Tricycle Tour: Sta. Ana, Cagayan

No this is not one of their available tour packages hehe. I just had nothing more to do since I was done with the boat tour in the morning, remember? After lunch, I had spare time. So, I went out of the hotel, hailed a tricycle and told the driver "tara ikot tayo"!

The startled trike driver asked "saan tayo pupunta"? I jokingly said "aba, ikaw ang taga-rito, saan tayo pupunta"? Seriously, I told him I just wanted to see more of Sta. Ana, and if he can tell me places worth seeing and take me there. So, off we went! Yey!

He drove northwards on this earthen road in front of Country Inn. The street here, parallel to the beach is not concrete yet, but not bumpy. So fine lang! We turned right at a corner, on to the highway where driver showed me my first "things to see in Sta Ana"!

Jaja's Resto Grill. We did not enter, driver just wanted to show me an alternative, in case I went looking for a dinner place tonight. He said this is the most sought after dinner and night place, and that they 'sometimes' have live music. I said, Okay, noted! Noted on my mind too, that driver is a good tour guide! He got the drift of what I wanted to see!

As I was taking photos of the restaurant, this thing suddenly appeared in front of me...

My trike driver laughed as he saw that I was startled. He says that is a normal mode of transport here-arounds. And I think I heard him say they also call it "kuliglig".

Next stop: their municipal building... I thought it was clean and beautiful...

Driver heard me murmuring how nice that there were no vehicles even on a Friday. Then he said "Sir, kasi Byernesanto ngayon". Awk! He made me realize that hehe. Then I said, "eh Byernesanto pala, di sarado yung Jaja's Resto Grill tonight"?! He said "maybe sir"!

We ambled along laughing at his "maybe sir", when I saw this...

Yeah, that is the town's national hero monument. It is not at 'center' of the park as is usual, and, maliit! Reason probably why they erected that black wall to make the place more prominent. Baka kasi, pag dumaan ka, matisod mo, and you will have to say "aray aw kayo po pala Gat Jose Rizal, paumanhin po I didn't realize you were there pala" haha!

Just passing by since their hospital is literally on the side of the road...

Their Catholic Church... empty and quiet at about 4PM on a Good Friday

Ganun ba yun? Yes I know Jesus died at 3PM, but di ba me 'Siete Palabras' and other ceremonies hanggang hapon? Ah maybe kanina yun, nung tanghali, 'no? I reminded myself, "bakit ka kasi nakikialam", picture ka na lang and go. 'Wag kang!

That is one side of the park. Beautiful concrete fence...

Problem is: its just this side of the rectangular park. Kinapos? Donations please!


Moving on, we zoomed by this Santa Ana Commercial Center...

But as I read that "Commercial Center", Mr. Driver said "yan po ang palengke namin". This time I thought he was "KJ" hehe. Okay na sana to my ears yung "Commercial Center", hi-tech sa pandinig. Biglang sinabi "palengke"! Ayun naging ano tuloy, tunog... palengke!

Still going northwards, we passed by this, the Palawig Bridge...

Driver says this bridge is historic, in that, this is where the civilization of Sta. Ana started. This is the very mouth of the river. To the left is the sea, to the right is going upriver. He told me further, that the original name was "Pasawig" which means "mouth of the river"! It just became "Palawig" as time went by. Oh ha?! Informative! Nakabawi sya this time!

Onwards, on the right side of the road, we passed by this, a private hospital...

I just noted in my head, I think I already saw that name of a hospital somewhere, so this could be a 'branch'? Fr. Gerry Filippetto Memorial Foundation Hospital. Hmm familiar.

Still on the right, not far from the hospital is this, St. Anthony College...

It looked to me like they (this college and the hospital) are even on the same campus.

Northwards pa more, we reached this building... I said wow, there is this in Sta. Ana?

Driver told me this is the Cagayan Holiday and Leisure Resort. I said I did not see any signage. He said we already passed by it. Anyway and whoa! I was perplexed how come such a sleepy little town of rurality became the choice location for this seemingly luxurious resort. And hey, I took note, the driver must know somebody (or the guards themselves) because they let the trike in, and onwards to the main entrance we went. It does not just happen like that anywhere in this country of 'unnoticed' discrimination.

