Candijay High!

From Mabini we headed back to the main road, to continue my joyride rounding the southern towns of Bohol. The next municipality on this route was Candijay. To be technical, I already passed by this town per se, earlier on my way from Alicia to Mabini, as Brgy. La Union (the intersection) is part of Candijay.

But my objective was to see the town centers, so let's enter Candijay...

Wait... let's do the pronunciation drill first!
Candijay is pronounced as "kan-di-high". Special note on the last syllable, the "J" is pronounced as "H".

Plus, you already know the rest, right? Like what? Like there is no "soft A" in any Philippine language or dialect. So for Filipino words or names, the "A" is always short and hard, wherever it is placed. Thus, in Candijay, the "Can" part is not like in the English "Can", "Wan" or "Tan". The Pinoy "A" always sounds like the "A" in "Mama" or even "Mum" or even "Mom". That's why I said "high" as the pronunciation of "jay".

Now, if you hear any Pinoy/Pinay pronouncing the "a" in any Filipino word so that it sounds like the "a" in the English words "cake", "date", "ran" or "man".., sampalin mo nalang o dili kaya kuyumusin mo ang mukha please! Nag-iinarte lang ang putitang yan! And when I say "Filipino word", it does not matter if that word is in Tagalog, Ilocano, Tausug, Waray, Ilonggo, Bisdak, Chavacano, Ybanag, etc., etc. Yes, all.

In the Philippines (any language or dialect), the nearest to a soft "A" is "ey" like in Meycauayan.

Okay alright, let's go to Candijay na nga - the town proper, not just the word hehe!

That's the 'munisipyo' of Candijay, right on the side of the highway. Do you see the big metallic letters that say CANDIJAY (right edge of the picture)? That, is just the side of the building, and you can't enter from there! Entrance is via the black gate at left, which was 'padlocked' at the time of my arrival. Argh!

But "miraculously", that is not an issue! Why? Because you can still enter via the tennis court and park at left, even way left to the trial court building, where there are no gates. So duh, it is a miracle, di ba?!

By the way, behind me when I took that picture, were nice big old houses and their central elementary school also still with old wooden buildings. I guess this is the real (original?) affluent center of town!

Anyway, as I walked to the tennis court, my driver/guide following me, I felt it was time for a Coke! So I first went straight to the nearby stores. OMG, walang Coca Cola! So, I kept walking until I reached this:

That store in the middle, named "Glady's Agrivet Store" hahaha, was the only place that sold Coke - all the way from the municipal hall. I think I walked about 200 meters asking every store if they had Coke!

I immediately grabbed 2 bottles (1 for me, and 1 for my driver). But, there was a happy problem. This:

We realized that "Glady's Agrivet Store" is also a turo-turo. Yes, an eatery! And one of the irresistibly oh so yummy dishes displayed was "Alimango"! I could smell its salivatingly tempting aroma everywhere!

I got two orders, but driver/guide half-protestingly told me lunch was waiting for us in the next town! I quickly processed that information, magaling ako dyan, first-honor ako nung Grade 1. Hmn, next town was Anda, about 20kms, so maybe 30 minutes away. Na-order ko na si Alimango. So, tuloy ang ligaya!

I did a little compromise though. No rice, just the Alimango, so it won't be called a "lunch" - technically! Oh ha? Magaling tayo dyan! Para-paraan. Kung ayaw, maraming dahilan, kung gusto, aba 'tangina, Go!

Hahaha, those were actually small crabs. A bit smaller than what we would usually buy in a palengke. But the way they were cooked was aromatically mouth-wateringly dee-licious. With Coke? Ah, da layf!

Okay, "noontime crab snack" (walang rice eh) over and done. OMG I still needed to see the munisipyo, plus the church! So we drove back to the tennis courts, so I could enter the compound, and I saw this:

The building's facade says "Municipality of Candijay". About that Christmas Tree, we couldn't guess if that has been there since last year, or being prepared for the coming holidays, as this was September!

