UEP to Mondragon Sights & Scenes

This was a short hop, but with interesting views too. Actually, the tip of UEP White Beach Resort is already the town of Mondragon, in its western-most barangay, Doña Lucia. But to the middle of Mondragon town proper, that would be some 9 or 10 kilometers more.

a "centercab" tricycle that looks like a "multicab" jeep from behind

Like I was admiring the greens of where we were passing and my driver seemed to be having a hard time overtaking that multicab... I stared at it... OMG, it is not a multicab! Its a trike called "center car" or "center cab" in Calbayog! No wonder it was way too slow.

My driver did not (of course) like being "delayed", but what can we do?! In fact, I noticed the reason this "center cab" was not veering right to let us thru was: it was in itself also trying to overtake another 'vehicle' - a pedicab, the original "traysikul" of Samar - you can see it at right, ahead of this center cab! What a cute chain of slow moving "conveyances"!

I said "okay ang color ah, pink"! Driver said that is "fuschia" as that was part of his 10 year old daughter's homework last week! Then he shrieked "fuschiang ina, paagi-a kami"!

Hahaha! Fun! But funnier still is that thing written at the bottom behind of the trike. It says "Parag TRICYLE La" which means "just a tricycle driver". I mused that it would be more dramatic and real headturner if he placed that phrase behind a McLaren or Jaguar!

So this is where Sophie's Farm is located! I didn't know, though I've heard about them.

entrance gate to Sophie's Farm in Mondragon Northern Samar

It's an organic farm owned by a religious group called SHIFT. I heard this farm's produce are the staple of restaurants in Catarman. And I also hear Sophie's Farm now even works with government agencies like the DA (ATI) and private organizations on farm education.

Balay Padi. Balay means house, Padi means priest... therefore a house of priests?

It says "House of Spirituality" so I said it might be a seminary or something like that.

No sooner than I imagined what Balay Padi could mean, we saw this...

entrance gate to the John Paul Seminary at a hill in Mondragon Northern Samar

And I said "ah okay, so that's the gate"... and driver continued that with "the gate to hell"! I said "shh, seminary baya ito" and the driver said "oo nga sir, seminary hills"! Nakalusot!

Well, it's true, that seminary is atop a hill hehe!

Just about 500 meters from that entrance road to the John Paul Seminary, we saw this...

entrance gate to the St. Clare Monastery in Mondragon Northern Samar

The gate and entrance roadway to the Monastery of St. Clare also up a hill. I heard there is a beautiful church there amidst flower gardens and a good view of the pacific ocean.

But we went on, forward to the town center of Mondragon. And as I write this now, on hindsight, I now keep asking "why didn't I go visit those three places - Sophie's Farm, John Paul Seminary, and St. Clare Monastery"? Well, reason for me to come back soonest!

Just 1km from that St. Clare gate, I thought we were entering poblacion Mondragon...

big tree on the side of the highway at near the Brgy Makiwalo multipurpose hall and church in Mondragon Northern Samar

But I learned this is not yet center of town. This is just entering Brgy. Makiwalo, which, looks really like a town by itself as there are many houses and stores! Under that tree at left is a waiting area of tricycles (well yes, center cabs), and behind that is even a church.

Onwards, we passed by this new-looking compound, and I said "I will see you later"...

highway view of Mikomiko Resort's gate and fence at Mondragon Northern Samar

That is mikomiko resort. But let's talk about this place in more and finer detail later, k?!

And just about 2 kilometers from Mikomiko, we reached...