Into Tabango

This ride was between two coastal towns of the north-western Leyte district, but the road to Tabango (from Villaba) is not at all coastal . The highway isn't near the ocean for it to be visible as we drove by. Thus, I didn't have good views of the sea during this run. Just a few snippets or I might say none at all.

But thanks to the interesting sights along the highway.., this was still a fun ride!

From the L3DEO in Villaba (that we spoke of in the last part of the previous article), the town center of Tabango is only some 14kms, on a northward run, passing by 3 of its rural barangays that have rice as a main crop, therefore, mainly verdant 'rice plantations' is the "general scenery" in whichever direction.

Wonderful enough actually, with unexpected sights that made this joyride at times hilariously fun.

Like this one.., a nice portion of the highway and an anxiety-inducing motorcycle rider!

He was running at normal speed. I say that, since our vehicle could not easily overtake him for a good portion of this highway. That meant he was running between 60 and 80kph too! But, obviously he was having difficulty holding that plant (or shrub, whatever) that I saw was really getting in his way. I would see him shift his sitting position and/or adjust that damn halaman in his arms left or right and so on!

Here's a closer clearer shot of the rider (and his pesky halaman) as we were overtaking him..,

Note that there's another "voluminous cargo" by his left foot, but I wasn't able to 'decipher' what it was.

I instinctively asked my driver if we could help this rider carry that load (in our virtually empty vehicle) since it looked like we were going in the same direction anyway. Driver vigorously shook his head as if to say "no", though grinning when he said "sir, engagement protocol"! I said 'ah okay', and we laughed!

Why did we laugh? Eh, another experience we had - when we, strangers, tried to help locals ahehehe!

So, no guilt feelings, we left (overtook) the rider with his thing and we proceeded with ours..,

What about this picture? Well, I took that to remember the name so I can ask around. I do not seem to know a meaning of "Inangatan" whether Cebuano or Waray. That's the name of this bridge / barangay.

Driver joked that this place is named-so, because bridges are raised [naka-angat]. I said "wheh"!

And the topic shifted to why bridges are raised like so. I know - for I have seen many examples, and my driver (having been a delivery van driver) also confirms this.., that it means something "not good". Yeah, that means the place (usually including the highway) gets flooded during the monsoon season.

But when the heavy rains are not around yet.., even on a gloomy day, these fields look lovely..,

Absolutely very instagramable! And, depending on the season, these fields are either be green or gold.

And then I saw this nice-looking and rather new chapel.., with a big new house beside it..,

Pardon the framing, I was unable to center the subject on my camera focus, the car was moving fast.

And I had to quickly turn to the left side of the road to also capture this beautiful new house..,

Oh hey, that structure on the left edge of the pic, almost kissing the house, is some kind of an ungated concrete "arc de triomphe"! I think there's some park, or a school, or a school and/with a park, in there.

Excited that the sights were getting to be "urban", I asked driver if we were already at center of town. The reply was "diri pa, sir" (not yet, sir), but after this barangay would already be poblacion Tabango.

I quickly shifted my focus up front, because we were approaching another bridge, I shot this photo..,

Driver was grinning, but my reflexes were slow this time. I tried reading the bridge name. Oh-My-Gee!

Here here.., for your better appreciation.., I enlarged the name of the bridge. That made us laugh!

I think in any Philippine language or dialect, those last two syllables kind of allude to a rather prurient overtone only my friend Onad can pronounce with eloquent hilarity - with matching facial expression!

But it's not just the bridge btw. This is Barangay Campokpok - the biggest barangay of Tabango, Leyte! Dawahon Island is in Campokpok Bay! The chapel above is called "Campokpok Chapel"! The school ID 121898 is "Campokpok Central School". Sino ba kasi ang pokpok na yan, bakit ang sikat nya? Hahaha!

Enough! let's go enter the town center of Tabango. In my next story!