Silago Town Center, Brown Beach & Murciélago

Happily arrived at Silago - the northeastern-most town of Southern Leyte. Noted on diary: I have just landed at the other side (pacific side) of the province of Southern Leyte!

A road fork, but easy to decide on. Because there are clear signs, even if not as big as those at EDSA. The signs even gave me hints on where to go - where vehicles are being discouraged - that should be center of town, therefore my destination hahaha! Plus, my driver know this place well. So. we headed left here... we are not "PUB, PUJ, VAN" anyway!

Hmm, I could see old era houses, though most of them already refurbished with concrete and brightly painted - just like what priests are fond of doing with their churches, right?!

Ah, after that 'fork' above, it looked like our entire left flank, plus a scattering of a few on the right, is the town's commercial area. Yes, their Central Business District (CBD), oh ha?!

Excited, I wanted to get off the car and roam. This looked like a palengke or talipapa!

But the driver had another 'better' idea. He suggested that we look for a parking area first, so he can leave the car and go around with me. Ano yan, bodyguard? But, okay, fine!

After some credit cooperative at a corner, we saw space at a basketball court with a pink building that said Parish Training Center. So I started looking around for a church. None!

Driver told me that church is behind this building and facing in the opposite direction. Ah okay, so we decided to go and park there instead, then walk around the town center.

Going to that church meant we go onwards and turn right at the corner after the RHU.

This is the RHU... and before we could turn right, I said "OMG no no, go straight ahead"!

I said go straight ahead because I saw this... Wouldn't you go for this beautiful sight?

So driver parked at that edge, and I jumped out of the car to savor the refreshing views!

Whohoa! That is Leyte Gulf and going straight far into the Pacific Ocean...

My google map says, where I stood would have been a little bit lower level latitude than Homonhon Island in Guiuan. Just above, and almost the northern tip of Dinagat Islands.

So, Silago faces the Pacific too. Wow!

Now, if Magellan's armada went onwards to Limasawa from Homonhon, they must have passed by this area. I wonder if Pigafetta had anything to say about this place, or any of the southeastern towns of Leyte! I don't remember having come across any such story.

Oops, we're getting off topic (though I would really love to know, if Antonio had "travel notes" herearounds)! So, lest we be tempted to start talking about Marianas or Butuan, let's go back to Silago's downtown-area beach. Yes, at the poblacion mismo. Ganda di ba?

The sand is "officially technically actually" colored brown, especially when wet. But its fine top layer exposed to the sun's constant heat, usually appears beige to almost white.

This beach is probably a kilometer long of such a wide fine sand, halfway at which is the town center. Just a mere few steps for residents or tourists who want to dash and splash!

But how come there are no folks enjoying this wonderful beach?!

Eto na... me parade! Fiesta pala!

I wanted to stay longer at this beach, but driver reminded me we were still very far if we wanted to spend the night in Sogod, as we were rounding the island via coastal roads.

So okay, we were out out of the beach.., and stuck! But I liked this hahaha...

We were late by just a few seconds. Traffic officers (Brgy Tanod?) just closed the corner we needed to cross back into town! Police vehicles leading the parade were feet away!

But, while driver was protesting to high heavens about our very bad luck hehe, I quickly jumped out of the vehicle to instead watch the parade from this corner near the RHU!

So it's called the "Murciélago Festival".

Hmm, a festival of, for, about bats? I was (of course) bewildered! Unsa ni oi, the realm of Count Dracula? Hahaha, kaso, I always say "walang basagan ng trip"! They must have a humanly humanely acceptable reason (which I hoped was/is not about devouring bats) eeek kikikik! So I asked people beside me also watching the parade. Okay, now I know!

Oh, you also want to know?! Let me think about it... hehe...

Okay, start with the town's name "Silago". It originated from "Murciélago" - the Spanish word for "bat", as in "paniki", as in "kabog"! Yes, the older Spanish-era name of Silago is Murciélago. Bakit nagka-ganoon? Aba aba ewan, basta, wala akong kinalaman dyan ha?!

Anyway, joking aside, we only got to move after the parade went by. And we could not turn left going to the church as all of a sudden, there were so many people 'strolling'. We went straight and turned left instead at the cooperative heading towards municipal hall.

Crowded too, but we inched by as this was the way out, than literally tail the parade...

That's their transport terminal - easier to reach by turning right at the fork intersection above (first photo). That building on the left edge of the picture is a row of commercial stalls at ground level, but there is a sign that says "Silago Tourist Inns" on the 2nd floor.

I wondered if that's many Inns or just one. Eh mukhang isang building lang naman eh :D We attempted to look and see, perchance we might as well sleep the night here. Alas, dimalas, I could already hear the marching band approaching. We turned back instead.

Trapped! There were even more people (and vehicles) at the municipal hall area!

We were not sure (since this place seems small viewed from the road), but it felt like this was the final destination of the parade - for their ceremonies and festival showdown. I was just about to go down and ask the guard about it, but all of a sudden came the police car fronting the parade, approaching where we were on the street! OMG let's go!

So we dashed out of the town center thru this diagonal street towards the highway!

So wala na... balik na lang uli. I never got to see the church. Never even got to see what their munisipyo looks like, other than a gate signage that says it is their municipal hall.

But, I don't feel sorry I never got to see them. Because, what kept me was a beautiful distraction - their brown colored beach at town center (and Murciélago Festival Parade)!

Here I was, exiting Silago towards its southern neighbor, the town of Hinunangan...

I took this photo because I realized they also have here that jeep-like tricycle! At least this one is for family use - so am not sure if they use this kind for commute purposes, though I have a feeling they would! Why the interest? Well, it can carry more passengers (and cargo) than your car can! This, was not fully loaded yet at 9 adults including driver!

And this is the Maag bridge... under it is a big and clean river...

I wasn't able to take a photo of the river due to those gigantic red things on the side.

Anyway, bye for now Silago. I'll be back soon. Promise!

Let's go to Hinunangan next, which is less than half an hour away says my driver!

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