Hinatuan, A Quick Visit

Happy (and thankful) to have seen the center of this town, even if I did not at all dream of being in the place yet! I only wanted to see Tinuy-an Falls and Enchanted River which I thought were both in Bislig! Only to find out that Enchanted River is even farther away than Hinatuan, from Bislig or Tinuy-an Falls!

This place is out of the way if you come from anywhere in Bislig to the Enchanted River or vice-versa! So, how did I find myself here? Nag-detour? Well, I would like to think of this as some kind of a gift! An addition to my itinerary (at no extra cost), for lack of anything else to do and/or any place else to see!

Why? Because we were moving too fast from place to place, because: I did not stay long at Tinuy-an Falls or Enchanted River.., because: there were just too many visitors that I did not enjoy it any longer!

Whose fault? Mine! Lesson learned: DO NOT VISIT SURIGAO DEL SUR ON A HOLY WEEK!

So.., because we were already done with Tinuy-an Falls and Enchanted River but the sun was still high up, my driver who probably sensed I was not enjoying this tour that much, offered to take me to "extra" places along the way (back to Mangagoy), like the Hinatuan town center! Why would I say no, let's go!

Here is the "Pamahalaang Bayan Ng Hinatuan, Surigao Del Sur". Yes, their Municipal Hall, and it looks good, right? Reminiscent of the big wooden houses of yesteryears! Well, ground level is now cement.

Nowadays, only a few municipal halls in this country would remain to still look vintage like that. Nice!

Opposite end of the plaza and playing courts are the town's stage and the police office behind it..,

I like it that they are not beside or behind the municipal building because both have rather vivid colors (is it "loud"?) that could overpower the "antiquity look" of the munisipyo or pamahalaang bayan, right?!

And here is another old building in the middle of the park. I think this is circa the American era..,

The building signage says Community Development Information Center, but I'm more interested in the form (shape) of the building itself and the roof! Is it octagonal or decagonal? Aged but still beautiful!

Across the plaza, seemingly with its own wide garden and green spaces, I could see the church..,

Saint Augustine Parish Church of Hinatuan, Surigao Del Sur! It reminds me of another church, hmm..,

While this church is "blue and white" on the outside, it is "yellow on the inside! Simple and bright..,

Well, the altar is generally brown as that's the color of the retablo. In total.., simple and maaliwalas!

I think this is the "kumbento" and/or the parish office? Either way, I pity the building, its decayed..,

While I like looking at this scene.., am not sure if all those houses are religious, but they looked nice!

Back near the municipal hall, I saw this.., their Municipal Gym!

It may look like nothing much, but I guess it serves the purpose and probably even cooler than usual!

Only the lower portion has been concretized. The upper part is still wood - and slatted! Therefore cool!

Now now.., I anticipated driver would bring me to the commercial areas of Hinatuan like the market or their pier and things like that. But, he instead asked if we could already leave center of town, so that he could bring me to Hinayagan Cave, Florland Resort and Sian Falls. Wow! Of course I said "let's go"!

Here are some interesting sights I saw on the way there...

An unpaved part of the road. That black dot at left is an unopened bottle of Coke Mismo!

I took a shot of this tree because there was a big bird that landed unto it! Try finding it!

This signage says there is a Bigaan Elementary School! Really now? From the root word "biga"?

Golly, in the Visayan Languages, that word means "lust" or "flirt". That's why "bigaon" means lustful or flirtatious. Thus, if you say "bigaan", that means a place where you flirt (landian o putahan baga)! O eh, why build an elementary school in such a place? Haha! Well, "biga" is also a kind of wood! You talaga!

And then I saw this beautiful structure in the middle of a rice field.., wow...ness!

Not sure if that's a home or a chapel, if still in use or abandoned. It just looks so beautiful to me! Epic.

Not far away, there was this big tall tree standing straight and solo in the middle of a rice field..,

It does not look like there had been any other tree of its size nearby. This tree has been growing solo!

Look! A passenger getting off a skylab! An answer to my earlier query "how do you get off a skylab"!

Step 1: Stand on the ground with one foot (in her case, the left foot) while the other foot (right foot) is 'released' from the motorcycle. Note the left foot is still inside the wooden contraption of the skylab!

And she's off! It is not that complicated after all, and passenger (a woman) did not look awkward!

Step 2: While the left foot is still firmly standing on ground (though still in the skylab's wooden frame), the right foot is released all the way to the outside area of skylab wood contraption. Basta, ganun oh! Step 3: Now putting your weight on the right foot, release the left foot from the skylab's wood frame!

Hahaha! Ang hirap espellingin! Anyway, when in doubt, do whatever you want hehehe! Just take note of the etiquette - your feet are not supposed to step on any wooden frame of the skylab's contraption, as your shoes can't get them dirty, since other people sit on them or food (cargo) are placed on them!

Got it? If not, 'wag ka na lang sumakay sa gitna ng skylab! Ang hirap mag-explain eh hehehe!

Mind you, this joyride from Enchanted River (not part of my itinerary) got to be most interesting!

And, also not part of my itinerary.., Hinayagan Cave is next