The name “Marvelous” alone for a funeraria is already funny weird for me! But read it yourselves folks! There are blanks in the faded signage (below the address), so start thinking for yourself what word could fit in those blanks to complete this funeraria’s by-line!
Gosh ‘no?! Even the last line is actually a wonder of wonders for us Filipinos! Have you actually seen a funeraria that is not open 24 hours? Hahaha what do they say? “Okay people, it’s closing time, leave the dead alone and come back tomorrow morning when we open again”! Me ganun?! Ano yan, maglalamay kayo during office hours lang? Well, I actually itched to roam the entire town and find some funeral home/s not open 24 hours for this one to brag that they are hehehe!
That made me remember I saw in one of my travels (not sure if it was Vietnam or Thailand) there was a travel and tours agency called “ETERNAL TRAVEL”! Maybe they’re related to “Marvelous Funeral Homes”! Hahaha, enough of the dear departed talk, tama na 'yang usapang patay hehehe!
Let’s go to my takes for the rest of the day in the next stories!
For a chronology of stories on this Biliran travel, please click the following:
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