Going out of Alona Beach, Panglao into Tagbilaran and eventually to Cebu then Tacloban was a merry combination of land, sea and air travel - by design! I wanted to ride a fastcraft once again, that is why!
But let's start from the very beginning... of the end of my trip!
One last glance at a paradise that is the southwestern end of Panglao's Alona Beach..,
As many travelers would say.., "no turning back" for you will just feel bad leaving a paradise so soon!
Hey look! This is that '
abandoned house' beside Blue Ocean Bohol that I have earlier been
mentioning!
It looks good, right? A chance to look at it in full view, as I was going up those stairs at right because...
I availed of the transfer service offered by Blue Ocean Bohol from the resort to Tagbilaran Sea Port.
Thus, here was my way, climbing up the stairs from the resort.., up the hill where the vehicle awaited.
As said earlier, this "parking area" is actually the grounds of Domos Native Guest House..,
Can you see the signage at upper right corner of the picture? Yes this whole compound is Domos, and exit to the narrow road is by turning right at that umbrella. I wasn't able to explore this area above Blue Ocean since I got busier down on the beach. I should do so when I return, as I'm now curious about it.
Look, they also have this (day-use) bamboo cottage common among resorts in most provinces.
It functions the same as everywhere else in this country - meaning: families or groups would rent that cottage for a day, but more often than not, they'd end up renting it 'overnight' as in walang tulugan. Da!
How did I know that? Ah, the driver told me! He said, he himself has done that a number of times with his relatives and/or barkada. The difference though is that the cottage is not on the beach but a ridge!
Anyway, here we were on that narrow road, going out to the main streets of Panglao town..,
On that fence at left is a writing that says "Welcome to Kalipayan", so that probably is a resort. Before that though, on the same fence, I also saw some Russian characters. It probably is one and the same.
Onwards, on the same narrow road, there is even this shirtless Caucasian who seems to be jogging.
I would presume that although already at some distance and at a higher elevation than the beach, this place is still (or already) a neighborhood of resorts / accommodation facilities. All of Panglao is, yata!
Look here.., the street corner teems with so many directional signs to as many resorts!
Just as I thought.., this area, although not (yet) crowded with resorts etc., is in the middle of them all!
Okay, let's fast-forward.., after exactly 30 minutes, we were in the middle of Tagbilaran City..,
Hmm, I clicked the camera one second too late! I was aiming for the old provincial capitol at right, but the car was running fast as we turned left on this historic center of Tagbilaran. Oh okay, 'bucket-listed'!
Onwards, just before we turned left to the seaport, I got a chance to look at this corner house again.
I've been glancing at that structure each time I pass this way, since I don't know when. It's now mostly commercial at ground level, but looking at the size and 'style' of the building, especially the upper floor windows, I do wonder what and how it was in its heyday. It must've been a notable or important place.
Okay now.., entering the ever modernizing Port of Tagbilaran. Kung maka-fence and gate.., wagas!
I jokingly asked the driver "if this is Gate 1, asa ang Gate 2, 3, 4 or 5. He was silent for some moments, surely dumbfounded at my question. And all he could reply was "dagat naman ni sir". And we laughed!
Oh, any vehicle that enters this "fortification" must pay toll or "temporary vehicle pass"
Just like highways, many infrastructure things ask us, the public, to pay toll 'no? Oh dear government!
Then we reached the actual nice and big port building. It better be since the public is paying for it!
But tickets are also taxed, and there is even a terminal fee. "What da", 'no? Dear Congress and Senate! Ah eh, wala lang, I just said: "Dear Congress and Senate". This is a travel blog, not political or anything!
And here are the ticket offices of all sea-going vessels or crafts plying from Tagbilaran to anywhere.
I think I said this somewhere "pag tadtad ng kung anu-anong announcment at schedule, yun na yon"!
Tara, let's enter the "Passenger Terminal Building". I went to this unmanned "Information Counter".
No one sits there says the guard. Sana man lang meron automated information ek ek. So I asked him "saan ang CR". His reply was just a "shrug", and he faced away pretending to be busy with passengers.
I rested my case hehe, and instead started looking for it inside. Hesumalusep it's on the second floor!
In fairness, it is clean, the floor is dry, and obviously well-maintainned! But I wondered why two urinals are missing! My gash abelgash, hindi naman siguro tinangay ng pasahero, 'no? Nya gi-handkeri gajud!
And the waiting areas at second level look just like many of our domestic airports (or even better?)!
There are stores (for pasalubong). There are eateries too. There is even an "Island Souvenirs" branch!
At this juncture however, my little brain started boiling my blood [here I go again hahaha]! I was asking my self, "sino kaya ang architect or contractor ng building na 'to, gusto ko maging kriminal"! Ka-jologs!
Hep hep, I'm not violent! Pag minura-mura ko si architect, crime na yon di ba? Hanggang dun lang ako heheh! Ganun ang feeling ko at that time. Just look at the windows at right. Wrong height. Bogo-a ba!
When a passenger sits on those chairs, he sees nothing but a blank wall - because - the window is too high for a magnificent view (unta) of the sea or anything outside. What a disgrace of a waiting lounge!
The architect probably thought they were designing an elementary school, not a passenger terminal!
Anyway, since I could not see the outside sitting down, I stood up and saw this curious "existence"..,
Whoa! And I had to ask my self "where am I now, a private yacht club marina"? From their boat names alone, surely those are not government vehicles. One is named Kaluha (bisaya for "twin") and if those writings are proper, that should mean it is registered in Hongkong? The other one is named Heaven on Earth and the tiny one at front right is named Ycio! Nakiki-park lang, o kumikitang kabuhayan ni boss?
I went to the downstairs waiting areas in preparation for boarding. Yeah, the windows are the same.
Oh, these on ground floor are even a little bit lower? In any case, it is still the same.., hindi pinag-isipan ng mabuti ang design functionality"! The window sill is higher than any passenger's eye-level. No view!
Haiszt! Buti boarding started na. Otherwise I'd probably have seen more unagreeable sights & scenes!
Now let me just say this.., the boarding route in Tagbilaran is comfy with that covered walk-way, and it has been like that for many years now -long before other seaports like Ormoc or even Cebu had them.
And by the way too, while Tagbilaran is the center of almost everything Bohol, this island-province has one of the most number of well developed entry/exit points by sea such as from Jagna, Ubay, Talibon, Getafe,
Tubigon, etc. You can visit many places in Mindanao, Negros, Leyte or Cebu from many ports!
Anyway, there I went riding the Supercat to Cebu again.
But let's talk about it in my next story.
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