Blurred pictures notwithstanding, memories of this wondrous trip remain in my mind...
On this part of the trip, I was already circling the south-eastern tip of the island of Leyte. Just about 11 or 12kms from the Anahawan town center to the town center of San Juan. And the wonderful breezy views continued. We even shut the car's aircon off and opened the windows to savor the fresh smell of green earth. No worries, few cars on this hiway!
I noticed there are a lot of mango trees on this stretch of road, not as plantations, but probably just planted by the residents for the shade it brings and a few sweet fruits for consumption! And hoa, I saw at least one dive resort in one of the beaches we drove by!
Hmm, we breezed thru (but I read the signs clearly) a barangay named "Agay-ay". What a curious name for a place! In bisaya, "agay-ay" is that grainy fine beady thing that comes off wood or lumber - actually an excrement of an insect they call "powderpost beetle"!
If you see "agay-ay" in your house, it's natural to start worrying, but do something! That means something made of wood (like your wall, ceiling, bed, cabinet, chair, etc.) is about to crumble back to mother earth! Aaand, it usually starts from the insides going out. Da!
Well, because I got curious with the name "Agay-ay", I eagerly waited to see what the next barangay name would be. And it is: Timba! Unsa na, baldi? Asa diay ang kabo?! Further on, there's a Barangay Garrido, but its elementary school is named GARSAVIC. Who knows, maybe a little further on, we might see another barangay named KATHNIEL!
And the penchant for big old houses beckoned (again)...
Upon entry to the town center, across a Flying V gas station, is a big white house that's not really old, but it's made like the "bahay na bato" of yesteryears. Lovely to look at. But, buti nalang my camera went pfft as I took aim, because, the gate declares, this house is owned by Leon Gan Jr. "attorney at-law"! Basi'g pasakaan ko'g Criminal Case No. 99.5 for reckless imprudence resulting to acts of lasciviousness, da! It's a beautiful house, really!
OMG, I realized there are also many big old houses in this town center!
Next house to the right is another wonderful old era home painted light blue. The gate says Atty Garrido. Kulba, lawyer again! The next corner also has two old wooden houses across each other on left side of the road. They face the other 2 corners that are vacant lots, but must have also been previously planted to equally beautiful homes (I suspect).
The biggest and most fantastically antique structure I saw is a big house in the next corner where a "Zea's Mini Grocery" now occupies the lower ground corner. Yes, just one corner as it is a big house. I think that should even be preserved by the NHI. Wowness!
Across this old house, is a handsome looking new edifice that looked like a commercial building to me. I told the driver "tingnan nga natin iyang mall na yan". Driver laughed...
I may love the old and grandiose, but I also subscribe to matters that pop out of the box! Just look at that building - especially that the photo is blurred (init na ulo ko sa phone na ito) - no one would easily think that this is in fact a town's seat of government, di ba?
Instead of thinking that, in there is the municipal treasurer, assessor, accounting, etc., it's easier to imagine that one chunk of it is a barber shop, another chunk maybe a sosyal coffee corner, a hair and nail salon, a courier service, a bank, an internet cafe, etc., di ba?!
Nice one San Juan! You got me there hehe!
We moved on to see the church. As we slowed down to enter the church compound, I saw (on the left) a nice looking old house where their postal and telecoms services hold offices! The driver stressed "YAN, ang dati nilang munisipyo"! Oh wow! But yes, maliit na.
No wonder there is a basketball court beside it, a monument of Jose Rizal too, and a wonderful view of the sea. Plus, next to them is a big building they call the "auditorium".
And then the church...
It is fenced all around and has a fantastically veeery wide compound...
And this is the very next shot I took...
Here's another shot (without the baptism statues)...
I noticed there was this young lady also taking pics of this church near where I stood. And I said to her "ganda 'no? parang Paoay Church". She agreed though clarifying she has not seen Paoay Church in person yet, but saw pictures of it in magazines. So we talked!
I learned the girl is from Maasin and she knows many things about this church. Like, this was built in 1892, and that this is commonly known and referred to by people in the area as the "Cabalian Church". I asked why, and learned from her that this was formerly known as the town of Cabalian [ca-ba-li-an], but was renamed to San Juan only in 1961.
Plus, an important trivia, she told me that not just this church, but the town itself is still referred to by many people in the region as "Cabalian". She even challenged me to look this up in local or national papers, books, radio or internet. That everyone says Cabalian!
No wonder, even my driver mentioned Cabalian a few times during this trip - to the extent that I was thinking Cabalian was the next town after San Juan! See? I'm Learning!
Here's more... she informed me that the spoken dialect of Cabalian is different from Cebuano, or the Maasin bisaya, or that of Surigao, to the extent that some language scholars suggested it be listed as another Visayan dialect. Wow, information overload!
But thanks to that girl for educating me, though I wasn't able to get her name and/or 'web handle'. I remember she asked for the name of my blog page (this blog), so Inday, if you are reading this, thank you very much, indeed! You fulfill the world as my classroom!
Alright, so I entered the St. John the Baptist Chruch of Cabalian, and this was the view...
First I noticed are the differently colored tiles. Look at the floor, right edge of photo. It's the same on the left edge. So this is a combination of "black-and-white" and "black-and-cream" colored tiles. I am not really a fan of these kinds of dizzying "designs". At least the pattern here is diagonal, unlike in Calbayog na mukhang... ah I already said that hehehe!
Hmm, I would love for this church to sport the ceiling (exposed trusses) of the previous one I saw (Anahawan). Liliwanag ang buhay! And it won't be that distracting. This kind of ceiling reminds me of an underwater tunnel (aquarium). Look up, mamaya me lalabas na pating dyan, tsaka pagi, ganun! Why can't our catholic churches be simple, serene and solemn? Hindi yung nag-iimagine ka ng kung anu-anong special attractions na lalabas!
Anyway, this next pic is "bilib ako"! I took this specifically for me to remember this wall...
I forgot to go near it to compare that thickness to my reach. But my guess is, that should probably be about 2 meters. Woa! That, is what we should call "quality construction". Unlike many built structures of our time... a little shake, a little wind or a little wet, they crumble to the ground hehe! Sino nga ba kasi ang nagturo sa mga Pinoy ng pagtitipid by sacrificing quality? Hmm, yun mga singkit tulad ko 'no?! This should be a benchmark!
The altar of Cabalian St. John the Baptist Parish Church...
Now hehe, on the ceiling again hehehe, I have this to say to the cura parroco and/or the designer and/or the executor of that thing up there: "nice concept and nice try", but... due to the shape and contours of that ceiling, it now looks like a humungous tidal wave about to slam and ravage the whole church! You can ask surfers what a "barrel wave" is!
This is the 'priest's view'...
I have my own "saying" that I always tell women friends and family:
Anyway, this is the look of the outside world from the church's main entrance...
Oh, by the entrance to this church compound is this nice era-looking house...
Anyway, let's wrap this up...
Despite my 'critique' on/of the church's "aesthetics", I think I am going to love this town. Imagine this... ALL I mentioned or described above are right by either side of the national highway! Yes, and indeed! How much more if saw the other parts of this town?!
Okay, let's go onwards to St. Bernard. That's my next topic!
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, Southern Leyte){kind=link}
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