As the driveway goes up, this is what you see next, the town's police office...
And we reached the level top of this inclined driveway...
And this is that corner... there's the blue truck. The helmeted guy said "no parking"...
Nihilom ang amaw. He just stood there (stunned, I think) hehehe! Behind him, btw, before that hill being quarried, is already the circumferential road, the national highway.
This is after we turned left to make a u-turn in this big space. This is back of munisipyo.
But as my driver did his 'prowess' to make that u-turn... I saw this dilapidating thing...
On the other hand, this should have been a shrewd business decision of Tomas! Than have a headache on where to throw this big a trash (this was obviously also just trash of some other country donated to Cebu City), what better way for him than donate it to Saint Bernard! Now it'll be this town's headache on what to do with this huge a tin can!
And we were able to make that u-turn! Now ready to turn right and out of here...
And the exterior wooden stairs. Reminiscent of the styles of our past, right? Nice build! Ah, here goes the penchant for big old wooden houses again hehe! There are not a lot in St. Bernard. Many I saw are big and modern! This town has boomed since the landslides.
By the way (my blood is boiling again hehe), not clear in this picture, but the helmeted idiot is still there (white helmet behind the backhoe)! He really watched and waited for us to exit. He was probably worried baka maglatag na kami ng banig at dito na matulog!
As our vehicle passed nearest him, he was saying something to my driver. Kesyo we can park at the highway outside of that gate, but we cannot come back walking because this is "no entry sa civilian". Still irked, I smilingly (sarcastically) said "bakit ikaw, ano ka, police sundalo"? And he said "I mean authorized only"! Aba, nag-english ang animal!
I therefore take back what I said on the 3rd-to-last paragraph of a previous article. You cannot use the national highway coming to this place after all, since you may not enter that gate if you're not "authorized only"! So how do you come to this place on a vehicle?
I guess you'll have to approach the edifice as we did (from the church) and park on the sides of the streets down there, then huff you way walking up this hill! They probably didn't think their citizens or visitors "can" come riding in cars for the next hundred years.
So, this is that corner again (referred in the 3rd photo above)...
That monument in the middle of the grass is... I don't know hehe. I wanted to know, but it was too far for my camera (phone). I just assumed he is THE Governor Bernardo Torres. The grass was soaking wet from the rain so I could not go near! Besides, If I went nearer, the nearby police might have blown their whistles thinking I was to abduct that thing!
Hey, just for reference purposes, look at the upper right edge of the picture. You see those roofs far beyond that lamp post? That is downtown commercial district. A bit far.
Anyway.., and so I was in front of the municipal hall! Tsadaaaannnn...! THIS, is it!
Basta, this is cute! This building, btw, is long. It extends sideways in both directions.
And, did you notice there are five youngsters in this picture?! Ah it's too dark. But inside the lobby (middle big door that looks black) are three teens - a girl on the left bench and two boys on the right. I asked this girl on the stairs (right side) why they were here. Simple answer: "free Wi-Fi"! Hmm, why didn't I think of that?! Oh my age - it reveals 'no?!
I further asked the girl why she was laughing alone earlier (anticipating she would say she was watching JFL or AFV videos, and the likes). Sheepishly she told me she was chatting and her chatmates are "mga buing" (that is a pa-cute aberration of "buang or bu-ang"). Then I asked who she was chatting with (expecting she would "say" classmates or friends). Instead, she pointed in the direction of the other youngsters in the pic above!
I was tempted to ask why they didn't just come and face each other to chat live as in really LIVE. Then again, I resisted, remembering my maxim... "walang basagan ng trip"!
Hah, lessons everywhere hehehe. That's why I love traveling!
Okay, taking that photo of the "dainty" municipal hall façade above as reference, behind me was the back of their Jose Rizal Monument. Its more of a tableau to me, not just one standing monument. He is depicted seated by a table in the act of writing (all life-size concrete)) and behind him is a concrete wall printed with his Mi Ultimo Adios in English.
This big "stage" conveniently has stairs on both sides going down to street level (1st pic above). So, I decided to pass that way for me to get a closer look of our national hero.
I was stunned at this rendition of our dear pambansang bayani's face and physique...
If the name were not inscribed big, and if that wall did not display "My Last Farewell", tell me it is somebody else and I would readily believe you! If I may compare this to that one in Luneta, face or physique, lahi ra oi! Nice concept and nice try anyway St. Bernard!
Here's some trivia:
Did you know, that among the many heroes this country has, Jose Rizal is the only one where there is no law, decree, batas pambansa or republic act declaring him as such? I'm not joking. I searched far and wide. Wala, none, nada, waray, wara, waja, waya - wa gayud!
Anyway, lest our belief be questioned by the next generations, it might not be too late yet, for our present congressmen and/or senators to craft some kind of a 'de facto bill' formally declaring Jose Rizal as indeed our revered national hero. That, would be heroic!
Oops and OMG, this is getting too long! Let's get out of St. Bernard. That's my next topic!
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