If not tall and full concrete, this is the fence that surrounds the facility. Hmm...

I frantically made a search hehe, First Cagayan means First Cagayan Leisure and Resort Corporation. So, related to CEZA (Cagayan Economic Zone Authority). So, this is a government property? Probably! But catering to what/who? Bakit walang tao?

Ganda 'no?! And this, I discovered, was the answer to my questions...

Driver told me I can go inside and check things out. Okay, I went inside, and quickly came back out haha! This is a Casino pala! OMG, those things I read on FB and in the news? Eto na yun, I was right inside one of them Casinos. But argh, "no picture-taking", so how could I 'document' my casino visit? No can do hahaha! Therefore, I came out ASAP!

But I happily roamed the outside areas of this "nice enough" place...

Yeah, 'nice enough' place that does not seem to belong to the community it is standing on! Take note, I was moving here while inside the tricycle. I really think Mr Driver knew folks here, thanks therefore - I did not have to walk hehe. This is a big place!

I saw food! Yeah, its some kind of a Chinese Restaurant. So I told the driver to park his trike somewhere so we could grab some bites for a "meryenda". He said "sa labas na lang sir, mahal dyan, at lahat ng pagkain nila me sabaw"! Hahaha, I said okay!

Going out, I turned to take a snap of the entrance while trike was moving...

My driver said things to that guard who acknowledged him with a 'reverse nod' (you know that, Pinoy style). Guard even said "thank you" to me, and his last words were "come back anytime sir"! I smiled and nodded (bowed pala, kahit nasa tricycle hehe)!

The driver suddenly became like a real tourist guide. He was eager to show me every single spot that is their POP (pride of place)! It was getting late, I was getting hungrier, but I obliged. Sayang din ang chance to see the real Sta. Ana hehe!

Out of the casino place, he turned right telling me we would go to the resort part. I said "wasn't that the resort"? He said "no, it is after the airport". Ack?! Ganun? Me Airport?

Big learning here. The Cagayan Holiday and Leisure Resort, so I was told, straddles the runway of the San Vicente Naval Airfield. Imagine that? There's a runway here pala?! Yeah, and it is a military facility at that. So how come this resort is built right into it? Driver shrugged, and I thought "your guess will be as good as mine".

Oh eh, as I write this now, back in my resort, many things come to mind. I looked at Google Earth and Google Map and other online maps. Hala?! Pwede ba yun?! I remember the driver telling me, "you check-in at the Casino, then you are driven by golf-cart across the runway, to your room". Aba mahusay! Am sure somebody has done something not right here. Anyway...

We entered the "real" resort area via this 'back-entrance' where the cottages are. Unfortunately (since I didn't know about the "interesting issue" yet kanina), I was more of disinterested on where we were - even if driver said there is a restaurant by the infinity pool, which anyway turned out to be "walang pagkain" for the time being. So we headed out and away from this place.

Still, I am intrigued. No wonder I heard that those Chinese gamblers can purportedly land at their casinos in the Philippines. So eto na nga yun! MaaaiGaaash! Is that okay? Is that alright? Is this even allowed? A naval airfield? Hello?! Anyway..

Driver got us out of that luxurious "village" telling me we should visit the wharf. At first I was like 'passive', reluctantly saying 'okay let's go' since my mind was more on dreaming about food. But the name San Vicente Port made my lazy brain flick a bit. Yeah, I remembered, this is the "official" or regular jump off point on the island hopping thing!

See that? Too many vehicles! Where are their owners and occupants? Why are they all lined up here, in a wharf with nary a boat nor crowd nor spectacle?!

Asus, and so I learned... those vehicles pala are waiting for people who are out island hopping - y'know, like what I just did this morning? It is here where most people avail of those island tours (pala)! Mine was a bit "special" since I embarked on my hopping tour right in front of my resort, the Country Inn By The Sea. Maybe its cheaper from here?

Driver drove his trike past those vehicles to the edge of the wharf's pavement...

He pointed to me that that's how near Palaui Island is. Oh yeah, malapit nga, if you were going to literally just touch Palaui. However, the Cape Engaño Light House is way back of that island, still kilometers away! Well, still nearer from here than from my resort.