Still on that Christmas Tree, did you notice that the lower left portion seems truncated? Ah, there were three tourists posing there when I took my picture. I had to erase them, as I'm going to say something bad about one of them hehehe. I heard her say "Candy Jay" while reading the town's name. They didn't hear me (of course), but I said "Candy Jay ka dyan, gaga"! At least that made my driver laugh out loud!

That monument facing the highway and elementary school is Jose Rizal. Here's another fancy shot!

Small as it may be, compared to the previous towns I just visited, I liked it that they still have a grassy area in front of their municipal hall. It keeps the "fashion" among public edifices in the towns of Bohol.

Oist, I was actually surprised to hear my guide tell me that Candijay is a 4th class municipality. It looks more progressive compared to other towns I visited. Then again, looks can be deceiving and I'm just a roamer. I don't really know what a government checks to say a town as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 'wa class'!

I learned though, that Candijay has wide mangrove forests that are now earnestly conserved, properly maintained, and supported by government authorities. Some areas are now being promoted as tourist destinations with river cruises, boardwalks, tour guides, even singers to serenade visitors. Coolness!!

Similar to Mabini, this town also has abundant fish, crabs, plus panoramic peaks, caves, an islet with a sandbar, a cold spring, and the tallest waterfall in all of Bohol - Can-umantad Falls. Hmn, bucketlisted!

Oh, before I forget, see that I💓CANDIJAY pic again. That obscured building behind the trees is like a motorpool, but there's an ATM! Behind that is their sports center, and further behind that is the church.

The St. Joseph Parish Church of Candijay, Bohol. Ang hirap pictyuran ng buong harapan!

That big 'thing' (right side of picture collage) which I do not know what, blocks the view when trying to photograph the whole direct front of the church, because that thing is right in front by the church gate!

I've seen that thing and/or its 'variants' in other churches like at Tubigon, at Caramoan and elsewhere. I asked so many people (including priests) about it, yet I am not too convinced on what I've been told.

They mostly say 'it is used for the "angels" (children) to go up in the air to pull away Mama Mary's veil while she passes under that thing, during the "sugat" (salubong) re-enactments'. Really now? Only for that? The church and the people, builds such a huge concrete edifice, used only every Black Saturday?

I can't believe that (yet) hehe! Ah, if that is the real real truth, all I can say is "ang gastos naman nyan"!

Anyway, here's the best I could take for a façade of the St. Joseph Parish Church of Candijay. Putol!

But I liked looking at this church, I don't even know why! Maybe because of the green-colored "spires"? Or maybe just the color green? Green is a color associated with St. Joseph, right? Oh ha, alam ko yan!

Or maybe those windows captivated me. Look at the curved and pointed top portion of each window, kakaiba 'no? And the panels have intricate mesh design they look like of Moorish architectural origins.

Actually, looking at it, this church reminds of other St. Joseph churches/cathedrals I have seen - such as the Mabolo Church in Cebu - also sporting a spire. Even the one in Singapore (across the National Library) - the windows are similarly shaped. I remember those in Sabang, Hanoi, Butuan, Balanga too!

Hmm, travel also makes you recall the many things you have encountered. Just like now, I remember there was a St. Joseph in Project 2 near where I rented a flat years ago. And in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, the church is San Jose. Even the church in Hong Kong near the zoo windows are the same!

Okay okay.., back to Candijay hehe! And this is the interior of the St. Joseph Parish Church...

I like the green wash of light near the ceiling coming from the green-colored glass. Nice highlight!

Even the center aisle colors are elegant, I just don't know what this is or what it is for...

Is it a logo or something that has a meaning in the Catholic Faith? Or arte lang nung gumawa ng tiles?

The altar...

And the "priest's view"...

Hey, palaisipan.., is that a 'choir loft' up there? If so, where do they pass? I didn't see stairs or ladders!

Anyway, out of the church, my driver/guide waited under that big shade while I was still in the church.

I wonder how old that tree must be now. I wonder too, what has it witnessed throughout these years!

From the church, I asked if we can pass by the town's port, even if briefly. Driver said it is only about 6 kilometers to Cogtong port, but we were running out of time. Okay fine, next time na lang mangroves!

So off to Anda we went... just 8 kilometers from Candijay...

But let that be my next blog story. Atangi...!

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