Curious, I asked where Crocodile Island is from this vantage...

And he pointed to me that haze of a tiny island (where the red arrow points at). I said "malayo pala". And driver said it is actually just 15 minutes away from here. As an added information, my driver told me that that area (blue arrow) is also a resort, accessible only by boat from this port, and many who go there on day tours park their vehicles here.

After this San Vicente Port visit, I said 'tara mag-snack na tayo'! Which made the driver silently thinking as we drove away from the wharf.

Hey, it was a quick glance as we were speeding past, so I wasn't able to take a pic, but we passed by what seemed to be a gate to the other end of the runway. It looked permanently closed with flower pots and plants to block the already closed gate. Hmm, I am really intrigued by this naval airstrip that hosts a Casino and Resort for the Chinese! Is this going to be another Sihanoukville? Oh heavens forbid, please!

Anyway, the driver finally spoke, but more of talking to himself saying, only the resorts will be surely open this time, so it will be better to look for food there. He seemed to be not talking to me, but I replied anyway, and said "let's go"!

Casa Empyreal De Pereira Beach Resort... ang sosy ng pangalan 'no?

We saw their signage at a corner on the highway, so driver went for it. Ayan, that is the 'entrance' to the resort. On the way, we laughed because we read that their specialty is "lomi" - "me sabaw". But why not, di ba? Only to find out there was nothing here. They said they're not closed, but no food. Duh!

I couldn't make up my mind on what to say about this resort...

This place seems to be in between tastefully rustic to downright ugly hehehe! When we entered this building that looked like a big restaurant, it was dark and smelled like it was... closed hahaha! All I could do was jokingly say "sinvergüenza, que horror, vamonos, arriba arriba"! At least my driver laughed! Aba hoy, 1.0 grades ko sa Spanish 1, 2 and 20!

At least the beach area looked fine to me...

I really love beaches with not so many people around. Lalo na if empty like this!

So away from simbergwenza, aw I mean casa empyreal, we drove...

Oh hey the road here ha, challenging! Can't imagine this place on a rainy day. Gosh!

We passed by this one... hey this was one of my accommodation choices!

But from the looks of it, driver and I 'unanimously agreed' no food there hehehe!

And then we arrived at this... also one - even my next best accommodation choice!

Yeah, Jotay Resort. You pronounce that as "jo-tai". Linsyak hu-o dyutay gid ba la eh! Dyutay gamay guti-ay guti-ayay, ganun! Anyway, from the outside, this resort seemed too quiet. But this time I was not looking for peace or quiet. I was looking for food! When I tiptoed beside that closed gate, I could see the inside, and that there might be food!

When I was given this menu, all I could exclaim was... "ini"!

This is just the side where the snacks are listed. The main entree are on the other side.

And while waiting for our orders, I got a chance to look around..

Well, compared to my Country Inn By The Sea, this one is more simplistic.

Yun tipong family business... thought of, arranged and decorated Pinoy style...

Homey naman, judging from the lobby decor hehe. But they have a swimming pool!

But the food... OMG... hefty!

Menu pa lang, I mean the variety, panalo ito!

We only ate sandwiches, but judging from the size of their servings versus the price...

This Jotay Resort is a winner! The downside is.., sira ang dinner appetite ko!

Yes it took time finishing my sandwich, ang laki eh! Until this appeared...

The sunset from the beach across the road from Jotay Resort. Wonderful!

That sunset turned out to be the highlight of my day. Yep, it was already early evening when I remembered I still had to return "home" to Country Inn By The Sea. Si driver naman, did not even remind me na gumagabi na pala. He just waited.

And back at my home in Sta. Ana, Cagayan

Those two are not guests nor performers in a show! They are just two of the ever attentive and jolly crews of Country Inn. This is, I think, where Country Inn By The Sea becomes "winner" overall. Their crews are always alert to make you happy!

Okay, done! That was a mighty interesting day tour of Sta. Ana! Not prepared by any travel agency nor government tourism office. Just cooked up by me the tourist, and the trike driver who was startled when I said "tara ikot tayo"! A splendidly gratifying tour!

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